FamilySearch Record Search Update

Paul Nata, Public Affairs Manager for FamilySearch, said in a press release January 31, 2009, that FamilySearch had added over 40 million new records to its Record Search pilot since January 5th.

Individuals with international roots from Argentina, Canada, Germany, Ireland,  Germany, Netherlands, and the Philippines will find some nice surprises in the newly added collections.

Birth, marriage, and death records were added for the Netherlands and Ireland.  Irish researchers in particular have been anxiously awaiting the 23 million records from the Irish Civil Registration indexes.   These records date from 1845-1958 and are also known as the Statutory Registration Records. Statutory registration for Protestants began in 1845 and for Catholics in 1864.

Many thanks to the thousands of online FamilySearch Indexing volunteers who helped make these wonderful records available.

See the chart below for more details. The new records can be searched for free at FamilySearch.org

(Click Search Records, then Record Search pilot).

Collection Name	Indexed Records	Digital Images	Comments
1869 Argentina National Census	232,853	157,133	New
California, San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records  1835-1931	43,407	61,017	New
Canada Census 1916	1,811,736	36,263	New
Costa Rica Church Records 1595-1992	1,387,505	260,367	New
Germany Burials 1500-1900	3,633,851		New
Ireland, Civil Registration Indexes 1845-1958	23,023,320	70,971	New
Mexico Aguascalientes Catholic Church Records 1616-1961		601,572	New
Netherlands Births and Baptisms	1,350,335		New
Netherlands Marriages	374,659		New
Netherlands Deaths and Burials	206,477		New
Philippines Marriages	2,224,877		New
1920 United States Census	2,437,479	50,364	Added  Alabama
1850 United States Census	1,425,756		Added Alabama and Indian Population
1850 United States Census (Slave Schedule)	869,079		Added Alabama, Missouri, and South Carolina
1850 United States Census (Mortality Schedule)	37,993		Added Louisiana and Indian Population
1870 United States Census	7,954,406		Added Pennsylvania

Analyzing Evidence & Fallacies in Genealogy

I read two blog posts this morning that I just had to share. The first, Analyzing Evidence on Gena’s Genealogy blog, discusses how to analyze documents and photos to get the “most” from them AND give links to forms on the Arizona State Library’s website to help you do this (these are keepers!).

The second article from the Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog discusses Five Fallacies in Genealogy.

I hope you get as much out of these articles as I did.

Happy Ancestor Hunting!

Melissa

Alabama Archives Eliminates Saturday hours

In a press release today (1/13/2009), the Alabama Department of Archives & History announced the elimination of Saturday hours and a 20 percent reduction in staff.

Saturday hours will continue through the end of January 2009.  Read the full press release here.

Footnote.com offering FREE access to Civil War Databases and Images

Footnote.com is allowing free access to Civil War records through Dec. 1 through Access Genealogy.  You MUST access the databases via this link:

http://www.accessgenealogy.com:80/civil_war.htm

There is a TON of information here… including the Compiled Military Service Records (CMSR’s) of virtually all the Confederate soldiers and a few states of Union soldiers and much more!

Don’t forget about the special subscription offer for Veteran’s through November 30th!

Footnote.com Special Reduced Subscription for Veterans

In honor of Veteran’s Day, Footnote.com is offering a special subscription price ($39.95) for veterans.  The offer expires November 30, 2008.  Read more about the offer on Randy Seaver’s Genea-Musings blog.

A direct link to the blog post can be found here.

Did You Know?

Did you know that the Tutwiler Collection of Southern History & Literature Department of the Birmingham Public Library is an authorized branch of the Family History Library and part of the research system of the Genealogical Society of Utah?

Since January 2003, Southern History has had the ability to order microfilm from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.   Currently, the cost is $5.25 per microfilm roll.   The Family History Library will not send books only microfilm and microfiche.   You get approximately one month to view it and make copies before the microfilm is returned.  Requests to order microfilm/microfiche should be made in person to the librarians in Southern History.

Click here to view the Family History Library Catalog.

Don’t forget about Interlibrary Loan

Kimberly Powell at About.com:Genealogy has a great article on her blog today.   Her blog post reminds us about using the Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service to request books relevant to our family history research but not available locally.  I have used my local library (Birmingham Public Library) and it’s ILL service many times.

I encourage you to read Kimberly’s complete article and note the libraries she mentions that specifically lend genealogy-related books.

Everton’s Magazine Free to Download

Everton’s is again offering their current (Sept/Oct 2008) magazine free to all to download.  They are also offering special subscription discounts to the print and online editions.

From Everton’s announcement:

Everton is offering the Online Edition FREE until October 17 to anyone willing to go to our website (http://www.everton.com).  From now until October 27 the $12 annual subscription fee to the Online Edition of the Genealogical Helper will be reduced to $10.00, and the $29.00 annual subscription fee for the hard copy edition of the magazine (includes access to the Online Edition) will be reduced to $25.00. There are two issues now available for download at the site: Jul-Aug 2008 and Sept-Oct 2008. ENJOY!

World Archives Project

Ancestry.com is sponsoring an indexing initiative very similar to the LDS/GSU indexing project I have written about previously.  I checked the World Archives website today and saw that one of the 1st indexes they are creating is indexes to the Alabama State Censuses.

World Archives Project

Anyone can participate and the index will remain free at Ancestry (images will be available to Ancestry.com subscribers and to those indexing participants who index a certain amount of data per quarter).

It looks like the indexing for the Alabama State Census project is currently at 19% … I can’t wait to see the results.

Free Access to Ancestry’s Historical Newspaper Collection Thru June 19th

From the Ancestry’s 24/7 Family History Circle Blog:

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Ancestry has added 20 million images to its Historical Newspaper Collection—doubling the collection in size! And to celebrate, they’re offering free access to the entire collection through 19 June 2008. Click here to start searching now.

More information on this huge launch is also available on the Ancestry blog.