Happy Holidays

We had a great meeting with cookies brought by members and a discussion of what people had found in their family history research.

There was a short demonstration of how to use Family Tree Maker when doing on-line research, bringing in text, dates, places easily into FTM and merging with a person.  See video (go to 55 min mark) Click here

We had a lively brainstorming session focused on what we can do differently in 2023 to make our meetings more interesting and how to make it inviting for new members.

Our next meeting will be Wednesday, January 25, 2023.  Before this meeting, I would like to ask you to

1. Review our DIRT Blog and look for areas we have covered in the past that you would like repeated and recorded for the future (presentations before March 2020 were not video recorded.  Send your suggestions to me by January 15, 2023.  For list click here
2. Think about what you accomplished in your genealogy journey in 2022 and what goals you want to set for 2023 (bring your new goals to share at the January 25th meeting).  To see presentation on goal setting click here
3. I will send out a questionnaire to current membership, asking what they would like to see for DIRT that would make it interesting for them.

Have a wonderful and joyous Holiday Season.

We had a FamilySearch consultant spend over 1 hour with us to go over some key questions about using FamilySearch, for video replay, CLICK HERE

After our round robin discussion by members of their own genealogy status, Bob Silkett took the stage and discussed some of the answers to issues about FamilySearch that have been asked by our group, see video replay: Click here  and see his handout: Click here.  He has also arranged for a FamilySearch consultant to join our November 9th meeting to answer more questions about editing and correcting any Familysearch entries.  If you have specific questions, send them to Bob Silkett by Friday, November 4th.

The second topic was a recap of Diane Richard's Legacy Family Tree Webinar on 30Sep2022 titled: 50 Mostly "hot off the press" net sites you want to check out!  See video replay: Click here.

For a list of some of the upcoming free webinars, Click here.

If you have any questions, please contact me.

 New FamilySearch.org Person Page and The Legacy List

At our meeting today these two were the main topics:

New FamilySearch.org Person Page - Replay Click Here

The Legacy List - Replay Click Here

       The Legacy List spreadsheet: Click here

New Irish Research Websites to review:

PRONI Free - https://apps.proni.gov.uk/eCatNI_IE/SearchPage.aspx

Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland: https://virtualtreasury.ie/

National Folklore collection: https://www.duchas.ie/en/info/cbe

Duchas.ie: https://www.duchas.ie/en

 Google Earth Map Overlays

Video Replay: Click Here

Handout: Click Here

 WikiTree

Our session covered "Understanding WikiTree": Click Here

 What is new in Ancestry.

Our session today covered: "What is new in Ancestry" and "How to search without using the name".  For a replay of the session: Click Here

 Creating History Family Book Part 4 with Canva and intro to Family Book Creator

There was a light turnout today, with wonderful weather, the beach close by and summertime activities with visitors, this makes sense. For anyone who would like to catch up on our session, feel free to watch the videos.

After our discussions about personal genealogy by members, we went over upcoming genealogy webinars and top 11 genealogy TV shows, then on to our main topics.

1) Creating Family History Book Part 4, using Canva and Q&A. For recording: Click here

2) Creating Family History Book, introduction to using Family Book Creator as a plugin to Family Tree Maker (for an example product: Click here): For recording: Click here

We talked about setting up a workshop for those that are interested in learning how to use the Family Book Creator for creating a Family History Book.  It is more complicated than the on-line Canva, Snapfish, Mixbook or others.  With the more complications also brings much more capability, not only pulling data directly from Family Tree Maker, but also allowing you to import Word documents (txt, doc) or pages of your pdf files.  Please send me an e-mail if you are interested in the workshop.

See you next time.

 Creating Family History Book - Part 3 - Building with Canva.com

Our focus today was on building a Print-Resolution PDF file using Canva.  This is different from building a file in Snapfish, Mixbook, MyCanvas, Shutterfly or others where they own the content that you build and it is all about selling you a hardcover book from their sites. This is an i-cloud based platform (free) where you build out your book and you own the print-resolution pdf that you can take to any printer to make a book or you can electronically share your high quality pdf with others.

We went through the introduction to Canva.com, how to use it, click here for video, then each member used their own free version of Canva to start building their own stories.  Each member who attended was given access to 2 templates that were designed for Family History Book and Lynn Baker's sample book template.  A handout was provided with helpful tips on using Canva: click here for handout.

Creating a Family History Book part 2 - planning

Our meeting went well with topics on:

• Members sharing their genealogy work
• Open discussion on FamilySearch questions
• Open discussion on AncestryDNA questions

Main topic: continuing series on "Creating a Family History Book".  We discussed how to plan your book and what to consider.  We discussed various applications to use to format and publish the book.  Our decision for the next meeting was to: (1) explore MixBook, Canva and FTM - wanting both the ability to publish a hardcopy book and to have a print-resolution pdf for sharing electronically, (2) each member will come up with a short story and photo to use at the next meeting.

For video replay: Click here

• For Organize Your Family History Writing Project word template: Click here; for example pdf: Click here
• For Photo-Book tips word template: Click here, for Example pdf: Click here

What's new in Ancestry and Creating Family Book

We had a good attendance today at our DIRT meeting.  The topics we covered were:

• Personal genealogy stories shared from around the room
• Update on Phil Pritzlaff's AncestryDNA spreadsheet approach: Video Click here
• What's New in Ancestry: Video - to be redone
• FamilySearch Record Seek to move web file information: Video Click here
•     Handout for Record Seek: Click  here
• Discussion on Creating Family History Book and next steps: Video Click here

Future sessions will be on AncestryDNA and continuing the project on Creating Family History Book.

 AncestryDNA Matches - Step by Step build of excel spreadsheet

    We welcomed Paula Murphy to our DIRT community.  We also had some fantastic successes by our members as they shared their own genealogy research.

    Our key topic was  AncestryDNA Matches - Step by Step build of excel spreadsheet.  This bridged off of Phil Pritzlaff's presentation on April 27.  For those who want to actually create a similar spreadsheet for solving brick walls with DNA, this session was a step by step approach to creating your spreadsheets with hints on using Microsoft Excel.  Click here for the video replay.  Click here for the handout guide.

    We then covered some of the Surname mapping websites for use in genealogy.  Click here for replay.

 

 DNA Case Study proving relationship and Surname Maps

We had a great meet at the Lakehouse in-person as well as those on zoom.  

Our first and primary topic was by a guest speaker : Phil Pritzlaff: video replay here

• Autosomal DNA - Case Study: Who is my Great Grandfather
• Y-DNA Testing - Case Study: Who is my 10th Great Grandfather
• The Value of Ancestry Connections and sharing with others

Our second topic was Surname Distribution Maps: A Valuable Tool for Genealogical Research (we did not finish this topic and will continue at the next meeting).

There were some really good feedback about the approach Phil used and how they might apply it themselves.  

 Genealogical Research Case Study & Other items

Our DIRT meeting focused on:

• Genealogical Family Research Case Study by Glenn Soden: Click here for video replay
• Find a Grave -new changes: Video Replay
• Recap of Scots-Irish Conference by Ulster Foundation: Irish Websites , Irish books sold, video replay of DIRT session
• Recap of North Carolina Genealogical Society Conference - Lynn Maney-McIntosh - video replay
• Discussion on what do DIRT members want for Digitizing Books and Scrapbooks

Other items

Archival Methods Booklet: Website

Researching Ancestral Women and Digitizing Scrapbooks

Our session today had two main topics:

1. Honoring and acknowledging Women's History Month

• Researching Ancestral Women - recording: Click here
• Handout for online resources with hotlinks: Click here

2. Frequently asked topic

• Digitizing Scrapbooks recording: Click here
• Presentation slides: Click here

 RootsTech 2022 Review and MyHeritage LiveStory

Our two topics for this session were:

RootsTech 2022 Review: Video Recording: Click Here

• We reviewed how to continue to use the site to access the presentations and handouts for the next few years: Click Here
• Took a close look at Relatives Connection, which is available until March 25, 2022 : Click Here

Showed the new technology of MyHeritage LiveStory: Click Here

Lynn Maney McIntosh introduced us to the website: A Census of Ireland circa 1659: Click Here

  and "National Library of Ireland Catholic Parish Registers at the NLI" Click Here

 Preparing for trip to Ireland and Preparing for RootsTech 2022

We had a good session today with 11 participants.  Moving up in the world of genealogy.  Some key points during our meeting:

Upcoming event hosted by Ulster Foundation ($25.00): on March 24 from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm at Old St Andrew's Parish Church at 2604 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC: Researching Your Scots-Irish Ancestors.  Sign up today: Click here

Register for RootsTech 2022 (free) 3-5 March - virtual : Click Here

Book you might find interesting:

• Tracing your Irish Ancestors Through Records

Tripod for holding smartphone: ChromLives Photo Copy Stand - bought on Amazon for $22.99

Preparing for a Trip to Ireland, including creating customized report from Family Tree Maker: 

• Session Recording: Click here
• Handout with website links: Click here
• February 2021 DIRT Session on Irish Research: Click here

Preparing for RootsTech 2022: Click here

    Sign up for Relatives connections at RootsTech 2022: Click here

ClipGrab application: Click here

 Preparing for the 1950 US Census

• We are starting to have hybrid meetings, which means Meeting in-person at the Lakehouse Osprey 2 from 1:30-3:30 pm and also making this a live streaming zoom for those who want to join via zoom.  Pick what you are most comfortable with.
• We had a good time talking about our individual genealogy successes and brickwalls.  We welcomed Glenn Soden as a new member of DIRT.  He coined the great phrase as a "Time Traveler" instead of genealogist.
• Marian Chamberlain introduced a great website in Ireland for finding Griffith's Evaluations records and more called: Click here: AskAboutIreland
• The main topic was "Preparing for 1950 Census and the replay video can be found on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/Xa-NM1gzyNM,  for the handout click here

Researching Maryland, USA and Colonial

 Our main focus was on Researching Maryland as a US State.  You can access the slides here: Click Here and watch the recording here: Click Here

For some of the weblinks used, please see the list at the bottom of this post.

We also covered the suggested topics for our DIRT meetings in 2022 (please refer to the e-mail sent on 1/27/2022 and reply with additional suggestions and/or preference in the suggested topics to help me prioritize when they will be presented in 2022).

Suggested topics for 2022

Our zoom sessions do cost money, so if you want to pay the membership dues of $15.00 per family, please send check or cash to Lynn Baker, 1145 Turtle Watch Lane, Seabrook Island, SC 29455

Bob Silkett has joined: New York Genealogical and Biographical Society.  He has offered do do some lookups in their database if you need assistance.  Reach out to Bob at: bsilkett1955@gmail.com

For those of you who are interested in enhancing or colorizing your photos, Ellie Burnaford submitted this new blog site: Improved Color Restoration for Phots on MyHeritage

Our next meeting is on February 9th and will focus on "Planning a trip to Ireland"

Websites used:

• Familysearch.org
• FamilySearch Wiki Page
• Ancestry.com
• Genealogy Research Checklist
• Genealogy Research Log / Template
• The Family History Guide
• Internet Archives
• Maryland State Archives
• History of Maryland Wikipedia
• Archives of Maryland Online
• Digital Maryland
• Maryland Genealogical Society

Setting Genealogy Goals for 2022

We shared amongst the group our genealogy activities, holiday gatherings and covid stories. It is always wonderful to hear what others are doing and how they are approaching the genealogy challenges. We then focused upon spending time to write our individual accomplishments for 2021. After a brief overview of future possibilities, we spend time setting some of our goals for 2022, then sharing those goals amongst the 11 attendees. 

To view the zoom recording of second part of the session: Setting Genealogy Goals: click this url link:

  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v9YZWAyGwoNy5ARv50tQiEOaXsqd3zql/view?usp=sharing