Sometimes I wonder if any of our elected representatives have ever even thought about researching their ancestors.Do they even realize that government records are valuable tools for genealogists? Do they even care? It certainly doesn't appear so.

We all know that government records such as census, immigration records, land records, probate records - to name a few - are essential for research. Many times they fill in the dash. The government is responsible for creating, preserving, and making these records available to the public. For a reasonable fee!!

For example, a few years ago I was looking for records in Fulton County, Ohio. A clerk spent about a half hour helping me find what I needed. Then another clerk in another office provided me with the copies I needed. I was charged a nominal fee for the copy. The research was part of the services of the courthouse. 

Unfortunately recently budget cuts and massive fee increases are threatening our access to the records we depend on. We can speculate on the reasons but lets set that aside for now. Instead lets concentrate on protecting our rights and records.

Rich Venezia and other genealogists have formed a group called Records Not Revenue and they need our support.https://www.recordsnotrevenue.com/

Family Tree Magazine, September/October issue has a 7 page article devoted to this issue.   

What should you do? Don't ignore, get involved and be informed. It's important for the future of genealogical research.

 

FGS Virtual 2020 Conference had a lot of perks for seniors.

The first part of the FGS Virtual Conference is over and I am back home. Oh, Wait! I never left home. Sweet. I really believe this should continue to be an option for those of us who are seniors. Granted I missed seeing old friends and making new ones, but the convenience of being able to stay home is more important for me now.

When I first registered I didn't realize the convenience and frugal perks that were in store. First thing that hit me was that I am not paying over $100 a night for a room. That is at least a $300 savings right off the bat. In addition the cost of eating out for three days saved me at least $60. Fuel saving was about $30. All together that was almost twice the price of the conference.

But more importantly, the conference was not labor intensive. I didn't have to pack everything and load it in the trunk of my car. And once I got to the conference hotel I did not have to . . . . . well I don't even want to think about that parade. When the conference was over I didn't have to do all of that in reverse. I'm not the spring chicken I used to be so this is a blessing. Walking is not my strong suit any more.

My church has been doing virtual services since March and the council recently voted to install the equipment needed to continue this into the future. Apparently attendance at church services has increased. I would not stop attending church in person because I still want to see all my friends on Saturday afternoons. However, there are days when I just can't make it to church in person due to pain or weather.

On September 15 the second phase of the conference begins. The exhibit hall will be open until October 15. The On Demand sessions will be available until March 15, 2021.

FYI: For anyone attending this conference, please make sure that you sign in to your own account. When I tried to order my On Demand sessions, I found out that there is more than one of me at this event. This is not a surprise since it has happened to me at past conferences. We get the wrong rooms, wrong packets, and when the credit card bill arrives we find that we are paying twice for everything. BUT when one of us wins a door prize we all get a prize. And yes we won a very nice door prize this year. 

FGS pulls off a flawless virtual conference! Congratulations!

What a great conference day!! I admit, I'm still unwinding. Spent the day with the window open and a slight breeze. All comfy in my rocker watching speaker after speaker talking just to me. Occasionally I would sit at the table and watch the comments rolling by on my laptop. For me it was a perfect learning experience.

The speakers were excellent. When Judy Russell sent in her papers for this conference there was no Covid 19 and yet her lecture was spot on. Looking into pandemics of the past shed so much light on what we are going thru today. It's nothing new! 

Now I know that I need to get up on Saturday morning and watch Roots Less Traveled on NBC. It's WDYTYA for real people; not celebrities. Seems someone was listening.

A question I have asked for years was answered. Is there a place where descendants of  slave-owners can share names of slaves. Yes. https://beyondkin.org

Did you know there is such a thing as "quick and dirty" family trees? Clue: has to do with DNA  

New words in my vocabulary: Knowledge card, snippet, organic. Watch out google, here I come.

The next two days are workshops and picking my On Demand lectures. From there the conference lasts from September 15, 2020-March 15,2021. During this time I will have access to all Conference material.

Would I do it again? Ya betcha.

Was it frugal? Absolutely!!

Off to the FGS Conterence 2020 in my jammies!!

A year ago the FGS Conference was held in Washington DC. This year the Federation of Genealogical Societies will hold its final conference and due to the Covid 19 restrictions on large gatherings, it will be held online. Since the virus hit this country I now attend church online, attend lectures online, and now  i will be attending a major genealogy conference online. I kinda like it. Yes, I'm definitely spoiled.

Attending a conference can be labor intensive. Pack, load the car, drive several hours rain or shine, unload the car, locate my room, unpack, get my registration packet, find a restaurant, back to my room, jammies on and crash! 

Not this year!! This year I can do all that in my jammies, without the driving and packing. I remember the 2012 NGS Conference in Cincinnati. The Duke Energy Center was so big that I walked the soles off of my shoes. This year who needs shoes?!

So far this new experience has gone quite well. The test today for the Live Sessions tomorrow was simple and quick. The syllabus loaded quickly and without a hitch. The syllabus, by the way, is amazing with lots of information on each session. That is going to make it easier to pick out the 20 sessions I am getting in the registration I chose.

This year's conference kicks off tomorrow with Live! Event speakers from 11-7. Topics range from former pandemics in the world and genetic detective strategies to African American research and Google search methods. The live feed begins at 10:30 so we all have time to get on the same virtual page.

 

Merger of NGS ans FGS

Here is some exciting news from NGS and FGS. On the opening day of the FGS Conference in Washington D.C.these two major genealogical organizations announced their plan to merge into one large non-profit group  that will  continue to be called the National Genealogical Society. Both groups will operate as individual organizations until the merger is final in late 2020.

The following is a press release concerning the merger.

Aug 21, 2019, 9:00 AM (1 day ago)

NGS AND FGS ANNOUNCE INTENT TO MERGE
(21 August 2019)--In a historic move, the boards of the National Genealogical Society (NGS) and the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) announced today their intent to merge. The two organizations, both non- profit leaders in the dynamic genealogy industry, will form one consolidated group that will continue to operate as the National Genealogical Society. Both boards approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) earlier this week, and jointly announced the news at the Opening Session of the FGS Family History Conference in Washington, D.C., this morning.
Leaders of both organizations believe this merger will serve the genealogy community by improving support of both individual members and societies in the pursuit of genealogical excellence.
The organizational structure of NGS will be modified to increase functions that support genealogical societies and family organizations. Digitization projects of genealogical importance such as the War of 1812 pensions will continue. The two organizations will continue to operate independently while all details of the merger are completed, no later than October 1, 2020.
Faye Stallings, President of FGS, said: “We are excited about this opportunity to combine with a premier organization that has been in operation since 1903. This will allow for improved and expanded services to help support societies.” Ben Spratling, President of NGS, commented, “We look forward to continuing the strong legacy of FGS as a ‘gathering point’ for family historians and societies all across the nation.”
Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is dedicated to genealogical education, exemplary standards of research, and the preservation of genealogical records. The Falls Church, Virginia, based nonprofit is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historian, seeking excellence in publications, educational offerings, and guidance in research. It also offers many opportunities to interact with other genealogists.
###
Media Contact:
Kathryn M. Doyle
Phone: 510-388-6477
kdoyle@ngsgenealogy.org
 

225th Anniversary of the Battle of Fallen Timbers

The Battle of Fallen Timbers took place on August 20, 1794, at a location south of present day Maumee, Ohio, along the Maumee River. It lasted 2 hours and had a significant impact on Ohio history. It opened Ohio lands for settlers. Unfortunately, it was the beginning of the end for the Native Americans in this territory who eventually lost the land they had occupied for hundreds of years after the War of 1812.

This year marks the 225th anniversary of this war. A five day event (August 16-20, 2019) will be held at Side Cut Metropark in Maumee, Ohio. The actual site of the battle is a few miles south of the park but the location for the event provides more area for the large number of visitors who are expected to attend the anniversary celebration.

There will be re-enactors of the American, Native American, Canadian and British participants in the war who will be encamped at the park. It will be a good chance for visitors to view life in the area in the late 1700s. 

The Fallen Timbers Battlefield Park was opened several years ago and features a visitor center and a 1.5 mile walk thru the site of the battle. The park will be open for events during the celebration. Lantern walks are planned and golf cart tours will be available for those who can't walk the mile and a half path.

The Fallen Timbers Battlefield Preservation Commission is searching for descendants of those who were present at the battle. Descendants will be invited to participate in the anniversary and attend a reunion style event.

The anniversary celebration has been added to the schedule of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex who will be in Canada at the same time. No word yet if they will attend.

If you need information about volunteering, being a sponsor, or might possibly have an ancestor involved in this battle you can contact http://www.fallentimbersbattlefield.org/

Here's a head's up for any Sears Catalogue House Hunters in Northwest Ohio or Southern Michigan.

Sears, Roebuck sold homes in their catalogues from 1908-1940. They were modern homes delivered in a box. Some assembly required! 

These were not just tiny little bungalows. They could have maid's quarters. Front stairs and back stairs. Duplexes. Barns. Garages. A home builder could buy several homes at a discount and, who knows . . . start a neighborhood?

I cannot imagine purchasing a lot and waiting for my new home to be delivered by Amazon. Holy Cow where do I start. I can't even put a bookcase together without a few screw-ups.  

But to be honest I have to wonder how many home owners/purchasers actually assembled their kit homes. I would have to think that they hired builders, especially when we are talking about the larger homes. When you take into consideration  that many of these homes are still standing and in excellent condition today, it stands to reason that professionals were involved in the assembly.

On the other hand I do know that my two uncles built their own homes and I am pretty sure those homes didn't arrive in a box. They were and still are sturdy, well constructed homes. The reason was the walnut wood used in the construction. Even though I am sure they are not catalogue homes, I do have to admit that I have seen several floor plans from Sears homes that look like the houses where my Aunts lived and raised their families. So it would seem the plans might have been copied or used as "a suggestion".

Regardless it was an interesting period of home building in  this country.

This Saturday, June 15, 2019, Waterville Historical Society in Waterville, Ohio, will be sponsoring a homes tour, Historic Homes of Waterville. One of the five homes in the tour is a #102 1/2. It is quite a large home with both a front and a back stairway. The home has been well maintained over the years.

The tour runs from 10am - 4pm on Saturday, rain or shine. Waterville is located south of Toledo and Maumee. There are other possible Sears homes in the area: a Sears #123 across the Maumee River from Waterville and another located west of town in Neapolis (on Main Street next to the beauty salon).

So now the next question is - Do you live in a Sears Modern Home?