Taking up fly-by-night genealogy

DearREADERS,
Randy Seaver over at GeneaMusings challenged us to share our genealogy-related Christmas gifts in his Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - What Did Santa Bring You? blog post.

He kinda looks like
Santa, doesn't he?

My personal Santa, AKA Mr. Myrt, gave me a simple airplane puzzle with a manila enveloped attached. OK, Mr. Myrt loves puzzles so I graciously accepted the gift realizing he would reap the benefit of the puzzle work.

But the attached note was Mr. Myrt's real gift.

A 30-MINUTE PLANE FLIGHT...

Specifically  to fly between the quarry with the Temple Granite Historical Monument and the Salt Lake Temple following the path wagons took carrying the cut granite to the job site. The construction of the edifice plays such an important part in my personal and family history. Charles Warner Player was a stone cutter on the Salt Lake Temple. His father, William Warner Player was the stone setter who placed the cornerstone of the original Nauvoo Temple, and worked a short time in his later life on the Salt Lake Temple.

MAP: Courtesy of Google Maps.

LEGEND: The RED map pin marks the Salt Lake Temple, and the PURPLE map pin marks the location of the Temple Granite Quarry Historical Monument.

So I said "fly-by-night" but we'll probably make this unique trip during the day so I can take it all in. Thank-you, sweetheart, for a thoughtful gift of family history!

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt     :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Blog: http://blog.DearMYRTLE.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DearMYRTLE
Twitter: @DearMYRTLE
G+: +Pat Richley-Erickson
Second Life: Clarise Beaumont  
http://www.youtube.com/user/DearMYRTLE

Grandma Myrtle's home in Puyallup, Washington

DearREADERS,
Ol' Myrt here did a little "Google Mapping" over the holiday break, and found this delightful picture of my real grandma Myrtle's home in Puyallup, Washington. (You can recognize a real Washingtonian if he or she can pronounce Puyallup correctly without thinking twice about it!)

Here's the picture and a link back to GoogleMaps with Street View. It was labeled 736 2nd Street Northwest, Puyallup, Washington, but as you can see from zooming in that the house number is actually 734.

PHOTO: Above and below from Google Maps

I remember the larger pink stucco 2-story home next door to the south, and the white modern rambler next door to the north. When Ol' Myrt here was a little girl, I visited and spent the night at Grandma's house and I just loved it! However, in the 1950s and early 1960s there was no white picket fence around the front yard.

From this aerial view, you can see where the detached garage is at the end of the driveway. The circled area was a large rectangular "victory garden" garden with dahlias and veggies. There was no circular blue above-ground swimming pool in my time. Pinpoint "A" below shows the roof line of the dining room addition. I remember the house before and after than room was added. The area to the left (west) of the north pointing arrow was nothing but a large grassy field where Dad, Mike and I would fly Dad's model airplane. The remote control was a simple handle with two fishing lines extending out to the plane. Once the model was airborne, the "pilot" would have to turn in circles to keep the airplane aloft.

The "X" in the photo above marks the spot where my grandmother Myrtle Eliza (Weiser) Player Severinson and her second husband Harold C. Severinson were standing with this picture was taken in the late 1950s. They are facing their property with their backs to their neighbor's home. I see the home is still painted white in 2012. Note the position of the two chimneys in the Google aerial map (above) and the photo below:

Have you used Google Maps to find out more about where your ancestors lived?

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt     :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Blog: http://blog.DearMYRTLE.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DearMYRTLE
Twitter: @DearMYRTLE
G+: +Pat Richley-Erickson
Second Life: Clarise Beaumont  
http://www.youtube.com/user/DearMYRTLE

US Civil War: Scots served on both sides

DearREADERS,
"From Edinburgh was Col Robert A Smith, of the 10th Mississippi. The 26-year-old was wounded leading a charge at the Battle of Munfordville in 1862 and later died. As the US prepares for another year of milestone anniversaries - including one for the landmark Battle of Gettysburg - Mr Mackie's search for names continues."

FOR FURTHER READING
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-20544216

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt     :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Blog: http://blog.DearMYRTLE.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DearMYRTLE
Twitter: @DearMYRTLE
G+: +Pat Richley-Erickson
Second Life: Clarise Beaumont  
http://www.youtube.com/user/DearMYRTLE

European emigration to the US

DearREADERS,
News come of a joint emigration - immigration digital project.

"To mark the beginning of a unique digital collaboration the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) and Europeana are pleased to announce the launch of Leaving Europe: A new life in America. The all-new virtual exhibition tells the story of European emigration to the United States during the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Jointly curated by the two digital libraries, the exhibition uses photographs, manuscripts, broadsheets, paintings, letters, audio, government documents and other unique materials to chart people’s journeys across the European continent and their settlement in the United States."

SOURCE: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/dplaalpha/2012/12/18/dpla-europeana-exhibition/

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt     :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Blog: http://blog.DearMYRTLE.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DearMYRTLE
Twitter: @DearMYRTLE
G+: +Pat Richley-Erickson
Second Life: Clarise Beaumont  
http://www.youtube.com/user/DearMYRTLE

Blog Caroling: I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

Thank-you to Footnote Maven for continuing her marvelous Blog Caroling tradition!

This is the link to fM's 2012 Do You Hear What I Hear? Post with links to lots of participating blogs.

Here's Ol' Myrt's contribution for 2012:

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten and children listen
to hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten and children listen
to hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
with every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright,
and may all your Christmases be white

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
just like the ones I used to know
May your days be merry and bright,
and may all your Christmases be white

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
with every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright,
and may all your Christmases be white

May your days be merry and bright,
and may all your Christmases be white.

Mr. Myrt and I wish everyone a Happy Christmas! With or without snow, it is all about being with your loved ones.

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt     :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Blog: http://blog.DearMYRTLE.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DearMYRTLE
Twitter: @DearMYRTLE
G+: +Pat Richley-Erickson
Second Life: Clarise Beaumont  
http://www.youtube.com/user/DearMYRTLE

RootsMagic App: iPad, iPad and demo webinar Tuesday

DearREADERS,
During this morning's Mondays With Myrt webinar, breakthrough news from RootsMagic arrived in our email boxes and blog feeds. Here's the welcome news for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners:

Award-winning Genealogy Software Puts
Your Family Tree at Your Fingertips
Source: 

http://www.geneapress.com/2012/12/rootsmagic-iphone-ipad-ios-release.html

SPRINGVILLE, Utah. — December 17, 2012 — RootsMagic, Inc. today announced the official release of RootsMagic for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch; a free companion app to RootsMagic, the award-winning desktop genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history easy.

Your Family Tree at Your Fingertips

“We’re very excited to bring RootsMagic right to your iPhone and iPad,” said Bruce Buzbee, president. “Not only is this one of the most-requested features from our users, but it is the perfect next step in our mission to simplify family history.” The app provides many useful features including:

• Access your actual RootsMagic files via iTunes or Dropbox – RootsMagic for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch uses your actual RootsMagic files- no conversion needed. You can copy as many files as you want right on your device via iTunes or Dropbox. Users of other genealogy software such as PAF, Family Tree Maker, Legacy Family Tree, and others can convert their files into viewable RootsMagic files using our free desktop software.
• Easily search and explore your family tree – Familiar Pedigree, Family, Descendant, and Individual Views help you quickly explore your family tree. You can also search for specific people by name or record number.
• View pictures, notes, and sources – All of your RootsMagic data is available inside the app. Touch any name to see more information about that person as well as family members. All of a person’s information is there including notes, sources, and pictures.
• Lists – Browse lists of your information and view more information about sources, to-do items, research logs, media, addresses, repositories, correspondences, and places.
• Tools and Calculators – useful tools to assist you in your research including a perpetual calendar, date calculator, relationship calculator, and soundex calculator.

Watch a Live Demonstration

Don’t miss a chance to see a live demonstration of the app and how easy it is to copy your data to your device!  We’ve scheduled a special online webinar for Tuesday, December 18, 2012 at 4:00 PM MST.  To register, click here.  Be sure to arrive early as only the first 1000 attendees will be able to participate!

-------------------------------------

Here are some screen shots from the app store:

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt     :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Blog: http://blog.DearMYRTLE.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DearMYRTLE
Twitter: @DearMYRTLE
G+: +Pat Richley-Erickson
Second Life: Clarise Beaumont  
http://www.youtube.com/user/DearMYRTLE

Webinar: Mondays With Myrt Episode 6 archived

DearREADERS,
Thank-you to both Marian Pierre-Louis and my cousin Russ Worthington for holding down the fort at "Mondays with Myrt" the newsy, free form sort of genealogy webinar. Here's the link to viewing the recorded webinar via the internet:
http://dearmyrtle.com/webinars/MondaysWMyrt6/MondaysWMyrt6.html

Here's the link to download the webinar:
http://dearmyrtle.dpdcart.com/

Feel free to share this with your geneafriends.

Mondays With Myrt - Episode 6, recorded 26 Nov 2012
HOST: Russ Worthington
CO-HOST: Marian Pierre-Louis

LINKS THEY MENTIONED
Russ' blogs:

• https://worthy2be.wordpress.com
• http://ftmuser.blogspot.com

Marian's blogs: 

• http://nehousehistorian.blogspot.com
• http://www.fieldstonehistoricresearch.com
• http://www.fieldstonehistoricresearch.com/blogs.htm
• http://www.blogtalkradio.com/fieldstonecommon
• http://www.Facebook.com/FieldstoneCommon

RootsMagic 6 has been released was discussed, including Randy Seaver's post Exploring RootsMagic6. See also Randy's posts:

• http://www.geneamusings.com/2012/11/exploring-rootsmagic-6-post-2-online.html http://www.geneamusings.com/2012/11/exploring-rootsmagic-6-post-3-my.html

How to organize your paperwork? See  "Mary Hill's System is in Familysearch LEARN section in a tutorial and handout to access." and http://www.maryevhill.com/

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt     :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.


Blog: http://blog.DearMYRTLE.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DearMYRTLE
Twitter: @DearMYRTLE
G+: +Pat Richley-Erickson
Second Life: Clarise Beaumont  
http://www.youtube.com/user/DearMYRTLE

1812 Preserve the Pensions Project: Debbe Hagner's Afghan

DearREADERS,
When Debbe Hagner heard about the 1812 Preserve the Pensions Project, she started crocheting right away. The result? She's donating this gorgeous queen-sized afghan to be given away to a contributor to MYRT'S PLAN: Supporting the 1812 Preserve the Pensions Project.

PHOTO: Debbe A. Hagner,
from her personal collection.

Ol' Myrt first met Debbe years ago in Florida, where Debbe still volunteers at her local FamilySearch Center. She can read lips, and speaks in a manner that I've come to understand. It is through her that I've become sensitive to the needs of those who are hearing impaired. This spunky gal even encouraged Ol' Myrt to learn a few more ASL words in a recent Skype call as we discussed how this afghan will find a new home.

Readily assisting others with hearing disabilities, Debbe Hagner gave seven presentations at the 2012 Genealogy Workshop for the Deaf, June 20-23 in Salt Lake City, Utah. View Debbe's video titled An Introduction to Castle Garden: Your Ancestors' Gateway to America at the FamilySearch website.

Debbe says:

Twenty-five years ago, I started making  granny squares when I was with my parents driving from Chicago to Florida. Each square took about 4 minutes to do. When I ran out of yarn, my dad would stop by K-mart to let me buy some more yarn. Then I would tie the corners with scrap yarn to see how I wanted  it to look. Then I took black yarn and sewed each square together. 

I didn't count how many squares there are in this one. But 30 years ago, I made a king-size blanket out of granny square for myself with the variety of colors like the ones you see here.  It took me one month to sew them together. I crocheted the edge with  two rows and that took me one hour to do. 

"When DearMYRTLE first mentioned that FGS has a quilt project, I thought about the afghan that was sitting in the closet for 22 years as yet incomplete. I decided to finish it and donate it to raise money for the FGS War of 1812 Preserve the Pensions Project."  

The theme for the blanket is "Come together for comfort and warmth".  I have made many things doing crochet - hats, mittens, slippers, ponchos, and many others. It is a great pleasure to make this. I love crocheting, stamp collecting  collecting buttons (pins) and most of all genealogy. I have been doing genealogy for 35+ years.  

PHOTO: Mr. Myrt took this pic detailing the 2-yarn
"Granny Square" crochet pattern.

When I inquired about Debbe's background she explains:

I was born with a hearing loss at birth. I was a premature baby, 3 month early. When I was 4 years old my grandmother was suspicious that I couldn't hear. My parents would say that I have selective hearing loss. So grandma took me to the doctor and found out that I have nerve deafness. At the time I had 76 decibel(db) loss and currently have 98 db. I have no hearing in my left ear. I am expert in lip reading.  I learned sign language when I was a sophomore in high school. I was in an oral program in public mainstreaming program. I credit my parents and my sister for correcting my speech when I don't say my "s".  I enjoy teaching, lecturing and researching genealogy. I hope to work on my accreditation in German research. Some day I hope to sign a song at a Rootstech, NGS and FGS conference.

Debbe's gorgeous afghan will be on display at the 2013 Rootstech, NGS and FGS Conferences. 


HERE'S HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE
Names of all DearMYRTLE contributors will be collated so Debbie can designate the new home for this gorgeous afghan at the Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference in Ft. Wayne, Indiana  21-24 Aug 2013. Donations to preserve the pensions are made online through the "donate" button below, now through August 15, 2013. A contributor's name will be chosen at random, and the decision of the judge is final. You do not have to be present to win, but must then provide a US or Canada address to DearMYRTLE for receipt of the afghan.

It costs roughly 50 cents to digitize each page. This means for every $1 you donate, 2 pages can be digitized.

But through this plan, your donated dollars can be multiplied as follows:

GOAL: Raise $2,500 from DearMYRTLE's DearREADERS.

• Your $1 digitizes 2 pension pages
• $2,500 digitizes 5,000 pension pages
• Fairfax Genealogical Society matches $2,500 for a total of 10,000 pension pages
• Ancestry.com matches $5,000 for a total of 20,000 pension pages

Kudos to Debbe for sharing her time and talent in support of this worthy cause!

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt     :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Blog: http://blog.DearMYRTLE.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DearMYRTLE
Twitter: @DearMYRTLE
G+: +Pat Richley-Erickson
Second Life: Clarise Beaumont  
http://www.youtube.com/user/DearMYRTLE

Let there be peace on earth

and

let

it

begin

with

me.

Collaborative Learning

DearREADERS,
Ol' Myrt here has been grasping for a better way to describe how I wish genealogy seminars and presentations would change. This article from Edutopia.org has the answer.

How Collaborative Learning Leads to Student Success, while focusing on college students,  stimulates thought on restructuring our genealogy seminars, conferences and workshops.

Back in May 2011, Ol' Myrt here wrote 90 Minute Institute and Conference Sessions, citing an article by Dr. David Rock Rethinking how we 'conference' How to design a conference with the brain in mind. My comments then still hold true:

"Dr. Rock feels that the current paradigm of conference attendees sitting through a 60 minute lecture, followed by a quick break is counter-productive to the learning process.  I've attended conferences, where by the end of the day my brain was mush, so I could relate to Dr. Rock's comments."

Unfortunately our conference schedules have remained the same, and for the most part our teaching methods continue to lack understanding of best learning processes for our exhausted attendees.

COLLABORATION IS MORE THAN A BUZZ WORD

The Genealogical Proof Standard does well to guide genealogy researchers in their individual pursuits, but collaboration isn't specifically mentioned. The implication is that we compose soundly reasoned, coherently written conclusions for those who wish to "check out" our research. 

What about collaboration with other researchers to test out our reasoning earlier in the process?

ACTIVE COLLABORATION

Where is there time for active collaboration? Certainly not at a typical genealogy society meeting, fraught with all-too-long business meetings, leaving little time for the featured speaker to rush through his slides.

Saturday workshops may provide hands-on experimentation, and a little more give and take, but typically presenters don't provide enough time for the give and take. I've heard some folks like Randy Seaver and my cousin Russ Worthington do give what I'd call "real" workshops. The Pro-Gen Study Groups work well in this regard where: 

• discussion is more important than lecturing
• real time research provides insights a PowerPoint slide cannot impart 

It is particularly telling to witness in real-time what a researcher does when he hits a snag. I can read scholarly genealogy journals to see the summary results involving years of research and give up before I get started. But when I see how an experienced researcher handles the down and dirty research challenges, I gain insights for improving my research skills.

Conferences with vendor halls provide opportunities for vendors to demo their websites and software, but the bottom line is not to be ignored. Vendors have to sell product, and that takes all too much time unless they bring along extra employees to ring up your bill.

Institutes such as IGHR, SLIG and the new GRIP approach this form of collaborative learning, particularly when there are small group "homework" (read that late night!) assignments. The focus is developing research methods, not one's own research challenges.

MY COMMITMENT

If you attend any of Ol' Myrt's webinars, Second Life chats or all-day seminars, don't expect to take it sitting down - its all about collaborative learning. Feedback. Active participation. I want discussion. I want differing points of view. I want additional suggestions. I'd rather "discuss" five concepts well than squeeze 10 into a 60 minute "lecture".  

NOTE: next Tuesday's Just Genealogy Second Life discussion on "Proof Arguments" has a prep assignment -- 2 related articles by noted genealogists. But the real learning will happen when we discuss how we each tackle the problem of composing proof arguments and not just relying on "fill in the blank" genealogy programs. 

You can bet we will retain more info if we actively participate in a collaborative learning environment.

PHOTO: My screen shot of the 8 March 2012 APG Second Life Chapter Meeting. 

Happy family tree climbing!

Myrt     :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Blog: http://blog.DearMYRTLE.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DearMYRTLE
Twitter: @DearMYRTLE
G+: +Pat Richley-Erickson
Second Life: Clarise Beaumont  
http://www.youtube.com/user/DearMYRTLE

SL: Proof Arguments discussion at Just Genealogy

DearREADERS,
Join us Tuesday, December 18, 2012 at 6pm Second Life time (same as Pacific US) for a discussion of Proof Arguments at the Just Genealogy Fire Pit in Second Life (SL). There IS prep-work for the session. Why not print out the articles and read them at your leisure (??) if you have any of that this time of year!


Study materials include:

• Laura A. DeGrazia, "Proof Arguments," OnBoard 15 (January 2009): 1-3.
• Barbara Vines Little, "It's Not That Hard to Write Proof Arguments," OnBoard 15 (September 2009): 20-23.

"Just as mathematicians construct proofs to convince others of the truth of mathematical statements, genealogists assemble proof arguments to convince others of their genealogical conclusions. A proof argument is a detailed, written explanation of the evidence and reasoning used to reach a genealogical conclusion." Laura A. DeGrazia.

These articles are located online at:
http://www.bcgcertification.org/skillbuilders/index.html

JUST GENEALOGY FIRE PIT AREA:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wollah/63/26/71

(Second Life is quite large. This URL will ask to open your Second Life program, and bring your avatar to our meeting location.)

GENEALOGISTS IN SECOND LIFE - Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/GenealogistsInSL

See also:

Genealogists in Second Life Calendar

All are invited to attend the family history chats on Tuesday nights in Second Life. To find out how to join this free virtual reality site, see: www.SecondLife.com.

HOST: Clarise Beaumont (in-world) (That's me!)

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt     :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.


Blog: http://blog.DearMYRTLE.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DearMYRTLE
Twitter: @DearMYRTLE
G+: +Pat Richley-Erickson
Second Life: Clarise Beaumont  
http://www.youtube.com/user/DearMYRTLE

What ARE Citizen Scanning Projects?

DearREADERS,
Ancestry Insider asks "Did he say “citizen scanning projects”? That sounds intriguing. I wonder what that means." Source: Ancestry Insider's post titled NARA’s Bill Mayer Speaks About Genealogists. The conversation ensued on Facebook:

MYRT:
Ancestry Insider spotted this before I did. Do you think the digital images we shoot at NARA should be stored online and made public? Just what are "citizen scanning projects"?

A READER RESPONDS:
Citizen scanning projects are the ones that you do on your own and then submit to the site. Easy. FamilySearch is taking in thousands, probably millions of them.

MYRT: Since Ancestry Insider happens to know many FamilySearch employees quite well, and works with them on a daily basis, I am sure he would have provided more answers in his blog post if there was an "average citizen" method for submitting our scanning projects.

WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR
Indeed, the FamilySearch.org digital image collection grows through efforts of family history missionaries throughout the world who digitize literally millions pages of documents each week. But that work is completed in their capacity as non-proselytizing missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, clearly not  average citizens.

Indeed there are volunteers at NARA who organize file contents for digitization by NARA partners such as Ancestry.com. Is this what Bill Mayer means when he says "citizens scanning projects"? See: Civil War Widows' Pension Digitization Project on NARA's YouTube Channel. The volunteers are specially trained individuals, not your average citizens either.

NARA DIGITIZATION SERVICESNARA has a staff of 45 employees responsible for digitizing some of it's collection. From this video, one  realizes digital preservation isn't a simple process.




MY DEFINITION
If Ol' Myrt here were to venture a guess, "citizen scanning projects" would be where an individual researcher digitizes an ancestor's record, say a Civil War pension file. But without guidelines for file type, resolution, and an official method for submission, I am at a loss for how an average citizen is to do this at NARA or other research facilities. I would also not trust the work of anyone other than myself. What is to prevent someone from altering a document prior to scanning?

So, DearREADERS, am I terribly outta da loup? Which archive or library websites permit "citizen scanning projects"? 

Ol' Myrt here is with AI -- Just what ARE Citizen Scanning Projects" NARA's Bill Mayer describes? I guess I'll put a call into his office tomorrow.

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt     :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Blog: http://blog.DearMYRTLE.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DearMYRTLE
Twitter: @DearMYRTLE
G+: +Pat Richley-Erickson
Second Life: Clarise Beaumont  
http://www.youtube.com/user/DearMYRTLE

WEBINAR: "TNG and WordPress Blog Plug-in" now archived

DearREADERS,
Here's a GREAT BIG THANK-YOU to Roger Moffat who demonstrated the process involved when installing TNG (The Next Generation of Genealogy Site Building) on a WordPress blog.

Here's the link to the  free TNG WordPress Plug-In Installation webinar now archived and available for a free download: https://dearmyrtle.dpdcart.com

This is the link to the guidelines Roger composed to work with TNG The Next Generation of Genealogy Site Building: http://tng.lythgoes.net/wiki/index.php?title=Using_TNG_and_WordPress_with_the_tng-wordpress-plugin
 

This is the link to ordering TNG itself. (The plug-in is free.)

http://tngsitebuilding.com

TNG must be installed on your own webserver. Roger happens to run his own webserver, I use BlueHost.com and GoDaddy.com for various projects.

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt     :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Blog: http://blog.DearMYRTLE.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DearMYRTLE
Twitter: @DearMYRTLE
G+: +Pat Richley-Erickson
Second Life: Clarise Beaumont  
http://www.youtube.com/user/DearMYRTLE

British Soldiers 1771-1822

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: This was received earlier this week from our friends at brightsolid. Please address all inquiries to support@FindMyPast.com.

Records detail the height, weight, color of hair and eyes, and distinguishing features for soldiers

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 7, 2012) – Findmypast.com, an international leader in online family history, today added 20,000 British soldiers’ records from the Royal Hospital Kilmainham from 1771 to 1822, along with several thousand other significant military documents, to its already extensive collection of historical records.

The records show details of soldiers, including their height, weight, color of hair and eyes and any distinguishing features such as a tattoo or scar, as well as where they served and their regiment.

The task of cataloguing just the records from Kilmainham took a team of 14 people from the Friends of The National Archives volunteer group more than three years and includes the records of 19,109 soldiers. The Royal Hospital Kilmainham, the building that now houses the Irish Museum of Modern Art, was established in 1681 to house sick and veteran troops from the British Army.

Among the Kilmainham pensioners’ documents is Private Hugh Burke from Wicklow, Ireland, who was known as a “green redcoat” or Irish soldier serving in the British military. Burke was pensioned from the army on June 26, 1816 after four years’ service. According to the record, he was deemed unfit for further service after “a gunshot wound to the left shoulder received in action near New Orleans in America on the 8^th of January 1815.”

The Battle of New Orleans is famous because it was the last major battle between the British and American forces in the War of 1812 and was fought after a peace treaty had already been signed. The Treaty of Ghent, which signaled the end of the war, came into effect at the start of February 1815 but due to slow communications the news did not reach New Orleans until two weeks later. Unfortunately for Private Hugh Burke, this left him with “a mark on each side of his left shoulder” - entry and exit wounds from the bullet.

“These records are invaluable for anyone researching Irish or British ancestry and looking for vivid details about their ancestors,” said D. Joshua Taylor, head genealogist for findmypast.com. “This significant addition to our world collection provides a glimpse into the lives and careers of these soldiers, some of whom were born in the U.S. or fought within U.S. borders.”

William Spencer, military expert at the National Archives added: “Many soldiers born in Ireland served in the British Army from the 18th-20th centuries yet the careers of these brave men have been hidden amongst some fragile and complex records. The digitization of the Kilmainham papers in WO 119, will at last provide access to the brave men of Ireland.”

The Royal Hospital Kilmainham pension records are part of a larger collection of military discharge documents today released by findmypast including:

• Royal Hospital, Kilmainham: pensioners’ discharge documents 1771-1822 (known as WO 119 at the National Archives)
• Royal Hospital, Chelsea: pensioners’ discharge documents 1760-1887 (WO 121)
• Royal Hospital, Chelsea: pensioners’ discharge documents, foreign regiments 1816-1817 (WO 122)
• War Office: Imperial Yeomanry, soldiers’ documents, South African War 1899-1902 (WO 128)
• Royal Hospital, Chelsea: documents of soldiers awarded deferred pensions 1838-1896 (WO 131)

Findmypast.com’s expertise at digitizing historical records and uniting communities provides the tools to help people connect with their past, present and future.

To learn more about findmypast.com or to get started on your own family history search:

·         Like findmypast on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/findmypastus

·         Follow findmypast on Twitter at https://twitter.com/findmypastus

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Findmypast.com (owned by brightsolid) is the U.S. site of findmypast, an international leader in online family history. Findmypast connects people to core and unique U.S., English, Welsh, Scottish, Irish, Australian and New Zealand records dating back as far as 1200.  

About brightsolid

Findmypast.com is owned by brightsolid online publishing, a British-owned world leader in online genealogy, with over 45 years’ experience in family history and a record of online innovation in the field of family history nearly two decades long. With nearly 18 million registered users across its family of online genealogy brands, brightsolid hosts more than a billion genealogical records from across the globe. The company reported a 75 percent growth in turnover and a 47 percent growth in gross profits in its most recent published accounts and was voted Best Genealogy Organization in the Online Gene Awards.

Merry Christmas

DearREADERS,
As we gather as families to celebrate Christmas, Ol' Myrt here thinks of those who are in the armed services throughout the world. Family gatherings aren't part of the equation for these folks. Mr. Myrt and I pray for their safe return and for their families who are keeping the home fires burning.

WikiPedia describes Christmas at the time of the American Civil War: "Thomas Nast, who used his editorial cartoons to issue Union propaganda,  made several illustrations reflecting the war. The one for Christmas Eve 1862, which ran in the January 1863 issue of Harper's Weekly shows a wife on one side praying though a window in one circle, and in another circle shows her husband on the battlefield, also in prayer."

PHOTO: Thomas Nast illustration of a couple separated by war, from Harper's Weekly January 1863. Category:Images of the American Civil War. This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons. Information from its description page there is shown below. Commons is a freely licensed media file repository.

Earlier this month James Marten, a Marquette University history professor, blogged about the Christmas experience at the time of the US Civil War. He is director of the Children in Urban America Project: A Digital Archive. "A North Carolina mother reported that she and her husband gave their children mountains of dolls and books and games in 1862, but a year later, with Santa Claus “gone to the war,” they could manage to put a few cakes and coins in their stockings."  Source: Civil War Christmas

Mr. Myrt and I are fortunate to have inherited two beautiful ceramic Christmas trees made by his mother, Grace Louise (Sogge) Erickson.

Through good times and bad, parents do their best to make Christmas magical for their children and grandchildren. This year, we will gather to read  our traditional Dr. Suess' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and the story of the birth of the Christ child from the New Testament. Perhaps you will enjoy this video featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Jane Seymour as they celebrate "the light that fills even the dark corners of life".

As I look at this new ornament made for us with love by Gordon's sister, JoAnne (Erickson) Knapp, I pray the angels in heaven are watching over you and your loved ones this holiday season.

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt     :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Blog: http://blog.DearMYRTLE.com
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G+: +Pat Richley-Erickson
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Genealogy Gems: 1M AWESOME downloads

DearREADERS,
What do ya do when a friend has a milestone moment? You shout it from the top of the hills, spreading the good news. Today is one of those days. Here's the latest from Lisa Louise Cooke who celebrates 1 million downloads of her Genealogy Gems Podcast. Yippie! 

Genealogy Gems Podcast Reaches 1 Million Download Milestone

(SAN FRANCISCO, California) – December 11, 2012 – Sometime over the first busy holiday weekend in December 2012, The Genealogy Gems Podcast reached an incredible milestone:  1 Million Episode Downloads!

In early 2007 when the first episode was published by Lisa Louise Cooke, podcasting was in its infancy, having just come into being in mid-2005.  “It was like being part of a new Wild West of technology,” says Cooke, a genealogist since the age of about 10. “For the first time anyone with an interesting idea, a computer, and a willingness to work long hours could produce a worldwide ‘radio’ show. The day I listened to a podcast for the first time, I knew this medium was what I had been waiting for to reach genealogists.”

Apparently a lot of other folks were also anxiously waiting for Cooke’s discovery. From long time genealogists to dabbling family history newbies, they flocked to the free podcast available through Apple’s iTunes Store and the Genealogy Gems website (www.genealogygems.com). Over the next five years they listened in to soak up genealogy research strategies, expert interviews, tips on harnessing the power of technology in their research, and creative ideas for sharing their findings.

“There’s a lot of noise out there online that can be overwhelming,” says Cooke. “My goal has always been to spend my time sifting through all of that information, and chiseling out the gems – the items that are really worthwhile  – so that my listeners can have faster and greater success . Ultimately the genealogy gems I provide on the show lead to my listener’s genealogy gems: their precious ancestors!”

What started as a single podcast episode has turned in to a multi-media genealogy publishing company. Genealogy Gems now encompasses offerings, many that are free, that accommodate every learning style: audio, video, articles, books, dvds, toolbar, live classes, and online webinars. The Genealogy Gems mobile app (available in the iTunes App Store, and an Android version through Amazon) gives genealogists the flexibility to hit the road and take it all with them.

“I speak at events across the U.S. and internationally,” says Cooke, who will be a featured speaker at Who Do You Think You Are? Live in London for the third consecutive year in February 2013, “but not everyone can get out to a genealogy conference. It’s critical to me that we meet people where they are, and that’s what the Genealogy Gems website, YouTube channel, app, and toolbar are all about. The fact that the podcast has now been downloaded 1 million times confirms that that we are accomplishing that goal.”

Fun Facts about Genealogy Gems:

• The Genealogy Gems Podcast launch date: March 1, 2007
• Number of free episodes published: 146
• Number of countries downloading: 126
• Top 10 Listening cities in the U.S.:
• Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Salt Lake City, Washington DC, Dallas , Chicago, Seattle, Boston, Phoenix.
• Genealogy Gems App publish date: 2009
• Podcast rating in iTunes: 5 Stars (including 53 written reviews)

Recognition:

• 101 Best Websites List by Family Tree Magazine
• Named one of the top 10 apps by App Advice’s “iPad Apps for Hobbyists” (http://appadvice.com/applists/show/ipad-apps-for-hobbyists)

Other podcasts produced by Lisa Louise Cooke:

• Family History – Genealogy Made Easy, The Family Tree Magazine Podcast
• Number of views of the Genealogy Gems YouTube Channel:  
• 191,000 and counting (www.youtube.com/genealogygems)

Celebrities featured on the podcast include:

• Lisa Kudrow (Friends, Who Do You Think You Are?) 
• Henry Louis Gates (Oprah’s Roots)
• Tim Russell (Prairie Home Companion)
• Darby Hinton (Daniel Boone)
• Kathy Lennon (The Lennon Sisters)
• Ali Selim (Sweet Land)
• Tukufu Zuberi (History Detectives)
• Linda Chavez (Fox News, Finding Your Roots)

HOW TO LISTEN
Visit www.GenealogyGems.com and make your choice today! You've gotta bet Ol' Myrt just re-upped her annual subscription.

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt     :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.


Blog: http://blog.DearMYRTLE.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DearMYRTLE
Twitter: @DearMYRTLE
G+: +Pat Richley-Erickson
Second Life: Clarise Beaumont  
http://www.youtube.com/user/DearMYRTLE