The Charleston Family History will change its hours beginning on May 1, 2019.   The new schedule is as follows:

11 am to 7 pm - Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays
11 am to 3 pm - Fridays
11 am to 3 pm - 2nd & 4th Saturdays only
Closed Sundays & Mondays

DIRT Meeting - Doing State Research in the USA

We discussed and showed 9 websites for doing research at the state level.  Then each person pick "one" site (not to overlap) and took 45 minutes to investigate that site for information.  Then each person discussed with everyone else what they had found and how to use the site.  Here is a handout with the 9 suggested sites for today:  Click here

Items that were re-enforced:
- Use different websites for looking up the same information, do not depend upon only one place
- Use different search criteria
- Go back to the site later, there is always new information being posted
- Write down your path and what you find or do not find
- Explore
- Have fun

We also discussed the following:
Charleston Chapter South Carolina Genealogical Society: https://charlestongenealogy.org/
Upcoming: Census Puzzle, do you know all the pieces by Pat Kruger
          - Sunday, 28 Apr, 2:30-3:30 Masonic Temple, 1285 Orange Grove Rd, West Ashley
Upcoming Creating your own Free Blog for Genealogy: May 23: 7:00-9:00 PM

There is a change in topic for the next meeting on May 8, we will demonstrate and for those of you with Family Tree Maker, have you create a book of one of your ancestors.

Our session on April 10th was an overview and update on "Interpreting Your AncestryDNA" and included the new tagging of your Matches and the new Thrulines analysis.

The group had a great discussion about what information they had found about their ancestors and how they had found the information.

Here is a copy of the new handout: click here

March 27 DIRT Meeting

Our focus for this meeting was FamilySearch Deep Dive session II.  The handout for the FamilySearch: click here

FamilySearch crib sheet: Click here

Before we got to the main topic we covered:

Digital Afterlife, keeping track of your digital information - excel spreadsheet: Click here
Research log excel spreadsheet: Click here
Genealogy Checklist: Click here

During the Family Tree Maker session (3:30-4:30) we covered these topics:
Family Tree Maker Media: Click here
Family Tree Maker Web Search Ancestry and FamilySearch: Click here

Getting the Most out of FamilySearch Part I

Before we got into the main topic, there was a demonstration of using the flat bed scanner for slides.  Next we shared the AncestryDNA Thrulines new view and discussed its use in genealogy.  We had an additional discussion of 52 Questions and asked if anyone else wanted to be included.  If you want to get the 1 question a month, then send a note to Lynn Baker (bakerlynnd@gmail.com) to be added to the list.
Referenced guides:
Genealogy Checklist: Click here
Research log example: Click here

As we went through how to do FamilySearch Name level searches, everyone had an opportunity to use the search methodology on their own computer to make discovers while learning new ways to get citations and use some of the often overlooked capabilities in FamilySearch.
FamilySearch top overview of screens: Click here
FamilySearch Part I/II handout: Click here

In the extended session (3:30-4:30) we focused on Family Tree Maker, how to use the features for inputting your family tree: Peope - Tree/Person View crib sheet: Click here
Here is an additional set of instructions for adding Media to your Family Tree Maker: Click here

Today's focus was on Scanning Photos and Documents.  Before we got into the main topic, we discussed:

1) Our own 52 Stories project.  LDS has created 52 questions to be asked one a week for a year. These questions could be send to parents, Aunts/Uncles or done yourself.  You get the question and take 10-15 minutes a week to answer it and store it.  After 52 weeks of questions you have a wonderful repository of information to make a great story.  If you are interested in receiving these notes, contact Lynn Baker at bakerlynnd@gmail.com.

2) RootsTech 2019 started today.  There is an excellent iphone, android or ipad app for RootsTech 2019 that will tell you all about the activities. It even gives you access to the handouts "for free".  Also, you can go to RootsTech.org and see the schedule of 4 live streaming events a day that you can observe "for free".  After RootsTech is completed they will post a number of the sessions on line for us to access - I will let you know when that happens.  You can join the learning fun over the next few days "for free".

Our main topic of Scanning Photos and Documents included a demonstration of using the flatbed scanner and the offer for any DIRT member to borrow the scanner to do their own scanning at home without purchasing a scanner.  The key to scanning is being aware of the "scanning resolution" to preserve, save and share.  Here are the handouts:

a. Scanning Photos and Documents handout: Click here
b. Computer terminology: Click here
c. 31 Web sites to find Old Family Photos: Click here

For using your iphone to scan documents (pdf) while doing research, I use the app: Tiny Scanner.  Here are some others: Scannable and iscanner.

For March, our afternoon session will be extended from 1:30-3:30 and extra hour.  During the 3:30-4:30 period we will focus on Family Tree Maker, FamilySearch, AncestryDNA and questions to help with the beginners doing research.

Our session on Wednesday (Feb 13) went very well.  We talked about some tips on using FamilySearch.org fan charts and then focused on:

1) Organizing your digital genealogy
       - handout: click here
       - Some of the slides that were requested: Click here
2) Discussed how to draw a Genetic (DNA) pedigree chart and use it to determine who should you get tested to help with your genealogy: Click here
3) Feb/Mar Genealogy Calendar: Click here