Free Webinar: "You Need a Search Strategy: Maximizing Your Results with Online Genealogical Databases" by Mike Mansfield

Knowing what goes into creating genealogical databases, and what challenges and difficulties arise as well as the context under which the records in the database were created, is important to the end user, as Mike Mansfield from MyHeritage Webinars demonstrates in "You Need a Search Strategy: Maximizing Your Results with Online Genealogical Databases." 

In the past 20 years, online search systems, databases, and image collections have revolutionized family history and genealogical research making our work faster, easier, and more convenient. However, these databases are not without limitations and quirks. This webinar will discuss some limitations we face and present strategies for more effective searches across a spectrum of websites and online services.

One interesting tidbit: if your ancestor was a suffragette she may have been absent in the 1911  census of England and Wales due to a boycott organized by suffragettes in protest to the government's refusal to grant women the right to vote.


1 hour 22 minutes
Free to non-subscribers



© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Webinar: Catherine B. Wiest Desmarais presents "From Baltimore to Burlington: Hazen P. Day's Neighbors Bring Him Home"

I've been going through my 4th great grandfather Solomon Hartley's neighbors and associates in Philadelphia for years now, trying to see if I can find any more hints about his ancestry:

Solomon Joseph Hartley; 
Update on Solomon Joseph Hartley;
Update on the Update; 
Brick Wall part 1;
Brick Wall part 2;
Some Notes on People living along Coates' in Philadelphia circa 1810)

Plus, today I submit a summary of people living at the same address as Solomon Hartley in the Philadelphia directories (1807-1814):

1807
Emlen's Court
Barber John M (1768-1828?) bricklayer Emlen's court
Hartly Solomon, rigger Emlen's court
Parker Phoebe widow Emlen's court

1808
Emlen's Court
Barber John M. bricklayer Emlen's court
Hartley Solomon, rigger Emlen's court
Miller Michael, shoemaker Emlen's court
Wiley (?) Richard (1765-1842), ship joiner Emlen's court
 (note: "Wildey Richard, shipjoiner, Emlin's court" in 1809 city directory: http://www.archive.org/stream/philadelphiadire1809phil#page/312/mode/2up)

1810
43 Coates'
Hartley Soloman, rigger 43 Coates'
Stackhouse H. [Hastings?] (1781-1840)hatter 43 Coates' alley

1811
43 Coates'
Anderson John, rigger, near 43 Coates'
Hartley Solomon, rigger, 43 Coates'

1813
49 Browne/Brown
Fisher, Jacob (1777-1850) 49 Brown
Hartley Solomon 49 Browne
Shaffer John, tanner back 49 Browne

1814
49 Browne/Brown
Fisher George, drover 49 Browne
Fisher Jacob, carpenter 49 Browne
(note by 1830 Philadelphia city directory has him as "Fisher Jacob, house carp 50 Browne")
Hartley Solomon, mariner 49 Browne
Shaffer John, tanner back 49 Browne

I feel confident that he at least knew these people listed at the same address.  What relation or association they had with Solomon is as yet unknown, but they are leads.

I was very happy to see a similar FAN-type approach in a webinar presented this week by Catherine B. Wiest Desmarais, "From Baltimore to Burlington: Hazen P. Day's Neighbors Bring Him Home:"

A Maryland resident claimed an 1816 Vermont birth to Vermont-born parents, but no known record provides his specific birthplace or his parents' or siblings' names. Studying his ties to his neighbors and those associates who shared close geographic, vocational, political and religious proximity brings a Maryland man home to his Vermont family. Learn how the presenter analyzed, correlated, and  assembled common and lesser-known records to build a persuasive case.

Board for Certification of Genealogists
Runs 1 hour 11 minutes
Free to non-subscribers through March 27, 2018







© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Free Limited Time Webinar: "The Case of the Broken Link: Decoding the URL" by Cyndi Ingle

This happens a lot to me--I find something great on the internet and then the URL changes, or has changed before I can even look at it!  Sometimes I can figure out where it has been moved.  Thankfully Cyndi Ingle (from Cyndi's List!) demonstrates some strategies around this common problem in "The Case of the Broken Link: Decoding the URL":

Web site addresses appear to be long, complicated, and mysterious. Navigating through the web leads you from link to link, web page to web page, site to site, and server to server all in a matter of a few clicks. How can you sort out separate web sites? How can you track down a new URL for a broken link or a broken bookmark? What happens when your source citation for a web site contains a URL  that suddenly disappears? We will break down this technical topic to help you easily hunt down the URL you need.

1 hour 33 minutes
Free to non-subscribers through March 21, 2018


© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Webinar: "Overcoming Brick Walls Caused by Record Loss" by Mary Hill

I've learned quite a bit from Mary Hill's past webinars, and have adopted her color-coded filing system.  Yesterday she presented "Overcoming Brick Walls Caused by Record Loss," a problem I've encountered many times in my research (I'm looking at you, Chesterfield County, South Carolina):

Many records have been lost due to climate, poor storage, and war. Often it is possible to find alternative records if you know where to look. Federal records such as the census, and cemetery records both local and national are just two of the many record types to check to find ancestors who lived in areas where records were destroyed or lost.

1 hour 31 minutes

Free for non-subscribers through March 13, 2018.


© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Free Webinar: "Have Nordic Ancestors? Count Yourself Lucky - Nordic Records Are Amazing" by Mike Mansfield

Do I have Nordic ancestors.  Why yes, I do!

But have I made any progress in my Nordic research?  Why no, I haven't.  And that's my own darn fault.

Mike Mansfield presents "Have Nordic Ancestors? Count Yourself Lucky - Nordic Records are Amazing":

An overview of available records in the Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, & Finland) will be presented.

Runs 1 hour 29 minutes

© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Webinar: "Digging for Historical Records on FamilySearch" by Sunny Morton

If you are new to genealogy you MUST learn about FamilySearch.  When I began my genealogy research online back around 2009 I focused on just the indexed records, which is barely the tip of the iceberg.  Let Sunny Morton's webinar "Digging for Historical Records on FamilySearch" guide you:

FamilySearch is arguably the world’s biggest free online portal to genealogical records. However, it’s easy to miss some of its valuable content, so join this insider’s tour of five places to find records on and off the site. This beginner-friendly lecture also helps experienced researchers to understand why the site is organized like it is—and to find records they may be missing (especially  since microfilm lending has ended).

Free to non-subscribers through February 14, 2018
NOTE: You might have to come back before the video is available.


© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Webinar: "Understanding DNA Matching Technology" by Ran Snir and Regev Schweiger (MyHeritage)

Oh boy, another DNA testing site (MyHeritage) that I will eventually have submit DNA to.

"Understanding DNA Matching Technology" by Ran Snir and Regev Schweiger gives a walk-through for DNA matches at MyHeritage and what's coming soon:

DNA Matching technology is a hot topic in genealogy today. It is an affordable and increasingly reliable method for discovering relatives you never knew you had. DNA Matching technology can indicate possible relationships between you and your DNA Matches, and allow you to learn more from family trees with people who share your DNA. It also allows you to contact those people and collaborate to expand your family history research. In this webinar, you will learn everything you need to know to make the most of DNA Matching technology. 

Free to non-subscribers.
Runs 1 hour 27 minutes.


© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Free Limited Time Webinar: Nicka Smith presents "Full Circle: Tracing the Descendants of a Slaveholding Ancestor"

When Ben Affleck insisted that his "Finding Your Roots" not include mentioning his slave-owning ancestor he missed a real opportunity to help a broad audience explore and understand a very real and painful era in American history, and how it might relate to their ancestry.  One one level, I understood his reluctance to associate with any ancestors who owned slaves. I was upset when I realized that a hefty portion of my mother's father's ancestors were slave owners, but I also immediately saw that this opened up new possibilities for helping in the enormous task of drawing out and distinguishing and naming at least some of the individuals who were trapped in slavery.

My mom has done some work toward this already in her series of posts on Mary Warren of Virginia, Georgia, and Texas (c. 1810-c. 1885).  She also covered incidental information on a few of the slaves of my 4th great grandmother Timney Watts (1805-1863) who racked up medical bills at the end of her life.

Nicka Smith presented "Full Circle: Tracing the Descendants of a Slaveholding Ancestor" yesterday showing steps in tracing people like me and my mom (and even Ben Affleck):

Descendants of former slaveholders come from all walks of life. DNA and renewed interest in family history research continue to unearth this phenomena for thousands of people every day. In this session, learn how to confirm slaveholding ancestors and the tools needed to trace and identify living descendants of their formerly enslaved.

1 hour 37 minutes
Free through January 19, 2018


© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Webinar: "Quality, Time and Completion: Developing a Research Plan (Part One)" by J. Mark Lowe

Is part of your New Year's resolutions to research more effectively?  Whether you are new to the process or just need a refresher on good methods, "Quality, Time and Completion: Developing a Research Plan (Part One)" by J. Mark Lowe is a great place to start (I'm not sure when Part Two is being presented):

This session will focus on the effort to balance time, quality and completion of a research project. The first segment will look at the process from research concept to logistics including the conflicting issues between the researcher and previous research. This will include the movement from basic data collection, evaluation and analysis to the development of a direction and specific actions.

1 hour 36 minutes
Free to non-subscribers through January 17, 2018



© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Webinar: "Legacy 9 Unlocked (part 1): Your First Few Legacy Tips" by Geoff Rasmussen

On days like today, when I'm struggling all the side effects of my chronic kidney failure, I am very grateful that there are fellow obsessed genealogists who put their knowledge online in the form of webinars, like this one, "Legacy 9 Unlocked (part 1): Your First Few Legacy Tips" by Geoff Rasmussen.  It's not only a great diversion, but it helps me renew my enthusiasm:

In this series, Legacy’s Geoff Rasmussen will guide you through the step-by-steps of properly adding genealogy documents, citations, and digital media to your Legacy Family Tree 9 software. Each class is based on a different chapter in his popular book, Legacy 9 Unlocked: Techniques, Tips and Step-By-Steps for Using Legacy Family Tree to Record Your Genealogy. Watch them in order if you want to  follow the mystery or jump around to capture the instructions.

In this class, “Your First Few Legacy Tips,” you will learn about the Forms Center (helpful for enlarging those hard-to-read census record headings), the Chronology View (Legacy’s most powerful tool), and how to record and print alternate names.

1 hour 23 minutes
Free to nonsubscribers through January 12, 2018


© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Webinar: "Problems and Pitfalls of a Reasonably Shallow Search" by Elissa Scalise Powell

Don't be shallow!

Elissa Scalise Powell presented "Problems and Pitfalls of a Reasonably Shallow Search" on December 27, 2017.  There is some great advice here to keep you from making mistakes you'll have to correct in the next year:

Through examples the problems with not conducting an exhaustive search will be highlighted. Assumptions, misinterpretations, and not digging deep enough into original records will all be showcased as to how they can mislead research, sometimes for years. Encouraging the audience to follow the principles of a reasonably exhaustive search should give them incentive to make it a part of their usual research habits. They will also learn particular pitfalls to watch for.

Runs 1 hour 32 minutes
Free for non-subscribers through January 3, 2018


© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Legacy Family Tree Webinar: "Palmetto Pride - South Carolina for Genealogists" by Rorey Cathcart

I never really understood the history of South Carolina, but I do have ancestors who came through there at some point (Hardy/Avery/Thornton/Hanon, and possibly others), so this December 20, 2017 webinar "Palmetto Pride - South Carolina for Genealogists," presented by Rorey Cathcart, is a great overview:

This survey of Genealogy in the State of South Carolina will look at the state's long history, the importance of understanding her judicial units, major repositories and strategies for dealing with the state's significant records loss.

Runs 1 hour 29 minutes
Free to non-subscribers through December 27, 2017


© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Webinar from Legacy Family Tree Webinars: "Finding Your Nordic Parish of Birth" by Jill Morelli

I know the area where my great grandparents Mette Karine and Berdines Rasmussen come from (Nedstrand and Fister, both in Rogaland, Norway), but this webinar, "Finding Your Nordic Parish of Birth," presented by Jill Morelli on December 15, 2017, reminds me how little I've done in that direction this year.  I didn't even get a single step closer to finding out who Mette Karine's birth father was beside being a Swedish railworker.  I need inspiration! (and to be done cleaning my tree's locations...):

Is that parish of birth of your Nordic ancestor proving to be elusive? Without it, we cannot make the trip “across the pond.” Often that parish is identified in the records located in the United States and research will reveal the name or at least narrow it down. We will explore numerous US record sets where the parish could be recorded and then we will identify the international databases that can also assist in our identification of the parish of birth.

1 hour 28 minutes
Free to non-subscribers through December 22, 2017


© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Legacy Family Tree Webinar: "I Thought He Was My Ancestor: Avoiding the Six Biggest Genealogy Mistakes" presented by James M. Baker, PhD, CG

Yeah, I'm guilty of thinking someone was my ancestor when they weren't.  For a while I thought a certain Thomas Taylor and his wife Sarah Lynchard were direct ancestors, but reexamining the evidence pointed to an entirely different set of ancestors.  James M. Baker shows how to avoid this pitfall in 6 steps in his webinar "I Thought He Was My Ancestor: Avoiding the Six Biggest Genealogy Mistakes":

Case studies are presented to show how to avoid the biggest mistakes, including trusting family myths; believing that the posted family trees are accurate; connecting the wrong "same name" people; and believing that all original family records are accurate.

Runs 1 hour 32 minutes
Free to non-subscribers through December 20, 2017

© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Legacy Family Tree Webinar: "Finding Your Roots in Catholic Records" Presented by Lisa Toth Salinas

For whatever reason, I seem to have NO recent Catholic ancestors.  I wouldn't know where to start on that type of record should I ever find Catholic ancestors, or help someone else with their Catholic ancestors, but for fortunately Lisa Toth Salinas has put together a webinar on the topic, "Finding Your Roots in Catholic Records":

Catholic genealogical research has a depth unequaled by any other record group. The documents of the Catholic Church chronicle important events in the lives of members and can provide the key to uncovering otherwise impenetrable family mysteries. Author of the Catholic Genealogy Legacy QuickGuide™ and contributor to The Catholic Gene blog, Lisa Toth Salinas will guide you into exploration of the lives of your ancestors through sacramental records, additional Church records, and other Catholic sources. Join Lisa for an introduction into Catholic genealogy, an overview of traditional and often-overlooked documents, and research strategies that will help you dig into your Catholic roots.

Recorded December 6, 2017, free through December 13, 2017

Runs 1 hour 45 minutes

© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Legacy Family Tree Webinar: "Understanding Alabama" presented by Rorey Cathcart

Modern day image taken from Google Earth.

My 5th great grandfather Henry Avery Esq (1753-1836) appeared on a list of letters in Huntsville, Alabama Territory in 1819.  He lived in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina in 1810, so something happened after that date to spur him to move westward.  I have not yet worked out the specifics of why and when.  From Ancestry's U.S. Colonial Census Reconstruction Records, 1660-1820 database--this info is listed as coming from Territorial Papers of the US; Volume Number: Vol 18; Page Number: 517; Family Number: 2.

I have some direct ancestors who lived in Alabama between 1810 and 1869 (when the last of them moved out) so I was excited when I read about this webinar, "Understanding Alabama" presented by Rorey Cathcart:

Alabama presents the budding genealogist with both unique challenges and unique opportunities. Explore the records and repositories you'll need to consider. Learn Alabama's place in classic southern migratory patterns, and the reasons for it. Discover opportunities for African American research not found in other southern states.

Runs 1 hour 26 minutes
Free for non-subscribers through December 6, 2017


© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Webinar: Malissa Ruffner presents "Research in Federal Records: Some Assembly Required"

A few years ago I discovered Prologue Magazine, which showcases how records at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) can be used.  You can peruse selected article titles to get an idea of what kinds of topics can be addressed with these records.  I highly recommend periodically checking out what they are covering as it can be very inspirational for new research directions in your genealogy.  I've only been to the nearby NARA branch once (back when it was in Laguna Niguel, it is now in Riverside, California) and have not yet begun to tap into this enormous resource.

Earlier today Malissa Ruffner presented "Research in Federal Records: Some Assembly Required":

Federal records offer genealogical gold with both direct references to our ancestors and rich contextual background information. But it can be daunting to explore record groups that are not readily available online. The wide array of tools includes paper finding aids, preliminary inventories, online indexes, web guides, and published articles, as well as the National Archives Catalog. Malissa will offer a framework and several case studies that highlight the integration of multiple research tools.

Runs 1 hour 28 minutes.  Free to non-subscribers through November 28, 2017
Part of the BCG (Board for Certification of Genealogists) Webinar Series at Legacy Family Tree Webinars.


© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Webinar: "Using Non-Population Schedules for Context and Evidence" by Jill Morelli

A few years ago I extracted information from my 3rd great grandfather Henry Hill Freeman (1815-1887)'s federal non-population agricultural census in 1880 (he was in Johnson County, Texas):

Owner
130 acres of land improved, including fallow and grass in rotation (whether pasture or meadow)
40 acres of woodland and forest
$4000, of farm, including land, fences, and buildings
$200 of farming implements and machinery
$600 of live stock
$40 fences, cost of building and repairing in 1879
$??? (in the hundreds, could be 200-600), cost of fertilizers purchased in 1879
$400 amount paid for wages for farm labor during 1879, including value of board
?? (28?) weeks hired labor in 1879 upon farm (and dairy), excluding housework (only hired whites)
$1700, estimated value of all farm productions (sold, consumed, or on hand) for 1879)
2 acres grass lands 1879, mown
2 tons hay harvested in 1879
2 horses of all ages on hand June 1, 1880
4 mules and asses, all ages, on hand June 1, 1880
4 milch cows on hand June 1, 1880
16 other cattle on hand June 1, 1880
4 calves dropped, 1879
6 cattle sold living, all ages, 1879
1 cattle died, strayed, and stolen, and not recovered, 1879
175 lbs butter made on the farm in 1879
20 sheep on hand June 1, 1880
15 lambs dropped 1879
2 sheep died of disease 1879
20 sheep clipped, spring 1880, shorn and to be shorn
80 lbs wool
55 swine on hand June 1, 1880
60 barnyard poultry on hand June 1, 1880, exclusive of spring hatching
70 other poultry on hand June 1, 1880, exclusive of spring hatching
700 eggs produced in 1879
30 acres Indian corn, 1879
800 bushels, crop, Indian corn, 1879
6 acres oats, 1879
300 bushels, crop, oats, 1879
40(?) acres wheat, 1879
416 bushels, crop, wheat 1879
4 acres potatoes (sweet), 1879
25 bushels, crop, potatoes (sweet), 1879 

This is obviously an amazing treasure trove of information on our 19th century farming ancestors in the United States!  If you have these kinds of ancestors, too, you won't want to miss Jill Morelli's webinar "Using Non-Population Schedules for Context and Evidence":

We are familiar with the decennial censuses, but the non-population schedules can also provide evidence and context for your family history. Using basic analytical skills and correlating tools, we will investigate five different records sets which shed light on many aspects of our ancestors lives and enrich our stories of them.

Runs 1 hour 39 minutes.  Free for non-subscribers through November 17, 2017.

© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Limited Time Free Legacy Family Tree Webinar: "New York City Genealogical Research: Navigating Through The Five Boroughs" presented by Michael L. Strauss

I have always thought it a shame that I don't have any recent New York City ancestors.  Here and there I find a relative lived there but otherwise I don't know much about that iconic American city. To straighten out what areas comprise New York City I looked up what Wikipedia had:

New York City encompasses five different county-level administrative divisions called boroughs: Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. Each of the boroughs is coextensive with a respective county, the primary administrative subdivision within New York State. The Bronx and Queens are concurrent with the counties of the same name, while Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island correspond to New York, Kings, and Richmond Counties respectively.

Screen capture of the boroughs of New York. By Vector adopted by User:NafsadhOriginal:Julius Schorzman, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36401671

Michael L. Strauss presented "New York City Genealogical Research: Navigating Through The Five Boroughs" on November 8, 2017:

Many persons can trace their origins to the Empire State. New York City being one of the largest urban center offers many genealogical resources. Between the American Revolution and the Civil War-several key urban cities along the eastern seaboard populations increased strikingly. In 1790 New York’s population was about 33,000 persons, and by 1860 more than 1 million persons lived in the metropolitan area. This lecture offer a unique prospective into the various genealogical sources and historical records that are New York City.

Free to non-subscribers through November 15, 2017.

Runs 1 hour 41 minutes.

© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Legacy Family Tree Webinar: "Advanced Autosomal DNA Techniques used in Genetic Genealogy" by Tim Janzen

MyHeritage is the one main DNA company I have not done DNA with yet.  I'm still getting used to 23andMe, and will soon have Living DNA to figure out, and am tapped out on learning new DNA companies for the year!  Maybe next year.

But this webinar, Advanced Autosomal DNA Techniques used in Genetic Genealogy, originally presented in Israel by Tim Janzen for MyHeritage One-Day Genealogy Seminar on October 29, 2017, is a great way to see how to apply advanced techniques in DNA analysis (regardless of which company you use, I think):

This presentation will introduce some advanced techniques used by genetic genealogists including the use of triangulated groups, chromosome mapping, visual phasing, and phasing. Triangulated groups are clusters of matches who all share the same DNA segment and therefore all descend from a common ancestor. All serious genetic genealogists organize their matches into triangulated groups and then look for the shared ancestor common to everyone in each triangulated group. Chromosome mapping is the process of determining which portions of your DNA came from which ancestors and/or which geographic region or population. Chromosome mapping is essential to genetic genealogists. It allows you to focus your attention on a portion of your pedigree chart when you search for a shared ancestor with a match who shares a segment of DNA with you that you have mapped to a specific ancestor. Visual phasing is a powerful technique that helps you refine your chromosome maps if you have autosomal DNA test results from 3 or more siblings.

Runs 1 hour 2 minutes


© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.