by Lisa Cooke | Apr 4, 2013 | 01 What's New, Technology
A long-lost brother and sister have cause to thank a seven-year old boy for helping to reunite them: through Facebook!
Recently the Waterloo-Cedar Falls (Iowa) Courier reported a story about a 66-year old Davenport man who had tried for years to find his sister. As an infant, Clifford Boyson was separated from his older sister Betty when they were placed in different foster homes in Chicago.
Th
en Boyson’s landlord’s 7-year-old son found out about the lost sister. Young Eddie Hanzelin searched his mom’s Facebook account for Betty. When her name popped up, he saw the family resemblance.
Clifford got in touch with Betty, now 70. She traveled from her home in Missouri to Davenport with her daughter and granddaughter for a tearful reunion with her brother. They look forward to getting to know each other after more than six decades apart.
Kudos to young
Eddie for connecting these long-lost loved ones. And thanks to Genealogy Gems follower Steve Schell from Cedar Falls, Iowa for alerting us about this inspiring story! I love hearing how even a child can use social media to make meaningful family connections.
by Lisa Cooke | Apr 3, 2013 | 01 What's New, Who Do You Think You Are?
Many of us have been anticipating the return of Who Do You Think You Are?, the popular family history-themed television show. After three seasons, the WDYTYA? was canceled by NBC in 2012.
Reportedly, TLC has since picked up the show for a fourth season. Executive producer Lisa Kudrow told Craig Ferguson the show is still moving forward in an appearance on The Late Late Show on Feb. 20 (see the conversation here: it starts about 21 minutes into the show).
In recent weeks, reports have circulated that Kelly Clarkson has filmed an episode. A fan reported seeing her in Americus, Georgia and that they were shooting footage at Andersonsville National Historic Site.
Want to brush up on the first three seasons (and some WDYTYA trivia) before the return of the fourth? Find old episodes here on NBC.
Or learn more about about Kelly Clarkson at her website, which has so far been silent about any WDYTYA? filming, but celebrates her recent Grammy award and upcoming wedding–to the stepson of another WDYTYA? guest, Reba McEntire.
by Lisa Cooke | Apr 2, 2013 | 01 What's New, FamilySearch, Records & databases
Recently FamilySearch announced the addition of another 1.7 million indexed records and images to its free online Historical Records Collection. According to FamilySearch, 
“Notable collection updates include the 13,110 images from the new Arizona, Maricopa, Mesa City Cemetery Records, 1885-1960, collection and the 105,745 indexed records and images from the New Zealand, Immigration Passenger Lists, 1855-1973, collection.”
Whether you have roots in North Carolina or New Zealand, it may be worth it to check out their list of new records:
| Collection |
Indexed Records |
Digital Images |
| Australia, Tasmania, Miscellaneous Records, 1829-1961 |
0 |
8,191 |
| Austria, Upper Austria, Linz, Miscellaneous buy premature ejaculation medication online City Records, 1485-1894 |
0 |
20,711 |
| China, Collection of Genealogies, 1239-2010 |
0 |
120,111 |
| Dominican Republic, Miscellaneous Records, 1921-1980 |
0 |
29,543 |
| England, Northumberland, Miscellaneous Records, 1570-2005 |
0 |
3,897 |
| Italy, Bologna, Bologna, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1941 |
0 |
188,632 |
| Mexico, San Luis Potosí, Miscellaneous Records, 1570-1842 |
0 |
171,391 |
| Mexico, Yucatán, Civil Registration, 1860-2005 |
0 |
297,064 |
| New Zealand, Immigration Passenger Lists, 1855-1973 |
105,744 |
1 |
| Nicaragua, Civil Registration, 1809-2011 |
0 |
47,728 |
| Paraguay, Asunción, Cemetery Records, 1842-2011 |
0 |
11,121 |
| Peru, La Libertad, Civil Registration, 1903-1998 |
0 |
203,673 |
| U.S., Arizona, Maricopa, Mesa City Cemetery Records, 1885-1960 |
0 |
13,110 |
| U.S., Delaware, Death Records, 1855-1961 |
28,958 |
33,144 |
| U.S., Maine, Veterans Cemetery Records, 1676-1918 |
51,541 |
0 |
| U.S., Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Estate Files, 1686-1915 |
0 |
147,293 |
| U.S., Montana, Sweet Grass County Records, 1885-2011 |
0 |
64,754 |
| U.S., North Carolina, Civil Action Court Papers, 1712-1970 |
0 |
220,321 |
| U.S., Tennessee, Death Records, 1914-1955 |
26 |
0 |
by Lisa Cooke | Feb 9, 2013 | 01 What's New, British, Newspaper
Imagine the thrill of pulling up a page on from an old newspaper on your computer screen and seeing your ancestor’s name in print. It’s an event any genealogist would enjoy (and the reason I wrote the book How to Find Your Family History in Newspapers.)
Findmypast.com just made the possibility of that happening a little more likely by adding more than 6 million pages from British newspapers to it’s subscription website. Here are all the details from their recent press release:
LOS ANGELES (Feb. 6, 2013) – Findmypast.com, an international leader in online family history, today announced the addition of more than 6 million pages from British newspapers, including original images, to its extensive historical records collection. The British newspapers include local and regional titles from England, Scotland and Wales from 1700 to 1950, and encompass nearly 200 titles. The British newspapers are part of an exclusive partnership with the British Library to digitize 50 million pages over the next 10 years.
With this new addition, findmypast.com World Subscribers will have access to all of the records and articles they need to research their family tree in one website. Throughout the next 10 years, approximately 8,000 new pages will be digitized every day and every new addition will be included in existing subscriptions.
“This incredible collection of British newspapers breathes life into the past, from local happenings to events of international importance. Each page provides a unique look into the lives of our ancestors – how they lived, worked and died – through notices of vital events and daily activities,” said D. Joshua Taylor, lead genealogist for findmypast.com. “The collection is truly unique with its extensive number of local and regional newspapers each containing intricate details from the lives of our millions of British ancestors.”
The British have always had a particularly voracious appetite for newspapers, especially during the 19th century when nearly every town in the country had its own newspaper. From the man who decided to walk around the world in an iron mask to the coronation of Queen Victoria, British newspapers have captured every aspect of people’s lives.
Learn more about the collection at http://www.findmypast.com/articles/world-records/newspaper-archives/british-newspapers.
by | Dec 26, 2012 | 01 What's New, Census
Genealogists in search of their family history have reaped great rewards from census records being digitized and made available online on websites like Ancestry.com.
In the future, Americans will have the option to respond to a ‘digital’ enumerator – the Internet.
According to CBS News “For the first time, the Census Bureau is giving U.S. households a chance to respond to government surveys over the Internet, part of a bid to save costs and boost sagging response rates in a digital age.”
Read the rest of the story here.
