Creating "Time Capsules" Can Be A Great Holiday Activity for the Family

Janet Hovorka, writing in the Blog "Zap the Grandma Gap," gives us ideas on creating a time capsule as a family activity. In her article she writes:

"When the family gets together at the holidays, a fun activity can be creating a time capsule.  My kids and I have created time capsules at the end of the year for short term storage and then packed them away with the Christmas decorations.  We include goals for the year and reflections on the year past. It's fun to open them next Thanksgiving weekend when we get the decorations out."

This sounds like a great activity for more holidays than just Christmas....birthdays come to mind.

You can find the article at:
http://zapthegrandmagap.blogspot.com/2017/11/time-capsules.html

PGS Events for the Week of 27 Jan to 2 Feb 2019

Monday, 28-Jan-19 at 6:00 PM--RootsMagic-3. This class explores the use of this popular genealogy software program. It consists of five classes, each 1 ½ hours long, held for five consecutive weeks. It’s intent is to take the student from the basics of initial entry of family information to the more detailed topics of incorporating images in your family history, citing sources, and generating various reports. The class will be most effective if all sessions are attended in order. Summers, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Tuesday, 29-Jan-19--6:00 PM--The Family Tree Maker 2017 Basics series of classes originally scheduled for this time had to be cancelled. HOWEVER, Maridell Hahn, who was to teach the classes, is at the Genealogy Center in the library every Monday morning and will help patrons one-on-one with Family Tree Maker questions. Also, there will be a special presentation on 12 Feb by the FTM development and marketing team at 5:30 pm at the library.

Wednesday, 30-Jan-19 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.

Saturday, 2-Feb-19 at 10:00 AM--Family Tree Maker User Group--Questions & Answers and Demonstration of how to use the Family Tree Maker genealogical database software. Instructor: Bryan-Hosmer, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Suncoast Genealogy Society Holds 6-Week Beginning Genealogy Course

Obituary Index for Collier County, Florida Online

Thanks to the Genealogical Society of Collier County for making an obituary index of more than 59.000 names available online. The entries come from Naples, Florida newspapers published from 1927 to 2008.

If you have ancestors from the southwest Florida area, check it out at:
https://thegscc.org/obit-search/

WWI Allied Aircraft Crashes in the Netherlands and North Sea

Here is a wonderful website for those of you whose ancestors flew during WWII. Certainly appropriate for those shot down in the Netherlands or North Sea, but also appropriate to get background and context for ancestors who flew missions in any theater.

You can search by aircraft, crew member, or cemetery/memorial.

Check it out at:
https://www.airwar4045.nl/

Denmark 1930 Census online at FamilySearch.org

This is a unique census found in the FamilySearch.org collection so I thought I would highlight it here, and it has been available from that site for only about a year.

It is unique because it actually was recorded on 5 November 1929, and it used three different schedules depending on whether the respondent lived in a rural area, an urban area, or in Copenhagen.

Check it out at:
https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2800932

Sources and Provenance

Lisa Louise Cooke, in her Blog "Genealogy Gems," gives us an interesting take on sources and provenance. She gives us several questions to answer that may help us evaluate sources as we do our research.

https://lisalouisecooke.com/2018/01/13/genealogy-sources/

PGS Events for the Week of 13-19 January 2019

Monday, 14-Jan-19 at 6:00 PM--RootsMagic-2 --This class explores the use of this popular genealogy software program. It consists of five classes, each 1 ½ hours long, held for five consecutive weeks. It’s intent is to take the student from the basics of initial entry of family information to the more detailed topics of incorporating images in your family history, citing sources, and generating various reports. The class will be most effective if all sessions are attended in order. Summers, Local History Room, Largo Library   

Tuesday, 15-Jan-19 at 6:00 PM--Family Tree Maker 2017 Basics--Part 2--CANCELLED--THIS AND THE REMAINING CLASSES IN THIS SERIES HAD TO BE CANCELLED BECAUSE OF A MEDICAL EMERGENCY IN THE INSTRUCTOR'S FAMILY.

Thursday, 17-Jan-19 at 1:00 PM--Irish Genealogy Interest Group--Topics vary monthly. Customs and culture, review of online resources, strategies for breaking down walls. Members are given an opportunity to share their ancestor discoveries, their travels to Ireland, and topics of interest. This month will feature Counties Derry, Antrim, Tyrone; Northern Ireland Records. Padgett,   Local History Room, Largo Library.

Friday, 18-Jan-19 at 10:30 AM--German Genealogy Interest Group. A discussion group regarding techniques to find your German ancestry. Dietz, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Saturday, 19-Jan-19 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, 19-Jan-19 at 11:00 AM--Program Meeting--Genealogical Clues in Family Photos via live webcast. Taylor, Maureen, Jenkins B, Largo Library.

Saturday, 19-Jan-19 at 12:30 PM--Workshop tour of the Genealogy Center. This tour will show the many genealogical research resources there. Summers, Genealogy Center, Largo Library.

Disasters That May Have Affected the Lives of Our Ancestors

This site allows us to easily find information on disasters, natural and man-made, the may have touched the lives of our ancestors.

Use the Search Box to search for your ancestors or Browse the articles by type of disaster, state, or year. The search box to use is found in the upper right corner of the home page. You can even browse Canada disasters separately.

You can easily lose yourself in this site. Give yourself time to explore it.

http://gendisasters.com/

Largo historical Society Holds Museum Day on 2 Feb 2019

The event runs from 10 AM to 2 PM in the Historic Feed Store in Largo Central Park.

PGS Annual Seminar on 23 February 2019 Features D. Joshua Taylor

The Annual Pinellas Genealogy Society Seminar, co-sponsored by the Largo Public Library, is scheduled for 23 February 2019 at the Largo Public Library from 8 am to 4 pm. The library is located at 120 Central Park Drive, Largo, FL.

This all-day event features D. Joshua Taylor as the primary speaker as well as three breakout speakers. Joshua’s four presentations are titled (1) “Finding Ancestors in the U.S. between 1780 and 1830,” (2) “Treasures in the Archives: Using Archive Grid,” (3) “Essential Technology for Genealogists,” and (4) “Timesaving Tips for Every Researcher.”

Joshua is a nationally known speaker, author, and educator with a long list of publications and leadership positions within the genealogy community to his credit. He is also well-known for being a featured genealogist on the TV show “Who Do You Think You Are?” and a host on the popular PGS series “Genealogy Roadshow.”

The topics of the breakout sessions will be: “DNA and Genealogy: Practical Applications” by Denise Manning, “Vital Resources for English and Welsh Family History Research” by Liz Pearson, and “Using Fold3.com for Military Research” by Peter Summers

In addition to the speakers, this event boasts a continental breakfast, box lunch, door prizes, book sale, and plenty of time to network with other researchers and guest organizations. The registration fee is $40 for PGS members and $45 for non-members. After 13 February, the cost is $50, so register early.

We at PGS are proud of this annual, day-long event; and proud of the lineup of speakers and topics we have scheduled. There is something for everybody—novice researcher or experienced. Join us.

For detailed information about the seminar and a registration form, see our Blog at flpgs.blogspot.com.

Amelia Island Genealogical Society Offers Many Databases Local to Nassau County, Florida

The Amelia Island Genealogical Society website offers several databases dealing with Nassau County, Florida. If you have ancestors from that area of Florida, the site is worth your time.

You can search all of the databases at once, or zero in on one specific database. click the down arrow in the "Record Type" search box to view your choices.

https://aigensoc.org/cstm_flNassau.php

PGS Events for the Week of 6 - 12 January 2019

Monday, 7-Jan-19 at 6:00 PM --RootsMagic-1. This class explores the use of this popular genealogy software program. It consists of five classes, each 1 ½ hours long, held for five consecutive weeks. It’s intent is to take the student from the basics of initial entry of family information to the more detailed topics of incorporating images in your family history, citing sources, and generating various reports. The class will be most effective if all sessions are attended in order. Summers, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Tuesday, 8-Jan-19 at 6:00 PM--Family Tree Maker 2017 Basics--Part 1. A detailed explanation and demonstration of the many features of this most popular genealogy database program. This series of five classes will start with the basics and go through some of the advanced features of this powerful genealogy software program. The class will be most effective if all sessions are attended in order. Hahn, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Thursday, 10-Jan-19 at 10:30 AM--NATURALIZATION RECORDS -- Many of our ancestors became naturalized citizens and left a paper trail when they did so. This class explains the naturalization process, what information can be found in the records, and where those records can be found. Summers, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Saturday, 12-Jan-19 at 1:00 PM--Ancestry DNA: I have my results, what's next? This class is a basic DNA class that provides strategies and techniques for using your Ancestry DNA results to find new relatives and discover keys to the past. Bring your laptop if you like but it is not required. If you do, bring your Ancestry login and password!  Luce, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Example of a Military Unit Website: 43rd Bomb Group, 5th USAAF

Often in our search for military ancestors, we need to scour the Internet for websites devoted to specific units our ancestor may have served in. And what treasures they are when they exist.

Sometimes we want to find those sites because, even though they don'e give us direct information about our ancestor, they do give us an idea of what his life was like if he served in a similar area or unit.

This site dealing with the 43rd Bomb Group, 5th USAAF is an example of the research treasures that one may find.

http://www.kensmen.com/index.html

Largo Historical Society Monthly Meeting on 14 January to Feature "Our French Experience"

The LAHS meeting is held at the Historic Feed Store in Largo Central Park and kicks off with a covered Dish supper at 6:30 PM.

The program will recount the society's involvement in a WWI ceremony in France commemorating the end of WWI. The society played a key roll in honoring two Largo soldiers killed during the war.

Caladesi Chapter of the DAR Presents Its 35th Genealogy Seminar on 13 Feb 2019