Privacy Laws

You know the federal censuses are protected from general public examination for 72 years, under the requirements of the U.S.privacy laws. So I'm trying to figure out why databases, such as the Minnesota Birth Index, are online and cover the 1935-2002 time frame and all of that data isn't protected? I can put together whole families with a few searches and have vital data, such as mother's maiden names in mere moments? Now don't get me all wrong- I can use the data as a researcher but why is there a seeming double standard? What do you think?

Blog for the NGS Chicago Conference

Here's another blog to update you on the upcoming National Genealogical Society's conference in Chicago June 7 thru June 10. It can be found at http://ngs2006.blogspot.com.

Information includes bios of speakers, information on vendors, local societies helping to host the event, archives in and around the Chicagoland area, and even a blog comment on Chicago's famous pizza and how it is superior to other pizzas! I would expect that there will be even more additional information in all of the above categories as we get closer to the event. Since it is being held in the Midwest, it makes sense to check on the speakers and topics and to evaluate whether this could be a good opportunity for you to learn, network, and enjoy as you research your family lines.

First Published Landowner Atlas

I learned today that Minnesota boasts the first published landowner atlas in the U.S. in 1874 from the "Research Notes" online for Park Genealogical Books. (I've used plat books for searches in Wisconsin and Illinois myself and as you know, neighbors frequently bacame family as the children married one another.)A.T.Andreas' Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Minnesota, included names, the year the landowner arrived in Minnesota and where the landowner came from. This is obviously a great research tool for those looking for Minnesotans and tracing their migratory paths. Combining primary documents, such as birth and death certificates, census records, and naturalization records will hopefully help you overcome your "brick wall" in genealogical research.

Success in the search!!!!

Ohio Genealogical Society

Another resource has just been made available online- the "First Families of Ohio Roster" at http://www.ogs.org/research/search_ogsffo.php

The website design is simple, attractive and practical. Over 11,000 names have been placed on the database and if your ealy Ohioan (before 1820) isn't in the database yet, the Ohio Genealogical Society encourages you to add it. The surname search is wide enough to catch the various spelling possibilities and then you have a member contact, and we all know how inmportant NETWORKING is for our efforts! I urge you to check on their various resources today.

"With Dizzying Speed"

I'm still amazed at how quickly we can now research a brand new, full branch of our family tree, view the primary documents online, verify our research, check other sources and pedigrees and publish our own family tree online! We are truly working with dizzying speed- what formally took me weeks to accomplish can be finished in mere minutes! But I must pause and ask myself: at what cost?

Have I sacrificed any of my thoroughness in my haste to use the new speedy technology? Have I come to proper conclusions? Have I missed anyone in the records becuase I trust the "accuracy" of the indices? Do I get more easily sidetracked on other lines that marry into my main research line because it only costs me time online and not money for microfilm rentals? Have I transcribed all of the primary documents that I have been viewing and using to verify my lines into my PAF notes?

What are your reflections on the dizzying pace of today's research?

Secrets of Tracing Your Ancestors by E.Daniel Quillen

Published last year, this book is intended for the beginning researcher. "Getting Started", "Getting Organized", "Computers and the Internet", "Census Records", "Ethnic Research", and "Help Your Descendants!" are some of his chapter titles. Quillen keeps the chapters well focused and has some interesting sidebar boxes to connect the concepts covered to actual research from his own ancestral lines. At the end of each chapter, he provides a checklist as a summary and reminder and suggests additional resources.

The "Using DNA as a Research Tool" chapter is far too brief and doesn't adequately cover the latest developments that have been highly publicized in this new field and marvelous integration of types of research, scientific and genealogical, to begin to bridge gaps that have been merely the stuff of sci-fi up until recently. Still, overall, it is a conveniently sized "start-up" genealogy book for adults, who may not like the "For Dummies" format.

Allen County Library Genealogy Link

I was underwhelmed with the "Genealogy Link" from the Allen County Library (home of the Fort Wayne research facility). Located at www.acpl.lib.in.us, the link is very, very basic in its categories and shallow in its depth of links in the few categories. I would have anticipated a much more fully developed genelaogical focus, given its speciality in the region.

Some of your choices are: "Getting Started", "Special Programs", "Allen County, Indiana Links", "State Specific Resources", "International Resources" and "Research Topics". The state specific sites link you only to the state's genealogical society and the state's historical society. International resources only list two or three links for major countries supplying immigrants to the Midwest, such as Germany and Ireland. The topic list lacks depth as well and I would suggest that your time is better spent on "Cyndislist".

Wisconsin Historical Society

Another Midwestern site for your research focus is the Wisconsin Historical Society, online at www.wisconsinhistory.org/wlhba

Not only do they boast an online Local History and Biography Articles index with access to the articles, but also historic images and a Civil War soldiers' index. The 16,000 articles focus primarily on the 1860-1940 time frame. The quality of the scanned newsapaper images is great! The indexes are straightforward and link quickly to the references.

My own ancestor, John Walworth, shows up mentioned in a news article 12 years after his death and in four published sources, one of which is accessible through the website. I suggest that you check the site if you have Wisconsin ancestry.

Comparing Search Engines

In the first run at comparing search engines for genealogical purposes, I found Yahoo had more hits (57, 300) than Google (22,600), and Excite! had the fewest at a mere 55. I used the same surname and the plus genealogy for the search comparison and saw many of the same sites repeated in the top 10 lists of many of the search engines. Ask Jeeves and Teoma both had exactly 9,920 which makes me curious to compare how closely their searches would mirror one another in other searches and in other disciplines. MSN came in at 5,262 and Dogpile at 74.

Of course, one must point to the "quality over quantity" argument and be more thorough in the analysis than mere number of hits on the search term. It could very well be that the 55 hits may be of better, more focused genealogical quality than the 57,000 hits which pick up every mention of the surname but not necessarily of a family history orientation.