ROOTSWEB REVIEW: RootsWeb's Genealogy News Vol. 3, No. 42, 18 October 2000, Circulation: 702,462+ (c) 1998-2000 RootsWeb.com, Inc. http://www.rootsweb.com/ ROOTSWEB REVIEW and MISSING LINKS are free, weekly e-zines Editors: Julia M. Case and Myra Vanderpool Gormley, CG RWR-Editors@rootsweb.com Advertising: sbrenay@myfamilyinc.com RootsWeb HelpDesk: http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/ Data Submission Form: http://userdb.rootsweb.com/submit.html New Databases (check often): http://searches.rootsweb.com/ IN THIS ISSUE o News and Notes from RootsWeb (Halloween Cards from RootsWeb; WorldConnect Tips; Who Has the Data?; IBSSG; Shaking Your Family Tree; RootsWeb's Guide to Tracing Family Trees) o Connecting through RootsWeb o New Genealogy Mailing Lists o New Genealogy Web Pages o GenConnect o USGenWeb Archives o A Search Using the California Vital Records Indexes o Letters to the Editors o Humor o Reprint Policy; Back Issues; How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe RootsWeb's WORLDCONNECT contains more than 45.1 million names and new GEDCOMs are added daily. Search WorldConnect and upload your own GEDCOM(s) to http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/ NEWS AND NOTES FROM ROOTSWEB HALLOWEEN CARDS FROM ROOTSWEB. http://postcards.rootsweb.com/hall.htm Create personalized Halloween cards (free of charge, of course) and e-mail them from RootsWeb to your online family and friends. Choose the design (a number of Victorian images are available, among other choices), colors for background and text, and music, write a message, review the finished product, and send. Cards for other occasions are also available. * * * WORLDCONNECT TIP: The Origin of Charts and Reports Displayed on WorldConnect Pages Q. I would like to know what program designed the pedigree chart and other reports I found in a WorldConnect file. I like the format very much but can't figure out how they were created or what program created them. I asked the owner of the page and he uses the same genealogy program I use, but I can't seem to duplicate the results on my computer that I find on WorldConnect. How can I create these charts and reports for my own genealogy file? A. The pedigree charts and reports you saw displayed on the WorldConnect page in a submitter's file were not produced by the computer software program that the submitter used at home to compile his family tree data. The WorldConnect program itself is producing the pedigree chart, Ahnentafel Report (Ancestor Table Report), Register Report (descendant-based report), descendancy outline, and Index. All of these charts and reports, are derived from the information included in the GEDCOM file that the submitter created from his own genealogy data on his computer. In order to have your own family tree data displayed in a similar manner you need to create a GEDCOM from the file on your computer, and upload the GEDCOM to WorldConnect. To learn more about the reports and charts generated by WorldConnect: http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/FAQ/wcresults3.html To submit your own family tree: http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igmuser.cgi For additional help in submitting your family tree, and creating a GEDCOM: http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/FAQ/wcsubmit1.html RootsWeb Review's WorldConnect Tip-of-the-Week Storehouse: http://www.rootsweb.com/~review/tips/index.html RootsWeb's Guide to Tracing Family Trees, Using Technology to Dig up Roots: http://www.rootsweb.com/~rwguide/lesson3.htm * * * WHO HAS THE DATA? Does your state, province, county, parish, or church have a database available that has not yet been placed on RootsWeb and that you think would be of interest to genealogists and historians? Do you have a database that you would like to share that you think would be of value and interest to others? In most cases, RootsWeb would be proud to host them. Please use the data submission form to tell us about such databases: http://userdb.rootsweb.com/submit.html * * * INTERNATIONAL BLACK SHEEP SOCIETY OF GENEALOGISTS (IBSSG) http://blacksheep.rootsweb.com/ IBSSG flockmaster, Jeff Scism, reports that the December 2000 issue of "Family Tree Magazine" at page 54 contains a four-page article about IBSSG entitled "Past Imperfect." * * * SHAKING YOUR FAMILY TREE (SYFT). Tracing your family tree involves much more than typing your surname in a search engine on the Internet. Take a closer look at your family tree to see if some phony ancestors have been grafted onto it, and, if so, by whom. Before you brag to your grandchildren about those noble or royal lines or a famous connection, be sure you are not barking up the wrong tree. http://www.rootsweb.com/~rwguide/syft/curcolumn.htm SYFT columns are archived by subject and can be browsed at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~rwguide/syft/ * * * ROOTSWEB'S GUIDE TO TRACING FAMILY TREES (RWGuide) http://www.rootsweb.com/~rwguide/ Tales from the Crypt: Halloween Special for Genealogists Come along with us and check out Dracula's family tree (is he your kissing cousin?), examine Frankenstein's genealogy for possible family ties, and meet some Monsters, Ghosts (friendly and otherwise), Werewolves, and Witches. Visit (virtually) some real haunted houses -- if you dare. http://www.rootsweb.com/~rwguide/halloween.html Grave Matters: Symbols, Designs and Epitaphs on Tombstones http://www.rootsweb.com/~rwguide/memorial.htm ** PAID ADVERTISEMENTS ** You know the value of knowing your roots. Make it easier for future generations to know theirs. Put your family history on the Internet today. Register.com, the first step on the Web. http://www.register.com/index.cgi?SOURCE=myfam-rr-textlink * * * FREE GIFT FOR YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN! For those of you lucky enough to have children or grandchildren in your lives, visit iGrandparents now and you are GUARANTEED a free gift. While at the site, you can also take advantage of their wonderful activity pages, read the latest movie reviews for kids, and find great ideas about fun things to do with youngsters. Click here to visit: http://www.igrandparents.com/Registration/gpregister.asp **************************************** Over 14,000 Immigrant QUERIES German emigrants and immigrants, throughout the world, any time period. http://www.germanmigration.com/ Queries - Books - Links **************************************** The Oct/Nov issue of HISTORY MAGAZINE is now on the newsstands but you can obtain a FREE trial copy by visiting http://www.history-magazine.com/ Articles include "Working Women in New York," "Bloodletting, a Now Discredited Medical Practice," "Privateers of the Caribbean, Pirates who Operated with Government Sanction," "Poor Richard's Almanac, Franklin's book that rivaled the popularity of the Bible," and many others. HISTORY MAGAZINE articles cover the social conditions that affected the lives of our ancestors. Find out how you can obtain a FREE trial copy by visiting http://www.history-magazine.com/ ***************************************** FREE SAMPLE ISSUE OF "HERITAGE BOOKS NEWS" Includes 50-60 new books & CD-ROMs at publisher's introductory discount prices and a COMPLETE CATALOG of 1,400+ BOOKS & CD-ROMS all published by Heritage Books Inc. Visit www.heritagebooks.com/catalog_request.htm and fill out the online form or call 1-800-398-7709 HERITAGE BOOKS, INC. 1540 Pointer Ridge Place, Bowie MD 20715 ***************************************** The Nov/Dec issue of FAMILY CHRONICLE contains many articles including "Railroad Records," "Using State Censuses," "Becoming a Genealogical Detective," "10 Frequently Asked Questions at Family History Centers," "Getting Past the Brickwall," "You Wanted to Know," and "Web sites Worth Surfing." Top journalist Carole Kiernan has this to say about FAMILY CHRONICLE: "One of the most informative genealogical magazines I have ever seen." Find out how you can obtain a FREE trial copy by visiting http://www.familychronicle.com/ * * * Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the No. 1 Source for Family History Online. Search more than 600 MILLION NAMES and trace your family tree today. Go to: www.ancestry.com/subscribe/subscribetrial1y.asp?sourcecode=F11GC ** END PAID ADVERTISEMENTS ** CONNECTING THROUGH ROOTSWEB. Thanks for sharing your stories. ADOPTEE FINDS BIRTH FAMILY AFTER 55 YEARS by Pat Stoner donalc_s@yahoo.com Thanks to RootsWeb, I have found my birth family. For 55 years, I have known that I was adopted. I was told by my adoptive parents that my birth mother was a singer in a night club in San Francisco during the War and that I had a sibling. In my search in San Francisco, California, I was able to go back through the birth records and I found a birth four years prior to mine. When I ordered the birth certificate, it was for a girl born to a vocalist noted as singing at a night club there in San Francisco. I knew the information on the mother was the same as I knew growing up. I then knew that this was my sister's birth certificate. I now had my sister's name. Without knowing their married names, I kept coming up against dead ends and blank walls. But then I heard about RootsWeb. When I did a search using my mother's maiden name, there came up an obituary with her maiden and married names. I wrote to the newspaper to obtain a copy of the obituary and when I received it my eyes filled with tears. There was my mother's name stating that she was a singer in San Francisco and then the name of her first daughter. My heart was so heavy with sorrow as I only wished I could have found her sooner. I was able to contact her husband and he notified my sister. She called me and everything just came together after that. I have met my two sisters and a brother. I also have twin brothers whom I will meet soon. So, here I was raised an only child, not knowing that I had five siblings that someday I would find. I will share my first Thanksgiving with my birth family this year. So many times I was to the point of giving up, but something always told me to keep searching. This has been a wonderful year 2000 and I hope that all adoptees who are searching never give up. Dreams do come true. * * * GENEALOGICAL TREASURE by Ruth M. (Gould) Lyke rumaly@webtv.net On 30 September 2000, through RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project Global Search http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/ , I found my great-grandfather, born (or christened) 27 March 1811 in England, died 8 February 1905 in Mansfield Township, Warren County, New Jersey. Database lbrown 777. Spouse: Anna Marie BIDDLEMAN. This was MY treasure. I am 82 and the last family member who would have any idea where to search. The strange part of this search is that I was looking for my father's record of death, but the search went straight to my grandfather, also named Edwin, thence to his father. I don't know where to go from here, but my heart beat quite fast when there appeared on my WebTV screen the record of my grandfather, Edwin GOULD Jr., serendipitously found while looking for vital statistics for my father, Edwin Roy GOULD, who died 30 April 1930 in Detroit, Michigan and was buried in White Chapel Cemetery, Troy Township, Michigan. Quests for other family names have come up "none found" but I know there is something out there for the SKILLEN, WALZ, and BIDDLEMAN connections; also for my late husband's family, beginning with his father, Fred LYKE, and his grandfather and grandmother, Edgar and Fanny LYKE. Most of these family names have a Michigan base. I am finding this difficult, but I shall keep at it. * * * * * MAILING LISTS. For an index to most genealogy mailing lists hosted by RootsWeb, visit http://lists.rootsweb.com/ NEW MAILING LIST REQUESTS. Please request new mailing lists at http://resources.rootsweb.com/adopt/ 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 in Peterborough County, Ontario, Canada, send a SUBSCRIBE request to CAN-ONT-PETERBOROUGH-L-request@rootsweb.com NEW SURNAME MAILING LISTS, GENCONNECT BOARDS, AND CLUSTERS Anderson-UK Bambalere, Bardmess, Barstad, Bashaw, Breckon, Brocklehurst, Brookover Cagel, Codney, Cooleston, Crick Eberlein Findon, Fruish Givings, Greensmith, Gurdon Heidger, Hellenga, Henness, Hereth, Hooser, Huggenberger, Huskison Jones-UK Katzung, Kiepert, Klitzke, Kneff, Kubezcka Landroth, Lani, Lederfeind, Loutsis McFarlin, McQuade Mewes, Morits, Mottern, Muncton Outram Prosifka Romeo Schiable, Spankie, Stinton Ullom Vertrees, Vinczolosky Young-KY NEW REGIONAL MAILING LISTS AUSTRALIA AUS-QLD-TOOWOOMBA -- Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia CANADA CAN-ONT-PETERBOROUGH -- Peterborough County, Ontario ENGLAND ENG-DURHAM-YORKS -- For those whose ancestors moved between County Durham and Yorkshire; discussion of the history and migration of the region. U.S.A. AR-VETERANS -- Arkansas veterans; any time period DE-VETERANS -- Delaware veterans; any time period GA-VETERANS -- Georgia veterans; any time period KS-VETERANS -- Kansas veterans; any time period MD-VETERANS -- Maryland veterans; any time period MO-VETERANS -- Missouri veterans; any time period OK-LANDRUNS -- information and history regarding those involved in the Oklahoma Land Runs OK-MIGRATION -- Migration in and out of Oklahoma OK-ROLLCALL -- For posting Oklahoma surnames SC-VETERANS -- South Carolina veterans; any time period TN-VETERANS -- Tennessee veterans; any time period TX-VETERANS -- Texas veterans; any time period UT-VETERANS -- Utah veterans; any time period USAGEN -- Generic list for unknown location in the U.S.A. and/or discussion of U.S.A.-specific resources WALES WLS-BRECONSHIRE -- Family history and related matters for the pre-1974 Welsh county of Breconshire WLS-DENBIGHSHIRE -- Denbighshire, Wales WLS-FLINTSHIRE -- Flintshire, Wales WLS-MONTGOMERYSHIRE -- Family history and related matters for the pre-1974 Welsh county of Montgomeryshire WLS-RADNORSHIRE -- Family history and related matters for the pre-1974 Welsh county of Radnorshire ETHNIC AND SPECIAL INTEREST MAILING LISTS GEN-TRAVEL-EUROPE (all of Europe and the British Isles) and GEN-TRAVEL-US (within the U.S.A.) are for sharing travel information for genealogists. Discussion topics include basic information about location and hours of local libraries and government offices; good places to stay and to eat; getting around, Internet connections, coping in an unfamiliar place; and any other questions, opinions, or recommendations related to traveling in search of ancestors. Be a good-will ambassador for your town or country by answering visitors' questions. Experienced travelers are also sought to share their opinions and experiences with others. Note: Judging from the response the first week, many genealogists are planning to hit the road. Please send questions about either list to Libbie@blazenetme.net METISGEN -- Canadian Metis heritage OK-NATIVEAMERICAN * * * * * NEW WEB ACCOUNT REQUESTS. Please see the instructions at http://accounts.rootsweb.com/ 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. http://www.rootsweb.com/~[account name]. Note that the ~[tilde] before the account name is required. FOR EXAMPLE, to visit the WorldGenWeb Web page for Slovenia, go to http://www.rootsweb.com/~svnwgw/Old%20San%20Angelo/ AUSTRALIA auswg -- Wonthaggi Genealogy. Inc. (Victoria) CANADA bcblagg -- Burns Lake and Area Genealogy Group (British Columbia) SLOVENIA svnwgw -- Slovenia (WorldGenWeb) UNITED KINGDOM uksosfhc -- Southend-on-Sea Family History Computer Group U.S.A. gacrisp -- Crisp County, Georgia kyekg -- East Kentucky Genealogy mnnobles -- Nobles County, Minnesota mnwashin -- Washington County, Minnesota mtmussel -- Musselshell County, Montana nyfrankl -- Franklin County, New York nylcgs -- Livingston County Genealogical Society (New York) nyunywh -- Upstate New York Welsh Heritage ohscogs -- Shelby Chapter of Ohio Genealogical Society txjackso -- Jackson County, Texas vabland -- Bland County, Virginia vannwhpa -- Newport News-Warrwick Historical Preservation Association of Virginia, Inc. SOME NEW HOMEPAGES AND FREEPAGES BOYD FAMILY PAGE. More than 1,000 pages of BOYD records. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~confido/bkindex.htm TEXAS. Old photos and other artifacts from San Angelo, Tom Green County, Texas. 1927 yearbook photos, vintage postcards, and more. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~liatrisa/ Old%20San%20Angelo/ [Note two-line URL.] * * * * * 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 http://genconnect.rootsweb.com/surnames/adoptable/ o For the form to request to adopt a GenConnect surname board (the same form is used for surname mailing list requests) http://resources.rootsweb.com/adopt/ * * * * * USGENWEB ARCHIVES -- THE ARCHIVES NEWSLETTER contains the current USGenWeb Archives submissions from the last week. Back issues of THE ARCHIVES NEWSLETTER are archived at www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/newsletter/ 16 October 2000 issue www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/newsletter/2000/oct/oct16.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: usgw-archives-announce-L-request@rootsweb.com * * * * * A SEARCH USING THE CALIFORNIA VITAL RECORDS INDEXES by Ron Moore rmoore@cybergate.com The California death and birth indexes were extremely helpful in locating a female's unknown married name. A STOUT family had moved in the 1920s from Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska, to Alameda County, California. The family included both parents, five sons, and one daughter. STOUT family Bible records gave exact dates of birth for most of the STOUT children. It was relatively easy to determine where all of the sons had died by checking the California Death Index http://userdb.rootsweb.com/ca/death/search.cgi and confirming with the established date of birth from the Bible. There was no clue about the one daughter because her marriage was not recorded in the Bible and other marriage records were not easily available at the time the search was made. She was listed in the family Bible as Marian Edith STOUT, born 6 June 1901 in Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska. It seemed likely she had married as no listing for her was found in the California Death Index with the surname STOUT, but her married name was unknown. The California Death Index was searched for all females whose fathers had the surname STOUT and whose mothers had the maiden name FORBES (known to be her mother's maiden name from family Bible records). Nothing turned up. The possibilities were considered that she was still alive at the age of 99 or that she had moved away from California. Then the thought occurred that maybe the name of her father and/or mother had not been entered in the California Death Index. This later was shown to have been what actually happened. Knowing that her given name was Marian and that she was born in 1901, only the parameters for given name -- Marian; sex -- female; birth date -- 1901; and place of birth -- Nebraska, were filled in for the search, because those were the things that were known about her. The search turned up only three names meeting these criteria and one of the three had a date of birth of 6 June 1901, which was precisely the date of birth given in the STOUT family Bible. From the California Death Index, it was determined that Marian STOUT's married name was WIKKERINK and that she died in Alameda County, California on 8 April 1970. Although everything seemed to fit, this was still only circumstantial evidence but it was very strong evidence that this was the right Marian. As further proof, a search of the California Birth Index http://userdb.rootsweb.com/ca/birth/search.cgi was made for a child born with the surname WIKKERINK whose mother's maiden name was STOUT, and a son turned up. This was additional evidence that this Marian WIKKERINK was indeed the same person as Marian STOUT. It would have taken weeks of searching in the old California Vital Records Indexes which are on microfiche, and the married surname for Marian (STOUT) WIKKERINK might never have been found. Since the California birth and death indexes are now online and have multiple parameters that can be searched simultaneously, the research process is greatly improved. Note: This STOUT example was a result of a project I was doing to help find living descendants of this STOUT family because the old STOUT family Bible, with records dating back to 1819 and 13 old family photographs taken before 1880, was found in a second-hand store 11 years ago. The Bible soon will be returned to a descendant of Marian Edith STOUT. * * * * * LETTERS TO THE EDITORS. Please send letters and all submissions as plain text e-mail messages (no attachments or html) to RWR-Editors@rootsweb.com Our home here in Rolfe, Iowa is the Iowa Orphan Train "Riders" Research Center/Archives, where I collect and keep information about the 8,000 to 10,000 children who were brought to Iowa on the trains from Northeastern coastal cities. I will be glad to assist anyone who is searching for a "rider" to Iowa. I do not charge a fee for this service. You may use my e-mail address or mailing address: 401 Broad St., Rolfe, Iowa 50581-1101. Madonna M. Harms wmmharms@ncn.net To all at RootsWeb: We can never thank you enough. We finally found lost family members through RootsWeb . . . You can't imagine the thrill to click onto a site and see the news you have been waiting for. Thank you ever so much. You all deserve a medal and a rose to boot. Linda on behalf of the Salmon Family Uvaldemom@aol.com * * * * * HUMOR. Thanks to "Joke of the Day." To subscribe, send e-mail to subscribe-joker@send.memail.com or visit http://www.memail.com/ English law prohibits a man from marrying his mother-in-law. This is our idea of useless legislation. * * * * * 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 [author's name, e-mail address, and URL, if given]. Previously published by RootsWeb.com, Inc., RootsWeb Review: RootsWeb's Genealogy News, Vol. 3, No. 42, 18 October 2000. RootsWeb: http://www.rootsweb.com/ BACK ISSUES OF ROOTSWEB REVIEW and MISSING LINKS are fully SEARCHABLE. Search all or download a specific issue by following the links at http://www.rootsweb.com/~review/e-zine.html A paid advertisement in ROOTSWEB REVIEW or MISSING LINKS should not be construed as an endorsement of the product or service. TO UNSUBSCRIBE from the free weekly genealogy e-zines, ROOTSWEB REVIEW and MISSING LINKS, send any e-mail to: rootsweb-review-unsubscribe@rootsweb.com TO SUBSCRIBE, send to rootsweb-review-subscribe@rootsweb.com