Search Engines Tips

While it isn't as sophisticated as the system I hope to devise for genealogical searching for surnames, there is a helpful online guide called "Search Engine Secrets" at http://amberskyline.com/treasuremaps/surname.htm

For beginners and intermediate researchers, this guide offers some tips for successful searching with keyword combinations and such. Everyone wants to utilize their online time efficiently and effectively. I would always rather narrow my search than deal with the current webpages for businesses that conatin the surname and locality I'm searching for in a historical context.

More Digitized Sources

The BYU Family History Archive is adding digitized genealogy books at the rate of about 100 per week to their website at http://www.lib.byu.edu/fhc.

You may search by surname or author and add keywords. The results come in small thumbnails to begin with, which you may then read via Adobe because they are loaded as pdf files to your computer. The pages are very readable and of course, printable,in this format. Another excellent addition to your search for published family history books that may only have a few copies and no copies in circulation via interlibrary loans. You should check to see if any of your family histories can be added to with this resource.

Cemetery Inventories and Spring Projects

You know, some folks get all excited about spring cleaning this time of year, while I comtemplate OTHER projects, like getting back to some rural cemeteries and small town libraries that aren't online yet, now that the snow is gone! (Aren't genelaogists strange people?)

A nice overview of "Cemetery Inventory Guidelines" is online as a reference tool, if you are also thrilled by the search for the dearly departed. The Ohio Genealogical Society has placed these guidelines at www.ogs.org/research/art_cemguidelines.php
If you, your family or local society plan to do some inventorying this spring or summer, these are helpful.

Success in the search!

Nice introduction to Genetic Genealogy

I ran across a nice introduction on the Internet for Genetic Genealogy while preparing for the class that I have to teach this upcoming weekend for RootsFest. The text is straightforward and the graphics are great- I think even middle school students could understand the complex subject matter with this website, so I encourage you to check it out if this is an interest of yours:

http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/index.html

Check out the bottom left "Genetic Overview" link.

"Minnesota Reflections"- digital photo archive

A new addition to Minnesota history are the 5000 photos now available online at reflections.mndigital.org. A search for Minneapolis results in 855 photos, ranging from postcard images of downtown Minneapolis from the last two centuries, to Boom Island, Minnehaha Falls, the Pillsbury Mills, Fort Snelling and Bohemian Flats. The photos are from 1908 and earlier and the next round will focus on photos, letters and documents from 1910-1920. Again, since a picture IS worth a thousand words, this gives family historians a glimpse into the past of our ancestors and what their lives were like. You should check it out.

Death Certificates in Missouri

Another excellent online database for the Internet researcher: the Missouri Death Certificate Database. Go to www.sos.mo.gov/archives and click on the "Missouri Death Certificate Database" link. Search by surname and/or county. The database covers 1910-1955 with over two million entries. The earlier years have digital images available, which I found loaded quickly and were very clear. Exciting moves by state archives.

Success in the search!

Rootsfest schedule

April 22 from 9 am to 12:30 pm. in New Brighton the first Rootsfest. The classes being offered are: "Where do I start?", Norwegian Research, African- American family History, PAF 5.0 (beginning and Intermediate), Family Search.org, Federal Census, Immigration to the U.S., Ancestry.com, Temple Ready, and Genetic Genealogy. The opportunity to learn, network and feed your hobby/obession this spring starts here!