Sunday, November 20, 2011

Ancestry Beta Testing a New Viewer

For the students who just finished taking my Internet and Genealogy class this last semester, "I told you so." I told them during the class that some time after the class concluded (this last week) and the end of the year, Ancestry.com would make a major change to their site. It happens everytime I teach this class.

So imagine my shock (NOT!) when I got a notice from the Genealogy Insider blog via the FTM newsletter that Ancestry is now Beta testing a new image viewer.

The interface is similar to the previous viewer, with some new and improved features:

Faster image loading.

Works on more platforms and with more browsers than the previous image viewer, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari. Web browser issues were preventing a large portion of Ancestry.com members from using the previous image viewer.

New tools, including rotating an image (handy for census returns with the address written along the side of the page), mirror (flips your record over so you're reading it backward, which I've heard can help with hard-to-read records), and new zoom controls.

Easy installation. Most people won't have to install anything (I didn't), though you might need to install a more recent version of the free Adobe Flash Player.

You can learn more about this by clicking here.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

FamilySearch Volunteers to Index 1940 Census

FamilySearch is heading up a volunteer effort to index the 1940 US census when records are released to the public next April. They have created a webpage to recruit volunteers for transcribing the 1940 census, scheduled for release April 2, 2012 (142 days from today).

On April 2, 2012, NARA will provide access to the images of the 1940 United States Federal Census for the first time. Unlike previous census years, images of the 1940 U.S. Federal Census will be made available as free digital images.

Upon its release, FamilySearch and its partners will coordinate efforts to provide quick access to these digital images and immediately start indexing these records to make them searchable online for free and open access.

You can get more information on this project by clicking on the FamilySearch 1940 Census Index Volunteer Page link.

2 Million Records Added to U.S. Collections


A broad range of records were added to FamilySearch this week from 20 countries, notably Australia, Austria, Canada, Chile, England, Dominican Republic, Germany, Italy, Philippines, and the U.S. The U.S. additions include a variety of records from California, Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin (See the full listing of new updates below)

Collection Records Images Comments
Australia, Tasmania, Miscellaneous Records, 1829–1961 0 9,723
Added browsable images to existing collection.

Austria, Carinthia, Military Personnel Records, 1846–1897 0 238,473
New browsable image collection.

Austria, Seigniorial Records, 1537–1888 0 29,522
Added browsable images to existing collection.

Canada, Saskatchewan Provincial Records, 1879–1987 0 57,903
Added browsable images to existing collection.

Chile, Santiago, Cementerio General, 1821–2006 0 65,853
New browsable image collection.

Colombia, Catholic Church Records, 1600–2008 0 9,710
Added browsable images to existing collection.

Dominican Republic, Catholic Church Records, 1590–1955 0 165,106
New browsable image collection.

El Salvador, Catholic Church Records, 1655–1977 0 589,990
New browsable image collection.

England, Cornwall Parish Registers, 1538–2010 0 11,979
Added browsable images to existing collection.

England, Lancashire, Oldham Cemetery Registers, 1797–2004 0 45,387
New browsable image collection.

England, Warwickshire Parish Registers, 1538–1900 399,299 0
Added new records to existing collection.

Germany, Württemberg, Schwäbisch Hall, Probate Records, 1833–1905 0 21,584
New browsable image collection.

Honduras, Catholic Church Records, 1633–1978 0 37,672
Added browsable images to existing collection.

Hungary Catholic Church Records, 1636–1895 261,188 0
Added new records to existing collection.

Isle of Man, Parish Registers, 1598–1950 410,460 42,054
New index collection.

Italy, Napoli Castellammare di Stabia, Civil Registration (Comune), 1809–1936 6,134
0
Added new records to existing collection.

Italy, Potenza, Lagonegro, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866–1910 0 154,261
Added browsable images to existing collection.

New Zealand, Probate Records, 1878–1960 0 89,600
Added browsable images to existing collection.

Paraguay, Catholic Church Records, 1754–1981 0 303,041
New browsable image collection.

Peru, Catholic Church Records, 1687–1992 0 76,341
Added browsable images to existing collection.

Philippines, Civil Registration (National), 1945–1980 0 265,673
Added browsable images to existing collection.

Slovakia, Church and Synagogue Books, 1592–1910 0 594,660
Added browsable images to existing collection.

Spain, Consular Records of Emigrants, 1808–1960 0 20,978
Added browsable images to existing collection.

U.S. Social Security Death Index 113,448 0
Added new records to existing collection. Records now current as of 31 Oct 2011.

U.S., California, San Mateo County Records, 1856–1967 0 114,986
Added browsable images to existing collection.

U.S., California, State Census, 1852 188,578 0
New index collection.

U.S., Illinois, Macon County, Decatur Public Library Collections, 1879–2007 0 64,268
New browsable image collection.

U.S., Indiana, Marriages, 1811–1959 87,711 0
Added new records to existing collection.

U.S., North Carolina, Estate Files, 1663–1917 7,112 130,600
Added new records to existing collection.

U.S., Ohio, Stark County Coroner's Records, 1890–2002 0 39,054
Added browsable images to existing collection.

U.S., Oregon, Columbia County Records, 1854–1958 0 29,284
Added browsable images to existing collection.

U.S., Texas Birth Certificates, 1903–1934 422,956 423,803
Added new records to existing collection.

U.S., Texas Deaths, 1977–1986 0 59,536
Added browsable images to existing collection.

U.S., Texas, Bexar County, San Antonio Cemetery Records, 1893–2007 0 38,892
New browsable image collection.

U.S., Texas, Matagorda County, School Census Records, 1923–1946 0 52,548
Added browsable images to existing collection.

U.S., Washington State County Naturalization Records, 1850–1982 0 169,740
Added browsable images to existing collection.

U.S., Wisconsin, Probate Estate Files, 1848–1935 0 179,977
Added browsable images to existing collection.

United States, National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866–1938 165,432 0
Added new records to existing collection.

Venezuela, Civil Registration 0 13,194
Added browsable images to existing collection.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates Website

I mentioned in our Thursday night Internet and Genealogy class a website on the Internet where you can search the Journals of the US Senate and House of Representatives for possible mentions of your family members.

Click here for a link to this site

Thursday, November 3, 2011

1883 U.S. Government Military Pension List Online

GenealogyBank has announced that it has the five-volume List of Pensioners-1883 online, to help with your family history research. These U.S. federal government military pension records are a valuable genealogy resource actively used by genealogists to trace family lineage.

List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883; giving the name of each pensioner, the cause for which pensioned, the post office address, the rate of pension per month, and the date of original allowance. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883. Senate Document. Serial Set Vol. No. 2078, Session Vol. No. 5; Report: S.Exec.Doc. 84 pt. 1-5.

The List of Pensioners-1883 lists the pensioners by U.S. state and county. Volume 5 includes the lists of pensioners that lived overseas.

Each military pension record entry gives:
· Name of pensioner
· Pension certificate number
· Date of the original pension
· Reasons why the pensioner received the pension
· The monthly pension payment
· U.S. Post Office where the pensioner receives their mail

Types of military pension records included:
· Veteran disability pension records
· Army pension records
· Navy pension records
· War widows pension records
· War orphans pension records

Genealogy Tip: This is a crucial genealogical resource for identifying pensioners from all American wars still living in 1883 and it pinpoints where they were living—anywhere in the U.S. or around the world. This extensive U.S. military pension list includes pensioners from the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Civil War, and more—making it easier to trace your veteran ancestors and relatives who received survivor benefits.

Volume One
Connecticut; District of Columbia; Maine; Massachusetts; New Hampshire; New Jersey; Rhode Island; Vermont

Volume Two
New York; Pennsylvania

Volume Three
Illinois; Iowa; Ohio

Volume Four
Alaska; Arizona; California; Colorado; Dakota; Idaho; Indiana; Kansas; Michigan; Minnesota; Montana; Nebraska; Indian Territory (Oklahoma); Nevada; New Mexico; Oregon; Utah; Washington; Wisconsin; Wyoming

Volume Five
Alabama; Arkansas; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maryland; Mississippi; Missouri; North Carolina; South Carolina; Tennessee; Texas; Virginia; West Virginia

Countries of the World, including Hawaii (which was listed as the "Sandwich Islands.") Africa; Austria; Belgium; Brazil; Denmark; England; France; Germany; Ireland; Italy; Madeira Island (Portugal); Malta; Mauritius; Mexico; Netherlands; New Zealand; Norway; Peru; Romania; Russia; Scotland; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Wales; West Indies; Foreign Address Unknown

You can explore the List of Pensioners-1883 online at GenealogyBank.

Important Changes Made to the Public Death Master File (DMF) and the Social Security Death Index (SSDI)

Courtesy of our old friend, Dick Eastman's newsletter at EOGN

Effective 01 November 2011, the Social Security Administration (SSA) changed its policy on what records it will use as source material for adding new entries in the Public Death Master File (DMF) which, in turn, is used to create the Social Security Death Index (SSDI).

The Agency decided that it can no longer use state death records to add new entries to the DMF. Furthermore, the SSA will remove approximately 4.2 million records currently on the SSDI because those entries were made based on information from state death records.

You can read a lot more about the new changes in Steve Danko's blog at http://stephendanko.com/blog/15164 as well as from a Fact Sheet from the Social Security Administration’s website at http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/ci/fattach/get/601/