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Obama Descendant of First Slave?
July 29, 2012 by ramona
Filed under Articles, Latest News
Since first starting out on the election trail, President Barack Obama’s family history has been a subject of great interest. In this week’s news, Obama’s family tree has become even more noteworthy as genealogist claim to trace his descent from the American Colonies first documented slave.
The Roots of Slavery
The commencement of slavery in the US began in Virginia with the arrival of 20 Africans aboard a Dutch Man – o – War. At its inception, slavery was not legally recognized and the status of Africans was documented as indentured servants. This can be seen in the colonial court records of Virginia in a document dating from 1625 that notes “Antonio the Negro” as a servant.
In those early times, there was no distinction between black and white indentured servants. As a result, it was common for black and white indentured servants in addition to “Poor whites” to associate closely, working side by side, becoming friends and often intermarrying.
John Punch
In the year 1640 one black and two white indentured servants ran away from the Virginia plantation where they worked. Eventually, the tree escapees were captured and returned to the plantation. Upon their return, the Virginia General Court passed a sentence of four additional years of servitude onto the white runaways while African John Punch received a punishment of life in servitude, making him the first (documented) black slave in American history.
The Ancestral Connection
Genealogist conducting research for Ancestry.com claim to have traced the descent of the American Commander and Chief to Punch; surprisingly through Obama’s maternal white line. The president’s mother, Stanley Ann Dunham is reported to have a line of descent to white landowners in the Virginia colonies.
The genealogists contend that it is through a Dunham woman and John Punch that President Obama’s line descends. If their findings are accurate, Punch is Obama’s 11th great grandfather.
If this is true, there is a certain poetic justice in that a descendant of the first black slave was to become the first black president.
Genealogy: Online Ethics and Etiquette
July 11, 2012 by ramona
Filed under Articles, Genealogy Standards & Guidelines, Introduction to Genealogy, Latest News
From the novice to the veteran family historian we can all agree that the vast amount of information available online for genealogy research is a great blessing. Therefore, it is more important than ever to become familiar with the ethical practices and etiquette involved in information sharing when it comes to our family trees.
On sites such as Ancestry.com and Find a Grave, a great deal of the information is made available through the contributions of fellow researchers. Thus, it is becoming easier for genealogy beginners to discover documents and photos at the touch of a few keys.
Family Tree Ethics and Etiquette
Published genealogies can be a truly wonderful resource, they aid us in our own research and quite often lead to the discovery of cousins we never knew we had. The down side of this is that through innocent error and sometimes intent, the genealogical community experiences a degree of unethical behavior and bad manners.
It is very exciting to find published information about your ancestors online however, before you snag that birth, marriage, death record or photo of G.G. Grandma:
1. Ask Permission
This is a common scenario on sites like Ancestry.com where photos and records are often public. This is because Ancestry.com is meant to be a collaborative site and although it states in their Community Guidelines that “Any information you post in our community is public and can be copied, modified and distributed by others” you should still ask permission of the original poster.
2. Give Credit
When using published documents or photos always thank the original contributor A little blurb that reads – Photo Courtesy of Ms. Nice Genealogist – is just good manners.
To learn more about this subject check out Genealogy Beginner’s lesson # 1. Genealogy Standards and Guidelines: You Need to Know This First, available with your 30-day free trial membership.
Is Ancestry.com for Sale?
June 6, 2012 by ramona
Filed under Articles, Latest News
A report June 6, 2012 at Investors.com states genealogy service Ancestry.com is contemplating a sale of the company.
A leader in genealogy services since 1983 Ancestry.com is the biggest online family history service with several websites that aid people in tracing their family trees.
The genealogy giant totals 1.87 million paying subscribers and offers well over seven billion searchable records. On the inside, the company employs 1,100 people and reports June 5, 2012 from the Deseret News state that along with their recent purchase of Archives.com in April 2012 for $100 million, there are also plans to hire 50 to 70 new tech personnel.
The company based in Provo, Utah has seen an overall slow down in subscriber growth and in response is said to have hired Frank Quattrone’s San Francisco based company, Qatalyst Partners to source buyers.
Taken as a whole Ancestry.com finished the first quarter of 2012 with:
Despite this, last month’s cancellation of Who Do You Think You Are, a major promotional vehicle for the company, hit them hard when stocks dropped 13.7% after NBC announced the shows cancellation.
WDYTYA Cancelled: A Sad Farewell
May 16, 2012 by ramona
Filed under Articles, Latest News
With only four million viewers for this season’s premier and steadily tumbling ratings, NBC has cancelled the genealogy program “Who Do You Think You Are” in its third season…and it is a sad farewell for many fans.
Over its three-year span, the show produced by Lisa Kudrow has helped an A-list of big names such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Susan Sarandon and Martin Sheen to trace their family trees all over the globe. The show should also be credited for the part it has played in inspiring a great many viewers to search out their own ancestral roots.
No one will miss the show more than sponsors Ancestry.com as the backlash hit them hard when stocks dropped 13.7% after NBC announced the cancellation.
In April of last year, Ancestry.com’s stocks were at a peak with a worth of $45.79 and 1.7 million subscribers. At the opening of trading on Monday May 14, 2012, the genealogy giant’s shares were sitting at $26.16. By the close of the day, stocks had devalued to $22.57 losing $3.59 through the day.
In a press release earlier this week Tim Sullivan, President and CEO of Ancestry.com said, “We want to thank NBC for their support of this terrific series, which over the last three years has inspired many viewers to follow their passion to learn more about who they are and where they come from,” adding, “We have a great partnership with the show’s producers, Is or Isn’t Entertainment and Shed Media, and we look forward to exploring other avenues of distribution.”
The programs last episode will air tonight with celebrity guest Paula Deen.
“Who Do You Think You Are”, Episodes 1 & 2: Family Lore
February 16, 2012 by ramona
Filed under Articles, Genealogy Military Records, Genealogy Records 101, Latest News
“Who Do You Think You Are” begins each episode by saying “To know who you are, you have to know where your story began”. Those words could not ring truer than in the first two episodes of season three.
Episode One: Martin Sheen
With a colorful history of his own, Mr. Sheen has made headlines for his efforts as a civil activist supporting issues from liberal politics to environmental concerns. It was hardly a surprise to learn that his passionate outspoken nature may stem from ancestral roots on both sides of his family.
Mr. Sheen begins his genealogy journey with a little family lore. The subject of this family tree investigation is Michael Phelan, an uncle on his mother’s side, who was reportedly a volunteer in the Irish Republican Army.
To help Mr. Sheen uncover the truth behind the family tale, “Who Do You Think You Are” applies a number of research methods and utilizes all relevant resources.
In the first part of this episode, we see genealogical research conducted through an examination of:
The discoveries made during this systematic process uncovered an unexpected truth. For years, Mr. Sheen’s family had believed that their legendary ancestor fought on the side of the IRA. However, his visit to the Military Archives revealed that Michael Phelan actually fought for the opposing side…the Irish National Army.
Episode Two: Marisa Tomei
Marisa Tomei was the guest on the second episode of “Who Do You think You Are” season three. In this episode family lore also plays a big part in the Tomei family’s desire to dig in to their past.
The subject of the story is Marisa’s Great Grandfather Leopoldo, who was murdered for uncertain reasons. Family legend hints that the murder was motivated by a possible love affair or a debt he owed, shedding an unflattering light on this notorious ancestor.
As the Tomei story unfolds, “Who Do You Think You Are” takes us on a trip to Italy where Marisa wades through a maze of documents, research resources and consultations with experts who help her to examine:
However, before she leaves Marissa visits her mother who has uses a well know genealogy database to make a family tree.
Perhaps one of the most enjoyable components of family tree research is the family history aspect. Learning the truth behind stories passed from generation to generation. Often these stories have a grain of truth, rarely is it ever the whole truth as we see in the first two episodes of season three.
If you missed this episode of “Who Do You Think You Are”, join us in the forum The Discovery Panel for a link to where you can watch the episode online free. You didn’t think I was going to ruin the ending did you? Also, join us for a genealogy research tip based on the first two episodes.
Image Credit: Rav 7 Via Photobucket
Leading Genealogy Sites Eliminate Records
December 29, 2011 by ramona
Filed under Articles, Latest News
Two major genealogy research services ceased posting Social Security numbers last week after receiving serious complaints from the public.
Genealogy and Privacy Violations
The cause, complaints of privacy violations by two individuals after the Social Security Administration falsely listed them as deceased.
Scripps Howard News Service, first to investigate the Social Security’s Database known as the Death Master File discovered the errors earlier this year. During their investigation, Scripps Howard identified 31,931 American citizens incorrectly recorded as deceased
Genealogy Sites Involved
Genealogybank.com was the first to stop, having made the decision to “err on the side of privacy” as stated by Daniel Jones, vice president of consumer products for Newsbank.com; parent company to Genealogybank. Shortly afterward, at the request of federal lawmakers Ancestry.com followed suit.
What Family Tree Site Will Be the Next to Fall?
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who operate FamilySearch.org. Along with other genealogy research sites, have also received requests to stop granting access to the full Death Master File.
Erik Hawkins, representative for FamilySearch.org stated in a story released by Scripps Howard News Service 12/15/2011 “We are looking into how this matter can be resolved.”
For the full story: http://public.shns.com/content/genealogy-sites-remove-social-security-numbers-deceased
Genealogybeginner.com wants to know what our readers think. How does the loss of SSDI records affect genealogy research? Join us on the forum, Genealogy News and Events and weigh-in with your opinion.
Image credit: tahbasco Via Photobucket
Giving Your Family Tree for Christmas
December 4, 2008 by Chris
Filed under Blank Family Tree, Family History, Preserving Your Family Tree
The Ancestry Insider is quickly becoming one of my favorite blog spots, in a post titled “Giving Your Family Tree for Christmas.” There is an amazing wealth of information about publishing a family tree book for yourself or a family member. The best part about the post is that it was inspired by a reader’s question. (See link at the bottom of this article to visit the original post and read about a site visitor who asked a question that started it all.) Here are some highlights from the article:
Continue reading “Giving Your Family Tree for Christmas” »
Ancestry.com’s Card Catalogs
Ancestry.com’s Card Catalogs are a fantastic resource for helping all of you genealogists and family history buffs locate documents for your generations past. Sorting through the immense amount of information available is a task that can be extremely overwhelming. The card catalogue will help simplify the process; it will let you search in the same way your local libraries’ card catalogue does.
You can search by:
Name,
Location
Keyword
If you have any troubles don’t worry; The Ancestry Insider has done it again with another enormously helpful article; this one is a fantastic “How-To” post about Ancestry.com’s Card Catalogs.
Complete with excellent screen shots, this short but sweet step by step guide walks you through both the new and old catalogue search functions and will have you searching like a pro in no time.
Old Search
New Search
Notice: The Ancestry Insider is independent of Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org. The opinions expressed herein are his own. Trademarks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The name Ancestry Insider designates the author’s status as an insider among those searching their ancestry and does not refer to Ancestry.com. All content is copyrighted unless designated otherwise.
(Notice and images from The Ancestry Insider.)
Ancestry’s Mythical OneWorldConnect
Ancestry.com Dendrology 101: Ancestry’s Mythical OneWorldConnect
According to one competitor’s website, Ancestry.com has a tree system called OneWorldConnect. See the detail from their website, below. Sorry, guys. There is no such tree system. One wonders if they were trying to reference OneWorldTree or WorldConnect. However, OneWorldTree is, to use their terminology, an “Internet-Based Collective Family Tree” (albeit read-only). And WorldConnect is “a collection of family trees.”
A competitor examines Ancestry’s non-existent OneWorldConnect
In my opinion, an example of a “Linked Family Tree” is GenCircles Global Tree and their SmartMatching. But this isn’t meant to be an inventory of all Internet tree systems. Otherwise I’d take the time to show you an example of GenCircles SmartMatching for George Washington.
In conclusion, be assured that Ancestry.com has no OneWorldConnect and has no Linked Family Tree.
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Where to Next?
Blank Family Tree with Step-by-Step Instructions
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Free Death Records at Ancestry.com
February 10, 2008 by Chris
Filed under Genealogy Death records, Genealogy Records 101, Public Records
Today Ancestry.com announced a suite of new free death records databases including:
- 1641-1819 Emigrants to Pennsylvania
- 1750-1886 Burials at St. Mary’s Church, Gateshead, Durham, England
- 1844-1884 Missouri State Census Collection
This is in addition to the following databases updated in the past 10 days:
- Beaver County, Pennsylvania Families
- Every name Index to Egle’s Notes and Queries Chiefly Relating to Interior of Pennsylvania
- Early Pennsylvania Land Records
- Early Friends and Families of Upper Bucks
- Colonial & Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania, Volume III
- Colonial & Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania, Volume II
- 1903 Edition of the Complete American Armoury and Blue Book
- 1907 Edition of the Complete American Armoury and Blue Book
- The History of Haverhill [Massachusetts]
The folks at Ancestry.com seem to keep at it around the clock, providing us with abundant resources. If you haven’t visited recently, it is worth viewing this amazing site for free death records and other vital genealogy information.
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Where to Next?
Blank Family Tree with Step-by-Step Instructions
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