Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Will I See You @ Sherwood Park?

I hope you are coming to Genealogy in the Park http://albertaresearch2.blogspot.ca/2016/01/genealogy-in-park-presents-pat-ryan.html because there are SIXTEEN pages of handouts waiting for you!! Within those SIXTEEN pages are some NINETY-EIGHT links to fantastic web sites.

Hope to see you there!!!!! Let's learn, network, and have some fun!!


Cheers,
Pat

Saturday, May 21, 2016

More FREE Webinars - familysearch

These ones are from familysearch.org - the LDS folks that have been busy filming original records worldwide and whom we all owe such a debt of gratitude. Now they are also offering FREE webinars, and classes, and some are archived so still available to us, FREE!! https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Family_History_Library_Classes_and_Webinars

Sorry guys it's all I can do for now - need to lie down again. The old adage 'we take our health so for granted' applies. Nothing serious, but when will they find a cure for the 'common cold'? #$%^&*$$


Cheers,
Pat

SSDI is Still Available

For those of us who used the USA Social Security Death Index, many of whom believed the SSDI is no longer available, will be sooo happy to learn it has not been lost. It is available and can be searched online. Mr. Eastman has done his usual excellent job of explanations so have a read here https://blog.eogn.com/2016/05/12/the-social-security-death-index-ssdi-is-still-available/


Cheers,
Pat

Find Photos & Stories on familysearch

So I consider myself an expert on familysearch.org

Guess what I just learned??????

You can search for photos & stories (including documents) on familysearch.org!!!!! OMG!!! This is a game changer!! https://familysearch.org/photos/find

Let me know what YOU find!!


Cheers,
Pat

Prairie History Blog - Regina Saskatchewan

So many of you have taken a course with me where we do lots of hands-on research AT the Saskatchewan Provincial Archives, and AT the PHR in Regina Public Library. Just a reminder for those folks, and a new source for some, the PHR has an excellent blog started by the past librarian May Chan. You may even find some research guides written by yours truly. http://www.reginalibrary.ca/blogs/index.php?blog=7 I'll be doing a class again this Fall for Organizing Your Paper Files.


Cheers,
Pat

3,300+ Irish in Ancestry's US Seamen's Collection

Thanks to Claire Santry for the following.

"Ancestry's new US Applications for Seaman's Protection Certificates, 1916-1940, contains more than 315,203 records of seamen issued with certificates at US ocean and Great Lakes posts by customs officials. Nearly 3,350 of the records relate to Irish born men. http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=61257 You will need a subscription, or do this search through your local library.

One of the best things I found when using this database, was a photo of the individual!! Happy Searching!!


Cheers,
Pat

Saskatchewan Oral Histories

We've talked about the new Oral Histories/Interviews that Saskatchewan Archives is making available through the LDS Church digitization project, but this one is different. It's from Saskatchewan History & Folklore Society. Interviews were conducted in the 1980s and 1990s. They can be found https://shfs.ca/audio/ They are listed individually by nationality [Welsh, Norwegian, Polish, Czech, Chinese, Russian etc] so certainly a wonderful learning opportunity for all of us!


Cheers,
Pat

New ONE Day Subscription @ RootsIreland

This just might be a super great deal. Get yourself organized. Plan on not sleeping. Gather some snacks and drinks around your computer. And have at 'er? hahaha Seriously I'll probably give this a try because they have great records, but are pretty expensive so a 24 hour option is affordable. http://www.irishgenealogynews.com/


Cheers,
Pat

Old Occupation Names

I blog about this often, but it's always interesting. Don't take for granted you understand what your ancestor's occupation really was - AND be sure to explain it to your readers and family. Here's one http://globalgenealogy.com/globalgazette/gazrr/gazrr88.htm

I have a 'scutcher' in Northern Ireland, and 'mungo merchant' in Yorkshire England. haha


Cheers,
Pat

Photos For Your Use

Anyone looking for photos to use on their blog, website, or whatever will like these 17 websites http://www.lonetester.com/2016/05/17-websites-to-find-photos-for-your-blog/


Cheers,
Pat

50% off Findmypast - FLASH SALE - today only

Sorry I couldn't get this out this morning. I've been down and out with nothing more than the 'ordinary' cold since Monday. Still not over it, and for some unknown reason my head is NOT totally flat ... which is should be!! Think - nose blowing?! haha

Anyway here's the link http://www.geneabloggers.com/tag/genealogy-bargains/


Cheers,
Pat

Monday, May 16, 2016

DNA Lectures - FREE

Anyone interested in learning more about DNA can learn from the many videos available for FREE here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7HQSiSkiy7ujlkgQER1FYw. Wow, there are sooooo many to choose from. I will read through the brief notes, choose only the most current because things are changing so fast, and just give it a try. If I don't like whichever one I chose, I'll move on to another. They're all free. Hope you find something wonderful!!


Cheers,
Pat

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Ellis Island

For anyone interested in Ellis Island here is a link to a wee song along with pictures. Isle of Hope. Isle of Tears.

It also mentions Annie Moore, a 15 year old Irish girl who was the first person through the gates January 1st, 1892. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYgNUIqNR-w&feature=youtu.be


Cheers,
Pat

R U Using PERSI? You Should BE!

So what is PERSI and how do you search it? Our friends over at FindMyPast have done another excellent job of providing guidance on how to us PERSI https://blog.findmypast.com/ho-1771212661.html

If I'm not mistaken I believe Ancestry also has PERSI on its website. Of course, Murphy's Law just stepped in and I can't find it! If anyone does locate it, please post the link, or send it to me so everyone can find it. Thanks.

There is another good article about PERSI here https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Periodical_Source_Index_%28PERSI%29


Cheers,
Pat

Mocavo & US Census FREE FOREVER

So Mocavo always promised they would keep their records FREE Forever. Then they were taken over by FindMyPast which is a genealogy site much like Ancestry. Everyone let out a sigh and figured that was the end of FREE Mocavo records. Not so fast!! Findmypast marketing manager has shared the following

"All the Mocavo content either is or will shortly be published for free on Findmypast in line with our promise to Mocavo customers. All that is required to access the content will be for users to register and create a free account (just the same as was done for Mocavo)."

AND
"I can now confirm that all US Census years are now free on Findmypast as per our Mocavo promise".

Fantastic!!!! http://www.findmypast.co.uk/
Create your free account and begin your searches!! I've been told there is NO credit card requirement and NO automatic billing.


Cheers,
Pat

Digitized Irish Records

Without paying one thin dime do you know how to use the original records that have been digitized by the LDS church, and that are FREE online? Well folks here ya go http://www.townlandoforigin.com/2016/05/digitized-irish-records-in-familysearch.html

If you take your time, and play around a bit, you can use this lesson to see everything that is in their catalogue. The entire familysearch.org website is magnificent, but the best part has always been in learning to use the catalogue spelled catalog on their site. It's well worth taking the time to learn!!


Cheers,
Pat

Volhynia Research


Wikipedia: Volhynia, located in the northwest of present day Ukraine, borders Belarus in the north, the Carpathian Mountains in the south, and Poland in the west. It was ruled by Poland until the late 18th century, when Poland was partitioned by the Prussian, Austrian, and Russian Empires.



This database is organized by an individual working from Roman Catholic parishes stored in Polish & Ukrainian Archives. http://wolyn-metryki.pl/Wolyn/Metryki_Wolyn/English.html


Those with Lutherans from Volhynia https://www.sggee.org/research/parishes/parish_histories/VolhyniaDioceseHistory.html


Anyone interested in this area should see https://www.ualberta.ca/~german/AlbertaHistory/Volhynians.htm


Cheers,
Pat

FREE Webinars from familysearch.org

I've posted about these before, but for all you new to my blog readers, have a look https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Family_History_Library_Classes_and_Webinars


Cheers,
Pat

Historic Winnipeg Postcards & Directories - Online

The Winnipeg Public Library has published thousands of historic postcards of the city and province and put them online in their PastForward area. There are in excess of 1500 images of Winnipeg. For many of our ancestors Winnipeg was as far west as the mighty railroad could take them. It's also the reason we often find Winnipeg listed as the final destination on ships passenger lists as they just didn't know how much further west they could get, or what the place name would be where they finally stopped. For the postcards http://pastforward.winnipeg.ca/cdm/landingpage/collection/berman


The library also has digitized Winnipeg city directories from 1880 - 1965. Directories can be the only record of folks who had moved on, or not arrived yet, in between census decades. Directories were published every year in cities. Have a look http://pastforward.winnipeg.ca/cdm/search/collection/berman!hendersons/searchterm/sand/field/all/mode/all/conn/and


Cheers,
Pat

Protect Your Work!!!

The recent fires in Northern Alberta, primarily at Fort McMurray [Fort Mac], reminds me to remind you to be sure you have back-ups of your genealogy work. If you've got everything digitized, on your computer, good for you, but what happens when {not if} your computer fails because it WILL fail. If you have an external hard drive where does it live? Right beside your computer? If you've put your work on flash drives where do you keep them? If you've got paper copies where are those kept? Even Thomas McEntee suffered a crash in the cloud and lost some of his work. Back up in at least 3 different places on 3 different mediums.

We all have invested too much blood, sweat and tears to not take the best steps possible to preserve our work. Share your work with relatives, preferably ones who don't live too close. Flash drives, or external hard drives could be stored in your safe(ty) deposit box. Think about where you could store duplicates that would keep them safe should the unthinkable happen to your home - fires, floods, break-ins, tornadoes. Do it now and let's hope we never need them.


Cheers,
Pat

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Sorry

Thanks to Bonnie for inquiring if I was OK 'cause she hadn't seen any Blogs from me for quite a while. hahaha At least it got me going again and I'll try adding some more tomorrow.

I'm perfectly fine. Well, maybe not quite 'perfectly' - had lots of tests and appointments to keep when we returned home from BC - and found out I'm NOT quite perfect. hahaha I suppose this isn't news to anyone, me included, but nothing serious ... Nope, just been double busy catching up on stuff that got left behind over the three months we were gone - like birthdays!! Good grief - my Son's on May 1st. Hubby's May 2nd. My Mom's May 3rd RIP, but took a drive to her gravesite. Hubby's Mom, also RIP, and his brother's May 4th. Oh it doesn't end there, but you get the idea. Granddaughter had four events since we got home, and she comes here this Friday and I can hardly wait!! We buy her as many presents as her age while we're away. Then I write up a scavenger hunt when we can have her here and that's how she finds her presents. She's 8 now so the hints/clues need to be 'harder' ... this year her clues have words that I've purposely miss-spelled kind of like a Word Jumble ... so she needs to solve the word(s) and then figure out each clue. It's great fun, but was much easier for me when she was younger. haha Anyway, that's just a few of things that have kept me busy and not blogging. Plus I'm also writing the presentations for the Genealogy in the Park presentations I'm doing in one month! It's really fun writing and researching, but let me tell you it's also a GREAT deal of work. So that's my apology. Thanks for listening friend!! I'll try to do better.


Cheers!!,
Pat

Genealogy in the Park - June 10, 11 2016

This is the second Genealogy in the Park Event and features yours truly as guest speaker/presenter. I cannot wait to do this!! I have learned so many new features of the LAC website as I researched and prepared this session. I've also packed a ton of tips and tricks into each presentation AS WELL as adding as much as possible, including buckets of Web links to follow, to the handout each participant will go home with so they can learn even more!! I really really enjoy Edmonton and Alberta genealogists. Each time I'm there I meet and renew acquaintances with so many valued friends, and I always learn something new too!! It's hard to beat face to face networking. Who knows who YOU might meet ... in a class, at lunch break, or just over coffee? Might be someone to help break down a brick wall or two!! Join in you wonderful folks from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, BC, North Dakota, Montana, Florida? haha Here's the link with all the info http://albertaresearch2.blogspot.ca/p/genealogy-in-park-presents-pat-ryan_23.html



FRIDAY WORKSHOP
June 10, 2016
ORGANIZING YOUR PAPER FILES
1:00 PM – 3:30PM

We LOVE the thrill of the chase! Later we can’t find what we *know* we have. This one deals strictly with getting control of the copious amounts of paper we collect, and getting it organized so you can find, within a few seconds, exactly what you are looking for! Eureka! Hello happy dances, and goodbye dust bunnies!! This session is aimed at all skill sets.

After Pat's sessions, participants are invited to stay, socialize, brainstorm, and network. Feel free to bring your genealogy treasures, a unique/unusual/strange find to share.

Refreshments will be served at this event.



SATURDAY PRESENTATIONS
June 11, 2016
Doors open at 8:00 am
9:00am-10:00am
10:30am-11:30am
Library Archives Canada


Although the repository is physically located in Ottawa Canada, the LAC website is becoming more of a go-to place for digitized Canadian record collections. There are several electronic tools which make access to its collection easier. One caveat: the tools were seemingly never designed by, or for, genealogists! The most useful Canadian record types searchable at LAC, online & FREE, include: censuses, newspapers, BMDs, church, military, land, immigration and citizenship. There are treasures within, but many are not so easily discovered, and others records remain perfectly hidden. Before we can find success in our ‘old country’, we need all the answers available in Canadian records. Come learn the drill down process, and find your own treasures as a competent user of this website.
This session is suitable for all skill sets.

11:30 - 1:00 pm Lunch (Bring your own lunch)


1:00pm-2:00pm
Who’s Your Momma?
This is the perfect choice for an hour of genealogy hilarity, and head scratching – sometimes even a couple tears. The entire session is inter-active, with everyone participating in helping me figure out certain problems, problems we all face. Every single attendee will be anxious to rush home with new skills that WILL break down some brick walls. I highly recommend for ALL skill levels. And it’s fun!!


2:15pm-3:15pm

EXTRA! EXTRA! FAMILY SECRETS EXPOSED in NEWSPAPERS
One stop shopping using newspapers provides so much more than just BMDs and obits! Thousands of historical newspapers are online, some free, some not. All are chock full of stories about the lives of so many ordinary people that were closely detailed in newspapers. Family history you may never find anywhere else. This session is aimed at all skill sets.


Refreshments will be served on Saturday, bring your own lunch.


Cheers,
Pat

DNA Kit Arrived

Wow that was fast! I wanted to put up pics of what the kit looks like, BUT my own cell phone is at the cell phone hospital - is seems it is quite important to NOT just jamb the charger in either way until it fits. sigh And this loaner phone will just not co-operate with my blog. double sigh

So the kit: Not much to it - a sheet of instructions, 2 swabs, 2 little vials with liquid, a plastic baggie, and a return envelope. Plus a green 'release form (optional)' allowing FTDNA to make my name and email address available to my relevant genetic match(es). Well of course I'll check that - otherwise what would be the purpose? At the bottom of the green form is a place to fill in with your most distant known ancestors county of origin for Paternal, and another for Maternal. For me Paternal will be Ireland 1838, and Maternal will be Netherlands 1634. What a difference a country makes! LOL

Apparently it's best to do this DNA scraping procedure first thing in the morning so tomorrow is it!! I have a feeling this will be a painfully loooooong wait for the results from an anxious genealogist. haha


Cheers,
Pat