Thanks to  Dick Eastman - August 10. 2016

      National Geographic's Free Website for        
        Printing Detailed Topographical Maps

Topographic maps are a great resource for genealogists looking for cemeteries, especially old or even abandoned cemeteries. I have found cemeteries listed on topographic maps that would have been difficult or perhaps impossible to find otherwise.

In theory, you can print your own maps from the U.S. Geological Survey’s web site at http://www.natgeomaps.com/trail-maps/pdf-quads.

However, I have had little luck at that web site. It seems to be almost constantly busy. The rare times I have been able to use the site, the PDF images downloaded from the site aren’t formatted for standard printer paper. That makes printing the maps very difficult.

The National Geographic web site has come to the rescue.

                                                                                                            Click on  "Read More"

by Alexandra Edmondson 08 September 2016 from findmypast

Religious records can provide an incredible amount of detail and information about our ancestors. They can tell us our women ancestors' maiden names, they can reveal birth and death dates, and they can even help us discover family friends or distant relatives through the witnesses listed on marriage records! If your ancestors were Catholic, looking at the original documents can be intimidating because the majority of Catholic records are recorded in, or partially recorded in, Latin because up until the 1960's the official language of the Catholic church was Latin. If you aren't familiar with Latin, many words are familiar, especially within the context of the records, but if you're feeling a bit rusty on your Latin skills or are unsure about what a term could  
                                                                                                                               mean, here are some common Latin words to get  
​                                                                                                                               you started in your . . .

By Deborah S. Gurtler

This entry is part 2 of 4 in the series Researching in Latin America

One of the backbones of research in the United States is the Federal census taken every 10 years. By searching the online indexes one can usually pinpoint where a family was living in a given census year.
Many who have researched in the United States automatically assume that these types of records exist for all countries but sadly for Latin America this is not the case.

In Mexico a federal census was taken in 1930 and has been microfilmed, digitized, and indexed by FamilySearch.
This can be a great help to those who are trying to locate an ancestor who lived in Mexico in 1930.
The researcher should be aware however that in Mexico City, also known as the Distrito Federal. Research in the capital city, as in many large cities around the world, can be very difficult when the barrio or neighborhood where the ancestors lived is unknown.
Not having the 1930 census for this important city makes research difficult but not impossible.
Many parish records and civil registration records have been and continue to be indexed.
​f you can’t find your ancestor in Mexico City, keep checking back every few weeks, as more indexed records are added on a regular basis.

Census-type records in Latin America may be called by a variety of names. Censos is the word that might be used to cover records that are generally created for tax purposes or voting lists and usually cover . . .

September 2, 2016 By Leslie Albrecht Huber

For many people, tracing immigrant ancestors across the ocean to their old world origins feels a little like finding a needle in a haystack. Often, immigration records provide an important link, but locating those records can be a challenge of its own! Fortunately, a number of online resources can make your task easier. Here are a few to get you started. And best of all, they’re all free.  

Click on "Read More" for information about:

• German Roots
• Castle Garden
• Ellis Island
• One -Step Webpages
• FamilySearch Wiki
• Leaving Europe: More Websites to Explore . . .

August 30, 2016 by Joan Stewart Smith, Guest Blogger for
​Stewart Communications a Mommy Blog  from ​Ancestry Insider
​
That's because genealogy is now the second most popular U.S. hobby and one of the top most searched and visited website categories. With so many records and connections available online, more and more of us are happily falling down the rabbit hole of family research.

Here are some tips to get you started on your new pursuit. One thing is certain: You will develop a special, new bond to the cast of characters that makes up your family tree and to many others on the same quest -- some of them distant cousins you've never met, let alone never even knew existed.

1. Start with what you know.
Using a blank pedigree chart, such as this free one you can download from DAR.org, pencil in your direct lineage as far back as possible, including the names of your parents, both sets of grandparents, four set of great grandparents, eight sets of great great grandparents, etc. If you can, write down when and where each person was born, married and died. Don't worry if it's full of blanks.

​                                                (Click "Read More)

August 15, 2016 By FamilySearch

The Family History Library is hosting over 75 free webinars in the months of September and October. These webinars include the United States Research Seminar in August and the European Family History Conference in September. Other webinars cover a variety of topics and countries and include some sessions in Spanish.  The research seminar and conference planners request that you preregister. However, you may directly access any webinar at the scheduled time by clicking here or by clicking on the class name found within the class schedule.

To view these webinars or to register, go to the Family History Library Classes and Webinars Wiki page. On this page, you ​. . .

August 22, 2016 By Leslie Albrecht Huber

If you’ve ever tried to write a family story based only on the information you can find in a family group sheet or pedigree chart, you know that the limited information makes for a pretty short, dull family history! Our ancestors, of course, were more than a list of names and dates. They were real people with full lives. To tell their stories, we need to dig deeper and look further. Here are a few simple ideas to help you add details to their stories.

Pull Out All the Information
Often when we are first gathering information about our families, we look for the basics: birth, marriage, and death dates and places. By spending a little more time with the records, we can sometimes discover other hidden gems to help us fill in our ancestors’ stories.

​One clue included in many records is an occupation. Knowing your ancestor’s occupation can help you understand his daily routine and even his socioeconomic status. On my family tree, I have a lot of . . .

August 22, 2016 By FamilySearch
​
The Family History Library and the research specialists of the European reference team invite you to a free, never before offered, week-long conference focused exclusively on European research. The conference, which will be held on September 12–16, 2016, is perfect for beginning and intermediate genealogists who are interested in learning about records from European localities and the Family History Library collections.

Come and spend a week at the world-renowned Family History Library learning from our expert staff of genealogists and experienced guest genealogists. Learn how to use historical records effectively and how to research the records of several European countries. Explore such topics as census, church, immigration, and vital records. Learn more about German, Swiss, Russian, and Polish research. Discover new techniques, strategies, and methodology to apply to your genealogical research problems. 

​Most classes will be held at the . . .

 By Deborah S. Gurtler of FamilySearch

This entry is part 1 of 4 in the series Researching in Latin America. 

​As a research specialist for Latin America at the Family History Library every day, I meet people anxious to discover their family story and origins. It’s a great privilege to be able to guide them as they make those important first discoveries and break down their brick walls.

​However, we at the Family History Library recognize that there are many of you who might never get the oppor-tunity to visit us in person and get individualized help. With those needs in mind, we’ve decided to write a series of articles designed to help you with your research in Latin America.

It isn't a secret, or even something new. It's something you've probably heard before, but just never followed. There is a little-known trick that can make all the difference in preventing your family memories from being lost forever.
Family history feeds on family memories, but if we don't make sure that those memories are properly recorded - with as much data as possible (including sources) - then the memories may "change" over time and eventually fade away.

​Oral transmission of family history is an excellent way to pass on memories.Stories passed from generation to generation, from parents to children are a wonderful legacy, but what if those stories had been documented from the beginning? Perhaps the heroes in our family stories would be seen as less virtuous, or maybe the wicked would be excused for evil actions once their true motives were revealed. Either way, we would probably have a much clearer vision of the way things really happened in our family's past, and a greater idea of the emotions involved.