DIRT Meeting - So great to interact with so many members.

I know everyone is staying safe and social distancing.  We held our second Zoom Virtual DIRT meeting, thanks to Kyle Kane for allowing us to use her paid account,

We first talked about how everyone was doing and if there were any questions.  There are some FREE genealogy webinars that you may want to take advantage of watching:

RootsTech 2020 (18 sessions): Click HERE
Legacy Family Tree (free for one week): Click HERE
BYU Youtube Channel: Click HERE

Our focus then shifted to Family Tree Maker.  I have sent out an Overview template for the Tree & Person Sections, which we discussed in more detail.

For help with Family Tree Maker, you can use their Live Chat Feature: Click HERE

I did offer to provided my "Home Developed Module" of some of the FTM features, Click HERE to see list of modules.  If you would like to dig deeper into one of these areas (only one at a time), please send me an email and I will provide you a link to the module.  Once you have looked at it and tried it for yourself, you an request another module (feedback would be appreciate so I can refine and improve the modules).

There was a recording made of this session and when it is available, it will be posted HERE.

If you want to practice some of the examples given today, here is a list of some of the areas covered: Click HERE

If you want to see the other Videos of FTM (like the one shown today), please send me an email.

We will hold another DIRT meeting next Wednesday from 1:30-3:30 PM to continue exploring the features of FTM and answering your questions.

Our first Virtual DIRT Meeting

It was a great meeting, everyone was helpful on the Zoom video.  Thanks to Kyle Kane for hosting the Zoom session.  We had fun together and got a chance to catch up with one another.

We covered the following areas:
1) Free Genealogy webinars are available on a variety of
    topics - go take a look
   - RootsTech 2020: Click here
   - Legacy Family Tree: Click here
   I do have the syllabus for most of these (the ones that provided a syllabus)
2) Getting involved in 52 questions/stories is still open
   - just send me an email if you want to join
3) Beginners Step #3 Know the area and time frame handout: Click here
   - we did an exercise where each group explored on of the
     following for finding where to get information
      - FamilySearch Research Wiki - Click here
      - The Family History Guide - Click here
      - Cyndi's List - Click here
4) Some still find the Genealogy Checklist helpful: Click here
5) Remember the Ancestry Library edition through CCPL is available
    from home during this "Stay at Home" time

Please stay safe and have some fun with GENEALOGY.

DIRT session was well attended. We had a variety of subjects.  

The first hour was:

New Items for discussion:

   - 52 Questions was a success in 2019, Lynn will send out

     an email to find out who wants to participate in 2020

   - Land Grant presentation: need 3 case studies, 3 states, first

     to request will get a case study done

   - GoogleGroup - to have members of DIRT ask questions and

     get answers from group - resounding yes - cover details

     at next meeting

   - Lynn will develop a survey for DIRT members for input

   - Introduced new FamilySearch.org - Research wiki -

        - Guided Research - try it

1) RootsTech 2020:

    - link to 18 free Live Streaming: Click here

    - Also provided 159 Handouts to DIRT mbrs at meeting

1) Cool new apps on FamilySearch, Ancestry, and Find A Grave

       Click here for handout:

       see 2 of the RootsTech Live Stream for more information

2) Bob's Corner on Special Collections: Click here

Second hour was focused on Beginners

1) Ancestry DNA color coding recommendation: Click here

2) Step #2 Organize and cite sources

    - Organize handout: Click here

    - Cite sources handout: Click here

    - Research Log: Click here

    - If you want the xls spreadsheet on citations, send an email

      to Lynn Baker

Covered a number of topics today:

1) Figuring out who is your Cousin - see chart: Click here
2) Bob's Corner - Newspapers at CCPL : Click here
3) What is new at Ancestry.com
4) Best 10 MyHeritage Databases (free at FHC)
5) Main topic: AncestryDNA - How to Use the Tools: Click here
    - Setting up your security and linking your tree
    - DNA Matches - color coding and exploting
    - Thrulines - how to use and also show on pedigree tree
6) Upcoming local genealogical events
7) Available webinars

A great upcoming event in Charleston and a good website for Tennessee research from Brenda and Debbie.

Event:
Location: Old St Andrew’s Parish Church, 2604 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC 29414
Program title: Researching Your Scots-Irish and Irish Ancestors
Hosts: Old St Andrew’s Parish Church, SC: Gillian Hunt and Fintan Mullan  from the Ulster Historical Foundation
Date: Wednesday, 18 March 2020
Time: 10:00- 17:00
Cost: General Admission - $25 (Additional $15 for a Tea Room Lunch)
Website for more information: https://www.ancestryireland.com/charlestonregistration/

Website for Tennessee research: Click here

Our Kickoff of Beginner 1 Session:

Great to have so many attendees and the new comers interested in genealogical research.
We covered the introduction of our Blog site: Click here
Then reviewed the materials available in a USB Flash drive given to all the new comers (10), some of the provided materials were:   To get Family Tree Maker: Click here

1) Genealogy Checklist (pdf): Click here
2) Person Page checklist (doc): Click here
3) Genealogy Checklist (xls): Click here
4) Genealogy Research Log (xls): Click here
5) Where do you find information (pdf): Click here

Contents of beginner USB Drive: Click here

Started the stages for a beginner, starting with #1 Research Known Information

The handout given to all our attendees was: Click here

The challenge for all attendees: (1) order Family Tree Maker (Lynn Baker will come to your house and give you a 1 hour introduction session, (2) get a FamilySearch.org account, (3) get an Ancestry.com account (do not need to keep the subscription).

Bob's Corner: Click here

Upcoming events on Charleston:
Feb 16 (Sunday) 2:30-3:30 PM: Topic "The Mayflower Society and How to Prove your Lineage"
hosted by Charleston Chapter South Carolina Genealogical Society: Location: Mosonic Temple, 1285 Orange Grove Rd, Charleston, SC 29407
Feb 29 (Saturday) 2:00 - 3:30 PM: Topic "Find Millions of Free Genealogy Records on FamilySearch", South Carolina Room (3rd floor) Charleston County Public Library: Location: 68 Calhoun Street, Charleston, SC.

Updates:

Recently replaced the DIRT blog follow button so it now works.  For those of you who have been asked to follow and accepted, please let me know if you get this update, send me a separate email - thank you.

Working on a new googlegroups approach where anyone in our club can post a topic (question) and others can then answer it if they have something to contribute (all using email - no new technology required).  I hope this will help with breaking down brick walls.  This is in beta test with several of our members and will go live after discussion at the next DIRT meeting on 12 Feb 2020.