Online Version of Meyers Gazetteer Available with Historical Maps

The "Meyers," first published in 1912 is a comprehensive gazetteer of the former German Empire. Valuable as its contents are -- listing every town, village and hamlet -- it is admittedly difficult to use.

The site is an online version that allows wildcard searches for your place of interest in Germany or Poland.

When you get a hit, the original "Meyers" entry is shown as well as a readable and defined translation. Tabs allow you views of the ecclesiastical environment, a historical map that can be toggled with a modern version, and more.

At the top of the landing page is a help tab that is worth your time to read over before launching into a search.

This is a great resource for those doing German/Poland research for the early 20th Century time-frame.

https://www.meyersgaz.org/

Lee County Genealogical Society Features Donna Moughty at 21 March Meeting

The Blog, "The Ancestor Hunt," Offers a Summary of Newspaper Links for the Southern States

This Blog entry gives licks to some 850 newspaper titles from the Southern states. The list is a subset of the Blog's larger treatment of newspaper research links, articles, classes, etc. that we have publicized on the PGS Blog.

Check it out at:
http://www.theancestorhunt.com/blog/850-free-southern-states-online-historic-newspaper-titles-added#.XB-j4lxKi71

PGS Events for the Week of 24 February - 2 March 2019

Monday, 25-Feb-19 at 6:00 PM--Eastern European Research - Tips for searching for ancestors who came from Galicia/Halychyna, Bukovina, Poland, Ukraine, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Germans from Russia, Rusyns, Boykos. Help on how to start - with information obtained in the New World. Instructor: van Heerden, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Tuesday, 26-Feb-19 at 11:00 AM--Genealogy and DNA: The Basics. Learn about the types of DNA tests used for genealogy and popular testing companies. We compare the benefits of each type of test and each company’s database Instructor: Manning, Jenkins A, Largo Library.

Tuesday, 26-Feb-19 at 1:00 PM--DNA Interest Group: Learn how to interpret your DNA test results, and apply those results to your current family history research. Join our casual group as we research and learn together Instructor: Manning, Jenkins A, B, Largo Library.

Saturday, 2-Mar-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.

Saturday, 2-Mar-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! Instructor: Luce, Jenkins A, Largo Library.

The South Bay Genealogy Society Presents a Genealogy Tech Forum on 4 March 2019

The Genealogy Tech Forum is on Monday, March 4th, at SouthShore Regional Library from 10:30am to 12:00noon in The Community Room.  The topic is: Digital Note Taking with Evernote and OneNote.  Learn how these programs will help you organize and keep track of your online research.

Bellwood, Illinois Newspaper Archive

Bellwood is located in Cook County, Illinois, and if you have ancestors from this area, the Public Library's digital archive of newspapers and yearbooks may be of interest to  you.

The five newspapers covered span the years 1937 to 2017, and the yearbooks cover 1961 to 2017. You can browse the collection or search by keyword.

http://bellwood.advantage-preservation.com/

"GG Archives" Offer a Wealth of information on a variety of Genealogical Topics

The GG Archives have been around since 2000 and contain over 5000 pages and 20,000 images. The topics dealt with include immigration, military, and more.

The site is filled with hotlinks and "rabbit holes," so be aware you may spend a lot of time here.

Check it out at:  https://www.gjenvick.com/#axzz4p5OusOtu

PGS SEMINAR REGISTRATION IS CLOSED AND NO WALK-IN REGISTRATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED

We are pleased to announce the we have had a great response to our seminar coming up on Saturday, 23 February.

Unfortunately, because of that we are having to close registration for the event. In addition, there will be no walk-in registrations accepted either.

AGAIN...PGS SEMINAR REGISTRATION IS CLOSED AND NO WALK-IN REGISTRATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

If you have recently registered, you will receive either confirmation of your registration or notice that the registrations have been closed, in which case your payment will be returned.

We are sorry for the inconvenience, but delighted that so many of you will be able to join us at the seminar.

PGS Events for the Week of 17-23 February 2019

Tuesday, 19-Feb-19 at 10:00 AM—Courthouse Records--What types are available, where and how to find them and their use in genealogy. Instructor: Hostetler, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Wednesday, 20-Feb-19 at 10:00 AM--Ancestry.com-- Basic search techniques for getting the most from this huge collection of databases. Instructor: Bryan, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Thursday, 21-Feb-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. Instructor: Padgett, Jenkins A, Largo Library

Saturday, 23-Feb-19 at 8:00 AM-4:00 PM--Annual Seminar: Seehttps://goo.gl/cZJPFF for details and application. Jenkins A, B, C--Largo Library. We are at full capacity for this event.

Summit, New Jersey Newspapers Online

Thanks to the Summit Public Library we have an online newspaper database available. A total of six papers are included with publication dates ranging form 1883 to 2016 (the different papers all have individual date ranges.

The newspaper titles are: Summit Herald, Observer, Dispatch, Herald-Dispatch, Union County Local Source, and Record.

Click on the name of the paper of interest across the top of the landing page.

http://www.digifind-it.com/summit/home.php

Suncoast Genealogy Society Features "DNA Interest Group and Other Genealogy Questions

“DNA Interest Group and Other Genealogy Questions” will be held by Suncoast Genealogy Society from 1-3 PM at the Palm Harbor Library.

Lee County Genealogical Society March Seminar Features Lisa Louise Cooke

Suncoast Genealogy Society Features George Morgan for 30 March 2019 Mini-Seminar

Telling Your DNA Matches from Your Mother's and Father's Side Apart

Ancestry DNA gives us a short article on ways you can separate the DNA matches from your mother's side from those of your father's.

The methods involve testing your parents, half-siblings, and surrogates

Check it out at:
https://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2017/12/06/dna-question-how-can-i-tell-matches-from-my-mothers-and-fathers-side-apart/

Lee County Genealogical Society Meeting and Program on 21 February 2019

PGS Events for the Week of 10-16 February 2019

Monday, 11-Feb-19 at 6:00 PM--RootsMagic-5. 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. The 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 is the last of the series. NOTE THE CHANGE IN LOCATION due to the high attendance. Summers, Jenkins B, Largo Library.

Tuesday, 12-Feb-19 at 5:30 PM--Family Tree Maker by the Experts:Special demonstration and explanation of the Family Tree Maker program by the FTM development and marketing team. Come see the demo and bring your FTM issues and questions. Presenters: Family Tree Maker Staff, Jenkins C, Largo Library.

Friday, 15-Feb-19 at 10:15 AM--Franco-American Discussion Group. Geographic areas include: Europe (primarily France, but not limited to France)-Eastern Canada (primarily Quebec, some Ontario, but including the Acadians of the Maritime Provinces)-USA (Central North America and New England, also Louisiana and the surrounding Southern states). Instructor: Grandmaison, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Saturday, 16-Feb-19 at 10:00 AM--Computers in Genealogy--Question and answer session on the use of computers in genealogy research and record keeping. Instructor: Bryan, Jenkins B, Largo Library.

Saturday, 16-Feb-19 at 11:00 AM--Program Meeting--Principles of Effective Evidence Analysis. This lecture discusses the principles of highly effective genealogical evidence analysis and shows examples of capturing all the clues to expand and improve our research. Instructor: George Morgan, Jenkins B, Largo Library.

Largo Historical Society Holds Its 45th Annual Cracker Supper on 9 Mar 2019

The LAHS Annual Cracker Supper will be held at 10895 Hamlin Blvd., Largo. The event kicks off with OJ Hour at 4 PM and the supper and program begins at 5:30 PM.

Reservations required. For reservation information call 727-535-7342.

Largo Historical Society Holds Its Museum Day on 2 Mar 2019

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

Suncoast Genealogy Society Features Karen Fortin at 16 Feb 2019 Meeting.

Karen Fortin presentation – Feb. 16, 2019.

 Sharing Interesting Ancestors with Family: Writing Brief Narrative Sketches

One of the great joys of doing genealogical research is when we come across those fascinating ancestors whose stories come to life before our eyes, and we cannot wait to share them with our relatives. However, when we try to do this without some type of structure, using pedigree charts and family group sheets, we quickly see their eyes begin to glaze over.  A more effective way to gain their interest (and hopefully hook them with the genealogy bug!) is to write brief sketches that detail the highlights of the lives of these ancestors in just a few pages.

The presentation will provide guidance on how to organize the information about your ancestor, how to structure and bring focus to a sketch, what information and images to incorporate, whether to include sensitive family history, physical vs. electronic formats for sharing, and tips on writing. The most important thing, however, is for you to have fun writing the sketches so that your enthusiasm about the ancestor is shared along with the information.

Largo Historical Society Meeting on 11 Feb Features A Society Museum Tour

The meeting kicks off at 6:30 PM with a covered dish supper. The society meets in the Historic Feed Store in Largo Central Park.

PGS Events for the Week of 3-9 February

Monday, 4-Feb-19 at 6:00 PM--RootsMagic-4:  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. The 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. Summers, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Tuesday, 5-Feb-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.

Thursday, 7-Feb-19 at 1:00 PM--Introduction to Irish Genealogy, exploring maps and records to find your ancestors in Ireland. Instructor: Padgett, Local History Room, Largo Library.

Saturday, 9-Feb-19 at 1:00 PM--Y-DNA: Learn about why you might want to spend the big money and take the "Big Y" or Y-111 test. When is it worth it and what do you learn from more markers tested? What can you expect from joining a surname or locality project with FamilyTreeDna.com? What if none of the matches share your surname? Instructor: Luce, Local History Room, Largo Library.