Innehållsförteckning för November/December 2024 från Family Tree

In his famous almanac, “Poor Richard” (a.k.a., Benjamin Franklin) reminded his readers way back in 1738 to “Either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing.” As genealogists, we have the opportunity to do both. We write the stories of our ancestors to preserve their legacy for future generations. And our research itself can be something our own descendants will one day talk about. The trick is making sure your work outlasts you. In this issue, we share advice for writing family histories that will entice your family. Digital Editor Melina Papadopoulos (herself a creative writing buff) shares easy steps to start writing on page 12, complete with a worksheet for organizing writing projects. Those looking to spice up their narratives will also appreciate this issue’s tips for…

MOST MAJOR GENEALOGY PROGRAMS published new editions this year. As we documented in our September/October issue (page 6), 2024 saw the release of: • Legacy Family Tree 10 <www.legacyfamilytree.com>• Reunion 14 <www.leisterpro.com>• RootsMagic 10 <www.rootsmagic.com> Further, Family Tree Maker announced a 2024 edition of its software <www.mackiev.com/ftm/ftm2024_coming_soon.html>, though it hasn’t been released as of this writing. French program Heredis capped off the year in September with a 30th-anniversary edition. Available for both Mac and PC, Heredis 2025 <www.heredis.com/en/new-features-2025> boasts 30 innovations, including improved data-entry. It also has a mobile version.…

Deborah Lanino is an artist. So maybe it’s no surprise that two of her earliest memories of family history are works of art: a charcoal drawing hanging in her great-grandmother’s house, and a hand-carved box. The charcoal portrait was by Italian-American artist Arturo Noci, and the box was full of Italian newspaper articles and commemorations to the family. The items were passed down the generations from Deborah’s great-great-grandfather, who brought them to the United States from Rome. His father, Pietro of Turin, was a professor at Bologna University and the chief electrical engineer of Italy’s first railroad. Deborah—who studied fine art at the Pratt Institute—first visited her ancestral homeland of Italy at age 18. “I fell in love with the landscape, the arts, the language and the food,” she says.…

Setting isn’t just a place—it’s also an environment affected by nature. In writing, as in life, weather can influence emotions. Short, dreary, cold days can induce lethargy or a touch of melancholy. A thunderstorm can put nerves on edge. A warm day with birds tweeting can leave one energized—especially after a long winter. Use meteorological details as another tool to affect the readers’ mood. Weather can also set up a conflict: a barren, forsaken landscape that foreshadows hardship, or a tornado bearing down on a town.…

Q A Civil War record lists our ancestor Thomas Bond (serving in a Mass. regiment) as being born in Montreal. A relative thinks he was born in Ireland instead. How can we be sure? A The Civil War Soldiers & Sailors Database <www.nps.gov/civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-database.htm> has multiple entries for “Thomas Bond,” including two who served in Massachusetts regiments. You could try the more-detailed CMSRs (compiled military service records) available at the subscription Fold3 site <www.fold3.com/publication/922/civil-war-service-records-cmsr-union-massachusetts>. A search for “Thomas Bond” returns records for at least two (likely three or more) individuals. There we found the Montreal-born Thomas—and a Thomas Bond born in Grafton, Vt. The latter is still not a match for an Ireland-born Thomas. You could also compare the Thomas Bonds found in an Ancestry.com collection of Civil War records and…

Q How can I keep my DNA data safe? A Modern life often demands that we trade privacy for convenience. We pay our bills and look at bank accounts online, both of which require us to share personal, secure information with companies we trust. We do so for the convenience of their online services. DNA testing experiences are no different. That said, here are a few guidelines to help you make sure you’re doing what you can to protect your privacy with DNA data: 1. Understand consent. When you register a DNA test at a testing company, you have two kinds of consent to consider: • Consent for them to test your DNA: This is what you paid for, so you will have to agree to this one.• Consent to…

Software-maker Vivid-Pix has released a free version of its Memory Station program <www.vivid-pix.com/product/memory-station-home-edition-free-trail-for-win>. The tool allows users to digitally repair images (such as scanned family photos or genealogy documents), then easily pair them with recorded audio in a shareable video. Free-trial users can create five stories using pictures they already have on their device, and use Vivid-Pix’s RESTORE tool to touch-up 10 images. The paid Home Edition ($199.99) <www.vivid-pix.com/product/memory-station-home-editionsoftware> unlocks additional uses. Note: As of this writing, Memory Station is available only for Windows. The popular RESTORE software <www.vivid-pix.com/restore> is available for both Windows and Mac, and also offers a free trial.…

This year, we launched a USB archive that covers all 20-plus years of Family Tree Magazine. This collection of past-issue PDFs is convenient, portable and keyword-searchable. And it includes a comprehensive subject-article index curated by our editors, making it easy to find articles relevant to your research. (Previously, we’ve only produced single-year indexes; see page 72 for 2024’s.) The most-recent edition includes every issue of Family Tree—from January 2000 to the one you’re reading now! See the inside back cover for more information.…

FamilySearch continues to innovate. Its Labs page <www.familysearch.org/en/labs> links to technologies in the experimental stage that the site has opened for beta-testing. One exciting tool—full-text search—has exciting implications for the future of finding records on FamilySearch. Full-text search uses handwriting-recognition and optical character recognition (OCR tools) to generate searchable text from record images that were previously unindexed. That allows everyday users to access many more records via keyword search. As of this writing, full-text search includes some 100 million US land and probate records and plantation records, plus some documents from Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico. FamilySearch will likely add more. Go to the Labs page, then click “Try It” under “Expand Your Search with Full Text.” Go to the experiment <www.familysearch.org/search/full-text>, and enter search terms. The site recommends using…

Many homes and neighborhoods no longer exist in the same way that they did when our ancestors lived in them. Imagine being able to identify a picture of a family standing in front of a home by comparing the features of the house to details drawn on a map. You can use Sanborn fire insurance maps in a variety of ways to help tell your ancestor’s stories. They suggest what church or school they attended, what grocery store they shopped at, and how long their commute to work may have been. They can also help you identify house numbers, especially useful if deeds only describe a block and lot. Read on for how this remarkably consistent collection of maps can light up your family history. SANBORN MAP COVERAGE As they…

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) <library-archives.canada.ca/eng> is a free portal to the history of the “Great White North.” There you’ll find original government records, 30 million historical photos, 20 million books, research guides, and other materials from Canada’s national archives and library. No wonder that the website—which has a dedicated link for “Genealogy and Family History” right on the home page—is a major destination for genealogists. 1 Click Genealogy and Family History <library-archives.canada.ca/eng/collection/research-help/genealogy-family-history/pages/genealogy-family-history.aspx> from the home page to see major resources organized by record type. LAC doesn’t necessarily hold all the records mentioned here, but you’ll usually find good directions and access information for those held by other institutions. Click a heading to learn about each subject. “How to Begin Your Genealogy Research,” for example, has a helpful overview of…

1 Genealogy Forms Family Tree Notebooks <www.familytreenotebooks.com> Download beautifully designed digital pages to create unique family history books. Choose from à-la-carte designs or the All-in-One Starter Pack that has everything you need to compile as many books as you like. Page themes include timeline, military service, enslavement, census and more. Find Family Tree’s collection of forms at <store.familytreemagazine.com/essential-family-tree-forms>. 2 Magnifiers Fun Stuff for Genealogists <fun-stuff-for-genealogists-inc.myshopify.com/collections/magnifiers> Magnifying aids can help you decipher small-print and difficult-to-read documents, maps, charts and more. Choose among several designs: portable or powerful, round or rectangular. The Versa Loupe 10X LED Magnifier even has bright, embedded LED lights. 3 Microspatulas Print File <www.printfile.com/product/micro-spatula> Keep one of these handy when you need to (gently) separate stubbornly stuck-together items, such as pages in a book or photos in albums.…

GENETIC GENEALOGY IS perhaps the fastest-moving, most technical subject in family history. It invites genealogists to not only learn heady DNA concepts, but also keep up as the technology behind testing changes and new ways of using results emerge. Since 2012, Roberta Estes’ blog DNAeXplained <www.dna-explained.com> has become a trusted source for genetic genealogists. Each post features a timely news item, breakdown of a complicated DNA subject, or snapshot of Estes’ life as a researcher. Estes also speaks at genealogical conferences and has written two well-reviewed books through the Genealogical Publishing Company: DNA for Native American Genealogy and The Complete Guide to Family Tree DNA. We caught up with Estes to get her perspective on DNA for genealogy: where it’s been, how it’s useful today, and what might be coming…

One of Scotland’s top websites for genealogy research received a facelift in September. Scotland’s People <www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk>, the official online hub for that country’s censuses, vital record registries, church records, wills and other documents, rolled out a redesign that “make[s] accessing Scotland’s records easier than ever.” A new Getting Started page <www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/getting-started> outlines how to search for ancestors and order copies of records. You’ll need to register for a free account to search records, and purchase credits to view most actual documents. Most records cost 6 to 10 credits, roughly $2 to $4 USD.…

1 Write Daily We writers sometimes need structure in our routine to be effective. Set aside time every day to write—even if it’s only 15 minutes on a lunch break, while you drink your morning coffee, or just before you go to bed. 2 Set a Timer You don’t have to—and frankly, shouldn’t—sit at your computer or desk all day. Decide on a manageable “writing sprint” each day, set a timer, and let the words flow for that amount of time. Don’t stop to edit, and feel free to write longer if you find a groove. 3 Dictate If a blinking cursor is too intimidating, record yourself speaking into your phone or recorder. Have a dictation app transcribe your words, and watch your story come to life. You may not…

Discover rich local history by using these easy-to-access resources: 1. The FamilySearch Research Wiki <www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Main_Page> has pages for individual regions, counties and cities. 2. Historical and genealogical societies specializing in cultural or national groups offer a wealth of information through their websites and (often) Facebook pages. 3. Newspapers and city directories will give you a feel for the place. Look through biographical sketches and advertisements. Did the furniture maker also offer coffins? Did many local companies bear the same family name? 4. Maps of various kinds—Sanborn fire insurance maps (see page 58), plat maps, land surveys and atlases—depict the streets your ancestors traveled. 5. Libraries and archives may have special local collections not available elsewhere. 6. Published local histories were curated specifically to chronicle the annals of a place. Find…

Each state-by-state guide includes: How-to tutorials for finding records Notes on how and when key documents were kept in the state, including vital records, state censuses and land records Historical summaries and timelines Narrative history with special emphasis on events that affected your ancestors, including year of statehood, large migrations, and major border changes Links to key resources Websites, books, and archives and organizations for further research 1 READ AS PART OF FAMILY TREE MAGAZINE Each issue contains two newly updated guides on a rolling basis. Subscribers collect all 52 guides. 2 VIEW ONLINE FOR FREE <www.familytreemagazine.com/explore-by-state> New states added each month. 3 PURCHASE & DOWNLOAD PDFS <store.familytreemagazine.com/genealogy-research-state-guides> Purchase ($9.99 per guide; $49.95 for full collection) includes perpetual access to the most-recent version of the guide. RESEARCH GUIDE PUBLICATION HISTORY…

In the spring of 1604, a band of 75 men landed near the mouth of the St. Croix River. Near today’s border between Maine and Canada’s New Brunswick, they established some of the first French settlements in North America. There they met the Mi’kmaq First Nations peoples, who had lived there for millennia. The French colony evolved into Acadia, an area that includes modern-day Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and parts of Newfoundland and Quebec. After changing hands between France and England throughout the 1600s, Acadia came firmly under English control in 1713. Journeying to those ancient lands—especially as a descendant of both the First Nations and those first French settlers—is unlike any other experience. The region’s dual heritage survives in the Acadian people, music, cuisine, and re-created…

Citation: "Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Elmira, Chemung County, New York," digital images, Library of Congress (www.loc.gov/item/sanborn05906_004 : accessed 16 August 2024). Citing Sanborn Map Company, 1903. Map. Images 1 and 15. 1 Numbers within buildings indicate how many stories tall they were. In this case, St. James' Parochial School was a three-story building. 2 Dashed lines along the front of this Sal. (saloon) denote a porch. 3 Color indicates type of building material. This bakery, in yellow, had a wood-frame structure. The pink is an addition made of brick—according to the note, an oven (certainly relevant for fire risk!). 4 Numbers in front of a building are its street address. 5 This one building has several businesses: a cobbler, a sausage-making company, a motor company, and a smokehouse in…

1 Keep buttons away. Campaign buttons have a timeless appeal and look great on display. But the pins or button-backs themselves are typically made of inexpensive metals that will rust or corrode if exposed to humidity. (And like everything else, their colors will fade if exposed too long to light.) Store buttons by themselves in a shadow box or jewelry tray to avoid scratches. If on display, keep them behind UV glass or away from windows and other light sources. Plastic buttons (and other trinkets) are likewise unstable. Use clean cotton or nitrile gloves when handling old plastics, which tend to crack and chip. Don’t clean using solvents—distilled water and a soft cloth are safer. Wrap items in acid-free tissue. 2 Save paper in acid-free folders. Flyers, posters, event tickets,…

INTRODUCING THE FAMILY TREE MAGAZINE USB ARCHIVE This comprehensive digital archive of America’s no. 1 genealogy magazine contains 25 years of guidance on how to trace your roots. Navigation is easy with the included app. Search articles by keyword to get the information you need fast! Features include: • PDFs of every issue of Family Tree Magazine from 2000 to 2024—more than 150 issues in total• An easy-to-install app for browsing issues on your computer• Clickable index (curated by the Family Tree editors) to help you find articles important to your research ORDER TODAY <store.familytreemagazine.com/family-tree-magazine-archive-2000-2024>…