Tuesday, May 24, 2011

10 History Activities to do with your Family

http://www.sinclairtreasures.com/

Here are 10 activities your family can do together to learn more about their history and how the actions and decisions of their ancestors affected who they are today. These activities will help to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation for your foundations and will provide a more complete record of your distinctive history that will be treasured for generations to come.

Make a Family Tree
Ask one person to sketch a family tree on a large piece of paper while everyone contributes information. Encourage Grandma and Grandpa to share what they remember of the older generations and have the younger children locate their positions on the tree. Later, make decorative copies of the family tree and give one to each family member. Frame them for a lovely gift!
Start a Family Journal
Recruit your fastest write to record the stories and information in a journal that will come to light throughout the afternoon or evening. Divide the journal into four sections: one for individual 'Family Members', one for 'General Family' stories and information, one for 'Family Gratitude', and one for 'Legacy'. Ask a lot of questions to get the best stories! Later, transfer this priceless information to a more durable keepsake book or post to an online family wesite for all to enjoy.
Put Faces to Names
Blow the dust off the box, bag or album containing old family photos and together, identify the subjects in the pictures. Discuss where that person fits into the family tree and who they most resemble. Note any other historical information that is known. This is also the perfect time to label any unlabeled photos with names, dates, ages, locations, and any other relevant information. Use a soft lead pencil on pre-1950's photos and a felt tip marker on post 1950 photos. Never use a ball point pen as it can damage the photos.
Generation Preservation
Old photos are fragile and cannot be replaced once lost or damaged. Consider scanning the images to computer or disc so they can be preserved digitally, a more resilient format and one that can be shared easily. Digital images can also be repaired if they are damaged and organized into a video slide show documenting your family history.
Their Turn
Shine the spotlight on Grandma and Grandpa and encourage them to talk candidly about their experiences growing up. Go ahead, ask questions as often a little probing can reveal a treasure trove of fascinating stories and family history. Consider recording these stories in video or audio format so help future generations can connect on a more personal level. For something a bit more special, a Family Documentary Family Documentary can capture their life story and your family history by weaving a filmed interview with photographs, maps, and other memorabilia to create a modern day 'moving' portrait.
Where in the World
Using a world map or globe, point out where the family originated from and the different places they lived. Ask the children to trace the route the family may have taken between the locations. Discuss why, when and how the family came to America (or their current location) and the challenges and emotions they faced throughout their journey. A quick internet search can reveal the historical context of their immigration.
Generation Transformation
Looking over the Family Tree, discuss what life was like for each generation; their professions, living conditions, education, opportunities, and limitations, and how their experiences affected the next generation and ultimately the family as it is today. Have the children make a list of all the different family professions.
We are Family
Identify any family traditions, characteristics, family traits, values, and practices that have been passed down through the generations. Discuss why, when and where they may have begun and and their significance within the family.This is a great time to ask Grandma why she makes the special dish for Thanksgiving, or to compare your artistic skills with Grandpa.
Family Gratitude
Ask each family member identify an experience or decision an ancestor (or current family member) made that contributed to a better life for their descendants. Discuss what their perspective may have been at the time, and whether they could have imagined the impact their experience or decision would ultimately have their descendants.
Leave a Legacy
Finally, ask each family member to reflect upon what they would like their own family contribution-their legacy-to be and why. Encourage everyone to share how they envision their contribution to impact on future generations. Now, take a portrait and label it with names, the date and your location and add it to the family journal.

Your family history changes every day. Begin a new family tradition by using these activities to embrace and celebrate the past while guiding you family as they look to the future.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Canadian TV wants genealogy stories

http://www.sinclairtreasures.com/

genealogfind.blogspot.com

Friday, April 22, 2011

NEW FAMILY APP AVALILBLE

NEW FAMILIES APP NOW AVAILABLE FOR ANDROID York, UK, 31 Jan 2011
I really like this one,
TelGen Limited is pleased to announce the release of the first version of Families for Android. This app provides the same functionality as the popular Families app for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, but now on the Android platform. The app works in conjunction with Legacy Family Tree, the leading Windows-based genealogy software from Millennia Corp. You can now transfer your complete family tree, including pictures, to your Android smartphone, and view and edit the information wherever you are and thats really cool. Any changes you make can then be synced back to your Legacy file on your PC.
Families supports the following functionality: Here
* Multiple family files
* New family files can be created from scratch
* Family View, Pedigree View and Descendant View
* Index, searchable by Given Name, Surname or RIN
* Events
* To Do Lists
* Master and Detail Sources
* Locations and Addresses, with geolocation via Google Maps
* Alternate Names
* Pictures, including the ability to add pictures from camera or photo album
* Portrait and Landscape mode on all views
* Handles very large family files

Family View

Pedigree View (portrait)

Pedigree View (landscape)

Marriage View

Individual View

Search (surnames)

Search (individuals with surname)

Search (given name)

Add picture

Picture View

Event View

Location View

GeoLocation View

Source View

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Criminal Records Overlooked in Genealogy

Criminal Records - An Often Overlooked Genealogy Resource

by Sara Berthiaume | More from this Blogger
18 Mar 2011 12:00 AM
While you are probably aware that there are many types of records that can provide you with genealogical information, you may not know that some of this information can be found in places that seem a little odd at first glance. For example, criminal records are a source of data that genealogists can use. Some of us find links to famous people when we research our family trees. Others will find that one or more of their ancestors are infamous.

A person does not even have to be a criminal for you to be able to find information about them in criminal records. Persons accused of crimes appear in the records right alongside those that were tried, convicted, and punished. Looking in criminal records can provide you with much more than names and dates, too. If you do any research in criminal records, you are likely to see a "slice of life" from the time period that you are researching. What kinds of things were considered crimes at that time? How were criminals treated? What were the punishments like? All of these things and more can be learned from criminal records.
The genealogical data that can be found in criminal records includes names, birth dates, and places of residence. If family members were involved in the proceedings as accomplices or witnesses, you may find their genealogical data too. Unfortunately, legal proceedings have always been complex and are not uniform from state to state or even county to county. The best way to begin researching criminal records is inquiring at the courthouse in the locality where your ancestor may have taken part in criminal activity.
People with "bad apples" in their family tree can benefit from researching criminal records. Sometimes, the most interesting genealogy stories come from families where one or more ancestors have a criminal past. Criminals, whether of the modern variety or those from the past, are definitely not boring people and the stories of their exploits are sure to captivate the researchers that discover them.

Share and Enjoy: http://www.sinclairtreasures.com/

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Genealogy game for Facebook

Orem company creates genealogy game for Facebook

January 7th, 2011 @ 10:05pm

By Keith McCord

OREM -- If you or someone you know is on Facebook, you're well aware that it's more than just looking at photos of your friends' vacations.

Playing games on social-networking sites is exploding. In 2009, more than 49 million Americans played games like Farmville and Cityville, and the numbers continue to grow.

"What we're trying to do is take an exciting medium right now ... and create real-world content that has social value for people on a long-term basis." -Jeff Wells, CEO "Family Village"

An Orem company, Funium LLC, is about to join in with a game that has a new twist. It's called "Family Village," and the CEO is Jeff Wells.

"What we're trying to do is take an exciting medium right now, which is the social-gaming environment, and create real-world content that has social value for people on a long-term basis," Wells said.
The game involves building and populating a village, similar to other Facebook games; but there are no fictional characters involved. Instead, the on-screen people are your real-life relatives.
"That's one of the keys to the game, is that we want people who play the game to be able to know more about their own ancestors," Wells said.
The idea is to bring family history research to life with vibrant 3D graphics and sound. As you play the game, the game is busily searching the internet for information pertinent to your family.
"Such as census records, maps and yearbook albums, marriage records, war records, those types of things we'll be offering up in the game, so you can go deeper and deeper, build a bigger village and have more of your family members in the game itself," Wells explained.

Screen shot of the online game, "Family Village"

Jeri Lin Bearnson, an online gamer who's been involved in the early testing of the game, has learned some new information about one of her relatives.

"In fact, just this morning I found a document that I wasn't aware of about my great-great-great grandfather. He was one of the original settlers of Salt Lake," she said.
The game located some old newspaper articles, which she was able to download and save into her game.
Ross Wolfley, the operations officer with Funium, said those who have been involved in the early testing of Family Village have really gotten into it.
"This has the potential to take someone who has never had any interest whatsoever in genealogy or family history, to be able to turn them completely around and get them very excited about it," he said.
Wells put it this way: "I had somebody tell me that doing family history was a lot like doing taxes, and I figured if I can make doing family history fun, like playing Monopoly, then we'd have a winner, which I think we do."
Family Village is in its final stages of testing and will be launched to the public in February. To get to the game, log in to Facebook then click this link.
E-mail: kmccord@ksl.com

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

FINDING YOUR ROOTS

10 First Steps to Finding Your Roots

By Kimberly Powell, About.com Guide

See More About:

1. Begin with Names

First names, middle names, last names, nicknames...names often provide an important window into the past. Names in your family tree can be found by looking at old certificates and documents, by asking your relatives, and by looking at family photos and newspaper clippings (wedding announcements, obituaries, etc.). Search especially for maiden names for any female ancestors as they may help identify the parents, taking you back a generation in the family tree. Naming patterns used in the family may also hold a clue to previous generations. Family surnames were often adopted as given names, as were middle names which sometimes indicate the maiden name of a mother or grandmother. Watch also for nicknames, as they may also help you identify your ancestors. Expect to encounter plenty of spelling variations as name spellings and pronounciations generally evolve over time, and the surname your family uses now may not be the same as the one they began with. Names are also often just written down wrong, by people who spelled phonetically, or by individuals trying to transcribe messy handwriting for an index.

2. Compile Vital Statistics

As you search for the names in your family tree, you should also gather the vital statistics that go with them. Most importantly you should look for dates and places of births, marriages and deaths. Again, turn to the papers and photos in your home for clues, and ask your relatives for any details they can provide. If you run across conflicting accounts -- two different birth dates for great Aunt Emma, for example -- just record them both until more information comes along which helps point to one or the other.

3. Collect Family Stories

As you quiz your relatives about names and dates, take time to elicit and write down their stories as well. The 'history' in your family history begins with these memories, helping you to really get to know the people your ancestors were. Among these stories you may learn of special family traditions or famous family legends that have been passed down from generation to generation. While they will likely contain some creative remembrances and embellishments, family stories generally have some basis in fact, providing clues for further research.

4. Select a Focus

After gathering names, dates and stories about your family, the next step is to choose a specific ancestor, couple, or family line on which to focus your search. You could choose to learn more about your dad's parents, an ancestor you were named after, or all descendants of your maternal grandparents. The key here isn't what or who you choose to study, just that it is a small enough project to be manageable. This is especially important if you're just starting out on your family tree quest. People who try to do it all at once tend to get bogged down in details, often overlooking important clues to their past.

5. Chart Your Progress

Genealogy is basically one big puzzle. If you don't put the pieces together in just the right way, then you'll never get to see the final picture. To make sure your puzzle pieces end up in the proper positions you should use pedigree charts and family group sheets to record your research data and keep track of your progress. Genealogy software programs are another good option for recording your information, and will allow you to print out the data in a nice variety of chart formats. Blank genealogy charts can also be downloaded and printed for free from many different online sources. Next > Next Steps for Finding Your Roots

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Genealogy for ipod

Written on 15 November 2010 at 3:02 pm by Alona Tester

Genealogy Programs for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad

Filed under Genealogy Software no comments

This blog post comes to you courtesy of Dick Eastman from Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter, and his policy of allowing others “to copy the articles from Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter Standard Edition and to publish them elsewhere”.
I was part way through my own blog on the various genealogy apps available for the iPhone, iPod and iPad, when Dick’s post on this topic made it’s way to my inbox.
As his is far more comprehensive than I could ever so, I’ve decided to go with it!! So, thank you Dick for taking the time to not only review each App, but write about them too.
If you own an iPad, iPhone or an iPod Touch, wouldn’t you like to carry your genealogy database with you? Not only can you do that, but you even have many different genealogy programs to choose from. All of them can be downloaded and installed within seconds from the iPhone App Store. However, you do need to choose carefully as several of the programs will only work in conjunction with specific desktop genealogy programs. Others work only with online databases.
Genealogy Programs for iPad Owners
The following programs are designed for the iPad and will display in high resolution on the iPad’s larger screen:

* Reunion for the iPad allows you to view, navigate, search, and edit your information on the go. Yes, that’s “edit.” You can make changes to your database on the iPad, then take it back to the Macintosh and perform a sync function. All the changes you made on the iPad will be copied back to your family file on the Macintosh. You can add people, document new information, add pictures, and make corrections to your data on the iPad. Those changes will later be added to the Reunion database on the Macintosh.You can learn more in an online video at http://www.leisterpro.com/doc/video/lpVideo.php?video=ipad or read my earlier review at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2010/08/reunion-for-ipad.html
Reunion for iPad is available for US$14.99 from the App Store. For more information, visit http://www.leisterpro.com/ipad

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