The DNA Era of Genealogy

Blaine Bettinger, the Genetic Genealogist, writing in his Blog of the same name, gives us a very interesting "think piece" on the role of DNA in providing proof vs its role in providing evidence. If you have had your DNA tested, or are thinking about it, this is a "must" read.

The DNA Era of Genealogy – The Genetic Genealogist:

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Altus, Oklahoma Cemetery Database

For those with ancestors active in the area in and around Altus, Oklahoma, this site may be helpful to you. The three cemeteries in Altus (Altus Cemetery, Altus Infant Cemetery, and Restlawn Cemetery) contain over 13,600 burials that are name searchable.

The information available is name, interment date, death date. birth date, and gave location.

Check it out at:  Cemetery Database | Altus, OK:

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Lee County Genealogical Society Features Drew Smith on 15 Jun 2017

Using the Dawes Collections for Native American Research

This link is to one of Lisa Louise Cooke's posts to her Blog: Genealogy Gems. In it she gives explicit examples of how to use the Dawes Collections for Native American research. To replicate her examples you have to use both Ancestry.com and Fold3.com. Fortunately, both are free to use if you do so from the computers at the Largo Public Library.

Note: in the text, Lisa mentions free access to the Fold3 collection of Native American records. That promotion has past, but the search techniques she demonstrates are still valid, especially with the free access to Fold3 and Ancestry.com as noted above.

If you have Native American ancestry, you may want to check this out:

How to Use the Dawes Collections for Native American Research:

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PGS June Meeting, Free and Open to the Public, Features Maureen Taylor Speaking on Identifying and Dating Old Photographs

Salem, Ohio High School Year Books

This link may be helpful if you have ancestors who attend Salem, Ohio High School. It takes you to digital copies of year books from 1915 to 2012. You can browse through the books or search for specific names or terms.

Salem Public Library – Salem, Ohio 44460:

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Children-Oriented Online Family Group Record

Looking for something that may get your grandchildren involved in genealogy? This link will take you to an online family group record from FamilySearch. It can be downloaded, completed using your computer keyboard, and then saved or printed. Or just print the blank form and complete it with pen and ink the old fashion way.

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PGS Events for the Week of 21-27 May 2017

Monday, 22-May-2017 at 6:00 PM--National Archives, Ordering Data. This is an in-depth explanation of how to order several different records from the National Archives. The records include military (both historic and modern), naturalization, census, land, and microfilm. Both online and postal mail ordering procedures will be covered.  Summers, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Tuesday, 23-May-2017 at 11:30 AM--DNA Basics—an introduction to DNA that may be help attendees better understand the discussion in the DNA Interest Group following at 1:00 PM. Summers, Jenkins A, Largo Library

Tuesday, 23-May-2017 at 1:00 PM--DNA Interest Group--Share your DNA knowledge and discuss your results with others interested in making DNA Connections.  This is a group for DNA novices to learn together. Manning/Luce, Jenkins A, Largo Library.

Wednesday, 24-May-2017 at 6:00 PM--Heritage Quest--Getting the most from this free* website. Summers, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Saturday, 27-May-2017 at 10:00 AM--RootsMagic User Group--Questions and answers and demonstrations of how to use the RootsMagic genealogy database software program. Summers, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Harlan County Kentucky USGenWeb Project - A Gold Mine of Information

Here is a link to the USGenWeb page for Harlan County, Kentucky. It provides links to Marriages, Births, Deaths, Census, Deeds, Burials and much more. Even if you are not from Harlan County, after looking at this offering you should be excited about checking USGenWeb for other pages that may be helpful to you.

Harlan County Kentucky, USGenWeb Project:

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Obituaries and Cemeteries Associated with Rossville Kansas

Any of you with ancestors from the area of Shawnee County, Kansas may find this link helpful. It offers an obituary directory as well as burial lists for five cemeteries as part of the Rossville, KS Community Library.

Many of the obituaries have been transcribed and are available on line at the "Genealogy" link provided. Also at that link are images of the cemetery headstones.

Genealogy, Obituaries, & Cemeteries » Rossville Community Library:

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PGS Events for the Week of 14-20 May 2017

Monday, 15-May-2017 at 6:00 PM--Documentation-An introduction on the content of proper source citations. Using modern genealogy programs to enter citations will also be covered (Roots Magic, and Family Tree Maker will be addressed). Summers, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Thursday, 18-May-2017 at 1:00 PM--Irish Genealogy Interest Group--a discussion group regarding techniques to find your Irish ancestry. This is the last meeting until September!  Padgett-Focareta,  Local History Room, Largo Library.

Friday, 19-May-2017 at 10:30 AM--German Genealogy Interest Group,Dietz, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Saturday, 20-May-2017 at 10:00 AM--Computers in Genealogy--Question and answer session on the use of computers in genealogy research and record keeping. Bryan, Jenkins B, Largo Library

Saturday, 20-May-2017 at 11:00 AM--Your Ancestor's FAN Club: Using Cluster Research to Get Past Brick Walls, Drew Smith, Jenkins B, Largo Library.

Saturday, 20-May-2017 at 12:30 PM--Workshop tour of the Genealogy Center showing the many genealogical research resources there. Summers, Genealogy Center, Largo Library.

Bob Bryan to Speak at Jewish Genealogy Society of Tampa Bay on 21 May 2017

 The Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay will meet at Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, 14041 Icot Blvd., Clearwater, Florida on Sunday May 21, 2017 for a presentation by Bob Bryan on “Digital Cameras for Genealogy”. 

A social with refreshments and library access begins at 1:30 PM, and the featured program starts at 2:00 PM.

As always, the JGSTBs library and research resources are available to all meeting attendees and can be loaned out to members.  Anyone interested in learning how to do Jewish genealogical research is invited to participate.  Beginners as well as experienced researchers are welcome. The meeting is open to the public and is free of charge.

Using the Shared Matches Tool at Ancestry DNA

Those of you trying to make sense of your autosomal DNA results and have taken you test with Ancestry DNA may find this article written by Blaine Bettinger in his Blog The Genetic Genealogist. His explanation of using the shared matches tool in DNA analysis is detailed and illustrated with a specific example.

Check it out at:
Clustering Shared Matches – The Genetic Genealogist:

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Using the Catalog to Search on FamilySearch

Judy Russell, writing in her Blog The Legal Genealogist,  give us a step-by-step example of using the catalog at FamilySearch.org to find items that sometimes elude our attempts to do a records search.

He article demonstrates that there is more to be found at the FamilySearch website than a records search can reveal.

By the way, Judy Russell is going to be the featured speaker at our PGS Annual Seminar in February 2018. Keep your eyes open for more information as the event draws near.

Check out her article at:
But wait… there’s more… | The Legal Genealogist:

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PGS Events for the Week of 7-13 May 2017

Monday, 8-May-2017 at 6:00 PM--INTRODUCTION TO GENEALOGY (Beginner) -- Basics of how to get started in researching your family history—what to do first, where to look & how to do it. Bryan, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Tuesday, 9-May-2017 at 10:00 AM--Census tracking--Probably the fundamental way of using the US Federal Census is to track ancestors from one census year to the next. In that process we seek to uncover relationships and lost or heretofore unknown ancestors. This class shows a strategy on how to do that, using an actual family as an example. In addition it also shows how to uncover hints on using resources outside of the census itself. Summers, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Wednesday, 10-May-2017 at 10:00 AM--Homestead Act-History and Records- A review of the historical and political significance of the 1862 Homestead Act and associated legislation. Includes a discussion of the process followed to establish a homestead on public domain land, and an understanding of the method of legally surveying and describing the land. The presentation will also cover an examination of the records that were created in establishing a homestead, their genealogical value, and where those records are found today. This is an in-depth treatment of the Homestead Act, which is briefly referred to in the presentation on property Research Basics in the US. Summers, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Searching for WWII Newspapers

Lisa Louise Cooke, writing in her Blog Genealogy Gems, gives is three steps for finding 1940's newspapers dealing with WWII content.

Check it out at:  WWII Newspapers: Searching for Coverage:

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Drew Smith Featured at PGS Meeting, Free and Open to the Public, 20 May 2017

Will and Grundy Counties, Illinois Cemetery Index

The Coal City, Illinois Public Library District provides an index to the Cemeteries of Southern Will and Grundy Counties. The index is searchable by name.

CCPLD Cemetery Index:

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