Internet Genealogy: August/September 2011 issue

Here are the contents from the latest, August/ September issue of Internet Genealogy, with my comments interspersed.
Mobile Genealogy: Family History Research on Your Phone, Tablet and More! 
Tony Bandy examines the latest developments in the world of mobile genealogy! Read a sample of this article... Comment: "I believe we're at the beginning of a fundamental shift in how we conduct our genealogy projects" is an attention-getting line. The article reviews mobile hardware (smartphones, tablets and eReaders)  and software (Apps). Thirty years ago many of us were faced with a decision, Betamax or VCR, and recognizing that it wasn't the superior technology which one out in that case are biding our time to see how the market shakes out.Research in Pennsylvania 
Carol Gohari looks at the resources available for researching in Northampton and Lehigh Counties
Family Tree Builder 5.0: A Bit of the Old, a Lot of the New! 
Tony Bandy examines the newest version of MyHeritage's Family Tree Builder Read a sample of this article... 
Comment: This is a lightly edited version of an article that appeared in the July/August issue of Family Chronicle, accompanied by an in-bag CD.Leafing Through History: What Our Ancestors Read Diane Dittgen looks at the magazines that informed and entertained our ancestors 
Comment:Reviews the evolution of periodicals that our US ancestors may have read. refers specifically to The American Periodical Series, an academic database found at many university libraries in the US.
Net Notes Donauschwaben Villages Helping Hands (DVHH); The Canadian Letters and Images Project; Dayton, OH Rare Photos; British Workhouse Records
Czech Research: Who Was Jan Zabransky? IG's Edward Zapletal tries to solve the mystery of his great-grandfather by using the Catholic parish books of the Czech Regional Archives Online 
Researching Your French Roots 
Nik Walker goes online in search of online resources for tracing your French ancestry 
Military Burials: What You Need to Know! 
Sharon A. Wilson looks at a great online resource for tracing your military ancestor 
Comment: Another informative article for the US genealogist, and even for non-US genealogists like me who had a stray ancestor in the US Army.Investigating a Murder in the Family 
Richard Jordan delves deeper into a genealogical case of murder most foul 
What's in Your Google Toolbox 
Diane L. Richard reviews Lisa Louise Cooke's newest book 
Comment: Praises this book as a stepping stone, while mentioning that Google has much more to offer than in the book. With the recent changes at Google, including Google+, keeping such a book up to date has be nearly a full-time job - something more ephemeral might be better. 
Tracing Your Welsh Roots 
Alan Stewart looks at the top online resources for researching your ancestor from Wales
Comment: a valuable article covering the sources that Wales has in common with England, essential for Welsh research, and many specialized Welsh resources including those of the National Library of Wales. I had not been aware of the transcriptions of Monmouthshire Bishops Transcripts and Parish Registers athttp://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~monfamilies/monprts.htmJamboree Conference Round-Up! 
Edward Zapletal looks back at the 42nd Annual Southern California Genealogical Society's Jamboree
Using Google Scholar for Genealogy! 
Arnon Hershkovitz, PhD looks at yet another way to use Google for your research

Is the Bytown Museum chasing cheap publicity?

An Ottawa Citizen article makes it appear that the Bytown Museum, from its perch beside the Rideau Canal locks, has been attempting to jazz up its image by making dubious claims that war poet John McCrae, who wrote "In Flanders Fields", was gay.

The Citizen article refers to "an exasperated" BIFHSGO President Glenn Wright denying he was a source for any such claim, rather saying it was "a museum curator who “presented to me” the same-sex theory in conversation weeks ago."

The Ottawa Citizen article is at:
Bytown Museum claims famed war poet John McCrae was gay

Can you identify it?

I wandered into one of the least visited public areas at Library and Archives Canada and saw this.

There's a prize, maybe a coffee at LAC's 5th floor cafeteria, for the first person to post a comment correctly identifying where you'll find this example of librarian humour.

Ancestry updates their Andrews Newspaper Index Cards, 1790-1976

Last September I blogged about Ancestry's newly released Andrew's index cards, a collection of notices from newspapers and various official sources, such as the London Gazette. They were produced during the process of searching for missing persons and people seeking next of kin.

Now Ancestry are advertising an update with 580,146 records, more than double the 250,000 previously available. Maybe they can help with your genealogical challenge, just as they did when they were originally compiled.

http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1897

Kingston city directories

Looking for someone who lived in Kingston, Ontario? Through the collection of city directories at the Kingston Frontenac Public Library you can now access digitized versions of 37 Kingston city directories published between 1855 and 1923.

Access them through the Internet Archive at http://goo.gl/qvPdR of the KFPL at http://www.kfpl.ca/node/451

Ancestry adds British Postal Service Appointment Books, 1737-1969

These British Post Office appointment books, about 1.5 million names on 39,864 images, are indexes to the Postmaster General’s minute books and now available on Ancestry.co.uk
They show the point when a person began working for the Post Office or started at a new position within the Post Office. The books were kept from 1831 until 1969, when they stopped being kept because of legislation and human resource procedures. Some records contain the job the worker was appointed to and the British Postal Museum’s website has the abbreviations in their Family History Guide (pdf).

The index contains: Name, Date of appointment, Location

If you find a person of interest in this index you may wish to explore further at The British Postal Museum and Archive.The records may be particularly valuable if a pension or gratuity was granted in which case you may find a brief summary of the individual's career, the different positions they had, the different salaries they received and any notable achievements they may have made.

Savings at Global Genealogy

Milton, Ontario-based Global Genealogy is offering 15% off the advertised price of any in stock item until July 31st at midnight as a 19th anniversary special.
Just enter the words...

"19th anniversary" (without the quotation marks)

... into the COUPON CODE blank in the online shopping cart at www.globalgenealogy.com and click APPLY, or mention when you phone in your order at (1-800-361-5168).

Over 290,000 new parish records released on findmypast.co.uk

Findmypast.co.uk has added over 290,000 new parish records going back the the sixteenth century covering Warwickshire, Sheffield, Suffolk and Rugby. The records comprise:

62,252 burials from Handsworth Cemetery, Warwickshire: 1909 - 1991
99,611 baptisms from Sheffield, Yorkshire:  1558 - 1934
50,608 marriages from Suffolk: 1753 - 1837
75,258 baptisms from Suffolk: 1812 - 1905
1,436 marriages from Rugby, Warwickshire: 1564 - 1837

Exploring upcoming National Institute for Genealogical Studies courses

Having publicized courses forthcoming from Pharos Teaching and Tutoring, it's only justice to give equal time to those from the National Institute for Genealogical Studies (NIGS) that start in August.

NIGS is offering 81 courses starting on 1 August, with 2 others starting a week later. 38 are at the basic level, 28 intermediate and 17 advanced.

For England at the advanced level the courses are: English: Education, Health & Contemporary Documents; and English: Taxes, Lists, Business, Electoral & Insurance Records.  These are courses developed by Penelope Christensen. Brenda Wheeler will be conducting the live audio/video chat session that are part of these and other English stream courses.

Louise St Denis, Managing Director of NIGS, reminded me to mention the free course offer for those who have not taken an Institute course previously.

For further information go to http://www.genealogicalstudies.com/,  email admin@GenealogicalStudies.com or phone toll free to 1-800-580-0165

BTW, I received no finder fee or other incentive from either Pharos or the Institute.

Neanderthal heritage

Researchers at the University of Montreal have confirmed that — with the exception of people in sub-Saharan Africa — people today carry a tiny bit of the same X chromosome carried by Neanderthals.

Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Research+confirms+modern+humans+part+Neanderthal/5121582/story.html#ixzz1SXYhYKwK

Those with 23andme results can go to http://esquilax.stanford.edu/#explore

to explore the presence of characteristic Neanderthal DNA (alleles) in their own genome. According to postings by Steven Perkins on the GENEALOGY-DNA newsgroup, you

Load your unzipped genome
Select your majority population
Click on Explore in the Menu Box
Select an Exercise
Select Neanderthal
Check your Neanderthal matches.

Perkins mentions that so far, the highest matches have been at 26. In my case I have 9 Neanderthal alleles in my personal genotype.

Toronto History Lecture in memory of Paul McGrath

Friends and associates of the late Paul McGrath (former Chair of the Toronto Branch of OGS and on-air genealogist for Ancestors in the Attic) have announced the first annual Toronto History Lecture in his memory.

The speaker, author and historian Chris Raible, will be presenting “Rebel Remembered: The Legacy of William Lyon Mackenzie, 150 Years After His Death.”

It will be held on Thursday 4 August at the City of Toronto Archives, 255 Spadina Road. Admission is free, but registration is required.

Further details and registration are available on-line at http://tinyurl.com/6hshhsx.

Poor Law Union Gazette

I'm keeping an eye on progress of the British Newspaper Archive, a partnership between the British Library and Brightsolid, parent company of findmypast.co.uk, in the early stages of digitizing up to 40 million pages from the UK national newspaper collection over the next ten years.

To whet the appetite for the launch this fall with 1 million pages promised archive examples are being shown, the latest of which is from the weekly Poor Law Union Gazette, which was published from April 1857 to April 1903. 

It gives details of those who being sought to assume their spousal and parental responsibilities.

Exploring upcoming Pharos courses

Sherry Irvine and Helen Osborn from Pharos Teaching and Tutoring, the UK-based online genealogical education service, are speakers at the BIFHSGO conference, 16 – 18 September 2011. If, like me, you're not very familiar with Pharos and their offerings you may like to know about the courses they have getting underway in the next month.

Starting on 3 August is "Enclosure Maps and Records for Family Historians" by Liz Carter. It's a four-week course and aimed at more advanced students as indicated by its 300 level course number.

"Your Military Ancestors" is a 200 [intermediate] level course taught by Simon Fowler, well known as editor of the late lamented TNA Ancestors magazine. This four-week course starts on 15 August.

Starting on 29 August is a five week 100 level course, aimed at beginners in Scottish family history "Scottish Research Online." The instructor is fellow family history blogger, author and regular magazine contributor Chris Paton.

You can learn more about how Pharos courses work at, surprise, How Courses Work
Even if you don't intend taking one of the Pharos courses you may want to visit that site just to review their list of Websites We Use.

TNA podcast: the Battle of Towton

The following is information about the latest TNA podcast, by Dr. James Ross who is a medieval records specialist at the National Archives, originally given at the end of March 2011.

This talk introduces the biggest battle of the Wars of the Roses, described as 'The largest, longest, bloodiest and most murderous battle ever fought in Britain'. It was the decisive clash in a snowstorm at Towton in Yorkshire on 29 March 1461. A new English dynasty came to the throne with Edward IV's victory, but more Englishmen may have died at Towton than on the first day of the battle of the Somme. The talk outlines the events of that day, looking at some of The National Archives' sources for the battle and examines the participants' motivations.During the talk there is mention of horrendous battle injuries uncovered by an archaeological investigation: http://www.brad.ac.uk/acad/archsci/depart/resgrp/towton/

The talk is at: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/podcasts/battle-towton.htm

Not much or genealogical interest.

Canadian women artists database

Isabella Mary Abbott, the granddaughter of Sir John Abbott, third Prime Minister of Canada, and Mary Marguerite Porter Zwicker, are the first and last entries in this database.  It currently contains 313 Canadian women artists who worked in Canada and were born before 1925. Entries continue to be added.

Information for each artist is given under the headings year and place of birth and death, biography synopsis, media used, education,file and archive locations, bibliography (writings about, full text pdfs of exhibition reviews.)

Electronic databases cited as sources for the work are:
Dictionary of Canadian Biography

Early Canadiana Online

National Gallery of Canada online catalogue

National Library of Canada online catalogue

WorldCat union catalogue

Although it won't be easy finding them there are actually more men from the arts community named, as teachers, spouses, etc., than women.

Genealogy site rankings

Here are the global rankings for a selection of genealogy-related website, using Alexa.com, as of 17 July 2011.
How have things changed? In parenthesis find the rankings I posted a little over three months ago.
Overall the rankings for these genealogical sites decreased relative to those assessed by Alexa as a whole.
Only 16 of the 49 sites had an increased rank.
The top five rankings sites, with ancestry.com leading the pack, retained their relative positions.
The two DNA sites, 23andMe and Family Tree DNA, had an increased rank.
While myheritage.com leads the genealogical social networking sites geni.com is narrowing the gap.

ancestry.com 1,076 (984)

myheritage.com 4,573 (3,886)

geni.com 7,068 (8,086)

familysearch.org 9,138 (9,120)

genealogy.com 12,691 (12,190)

archives.gov 17,053 (18,209)

ancestry.co.uk  17,199 (17,243)

nationalarchives.gov.uk 21,801 (18,550)

23andme.com  38,146 (41,700)

ancestry.ca 51,631 (42,325)

genesreunited.co.uk 51,699 (46,279)

familytreedna.com  67,246 (80,397)

findmypast.co.uk  69,394 (81,411)

cyndislist.com 101,523 (86,990)

eogn.com 123,589 (150,226)

familytreemaker.com 198,889 (161,170)

jiapu.com 176,217 (168,666)

genuki.org.uk 194,673 (193,436)

freebmd.org.uk 204,998 (212,655)

worldvitalrecords.com 250,031 (175,547)

familytreemagazine.com 309,746 (201,288)

legacyfamilytree.com 334,563 (273,131)

americanancestors.org 413,274 (276,418)

automatedgenealogy.com 452,499 (296,376)

rootsmagic.com  469,630 (372,173)

cwgc.org 307,860 (527,236)

ngsgenealogy.org 507,702 (770,719)

geneabloggers.com 635,502 (438,407)

genealogyintime.com 839,046 (784,440)

genealogywise.com 895,754 (525,834)

sog.org.uk 965,288 (708,746)

whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com 993,634 (994,049)

globalgenealogy.com 1,019,853 (830,338)

ffhs.org.uk 1,210,668 (1,267,779)

genealogicalstudies.com 1,328,035 (1,093,695)

ogs.on.ca  1,440,397 (1,289,655)

anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com 1,624,999 (2,418,382)

family-tree.co.uk  1,684,518 (1,836,425)

lostcousins.com 1,815,516 (2,677,921)

bcgcertification.org 1,874,498 (1,601,646)

deceasedonline.com 1,902,137 (1,648,569)

familychronicle.com  2,224,075 (1,881,611)

arcalife.com 2,343,474 (2,356,437)

rootsuk.com  2,724,618 (1,340,610)

bcgs.ca 3,459,358 (3,313,414)

bifhsgo.ca 4,938,796 (7,145,992)

qfhs.ca 9,884,139 (6,654,860)

internet-genealogy.com  10,510,651 (3,234,636)

archivecdbooks.ca 12,294,888 (6,533,165)

UPDATE: It you're wondering why the Library and Archives Canada site isn't on this list, it's because Alexa is denied access required to separate out visits to LAC from visits to all gc.ca domains combined.

Family Tree DNA summer sale

A great opportunity to start into genetic genealogy if you've have not had your DNA tested. The sale prices are:

• 37-marker Y-DNA test US $119 $149 
• 67-marker Y-DNA test  US $199  $239 
• mtDNA Full Sequence for US $219  $299 
• Family Finder US $199  $289 

There are sale prices on test combinations too.

Existing Family Tree DNA customers may order the Family Finder test as an add-on for $199.

For most useful results order through a surname of geographical project, starting at http://www.familytreedna.com/projects.aspx

The sale will end on Thursday 21st July. Don't miss it.

For those in the Ottawa area, bring your results to the quarterly DNA interest group meeting and we'll help you understand them. I'll announce the next meeting, late in August, on the blog.

Using LAC's Digitized Reels: British Military and Naval Records (RG 8, "C" Series) 1757-1906

Confused about all those military C series files of digitized microfilm reels from LAC that I blogged about recently? I was, but then being male I'm genetically programmed to not visit help files. I e-mailed Sylvie Tremblay at LAC who pointed them out to me, and then I was delighted to get an e-mail from one of my female readers battling with the same affliction.
If you go to http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/microform-digitization/006003-110.01-e.php you'll see this:

Click on help for the index and you'll get step by step instructions and a list giving the alphabetic range for each digitized microfilm, like this:

Scroll through the appropriate microfilm until you come to the index card you're looking for. It will direct you to a volume and page number.

Find the corresponding document microfilm reel using the table at: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/022-909.002.07-e.html
the first part of which looks like:

While not perfectly straightforward it's perfectly workable with a bit of diligence.

Summer in the City of Ottawa

Business Index Collection at findmypast.co.uk

The following is an extract from a notice from www.findmypast.co.uk

The Business Index Collection, published by www.findmypast.co.uk and in association with the Society of Genealogists, is available online for the first time, over 100 years after the indexes were first published in print.

The Business Indexes are directories of how Britain's business landscape shaped up between the early 1890s and 1927. They contain images and details of Britain's shopkeepers, businessmen and women, as well as captains of industry. The records also feature a short biography, detailing the entrant's prominence in local society, their memberships of corporations and/or clubs, the hobbies or leisure activities they enjoyed, as well as charities and other institutions that they may have been involved in. This information provides a unique insight into the individual’s character, which is extremely difficult to find elsewhere in such a comprehensive form.

All in the name of business…

The indexes also containing listings of local businesses, often showing a photograph of the building and/or the proprietor and sometimes with line drawings of the actual products they sold 100 years ago. The short descriptions frequently detail from whom the business was acquired. This was often a named relative and is a very useful detail for family historians.

A select few of these ‘local’ companies have become household names, with OXO, McVities, Cadburys, Bovril, Barclays and Lloyds all featuring in the indexes, along with representatives from Rolls Royce, Lyons, Selfridges and Harrods.

FreeBMD July update

The FreeBMD Database was updated on Fri 15 Jul 2011 and currently contains 203,657,810 distinct records (258,717,890 total records). Most updates this month are for 1946 and the 1950s.

http://freebmd.org.uk/

Findmypast.co.uk adds 1861 Worldwide Army Index

Findmypast.co.uk's 1861 Worldwide Army Index (or The 1861 Worldwide Soldier Index) was complied from the extraction of details of some 245,000 serving soldiers listed in the National Archives April-June quarter Paylists held in WO 10 (Royal Artillery), WO 11 (Royal Engineers) and WO 12 (Cavalry, Guards, Infantry and other units) series War Office records.
It includes records not only of other ranks of soldiers serving in Britain, but also men serving in Queen Victoria's Army far-flung empire outposts. For this reason, it can be an exceptionally useful source in identifying men missing from the 1861 census returns.
The index provides the names, ranks, army numbers and regiments of about 98% of other ranks subjects serving in the British Army. A small number, estimated at about 5000 men, is not included because the Paylists listing their names have not survived.

Further information at: http://www.findmypast.co.uk/search/military/indexes/1861-army-index

Findmypast.co.uk launches Paddington Rifles records

The Paddington Rifles, database contains the names of over 8,600 men who served with the battalion from its inception in 1860 until its demise in 1912.
Its official title was the 36th Middlesex (1860-1880), later the 18th Middlesex Volunteer Rifle Corps, and later still (from 1908) The 10th (County of London) Battalion, the London Regiment (Paddington Rifles).

The database published here is based on muster rolls held at The National Archives in London, specifically:

WO 70 / 1 - 36th Middlesex Volunteer Rifle Corps 1860-74
WO70 / 2 - 36th Middlesex Volunteer Rifle Corps 1874-1888
WO70 / 3 18th (late 36th) Middlesex Volunteer Rifle Corps 1888-1903
WO70/4 18th Middlesex Volunteer Rifle Corps 1908
WO70/5 10th Battalion, London Regt 1908-09
WO70/17 10th Battalion, London Regt 1909
WO70/18 10th Battalion, London Regt 1909-11
WO70/19 10th Battalion, London Regt 1911-12

Further information at http://www.findmypast.co.uk/search/military/muster-rolls/paddington-rifles

Find My Past adds Royal Fusiliers Collection 1863-1905

The information in this database comprises the names of close to 5000 officers and men of The Royal Fusiliers who took part in a series of British military campaigns between 1863 and 1904.
Information, taken largely from medal rolls and including the name, number (for other ranks), battalion, campaign and medal clasps awarded, is for:

The Umbeyla (now Ambela) Expedition on the North-West Frontier of India between 1863 and 1864.
The suppression of the Fenian Raids in 1866 and 1867, taken from Canada General Service Medal rolls and only awarded to qualifying personnel who were still living in 1899 when the medal was instituted.
The Afghanistan campaigns between November 1878 and September 1880.
The Second South Africa (Boer) War of 1899-1902.
The Tibet Mission between 13th December 1903 and 23rd September 1904.

Further information at: http://www.findmypast.co.uk/search/military/indexes/royal-fusiliers

From LAC: New Digitized Reels: British Military and Naval Records (RG 8, "C" Series) 1757-1906

Here is a notice from Library and Archives Canada

Ottawa, July 14, 2011 - Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is pleased to announce the addition of 484 digitized microfilm reels representing 1,125,141 new images regarding British military and naval records (RG 8, "C" Series) to its website. These records include a wide range of documents related to the British army in Canada, Loyalist regiments, the War of 1812, the Canadian militia, and more. Both microfilm reels for the nominal card index and the archival documents have been digitized and are now accessible online. Through the research tool "microform digitization," you can browse the microfilm reels page by page.

The tool is available at:
www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/microform-digitization/index-e.html.

Surrey Recruitment Registers 1908-1933 on findmypast.co.uk

I was surprised at how many people with surnames of my interest there re in these transcripts of records of approximately 85,000 men who attested (signed up) for service with a variety of regiments in Surrey between 1908 and 1933, the majority of whom volunteered, or were conscripted, during the First World War.
Surrey formed No.10 District in the Eastern Division, which was further divided into two regimental districts, numbered by the regiment's seniority; thus the Royal West Surreys formed No.2 Regimental District, based at Guildford and comprising the parliamentary divisions of Guildford (South West), Chertsey (North West), Reigate (South East), and parts of Epsom (Mid) and Wimbledon (North East). The East Surrey regimental district formed the 31st Regimental District based at Kingston-upon-Thames, comprising the remainder of the county's parliamentary constituencies. All but one of the registers relate to the 31st District.
With the mass influx of recruits in 1914, more recruiting officers were needed and in the East Surrey regimental area recruiting offices were also established at Richmond, Putney, Wandsworth, Streatham, East Dulwich, Peckham, Upper Norwood, Tooting, Mitcham, Wimbledon, Sutton, East Molesey, Walton on Thames, Epsom and Wallington. These recruitment registers cover these areas and those who were born in the area but attested in other regimental districts.

The registers are published by Find My Past with the kind permission of The Surrey History Trust.
There are further details at:
http://www.findmypast.co.uk/search/military/indexes/surrey-registers

Ancestry updates obituary collections

It's something that Ancestry.com does about once a month. I don't normally mention it as most of the people reading the blog aren't too interested in the recent deaths which are the mainstay of these obituary updates for the Caribbean, Canada, the US, the UK and Ireland, and Australia and New Zealand.

As of this update, for deaths this year, 2011, there are 24,430 entries for Canada, 24,618 for the UK and Ireland and 632,295 for the USA. If you're doing a one name study these are not to be overlooked databases.

J K Rowling ancestry

Way back in February 2009 I posted an item on one of Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling's ancestral lines.

Rowling is scheduled to be one of the subjects for the next BBC series of Who Do You Think You Are? I rather suspect the focus of the WDYTYA episode will be on the French ancestry of her great-grandfather Louis Volant. 

If you're interested in the East Anglian roots of her great-grandmother have a look at:http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com/2009/02/believe-or-not-j-k-rowlings-genealogy.html

Cheshire Bishop's Transcripts, 1598-1900, new at FamilySearch

FamilySearch drops the other shoe. Hot on the heels of 4,140,534 Cheshire parish register records posted on July 8th come 2,180,763 bishop's transcript records. There is no link to original images.

If you're researching Cheshire ancestry FamilySearch is a mandatory stop. In addition to the parish records and bishop's transcripts they have: Land Tax Assessments, 1778-1832, Non-conformist Records, 1671-1900, Probate Records, 1492-1940, School Records, 1796-1950, Workhouse Records, 1848-1967, Marriage Bonds and Allegations, 1606-1900, and Register of Electors, 1842-1900.

The Time to Digitize Historic Items is NOW

I don't usually copy items from Dick Eastman's blog, even though he allows reproduction, with credit. However, his recent opinion piece "The Time to Digitize Historic Items is NOW" is one I strongly endorse.

I can't express it better than Dick does, except to add that custodians of valuable records should be considered negligent in their duty to protect if they don't at least attempt to obtain resources to provide digital copies so be stored offsite.

Read it at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2011/07/it-is-time-to-digitize-historic-items-now.html

Can France succeed where Canada faultered?

The National Library of France is launching an initiative to private partners for the digitization and enhancement of its collections (mechanical translation of press release).

This would seem to be the type of action Library and Archives Canada tried a few years ago with disappointing results. Why didn't LAC have more success? Will LAC be monitoring the French initiative?

TNA podcast: Overseas births, marriages and deaths: records in The National Archives

I've rather been neglecting TNA podcasts recently, not that there's been anything especially wrong with them.
The most recent talk, by Keith Mitchell, recorded in April looks at military and civilian registers kept by the British authorities, and by churches, consulates and other bodies abroad documenting vital events of British subjects.
While TNA holds a substantial number of them, in a variety of record collections, there is reference to holdings elsewhere and online resources.
As Mitchell states upfront, "it's a very confusing subject." Unfortunately without any of the visual aids used during the live presentation this talk is hard pressed to make it less so.

Listen to the podcast at: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/podcasts/overseas-births.htm

RIP Scott Naylor

News just reached me of the passing of Scott Naylor on 25 May 2011 at age 80.


Since 2001 Scott, with assistance, was a keen photographer and indexer of cemeteries in the Ottawa and Pontiac County area. His photographs were placed on a website. It was a real convenience to not have to venture out to check a gravestone, and to be able to search a range of cemeteries for that elusive ancestor's marker.


Thanks to his foresight the information in Scott's website will be merged into the Canadian Gravemarker Gallery at http://gravemarkers.ca/

Army Lists: 1754 to 1879

Audrey Collins has posted on her blog The Family Recorder information that a run of volumes from 1754 to 1879 of the (UK) Army list has now been made available for free download on the Digital Microfilm section of DocumentsOnline, in record series WO 65. 

If your ancestor was an officer in the British Army during this period he should be listed, and this would include those who served in Canada and subsequently became residents.

As is usually the case with digital microfilm a download can take a long time even with a fast connection, so choose which issue(s) you download judiciously.

Find Audrey's blog post at http://thefamilyrecorder.blogspot.com/2011/07/digital-microfilm-army-list-free-online.html 

Conversation with Susan Davis

Continuing the series of audio interviews on the BIFHSGO conference blog which I've been posting weekly, the addition this week is with Susan Davis who was also BIFHSGO's Director of Communications. her presentation is "A Social Media Primer for Family Historians" scheduled for Sunday, 18 September 2011 at 9 AM.

If you've listened to the previous interviews in the series, which were rather bare-bones, you'll notice the addition of music at the top and tail.

Find a link to the interview at www.BIFHSGO.ca/

Free genetic genealogy webinar

Last month I mentioned this free webinar "Introduction to Genetic Genealogy at Family Tree DNA" and received feedback that it was well worth the attending. 

It is being repeated for July, on Tuesday the 12th, at 1pm EDT.  Registration for the live or archived session is now open at: http://relativeroots.net/webinars/intro-ftdna/   

Topics include: What is Genetic Genealogy?  What tests are available and which one should I  order?  How much does a Genetic Genealogy test cost?  Do I need to be a  geneticist to understand my results? 

Attendees will  learn about the history of genetic genealogy, be introduced to DNA basics  and inheritance paths, learn about the different types of DNA tests available for genealogy, and learn about resources that will help you make the most of your Genetic Genealogy experience. 

Family Chronicle: July/August 2011 issue

From the fertile minds at Moorshead magazine, and their flagship publication Family Chronicle, comes a money tree. It's right there on the front cover illustrating the lead article "Follow The Money For Accurate Results!" by Donna Murray. Records originally created to document financial transactions are often of great use to the family historian.

Unfortunately the money tree only grows hundred dollar US bills, perhaps they couldn't afford Canadian ones!

There are two articles by BIFHSGO members.

In "Deeds Not Words: Americans in the CEF" Glenn Wright points out that statistics are not good enough to distinguish US-born, and US resident soldiers who joined the Canadian forces during World War I, but as of August 1917 approximately 11,000 US born soldiers had proceeded overseas with the CEF.

Elizabeth Lapointe contributes "Grow Your Genealogy: Join a Society!" In marshaling the arguments in favor of joining a family history society she quotes Randy Seaver, Kathy Hinckley, Fraser Dunford, Jan Alpert, and Leyland Meitzler.

A timely item in the issue is Anthony Adolph's examination of the family history of Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, and the American branches in her family tree.

Read the full table of contents at www.familychronicle.com

The Jew in London

I stumbled across a map of the population density of Jews in East End London
.

The map was published in a 1901 book The Jew in London (pdf version) by C Russell and H S Lewis. If the style looks familiar its because the map maker was George Arkell, who had previously worked on the Charles Booth London poverty maps. He compiled the map from information gathered by the London School Board through its various visitors during the summer of 1899.

I had an ancestor living at an address on Ely Terrace in the 1901 census, but the image resolution of map copies of Jewish East London found online is insufficient to pin down the street. Fortunately LAC has a copy of the book in its rare book collection, and even more fortunately the map is intact, although in poor condition.

Ely Terrace is not indicated but was identified with nearby Friendly Place http://goo.gl/miqWA.

Ely Terrace apparently occupied an area in the block bounded by the Mile End Old Town road to the north, Ernest Street to the south, White Horse Lane to the west, and Harford Street to the east. Blue shading indicates an area of high Jewish occupancy, the darker the blue the greater the Jewish percentage.  The area was one of the most easterly areas of darkest blue on the map, although nearby two Jewish burial grounds.

The Jewish population of the East End was around 100,000 in 1901 and had tripled in 30 years, due both to immigration from eastern Europe and large family size.

One section of the book that caught my attention, the only part where Dutch Jewish immigrants were mentioned, was a comment on a claim that " ... as the East End Jew becomes an Englishman, he ceases to remain a Jew."

"To test the accuracy of this statement it may be well to consider first the characteristics of the Jewish workman who has been domiciled in England for several generations. Numerous examples of this class are to be met with in Stepney, in the model dwellings between Houndsditch and Commercial Street, and in some of the streets and courts within the same area. The typical Jew, of the class we mention, has certainly been thoroughly Anglicised, although he may bear a Dutch name which indicates the country from which his family came originally. He thoroughly identifies himself with England, and takes, at any rate at election times, a keen and occasionally an intelligent interest in politics. If, as is often the case, he is a cigar-maker, he probably belongs to the Trades' Union, a peculiarly well and soberly managed society. On the other hand, he continues to regard himself as a Jew, although he is not usually very observant of the minutiae of his religion and only attends synagogue a little more regularly than the average Christian workman attends church. His attachment to his race and creed continues, however, to be strong, and may, indeed, be as real as that of his foreign coreligionist, although it is partially concealed by that acquired quality of British stolidity."

Going in the wrong direction on digitization

I frequently report on new Canadian resources of genealogical interest coming online through the Internet Archive.
Now The Toronto Star reports that book digitization will be cut from 1,500 books per week to 250 after funding cuts to Internet Archive Canada forces the small non-profit company with offices at the University of Toronto to fire 35 of its 47 employees.
For the lack of $1 million 35 jobs will be lost and perhaps 60,000 books will not be digitized in the next 12 months.
Yet another example of the consequences of the lack of leadership from LAC?

via Brenda Merriman on Facebook.

Cheshire parish records/bishops transcripts added at FamilySearch

FamilySearch now list 4,140,534 records in their collection online for Cheshire Parish Registers, 1538-2000. The source given is 769 microfilm reels from the FHL.

The records appear to cover baptisms, marriages and burials. There is no list of parishes but it may well include some in Lancashire as well as Cheshire.

Beware of transcription issues, there are no original images. I found my grandparents marriage transcribed with the bride's father as Harry rather than Henry, and the groom's father as Francis rather than Maurice.

Search from: http://goo.gl/f87LH

CAUT renews criticism of LAC

At the end of May I posted LAC attempts to change perception of its services
reporting on LAC`s rebuttal of criticisms by the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT).

A month later CAUT has responded with an Open Letter to Daniel Caron, Librarian and Archivist of Canada defending its criticism of changes at LAC. Read it here (pdf).

The opening paragraph comments that "it is useful to have this public exchange about LAC under your leadership so that Canadians can become aware of what is happening." That's a sentiment I strongly endorse, while lamenting that the need for such an exchange so evidently demonstrates the deficiencies of LAC's consultation processes.

CAUT acknowledge that in their initial backgrounder they likely did not give appropriate credit for the relevant background of LAC senior management. However, as CAUT states, "the real problem is the specific practices and policies that LAC managers are putting into place." One may question whether LAC management now have a commitment to good archival and library practice, even if they may once have understood them.

LAC's statement that "LAC’s key role extends only to the management of legal deposit and the preservation of the federal government records." is one of the most troubling; a major change. If that had been the mandate in the past there would be no national portrait collection, no Topley collection, no collections of rare books such as the Lowy and L M Montgomery collections, no newspaper collection. It would be an archive of stiled bureaucracy; a library by dint of legislated robbery. 

Would a wise Librarian and Archivist of Canada undertake to implement such major changes, and willingly preside over such a calculated impoverishment of Canada's national documentary heritage, without communicating the challenges imposed by government policy changes, including funding cuts, and without broadly seeking advice from the client community?

Tour the new Ottawa Central Archives

View New Ottawa City Archives in a larger map


The City of Ottawa Archives is hosting an open house, with the help of Friends and partners, where you can visit the new facilities, including the conservation lab and vault.
It's an impressive facility.
Stop by on Saturday, July 9, 2011, from noon to 4 p.m.
The building is at Woodroffe and Tallwood in the Centrepointe region of the former city of Nepean.
For more information see:http://www.fcoa-aavo.ca/node 

Does LAC really listen?

I recently ordered a book to be available at LAC, but hadn't understood some of the terminology in the catalogue entry so asked in the order email to be contacted to let me know if it was available. When two days later I hadn't received a reply I called. The helpful person at LAC didn't understand the catalogue terminology either, but said someone would get back to me, which they did a couple of hours later.

I was also requested to fill in a survey at www.laclistens.ca. It contains questions specific to your last interaction with LAC, and some of a more general nature.

It's easy to ask survey questions, and say you're listening. Yes Minister taught all public servants to use the title of a report "to dispose of the difficult bit."

While I appreciate the opportunity to provide the feedback, feedback on the feedback would help ensure the time respondents gave to complete the survey was in fact rewarded by being listened to.

Better would be a continuing series of consultation sessions where service deficiencies could be regularly and repeatedly raised.

Updating the links list

I've added the Ottawa Branch OGS blog to the links list in the left hand column.
The Ottawa Branch blog is being updated regularly with information of interest to the Ottawa area genealogist.
Aside from news content, being added by Mike More, Jim Stanzell is adding historical content, most recently an item on the Battle of Chippawa during the war of 1812 and soldiers who subsequently settled in the Ottawa valley. Ed Kipp is keeping us informed every few days about anniversaries of historical events with a timeline item.

It's worth a look at http://ogsottawa.blogspot.com/

Old time Ottawa genealogists identified

Thanks to Bruce Elliott, who evidently started doing genealogy in the cradle, who has identified two of the people mentioned in my June 9 posting on Genealogical archival information at LAC.  


Bruce wrote "Gordon Crouse was an early member of Ottawa Branch OGS, and one of those rare individuals who did genealogical research hereabouts prior to 1967.  He was also editor of the "Pontiac Advance" newspaper in Shawville.  Esther Osborne was a member of the LDS Church, still active when their Family History Centre first opened in Ottawa."

Kettering cemeteries at Deceased Online

More than 150,000 cremations and burials for Kettering, Northamptonshire have been added at deceasedonline.com.

Kettering Crematorium, Rothwell Road, Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN16 9XE
116,000 cremations, dated 7th May 1940 to 19th April 1990, are available as cremation register scans containing 6 entries per scanned page. Subsequent cremations are available as computerised records. Records from 1940 to 1963 and from 1990 to 2008 are available now, the remainder from 1963 and 1990 following soon.

Kettering, Rothwell Road Cemetery, Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN16 9XE
3,240 burials, dated 7th July 1978 to 22nd December 1995, are available as burial register scans containing 8 entries per scanned page. Subsequent burials are available as computerised records.

Kettering, London Road Cemetery, Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN15 7
32,300 burials, dated 3rd January 1862 to 27th January 2006, are available as burial register scans containing 8 entries per scanned page. Subsequent burials are available as computerised records.

These and other area cemetries recently added are shown on the map at http://goo.gl/RyMHc

Brits and Canadians in the Spanish Civil War

The (UK) National Archives is marking the 75th anniversary of the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War by adding records to Documents Online.
More than 4,000 volunteers who left Britain to join the International Brigades fighting in Spain are recorded in Security Service (KV) files, now online and available without charge until 27 July 2011.
TNA has more information at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/591.htm
The war, often seen as a proxy fight between Fascism and Communism, had no official involvement of governments in Canada or the UK. Canada discouraged participation, including by passing the Foreign Enlistment Act in 1937. Canada was concerned about domestic Communist insurgency. Many if not most of those who enlisted in the Canadian Mackenzie-Papineau (Mac-Pap) Battalion where anti-Fascist rather than Communist.
A national monument to the Mac-Pap veterans includes the names of 1,546 Canadians who served in Spain. A simple list is here.
The book Renegades: Canadians in the Spanish Civil War, by Michael Petrou has an appendix with name, home(s), ethnicity, date of birth, occupation and final status. Petrou gives statistics showing that of those for whom ethnicity is known 100 were English, 69 Scottish, 42 Irish and 6 Welsh. 
The LAC catalogue lists several hundred items, mainly photographs, from the Mac-Pap Battalion.

More Alberta Homestead Records on the Internet Archive

Back in April this blog reported that microfilm reel images  # 2083, 2084, and 2087-2095 from the series 70.313 of Alberta Homestead Records had become available on the Internet Archive.

Since then additional reels have quietly been added.

There are now 326 reels from #2000 to 2537, with gaps and more to come.

Claims were filed between 1870 and 1930. The files normally contain an application for a homestead, an application for patent, and a notice that a patent has been issued.

See my previous post for information on an index.

Peter Levick is back with LAC

Peter Levick is well known at Library and Archives Canada. He spent considerable time with overall responsibility for communications at LAC before leaving for, I think, the Museums Corporation.

It will be old news to those inside LAC, but according to the organization chart (pdf), and GEDS, he has returned with the position of (Senior) Director General, Strategic Partnerships.

Partnerships is an important way in which LAC should be doing business. Peer organizations, such as TNA and NARA, have made more extensive use of them than LAC. 

Partnerships between government and non-government organizations depend on overcoming cultural barriers. That's true even between government departments and agencies. 

Hopefully Peter, with his intimate knowledge of the organization's inside workings, will be able to break down barriers.

Cleansing ‘corrupted blood’

Scotland's Caledonian Mercury reports on a "Parliamentary bid launched to wipe Jacobite smear from the records"

According to the report a series of Acts of Parliament in the wake of the Jacobite rebellions in the 17th and 18th centuries a large stripped a number of Stuart-supporting families of their titles, disinherited their descendants and declared their families as having ‘corrupted blood’ in perpetuity.

Comment: It's remarkable how long old grievances can persist. 

Thanks to BIFHSGO colleague Richard McGregor for the tip.

BIFHSGO blog interview: Kyla Ubbink

Continuing my series of interviews with presenters at the BIFHSGO conference, or in this case pre-conference, I spoke with Kyla Ubbink while at the opening of the new Ottawa City Central Archives.

Many people have already heard Kyla give short, 50 minutes, presentations. For the pre-conference session she will have more time to actually demonstrate some of the conservation techniques you can use at home.

Start at: http://goo.gl/8dk6v

Welcoming Genealogy Week participants

Ottawa Genealogy Week starts next Sunday evening, July 10. Organized by the Ottawa Branch of the OGS with the leadership to Mario Lapointe, Genealogy Week is an opportunity for people to further their research with Ottawa-area resources with expert guidance.

You can read more about Genealogy Week here.

To welcome the participants, who are mainly from outside Ottawa, local genealogists are invited to an opening reception next Sunday, 6pm at LAC, with light refreshments served. Expect a couple of surprises, including the opportunity to win a copy of Legacy Family Tree and a two volume set of instructional videos.

To reserve your place at the reception please register HERE.

Book Review: A Call to the Colours

A Call to the Colours
Tracing Your Canadian Military Ancestors
By Ken Cox

A Genealogist's Reference Shelf Book
978-1-55488-864-1
May 2011
344pp, Paperback
$26.99 CAD, £17.99

It's a common experience to have a parent or grandparent who served during one of the world wars but know little about that time in their life.  You may have medals, photographs, perhaps a cap badge or letters. and if you're really lucky a diary. Typically you won't have heard them recount their experiences.

So the genealogist setting out to research an ancestor who served with Canada's military during this period may have clues but need to fill in details.

For those who discover an ancestor who served in earlier conflicts relics are rare and the task of filling in the story all the more challenging.

Fortunately Ken Cox provides this highly accessible guide leading you to a surprising wealth of resources.

The book is organized chronologically, starting, briefly, with the Loyalists, moving through the war of 1812, the 1837-38 rebellion up to the Second World War, followed by chapters on women in the military, the air force and navy.

In most chapters there is a good overview description of the war, the major battles and regiments which participated. You will learn about the records available, mainly at Library and Archives Canada, how to identify medals, uniforms, and drawing on other sources to tell the story of your ancestor's experience. The whole is illustrated by numerous examples. If you want to understand the event and gain an understanding of your ancestors place in it this book is recommended.

I did notice a few errors, and I'm far from being an expert on Canadian military history. For example.

Referring to the fatalities with no known grave, on page 131 it is stated that "there names are commemorated on the National War Memorial in Ottawa..." Anyone visiting to see an ancestor's name will be in for a considerable disappointment, there are none.  

Page 176 gives erroneous information about the accessibility of WW2 service records where the important time fame is 20, not 25 years as stated, and as long as you can show the person has been deceased for 20 years the file is open to all, not just next of kin.

The book is crammed full of websites, references and facts, has an index, lists of abbreviations, and is up to date as of the end of 2010.  However, I'd recommend using the information with care; much may be correct but you would be wise to treat it as you would unsourced genealogical information -- as a lead.

The book can be purchased at a discount from Amazon where there is a generous preview for you to browse. Go to http://www.amazon.com/Call-Colours-Ancestors-Genealogists-Reference/dp/1554888646

  

GeneaBloggers radio - The CSI Show - Forensic Genealogy

At 10pm on Friday evening, instead of watching the Canada Day fireworks on Parliament Hill I tuned in to a fascinating episode of Geneabloggers Radio, hosted by the indefatigable Thomas MacEntee.
Thomas spoke to three people on the topic "The CSI Show - Forensic Genealogy" and threw in news items along the way.
Colleen Fitzpatrick, who has given some of the most memorable genealogy presentations I've heard, discussed the three techniques she relies on most: photo-analysis, database mining and DNA analysis.  http://www.forensicgenealogy.info/
Janis Martin spoke about the Unclaimed Persons project which has had remarkable success over the past three years in tracing relatives of deceased persons where officials had not been able to do so.
Not a scheduled guest, but a welcome caller in was Sharon Sergeant who discussed forensic cases she has worked on.
You can listen to the complete episode at: http://goo.gl/eeR4Y
In recognition of it being Canada Day Thomas gave a shoutout to Elizabeth Lapointe's GenealogyCanada blog.

Free historic Ontario voters lists online

The Internet Archive has posted voters lists for the following Ontario communities and years:

Ailsa Craig: 1887, 1888, 1898
Ashfield: 1876, 1877, 1879, 1898
Augusta: 1886, 1887, 1891, 1895, 1896, 1898, 1899, 1900
Biddulph: 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885,1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1891, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898
Blandford: 1881
By Ward (Ottawa): 1891
Clinton: 1885, 1898, 1899
Delaware: 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1895, 1897, 1898
Dereham: 1890
Dunn: 1898
East Williams: 1877, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1888, 1889, 1891, 1895, 1897, 1898
East Zorra: 1883, 1896
Gananoque: 1891, 1893, 1895, 1897
Goderich: 1877, 1879, 1881
Hay: 1877, 1882, 1884, 1885
Hullett : 1877
Kitley: 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1899
Lobo: 1876, 1877, 1878, 1880, 1881, 1882
London: 1876, 1878, 1879, 1888, 1895, 1897, 1898
McGillivray: 1897, 1898
McKillop: 1877
Merrickville: 1890, 1893, 1895, 1896
Moore: 1897, 1898, 1899
Morris: 1880, 1882, 1882, 1887, 1889North Dorchester: 1884, 1885, 1886, 1895, 1896, 1897
Parkhill: 1877, 1879. 1882, 1883, 1898
Prescott: 1891, 1892, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898
Raleigh: 1889
Rear of Leeds and Lansdowne: 1886, 1891, 1892, 1894, 1897, 1898, 1899
Simcoe: 1880, 1881, 1885
South Elmsley: 1896
South Gower : 1886, 1897
South Norwich: 1879
Stephen: 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881
Strathroy: 1868
Waterford: 1894
Westminster: 1897, 1898
West Nissouri : 1881, 1882, 1889, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1898
West Williams: 1877, 1878, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1895, 1897, 1898
West Zorra: 1876, 1881, 1884

Search from here using the community name and the word "voters"

There's a Voters List help file, without any reference to online sources, courtesy of the Canadian Genealogy Centre of LAC at http://goo.gl/PdoH4

If you know of any other good online sources for Ontario, or other province, voters lists please post a comment.

1 July: Celebrate ... and remember

At 9 am folks already crowded on Parliament Hill in Ottawa to get a good spot for Canada Day celebrations.

This hour (local time) and day 95 years ago mark the battle at Beaumont Hamel during the Battle of the Somme. Newfoundland troops advanced and  "of the 780 men who went forward only about 110 survived unscathed."

LAC: New Version of the Immigrants to Canada Database

The following is an announcement from Library and Archives Canada.

Ottawa, June 30, 2011 - Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is pleased to announce the release of a new version of the online database Immigrants to Canada. To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the foundation of the Red River Colony (or Selkirk Settlement) in Manitoba, more than 4,000 references to names of settlers found in the Thomas Douglas, Earl of Selkirk fonds (MG 19 E1) have been added to the existing database. Many staff members contributed to the success of this project, and their efforts are much appreciated.
The database is available at:
www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/immigrants-canada/index-e.html.

Is your artist ancestor emerging from obscurity?

Over 60,000 previously inaccessible paintings from over 800 collections of UK publicly funded museums and institutions, the work of more than 15,000 artists, can now be viewed online at http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/

Thousands more paintings are to be added every month, with the aim of having the complete national collection (estimated at around 200,000 works) available within 18 months.

So far only one of the works of artists who lurk in distant branches of my family tree are in the online collection.  John Northwood (1836–1902) is depicted in a handsome portrait by his son, also John.

You can search for titles and subjects as well. Perhaps there's a picture deemed collectable of a location in your family history.

I understand Library and Archives Canada plan to put the complete (?) collection of the National Portrait Gallery online. That collection contains "more than 20,000 paintings, drawings and prints, 4 million photographs, several thousand caricatures, and ten thousand medals and philatelic items." Will LAC adopt the same strategy of releasing the collection online gradually?  

Ancestry adds London, England, Wills and Probate, 1525-1858

Another product from the cooperation between the London Metropolitan Archives and Ancestry. There are 369,559 records.

According to Ancestry's information "These are original wills only and do not include wills or administrations found in will registers or act books which are accessible on site at the London Metropolitan Archives. These do not include wills proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury."

Unfortunately it doesn't mention which courts are included!

UPDATE:  According to Else Churchill from the Society of Genealogists the set includes wills from the "Commissary and Archdeaconry of London along with those from the Consistory of London and Archdeaconry of Middlesex." http://goo.gl/4bEkQ