Marin County Genealogical Society News (blog)

"Finding your roots" TV Show.

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 20:45:17 GMT

We watched the show "Finding Your Roots" last weekend and hope others will see it and enjoy it, too. The show is not conducted like "Who do You Think You Are?", but is great! It appears on Channel 9 at 8:00pm, (and sometimes another one at 9pm), on Sundays through some date in May. We think you will enjoy it as much as we did.

MCGS Webinars - Suggestions for 2012

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:17:40 GMT

I would like to ask you for your suggestions for the free webinars for 2012.

I plan to give between 4 – 6 this year and would like to hear your suggestions.

The webinars I gave last year were:

MCGS website Training - How to access and use the MCGS website
Organizing Your Genealogy Research - Paper and Digital
Tips for Printing & Publishing Family Histories
Sources, Citations and Documentation

Send your suggestions to Gene Pennington or post them on this blog.

RootsMagic Blog » New RootsMagic 5 Software Released

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:45:25 GMT

Just announced by RootsMagic – and just in time for Christmas!

Announcement | Next MCGS CIG Meeting

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 03:16:27 GMT

MCGS COMPUTER INTEREST GROUP MEETING

Announcement: There will NOT be a planned presentation or somebody to guide our Members through the next CIG meeting on Saturday, 11/19/11.

Due a personal commitment I can't make the meeting and the other presenters are out of town for Thanksgiving.

This meeting is an open forum so those of you who attend can lead your own discussions of computer and genealogy.

Remember there is NO CIG meeting in December so our next meeting will be on Saturday, January 21, 2012 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm.

See you next year.

Visit the MCGS website at --> http://www.maringensoc.org/Events to see the 2012 schedule, topics, locations and directions.

Ancestry Day in San Francisco: Daylong Event Features Genealogy Experts, Lectures and Consultations

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:59:21 GMT

For Immediate Release
Kathryn M. Doyle, Communications Director
510-663-1358, kdoyle@californiaancestors.org

Ancestry Day in San Francisco

Daylong Event Features Genealogy Experts, Lectures and Consultations

Oakland, CA – August 8, 2011 – Ancestry.com and the California Genealogical Society (CGS) are partnering to present Ancestry Day in San Francisco 2011 undefined Saturday, November 5, 2011, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco, located at 5 Embarcadero Center on the waterfront near the historic Ferry Building.

This full-day event will help you start or hone your genealogical skills. Explore the world of genealogy, listen to engaging lectures, meet with expert staff and learn about the incredible resources available at Ancestry.com and at the California Genealogical Society Library.

The day will include

More than a dozen family history lectures
Ancestry.com experts on-hand to answer your questions

One-on-one consultations with genealogists
Beginner’s classes where your family and friends can learn the basics

Registration is open. The “early bird” price (through October 5, 2011) is $42 for the all-day event. To learn more about the classes and consultation offerings, visit Ancestry Day in San Francisco 2011 at http://ancestry.com/ancestryday-sanfrancisco.

About Ancestry.com
With more than five billion historical records and in excess of 20 million family trees, Ancestry.com is the world's largest genealogical database. Have you explored what Ancestry.com has to offer? Visit Ancestry.com.

About CGS:
The California Genealogical Society, founded in San Francisco in 1898, maintains a library in Oakland, gathers and preserves vital records, and offers research services and online databases. CGS disseminates information through publications, meetings, seminars, workshops and its website: CaliforniaAncestors.org.

###

Kathryn M. Doyle Communications

California Genealogical Society & Library

CaliforniaAncestors.org

Webinar Cancelled for 8-6-11

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 11:52:34 GMT

Our webinar set for tomorrow, 8-6-11, has been cancelled due to a lack of participants.

The Web Browser | TechTips

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:18:45 GMT

A great tip! Be sure to read it. This is part 3 of 2 in the series “Researcher’s Digital Toolbox”. If you have read the other tips, click on the link in the 1st sentence to read the other tips.

The Web Browser | TechTips

New FamilySearch TechTips Website Brings Together Genealogy and Technology - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:41:59 GMT

Hat’s off to FamilySearch and their website! I now subscribe to the RSS feeds and can’t wait to dive into the many informative articles and blog postings.

I highly recommend this website and I’m sure you’ll find this of great value.

Click the link below to read Dick’s complete article.

New FamilySearch TechTips Website Brings Together Genealogy and Technology - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

New Online Tool uses Google Maps to Show Historical County Boundaries - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 19:43:18 GMT

This looks like a great resource tool! I don’t know about you but I have experienced the frustration of searching for historical facts only to find later that I was looking in the WRONG county!

Read Dick’s article for more information about this great tool from Randy Majors.

New Online Tool uses Google Maps to Show Historical County Boundaries - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Wild Apricot Blog : How to Keep Track of Your Passwords (and Keep Them Safe)

Fri, 20 May 2011 12:44:49 GMT

This is a great article that gives you some great suggestions on how to keep track of your passwords and how to keep them safe. This article is worth your time to read.

Wild Apricot Blog : How to Keep Track of Your Passwords (and Keep Them Safe)

Free Online File Converter - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Mon, 16 May 2011 19:28:22 GMT

A great website that Dick has discovered for us! Check it out! I know you’ll find this a useful website and service.

Free Online File Converter - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Free Online Records Cast Historic Light on South Carolina - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Tue, 10 May 2011 19:22:17 GMT

A major announcement from FamilySearch. If you are looking for records from South Carolina, here is a new found resource.

I know many of our Pennington ancestors have their roots in this area so this could be a treasure chest of information.

When the PRA visited the North Carolina State Archives in 2009, we discovered that many of the records we wanted to view were actually kept in South Carolina so this could be a wonderful new resource for us.

Enjoy!

Free Online Records Cast Historic Light on South Carolina - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Genealogy's Star: The Dominant Genealogical Resource on the Internet -- The FamilySearch Wiki

Sun, 08 May 2011 10:18:40 GMT

I like this article by James Tanner on his blog, Genealogy Star.

I think he has some valid points to make and I have a feeling his prediction about FamilySearch Wiki is right on the money.

Genealogy's Star: The Dominant Genealogical Resource on the Internet -- The FamilySearch Wiki

Genealogy's Star: Multiple changes to FamilySearch websites

Thu, 05 May 2011 11:12:26 GMT

A good article by James Tanner explaining the recent multiple changes to the FamilySearch websites.

If you use FamilySearch you should read this article to let you know how this affects your access and use of their websites.

Genealogy's Star: Multiple changes to FamilySearch websites

The Easy Way to Add Maps to Your Family History Projects - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:59:42 GMT

Check out Dick’s article for a great tool to add to your family history. Neat!

The Easy Way to Add Maps to Your Family History Projects - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

An Outage in the Cloud - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 11:29:22 GMT

A good article to read to help you better understand the “Cloud” when you hear others discussing the advantages.

As Dick points out, if you are using, or considering using, “Cloud” based genealogy software, you use take notice of this outage.

My advice is to always keep a copy, if not the original, of your genealogy database on your local computer and back it up with an external hard disk drive and/or thumb drive, etc.

I back up my genealogy databases on my local computer and back it up with an external hard disk drive plus I use Carbonite to back up all my data using the Internet. I’ve learned the hard way after suffering a couple of computer crashes and after the 1st crash I decided to use all the back up systems and options available to me.

Click the link below to read Dick’s informative article.

An Outage in the Cloud - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Genealogy's Star: When is a source not a source? In New FamilySearch?

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:42:36 GMT

A very interesting and informative article by James Tanner. In the 1st paragraph he quotes another person from FamilySearch who describes “sources” in FamilySearch more like a “source link” which allow you to create links in a family tree to sources found on FamilySearch.org I think you will agree with the author, as I do, that this presents a big problem for a genealogy researcher.

He also has a good discussion about online family trees. I agree with his concerns about these online family trees and I really like the way he details his concerns and issues with each of the major companies and/or organizations that offer this service.

I think you will find his article to be of interest and value.

Genealogy's Star: When is a source not a source? In New FamilySearch?

MCGS Meeting 7pm Wed. April 27 "Unclutter-Start Today"

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 21:28:49 GMT

CATH MADDEN TRINDLE, CG

Cath Madden Trindle is an excellent Genealogist, a Certified Genealogist, a retired business consultant, and in addition to working as a pro she gives back to the genealogical community as the treasurer of the Federation of Genealogical Societies and the Projects Chair for the California State Genealogical Alliance…among other things. Do you think she could do all this if she was not highly organized? I think not! In April she will share some of her favorite ideas with us so we can unclutter, organize our minds as well as our offices, and our genealogies. She will discuss various filing methods (she says there is no right way and no wrong way to organize). An organized genealogy will be a KEPT genealogy. Organization includes paper, memorabilia, and computer information…photos….documents and more. Her hand-out will give you websites to further help you, and a bibliography to keep you moving in the right direction . Cath Trindle has spoken to MCGS many times and has always been well received.

Family History Center 220 North San Pedro Road, San Rafael

Use your Phone as a Scanner with scanR - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 14:33:13 GMT

I have an iPhone so it has the capability but I’ve never used the scanR service. I have taken pictures of documents and photos with my iPhone as well as a digital camera and they have all turned out well.

Read this interesting article from Dick to learn more about using a smartphone as a scanner and the new scanR service.

Use your Phone as a Scanner with scanR - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Southern California Genealogical Society: 2011 Jamboree:

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 19:17:48 GMT

If you want to attend one of the best genealogy conferences (my opinion) on the West Coast, this is the one for you!

You can learn more and register by clicking on the link below.

Southern California Genealogical Society: 2011 Jamboree: