Ozarks Genealogical Society

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Back Up Your Genealogy Data

Have you ever accidentally erased an important genealogy file? Has your hard drive ever “crashed” taking all your important files with it? If it hasn’t happened yet, consider yourself fortunate and start planning on avoiding a crisis.
 
There are several ways to back up your important data, including your genealogy files. All work with either the Windows operating system or with a Mac. In this discussion, I’m only concerned with data. We do not need to back up programs, the operating system, or large media files (movies).
 

Read more: Back Up Your Genealogy Data

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Digital Cameras and Genealogy

A good digital camera is an important tool for the family researcher. Not only are you going to be taking photographs, but there are many other uses which will be discussed later. This presentation will focus on what to look for in a camera, then tips for more common genealogical uses.
 

Read more: Digital Cameras and Genealogy

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Using Evernote in Your Genealogical Research

• • Download from Evernote.com
• • Setup User (mulitple users possible)
• • Create Notebooks:  a note can only be in one notebook (although a copy can be created in another notebook)
• • Create Tags: a note can have several tags.

 

As much as we are used to seeing organization based on a tree/directory structure, that form is mainly to help us remember where something is located. Evernote's strong search capability and the use of tags makes finding things easy. It is recommended to limit the number of notebooks and make copious use of tags. The secret to efficient use of tags is consistency. Develop a pattern that makes sense to you. 

 

There is a lot of redundancy built into the

Read more: Using Evernote in Your Genealogical Research

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Using Tax Records in Your Family History Research

OGS Workshop 23 January 2013

Tax records can tell 

• • where our ancestors lived.

• • when they lived there. (when they moved or death implied)
• • occupations.
• • relationships.
• • age and marriage.
• • socio-economic level.

 

Designations on lists may give identifying information to distinguish men of the same name.  These might be occupations or "son of X," or perhaps just "1^st" or "jr" and "sr."

Occupations may be noted where they are taxed.

Usually listed alphabetically by township or military district which gives better indication of "neighbors" who may be related.

Pennsylvania place men on "Freeman" list until they marry. You can estimate marriage year. 

Estimate age by knowing legal age of taxation with appearance on the rolls. 

 

Main problem with using tax records is availability: what still exists and where are they?

Read more: Using Tax Records in Your Family History Research

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Indexing 1962 Missouri Death Certificates

Have you benefited from the Missouri death certificates found online at the Missouri Secretary of State's office HERE?

You can pay it forward by volunteering to index the deaths occurring in 1962.  Click HERE for more details. 

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Genealogy Webinars and Podcasts

Webinars: A combination of "web" and "seminar", meaning a presentation, lecture, or workshop that is transmitted over the Web.
 
Legacy Family Tree: A mix of how to use the Legacy Family Tree genealogy program, research techniques and promotion of other vendor products. Free at live webinar and then at least ten days after. http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/webinars.asp
 

Read more: Genealogy Webinars and Podcasts

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Free Software 2012

At our December 2012 OGS computer workshop, we discussed some free software that genealogists might be interested in.

Virus, spyware, and other malicious software protection:
Microsoft Security Essentials: http://www.microsoft.com/
AVG AntiVirus FREE 2013: http://free.avg.com/us-en/homepage
Avira Free Antivirus 2013: http://www.avira.com/en/avira-free-antivirus
 

Read more: Free Software 2012

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2013 OGS Research Trip

Plans are being made for our 2013 research trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City Utah. Timetables and registration forms will be available in early 2013.
 
Dates: April 14 – 20, 2013
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Repository: Family History Library 
(www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Family_History_Library)
Hotel: Salt Lake City Plaza Hotel (saltlakecitytemplesquare.com), next door to the FHL
Rates: $82 per room per night with 1 or 2 persons
           $89 per room per night with 3 or 4 persons
Payment: The rooms require a payment from OGS, thus saving taxes. 
You will need to pay OGS for your room prior to the trip.
Payment dates to be announced early in 2013
Shuttle service to hotel: The Plaza Hotel has an airport shuttle.
Also, Janice will have her car and can also shuttle you.
Transportation: You are responsible for getting yourself to SLC and home.           
Family History Library hours:
            Sunday closed
Monday 8a – 5p,
Tuesday- Saturday 8a – 9p

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Genealogy Research and Your Smart Phone

Cautions:
•        Read reviews to see how others feel about the app
•        Notice when last update was done
•        Check to see if internet is required for app to work
•        Read and understand Terms of Usage and Privacy
 
iPhone, iPad – iTunes.com
•        GedView - $3.99 – view gedcom data you have uploaded – works offline
•        FamViewer - $3.99 – view gedcom data you have uploaded – works offline
•        BillionGraves – free – will lead you to the grave you are looking for if it has been uploaded. Help others by taking pictures of graves when you are in a cemetery – needs internet.  $9.99/year for Mobile Records Search plus more.
•        Ancestry – free app but requires Ancestry.com membership
•        Date Calculator & Date Difference - $0.99
•        Reunion - $14.99 – designed to work with Reunion on the Mac
•        Families - $14.99 – designed to work with Legacy Family Tree
 
Android – play.google.com
•        GedStar Pro Genealogy Viewer – free – views your gedcom data. Requires a Windows conversion program.
•        BillionGraves – see above
•        Find Grave – free – this is not Find a Grave
•        Ancestry – free app but requires Ancestry.com membership
•        Families - $14.99 – designed to work with Legacy Family Tree
•        Family Tree - $3.00 – build your family tree
•        Family Bee - $10.00 – view gedcom you have uploaded
 
Blackberry – us.blackberry.com - Couldn’t find anything but e-books
 
Windows Phone - windowsphone.com - Relative History - $4.99 – view your gedcom
 
Other Helpful Apps
•        Gas Buddy – free – using your location will find nearest gas station. Shows prices. Directions available. Required Internet.
•        iTalk Recorder – free – record conversation/interviews. Can email recording if not large otherwise must use iTunes to move recording to computer.
•        Evernote – free – syncs all devices when internet is available – watch for upcoming workshop on Evernote
 
Other helpful Hints
•        Whatever apps you decide to use be sure you have practiced with them before trying to use them for real.
•        When you find an app you particularly like, share your experience with other researchers.

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Family History Software

After many years of family research, many would like to publish their family history. The reasons are varied: sharing research with others, ensuring our friends and relatives have correct documented information, and soliciting feedback. This discussion looks at how software can help us publish our information.
 
When it comes to putting our research “out there” for others, there are several options for us to consider. We can publish a traditional paper book or newsletter (or do either of these in an electronic format). We can put the information online in a blog or a specialized web-site. Finally, we can combine our research and publishing efforts by posting a family tree at a subscription site such as Ancestry.com.
 
There are essentially three types of software available today. First is traditional “genealogy” software such as Family Tree Maker or Rootsmagic. Then there is specialized software such as Personal Historian from the makers of Rootsmagic. Finally, there are office productivity suites such as the free OpenOffice (openoffice.org) or Microsoft Office. These suites combine word processing with presentation and publishing.
 
Originally, genealogy software was pretty basic, reflecting the available technology. You could collect places and dates for family events (birth, marriage, death), store family relationships, and print out (on your new dot matrix printer) a limited number of reports. Over the years, the software has evolved. Today, all the programs let you store notes, photographs, and other multimedia for individuals. You can cite your sources, along with GPS locations for the events. The software will produce a wide variety of graphical charts and reports, plus generating HTML pages for a web-site. Your program will combine reports you choose with other elements of design to produce a book, which can be printed, distributed electronically, or imported directly into a word processing program such as Microsoft Word.
 
In fact, your “genealogy” software is family history software.
 
Most current genealogy programs have the ability to “publish” a family history. For example, with Rootsmagic, under “reports” just click on “publish.” This opens up a dialog box that allows you to “add” a variety of charts and reports. The program will automatically add indexes and a table of contents, if desired. Once completed, you can print the results, save them into a PDF file, or export them into an office suite.
    
“Producing a Quality Family History” by Patricia Law Hatcher, CG
 
Desktop Publishing a Family History: http://desktoppub.about.com/od/booksmanuals/ss/FamilyHistoryBk.htm