Indexing

First, I want to thank those of you who came to yesterday's meeting and participated in the indexing demo.  I sincerely hope some of you will join the volunteer effort to help make as many records as possible available to everyone. And then, of course, there is a prize ....

Poppy Sure's comprehensive guide to researching your family tree.  How many points can you accumulate between now and 28 October?

For those of you who could not make the meeting and are still interested in working on this project, please let me know (send me an email at diggingtogether@yahoo.com) and I will be happy to get you started.

In light of yesterday's D.I.R.T. agenda, it was gratifying to see the following posts on FamilySearch's blog this morning.  You can click here to link back to the original articles.  For those of you who may be wondering why anyone would want to spend the time to volunteer in a program such as this, remember, the next time you type a name into a search engine and are rewarded with a list of results, it's because a volunteer took the time to make that information available.  Every one of the 20.6 million records mentioned in the two articles below were indexed by people just like us!

Here's the proof ...

FamilySearch Adds More Than 18.3 Million Indexed Records and Images for England, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States

April 2, 2015 By Amanda L. Wallis


FamilySearch has added to its collections more than 18.3 million indexed records and images for England, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Notable collection updates include 10,026,835 indexed records and 776,840 images from the England, Westminster Rate Books, 1634–1900 collection; 4,327,810 indexed records from the United Kingdom, World War I Service Records, 1914–1920collection; and 534,653 images from the Italy, Taranto, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809–1926 collection. See the table below for the full list of updates. Search these diverse collections and more than 3.5 billion other records for free atFamilySearch.org.

Searchable historic records are made available on FamilySearch.org through the help of thousands of volunteers from around the world. These volunteers transcribe (index) information from digital copies of handwritten records to make them easily searchable online. More volunteers are needed (particularly those who can read foreign languages) to keep pace with the large number of digital images being published online at FamilySearch.org. Learn more about volunteering to help provide free access to the world’s historic genealogical records online at FamilySearch.org.

FamilySearch is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources for free at FamilySearch.org or through more than 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
CollectionIndexed RecordsDigital ImagesCommentsEngland, Westminster Rate Books, 1634–1900 10,026,835 776,840 New indexed records and images collection.

Collection	Indexed Records	Digital Images	Comments
England, Westminster Rate Books, 1634–1900	10,026,835	776,840	New indexed records and images collection.
Italy, Taranto, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809–1926	0	534,653	New browsable image collection.
United Kingdom, World War I Service Records, 1914–1920	4,327,810	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection.
US, Kentucky Probate Records, 1727–1990	0	365,502	Added images to an existing collection.
US, New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925–1957	168,306	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection.
US, Pennsylvania, Grand Army of the Republic Membership Records, 1866–1956	0	2,919	New browsable image collection.
US, Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837–1977	1,267,379	464,964	Added indexed records and images to an existing collection.
US, Texas, World War I Records, 1917–1920	0	400,918	New browsable image collection.

In addition, on 6 April, Amanda Wallis announced the following:

FamilySearch Adds More Than 2.3 Million Indexed Records and Images for the Czech Republic, Mexico, New Zealand, Ukraine, and the United States

FamilySearch has added to its collections more than 2.3 million indexed records and images for the Czech Republic, Mexico, New Zealand, Ukraine, and the United States. Notable collection updates include 771,097 images from the New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Probate Records, 1843–1998 collection; 417,808 indexed records and 417,808 images from the US, BillionGraves Index collection; and 411,325 indexed records from the Mexico, San Luis Potosí, Civil Registration, 1859–2000collection. See the table below for the full list of updates. Search these diverse collections and more than 3.5 billion other records for free at FamilySearch.org.

Searchable historic records are made available on FamilySearch.org through the help of thousands of volunteers from around the world. These volunteers transcribe (index) information from digital copies of handwritten records to make them easily searchable online. More volunteers are needed (particularly those who can read foreign languages) to keep pace with the large number of digital images being published online at FamilySearch.org. Learn more about volunteering to help provide free access to the world’s historic genealogical records online at FamilySearch.org.

Collection	Indexed Records	Digital Images	Comments
Czech Republic, School Registers, 1799–1953	0	66,273	Added images to an existing collection.
Mexico, Coahuila, Civil Registration, 1861–1998	24,898	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection.
Mexico, San Luis Potosí, Civil Registration, 1859–2000	411,325	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection.
New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Probate Records, 1843–1998	0	771,097	Added images to an existing collection.
Ukraine, Sumy Civil Registers, 1918–1922	0	34,691	New browsable image collection.
US, BillionGraves Index	417,808	417,808	Added indexed records and images to an existing collection.
US, Kentucky Confederate Pension Applications, 1912–1950	4,192	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection.
US, Texas, World War I Records, 1917–1920	203,404	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection.
United States General Index to Pension Files, 1861–1934	4,292	0	Added indexed records to an existing collection.
United States, Register of Confederates and Civilians Who Died in the North, 1861–1865	25,511	679	New indexed records and images collection.