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Premium Episode 36 – Finding Your Ancestors in Newspapers Part 1
Date Published: Dec. 14, 2009
[display_podcast]Click here to download the Show Notes pdf
Profile America: 1880 Census
Read more about the 1880 census at the Census Bureau Web Site
GEM: Finding Your Ancestors in Newspapers
Common Repositories of Newspapers Include:
– Local Public and State Libraries
– State archives
– Historical Societies
– Genealogical Societies
– Online Web Sites
– Newspaper Publishers
– Private Homes
I know it sounds like a daunting task, but don’t worry, I have some very solid strategies for you to provide some focus and process to your search.
The types of genealogical information you can find in newspapers includes:
– Vital Records Substitute Data
– Maiden Names
– Photographs
– Insight Into Their Community
– Names of Their Friends & Relatives
– Clues For Your Next Records Search
The types of items you’ll want to keep an eye out for in newspapers includes:
– Events Involving Your Ancestors
– Social News – Clubs, Visiting Relatives, Parties, Trips Made
– School Events – Grade school through college (theater productions, sporting events, graduations, honor rolls, etc.)
– Classifieds and Advertising
– Vital Record Events – Births, Marriages, Divorces, Deaths
– Their employers
– Their community
– Natural disasters
The Geographical Scope of Newspapers
Look for newspapers in:
– The Town where they lived
– Neighboring towns
– County
– Out of area newspapers of close relatives
– Foreign language community newspapers
You need to identify the appropriate newspapers for your researchEstablish the perameters:
1) The subject of your search (person or people)
2) Locations
3) Timeframe
4) Specific type of information desired (keeping in mind that any mention of the subject will be noteworthy.)
Download Lisa’s Research Worksheet
Download an example of a completed research worksheet
Determine which newspapers existed that match your criteria Directory Web Sites:
The Directory of State Archives
www.statearchivists.org/states.htm
The Archives Library Information Center at the National Archives Web Site
http://www.archives.gov/research/alic/reference/state-archives.html
The US Newspaper Program
http://www.neh.gov/projects/usnp.html
The US GenWeb Site – Go to the county website and link for Newspapers.
http://www.USGenWeb.org
Go to county website and look for “Newspapers” Reference librarian at the state library
http://www.PublicLibraries.com/state_library.htm
Local genealogical or historical society:
http://www.censusfinder.com/genealogy-society-directory.htm
http://fgs.org/membership/members.php
Chronicling America
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ Search “Directory”
Each of these have the potential to lead you to the location where the newspaper you seek is archived. Make note whether these resources have any digital images, microfilm, books or originals of the paper available.
Next Episode: Finding Digitized Newspapers Online
Profile America: Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights at the Library of Congress
GEM: New Premium Feature
You asked for it and now it’s here. Premium Members can now add a feed to itunes.
Voices of the Past Heritage Media – featuring an interview with Lisa
Watch the videocast
Listen to the Podcast
How to use the iTunes Premium feed:
1) Go to genealogygems.tv and log in to your Premium account
2) when you get to the Premium area of the website click the purple PODCAST button
3) you’ll find the podcast page listing all of the current episodes
4) In the second paragraph (starts with NEW in big red letters) you’ll find the link to the Genealgoy Gems Premium Podcast iTunes Feed. Click the link You’ll be prompted to enter your Premium user name and password one more time.
Mac Users:
Click the Add to iTunes link on the right side of the page and it will automatically add the feed to iTunes for you. When it opens iTunes it might ask for your password. Enter your username and password and click OK.
PC Users:
Follow the instructions in the first item the feed called “How to Subscribe to this feed in iTunes.” 1) Just copy the special iTunes feed address I have there for you
2) Launch iTunes
3) On the top menu click ADVANCED and then SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST
4) Paste the address into the box
5) Click OK
It will prompt you for your Premium user name and password, and then the Premium podcast will be added to your iTunes library and the most current episode downloaded. To download all of the current available episodes, just click the GET ALL button.
Download iTunes for free from the Apple Web Site
Premium Episode 37 – Finding Newspapers Part 2
Date Published: Dec. 27, 2009
[display_podcast]
Click here to download the Show Notes pdf
Lisa became a Grandma when David William Thomas was born on Dec 15 at 3pm
NEWS:
World Vital Records is providing free access to their records through December 28, 2009 at midnight. Instant notification goes out to Genealogy Gems Toolbar users as soon as I found out about it. If you haven’t downloaded the toolbar yet it’s absolutely free and very easy to do – just click the Download link above.
The Lost Cousins website is free for the week between Christmas and New Years. You’ll remember Lost Cousins from episode 46 of my Family History: Genealogy Made Easy podcast. Basic membership to Lost Cousins is always free, but through Jan 4 2010 new and existing members can have free access to all of the paid subscriber benefits. If you become a new member by Jan 4, 2010 and you happen to have an ancestor listed in the British 1881 census, you can enter the coupon code PROJECT1881 in the offer code box at the bottom of the registration form and get a free subscription for all of 2010. If you try out Lost Cousins and have some luck connecting up with a long lost distant cousin email Lisa and share your story.
Profile America: Making Coffee
View James H. Mason’s original patent at Google Patents
GEM: Finding Your Ancestors in Newspapers Part 2
Last week we talked about our strategy for researching in newspapers.
To recap: Establish the criteria
– Who we’re looking for
– The Locality – town, neighboring towns, county, region
– Timeframe
Determine which newspapers existed that match your criteria:
The Directory of State Archives
www.USGenWeb.org Go to county website and look for “Newspapers”
List of State Public Libraries
I gave you two resources for finding Local genealogical and historical societies for the area:
http://www.censusfinder.com/genealogy-society-directory.htm
http://fgs.org/membership/members.php
Chronicling America Search Directory at the Library of Congress
Use these web sites to track down the archives and repositories that just might have the newspaper you’re looking for and learn how you go about accessing the collections.
Lisa’s Top Choices Digitized Newspapers Online
Free Access:
Chronicling America at the Library of Congress
The Google News Archive
Watch this tutorial to learn more about searching the Google News Archive…
Tip: Focus Your Search!
Incorporate the strategies found in the free e-book 5 Fabulous Google Search Strategies for the Family Historian to get more focused search results.
Premium Episode 38 – Behind the Scenes with Ancestry, County Boundaries
Date Published: January 14, 2010
[display_podcast]Click here to download the Show Notes pdf
NEWS:
As you know, I just launched the Genealogy Gems Podcast iPhone appwhich also works on the ipod iTouch – so my radar has been on high alert for other apps and mobile items out there. You know, word on the street is that mobile is the future. Worldcat the website that allows you to search all the world’s libraries which we love, has just announced their new iPhone app
The app is currently available in the U.S. for books only. The WorldCat Mobile pilot is available for download on all Web-enabled phones in the UK, U.S., Netherlands, Germany, France and Canada and searches all content available through WorldCat.org.
Watch a quick 43 second video that shows you RedLaser’s library results in action.
If you’re an iPhone user you can download the RedLaser app through Apple’s iTunes app store. Use the iTunes buttons in these show notes and you’ll also be supporting the free podcast. Thank you!
World Cat has also announced that they have released an Updated Android app for WorldCat Mobile pilot.
FamilySearch:
Over at FamilySearch they’ve been busy as ever. They have 25 million new free records added for Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Dominican Republic, England, Germany, Guatemala, South Africa, Switzerland, and the U.S. Get a chart of the complete list of FamilySearch updates by clicking the Gem of the Week button on the free Genealogy Gems Toolbar Click to get the free Genealogy Gems Toolbar
Jamboree 2010:
Registration is now open for the 41st Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree, which will be held Friday through Sunday, June 11-13, 2010, at the Marriott Los Angeles Burbank Airport Hotel and Convention Center in Burbank, California. This year there will be nearly 130 classes and the geographic focus for this year’s event North America — Canada, Mexico, and all regions of the United States as well as an emphasis on DNA and technology.
MAILBOX:
Jeffery Guin of Voices of the Past wrote in to say that he was also named after a soap opera character – Jeff Webber on General Hospital.
Premium Members: If you ever have any question about any of the Premium features, please don’t hesitate to send an email and ask for help. Premium members are my top priority and we want you to be exceptionally happy with your subscription!
GEM: Behind the Scenes at Ancestry.com
Lisa was recently invited out to Ancestry for a tour of the company – it’s server building in Salt Lake City, corporate headquarters in Provo, UT, lunch with CEO Tim Sullivan, and a banquet with guest speaker Josh Taylor of the New England Historic Genealogical Society
Behind the Scenes at Ancestry – Your Questions, Their Answers at The Genealogy Gems News Blog
Ancestry’s Initiatives for 2010:
– Partnering with Societies and Archives – Ancestry is now loaning scanners to local societies and archives in an effort to speed up adding new records to the site, as well as building better relationships with those societies and archives.
– Converting and Engaging newbies – Their hopes is that with the new NBC TV series Who do you think you are? which will premiere on March 5 at 8:00 pm will spur the kind of enthusiasm it did in the U.K. or better yet like Roots did back in the 70s.
– Continued focus on Search – New Search features will roll out throughout 2010
– Greater emphasis on Sharing and Collaboration – Member Trees, Facebook, Mobile Apps, etc.
– Website platform – able to handle more content.
Stay tuned, because I’ll be bringing more Ancestry scoop to your home computer over the coming weeks.
GEM: County Boundaries
Premium Member Tim Cox alerted Lisa to a great site that allows you track county boundaries over time providing valuable information to the family historian. Rotating Boundary County Maps Website
Profile America: 1860 Census
