http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/ en Copyright 2008 Fri, 16 May 2008 23:18:25 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss USCIS sets up genealogy service If it is, I bet we have Marian Smith to thank!]]> http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/uscis_sets_up_genealogy_servic.html http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/uscis_sets_up_genealogy_servic.html Fri, 16 May 2008 23:18:25 +0000 Serial Centenarian ]]> http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/congrats_to_the_isfhwe_winners.html http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/congrats_to_the_isfhwe_winners.html Thu, 15 May 2008 16:47:12 +0000 Ancestry.com Global Content, Product, and Marketing Update - May 14, 2008 P.S. Yes, I'm Chief Family History of Ancestry.com, so my opinion is -- let's say -- gently biased. But seriously, 7 billion records and all those other toys?! Not too shabby. ]]> http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/what_ancestrycoms_done_for_you.html http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/what_ancestrycoms_done_for_you.html Wed, 14 May 2008 22:39:33 +0000 The Northwest Indiana Genealogical Society is a very active society that has over 50 publications, has walked and read all cemeteries in both Lake and Porter County, and has added numerous indexes to their website to assist researchers. They have recently come into possession of books that document marriages performed by the Justices of the Peace in Crown Point, IN. Because of the delicate shape they are in, it would do damage to them to scan these records or even copy by hand. The grant award will fund the purchase of a digital camera that will be used to copy the records. Click here for more information on the Honoring Our Ancestors grant program.]]> http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/may_grant_awarded.html http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/may_grant_awarded.html Mon, 12 May 2008 17:57:32 +0000 Artificial reef near Miami is cemetery, diving attraction I hope they keep good records because this would be a tricky one to transcribe! ]]> http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/lets_scuba_to_the_cemetery.html http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/lets_scuba_to_the_cemetery.html Mon, 12 May 2008 17:43:31 +0000 £200-a-time ancestral DNA test kits are a rip off, say experts What's especially disappointing is that this one is driven by an article that apparently appeared in Ancestors, a popular British genealogy magazine. The person who took the testing is mentioned as a deputy editor, so given that genetic genealogy has been around since 2000, you would think that she would be fairly savvy about the topic. But sadly, she's not. In fact, based on the information included in the online newspaper articles, she's impressively clueless. It sounds, for instance, as if she tried to compare her mtDNA results with autosomal ones. Here's a comment I posted on one of the newspaper sites to try to explain why this makes no sense: Based on the information provided in this article, it sounds as if Ms. Law is comparing apples and oranges. For instance, it sounds as if she's comparing the results of an mtDNA test (her direct maternal line) to an autosomal test (which would include contributions from ancestors from all branches of her family tree). In the case of the third test, there isn't enough information here to be sure which one she took. This is roughly equivalent to getting measured by several companies and being surprised that the height and weight results weren't identical. I hope I have misunderstood because I would assume that a magazine called "Ancestors" would have troubled to master the basics of genetic genealogy (which has been around since 2000) before publishing an article on it. In my opinion, we either sadly have an editor from a genealogy magazine failing to do even the most basic of research before publishing an article or we have a magazine just trying to attract attention. Unfortunately, it's succeeded in gaining attention for badly distorted information. What really blows my mind is the fact that it's a genealogy publication that's done this. Why would they, of all people, try to scare folks off with misinformation? At any rate, I apologize if I sound beyond frustrated with this, but it's because I'm been here so many times before. Check out this posting of mine from last October that referenced an earlier posting of mine from June of 2006 that referenced something I wrote in early 2004. If folks are going to continue to attack genetic genealogy, they should at least try to be accurate and/or original! 60 Minutes on DNA: Deja Vu All Over Again ]]> http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/dna_deja_vu_all_over_again_all.html http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/dna_deja_vu_all_over_again_all.html Mon, 12 May 2008 16:04:31 +0000 The Journal of Genetic Genealogy -- For my fellow military brats who know what it's like to have no home town: Military Brats Registry -- For those interested in playing with Ancestry.com's recently released income tax records (1862-1918): A Taxing History -- A really cool, recent database release by Ancestry.com: U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914 ]]> http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/random_links.html http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/random_links.html Sat, 10 May 2008 21:55:50 +0000 Who Gets the Bible? ]]> http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/return_of_a_slaveowned_bible_1.html http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/return_of_a_slaveowned_bible_1.html Thu, 08 May 2008 21:49:32 +0000 my last post), but good news for Czechs! ]]> http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/good_news_for_czechs.html http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/good_news_for_czechs.html Tue, 06 May 2008 21:27:19 +0000 Catholics told not to give LDS parish data Now, Catholics around the world will have a tougher time of tracing their roots, as if it isn't already challenging enough in places like Ireland. Kimberly Powell does an excellent job of summarizing the situation: Vatican Orders Catholic Parish Registers Off-Limits to LDS Church The part that got my attention is that the Vatican declared back in 2001 that baptism conferred by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not valid. This is the disconnect for me. I have no objection to what the LDS Church does because, given that I don't hold the same beliefs, I don't perceive my own ancestors as being baptized into the Mormon faith. Moreover, if you watch this interview I taped just a few weeks ago with Ahmad Corbitt, Public Affairs Director (NYC) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you'll see that he explains that members of the LDS Church believe that those who lived before us have a choice about the baptism as well. I personally will gratefully accept and use any Catholic records the LDS Church chooses to make available. And I sincerely hope that some additional thought will be given to this issue and a reversal will be made. Otherwise, all Catholics better start leaving an excellent trail for their descendants! ]]> http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/bad_news_for_catholics.html http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/05/bad_news_for_catholics.html Tue, 06 May 2008 21:01:46 +0000 Conejo Valley Genealogical Society at Ascension Lutheran Church, 1600 E. Hillcrest Dr., Thousand Oaks, CA. Hope to see you there! ]]> http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/04/conejo_valley_genealogical_soc.html http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/04/conejo_valley_genealogical_soc.html Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:12:04 +0000 www.dnafund.org), a new non-profit organization has been established to fund DNA testing scholarships and grants for ancestral DNA studies. Currently in Phase 1 of the Fund’s launch, testing monies will be raised through fundraising affiliates. Scheduled for Phase 2, the Fund will accept donations and in Phase 3, coordinate grants for DNA projects and studies. “DNA testing is usually considered a luxury item, but the knowledge that it provides is invaluable. The goal of The DNA Fund is to test as many people as possible and share the information in the public domain through publications and databases.” says DNA Fund President, Katherine Borges. “People can support The DNA Fund just by using our affiliates for their normal shopping habits. The affiliates give a percentage of the purchases back which can be channeled into DNA testing funds.” The DNA Fund is the first entity of its kind to provide funding for public genetic genealogy projects and other ancestral DNA studies. ]]> http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/04/dna_fund_launched.html http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/04/dna_fund_launched.html Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:48:31 +0000 Happy Birthday, Genealogy Roots Blog! Randy's Genea-Musings is Two Today! ]]> http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/04/ive_hit_my_terrible_twos.html http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/04/ive_hit_my_terrible_twos.html Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:18:48 +0000 New Roots Tuesday, April 22 P.S. In case you're not aware, we post a fresh batch of videos on RootsTelevision.com each Tuesday. That's where the "New Roots Tuesday" phrase comes in. ]]> http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/04/magic_at_maaagc.html http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/04/magic_at_maaagc.html Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:00:20 +0000 grant applications that have been submitted and select one. Genealogical societies and projects are notoriously underfunded, so this seemed a good way to give back to the family history community that's provided me so many opportunities. And the process continues the same until today. Typically, I print out the most recent month's applications and add them to a folder with applications from the previous five months (they remain active for six months). My husband and I then take some time at a local coffee shop, go through the stack, and choose one for funding. Then I write a check. That's it -- still as straightforward as it was in the beginning. As is often the case with me, I'm running a little behind, but February of this year was my 100th grant. Since this was a special anniversary of sorts, I reached out and asked folks to help spread the word (thanks, Juliana, Dick and Chris and others who helped!). I wanted February's grant to be special in some way, so I reasoned the more applications I received, the more likely that one would jump out. Well, two jumped out, but not for reasons I had expected. Two happened to be from Hudson County, New Jersey and Northeastern Pennsylvania -- the areas from which my mother's and father's families hail. And given that this program is called Honoring Our Ancestors, I decided to do just that -- honor my most immediate ancestors by awarding grants to the freshly formed Hudson County Genealogical Society and the Northeast Pennsylvania Genealogical Society. In the case of Hudson County, it's always amazed me that Jersey City -- perhaps the second-most important immigrant city in the U.S. after New York City (it's not that immigrants arrived there, but many went immediately there upon arriving in NYC) -- didn't even have a county genealogical society until this year. And I'm delighted to say that the gung-ho society is already busily indexing local newspapers, a welcome initiative that will help thousands in their research. As to Northeast Pennsylvania, this area is also somewhat neglected in a genealogical sense. The millions of Welsh, Irish and Slavs who toiled in the coal mines are often overlooked (except perhaps for an occasional mention of Hillary Clinton's Scranton roots). So in honor of George Smolenyak and his Wilkes-Barre, PA roots and Seton Shields and her Jersey City, NJ roots, my 100th (shared) grant goes to the Hudson County Genealogical Society and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Genealogical Society.]]> http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/04/100th_honoring_our_ancestors_g.html http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld/2008/04/100th_honoring_our_ancestors_g.html Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:03:02 +0000