Free Genealogy How-To Videos All over the 'Net

"Frugal Genealogy: or How Not to Spend a Fortune on Your Family Tree" is my most-sought after presentation by area genealogical societies when requesting me as a speaker. Recently, I've realized I need to update it; free genealogy how-to videos are showing up all over the Internet faster, it seems, than I can keep track. I've provided a round-up of what's out there, below. In order to watch these, you'll need speakers or a set of headphones, and most likely, high-speed Internet service (Have dial-up? Plan ahead to spend some time at your local public library or other free or low-cost public center with high-speed Internet service).

Ancestry.com
Ancestry's Learning Center currently has 20 videos featuring Chief Historian Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak as host of their series of genealogy how-tos on getting started, research challenges, and information sources, to name a few: http://learn.ancestry.com/LearnMore/Videos.aspx

Register now for the latest webinar airing today at 8:00 PM, EST, "Discovering Family Tree Maker 2009". Or view 14 archived webinars on topics ranging from ethnic roots to using Ancestry's new search engine: http://learn.ancestry.com/LearnMore/Webinars.aspx

FamilySearch.org
A five-part series on beginning research course for England has recently been released by the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah at their FamilySearch.org site. Class outlines and handouts are included: http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/Education/frameset_education.asp?PAGE=education_research_series_online.asp%3FActiveTab=2 (Or go to http://www.familysearch.org, click on Library and choose Education from the drop-down menu. Then choose Research Series Classes Online from the left-hand menu.)

Family Tree Magazine
Right now, there are four videos (Using Google Books Search, Visual Guide to House Styles, etc.) hosted at the magazine website's video page. These are hosted at YouTube and a link is provided to access all 13 Family Tree Magazine videos on their YouTube channel: http://www.familytreemagazine.com/videos
http://www.youtube.com/familytreemagazine

Genealogy Gems TV
Although Lisa Louise Cooke's main focus is on podcasting, she offers a large variety of videos on her Genealogy Gems TV site. There's always something creative going on at GenealogyGems! These videos are also hosted at YouTube:
http://www.genealogygems.tv/Pages/TV/TV.htm
http://www.youtube.com/user/GenealogyGems

RootsTelevision.com
This project created by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak contains the most comprehensive and largest collection of free genealogy videos on the web. It includes interviews of genealogy "celebrities," tapings of national conferences and seminars, and offers 22 channels of tutorials on topics as diverse as DNA, family reunions, and various ethnic roots. Also available are many of the episodes from the popular PBS Ancestors Television Series (episodes numbered 101 - 109): http://www.rootstelevision.com

Treasure Maps Genealogy Videos
Robert Ragan's got more than just the two videos linked at his website's Genealogy Videos page! I found seven at his YouTube channel, GenealogyGuy (not to be confused with the Genealogy Guys, Drew Smith and George Morgan). Robert is one of those great teachers that patiently shows step-by-step directions to help even the less-technologically confident achieve success: http://amberskyline.com/treasuremaps/genealogy-videos.html
http://www.youtube.com/genealogyguy

YouTube
I've already mentioned a couple of YouTube genealogy channels, but there is so much more out there! Simply go to YouTube and search for "genealogy" or "family history" to find more! If your favorite genealogy videographer has created a YouTube channel, you can subscribe (for free) to be notified of their newest uploads. Not all videos will be tutorials; many individuals have created their own family history videos, so you never know if perhaps you'll find a connection to another distant cousin! Some of my favorite YouTube genealogy tutorials are created by Elyse Doerflinger (she's got 26!) and Mike of Irish Roots Cafe (15 videos on Irish research!).
http://www.youtube.com - search for genealogy , "family tree" or "family history", etc.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Elyse90505
http://www.youtube.com/user/Mickthebridge

Google Video
While Google owns YouTube, there are some videos out there that aren't hosted at that particular website. Searching at Google Video, I found diverse topics such as GenSmarts, DNA, African-American genealogy, and even a video about genealogy merit badges narrated by Dr. Steven R. Covey!
http://video.google.com/ - search for genealogy , "family tree" or "family history", etc.

Do you know of any other websites for free genealogy tutorials? Leave links and comments below.

This and That

Oh, Baby! The footnoteMaven has published the 7th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival at her digital publication site, Shades of the Departed. From babies on bearskins to twin babes to favorite snaps of grandbabies, this edition features 44 submissions from 43 bloggers, and is a sure winner!

"The word prompt for the 8th Edition of Smile For The Camera is Stocking Stuffer. Show us that picture that would make a great Stocking Stuffer and tell us whose stocking you'd stuff." Submission deadline is December 10th and can be entered here.

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poster courtesy of footnoteMaven

Yesterday, Jasia of Creative Gene posted the 60th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy, on the very personal and moving subject of Alzheimer's Disease. November is Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, and many families (including mine) have been touched in one way or another. The ten stories that are shared here are difficult to read, but as Jasia says, "...Alzheimer's Disease won't be researched and cures won't be found by keeping the monster behind a curtain."

"The topic for the next edition of the COG will be: Traditions!...What traditions were passed on to you from an earlier generation? Do you keep those traditions? What tradition(s) will you or have you passed on to a younger generation? Do you think they will keep it up? Do you care if they do?...Write about your traditions and submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using our carnival submission form. The deadline for submissions is December 1st."

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Also published yesterday was the 11th Cabinet of Curiosities, hosted by M. Diane Rogers of CanadianGenealogy, or 'Jane's Your Aunt!' There's an eclectic collection of collections on parade here, something to suit every taste and fancy!

The 12th Cabinet of Curiosities will return home to Tim Abbott of Walking the Berkshires. The Cabinet is always published the third Monday of every month and can be entered here.

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Speaking of carnivals, Jessica of Jessica's Genejournal is looking for hosts for her 2009 Carnivals of Central and Eastern European Genealogy. If you're interested, please contact her at jess_history at yahoo dot com.

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Lisa Louise Cooke is getting ready for the holidays over at her Genealogy Gems News Blog and asked for a little help from Pat Richley of DearMYRT; Allison Stacy, Editor and Publisher of Family Tree Magazine; Genealogy Insider Blogger and Family Tree Magazine Managing Editor Diane Haddad, and myself. We were only to happy to comply; you can see our shenanigans at the Genealogy Holiday Hoe Down (shhh! don't tell my orthopedic surgeon about that cartwheel I did!).

My Sister Calls the Shots!

This weekend, family history was made. My sister, who earned her RN degree in June from Spokane Community College's Nursing Program, took her state board exams on Friday. Sometime this weekend (I can't recall exactly when, since my post-surgery pain meds have me acting a tad more loopy than normal!) I called her to find out if she had gotten her results. At that time, she was frustrated because she was having Internet or computer problems and couldn't access the website where the information was posted. Today I got the e-mail that all her friends and family members have been waiting the past few years to hear: "I passed!"

We couldn't be prouder of her! She has overcome so many obstacles that life has thrown her way. She attended school full time, worked full time, and single-handedly parented three active little boys. She's failed, gotten back up, dusted herself off, tried again, and succeeded. I'm blessed to have this woman as my sister and as a role model for my daughter. Congratulations, Kat! I love you!

I'm a Guest at Family History: Genealogy Made Easy

This week I am honored to be a guest on Lisa Louise Cooke's new podcast venue at the website Personal Life Media. Family History: Genealogy Made Easy is a 30-minute weekly show which Lisa hosts and is targeted toward those who are new to genealogy research. In the first part of each show, Lisa interviews someone who is experienced in family history research to share their tips. Then in the second segment, she demonstrates the next step in the research process.

All you need are speakers or a set of headphones to plug into your computer to listen to Lisa's terrific shows!

I'll Be Back!

By the time most of you read this scheduled post, I'll be recovering from my surgery Friday morning.

I have a partially torn (more accurately described as "frayed") rotator cuff tendon in my left shoulder. Over time, other muscles have compensated for the sore one that is connected to the torn tendon, and pulled my humerus (upper arm bone) up and forward about an inch and a half, and my shoulder blade up about a half inch. As you can imagine, it has caused a great deal of pain and limited movement, as well as bursitis.

I have a tight acromial arch...part of the shoulder blade that curves around and forms the "socket" where my upper arm fits, and the arm bone is rubbing against the acromion, adding to the problem. The orthopedist will be doing arthroscopy (there's a clear photo on this page of arthroscopy on a left shoulder) and filing off part of the bone to allow more freedom of movement. He'll also decompress the bursa (treat the inflamed tissue) and check out the tendon to see if it'll need repair or will heal on its own.

If all goes well, I should be home in about four hours from start to finish, but won't be allowed to return to work for two weeks. Never having had surgery before, I don't know how my body will respond to surgery and anesthesia and if my recovery time will be normal or extended. I hope to be able to be back online very soon (keyboarding away with one hand!).

There was no injury or accident associated with the tear of the rotator cuff. My orthopedist described it as a slow wearing over time, exacerbated by the shape of my aromion. My regular job of assisting students in and out of wheelchairs probably hasn't helped (I won't be doing that again for a LOOOONG time).

Life has been busy--as it always is--since the school year started, and when I haven't been busy, I've been coping with pain. Otherwise, I would have been able to write some scheduled posts to be published in the next two weeks. However, there are many wonderful genea-bloggers out there, and I encourage you to check out the lower right-hand menu for the latest posts from my favorite reads. Or check out my profile page and look at the Blogs I Follow list at the bottom (I actually follow more than these; Blogger limits me to 200!).

I hope by the time I'm back in action that Ancestry will have finally released the Michigan and Washington State Death Certificates they've been promising for weeks (I'm getting tired of seeing "Coming Soon!"). I'll be finding lots of my relatives and ancestors (Michigan) as well as many of my husband's relatives and ancestors (Washington) in these databases.

Happy Birthday, Sweetie!

Source: Midkiff, Missy ("Mom's Favorite Senior Portrait"). Digital portrait by Jennifer Fawbush Photography. Privately held by Miriam Robbins Midkiff, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Spokane, Washington. 2008. Used with permission.

My baby turns 18 today. She's every bit as beautiful as this photograph--taken this summer by her cousin--portrays. Most importantly, she's as lovely on the inside as she is on the outside. She'll observe her special day by opening a few family gifts at home before going over to her boyfriend's parents' place (the "in-laws", as I like to tease her), who've graciously opened up their full basement as the venue for her and 20-some friends to celebrate her milestone with her. Here's to a blessed and wondrous adulthood, as she finds her place in this world.

Thank You for Serving Our Country

This is a repeated post, with some minor changes, of one I published a year ago. The words may be duplicated, but my gratitude is sincere. I can't say "thank you" enough to those who gave up so much so I could live not only in freedom, but in comfort.

3D Flags

Today is the 90th anniversary of the original Armistice (Veterans) Day--the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" here in the United States. I would like to say "thank you" to the veterans and active duty personnel in my life, who have guaranteed my freedoms and the freedoms of my family and millions of others:

First my family and the family of my husband:

• *My cousin Chuck, U.S. Army and U.S. Air National Guard, veteran
• *My cousin Matt, U.S. Air Force, active duty
• *My cousin Beth's husband, Bryan, U.S. Army, active duty
• *My children's paternal grandfather, Troy, U.S. Army, veteran
• *My children's granduncle Norm, U.S. Army, veteran
• *My children's granduncle Ray, U.S. Marine Corps, veteran
• *My children's cousin, David, U.S. Air Force, veteran
• *My children's cousin-in-law, Nathan, U.S. Air Force, veteran; and U.S. Air National Guard, active duty
• *My children's step-cousin, Laura, U.S. Army, veteran
• *My children's step-cousin-in-law, John, U.S. Army, active duty

Sadly, one name that was on last year's list of living veterans has since been removed: my grand-uncle Bill, U.S. Army Air Corps and U.S. Air Force, veteran of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.

My website contains a page with a list of military ancestors (and their brothers and sons) who have served from World War II back to the colonial wars. I also have a page with my children's paternal military ancestors and relatives, here. This past spring, I wrote a 43-post series on the Civil War veterans in my family, either direct ancestors of my children, or brothers of direct ancestors.

I live in Spokane, Washington which has a strong military history beginning with Ft. Spokane and Ft. George Wright (U.S. Army posts of the 1800's), continuing with Geiger Field and the Navy Depot Station in Spokane County and Farragut Naval Base in nearby North Idaho during World War II, and including Fairchild Air Force Base in the present. One cannot help but knowing active duty personnel and/or veterans in this area. I'd like to say "thank you" to the many friends and neighbors we have that are either currently serving or have served our country, including several of my children's teachers, and many of my colleagues at Spokane Public Schools. Thank you, too, to those military wives I work with, who teach all day, then go home to raise their families alone while their husbands are overseas.

And finally, although certainly not last in my thoughts, are some of my closest genea-blogging colleagues, who bring their military background and perspective to our community and to our research:

• *Family Matters and Moultrie Creek's Denise Olsen
• *GeneaBlogie's Craig Manson
• *Genealogy Reviews Online's Tim Agazio
• *Hill Country of Monroe County, Mississippi's Terry Thornton
• *kinnexions' Becky Wiseman

If I have forgotten anyone, I sincerely apologize (please send me a note if you notice anyone is missing).

Thank you!

Resources for Local Native American Research

November is American Indian Heritage Month, so I thought I would share a list of resources for local Native American research. This list was compiled by Larry Fine for the Colville [Washington] Stake Family History Conference held April 26, 2008. I had been invited to speak on military records for the conference, and after my presentation, manned a table on military resources in the main room. Next to me was a table on Native American research, at which was sitting a familiar-looking gentleman. Larry Fine was my high school teacher for Algebra I and Computer Programming (we learned Basic on those old Macintoshes)! Larry told me he had begun to trace his roots about 10 years ago, discovering he had Metis ancestry (a mix of local Native American and French heritage...Northeast Washington was explored by early French furtraders) going back at least 150 years in the Colville Valley. He had developed the following list through his extensive research, and has a large personal collection of printed materials on local Native history. I thought about the irony of it all: the man who had taught me how to use a computer--a tool I use to do research and teach others genealogy--had himself become interested in his roots.

Microfilmed Native American Records on Permanent Loan at the Colville Family History Center
Bureau of Indian Affairs and Colville Tribe Indian Records (numbers are Family History Library microfilm numbers):

• 1020972: BIA - Indian History Cards, Late 1800 - Early 1900
• 1020973: Births, Marriages, Deaths
• 1020974: Births and Deaths, 1909 - 1942
• 1020975: Births and Deaths, 1914 - 1943
• 1020976: Births, Deaths, Marriages: 1914 - 1943
• 1020976: BIA - Annuity Roll Records, 1892 - 1948
• 05742208: BIA - Indian Census Rolls, 1885 - 1891: Coeur d'Alene, Kalispel, Lake, Spokane, Nez Perce, Okanogan, Moses, Yellow Bulls
• 05742209: BIA - Indian Census Rolls, 1892 - 1897: Okanogan, Nez Perce, Colville, Lake, Spokane, Moses, Nespelem, San Poil, Coeur d'Alene
• 05742210: BIA - Indian Census Rolls, 1898 - 1903: Spokane, Moses, Okanogan, Nez Perce, Coeur d'Alene, Lake, Colville
• 05742211: BIA - Indian Census Rolls, 1904 - 1908: Spokane, Colville, Coeur d'Alene, Nez Perce, Moses, Okanogan, Lake, Sanpoil, Nespelem
• 05742212: BIA - Indian Census Rolls, 1909 - 1913: Spokane, Sanpoil, Moses, Nez Perce, Nespelem, Okanogan, Lake, Colville, Calispel, Wenatchi, Chewelah, Kootnai
• 05742215: BIA - Indian Census Rolls, 1938 - 1938: Supplemental rolls of Colville and Spokane JOPA (also available at Foley Center Library, Gonzaga University)
• 16711660: Washington - St. Paul - Jesuit Mission - with baptism registers, various entries from 1839 - 1870
• 16711661: Washington - St. Regis - Jesuit Mission - with various baptism, death, and marriage records, 1848 - 1917
• 16711662: Washington - St. Regis - Jesuit Mission - burial records, 1953 - 1887; baptism and marriage records, 1852 - 1866; St. Francis Regis Quarterly Indian School reports, 1893; Colville Reservation census,1902 - 1918, 1923, and 1937; Spokane Indian census, 1919 and 1927
• 16711663: Washington - St. Regis: papers and correspondence
• 16711664: Washington - St. Mary's: mission parish census, 1948 - 1949
  

Libraries

• Colville Public Library
• Foley Center Library, Gonzaga University, Spokane - Archives Section
• John F. Kennedy Library, Eastern Washington University, Cheney - Archives Section
• Kettle Falls Public Library
• Spokane Public Library, Northwest Room
• Holland and Terrell Libraries, Washington State University, Pullman - Archives Section

Sources to Consider

• Family History Center, LDS Church
• Stevens County Historical Society (research staff available): family files, census records, Watson papers, library, data base
• Northeast Washington Genealogical Society (research staff available)
• Stevens County courthouse records (and other county courthouse records, too)
• Individual tribal headquarters: enrollment records, probate records, history, archives
• Bureau of Indian Affairs: probate records
• Funeral home records
• Local newspapers
• Museums
• National Archives, Pacific Alaska Region, Seattle
• Eastern Washington Regional Archives, Cheney

Items to Check

• Annuity records of various tribes
• Birth, baptism, marriage, death and burial records or registers
• Books: history, biographies
• Census: Federal and tribal
• Family history files
• Land patents
• Military discharges
• Obituaries
• Oral history reports
• Probate records with the Bureau of Indian Affairs or Office of Special Trustee
• Tribal allotments
• Tribal enrollment records
• Tribal school enrollments
• Wills

"Voices of War" Series Ends

From time to time, I've linked to stories from the "Voices of War" series that my local newspaper, the Spokesman-Review has published both in print and online formats. They recently published an article announcing the end of the series. Originally, the editors had planned to do twelve articles--one a month--and figured they could find just enough material to publish stories for one year. Instead, they discovered there were so many World War II veterans and stories in the Inland Northwest that they could have published one a week for several years. The effort and time that went into interviewing, photographing, and writing up each story prevented them from doing so, however.

The twelve original stories can be found here, along with photographs and audio clips from the interviews. In addition, the reporters remind us that there are many veterans of other wars whose stories we need to capture. They list ideas of how to do good interviews and give online resources, including Footnote.com, to help with that process.

WWII Army Nurse Corps Veteran Tells Her Story

One of the things I enjoy about my local paper is that they have been featuring World War Two veterans over the past couple of years on a regular basis. Today's paper highlights a U.S. Army Nurse Corps captain who followed Patton onto the beaches of Normandy and through France and Germany. You can read 92-year-old May Alm's story here.

Vote for Tina Fey!

Here in Washington State, I have already mailed in my ballot several days ago. We switched to mail-in ballots a couple of years ago. It has its advantages and disadvantages, of course. There's time to really go over the candidates and issues listed on the ballot, do a little research, and make an informed choice. But I miss getting dressed up, going down to the local elementary school as a family, greeting the precinct workers who all knew us, and filling in the bubbles with a black pen. I liked having my signature checked and having someone verify that my ballot was counted. When we were first married, we lived out in the rural part of the county and our precinct's polling place was the local grange hall; how's that for small-town America?!

Last night, my son (who's very excited and interested in the campaign this year) and I sat down and watched the latest episode of Saturday Night Live's Presidential Bash. Matt's a year and a half older than I was when I watched my first national party convention on television in 1980, and it's great to see that his enthusiasm was as strong as mine was back then. Unfortunately, I never got to vote for Ronald Reagan, the only presidential candidate that I've really been passionate about. Unlike most individuals, I've become less conservative as I get older (the normal trend is to be more liberal in your youth and become more conservative as you age), and less and less enthusiastic about the choices available for either major party. Anyway, watching SNL was a hoot, and I have to say that if McCain wins the election, Tina Fey's career will explode. She's a riot to watch, and I thoroughly enjoyed her portrayal of Palin!

As excited as my son is about this election, my daughter is equally disappointed. She misses an opportunity to vote by exactly one week. That's right, she turns 18 on the 11th, and her only consolation is that her cousin misses it by three days!

While we Americans are all are probably suffering from EBS (Election Burnout Syndrome, not to be confused with IBS--irritable bowel syndrome--although the gut-wrenching symptoms may appear similar), we can all take pride in the fact that we belong to a great nation which every few years has an opportunity to peacably change its government from the President down to the local mayor. Don't forget that some of the most important votes on your ballot have nothing to do with the presidential campaign; your federal and local congressional choices and local politicians will have a great deal of input about the taxes and laws you'll live with in the future, as well as those important initiatives and referenda.

Go out and make an informed decision; exercise your right to vote!

Po-TAY-to, Po-TAH-to

From Yahoo! news:

Barack Obama's grandmother, whose personality and bearing shaped much of the life of the Democratic presidential contender, has died, Obama announced Monday, one day before the election. Madelyn Payne Dunham was 86. [My emphases are in bold.]

But [Obama] said he wanted people to know a little about her — that she lived through the Great Depression and two World Wars, working the second on a bomber assembly line with a baby at home and a husband serving his country.

Fact: The United States' involvement in World War II was during the years 1941 - 1945.

Facts: The United States' involvement in World War I was during the years 1917 - 1918. The Great War ended November 11, 1918 (Armistice Day/Remembrance Day/Veterans Day).

Fact: 2008 - 86 = 1922.

Madelyn Payne Dunham would have been born in 1922, or 1921 at the earliest, if she had not yet celebrated her birthday this year. World War I was definitely over by that time. Not only could she not have lived through the first world war, she could not have lived at any time during it.

Perhaps the Senator was mistaken in his grief. I send my sincere sympathies to him and his family. I doubt the Associated Press will note this error, nor make as big a deal of it as Vice President Quayle's alternate spelling of potatoe in 1992.

Update 3 November 2008, 6:16 PM, PST: I find it interesting that the text in the article at Yahoo! news changed since I wrote my post. I copied and pasted the text directly from the website. I probably should have created a screen shot provide evidence that this is how it was originally written.

I did not misread it.

Either Senator Obama made an error, OR Yahoo! news misquoted him. It would be interesting to hear a sound bite to discover if it was he or Yahoo! who was in error.

I am not.

A note to all of us once again that we should never take news reports as the Gospel.

Update #2: 6 November 2008, 6:38 PM, PST. I took the quote from the original Yahoo! text and Googled it (see screen shot below, and click on it to view a larger image). I found 10 results, all identical. Apparently, the original story from the AP did read as I have listed above. What's in question is whether they quoted the Senator correctly. Only a sound bite can tell.

New Genealogy Podcast, Familiar Voice!

I don't know how Lisa Louise Cooke does it: she's a wife, mother, homemaker, and creator of the free Genealogy Gems Podcast, which just this year added Premium Memberships (subscription-based). The Members-only area contains videos, podcasts, a forum, and also a newsletter - all of which Lisa creates or maintains. She also maintains a blog and a website, keeps busy with her own genealogy research, is active on Facebook, and enjoys doing creative things like cake decorating and needlework. Additionally, she began hosting Family Tree Magazine's free monthly podcast. She attends genealogy conventions, workshops, and seminars to promote her podcasts and interview interesting and well-known people in the genealogical world. I'm sure I've missed describing several of the many things that this busy woman is involved in...it's so hard to keep up!

Now Lisa's familiar gal-next-door voice with her tidbits of genealogical how-tos, tips, and techniques, along with fascinating interveiws can be found at the Personal Life Media website, which consists of free blogs and podcasts for every area of your personal life. Lisa's Family History podcast can be found under the both the History and Hobbies categories, or directly here. Additionally, an audio player can be downloaded from Lisa's Genealogy Gems Newsletter Blog here and added to any personal page, including iGoogle homepages (where I've currently got mine!), Facebook, or MySpace pages. This audio player will play not only any of Lisa's podcasts from all her locations, but other Personal Life podcasts as well!

You may also subscribe to any of Lisa's podcasts via iTunes. Don't have an iPod? Well, neither do I; my teens and I all own various models of Sansa MP3 players, and my husband has a Creative Lab MP3 player. These--like any MP3 player--all work with iTunes as well (a free program). If you don't know how to use iTunes, you can find Lisa's great video tutorial on the Family Tree Magazine website here.

No iPod or MP3 players? Still not a problem! As long as you have speakers or headphones for your computer, you can listen to any podcast directly from each one's site.

Expand your genealogical knowledge and listen to one of Lisa's many podcasts today!

November Is...

...American Indian Heritage Month (United States)

...Black Catholic History Month (worldwide)

...New York State History Month (United States0

...Family Stories Month
(Check out Passing It On; a great site dedicated to preserving, celebrating and sharing family and personal history.)

...National Adoption Month (United States)

November 1: All Saints' Day (Christianity)

November 2: All Souls' Day (Christianity)
Día de los Muertos (Mexico)
Daylight Saving Time Ends

November 4: Election Day (United States)

November 5: Guy Fawkes Night (Britain and New Zealand)

November 11: Remembrance Day/Veterans Day

November 16: Dutch-American Heritage Day

November 27: Thanksgiving Day (United States)
Family Health History Day (United States)

November 28: National Day of Listening (United States)

November 30: First Sunday of Advent (Christianity)
St. Andrew's Day (Scotland)

Do any of the above events feature in or affect your heritage, culture, or family history?

Deadlines for Carnivals and Other Events:

Posted November 2 - Polish History and Culture Challenge

Posted November 4 - the 59th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy - Politics and Our Ancestors

Posted November 15 - the 7th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival - Oh, Baby!

Posted November 17 - the 60th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy - Alzheimer's Disease

Posted November 17 - the 11th Edition of the Cabinet of Curiosities

Posted November 25 - the 10th Edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture - For the Love of Ireland

Posted November 26 - Thanksgiving Meme and a Game of Tag

Posted November 27 - the 13th Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy - What Resources are You Thankful for in Your Genealogical Research?

Heads Up! The submissions for the 2nd Edition of the Canadian Genealogy Carnival ("My Famous Canadian Ancestor") are due December 7th.

November 1 - Data Backup Day

Read the latest "Today is Backup Day!" post by Thomas MacEntee of Destination: Austin Family.

Scanfest will resume after the holidays on Sunday, January 25th, 2009
from 11 AM to 2 PM, Pacific Standard Time

Go here to add the above deadlines and dates to your Google Calendar,
courtesy of Thomas MacEntee of Destination: Austin Family.

Bye Bye, Busy October

The last of the little goblins have departed my doorstep, I've brought the jack o' lanterns inside, and bid farewell to Hallowe'en and October. It's been a very busy month again for me, between family and my work, local Family History Month events, and teaching my latest Online Genealogy class for the Community Colleges of Spokane. Also, I got an opportunity to speak with...oh, wait, that's a surprise (stay tuned!) . I didn't get a chance to participate in many of the Genea-Blogger events this month, but did take what opportunities I could to read posts during my breaks at work via Google Reader.

I did, however, update the links whenever I had time on the "October Is..." post. You can go there to view all the carnivals, challenges and other events that took place.

FamilySearch Record Search Update: Over 30 Million New Records Added

30 Million More Records Added to Record Search Pilot

Over 30 million names or record images were added to FamilySearch’s Record Search pilot. Significant data was published from 3 U.S. Census indexing projects (1850,1860, and 1870). Digital image collections were added for Massachusetts , Argentina, Brazil, Czech Republic, Louisiana, Russia, Spain, and Vermont (see the table below).

The entire collection can be searched for free directly online at http://pilot.familysearch.org or through the Search Records feature at FamilySearch.org.

Collection: 1850 United States Census (Population) - index & images
Digital Images: ---
Indexed Records: 1,830,275
Comment: Added Georgia, Mississippi, and Virginia

Collection: 1850 US Census (Slave)
Digital Images: ---
Indexed Records: 1,157,705
Comment: See description online for state list.

Collection: 1850 US Census (Mortality)
Digital Images: ---
Indexed Records: 39,325
Comment: See description online for state list.

Collection: 1860 US Census
Digital Images: ---
Indexed Records: 20,112,346
Comment: All states. Partials for Alabama and Pennsylvania.

Collection: 1870 US Census
Digital Images: ---
Indexed Records: 6,866,230
Comment: Added IN, MI, OH, and WI

Collection: 1865 MA Census
Digital Images: 15,434
Indexed Records: ---
Comment: City of Boston

FamilySearch Indexing Update: Partner Projects

From FamilySearch Indexing:

FamilySearch has a growing number of society indexing partners. FamilySearch Indexing is working with genealogical or historical societies to complete projects of mutual interest. Volunteer indexers may have noted that partner projects are not readily listed in the available batches to index online unless the volunteer has been granted permission to participate by a partner.

FamilySearch indexers can request to participate in a partner project by sending an e-mail directly to the project’s contact or administrator. The society contact information is found next to the project listing (Go to FamilySearchIndexing.org, Projects, Current Projects, scroll down to partner projects, or just click here).

If permission is granted by the partner, an indexer will receive an e-mail with a new user name and temporary password to use when accessing that society’s project(s). Volunteers should use their regular login and password to continue indexing FamilySearch’s open (non partner) projects as usual.

Current society partners and projects are listed below:

• Algemeen Rijksarchief en Rijksarchief in de Provincien (National Archives of Brussels)
• Arkansas Genealogical Society
• Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia
• Immigrant Ancestors Project
• Indiana Genealogical Society
• Ohio Genealogical Society
• The New England Historic Genealogical Society

Current Partner Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion Status:

Arkansas Marriages [The first of these projects], English, 5%

Arkansas Marriages IV, English, 2%

Belgique – Registres Des Décès (Français), French, 14%

België - Overlijdens Registers - In het Nederlands, Dutch, Flemish, 5%

Bremer Schifflisten, German, New!

Flanders Death Registration, French, Dutch, Flemish, 33%

Indiana Marriages, 1790 – Apr 1905, English, 60%

Indiana Marriages, 1882 – Apr 1905, English, 64%

Indiana Marriage Returns, 1882 – Apr 1905, English, 48%

Indiana Marriages, Apr 1905 – Dec 1957, English, 40%

Nova Scotia Antigonish Church Records, 1823 – 1905, English, 35%

Ohio Tax Records – 2 of 4, English, 59%

Vermont Militia Records (Coming Soon), English, New!

Indexes can be searched for free at http://pilot.familysearch.org. Visit regularly to see what is new!

itsourtree.com Releases Free Family Tree Software

Hamburg, October 27, 2008 – Users have to pay up to 84 USD for family tree software at Amazon.com. However, today the family social network itsourtree.com has released its desktop software called “Home Edition.” The software to build a family tree can be downloaded for free at www.itsourtree.com/home-edition.

The software enables users to edit and create a family tree on their own PC. If desired, they can then upload it to itsourtree.com and share it with relatives and friends. The Home Edition offers state-of-the-art usability and technology at no cost. Besides operating in the standard GEDCOM format the software also allows the printing of various familial lists in an appropriate genealogical standard.

Itsourtree.com co-founder Sven Schmidt states: “Like Google’s strategy of turning the expensive Keyhole software into the free Google Earth, we decided to offer a software that is usually pricy for free.” Co-founder Daniel Groezinger adds: “This is a ‘thank you’ for all the support we have got from our users. This also extends our internet strategy of offering top quality at no cost.”

Itsourtree.com, the fastest-growing family network worldwide, is a strong complementary to other genealogical resources. So far, more than 5 million families use the platform to combine genealogy with the fun of family communications.

About itsourtree.com
Apart from the English site, the services are available in Germany (www.verwandt.de), in Poland (www.moikrewni.pl), Spain and South America (www.miparentela.com), Portugal (www.meusparentes.com.pt), Brazil (www.meusparentes.com.br), the Netherlands (www.verwant.nl), Italy (www.parentistretti.it) and France (www.familleunie.fr). The platform will continue expanding to other European countries as well as worldwide. Itsourtree.com is supported by leading Business Angels, Hasso Plattner Ventures and Neuhaus Partners, a well-known venture capitalist.

October 2008 Scanfest to be Held this Sunday

Things have been awfully quiet on my blog lately, due to a variety of circumstances that have kept me from posting regularly (in fact, I'm blogging for the first time ever on my work lunch break via a widget on my iGoogle page). However, I did want to let everyone know that Scanfest will be held as usual on Sunday, October 26th from 11 AM to 2 PM, PDT. If you would like to know more about Scanfest and how you can participate, click on the Scanfest label below to check out other posts with detailed information and instructions.

This may be the last Scanfest for me for a while, since I will be having shoulder surgery November 14th. We also normally take a break in November and December, due to the holidays around the last weekend of those months.

Hope to "see" you Sunday!

It's All Randy's Fault!

This is what happens when you don't have time for blogging. A meme comes along, and everyone tags you for it, thinking you haven't been tagged yet. When you find a moment to participate, there isn't anyone left to tag! :-) Randy Seaver over at Genea-Musings started a Tag meme on Tuesday, and it has swept through the genea-blogger world. It's actually a fun one (i.e., I don't have to think to hard; therefore, I can write it quickly!). Thank you to Paula, Tim, Lisa, Denise, William, and Kathryn (and any one who tags me before I publish this) for tagging me!

Ten Years Ago, I Was:
1. a homeschooling, SAHM of an almost-8-year-old and a 4 1/2-year-old
2. younger and slimmer, but poorer :-)
3. living without a computer or the Internet (unbelievable, I know!)
4. looking at a much smaller family tree with many more blank spaces
5. driving a different station wagon, and being owned by a different cat

Five Places I Have Lived:
1. Kodiak, Alaska
2. Fairbanks, Alaska
3. Metlakatla, Alaska
4. Kake, Alaska
5. Klawock, Alaska

(and to complete the list, there's Colville, Washington and three communities within Spokane County, Washington)

Five Jobs I Have Had:
1. camp counselor
2. preschool teacher's aide
3. accounts payable bookkeeper
4. receptionist/secretary/switchboard operator
5. adult family home caregiver

Five Snacks I Enjoy:
1. diet Pepsi
2. tortilla chips with a dip of equal parts sour cream and La Victoria's Salsa Brava
3. Kit Kat bar
4. smoked almonds
5. pizza, sausage or Hawaiian

Five Things on Today's To-Do List:
1. finish packing
2. clean the cat's litterbox (oh, joy)
3. call in and renew hubby's prescription
4. make sure kids do their homework over the weekend (it never ends)
5. work on the checkbook (joy, again)

Since I'm writing this before I head out of town, I don't have time to hunt for those who haven't already been tagged. If you come across this and wish to participate, consider yourself tagged by me.

Everton Online Edition FREE Access

Since the initial launch of the Genealogical Helper as an Online Edition, it has been determined that hosting the magazines on World Vital Records' servers was causing too much confusion and difficulty of access for subscribers. To alleviate the confusion, Everton's have undertaken the hosting themselves, with a much simpler user interface.

Everton apologizes for any inconvenience that genealogists experienced with the initial launch of the Online Edition, and are confident that your experience will now be a pleasant and rewarding one. Everton is offering access to the two Online Edition issues now available at the site: Jul-Aug 2008 and Sept-Oct 2008 absolutely FREE until October 17. Simply go to: www.everton.com. ALSO - until October 27 the $12 annual subscription fee to the Online Edition of the Genealogical Helper will be reduced to $10.00, and the $29.00 annual subscription fee for the hard copy edition of the magazine (includes access to the Online Edition) will be reduced to $25.00.

The Genealogical Helper is widely recognized as having no equal in terms of amount of total content, educational and research information, and lists of organizations, events, and repositories. The complete magazine is online, and all websites listed in either the content or advertisements are hot-linked.

FamilySearch Indexing Update

From Paul Natua, Public Affairs Manager of FamilySearch:

We had great response to our request a week ago for help with the Cheshire – Poor Law project. Thanks to the focused effort of many volunteers, the Cheshire project is now 97% complete! That’s a 15% increase from last week (or 5,748 batches – Indexer A + Indexer B + Arbitration). It should only take a few more days to get to 100% completion. Sincere thanks go out to all of our indexers who responded to the request. Keep up the great work!

New Projects This Week

This week, two new indexing projects were added—Missouri and Tennessee from the 1870 U.S. Federal Census collection. Please send a message to all friends, colleagues, and family members who might be interested in participating in indexing the two newly added state projects or any of the current indexing initiatives noted below.

Current Projects, Record Language, and Percent Completion Status
Alabama - 1920 US Federal Census English - 1920 - 85%

Argentina Censo 1869 - Buenos Aires Spanish - 1869 - 76%

Arkansas Marriages II English - 1837-1957 - 10%

Brandenburg Kirchenbücher German - 1789-1875 - 9%

California - 1920 US Federal Census English - 1920 - 32%

España Lugo Registros Parroquiales Spanish - 1530-1930 - 7%

Florida 1945 Census English - 1945 - 30%

France, Coutances, Paroisses de la Manche French - 1792-1906 - 7%

Guanajuato Censo de Mexico de 1930 Spanish - 1930 - 60%

Guerrero - Censo de Mexico de 1930 Spanish - 1930 - 38%

Illinois - 1920 US Federal Census English - 1920 - 16%

Massachusetts - 1920 US Federal Census English - 1920 - 17%

Missouri - 1870 US Federal Census English - 1870 (New)

Morelos - Censo de Mexico de 1930 Spanish - 1930 - 78%

New York - 1870 US Federal Census English - 1870 - 88%

Nicaragua, Managua Civil Records Spanish - 1879 - present - 8%

Tennessee - 1870 US Federal Census English - 1870 (New)

Trento Italy Baptism Records Italian - 1784-1924 - 7%

UK - Cheshire - Poor Law English - 1848 -1967 - 97%

Venezuela Mérida Registros Parroquiales Spanish - 1654 - 1992 - 0.4%

Ninth Historical Monument Dedication

From the Spokane Police Department:

On behalf of the Fairmount Memorial Association, in partnership with the Spokane Law Enforcement Museum, and the SPD History Book Committee we would like to invite you to the dedication of our 9th Historical Monument dedicated to Pfc. Joe E. Mann on:

Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Greenwood Memorial Terrace (UPPER level).

Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers will be giving the Memorial address, Reardan Mayor Sherman Johnson will speak on behalf of their "Hometown Hero", Duane Broyles will dedicate the monument on behalf of Fairmount Memorial Association, and officers from Ft. Campbell, Kentucky will present the family with a memorial plaque, as well as other very special moments planned for this event. Gonzaga R.O.T.C. will present the colors, and John Shaw Junior High School band will have some patriotic music during the ceremony. There will be many dignitaries and family members present.

A reception will follow for all those attending at the Heritage Funeral Home across from Greenwood on Government Way. There will be a PowerPoint program playing about Pfc. Joe E. Mann's life, and a display of his ribbons and awards, etc. for all to view and greet family members.

Questions please contact Susan S. "Sue" Walker at 477-6449.

Sixty-Eight Years Ago Today

Source: "50th Anniversary Sampler of Robert and Jeanne (Holst) Robbins", created 1990 by Miriam (Robbins) Midkiff. Photographed and privately held by Miriam (Robbins) Midkiff, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Spokane, Washington. 2008.

I created this cross-stitch sampler 18 years ago in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the marriage of my paternal grandparents. My parents attended the celebration, which was held at my grandparents' church in Polkton Twp., Ottawa Co., Michigan, just outside the town of Coopersville where my grandparents and their children lived for many years. I had taught myself cross-stitch three years earlier, after admiring the work my husband's sister-in-law did. This particular sampler was difficult to do as some of it required working with gold metallic thread, which broke easily and was flat versus the round cotton threads used in conjunction with it. Clicking on the image above will bring you to my Picasa photo album, where you can zoom in to view the glints the gold threads make.

My grandfather passed away 28 December 2003, after being married 63 years to his "Jeannie with the light brown hair." My grandmother now lives with my uncle and his wife in Michigan due to her advancing age and Alzheimer's. When one of my aunts cleaned out my grandparents' retirement home in Texas a couple of years ago, she came across the sampler and returned it to me. I haven't done cross-stitch in years, but seeing it again has inspired me. Perhaps someday I'll create some sort of heritage or family tree piece.

Two New Books for My Wish List

Two genealogy books--both featuring using the Internet to help you trace your family tree--have recently been published, are available to purchase within the next week, and are both on my wish list (hint, hint, family members...the holidays are soon approaching)!

The first is Dan Lynch's Google Your Family Tree: Unlock the Hidden Power of Google. I've been aware for quite awhile that Dan was getting ready to publish this treasure, and I can't wait to try it out! I already use many features of Google as tools for my research, but I'm sure I'll find lots more search tips and techniques. This is the first book on Google that specifically targets using the search engine as a genealogy research tool. You can reserve your copy here.

The second book is The Everything Guide to Online Genealogy: A complete resource to using the Web to trace your family history by Kimberly Powell. I've been using Kimberly's The Everything Family Tree Book as an optional text/reference book for the Online Genealogy classes that I teach through the Community Colleges of Spokane. Although I haven't yet seen The Everything Guide to Online Genealogy, if it's half as good as her first one, then I'm going to have to add this to my list of recommended reading that I give each of my students!

Congratulations to Dan and Kimberly on their newly-published works!

Press Release from Itsourtree.com

In spite of rising energy prizes: itsourtree.com brings the family closer together.

Energy costs are constantly rising while the budget for family visits is shrinking. There is less money left in the wallet for the trip to the grandparents. Online family network itsourtree.com sets itself the target to bring the family closer together by means of the platform’s communication features.

The medium internet is a quick and free alternative to stay in contact with the family even at long distances. Building a common family tree is the first step to simple family communication. Other relatives can be searched for in the database and then invited to collaborate in the family tree, photos of the last family reunion can be shared with all relatives. The easy-to-use message system keeps the relatives up-to-date on everything and they get over a cancelled visit more easily.

Itsourtree.com, the fastest-growing family network worldwide, has become an important research and communication tool for both genealogists and families all around the globe. So far, more than 5 million families use the platform to combine genealogy with the fun of family connection.

About itsourtree.com
Apart from the English site, the services are available in Germany (www.verwandt.de), in Poland (www.moikrewni.pl), Spain and South America (www.miparentela.com), Portugal (www.meusparentes.com.pt), Brazil (www.meusparentes.com.br), the Netherlands (www.verwant.nl), Italy (www.parentistretti.it) and France (www.familleunie.fr). The platform will continue expanding to other European countries as well as worldwide. Itsourtree.com is supported by leading Business Angels and Neuhaus Partners, a well-known venture capitalist.

FamilySearch Press Release: Summit County Ohio Court Receives Grant

Summit County Ohio Court Receives Grant

Hundreds of thousands of historic records will be freely available online

Salt Lake City, Utah—Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and the National Association of Government Archive and Records Administrators (NAGARA) announced on July 24, 2008, that Judge Bill Spicer and the Probate Division of the Summit County Common Pleas Court in Akron, Ohio, were awarded a 2008 grant for the digitization of Summit County marriage, birth, and death records. The court’s grant was one of only two awarded in 2008. This significant grant will make it possible for Summit County to digitally preserve and provide free online access to select historical documents.

The project targets 1840 to 1980 marriage records for over 550,000 individuals, birth records prior to 1908 for over 46,000 individuals, and death records prior to 1908 for over 22,000 individuals. A free, searchable name index linked to the digital images of the original records will be available to the public through the probate court’s Web site www.summitohioprobate.com and the grant partners’ sites.

“As a result of the grant, our Website, which was chosen as one of the 10 best in the country by the National College of Probate Judges, will now have the added distinction of being a model for the state and country for accessing historical court records,” said Judge Spicer. “Not only will it improve access, but by reducing the need to see the often-fragile originals, it will make the court’s job of preserving hundreds of thousands of original records easier. The project is a far-sighted and important effort in preserving local history. On behalf of the court and the citizens of Summit County, I thank the project sponsors for selecting Summit County Probate Court as its 2008 grant recipient.”

This is the first year that this national grant was offered. It is sponsored by Ancestry.com and FamilySearch and administered by NAGARA. Under the grant, FamilySearch will digitize the original documents on-site in the Summit County courthouse by the end of 2008, and Ancestry.com will create an electronic index linked to the images. The entire project is scheduled for completion in 2009. The commercial value of the grant is estimated to be $150,000.00.

Outside of this and similar business transactions, no legal or other affiliation exists between FamilySearch and The Generations Network.

About FamilySearch
FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization that maintains the world's largest repository of genealogical resources. Patrons may access resources online at FamilySearch.org or through the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and over 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries. FamilySearch is a trademark of Intellectual Reserve, Inc. and is registered in the United States of America and other countries.

About the Ancestry Global Network
The Ancestry global network of family history Web sites is wholly owned by The Generations Network, Inc. It consists of nine Web sites – www.ancestry.com in the U.S., www.ancestry.co.uk in the UK, www.ancestry.ca in Canada, www.ancestry.com.au in Australia, www.ancestry.de in Germany, www.ancestry.it in Italy, www.ancestry.fr in France, www.ancestry.se in Sweden and www.jiapu.cn in China. Ancestry members have access to 7 billion names contained in 26,000 historical record collections. Tree-building and photo upload are free on all Ancestry websites. To date, Ancestry.com users have created more than 7 million family trees containing 700 million profiles and 11 million photographs. Nearly 5.8 million unique visitors logged onto Ancestry.com in August 2008 (comScore Media Metrix, Worldwide).

This, That, and Much More!

Having blogged very little in the past week, there's a lot of catching up to do!

Genea-Blogs:
Scanfest was done in two sections last Sunday. A group of us met via Windows Live Messenger and chatted there, while others met with Thomas using Skype for a conference call. There were a few who went back and forth between the two media. I think we all enjoyed ourselves, but those who were using Skype soon determined that they could not scan and Skype at the same time successfully. Denise did a good summary, "Skyping at Scanfest," at her blog, Family Matters. The next Scanfest will be held Sunday, October 26th from 11 AM to 2 PM, PDT. Go here for more information.

Terry at Hill Country of Monroe County, Mississippi did a great round up of introducing genea-bloggers from around the blogosphere, in three parts of "Getting to Know You"! You can read about 42 genealogy-loving and blogging personalities from around the globe here, here, and here. In Part I, you can also click on the title link to hear Terry himself sing "Getting to Know You" in his gentlemanly southern voice, which I always enjoy listening to whenever a group of us does a conference call via Skype. Our good friend Craig of Geneablogie was laid up in the hospital during the time that these posts were put together, but today he published "Getting to Know Me--Getting to Know GeneaBlogie." My own article can be found here.

You've heard of Craig's List, but have you heard about Angie's List? It's a site where you can find professionals to help you with your service and repair needs, as well as health care providers. Well, Thomas of Destination: Austin Family got his 15 minutes of fame last July when he was interviewed by Angie's List, along with three professional genealogists, for Angie's List podcast. Additionally, he appeared in Angie's List e-zine, which is e-mailed to all of their members. Kudos to Thomas for some well-deserved recognition!

poster courtesy of footnoteMaven

The Family Curator has posted the Treasure Hunters Round-up of those participants who are planning to go through their genealogy treasure boxes to organize, scan, and archive their "goodies." They hope to find a surprise or two! Stay tuned for later this month, when they'll share their results.

Colleen at Orations of OMcHodoy has the Genea-Blogger Yearbook up: a hilarious peek at what we'd look like if we attended high school in various decades! While I didn't participate directly, Thomas used me as a model here. I think 1962 was my best look; don't you?

Becky at kinnexxions wrote A Salute to the Old-Timers! in response to Tim's Everyone's Turning 2 This Year at Genealogy Reviews Online. Yep, this blog turned two years old in January, and I guess I'm now officially an old-timer!

poster courtesy of footnoteMaven

The 57th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy has been posted by Jasia at Creative Gene. The theme is "I Read It in the News." Holy cow! There are 47 submissions of articles describing how the participants found relatives or ancestors in newspapers. The COG continues to grow, adding newbies every time. It's a great way to learn more about genealogy, research, and writing, and to discover new blogs to read.

Genealogy News:
My apologies to Family Tree DNA, who has been sending me updates about their Houston, Texas lab in relation to Hurricane Ike. I've been too busy to post these on the blog, but fortunately, they sent them out to many bloggers, including Elizabeth of Little Bytes of Life. She has posted them here, here, and here. If you had a DNA test done through this company and are concerned that this facility was in harm's way, please be assured by these postings that everything has been kept safe.

There were also two updates from FamilySearch last week that I did not get to, but Renee of Renee's Genealogy Blog has them here and here. There have been 29 million names added to Record Search pilot this past week alone!

A new website, GenSoftReviews, has recently opened as a place where users can post reviews about their favorite genealogy software. Of course, I gave high marks to RootsMagic!

Public Records Free Directory blog has a new tool you can post on your iGoogle home page to help you get to their Directory pages right away.

The Kindo family tree networking website and MyHeritage genealogy site have joined hands. Read about it on the MyHeritage blog here.

The October 2008 Calendar of Events Has Been Updated

I've added the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy, which I accidentally omitted (so sorry, Jessica), The Polish History and Culture Challenge, and several more national holidays I discovered.

Check out the October 2008 Calendar of Events here. It's a busy month! Whew!

October Is...

...Family History Month (various U.S. states)

...Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15)

...Czech Heritage Month

...Polish American Heritage Month

...Italian American Heritage Month

...Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Month

October 1: Eid Al-Fitr (Islam: End of Ramadan)
National Day (People's Republic of China)
Independence Day (Cyprus)
Independence Day (Nigeria)

October 3: German Unity Day (Germany)

October 6: German American Day

October 8, sunset: Yom Kippur (Judaism: Day of Atonement)
Independence Day (Croatia)

October 13: Columbus Day (United States)
Thanksgiving (Canada)

October 19: Constitution Day (Niue)

October 20: National Multicultural Diversity Day
Birth of the Báb (Bá'hai)

October 23: Revolution of 1956 Remembrance Day (Hungary)

October 27: Independence Day (St. Vincent & the Grenadines)
Independence Day (Turkmenistan)

October 28: Independence Day (Greece)

October 29: Republic Day (Turkey)

October 31: All Hallows Eve (Christianity)

Do any of the above events feature in or affect your heritage, culture, or family history?

October Carnivals and Events:

Posted October 1 - "Getting to Know You, Getting to Know All About You" Challenge - Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV

Posted October 2 - A Genea-Blogger Yearbook

Posted October 3 - Treasure Hunters Round-up

Posted October 4 - the 57th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy - I Read It in The News!

Posted October 16 - the 6th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival - Funny Bone

Posted October 18 - the 58th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy - Halloween Hauntings...Fact or Fiction?

Posted October 15 - Blog Action Day - Poverty

Posted October 20 - the 10th Edition of the Cabinet of Curiosities

Posted October 23 - Treasure Hunt Challenge Round-Up: Just Look What We Found in Our Cupboards & Closets & Boxes!

Posted October 31 - 9th Edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture - Irish Superstitions

Posted October 31 - 12th Edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy - Folklore, Myths, Legends, Ghost Stories, Traditions or Festivals

Posted November 2 - Polish History and Culture Challenge

October 1 - Data Backup Day

Read Thomas' newest post on this subject here.

Scanfest: Sunday, October 26th, 11 AM - 2 PM, Pacific Daylight Time

Go here to learn how to join Scanfest and our group of chatting, scanning family archivists, historians, and bloggers!

Go here to add the above deadlines and dates to your Google Calendar,
courtesy of Thomas MacEntee of Destination: Austin Family.