All of a sudden there seems to be a run on posts related to magazines. Here is another one I came across this morning.

http://www.discoveringfamilyhistory.com/freepreview.htm

Discovering Family History is a new magazine geared toward the beginning genealogist. You can download a free (no sign-up required) preview at the link above. The publisher writes:

“Welcome to Discovering Family History, the latest magazine from the publishers of Family Chronicle, Internet Genealogy and History Magazine. This new bi-monthly magazine is targeted at people who are starting their genealogy, need a refresher course or are tackling a new aspect of genealogy.

Discovering Family History articles are being written by some of the most respected book and magazine authors ­ and many of them have extensive experience of teaching genealogy courses, either face-to-face or online.

Even if you have been conducting your genealogy research for many years, you may want to take a look at what Discovering Family History has to offer: as you get more and more into your family history, you will find the need to investigate resources that are completely new to you. Discovering Family History can help.”

I love this free preview. The articles appear to be exciting and well written. Some article titles include:

• A Few Fantastic Free Family History Websites
• Let Obituaries Speak to You (<– With an Excellent Graphic)
• Who Else is Researching Your Name
• What is a Vital Record

Good stuff!

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Where to Next?

Blank Family Tree with Step-by-Step Instructions

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In this great article, first published in the July/ August 1999 edition of Family Chronicle Magazine, Donna Porter-Phillips looks at the initial stages and development of genealogy as a hobby and professional practice.

Ms. Porter-Phillips states that from the beginning, people have felt the need to leave a record of themselves. “Cave paintings in France, tombstone art all over the world, and even the petroglyphs and pictographs of Native Americans, all point to the fact that early man wanted to be remembered by those who would come after.”

She goes on to write:

“‘How far back does genealogy go?’ a beginner might ask. And at first thought, Biblical references might come to mind as evidenced by all the chapters of begats. Family descent was important to the ancient Hebrews, in part because Hebrew males had to prove descent from Aaron, the brother of Moses, in order to hold the Levitical priesthood. The first eight chapters of the book of I Chronicles give genealogies from Adam down through Abraham and other Old Testament patriarchs. I Chronicles 9:1 reads, “so all Israel were reckoned by genealogies…”

You can read the rest of the article by clicking here (and then clicking “How To Archives” > “History” > “History of Genealogy”). I suggest you take a close look at the magazine itself. You can pick up a free trial subscription if you’d like.

I wanted to take a moment to recommend a great online article by Sue Morgan titled, “What You Should Know before Hiring a Professional Genealogist.”

The purpose of Genealogy Beginner is to help you get started with your genealogy search so you don’t have to hire someone. However, there will come a time when you need a helping hand. If you find this in a great librarian or good friend, fantastic. However, if you find yourself thinking it is time to call in the professionals you need to make sure you understand what is involved.

In her article, Ms. Morgan outlines:

• What you can expect to receive for your money
• How long a search takes
• How much it will cost
• What the researcher will need to know when beginning work

You can read the full article by clicking here.

If you have used the services of a professional genealogist before, go ahead and leave us a comment below to offer some of your own advise.

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Or Learn About How You Can Make Your Own Family Tree

Blank Family Tree with Step-by-Step Instructions

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PROVO, Utah, Jan 31, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Ancestry.com, the largest online resource for family history, today announced the launch of California Voter Registration Lists documenting more than 30 million names of Californians who registered to vote between 1900 and 1944.

Several California celebrities and political figures are found inside the collection, including:

• Actor and future U.S. President Ronald Reagan was registered to vote in 1942 as a Democrat and remained a registered party member until atleast 1954.  According to Reagan’s 1958 voter registration, he and wife Nancy Reagan changed their party affiliation to Republican.
• Lucille Ball is found in the collection registered as a Communist in 1936 and 1938, and was later asked to testify before Congress during McCarthy’s Communist witch hunts.
• According to the 1944 records, Ozzy and Harriett Nelson are both registered as Republicans. Harriett was employed as an “actress,” and Ozzy as an “orchestra leader.”
• In a 1924 voter registration list, Walt Disney is found alongside brothers Robert and Roy. Walt and Robert were registered as Republicans, while Roy chose to “decline statement.” In 1940, Walt’s wife Lillian changed her party affiliation to Democrat, while Walt remained Republican.

“These records give evidence of a changing and growing America,” said Smolenyak. “Every American with California roots can appreciate this collection and what it tells them about how their own family evolved over the years.”

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Where to Next?

Blank Family Tree with Step-by-Step Instructions

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I was thinking about what to get my Wife for Valentines Day and came across this great idea that I thought you might be interested in as well.

Your Family Coat-of-Arms on a Wine Bottle!

Click on the link above and search for one of your surnames. From there, you select the coat-of-arms, provide any special messaging, and then click done! They’ll ship the wine directly to you (for a reasonable price).

Not all US states allow for the shipping of wine but most do and those that do not, they have some nice non-alcoholic options to choose from.

So, jump on over to Signatures Wines. If nothing else, it might be fun to see your Family Coat-of-Arms.

Tracing your family ancestry is a great way to connect with family members around the world. One of the best ways to get started with the process is to find a brief introductory guide in genealogy. You don’t have to become an expert on the subject, but you do need to know some basic tips for sorting through the tremendous amount of data available online and in public records.

The Basic Beginner’s Genealogy Guide from Genealogy Beginner provides you with the basic skills you need to trace your ancestry, dating back hundreds of years. One of the first things you’ll discover when you read this guide is how to simplify the process. For example, the first chapter of the guide provides you with tips for tracing your closest relatives and working backwards from there.

Many of the people who have purchased The Basic Beginner’s Genealogy Guide from Genealogy Beginner have reported finding more information on their ancestors than they ever imagined possible. If you’re approaching your genealogy research like a fun hobby, the guide offers several suggestions for planning fact-finding activities. One of the most popular activities involves incorporating a family reunion into your genealogy research efforts.

Like most family reunions, the genealogy family reunion takes place at a central location, preferably near a popular tourist attraction or outdoor recreational facility. The guide offers suggestions for planning your family reunion and also offers practical advice for gathering information about your ancestors. A genealogy family reunion is a great way to gather old photos, newspaper clippings, stories about relatives, and even video footage.

DeadFred.com is a great site with a great name!

When I last visited they were boasting over 14,000 surnames indexed and organized with photos for each. The idea is that you search by surname and find photos along with those who submitted them to link up and add to the richness of everyone’s family tree. As they put it,

Trace your roots for free with our searchable database containing thousands of identified and mystery photos for genealogy enthusiasts looking for long-lost family.  Anyone who finds a photo of a direct ancestor that is owned by the
archive will receive the photo for free.

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Where to Next?

Blank Family Tree with Step-by-Step Instructions

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Just came across this. You can read more about these classes or visit GenClass directly.

GenClass.com offers online, short-term, fact-packed courses in a multitude of relevant subjects. You might want to add one or more of these classes to your holiday wish list!

Most of the founding instructors previously taught these successful online classes at MyFamily.com, and new staffers have since joined. The group now represents instructors living in the US, Canada, England, Scotland and Israel.

Classes for January, February and March 2008 are now open for registration, and include Jewish Basic Research and Jewish Internet Research. Micha Reisel and I team-teach those two classes.

In addition, new instructor Alexandra Goldberg will offer “Genealogy for Kids” in January. If you are wondering how to get your children interested in this quest, this might be the perfect introduction.

The classes will help prepare newcomers or more advanced researchers by providing essential tools and information.

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Where to Next?

Blank Family Tree with Step-by-Step Instructions

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Eastman has been at this a long time.  I thought it would be worth referencing his post here for those who want to get a grasp of where genealogy as an online pursuit has come.

In his blog-post today he writes:
Boy, the time does fly! Twelve years has slipped by in almost the blink of an eye. It seems like only yesterday that I sent the first e-mail newsletter to about 100 people, mostly members of CompuServe’s Genealogy Forums.

None  of them knew in advance that the newsletter would arrive; I simply mailed it to people who I thought might be interested. In 1996 nobody objected to receiving unsolicited bulk mail; the phrase “spam mail” had not yet been invented. I shudder to think if I did the same thing in today’s Internet environment.

In that first newsletter on January 15, 1996, I wrote …

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Where to Next?

Blank Family Tree with Step-by-Step Instructions

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