Footnote.com Working to Make War of 1812 Pension Files Available

Footnote.com has about 1% of the War of 1812 pension application files digitized and available at its website. That's about 1400 images out of a total of about 7.2 million...but it's a start. And if one of your ancestors is included in the early release, it doesn't matter how low the percentage is.

Even better, the collection is available for free

Check it out at http://www.footnote.com

Recall that you get a significant price reduction to an annual subscription to Footnote.com if you are a PGS member. Go to the PGS Members-only website for details.

Enjoy the Music of You Ancestors

The Library of Congress in coorperation with Sony, makes thousands of pre-1925 music recordings available for listening on line free of charge. If you would like to listen to music you ancestors enjoyed between 1901 and 1925, this may be your site. Here is more information on the project from the LOC website:

"The Library of Congress presents the National Jukebox, which makes historical sound recordings available to the public free of charge. Recordings in the Jukebox were issued on record labels now owned by Sony Music Entertainment, which has granted the Library of Congress a gratis license to stream acoustical recordings.

"The Jukebox includes more than 10,000 recordings made by the Victor Talking Machine Company between 1901 and 1925. Jukebox content will be increased regularly."

Check it out at http://www.loc.gov/jukebox/

Search Tip of the Day

Michael John Neil has launched a new Blog as a companion to his "Genealogy Tip of the Day." It is called "Seach Tip of the Day."

Check it out at http://genealogysearchtip.blogspot.com/

Mocavo.com Genealogy Search Engine

Mocavo.com is a genealogy search engine that you should check out. In addition to the sites it already searches, it recently added genealogy blogs.

This comes from the Macovo.com website: "Mocavo.com seeks to index and make searchable all of the world’s free genealogy information. While Mocavo.com discovers new sites every day, some of the existing sites searchable on Mocavo.com include genealogy message boards, family trees, state and local historical societies, the Library of Congress, National Archives, Ellis Island, Find A Grave, the Internet Archive, various U.S. state archives, and many tens of thousands of genealogy sites built by individuals"

check it out at http://www.mocavo.com/

Be a "Green" Genealogist

Diane Haddad in her Blog "Genealogy Insider" gives us some useful tips on how to be "green" in our research efforts.

Check out her ideas at http://blog.familytreemagazine.com/insider/2011/04/21/ColorYourFamilyTreeGreen.aspx

You Only Get $1! What's Going On?

As you have probably figured out by now, one of my favorite Blogs to follow is "Genealogy Tip of the Day" by Michael John Neill.

Recently he posted a tip about what it means if you see a minor amount in a deed or will...like $1.

Check out his tip at http://genealogytipoftheday.blogspot.com/2011/04/all-consideration-i-need-is-your-love.html

"American Ancestors" from the NEHGS

If you have not roamed around the "American Ancestors" website from the New England Historic Genealogical Society, you should carve out some time to do so.

It contains lots of information, too much to cover here, that is for sure. However, one trail I would suggest you follow is this: At the home page, click on "Resources" and then on "Learning Center." From there you can further explore guidance on getting started, online seminars, and articles. I took the "Articles" choice and discovered I could access a wealth of articles by author, topic, or location.

Check it out at http://www.americanancestors.org/home.html

Name Spellings

In Michael John Neill's Genealogy Tip of the Day Blog recently, he gave us a few comments and tips about variant name spellings.

He has some good thoughts about why NOT to standardize those variations when you come across them

Check out his Blog at http://genealogytipoftheday.blogspot.com/2011/04/they-really-did-not-care-how-it-was.html

PGS Slogan T-Shirts Now Available

In case you have not seen the news in our monthly newsletter or elsewhere, the PGS now has a slogan ("Discovering Our Ancestry"). You can get that slogan put on a t-shirt, mug, etc at Big Frog (1874 Gulf to Bay Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33765; tel: 727-734-2421).

Just drop in or give them a call. Identify yourself as belonging to the PGS and place your order. They have the pattern on file. You can get your t-shirt in as quickly as 1 day...or perhaps 3 days depending on what kind of base t-shirt you want.

Answer to Genealogy Quiz 0610

Here is the answer to yesterday's genealogy question: "Freedman's Savings & Trust Company (Freedman's Bank)

Genealogy Quiz 0610

Here is a genealogy question for you. The answer will be posted tomorrow.

Which financial records are a prime source for finding African American genealogical information in the Civil War post-bellum period?

Answer to Genealogy Quiz 0607

Here is the answer to yesterday's quiz: "To die without a will."

Genealogy Quiz 0607

Here is another genealogy question for you. The answer will be posted tomorrow.

What does it mean to die "intestate?"

Answer to Genealogy Quiz 0604

Here is the answer to yesterday's quiz: "probate."

Genealogy Quiz 0604

Here's a genealogy questions for you. The answer will be posted tomorrow.

What does this describe...From the Latin term meaning "to prove." In legal jargon, it means to prove the authenticity of a will in court, or in the absence of a will, to provide for distribution of property under laws of inheritance.

Answer to Genealogy Quiz 0601

The answer to yesterday's quiz is....."Dower."

Genealogy Quiz 0601

Here is a genealogy question for you. The answer will be posted tomorrow.

What is this called...a part or interest of a deceased man's real estate allotted by law to his widow, typically one third of the total value.