The 2009 publishing of the Guide to County Records in the North Carolina State Archives is the twelfth revision of this book since 1963. This guide to the Archives holdings include state agency records, county records, private manuscript collections, and Civil War material. This edition covers more than “13,000 bound volumes and 22,000 boxes of loose records, as well as over 24,000 reels of microfilm, all of which are available to researchers in the State Archives, as of March 1, 2009.”

This latest edition adds a new list of records to each county, noted as CRX. These are records that were outside of the individual county’s possession until they were transferred to the State Archives for permanent preservation. This latest edition also adds a table of contents, an index, and a glossary. Finally, a map had been added showing which counties have experienced record losses.

Each county starts with a date of establishment and a note regarding record loss. For example, Johnston County was “established in 1746 from Craven County. No record of fires, but many records missing.”

Typical records, both original and microfilm sources, listed for each county include:

• Bonds
• Court Records
• Election Records
• Estate Records
• Land Records
• Marriage, Divorce, and Vital Statics
• Military and Pension Records
• Miscellaneous Records
• Officials, County
• Roads and Bridges
• School Records
• Tax and Fiscal Records
• Wills
• CRX Records

Table of Contents

Introduction

Map of counties with record losses

County Records

• Alamance
• Albemarle [defunct]
• Alexander
• Alleghany
• Anson
• Ashe
• Avery
• Bath [defunct]
• Beaufort
• Bertie
• Bladen
• Brunswick
• Buncombe
• Burke
• Bute [defunct]
• Cabarrus
• Caldwell
• Camden
• Carteret
• Caswell
• Catawba
• Chatham
• Cherokee
• Showan
• Clay
• Cleveland
• Columbus
• Craven
• Cumberland
• Currituck
• Dare
• Davidson
• Davie
• Dobbs [defunct]
• Duplin
• Durham
• Edgecombe
• Forsyth
• Franklin
• Gaston
• Gates
• Graham
• Granville
• Greene
• Guilford
• Halifax
• Harnett
• Haywood
• Henderson
• Hertford
• Hoke
• Hyde
• Iredell
• Jackson
• Johnston
• Jones
• Lee
• Lenoir
• Lincoln
• Macon
• Madison
• Martin
• McDowell
• Mecklenburg
• Mitchell
• Montgomery
• Moore
• Nash
• New Hanover
• Northampton
• Onslow
• Orange
• Pamlico
• Pasquotank
• Pender
• Perquimans
• Person
• Pitt
• Polk
• Randolph
• Richmond
• Robeson
• Rockingham
• Rowan
• Rutherford
• Sampson
• Scotland
• Stanly
• Stokes
• Surry
• Swain
• Translyvania
• Tryon [defunct]
• Tyrrell
• Union
• Vance
• Wake
• Warren
• Washington
• Watauga
• Wayne
• Wilkes
• Wilson
• Yadkin
• Yancey

Glossary

Index

Order Guide to County Records in the North Carolina State Archives from Family Roots Publishing; Item #: NC3420, Price: $21.78.

Speaking at RootsTech, Jay Verkler, former CEO of FamilySearch, told the audience that 7 billion people would participate in Family History by 2060. See this article in the Deseret News:

An Index to Some of the Family Records of the Southern State: 35,000 Microfilm References from the N.S.D.A.R. Files and Elsewhere was compiled by E. Kay Kirham. Kirham best describe the contents of this index in her introduction:

“The genealogical library in Washington, D.C. of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, is one of the a few great genealogical libraries of this country. A part, but not all, of the records of this organization were microfilmed a few years ago. The index that follows is a partial index to one part of that library”

While this index itself was put together a number of years ago, the content remain relative and useful. The greater part of this index covers the southern states; however, a few hundred references are from other states. Apart from using this index at the DAR library in Washington, D.C., where original materials are available, items will be found on microfilms. This means using a library with access to the films, like the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, or “if possible, through the branch library system of the Mormon Church.”

The index is a compilation of family Bibles, family records, family histories, and cemetery records. Family records, denoted by FR in the index, a of at least several pages. FH, family history, records are of at least 15 pages in length. All state are denoted in the index by there standard two letter abbreviation. The index also covers the Leonardo Andrea collection of South Carolina genealogies of some twelve hundred typescripts of extensive genealogies, and are given their own code SCA. The films covered also include over 3,000 California pioneer genealogies, denoted with an asterisk (*).

Get a copy of An Index to Some of the Family Records of the Southern State: 35,000 Microfilm References from the N.S.D.A.R. Files and Elsewhere for yourself or a library from Family Roots Publishing; Item #: EV0003, Price: $14.70.

Already on the forefront of technology, DNA testing just took another step forward. GeneTree is going to offer Y-19 DNA testing. The following article was found in the Deseret News:

What do you really know about the old photographs you have of your ancestors? Do you have names and dates to go with each? How sure are you of the information you do have? There are ways to examine photographs which can help place the date of a photo within a couple of years. Pictures can also tell stories about your ancestors and the lives they led. The best part is, you can learn to determine the approximate year of photographs and learn to read the stories within them for yourself.

More Dating Old Photographs 1840–1929 offers a unique approaches to helping you date your old photographs. Most of this book is pages of sample photographs, with dates. You can compare your photographs to those in the book and determine if your pictures look like the same time period. Pictures are grouped chronologically and grouped into four year time periods. Of course, the book doesn’t just throw pictures at you and expect you to date your own without some point of reference. A twelve page introduction by Maureen Talyor helps you get started.

Maureen Taylor is the author of Fashionable Folks: Hairstyles 1840–1900, The Last Muster: Images of the Revolutionary War Generation, Uncovering Your Ancestry Through Family Photographs, and Preserving Your Family Photographs: How to Care for Your Family Photographs from Daguerreotypes to Digital Imaging. Taylor, a recognized expert in historical photography, compacts years of experience into a concise introduction geared to help the reader recognize key indicators to identifying a photographs age. Here is a list of topics covered in her introduction:

Photographic Methods

• Metal Images
• Daguerreotypes
• Tintypes
• Glass Images
• Ambrotypes
• Paper Images
• Calotypes/Talbotypes
• Salt-Paper Prints
• Cartes-de-Visite (Visiting Cards)
• Cabinet Cards
• Cyanotypes
• Stereographs
• Photographic Jewelry
• Other Formats
• Maniputlated Images
• Retouching
• Handcoloring
• Crayon Portraits
• Photo Editing
• A Word of Caution—Watch Out for Copies!

Noticing the Details

Photographer’s Imprint

Clothing

• Women
• Bodices
• Sleeves
• Accessories
• Hats and Bonnets
• Hair
• Men
• Coats
• Ties
• Vests
• Hair
• Children
• Other Clothing Clues:
• Occupational
• Ethnic Dress
• Special Occasions

Oddities in the Collection

Case Study: Tying the Pieces Together

• Placement of Individuals
• Photographic Evidence
• Clothing
• Manipulations

Caring for Your Photographic Collection

• Safe Handling Techniques
• Labels
• Writing Utensils
• Space Considerations
• Preserving Your Collection for the Future

Using This Publication

With the introduction as a guide and hundreds of sample photographs for comparison, you will be quickly on your way to identifying and verifying your entire collection.

Order More Dating Old Photographs 1840–1929 from Family Root Publishing; Item #: FR0116, Price: $15.63.

The following news was received from Matthew Deighton at Ancestry.com

Fold3 is proud to announce Free access to our Black History Collection in honor of Black History Month. This collection includes many enlightening historical records documenting African American achievements since the earliest days of our nation, and will be available the entire month of February.

As soon as black soldiers were recruited to serve the Union in 1863, records were generated to document their service including Compiled Service Records for the U.S. Colored Troops and, ultimately, pension files. The pension file index cards, like this one for Joel Bedenbaugh, include a soldier’s rank, company, and regiment within the U.S.C. Infantry, his pension numbers, and sometimes a death date, 24 August 1913, in this case. Private Bedenbaugh’s 16-page service record also includes his enlistment record from when he joined up in Dayton, Ohio, in 1864.

Southern Claims Commission files are petitions by southerners who lost property to Union troops during the Civil War, including many blacks, like William and Louisa Ferguson. Though freeborn, Louisa was not only the wife of a slave, but also the daughter of George Washington’s carpenter, also a slave. Their claim for compensation of $150 for the loss of a horse was denied, but Louisa’s tales of Union and Confederate troops in the vicinity includes her encounters with the rebels and her service to the Union hospital nearby. A transcription of her file is here.

Explore these and thousands of other records documenting the history of African Americans in the U.S., from before the Civil War to the War in Vietnam. Join us as we recognize Black History Month and provide free* access to the Black History Collection on Fold3.

RootsMagic has partnered with 15 genealogy bloggers who will be reporting at the RootsTech conference. Each blogger will place one of 15 clue words on their website.

Genealogyblog is participating in the treasure hunt. You will find our clue word in the treasure box located somewhere in the right hand column. Just scroll down to find the treasure, complete with our clue word.

From Thursday, February 2 through Wednesday, February 8, 2012, visit http://www.rootsmagic.com/treasure for a complete list of the blogs where the 15 clue words can be found. Visit each blog, collect all 15 clue words, and you could win software, prizes, or an iPad 2!

Enter at RootsTech or at Home
Once you’ve collected the clues there are two ways to enter. The first is at the RootsTech conference itself. Pick up an entry card at the RootsMagic booth (#224) in the Exhibit Hall. Write the clue words on the back of the card and return it to the RootsMagic booth in the Exhibit Hall by Saturday, February 4 at 1:20 pm. At that time, we will hold the prize drawings. You must be present to win.

We didn’t want those who aren’t able to attend RootsTech in person to feel left out so we’re holding a second drawing and giving away more prizes including a second iPad 2. To enter this drawing, visit http://www.rootsmagic.com/treasure anytime between Thursday, February 2 and midnight MST on Wednesday, February 8, 2012. Fill out the online form to be entered into the second drawing. You may enter both drawings but one entry per person, per drawing. Winners will be picked at random and notified via e-mail by Friday, February 10, 2012.

Remember, the treasure hunt doesn’t begin until this Thursday. Good luck!

The following Press Release was issued by Findmypast.co.uk:

FINDMYPAST.CO.UK TO PUBLISH CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL RECORDS ON THE WEB

• Project announced to increase access to over a million baptism, marriage and burial records dating back to 1538
• First time that images of the original parish records from East Kent churches will appear online

Today leading UK family history website findmypast.co.uk has announced that it has been awarded a contract by Canterbury Cathedral Archives to publish online for the very first time historic records from the archive. The first phase of the Canterbury Collection project will see a browsable version of the parish registers of the historic Archdeaconry of Canterbury go online in the coming weeks at findmypast.co.uk.

An estimated 270,000 images containing over a million entries will be published on the website, covering parish churches from a wide expanse of East Kent, including:

• the city of Canterbury
• the towns of Faversham, Wye and Elham
• Thanet
• towns along the east Kent coast stretching from Whitstable in the north round to Hythe in the south

The launch has been timed to coincide with the temporary closure of Canterbury Cathedral Archives for refurbishment, so that family historians and local historians can continue to enjoy access to these fascinating records until the Archives reopens in autumn 2012.

From the initial online launch in February, visitors to the findmypast.co.uk website will be able to browse through the scanned pages of the parish records to search for their ancestors. At the same time, findmypast.co.uk will start to transcribe the records, with a view to creating an index and making them fully searchable on the website later this year.

Paul Nixon, Content Licensing Manager for findmypast.co.uk, said: “We’re really looking forward to seeing these invaluable records from Canterbury Cathedral Archives go live on findmypast.co.uk, strengthening the site’s position as the natural home for UK parish records.”

Canterbury Cathedral Archivist Cressida Williams, added:  “Working with findmypast has provided us with a wonderful opportunity to expand access to these records to a worldwide audience. This resource will be a great asset for anyone with an interest in the history of this part of Kent.”

The Canterbury Collection will join an impressive array of UK parish records at findmypast.co.uk, including records from Manchester Archives, Cheshire Archives, Plymouth & West Devon Record Office and Welsh Archives, in addition to over 40 million parish records from family history societies throughout the UK in partnership with the Federation of Family History Societies.

Recently, I have reviewed a number of interesting books published by the Indiana Historical Society Press. The past two reviews have been on the works of two early photographers in the state. Sticking with an art theme, Remembrance, Faith, and Fancy: Outdoor Public Sculpture in Indiana by Glory-June Greiff is a biographical directory to outdoor art in the state of Indiana. From the first “homegrown” sculptures, three road-markers in Brown County, trough a surge of post-civil war memorials and monument, and on through today, Greiff, a noted historian, provides an historical glimpse into the growth and placement of over 1,500 sculptures in the state.

Part I of the book covers key sculpture broken into six categories divided by chapter. Historical and descriptive details, along with photographs are given for dozens of unique artworks. Part II, the largest portion of the book, provides a location and information to all known sculptures on a county by county basis. Over 200 photographs add to the section, helping to bring the descriptions to life.

The artwork described, and shown, in these pages include every sculpture type you could images. Cars, obelisks, fountains, people, monuments, memorials, and even modern art represent a diversity in art and culture over the years. Some sculptures have weathered the years well and other are barely recognizable. Ultimately,  sculptures are can be as important as any photography in understanding a culture and learning to appreciate the past. This book may not fit the normal genealogical research model our readers normal look for, but the book is no less entertaining and interesting for its subject matter.

Get 40% off Remembrance, Faith, and Fancy: Outdoor Public Sculpture in Indiana from Family Roots Publishing, but only through Monday, February 6.

Table of Contents

Preface

Raiders of the Lost Art: A Quest for Outdoor Sculpture in Indiana

Acknowledgments

Part One

Yesterday and Today: An Overview of Outdoor Sculpture in Indiana

Chapter One

From Billy Yank to GI Joe: Sculptural Memorials to War and Peace

Chapter Two

Movers and Shakers and Monument Makers: Effigies of Heroes and Archetypes

Chapter Three

Saints, Angels, and Graven Images: Religious Sculpture

Chapter Four

Lions and Santas and Bears, Oh My! Animals, Children, Whimsies, and Oddities

Chapter Five

Scales and Sheavers, Fountains and Flowers: Allegorical and Aesthetic Public Sculpture

Chapter Six

What Is That Supposed to Be? Public Encounters with Contemporary Sculpture

Part Two

Outdoor Sculpture around the State: A County-by-County Odyssey

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Get this great coffee table book, Remembrance, Faith, and Fancy: Outdoor Public Sculpture in Indiana, from Family Roots Publishing; Item #: IHS033; Price: $.23.97.

Ancestry.com has released information on the first two upcoming episode of Who Do You Think You Are, Season 3.

From the Irish Civil War to the American Revolution, and from the African nation of Cameroon to the Republic of Bulgaria, Season 3 of Who Do You Think You Are? will take you all over the world and inside the fascinating family histories of 12 celebrities.

episode 1: Martin Sheen learns how family members in Ireland and Spain stood up for their beliefs during times of war.
February 3rd, 8/7c

Early German immigrants came to the U.S. for the same typical reasons most people emigrated from the “Old World” to the new, economic, social disputes, politics, and religion.

Genealogy At A Glance: German Genealogy Research, written by Ernest Thode, provides a history of German emigration to the United State and helps genealogist trace their German ancestry. Like all the Genealogy At A Glance guide sheets, German Genealogy Research is a four-page, full-color limited guide meant to be easily stored and sized to take with you when conducting related research.

This guide provides a relatively extensive historical background to the various waves of German emigration, along with brief but detailed explanations on key research topics and sources. Full of tips and additional references for further reading, it is hard to image packing any more into a four-page guide sheet. Thode did an excellent job in maximizing content in a portable and functional reference.

Like each At A Glance, the top of the first page provides Contents and Quick Facts. The Contents of this sheet include:

German Emigration

• Emigration Waves

Passenger Lists

Unlocking German Family History

• German Places
• Surnames
• Given Names

German Record Sources

• Vital Records
• German Center for Genealogy
• Berlin Document Center
• Village Heritage Books and Histories
• Censuses
• References

Other Online Sources

German Places includes subsections for places of origin, gazetteers of Germany and Central Europe, and maps online. Vital Records includes subsections for church records and civil registration.

Find the help you need, and carry it with you, with your own copy of Genealogy At A Glance: German Genealogy Research available at Family Roots Publishing; Item #: GPC5759, Price: $8.77

The following Press Release was received from the National Genealogical Society:

Arlington, VA, 27 january 2012: The year 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of publication of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. To celebrate this anniversary and to honor the history of the Quarterly, NGS Video Productions has created a historical archive of some of the most appreciated genealogists of our time called Voices of Genealogy.

In the coming year, NGS members can look forward to exclusive interviews with leading scholars in the field of genealogy. These are somewhat more extended pieces than those in our earlier Paths to Your Past video series. They are reflective, inspiring, and informative. They describe the history of our discipline in the twentieth century as well as the stories of our subjects.  Beautifully filmed and produced by award winning filmmakers Kate Geis and Allen Moore, these video portraits capture for posterity the irreplaceable legacy of genealogists who have greatly impacted scholarship in genealogy.

The first episodes with George Ely Russell, CG, FASG, FNGS, are currently available to all NGS members on the NGS website at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.  George was the editor of the NGSQ from 1971-1986. Interviewed at his home in Maryland by Melinde Lutz Byrne, CG, FASG, current co-editor of the NGSQ, George reflects on the value he finds in genealogical research, how he started as a researcher, his work as editor of the Quarterly, and his activities today.

To view the George Ely Russell video visit http://www.ngsgenealogy.org, select the Members Only tab, log into your account, and click the Videos link in the menu on the left of your screen.
More information about the interviews is available in the January-February-March issue of the NGS Magazine. As always, we welcome your comments on the videos.  Please contact the executive producer, Arlene V. Jennings, at arlenevj@earthlink.net.

Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is dedicated to genealogy education, high research standards, and the preservation of genealogical records.  The Arlington, VA-based nonprofit is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historian, seeking excellence in publications, educational offerings, research guidance, and opportunities to interact with other genealogists.

Emily Anne Croom, expert genealogist and author of Unpuzzling Your Past, The Genealogist’s Companion & Sourcebook, and A Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your African-American Ancestors, has also written The Sleuth Book for Genealogists: Strategies for More Successful Family History Research. While Unpuzzling Your Past served as a primer for newbie genealogists, The Sleuth Book was written for genealogists of all experience levels. This book concentrates on improving strategies and research skills. Major topics covered include:

• organization
• focusing on specific research questions
• planning the research
• practicing cluster genealogy
• gathering and documenting evidence
• analyzing data
• evaluating the big picture
• arranging ideas into progress reports
• sharing success in case studies

I was once instructed by an investigative journalist to look at all research with the mind set of a detective. The main idea is to observe the details and when stuck on a problem to reorder one’s thinking, sometimes taking a completely new approach for knocking down obstacles. Croom teaches a similar methodology. “The goal of The Slueth Book is to spark in the minds of genealogists a variety of ideas or perspectives from which to view their own research, study their own data, mull over a research dilemma, or tackle a tough question.” In other words, to think like an investigator. Perhaps that is why Emily pulls from the collective knowledge of such investigative, if fictional, greats like Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot.

This book is filled with tips and techniques, sources, notes, and case studies. Each helps the reader better understand the main concepts. Icons and notes in the margins help readers spot these key elements in each chapter. The Slueth Book is well thought out and laid out for easy reading. With case studies and research examples through out, the reader will find it easy to put concepts immediately into practice.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Introduction: Why the Sleuths?

Putting a Down Payment on Success

• Focus of the Book
• What’s the Answer?
• First Things First: Getting Organized
• At Any Beginning
• Focus
• What’s the Problem?

Planning for Research

Part I: Developing a Plan

• Spontaneity
• Preliminary Planning
• Mapping Out a Plan
• Planning Methodically
• Talking About the Problem
• Example of a Written Plan

Part II: Questioning as a Tool of Planning

• Categorizing Search Questions
• A Reference Section

Broadening the Scope: Cluster Genealogy

• Why the Cluster?
• Who Is the Cluster?
• Next of Kin
• Extended Family
• Neighbors, Friends, and Associates
• People With the Same Surname
• Reconstructing the Cluster
• Cluster Genealogy in Progress

Documenting Research

• Who Documents Their Works?
• What Does It Mean to Document Your Work?
• Why Do We Need to Document Our Work?
• Where and When Do We Cite Our Sources?
• How Do We Cite Our Sources?
• Considering Specifics
• Sources in the Family
• A Final Word

Gathering Information: Research

• General Principles of Research
• A Word About Sources
• Suggestions for Effective Research: A Review
• Observe, Analyze, and Evaluate As You Research
• Working With Dates
• Using Public Records
• Strategies for Using Census Records
• Strategies for Using Probate Records
• Strategies for Using Land Records
• Strategies for Using Tax Records
• Mistakes We Make in Research

Examining Evidence: The Gray Cells in Action

• Evidence
• The Smallest Chink of Light
• Evidence at Work
• the Little Cells of Gray
• Hypotheses and Theories
• Seeking the Truth (Proof)
• Research and Analysis: the Question of Rev. William Harrison’s Death Date

Arranging Ideas: Progress Reports

• Preliminary Hearing
• Listening to What We Say
• Committing Your Work to Paper
• Progress Report on a Study of William Coleman Sr.

Reporting: Case Solved

• Writing About the Successful Project
• Case Studies
• Introducing Chapters Nine, Ten, and Eleven

Finding the Parent Generations: The Search for Isaac Heldreth’s Parents

• What Was Known When the Search Began
• Setting the Stage
• With Eyes and Mind Open
• Looking for Solid Evidence
• On Location
• What Is the Clue?
• The Missing Link

Finding Slave Ancestors: The Search for the Family of Archie Davis, Sr.

• What Was Known When the Search Began
• Early Research
• Focus on Mother
• What Was Known at This Point About the Family of Archie Davis Sr.?
• Family Oral Tradition Plays a Role
• Some Examinations
• Plan B
• A Wild Possibility?
• Reviewing the Results in Clairborne County
• One More Step up the Hill

Finding the Parent Generation: The Search for Ann (Robertson) Croom’s Parents

• What Was Known Before the Search Began
• What Was Known From the Paternal-Line Search
• Proof of Isaac Croom’s Surviving Children
• Isaac Croom’s Marriages
• Preliminary Census Check
• Reviewing the Initial Evidence
• Search for Birthplaces
• Survey Research in Louisiana
• Clues in Land Records?
• First Proof of Relationship
• Research Based on Isaac Croom Sr.’s Land Records
• Cluster of Isaac Crooms Sr.’s Associates
• The First Georgia Survey: the 1840 Census
• Texas?
• The Wake-Up Call
• Right Under My Nose
• Number One Suspect Emerges
• The Missing Link?
• One More Question Answered
• The Hypothesis
• The Critical Link

Appendix A Preparing for Adventure: An Overview of the Basics

• At the Beginning
• Focusing the Search
• Repositories of Genealogical Information
• A Word About Sources
• Suggestions for Effective Research
• Documenting Research
• Dates in Official Record Books
• The Calendar Change
• Strategies for Effective Census Research
• For Further Discussion

Appendix B Guide to Documentation: Examples of Style

1. Published Books
2. Articles in Journals
3. Electronic and Internet Sources
4. Newspapers, Letters, and Interviews
5. Public or Unpublished Documents and Records
6. Sources in the Family
7. Bibliography

Endnotes

Bibliography

• Bibliography of Sleuths
• Bibliography of Selected Works Mentioned in the Text or for Further Reference

Index

The Sleuth Book for Genealogists: Strategies for More Successful Family History Research is available from Family Roots Publishing; Item #:GPC1221, Price: $37.19.

RootsTech released the following announcement for selected free online sessions:

RootsTech Conference Will Broadcast Select Sessions Free Online

SALT LAKE CITY—RootsTech, a leading family history and technology conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 2-4, 2012, announced today that fourteen of its popular sessions will be broadcasted live and complimentary over the Internet. The live broadcasts will give those unable to attend worldwide a sample of this year’s conference content. Interested viewers can watch the live presentations at RootsTech.org. Note that all sessions are on Mountain Time. Scroll down the RootsTech Home page and find links to each of the live sessions. The second-year conference has attracted over 3,000 registered attendees.

The free online sessions include the keynote speakers and a sampling of technology and family history presentations. Following are the fourteen broadcasted sessions and speakers. All times are in Mountain Standard Time (MST):

Thursday, February 2

• 8:30-10:00 am, Inventing the Future, as a Community (Keynote Address) by Jay L. Verkler
• 11:00 am-12:00 pm, Do I Trust the Cloud? by D. Joshua Taylor
• 1:45-2:45 pm, Effective Database Search Tactics by Kory Meyerink
• 3:00-4:00 pm, Twitter – It’s Not Just “What I Had for Breakfast” Anymore by Thomas MacEntee
• 4:15-5:15 pm, Eleven Layers of Online Searches by Barbara Renick

Friday, February 3

• 8:30-9:30 am, Exabyte Social Clouds and Other Monstrosities (Keynote Address) by Josh Coates
• 9:45-10:45 am, Publish Your Genealogy Online by Laura G. Prescott
• 11:00 am-12:00 pm, Optimize Your Site for Search Engines by Robert Gardner
• 1:45-2:45 pm, Genealogists “Go Mobile” by Sandra Crowly
• 3:00-4:00 pm, Google’s Toolbar and Genealogy by Dave Barney

Saturday, February 4

• 8:30-9:30 am, Making the Most of Technology to Further the Family History Industry (Keynote Address) by Tim Sullivan and Ancestry.com Panel
• 9:45-10:45 am Genealogy Podcasts and Blogs 101 by Lisa Louise Cooke
• 11:00 am-12:00 pm, Future of FamilySearch Family Tree by Ron Tanner
• 1:45-2:45 pm, Privacy in a Collaborative Environment by Noah Tatuk

Genealogical Encyclopedia of the Colonial Americas Is available from Family Roots Publishing for only $29.98, normally $59.95, but only until Monday, February 6. See a review below:

Genealogical Encyclopedia of the Colonial Americas: A Complete Digest of the Records of All the Countries of the Western Hemisphere is the most comprehensive collection of information on colonial period records covering the entire Western Hemisphere, both North and South America. As far as I know, there is no other single reference for records sources covering the colonial periods for the entire hemisphere.

This book examines the colonial period from the earliest European colonization in the Western Hemisphere until:

• the American Revolution for the thirteen colonies
• statehood was obtained for other U.S. states
• Latin American countries which did not declare independence from Spain and Portugal until 1808 or later
• Caribbean countries and dependencies through about 1810
• the abolition of the slave trade, for slavery related records, including dates of emancipation

For each country, the author Christina K. Schaefer, provides an historical background and brief sketches of the records themselves, plus descriptions for the principle holding of the major repositories. Record groups are broken down into similar categories for each country. Common sections include church and ecclesiastical records, census records, notarial records, governmental and municipal records, military records, land records, etc. A list of suggested readings rounds out each chapter.

At 814 pages, this reference is indeed extensive. It may be literally impossible to cover every possible resource in a single project. Still, Schaefer has provided a treasure trove of information vital to genealogical record finding. If you need colonial period records for anywhere in the Americas, this book can help.

Table of Contents

Preface

Part One: Going Beyond the Line, a Chronology

• Chronology of colonial history
• Dates of the first colonial governors

Part Two: Latin America

• Introduction

Colonies founded by Spain

• Argentina
• Bolivia
• Chile
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Mexico
• Nicaragua
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Uruguay
• Venezuela

Colonies founded by England, France, The Netherlands, and Portugal

• Brazil
• The Guianas
• Belize/British Honduras
• The Falkland Islands

Part Three: The Caribbean

• Introduction
• The Bahamas
• Barbados
• Bermuda
• The British Leeward Islands
• The British Windward Islands
• Cuba
• The French Antilles
• Hispaniola
• Jamica
• The Netherlands Antilles
• Puerto Rico
• Trinidad and Tobago
• The Virgin Islands

Part Four: The Thirteen Colonies, Maine, and Vermont

• Introduciton

New England Colonies

• Connecticut
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• New Hampshire
• Rhode Island
• Vermont

Middle Colonies

• Delaware
• New Jersey
• New York
• Pennsylvania
• Maryland

Southern Colonies

• Virginia
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Georgia

Part Five: Other U.S. States with settlements prior to the Revolution

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Florida
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• New Mexico
• Ohio
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Wisconsin

Part Six: Canada

New France

• Introduction to New France
• Quebec
• Ontario

Acadia

• Introduction to Acadia
• Nova Scotia
• New Brunswick
• Prince Edward Island

Other North American Colonies

• Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Rupert’s Land

Part Seven: Resources for Further Research

• Religious groups in the New World
• Africa and the New World
• Colonial sources in Denmark
• Colonial sources in France
• Colonial sources in Great Britain
• Colonial sources in Germany
• Colonial sources in The Netherlands
• Colonial sources in Portugal
• Colonial sources in Spain
• Colonial sources in Sweden
• Colonial sources in Switzerland
• Foreign records at the Library of Congress

Index

Order Genealogical Encyclopedia of the Colonial Americas from Family Roots Publishing; Item #: GPC5176; Price: $29.98.