ROOTSWEB REVIEW: RootsWeb's Genealogy News
Vol. 3, No. 14, 5 April 2000, Circulation: 415,661+
(c) 1998-2000 RootsWeb.com, Inc.
RootsWeb.com, Inc., P.O. Box 6798, Frazier Park, CA 93222-6798
Editors: Julia M. Case and Myra Vanderpool Gormley, CG
RootsWeb HelpDesk:
Advertising:
Media Contact:
DONATIONS HELP ROOTSWEB HELP YOU AND ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
For details about support levels, benefits, and payment
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Mailing address: RootsWeb.com, Inc., P.O. Box 6798, Frazier
Park, CA 93222-6798. (Please write your e-mail address on all
correspondence and checks.)
IN THIS ISSUE:
o News and Notes at RootsWeb (WorldConnect Tip; Web Page Design
Contest Winner; RootsWeb Staffer Wins First-Place; Success
Stories Scrapbook; WW II Stories Page; FreePages Help;
ISTG's "The Compass"; RootsWeb's Guide to Tracing Family
Trees: American Land Records)
o Treasure Map to RootsWeb
o Connecting through RootsWeb
o New Genealogy Mailing Lists
o New Genealogy Web Pages
o GenConnect
o USGenWeb Archives
o Letters to the Editors
o Humor
o Reprint Policy, Back Issues, How to Subscribe/Unsubscribe
* * * * *
NEWS AND NOTES FROM ROOTSWEB
WORLDCONNECT TIP: USING POST-EM NOTES WITH WORLDCONNECT
When searching WorldConnect have you ever come across an entry
in someone else's file and realized that you have additional or
corrected information for this individual? Perhaps you wish to
link your GEDCOM to someone else's, or even link two or more of
your own. You may have new information concerning an entry in
your own WorldConnect GEDCOM, but too little to warrant
uploading a new GEDCOM. All of these situations are perfect for
using a Post-em note.
To use a Post-em go to the page you wish to add to or correct.
Click on the link that says ADD POST-EM. You will be asked for
your name, e-mail address, your message, and as an option, a URL
and description to link to a Web page. You will also be asked to
choose a password for your Post-em which will allow you, the
creator of the Post-em (and ONLY you) to return to the note, and
either edit or delete it.
Since WorldConnect GEDCOMS are owned by the submitter, the
GEDCOM owner may elect to remove (but never edit) a Post-em
created by a visitor. While the Post-em creator uses his
password to edit or delete the note, the GEDCOM owner uses the
database password to delete a Post-em.
Should you forget your WorldConnect database password, or your
Post-em password, visit Password Central
and have it sent to you.
For more WORLDCONNECT TIPS, visit
* * *
WEB PAGE DESIGN CONTEST. A hush falls over the room.
The winner is:
Bob Dominy
with an honorable mention for creativity to:
Julie Orlando
Thanks to everyone who participated.
* * *
ROOTSWEB STAFFER WINS FIRST-PLACE. An informed source reveals
that our Rhonda McClure has won the first-place prize in an
annual contest sponsored by the Connecticut Society of
Genealogists for her book, THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO ONLINE
GENEALOGY.
Rhonda, co-author of ROOTSWEB'S GUIDE TO TRACING FAMILY TREES,
also has an article entitled "From the Past to the Future: A
Look at Online Genealogy" in the "Fall 1999 October/November/
December" issue of GENEALOGICAL COMPUTING's quarterly journal.
* * *
SUCCESS STORY SCRAPBOOK
RootsWeb is pleased to announce a new Web page that provides
users with a place to share their success stories. Success
begets success, and many other genealogists will be inspired by
the stories posted on this new page. We hope the stories will
encourage those who have yet to make a major breakthrough and
we think the Success Story Scrapbook will be a place for those
who feel stuck to find good ideas to use in their own research.
News media outlets are always on the lookout for local success
stories. For instance, when long-separated family members are
reunited, it becomes a powerful human interest story. As a
result of posting a story on this new site, you may well receive
local press coverage about your success. This not only would be
satisfying for you, but also would be inspiring to others.
* * *
WORLD WAR II STORIES. Do you have biographies of veterans that
you would like to share? Want to find an old buddy? Register at
the Lost and Found Window. Photos are welcome here if you don't
want to make your own page. Post a memorial to a loved one in
the Veterans' Garden. Post your story on RootsWeb's new World
War II Message Board at
* * *
FREEPAGES HELP. Need help with FreePages? Visit RootsWeb's new
Freepages Support Board at
* * *
IMMIGRANT SHIPS TRANSCRIBERS GUILD (ISTG): THE COMPASS. At the
ISTG's "The Compass" site, you will find links to Web sites for
researching emigration, immigration, and naturalization; more
than 100 passenger list sites; ethnic research; libraries and
archives; types, descriptions, and images of passenger ships;
and additional worldwide maritime information available both
online and offline.
* * *
ROOTSWEB'S GUIDE TO TRACING FAMILY TREES. In addition to brief,
interactive online genealogy lessons, you'll find links to
resources at RootsWeb and elsewhere on the Internet.
INDEX TO LESSONS
Lesson 29: AMERICAN LAND RECORDS. Free or cheap land was the
primary pull factor of immigration to America, and from land
records you can learn a great deal about your ancestors.
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The March/April issue of FAMILY CHRONICLE features an article on
"Researching Your Irish Roots," by renowned genealogist Angus
Baxter. Other articles include, "10 Best Local Library
Resources," "Organizing Your Family Records," "How to Choose the
Right Genealogy Software," "Why Film Research May Still Be Your
Best Choice," and many others. Top genealogy writers have this
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Dozens of Books & CDs at Publisher-Only
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Message "subscribe email newsletter" to
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TREASURE MAP TO ROOTSWEB
by Robert R. Tillman, President and CEO
Here are more tips and a treasure map to lead you to additional
gold buried at RootsWeb. Come back often, as megabytes of
nuggets (new material) are constantly added.
OBITUARY DAILY TIMES. Search this index to published obituaries,
with thousands of new entries added daily.
ARKANSAS -- 244,456 General Land Office Records to 1908
CALIFORNIA -- Sacramento County: 1890 Great Register
LOUISIANA -- 126,347 General Land Office Records to 1908
SOUTH CAROLINA -- York County: Census Index, 1790-1850
SOUTH DAKOTA
Dakota Territories Census -- 1860
Genealogical Society Quarterly Index
Brown County History Index
Brule County History Index
Campbell County Obituaries
Charles Mix County 1906 Atlas
Edmunds County Cemeteries
Edmunds County Obituaries from the "Bowdle Pioneer"
TENNESSEE -- Lincoln County Marriages from 1895 to 1910
VERMONT -- Saxtons River 1920 Census
WISCONSIN -- 260,530 General Land Office Records to 1908
ROOTS LOCATION LIST NAME FINDER. Search for the names of
genealogists who are researching a specific location to find
those with research interests in common. They may be looking for
the same families. This source still contains a great deal of
useful information although it was last updated in March 1998.
SOCIAL SECURITY DEATH INDEX. Search the millions of death
records in this database compiled by the Social Security
Administration. It is updated monthly and also contains user-
created Post-Em notes that may connect you to other researchers.
MISCELLANEOUS DOWNLOADABLE GENEALOGICALLY-RELATED FILES.
MISSING LINKS ARCHIVES. Browse all back issues of MISSING LINKS:
RootsWeb's Genealogy Journal, beginning 16 August 1996 and filed
by year/month/date of publication (e.g., 19960816.txt).
USGENWEB ARCHIVES CENSUS PROJECT. Many census records have been
transcribed from the original handwritten census enumeration
forms by USGenWeb volunteers. Transcriptions and digital images
of some U.S. census records are available at
USGENWEB ARCHIVES PENSIONS PROJECT. Contains transcriptions of
U.S. military pension applications.
USGENWEB ARCHIVES SPECIAL COLLECTIONS PROJECT. Contains material
of genealogical and historical interest that does not fall into
the standard state/county category.
USGENWEB ARCHIVES TOMBSTONE TRANSCRIPTION PROJECT. Tombstone
inscriptions from cemeteries in the United States, transcribed
by USGenWeb volunteers.
USGENWEB LINEAGE PROJECT. Contains a list of researchers who are
looking for descendants of one particular ancestor who must have
lived in the United States at one time and must have been born
before 31 December 1850. Links include the ancestor's name,
location, and dates, an e-mail link to the researcher, and the
researcher's Web page on the family, if there is one.
WEB SITES HOSTED BY ROOTSWEB. RootsWeb hosts many independently
authored genealogy-related Web sites that are an especially good
place to browse.
HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY WEB SITES
MISCELLANEOUS GENEALOGY-RELATED WEB SITES
SURNAME-RELATED WEB SITES
UNITED STATES GENEALOGICAL AND HISTORICAL WEB SITES
* * * * *
CONNECTING THROUGH ROOTSWEB. Thanks for sharing your stories.
Hi Fantastic People at Rootsweb: . . . We could go on and on
about all the help you folks have been to us. We found you a
little over a year ago and our family contacts have jumped from
about 75 to more than 1,200.
Our families migrated to and from all parts of the world. It was
an awesome task even trying to know how to begin discovering our
family history. We live in a pretty isolated part of the world
and although there are some resources available locally our
undertaking seemed daunting. Well, thankfully, we found you on
the `net and haven't looked back. We began with your lessons
and Gen-Newbie and
Rootsweb-L. We then progressed to more than 30 mailing lists
, RSL ,
etc. From advice we received from RootsWeb staff and members, we
branched out to other areas like the LDS, etc.
We decided to make our genealogy trip of a lifetime and again
turned to RootsWeb for assistance. Many people answered the call
and helped us greatly with our itinerary, e. g., begin in Salt
Lake, move to major centers in the places where your families
originated, etc. Locations of historical societies, libraries,
courthouses, motels, and restaurants were offered. Someone sent
us a telephone directory, many forwarded maps, etc. One family
even put us up in their home.
Now back at home we are still sifting through the boxes of
materials we collected as well as more than 2,000 photos we took
with our newly purchased digital camera. Now we have more
questions and are starting to be back in touch with contacts we
made through RootsWeb as well as reaching out to new ones for
more advice and suggestions.
Compliments to all of you for the new things you are adding and
bettering. You're a great mob! We can't thank you enough . . .
Best wishes and happy hunting to you all,
John and JoAnn O'Neil
Halls Head, Mandurah, Western Australia
On the beautiful turquoise blue Indian Ocean
* * *
I am having a wonderful week. Since putting my GEDCOM up on
WorldConnect I have gotten
several replies. Not only that, but I have gotten my ELLIS and
JAQUES tintypes back from the photographer and was at last
able to identify two pictures that had gone unidentified for
decades. I now am the proud owner of two never before seen
pictures of, Ezekiel ELLIS and his wife, Margaret Ann Parker
McCoy ELLIS from Tennessee. They were the parents of Benjamin
Abbott ELLIS, whose daughter Sarah was the mother of Millard
Nathaniel JAQUES, my great-grandfather. These pictures take my
photo library back one more generation along the JAQUES/S ELLIS
lines in Missouri. They are Sarah JAQUESS's grandparents.
Without the GEDCOM up at WorldConnect, the person who gave me
the tools to identify the images would not have known about me.
You enabled me to add one more tenuous link to my past. Now if
I can locate Bill JAQUES in San Bernardino, California, I will
have a stronger family file. Never give up. Thanks, RootsWeb.
Sylvia Stevens
* * * * *
MAILING LISTS. For an index to most genealogy mailing lists
hosted by RootsWeb, visit
NEW MAILING LIST REQUESTS. Please request new mailing lists at:
TO SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE from any RootsWeb-hosted mailing
list, send an e-mail message with only the word SUBSCRIBE
(or UNSUBSCRIBE) in the subject and the body of the message to
[name of list]-L-request@rootsweb.com (for mail mode) or to
[name of list]-D-request@rootsweb.com (for digest mode). FOR
EXAMPLE, if you are interested the genealogy, history, and
culture of the native peoples of Mexico, send your SUBSCRIBE
message to
NEW SURNAME MAILING LISTS, GENCONNECT BOARDS, AND CLUSTERS
Aguero, Akens
Bolhuis, Bonsal, Bottenus, Brinckerhoff, Buhmann, Buist
Camidge, Chess, Chunn, Coffer, Cowsert, Crystal
Deputat
Eiermann, Ewoldt
Fatula, Frommherz
Gigler, Goodreds, Grosvenor, Grugett, Gurule
Herberger, Hinojosa, Hogencamp, Holsey
Kaiper, Kellas, Kellington, Kennefic, Kippax, Kleback
Legate, Lehrmann, Leuck, Lunger, Lungren
Making, Menadue, Michalski, Milosierny, Moncur, Muckleroy,
Mutuszak
Nistler, Noyce
Oertling
Petz, Pierzchalski, Pluhator, Ply, Prondzinski, Putz
Radle, Reynard, Roughley
Seebacher, Self-Family, Smuin, Stavely, Stedner, Streight,
Sutherlin
Tingler, Traeger
Valente, Vinkie
Wadle, Waloch, Weisnesel, Westra, Wreford, Wykoff
NEW REGIONAL MAILING LISTS
CANADA
CAN-NS-ANTIGONISH -- Antigonish County, Nova Scotia
HONDURAS
HONDURAS-GENWEB
MEXICO
MEXICAN-INDIAN -- Genealogy, history, and culture of the
native peoples of Mexico
U.S.A.
NCDOGS -- Durham-Orange Gen. Society (North Carolina)
VA-CHURCH-HILL -- Church Hill area of Richmond, Virginia
NEW ETHNIC, SPECIAL INTEREST, AND MISCELLANEOUS MAILING LISTS
HDDDP -- Halifax and Dartmouth Digital Directory Project
NA-FAMILY-LEGENDS -- Research of families with legends of
Native American ancestry
* * * * *
NEW WEB ACCOUNT REQUESTS. Please see the instructions at
NEW WEB SITES. Some of these might not yet be accessible. If
one that interests you isn't up yet, please check again in a
few days or a week. .
Note that the ~[tilde] before the account name is required.
FOR EXAMPLE, to visit the Williams County, Ohio Web page, go to
CANADA
bcnorthw -- Northwest Region, British Columbia
U.S.A.
alfhn -- Friends of Historic Northport (Alabama)
ilissdsa -- International Society of Sons and Daughters of
Slave Ancestry (Illinois)
inbcgs -- Brown County Genealogical Society, Inc. (Indiana)
monwmgs -- Northwest Missouri Genealogical Society
mstchgs -- Tishomingo County Historical and Genealogical
Society (Mississippi)
mtteton -- Teton County, Montana
ncdogs -- Durham-Orange Gen. Society Inc. (North Carolina)
ohwillia -- Williams County, Ohio
txechc -- Ellis County Historical Commission (Texas)
txfhas -- Fort Hood Archaeological Society (Texas)
wiashlan -- Ashland County, Wisconsin
wibayfie -- Bayfield County, Wisconsin
wiwaukes -- Waukesha County, Wisconsin
wiwausha -- Waushara County, Wisconsin
SOME NEW HOMEPAGES AND FREEPAGES
BIRTCHER Surname. Anything and everything on BIRTCHER surname.
BRINKLEY, BLUE, NEW, BUNCH, TODD, HUCKABEE, SINGLETON, et al.
McCurtain County, Oklahoma information.
BUMBER, BROMBEREK, KOZLOWSKI, WESOLOWSKI, HOWE, MADDEN,
RIORDAN, and TRACEY (Polish and Irish ancestors)
CAYUGA COUNTY, Springport, Ledyard, Aurelius. Maps, air photos
and geological information on Cayuga County, New York.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~springport/stuff.html
HARP-THOMAS-MARION-L Home Page. Web site and mailing list
dealing with the ancestors of Thomas Marion HARP, Sr., born 1732
in Virginia and settled in Granville County, North Carolina, who
may be the son of Joshua and Mary BUDD EARP.
LINDNER-LINTNER MEMORABILIA
MY MASTER SITE. Graphic displays of the information most
requested from RootsWeb list and GenForum query work.
PARSONS, HARDY, TUBBS, WARNER, VAN BRUGGEN, ARMSTRONG,
MCMILLAN, and more in southern U. S., Massachusetts, Scotland,
the Netherlands, and some other places.
The Thomas A. PICK Home Page. A listing of people in the Eifel
area of the Rheinland. Approximately 87,000 entries.
QUEENSCASTLE. Large Donegal, Ireland research database; also has
a site of interest for Polish research and Russian research.
SPELLMAN, GSELL, EGLAND, HERSHEY, LONGANECKER, HUBER, EBERLY,
CRATSENBERG, JOHANSON, and related families.
STEELE. Descendants of Ninian STEELE, born 1669 in Scotland. A
compilation of several family researchers whose information I
found on the Internet.
SULLENS and SULLINS Census Records. depository of all known U.S.
census records for the SULLENS/SULLINS clan.
* * * * *
GENCONNECT. RootsWeb hosts many surname GenConnect boards that
are in need of people to maintain them.
o For a complete list of adoptable GenConnect surname boards
o For the form to request to adopt a GenConnect surname board
(the same form is used for surname mailing list requests)
Have you found a genealogical treasure, such as a photo album or
an old Bible containing a completed family record page, that you
would like to see reunited with its family? If so, in addition
to submitting a notice for publication in the "Somebody's Links"
section of MISSING LINKS or in the SOMEBODY'S LINKS NEWSLETTER
(to subscribe, send e-mail that says only SUBSCRIBE to:
, you can
read and post notices to the GenConnect SOMEBODY'S LINKS board:
* * * * *
USGENWEB ARCHIVES -- THE ARCHIVES NEWSLETTER contains the
current USGenWeb Archives submissions from the last week.
3 April 2000 issue
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/newsletter/2000/apr/apr3.htm
USGW-ARCHIVES-ANNOUNCE-L is a read-only mailing list for weekly
announcements of new updates and submissions to the USGenWeb
Archives. To subscribe, send e-mail that says only SUBSCRIBE in
the body of the message to this address:
* * * * *
LETTERS TO THE EDITORS may be posted to the GenConnect board at
http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/RWR-LettersToTheEditor
or e-mailed to RWR-Editors@rootsweb.com.
* * *
Please accept the following donation as a token of our
appreciation for letting us have a Web site on RootsWeb.
We have been quite impressed and pleased with the response we
have been getting. We have noticed an increase in the number
of queries, memberships, and requests for our publications. This
in turn has enabled us to increase our programs, find and
publish more original source material, increase the holdings of
our genealogical collection at the Flint Public Library, as well
as make our presence known to the genealogical community. . .
[T]hanks again for your help and support. Keep up the good work.
Darrell Owen Hardenburg, Treasurer
The Flint Genealogical Society
* * *
Over the past months I've seen several reasons given to post
GEDCOMs to RootsWeb's WorldConnect project. I've yet to see one
that's most obvious -- as bait. I have not found a line I'm
actively researching in the WorldConnect database so far.
However, once I posted a GEDCOM of my database I began hearing
from various collateral lines, ones I'm unlikely to actively
research. Sometimes I have something useful for them. More often
they have something new for me. It's easy because once the hook
was baited by submitting the GEDCOM, I didn't have to spend any
time trolling. RootsWeb did that for me and all I have to do is
periodically reel in the information.
Sherman Watkins
* * * * *
HUMOR. Thanks to "The Original Email Joke of the Day."
To subscribe mailto:subscribe-joker@send.memail.com
My Mother taught me about GENETICS . . .
"You're just like your father!"
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* * *
RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ROOTSWEB CEO
Keen.com is a Web site where people with questions talk to
people with answers over the telephone around the world. Where
this relates to RootsWeb is that those of you who have knowledge
in various aspects of genealogy can list yourselves and make
money providing telephone support to our users who need help.
Users can pick an individual who is knowledgeable in a
particular area, say German ancestor research, talk over the
telephone to a live genealogist and pay by the minute. New users
can get general help and experienced users who have hit a wall
in their research can talk with an expert in a particular sub-
category of genealogy. Once a user has talked with a genealogy
advisor, the user can review that advisor. Over time, advisors
who provide the best service will receive the best reviews.
We think that this is a win-win proposition for all concerned.
Users can get help over the telephone, experienced genealogists
can make an income, and RootsWeb now has a place to which it can
refer users who wish to talk with an individual knowledgeable in
genealogy over the telephone. (As you know, RootsWeb DOES NOT
provide telephone support of any sort.) You can join Keen.com
for free and receive a $5 credit in your account (worth up to
100 free minutes) upon signing up. You can list yourself as an
advisor in a particular area of genealogy (or in any of the
dozens of other non-genealogy categories) by simply filling out
a short form. Click here to start:
**END PAID ADVERTISEMENTS**
PERMISSION TO REPRINT articles from ROOTSWEB REVIEW is granted
unless specifically stated otherwise, PROVIDED: (1) the reprint
is used for non-commercial, educational purposes; and (2) the
following notice appears at the end of the article:
Written by . Previously published by RootsWeb.com, Inc., RootsWeb
Review: RootsWeb's Genealogy News, Vol. 3, No. 14, 5 April 2000.
RootsWeb:
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