Pinellas Genealogy Society Educational Events, Week of 1-7 June 2014

We have one class scheduled this week on a topic that should interest all genealogy researchers. Ancestry.com is the largest online database and is the most useful to most researchers. This class will demonstrate how to use the website and show how to get the most from this huge collection of genealogy data. You will learn something even if you have taken this class before.

Wednesday, 4-Jun-14 at 10:00 AM--Ancestry.com—search techniques for getting the most from this huge collection of databases. Local History Room, Largo Library.

Hillsborough County Naturalization Records, 1895-1906 Now Online

The digitized collection of Hillsborough County, Florida, Naturalization Certificates from 1895 to 1906, excluding 1897/8, is now online at the University of South Florida Library's Special Collections website.

This collection consists of digital copies of Hillsborough County Naturalization documents, including declarations of intention, petitions for naturalization, and naturalization certificates. The original record books were loaned to USF for digitization by the Clerk of the Hillsborough County Circuit Court and indexed by volunteers from the Florida Genealogical Society (Tampa). The entire collection is searchable.

Check it out at:  USFLDC Home - Hillsborough County Naturalization Records, 1895-1906

Kenton County, Kentucky Databases

If you are researching ancestors in the area of Kenton County, Kentucky, here is a collection of online databases you should check out.

The Kenton County Public Library offers online records for cemeteries, church records, city directories, court cases, and more. Most of the records date back to the mid 1850’s, and in some instances even earlier. All told there are over 300,000 records represented.

Check it out at:  GenKY Database List

Fold3 Databases Now Available Through the Largo Public Library and the Genealogy Center

Great news! The Fold3 databases are now available through the Largo Public Library and the Genealogy Center.

For those of you not familiar with Fold3, it consists of over 60 million pages of historical documents, most of which have been digitized in partnership with the National Archives.

It offers collections of city directories, historical newspapers, naturalization documents, and more. But its specialty is really military records...from the Revolutionary War to the present day. It includes such records as rolls, rosters, compiled service records, and pension applications.

With Fold3 you can search, view, print, and save any of the images in the collections.

The subscription invested in by the library includes some special archive collections in addition to what has been described. Those collections are most notably the  Native American , African American, and American Revolution Archives.

Fold3 offers an enhanced search interface with filters, as well as two levels of viewers to make searching for documents and managing search results easy.

Fold3 is accessible from any computer in the library as well as from home if you access it through the Largo Public Library website and log on with your library card number.

If you use the computers in the library Genealogy Center, there are volunteer consultants who will help get you started and demonstrate use of the site. Printed instructions are also located next to each of the workstations in the Genealogy Center.

This is a great resource, and our thanks goes to the library for making it available.

 

Tips for Performing Online Genealogy Searches

Recently the GenealogyInTime Magazine published an article detailing how to perform online searches. The rules and methods covered are applicable for most search engines--Google and the GenealogyInTime search engines included.

Even if you use search engines a lot and think you are an accomplished searcher, it would not hurt to brush up your techniques.

Check out the article at:  A Guide to Performing Online Genealogy Searches

DuPage County Township Cemetery Indexes Online

Three townships in northeastern Illinois (DuPage County) have their cemeteries indexed and online. They are Addison Township, Downers Grove and Lisle Township, and York Township. Among the three, nearly 50 cemeteries are represented.

Follow the link below, and then click on the hot link for the township collection you are interested in.

DuPage County Genealogical Society - Township Cemetery Index

PGS Educational Events for the Week 25-31 May 2014

Only one event this week, as we slow things down a bit for the summer.

Wednesday, 28-May-14 at 6:00 PM--Internet Site Exploration - a fun-filled look at some lesser known genealogy websites, bring your favorites. Local History Room, Largo Library.   

Online Searchable Death Indexes, Records & Obituaries

Joe Beine recently updated his genealogy guide: Online Searchable Death Indexes & Records.

The list is organized by state, but a few large cities are also listed for direct access. They include Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York and St. Louis.

This site is an absolute “must” for your browser favorites. Check it out at: Online Searchable Death Indexes, Records & Obituaries

Mormon Migration

This website gives an in-depth view of the Mormon emigration experience. It provides passenger lists, personal accounts of the journey, and information about each voyage.

Even if your ancestors were not Mormon, this can be a fascinating area to poke around in.

Check it out at:  Find a Voyage | Mormon Migration

PGS Educational Events for the Week of 19-24 May

Monday, 19-May-14 at 6:00 PM--MILITARY RECORDS -- What records exist, what they information they give us, where to find them, and how to get them. Summers, Local History Rm, Largo Library.

Saturday, 24-May-14 at 10:00 AM--RootsMagic User Group--Questions and Answers and Demonstrations of how to use the RootsMagic Genealogy Database Program. This is the last meeting before a 3-month break during the summer months. Summers, Local History Rm, Largo Library.

BY THE WAY: Don't forget to try out the newly available FOLD3 archives. They focus on military records, but there are other historical documents available also...all searchable and digitized. You can access Fold3 from PC's at the Largo Library or from home through the library website. Consultants at the library Genealogy Center will help you get started, and we will have a couple classes on using the resource scheduled over the summer.

New York City Online Photo Gallery

If you have ancestors from New York City, you can get an idea of how they lived by perusing this online gallery of over 800,000 images.

It is free and you can either browse or search the images. After clicking the link below, click on “Enter the Online Gallery” at the bottom of the page.

Department of Records - Photo Gallery

Genealogy Trails History Group–Fun to Explore

The Genealogy Trails History Group website is a treasure…fun to explore and loaded with information down to state level. Some of the topic areas included are slavery, military, maps, newspapers, obits, and more.

From the home page, scroll down for major topic areas, and look to the left pane for links to state contributions.

Check it our at:  Genealogy Trails History Group - Start your family research here

Be Alert for Common Genealogy Mistakes

A recent article in GenealogyInTime Magazine recaps fifteen common genealogy mistakes. You have to be careful when you read this, because the mistakes are presented at truths.

It is good reading, just to be sure you have not relaxed your guard and fallen prey to one of these mistakes. You will find the article at:  Common Genealogy Mistakes

PGS Events for the Week of 12-17 May

Tuesday, 13-May-14 at 9:30 AM--Digital Cameras for Genealogy, Bryan, Citrus County Gen. Soc., Lecanto, FL

Wednesday, 14-May-14 at 10:00 AM--More Maps in Genealogy Research -this class deals with military, ward, topographical, plat, and railroad maps. Summers, Local History Rm, Largo Library.
Friday, 16-May-14 at 7:00 PM--Who Do You Think You Are? Bryan, Gulfport Historical Society, 5301 28th Street South in Gulfport.

Saturday, 17-May-14

Fold3 Class--At about 12:00 at the conclusion of the program meeting on the Armed Forces History Museum, Peter Summers will present a short class on the new Fold3 database which is now available free through the Largo Library website.

The workshop tour of the Genealogy Center will follow the Fold3 session. Here is the full Saturday schedule:

• 10:00 AM--Computers in Genealogy--Question and answer session on the use of computers in genealogy research and record keeping. Bryan, Local History Rm, Largo Library.
• 11:00 AM—Armed Forces History Museum-Bill Allen, an Ex POW of the Korean War, will speak on military history and the role of Armed Forces History Museum as well as his own experiences as a POW for 31 months. He is the author of the book titled My Old Box of Memories which goes into detail about his POW experience.
• About 12 noon--Intro to the Fold3 Database at Largo Library
• About 12:30-12:45 PM, Workshop tour of the Genealogy Center showing the many genealogical research resources there. Stokes, Genealogy Center, Largo Library. This tour will begin soon after the end of the program meeting.

New Book for Polish Research at the Largo Public Library Genealogy Center

The Pinellas Genealogy Society has placed a book into the Genealogy Center collection. It is titled The Polish biographical dictionary : profiles of nearly 900 Poles who have made lasting contributions to world civilization .

If you have Polish ancestors in your tree, it is worth checking out. The call number is 929.3438 SOKOL, STANLEY S.

Fold3 Databases Now Available Through the Largo Public Library

Great news! The Fold3 databases are now available through the Largo Public Library and the Genealogy Center.

For those of you not familiar with Fold3, it consists of over 60 million pages of historical documents, most of which have been digitized in partnership with the National Archives.

It offers collections of city directories, historical newspapers, naturalization documents, and more. But its specialty is really military records...from the Revolutionary War to the present day. It includes such records as rolls, rosters, compiled service records, and pension applications.

With Fold3 you can search, view, print, and save any of the images in the collections.

The subscription invested in by the library includes some special archive collections in addition to what has been described. Those collections are most notably the  Native American , African American, and American Revolution Archives.

Fold3 offers an enhanced search interface with filters, as well as two levels of viewers to make searching for documents and managing search results easy.

Fold3 is accessible from any computer in the library as well as from home if you access it through the Largo Public Library website and log on with your library card number.

If you use the computers in the library Genealogy Center, there are volunteer consultants who will help get you started and demonstrate use of the site. Printed instructions are also located next to each of the workstations in the Genealogy Center.

This is a great resource, and our thanks goes to the library for making it available.

 

Oxford, New Haven, Connecticut–Check It Out

If you have ancestors from the New Haven County area of Connecticut, this web site is worth checking out.  It is “…a joint effort dedicated to providing a free database of Oxford history online. 

The link below will take you to a page with links to cemetery databases, old photos, old maps from the 1850’s and more. The “Genealogy” link will take you to an index of surnames and family information.

Check it out at:  Oxford Past - Cemetery, Genealogy and History Project - Oxford, New Haven, Connecticut

Travel Tips–Keep it Light

The GenealogyInTime Magazine recently publish an article on how to pack light for a trip. This is always a concern during genealogy research trips, so we thought the article would be of value to refer to here.

Check it out at:  Tips on How to Travel Light