Ulster Historical Foundation announces US talks tour for 2020

The Ulster Historical Foundation (www.ancestryireland.com) has announced the dates and venues for its 2020 tour of the United States, from March 6th-22nd.

The locations being visited are: 

Friday, 6 March 2020 - Chicago IL (9:00am–5:00pm)
Saturday, 7 March 2020 - Madison WI (9:00am–5:00pm)
Sunday, 8 March 2020 - York PA (1:00pm–5:00pm)
Monday, 9 March 2020 - Staunton, VA (9:00am to 4:30pm)
Wednesday, 11 March 2020 - Bloomington, IN (12 noon–7:00pm)
Friday, 13 March 2020 - Richmond, VA (9:30am - 12:30pm)
Saturday, 14 March 2020 - Frankfort, KY (full day event)
Sunday, 15 March 2020 - Philadelphia, PA (full day event)
Tuesday, 17 March 2020 - Pittsburgh, PA (9:00am–4:30pm)
Wednesday, 18 March 2020 - Charleston, SC
Thursday, 19 March 2020 - Chicago, IL
Friday, 20 March 2020 - St Charles, MO (8:45am–1:00pm)
Saturday 21 March 2020 - Little Rock, AR (9:00am–3:00pm)
Sunday, 22 March 2020 - Coeur d'Alene, ID (11:00am-6:00pm-includes 1hr early luncheon)

For the full itinerary, full details of individual venues and links to book places at each please visit https://www.ancestryireland.com/usa-lecture-tour-2020/.

Note that the schedule is still flexible, and can take additional venues. As it states on their web site:

You may note from our previous itineraries that we travel widely across North America and are happy to visit any location where an invitation to us is extended.

If you know of a society, library or group near to you that would be interested in an Irish and Scots-Irish family history research programme, perhaps you would put us in contact with the local programme organisers by emailing enquiry@uhf.org.uk with the subject heading ‘Lecture Tour’.

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Scottish-Ancestry-through-Church-and-State-Records-Paperback/p/16848. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FamilySearch adds Essex and USA parish records

FamilySearch has added 1,129,899 indexed records to its existing England, Essex Parish Registers, 1538-1997 collection at https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1465709.

The following is the collection's description:

Description

Church of England parish registers containing christening, marriage, and burial entries that took place in the county of Essex from 1538 to 1997. Records may include: name, parents, spouse, father's occupation, residence, date of birth, date of marriage, burial date and place and much more depending on the record type. The original records are held at the Essex Record Office.

In addition the following US based collections have also been added to (numbers added are in brackets):

Connecticut, Church Records, 1660-1955 (16,710)
Indiana, Church Records, 1743-1966 (17,982)
Iowa, Church Records, 1839-2004 (19,075)
Kansas, Church Records, 1826-1992 (6,975)
Kentucky, Church Records, 1818-1995 (9,536)
Louisiana, Church Records, 1836-1938 (3,727)
Maine, Church Records, 1734-1907 (57,125)
Mississippi, Church Records, 1910-1919 (2,869)
Mississippi, State Archives, Various Records, 1820-1951 (687,271)
Missouri, Church Records, 1827-2004 (30,739)
Missouri, County Marriage, Naturalization, and Court Records, 1800-1991 (1,346,115)
New Jersey Naturalization Records, 1796-1991 (396,373)
New Jersey, Church Records, 1675-1970 (59,467)
Oregon, Church Records, 1853-1874 (543)
Tennessee, Church Records, 1816-1995 (3,909)
Texas, Church Records, 1852-1994 (6,107)
Utah, Church Records, 1915-1972 (848)
Utah,Latter-Day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia (52,829)

For further details visit https://media.familysearch.org/new-free-historical-records-on-familysearch-week-of-7-october-2019/

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course starts 4 November 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FindmyPast adds Cumberland parish records

The latest records from FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

United States Directories & Almanacs
110 Ohio directories have been added to our collection of United States directories & almanacs. These records, dating from the 1700s to the 1900s, are a great way to discover your ancestor’s address and occupation or explore the history of your home.

Cumberland Baptisms
Did your ancestors live on the Scottish border? Search over 76,000 Cumberland baptisms to find out. These transcripts and images of original documents include a combination of your ancestor’s baptism date, baptism place, residence, parents’ names and father’s occupation. This collection has been provided by the College of Arms. The College of Arms is the official heraldic authority for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and much of the Commonwealth including Australia and New Zealand. The records cover the parishes of Dacre, Dalston, Great Orton, Holme Cultram, Kirkoswald, Lamplugh, Lanercost, Millom, Penrith, Skelton, Whicham and Wigton.

Cumberland Marriages
Add new branches to your family tree with over 37,000 new parish marriages. Each result includes both a transcript and image of the original document. The details listed include the date of the marriage and where it took place as well as the ages, residences and father’s names of both the bride and groom. Parishes covered - Crosthwaite, Dacre, Dalston, Great Orton, Holme Cultram, Kirkoswald, Lamplugh, Lanercost, Millom, Penrith, Skelton, Whicham and Wigton.

Cumberland Burials
Discover the final resting place of your Cumberland ancestors with more than 61,000 new burial records. These transcripts and images will reveal a combination of your ancestors’ burial date, burial place and residence at time of death. Parishes covered - Crosthwaite, Dacre, Dalston, Great Orton, Holme Cultram, Kirkoswald, Lamplugh, Lanercost, Millom, Penrith, Skelton, Whicham, Wigton.

Scotland, Forfarshire (Angus), Dundee, D C Thomson Staff War Album 1939-1945
Search through this unique collection of vivid portrait images of men and women employed with DC Thompson in Dundee, who volunteered to serve during the Second World War. DC Thomson, the long established Dundee based publishing company, is the parent company of Findmypast. DC Thomson is best known for publishing The Evening Telegraph, The Dundee Courier, The Dandy and the longest running British children’s comic, the Beano.

International Records – Ukraine
Does a branch of your family tree have roots in the Ukraine? Search over 14,000 transcripts of births and baptisms spanning the years 1784 to 1879 to discover important dates, locations and parents' names. These International Genealogical Index records will also generate hints against any names stored in your Findmypast family tree.

British and Irish Newspaper Update
96,352 new pages are available to search this week including two brand new Scottish titles – the West Lothian Courier and the Irvine Times. We also have extensive additions to our specialist Scottish farming title the North British Agriculturalist as well as new recent additions to the Irvine Herald, Wishaw Press, and Montrose Standard, Aberdeen Press & Journal and to the Aberdeen Evening Express.

Further details and links at https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/heres-whats-new-this-findmypast-friday

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scottish Research Online course starts 2 September 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

RootsTech 2020 registration now open

From RootsTech (www.rootstech.org):

SALT LAKE CITY (18 September 2019) - FamilySearch International has announced that registration for RootsTech 2020 Salt Lake City is now open. RootsTech is a popular 4-day annual family history and technology conference where individuals and families are inspired to discover, share, and preserve their family roots, heritage, and stories. The 2020 conference will be held February 26–29, 2020, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. For more information, visit rootstech.org/salt-lake. Discounts are available for early registrations.

In 2019, RootsTech attracted over 20,000 attendees from 38 different countries and all 50 states.

RootsTech 2020 will celebrate its 10thanniversary and the distinguished honor that it is the largest genealogy conference of its kind in the world. The conference will feature a full lineup of inspiring and well-known keynote speakers, over 300 informative sessions, including hands-on computer workshops taught by industry professionals; interactive activities and helpful exhibitors in the expo hall; and entertaining events—all designed to inspire and empower personal family discoveries.

Conference Details

The theme for RootsTech 2020 will be “The Story of YOU.” Many of the classes, keynote address, and venue décor will reflect this theme.

“At RootsTech, we believe that the stories we’re creating and preserving today are just as important as the stories of our ancestors,” said Jen Allen, event director. “Reflecting on and celebrating each of our personal journeys is an important part of family history that we are excited to explore at the 2020 conference.”

RootsTech 2020 will also introduce learning forums—new class sessions covering a variety of specialized topics including: records access and preservation, innovation and technology, and DNA. One of these forums will be offered on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

RootsTech 2020 will officially begin on Wednesday, February 26 with class sessions beginning at 8 AM MT. Wednesday’s general keynote session will begin on the main stage at 4:30 p.m. Steve Rockwood, CEO of FamilySearch International, will be the featured keynote speaker.

General keynote sessions on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday will begin on the main stage at 11 AM MT and will lead directly into the lunch hour.

Pricing

Early bird discount pricing is available for a limited time on 4-day passes at just $169 (a $130 discount on regularly priced passes). Single day RootsTech passes are also available for $99. Both one-day and full conference passes include access to the popular expo hall and keynote sessions. Early bird pricing ends October 11, 2019.

Family Discovery Day

Registration for Family Discovery Day is also now open. The event takes place on Saturday, February 26, 2020, and is designed for families and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This free 1-day event includes inspiring messages from Church leaders; engaging classes for families, youth, and young single adults; and evening entertainment to inspire and help families make family history connections. Family Discovery Day attendees will also hae access to all the interactive activities and exhibitors found in the RootsTech expo hall. Event details, including speakers and class sessions, will be made available soon at RootsTech.org. The event is free, but registration is required.

Register via at www.rootstech.org/salt-lake

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scottish Research Online course starts 2 September 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Free access to USA and Canadian records on MyHeritage

From MyHeritage (www.myheritage.com):

Discover more about the lives of your ancestors this Labor Day with FREE access to all US and Canadian census records from 1790 to 1940. Search through this treasure trove of 740 million census records for free from August 30 through September 2, 2019.

For further details visit http://blog.myheritage.com/2019/08/740-million-free-census-records-for-labor-day/

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scottish Research Online course starts 2 September 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Latest FamilySearch additions

Added to FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org) - the number of new indexed records in each collections is stated in brackets at the end of each listing:

Australia Australia, Victoria, Inward Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 (164,023)
Austria Austria, Vienna Population Cards, 1850-1896 (22,532)
Brazil Brazil, Bahia, Passenger Lists, 1855-1964 (1,166,675)
Germany Germany, Baden, Church Book Duplicates, 1804-1877 (18,522)
South Africa South Africa, Netherdutch Reformed Church Registers (Pretoria Archive), 1838-1991 (846,630)
United States Kansas State Census, 1915 (50,854)
United States United States, Freedmen's Bureau Hospital and Medical Records, 1865-1872 (51,238)
United States Alabama, Confederate Pension Applications, ca. 1880-1930's (18,382)

Chris
 
Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Over 400 Scottish Published Family Histories added to FindmyPast

Just added to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

Scotland, Published Family Histories
Is your family from Scotland? Discover more about your Scottish families' name and history from this collection of publications. There are over 400 publications in this collection of Scottish family histories.The publications mostly date from the 19th and early 20th centuries, they include memoirs, genealogies, and clan histories. There are also publications that have been produced by emigrant families.

(Note: Click on the Browse button on this page to see a list of all publications)

Scotland, Glasgow & Lanarkshire Death & Burial Index
Over 37,000 records have been added to the Glasgow & Lanarkshire Death & Burial Index. These new additions cover Bent Cemetery in Hamilton and consist of transcripts of original documents that will reveal a combination of your ancestors' birth year, death and burial dates, age at death, burial place and mortcloth price.

United States, Passenger and Crew Lists
Over 777,000 new records from the major port city of Baltimore in Maryland have recently been added to these passenger and crew lists.

Middlesex Monumental Inscriptions
Over 5,000 additional records are now available to search. The new records cover two cemeteries in Teddington as well as the Parish of St Mary's in Sunbury.

British & Irish Newspaper Update
Historical newspapers hot off the press this week include:

Hawick Express covering the years 1892, 1903-1904, 1913-1914, 1919-1940, 1950-1952
Coatbridge Express covering the years 1885-1951
Dalkeith Advertiser covering the years 1869-1953
Barrhead News covering the years 1897-1912
Banffshire Herald covering the years 1893-1912
Banffshire Advertiser covering the years 1881-1902, 1905-1912

Plus, we've added even more coverage to these papers:

Aberdeen Press and Journal – 1991 added
Aberdeen Evening Express – 1991 added
The Queen - 1901-1904 added

Further details at https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/whats-new/new-records-from-scotland-middlesex-and-baltimore

Chris

Now on sale - Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FindmyPast adds Cincinnati Roman Catholic records

The latest additions to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

Cincinnati Roman Catholic Parish Records
Over 644,000 new Cincinnati records have been added to the Catholic Heritage Archive. As well as adding new transcripts, images of original documents have been digitized are now available to view on Findmypast. The collection, released in partnership with the Dioceses of Cincinnati, covers 103 parishes and consists of indexes of baptisms, marriages, burials and congregational records spanning the years 1800 to 1979.

This week's update includes:

Cincinnati Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms
Over 297,000 additional records that will reveal your ancestor's baptism date, baptism place and parent's names.

Cincinnati Roman Catholic Parish Marriages
Explore over 182,000 new additions that are perfect for uncovering previous generations and adding new branches to you growing family tree. The transcripts and images collection contain information on for both the bride and groom including marriage date, location and parents' names.

Cincinnati Roman Catholic Parish Burials
Over 183,000 new records that will reveal your ancestors birth year, death date, age at death and place of burial. Some records may also reveal the names of your ancestor's next of kin and the nature of their relationship.

Cincinnati Roman Catholic Congregational Records
Did your ancestor receive their confirmation? Were they a benefactor of a parish? Search over 1,200 new Cincinnati Roman Catholic Congregational Records to find out.

British & Irish Newspaper Update
This week we are delighted to have passed the fantastic milestone of 33 million British & Irish pages on Findmypast, with 90,812 new pages added over the last seven days. We have updated six of our existing titles this week. There are extensive twentieth century additions to both the Aberdeen Press & Journal and the Aberdeen Evening Express. We also continue to augment our wonderful collection of specialist titles. We have added over 30,000 new pages to The Queen, a society magazine which covers the goings-on of high society, but also is a unique record of femininity in the Victorian era. We have also updated three of our early Labour titles – Clarion, Labour Leader and Forward (Glasgow).

Further details and links at https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-2639611246.html

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Keeping busy in the genie world!

Apologies for the limited blogging this week, but it has all been a bit manic at this end, as I continue to try to sell my house and juggle a few other things at the same time!

I have recently started a new temporary part-time job for six months working for a local member of the UK parliament as a caseworker, to cover for a friend who is away travelling on a trip of a lifetime. This is a role I worked on last year for a member of the Scottish Parliament, which is as immensely rewarding as genie work in helping folk with everyday problems. As a consequence, I will be cutting back on my genealogical research service for clients up to Christmas to an extent, albeit not completely (I was over in Belfast on a research trip for a client last Friday, for example), but I will be continuing as normal on writing, teaching and speaking chores. If you are seeking research done in Scotland before Christmas, do drop me a note and I will see if I can fit it in, but if not, I will happily direct you to trusted colleagues who will certainly be able to help.

I am now delighted to confirm that I will be heading over to the USA next year on two conference trips, the first to the Celtic Connections conference in Illinois at the end of July 2020, and the second to run the Irish tract for the ISBGFH's British Institute in Salt Lake City in October 2020. The last time I was in either Illinois or Salt Lake City was during a filming trip for a Scottish Television documentary series in 1999, and so I am very much look forward to both. I will blog more about both of these in due course.

Over the next few weeks I will be finalising my third book this year for Pen and Sword, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, and am looking forward next month to the release of my Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd edition) - you can pre-order this book at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483.

I have several talks up and coming in Scotland and England for the rest of this year:

• October 5th 2019 Lanarkshire Family History Show - An Irish house history
• October 5th 2019, Aberdeen & NE Scotland FHS (Glasgow branch) 2pm-4pm, Renfield Saint Stephen's Church Centre - Glasgow, 260 Bath St, Glasgow G2 4JP - Discover Scottish Church Records
• October 19th 2019, Manchester & Lancashire FHS, Manchester, England - Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis
• October 21st 2019, Glasgow & West of Scotland FHS. Irish genealogy - house history, and Q&A
• November 13th 2019, Central Scotland FHS, Stirling, Scottish Research Resources before 1800

My next Pharos based Scottish courses are coming along soon also:

Scottish Research Online (102)
Course Length: 5 Weeks
Start Date: 02 Sep 2019
Cost: £49.99
https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102

Scotland 1750 - 1850 - Beyond the OPRs (302)
Course Length: 5 Weeks
Start Date: 04 Nov 2019
Cost: £49.99
https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302

So little time, so much genealogical work to be done...! :)

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FindmyPast expands US passenger lists collection

The latest additions to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk) this week:

United States, Passenger and Crew Lists
Containing more than 100 million records, our new and improved national collection of US passenger lists is a blend of all our existing US lists as well as more than 2 million new additions covering Boston, Texas and South Carolina. Spanning 165 years of travel (1800-1965), the collection includes ship manifests kept by shipmasters, crew lists, flight manifests, passenger arrival lists, and more. This extensive collection of migration records includes ship manifests kept by shipmasters, crew lists, flight manifests, passenger arrival lists, and more. The numerous lists document the arrival of millions of immigrant from Europe, Asia, and South America into America, where most created a new life for themselves and their descendants.

Huddersfield Baptisms
Over 52,000 records covering 14 new parishes have been added to our collection of Huddersfield Baptisms. All new parishes are highlighted in the Huddersfield baptisms parish list.

Yorkshire Memorial Inscriptions
Over 5000 additional records covering 14 Anglican churchyards across the York area (West Riding, North Riding and Ainsty) have been added to the collection. Mainly covering the years of the First and Second World War, these records will enable you to discover when your ancestor died and where they were laid to rest.

Middlesex Baptisms
Over 64,000 new records have been added to existing parishes within our collection of Middlesex Baptisms.

International Records Update – Czech Republic
Two new Indexes, Czech Republic Births & Baptisms 1637-1889 and Czech Republic Marriages 1654-1889 are now available to search.

British & Irish Newspapers
This week we have added 98,602 brand new pages to The Archive. We have updates to eleven of our existing titles – spanning 134 years between 1865 and 1999, and covering towns and cities across England and Northern Ireland. You can find extensive updates this week to Yorkshire title the Huddersfield Daily Examiner, with over 12,000 new pages added, which include the years between 1885 and 1909. We have additions to other regional titles as well, covering the south of England (Crawley and London), the Midlands (Coventry), as well as the north of the country (Liverpool). We are excited to welcome further updates to one of our specialist publications – Field – for which we now have editions up to 1911. Field is a newspaper dedicated to country pursuits, and is a unique window into the world of the Victorian country gentleman.

Further details and links at https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-fridays-2639165517.html

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Cardiganshire parish records added to FindmyPast

From FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk) this week:

Scotland, Dumfriesshire Death & Burial Index
Explore your Scottish ancestry with over 39,000 death and burial records from Dumfriesshire. Many of the burial records include additional details about your ancestor such as, their last address, parents' names and birth date.

Pennsylvania, Register of Mine Accidents
Discover whether your mining ancestor was involved in a mining accident in Pennsylvania. Within this collection of more than 163,000 records, you will find large numbers of immigrants which is indicated by their nationality along with vital information about the accident itself and whether it was fatal.

Cardiganshire Baptisms
Over 74,000 additional records from across 45 parishes have been added to our collection of Cardiganshire Baptisms.

Cardiganshire Marriages and Banns
Over 65,000 additional records from across 45 parishes have been added to our collection of Cardiganshire Marriages and Banns.

Cardiganshire Burials
Over 81,000 additional records from across 45 parishes have been added to our collection of Cardiganshire Marriages and Banns.

International records – Italy
Celebrate Italy's Festival of the Republic on June 2nd by unearthing your Italian roots. Three indexes containing over 3.1 million births, marriages and deaths are now available to search and explore on Findmypast. These indexes span the years 1806 to 1900 and will generate hints against your Findmypast family tree.

British & Irish Newspaper Update
This week we have added 95,674 pages to our collection of historical British & Irish Newspapers. We are delighted to have two brand new titles joining us this week – West Midlands title the Sandwell Evening Mail and Field, which describes itself as 'the country gentleman's newspaper. We are also pleased to welcome updates to eleven of our existing titles, with updates to five of our Irish titles, as well as titles from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire and London. Details of these updates are included at the end of this blog post.


For further details, and links, visit https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-2638513354.html

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

American records added to FindmyPast

The latest additions to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

Daughters of the American Revolution Lineage Books, 1890 – 1921
Explore lineage books consisting of information submitted by tens of thousands of individuals with connections to Revolutionary War patriots. First formed in 1890 in Washington DC, The Daughters of the American Revolution is dedicated to the preservation of American Revolutionary War genealogies. This database, containing over 57,000 references to Revolutionary War ancestors and their descendants, will reveal birth years, relative's names, family lineages and descriptions of American revolutionaries. Some records may even include a photo or sketch of a veteran or member.

Scotland, Wigtownshire & Minnigaff Parish Lists 1684
Search for your Scottish ancestors in parish lists containing over 53,000 names.

Philadelphia Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms
Over 53,000 new records have been added to our exclusive collection of Philadelphia Catholic Baptisms. Each record includes both a transcript and an image of the original register entry that will reveal a combination of your ancestor's birth date, baptism date, baptism place, residence and parent's names.

Philadelphia Roman Catholic Parish Marriages
Over 30,000 new additions are now available to search. Spanning the years 1800 to 1917, each new record includes a transcript and an image of the original sacramental register that will reveal a combination of the couple's names, birth years, marital status and parents' names as well as the date and location of their wedding.

Lincolnshire Parish Records
Over 266,000 additional records have recently been added to our collections of Lincolnshire parish baptisms, banns, marriages and burials.

British & Irish Newspaper Update
This week we have added 108,044 new pages to The Archive. We are delighted to welcome three brand new publications to our collection. For those with an interest in economic history we have added the Course of the Exchange, which is a record of various financial data such as stocks, shares and bonds across the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. For this specialist journal we have published the years 1825 to 1908, with 8,455 issues now available to search. Also joining us this week are two further regional publications, Herefordshire title the Kington Times, and Somerset title the Bridgewater Journal. We have also updated three of our London titles, including the Tottenham and Edmonton Weekly Herald, as well as adding further issues of the Irish Independent and the Crawley News.

International Records Update – Grenada
Explore your Caribbean heritage with over 30,000 birth and baptism records from Grenada. Saint Andrew, Saint David, Prospect Hill, Carriacon, and Grand Bay are a sample of the places represented in this collection. The index was created as part of the International Genealogical Index.

Further details and links at https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-may-10th-2636757452.html

Chris

My next Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course starts May 13th 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. For my Scottish and Irish themed books, visit https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Fold3 offers free access to US Civil War records

From Ancestry:

To commemorate the beginning of the #CivilWar in 1861, @fold3 is offering free access to more than 100 million records from their Civil War Collection until April 15th. Click here: https://go.fold3.com/civilwar

If your family headed to the US and got caught up in the Civil war, you have two weeks to find out what they got up to.

Chris

My next Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course starts May 13th 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. For my Scottish and Irish themed books, visit https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Company behind US Family Tree magazine files for bankruptcy

There's an extraordinary situation unfolding just now in the United States, detailed by Roberta Estes on her blog at https://dna-explained.com/2019/03/19/family-tree-magazine-and-family-tree-university-files-bankruptcy/.

New York based F&W Media, the firm behind the US based magazine Family Tree (not affiliated to the UK magazine of the same name), and its Family Tree University, has filed for bankruptcy, leaving many contributors unpaid. According to Roberta, when the firm made its application to the Court, "The court was provided with a list of creditors 542 pages in length, with 30 names per page, for a whopping total of 16,260 people or companies that they owe money."

The full story is outlined in Roberta's blog post, and also by Forbes magazine at https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonysilber/2019/03/11/fw-media-citing-debt-decline-and-mismanagement-files-for-bankruptcy-protection/#205649d84355.

Here's hoping that all who are owed money are paid in due course. There may be many free resources available online, but professional genealogists are not charities, and deserve to be paid as much as any other profession. And for those who worked on the editorial side of things, I suspect this is as big a shock for them - here's hoping they successfully find alternative work.

(With thanks to Roberta for sharing)

Chris

My next Scottish Research Online course starts March 11th 2019 - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. For my Scottish and Irish themed books, visit https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Liverpool records added to FindmyPast

The latest records added to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

Liverpool Roman Catholic Parish Records
Over 1.4 million baptisms, marriages, burials and congregational records covering 47 parishes have been released online for the first time in association with the Archdiocese of Liverpool. These latest additions to our collections of English Catholic records span the years 1754 to 1988 and include images of the original documents. These new records have been added to the following collection:

England Roman Catholic Parish Congregational Records
England Roman Catholic Parish Marriages
England Roman Catholic Parish Burials
England Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms

Liverpool Workhouse Registers
Search for your Liverpool ancestors with over 2.5 million admission and discharge registers, classification lists, registers of the sick, and other documents from seven different institutions including: Fazakerley Cottage Homes, Kirkdale Industrial Schools, West Derby Union Workhouse, Olive Mount Children's Home, Sefton General Hospital, Toxteth Park Workhouse, Walton Workhouse, and West Derby Union.

Liverpool Church of England Parish records
Over 2.2 million parish baptisms, marriages, burials and congregational records have been added to our collection of Lancashire Church of England parish records. The new additions cover 157 parishes across the city and span the years 1653 to 1991 and are available to search through the following collections:

Lancashire, Liverpool Congregational Records
Lancashire Baptisms
Lancashire Banns & Marriages
Lancashire Burials

National School Admission Registers & Log-Books 1870-1914
Over 646,000 additional records covering hundreds of schools across Liverpool and Lancashire between 1807 and 1952 are now available to search. The new additions include admissions, withdrawals and log books that will enable you to learn more about your ancestor's early years.

England & Wales Non-Conformist Records
Over 50,000 additional records have been added to our collections of England & Wales Non-Conformist births and baptisms, marriages and burials covering Methodist churches in the English port city of Liverpool. The new additions span over 100 years of the city's history between 1800 and 1915 and are available to search within the following collections:

England & Wales Non-Conformist Marriages
England & Wales Non-Conformist Burials
England & Wales Non-Conformist Births and Baptisms

British and Irish newspaper update
This week we have added 117,904 new pages to The Archive. We have two brand new titles joining us this week – the Folkestone Express, Sandgate, Shorncliffe & Hythe Advertiser, which spans the years between 1868 and 1919, and the Central Somerset Gazette, which covers the years between 1862 and 1981. This week also sees updates to four of our existing titles, with further updates to last week's new title the East Kent Gazette, as well as new pages for the Oxfordshire Telegraph, the Sunday Independent (Dublin) and the Evening Herald (Dublin).

Cincinnati Roman Catholic Parish Records
Over 405,000 sacramental register entries covering 103 Parishes across the Dioceses of Cincinnati are now available to search online for the first time. These new collections consist of indexes of baptisms, marriages, burials and congregational records spanning the years 1800 to 1979. These new collection include:

Cincinnati Roman Catholic Parish Congregational Records
Cincinnati Roman Catholic Parish Burials
Cincinnati Roman Catholic Parish Marriages
Cincinnati Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms

For further details, and links, visit https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-2630325711.html

Chris

My next Scottish Research Online course starts March 11th 2019 - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. For my Scottish and Irish themed books, visit https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Ulster Historical Foundation American Tour - update

From the Ulstrer Historical Foundation (www.ancestryireland.com):

American Lecture Tour - Update

Our 2019 Irish and Scots-Irish family history lecture tour of the United States begins next week on 09 March in Concord, NH.

Our events in Madison, WI and Tampa, FL have already sold out and our other events are filling up fast. If you are interested in attending any of our events, even those that are free to attend, we would recomend you contact the host organisation as quickly as possible to ensure that you don't miss out.

If you would like to register for one of the programmes simply click on the relevant link below.

09 March - Concord, NH
10 March - Philadelphia, PA
11 March - Chicago, IL
12 March - Madison, WI SOLD OUT
13 March - Green Bay, WI
14 March - Salt Lake City, UT
15 March - Salt Lake City, UT
16 March - Denver, CO
18 March - Pittsburgh, PA
19 March - Louisville, KY
20 March - Coeur d'Alene, ID
22 March - Valparaiso, IN
23 March - Tampa, FL - SOLD OUT
24 March - Fairfield, CT
25 March - New York City, NY
26 March - New York City, NY

Getting involved – we would like you to help us

We would like you to help us make our 2019 lecture tour as successful as it can be. It is easy to get involved: by talking to friends and family, especially those interested in family history; telling your local library, community learning groups, fraternal organisations in your area; messaging genealogy and history societies, museums, Irish, Scots-Irish and celtic cultural organisations, sharing and commenting on social media, blogs and forums; or even mentioning the Foundation to your local Irish pubs, clubs or local interest groups.

You don’t need to live in USA to assist. Supporters living in UK and Ireland, Canada, Europe, Australasia and South Africa have friends, family and contacts in USA. You too can share posts, tweets and details of the tour with potentially interested parties.

We would like to thank you for your help and support. More information can be found at https://www.ancestryireland.com/lecture-tour-2019.

(With thanks to the UHF)

Chris

My next Scottish Research Online course starts March 11th 2019 - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. For my Scottish and Irish themed books, visit https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

RootsTech announces keynote speakers

From RootsTech (www.rootstech.org):

RootsTech 2019 Announces Lineup of Keynote Speakers and Entertainers

RootsTech_2019_Keynote_Speaker_Collage.pngSalt Lake City, Utah (13 February 2019), RootsTech 2019, the world’s largest family history conference, announced its full lineup of keynote speakers and entertainers, including Saroo Brierley, Patricia Heaton, Derek Hough, Jake Shimabukuro, and Steve Rockwood. Fueled by the popularity of DNA genealogy, social networking platforms, and related mobile apps, RootsTech 2018 had over 50,000 in-person and online attendees. Hosted by FamilySearch International, the conference will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 27 through March 2, and select content is broadcast live online.

Keynote Speakers

RootsTech 2019 kicks off on Wednesday, February 27, with classes on topics such as DNA research, photo preservation, and using social media to preserve family legacies. Steve Rockwood, CEO of FamilySearch International, will be the featured keynote speaker on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. mountain standard time.

Emmy Award-winning actress Patricia Heaton takes the stage on Thursday to share stories of faith and family. Heaton is most recognized for her role as Deborah Barone on the hit sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005) and more recently as Frankie Heck in The Middle (2009–2018). Heaton is also the author of two books. Her most recent, a recipe book, is Patricia Heaton’s Food for Family and Friends: 100 Favorite Recipes for a Busy, Happy Life, and her humorous collection of essays about life and family, published in 2003, is Motherhood and Hollywood: How to Get a Job Like Mine.

Saroo Brierley, whose story is recounted in the international bestselling autobiography A Long Way Home, will be the featured keynote speaker on Friday, March 1. Brierley’s remarkable family reunification story was depicted in the 2016 film Lion.

On Saturday, March 2, world-renowned ukulele musician and composer Jake Shimabukuro will take the stage. Shimabukuro’s records have repeatedly topped Billboard world music charts. Shimabukuro will speak about his efforts to honor his heritage through music and will perform live for the RootsTech audience.

Derek Hough, professional ballroom dancer and choreographer, will perform during the Friday evening event, Connecting through Music and Dance. Hough is widely recognized for his work on the ABC dance-competition series Dancing with the Stars, where he has won a record six seasons.

Classes

RootsTech 2019 offers more than 300 classes and activities for families and individuals with varying interests and skills. Select classes will be broadcast live (see https://www.rootstech.org/salt-lake/live-stream-schedule). RootsTech also offers a Virtual Pass, which provides access to additional online recorded sessions from the conference. Learn more or register for the event at RootsTech.org.

(With thanks to RootsTech via email)

Chris

My next Scottish Research Online course starts March 11th 2019 - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. For my Scottish and Irish themed books, visit https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FindmyPast updates New York Roman Catholic records collections

The latest additions to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.com):

New York Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms
Over 329,000 additional baptism records have been added to our collection of New York Roman Catholic Sacramental registers. The new additions cover nearly 60 parishes across the diocese and span the years 1787 to 1916.

New York Roman Catholic Parish Marriages
Over 95,000 Sacramental register entries from 65 New York Catholic parishes have been added to the collection. Marriage records are an excellent way of adding new branches and previous generations to your family tree. Spanning the years 1819 to 1916.

New York Roman Catholic Parish Congregational Records
Hundreds of new records have been added to our collection of New York Roman Catholic Parish Congregational Records. The new additions cover the parishes of SS Joseph & Thomas in Richmond County (1910), St Columba in Orange County (1895 – 1915) and St Peter in Ulster County (1860).

Lincolnshire Registers & Records
Over 500 additional images have been added to our collection of Lincolnshire registers and records.

British & Irish Newspapers
This week at the British Newspaper Archive we are celebrating passing the 30 million image mark, with the addition of 143,974 new images to the Archive. As well as now having over 30 million searchable pages this week, we have a bumper crop of newly updated titles (fifteen in all), covering England, Scotland and Ireland and spanning the years 1849 to 2005.

The full list of recently updated titles includes:

West Surrey Times - 1876, 1882-1887, 1893, 1895, 1899-1910, 1913-1914
Sunday Life - 1988-1997
Heywood Advertiser - 1877
Lloyd's List - 1912
Leicester Daily Post - 1879, 1887
Buckingham Express - 1869
Evening Herald (Dublin) - 2005
Daily Herald - 1957
Express and Echo - 1881-1888, 1890-1895, 1899-1900
Belfast Telegraph - 1917
Gloucestershire Chronicle - 1849-1851, 1855-1864, 1866-1870
Huddersfield Daily Examiner - 1872, 1886, 1891-1895, 1901-1904
Worcester Herald - 1859-1860
Perthshire Advertiser - 1933-1935, 1987
Carlisle Journal - 1882, 1884, 1886-1888, 1890, 1893, 1895

Further details at https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-february-1st-2627629109.html

Chris

My next Scottish Research Online course starts March 11th 2019 - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. For my Scottish and Irish themed books, visit https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Do FamilyTreeDNA's new terms of service breach GDPR?

Following the news that FamilyTreeDNA (www.familytreedna.com) has suddenly changed its terms of service, and announced that it is allowing the FBI access to its database for law enforcement purposes (see https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/2019/02/familytreedna-is-now-working-with-fbi.html), the Legal Genealogist, Judy G. Russell, has posted a fairly damning critique of the news at https://www.legalgenealogist.com/2019/02/01/opening-the-dna-floodgates/.

Noting that she has long been a fan of FamilyTreeDNA, Judy states that the development "may have brought that enthusiasm to a screeching halt". She adds that "At one time here in America, we thought that privacy existed whether or not our homes, papers or effects might contain evidence the police might be interested in — and whether or not we might have crime suspects in our family trees … or in our DNA match lists. Apparently, not any more."

In fact, there is quite a range of opinions in the comments following Judy's post, some for the development, some against, but one point of interest that has been raised is whether the new terms and conditions from FamilyTreeDNA in fact breach the new European wide GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) regulations, designed to give EU citizens more control over the use of their personal data.

Judy states "My own personal view is that changing these TOS in this fashion would not accord with the GDPR. It remains to be see what, if anything, the EU regulators will conclude."

GDPR was designed to strengthen the right to privacy. This is definitely one to watch.

Chris

My next Scottish Research Online course starts March 11th 2019 - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. For my Scottish and Irish themed books, visit https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FamilyTreeDNA is now working with the FBI

Testing company FamilyTreeDNA (www.familytreedna.com) is working with the FBI in the United States, by allowing its vast DNA database to be used by the agency to solve violent crimes. The new arrangement raises privacy questions about the rights of users to their own genetic information.

The full story is available online at https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/salvadorhernandez/family-tree-dna-fbi-investigative-genealogy-privacy.

Commenting on Twitter, US based genealogist Megan Smolenyak stated "Suspect majority of genealogists will be OK with this, but am still disappointed that FamilyTreeDNA would do this. Customers should be able to opt out without losing cousin-finding ability." 

TheDNAGeek has also noted yesterday that terms and conditions were changed by FamilyTreeDNA to allow such usage without customers receiving any notification - see https://thednageek.com/ftdna-opens-the-door-to-the-cops/.

FamilyTreeDNA's official press release is available at https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/familytreedna--connecting-families-and-saving-lives-300788024.html. In this, Bennett Greenspan, President and Founder of Gene-by-Gene Ltd. and FamilyTreeDNA, states:

"We came to the conclusion," says Greenspan, "that if law enforcement created accounts, with the same level of access to the database as the standard FamilyTreeDNA user, they would not be violating user privacy and confidentiality. In order for the FBI to obtain any additional information, they would have to provide a valid court-order such as a subpoena or search warrant."

"Working with law enforcement to process DNA samples from the scene of a violent crime or identifying an unknown victim does not change our policy never to sell or barter our customers' private information with a third party. Our policy remains fully intact and in force." 

I suspect this may not go down well with a lot of subscribers.

(With thanks to @megansmolenyak and @debbiekennett on Twitter, and to Leah Larkin, The DNA Geek)

Chris

My next Scottish Research Online course starts March 11th 2019 - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. For my Scottish and Irish themed books, visit https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.