Legacy News

Register for Webinar Wednesday - Breaking Down Your Irish and Scottish Brick Walls by Judy Wight

If you have a brick wall in Ireland or Scotland, the new Poor Law Records of Scotland may help. Join us for a free webinar with Accredited Genealogist, Judy Wight, on Wednesday, March 13, 2013.

Webinar Description

Brenda Collins in her book, The Origins of Irish Immigration to Scotland in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, claims that over 300,000 people from Ireland went to Scotland between 1790 and 1850. Another million fled Ireland and settled in Scotland and England during the second half of the 19th century. The new poor law records of Scotland contain incredible genealogical information about the people who ended up in this welfare system. This webinar will review the records one can find.

Join us for the live webinar on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at 2pm Eastern U.S. Register today to reserve your virtual seat. Registration is free but space is limited to the first 1,000 people to join that day. Before joining, please visit www.java.com to ensure you have the latest version of Java which our webinar software requires. When you join, if you receive a message that the webinar is full, you know we've reached the 1,000 limit, so we invite you to view the recording which should be published to the webinar archives within an hour or two of the event's conclusion.

Test Your Webinar Connection

To ensure that your webinar connection is ready to go, click here.

About the presenter 

Judith Eccles Wight graduated from Brigham Young University. She is an Accredited Genealogist researcher (AG) specializing in Irish and Scottish research. She worked as a British Reference Consultant at the Family History Library from 1990-2001. She is a published author in many genealogical periodicals, and is a popular genealogical lecturer and teacher. Judy is founder, past president and forever board member of Ulster Project-Utah, an ecumenical peacemaking organization that brings Catholic and Protestant teens from Northern Ireland to various established centers in the U.S.

She is also the presenter of:

• Researching Your Irish Ancestors: Beyond the Basics webinar
• Breaking Down Your Irish Brick Wall webinar
• The Three Cs of Irish Research: Civil Registration, Church Records, and Census webinar

She will also be presenting A Treasure Trove of Irish Websites on April 17, 2013.

Add it to your Google Calendar

With our Google Calendar button, you will never forget our upcoming webinars. Simply click the button to add it to your calendar. You can then optionally embed the webinar events (and even turn them on and off) into your own personal calendar. If you have already added the calendar, you do not have to do it again - the new webinar events will automatically appear.

Webinar time

The webinar will be live on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at:

• 2pm Eastern (U.S.)
• 1pm Central
• 12pm Mountain/Arizona
• 11am Pacific
• 6pm GMT

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

1. Register at www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/webinars.asp today. It's free!
2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
3. You will receive a reminder email during the week prior to the webinar.
4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
5. Make sure you have the latest version of Java installed on your computer. Check at www.java.com.
6. Check your GoToWebinar connection here by clicking on the "Test Your GoToWebinar Connection" link.
7. Click on the webinar link (found in confirmation and reminder emails) prior to the start of the webinar. Arrive early as the room size is limited to the first 1,000 arrivals that day.
8. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone.

We look forward to seeing you all there!

Blogs: Easy-to-Make Web Pages, free webinar now online for a limited time

If you are thinking of creating a blog, or just wondering what a blog is, be sure to view the recording of today's webinar by DearMYRTLE and Carrie Keele. It is now online to view for free for a limited time. The mother-daughter combination was really fun:

"How much fun was that? What a pair! The perfect way to spend an afternoon."

View the Recording at FamilyTreeWebinars.com

If you could not make it to the live event or just want to watch it again, the 1 hour 30 minute recording of Blogs: Easy-to-Make Web Pages is now available to view in our webinar archives for free for the next 7 days. It is also available to our monthly or annual Webinar Members. Visit www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com to watch.

Special Discount Coupon

The special discount coupon of blog that was announced during the webinar is valid for 10% off anything at both www.LegacyFamilyTreeStore.com and www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com through Tuesday, March 12, 2013.

New - Webinar Memberships

Webinar Members get:

• On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 139 hours of genealogy education)
• On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 355 pages)
• 5% off all products at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com (must be logged in at checkout, and yes, you can also use the 10% off webinar coupon above for a total of 15% off)

Introductory pricing:

• Annual membership: $49.95/year (that's about the cost of 5 webinar CDs)
• Monthly membership: $9.95/month

Click here to subscribe.

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

• Breaking Down Your Irish and Scottish Brick Wall in the New Poor Law Records of Scotland by Judy Wight. March 13.
• Evidence: Guidelines for Evaluating Genealogical Evidence by Linda Geiger. April 3.
• That First Trip to the Courthouse by Judy Russell. April 10.
• A Treasure Trove of Irish Websites by Judy Wight. April 17.
• What's New at FamilySearch by Devin Ashby. April 24.
• Researching your Roots in Rhode Island by Maureen Taylor. May 1.
• Blogging for Beginners with DearMYRTLE. May 3.
• Land Records Solve Research Problems by Mary Hill. May 15.
• Ten Hidden Resources Every Genealogist Should Know by Lisa Alzo. May 22.
• The New Frontier in Genetic Genealogy: Autosomal DNA Testing by Ugo Perego. May 29.
• The Genealogy of Your House by Marian Pierre-Louis. June 5.
• Get What You Came For: New Search Options Let You Target Obituaries, Photos, Passenger Lists, Births, Marriages, and More by Tom Kemp. June 12.
• Next Exit: Your New Jersey Ancestors by Thomas MacEntee. June 14.
• How Knowing the Law Makes Us Better Genealogists by Judy Russell. June 26.
• Canadian Ports of Entry: Ship Passenger Lists, Immigration Records, and Border Crossing Records by Kathryn Lake Hogan. July 10.
• Research in the Old Line State: An Overview of Maryland Genealogy by Michael Hait. July 17.
• Top Ten Techniques for Finding More in Library Catalogs by Barbara Renick. July 19.
• Top 21st Century Genealogy Resources - A Baker's Dozen by Tom Kemp. July 24.
• Direct Your Research with City Directories by Maureen Taylor. July 31.
• Captured For All Time: Recording Family Voices to Preserve and Pass Down by Marian Pierre-Louis. August 7.
• Digital Research Guidance, Research Logs, and To Do Lists: FamilySearch, Research Wiki, and Legacy FamilyTree by Geoff Rasmussen. August 14.
• Colonial Immigrants: Who They Were and Where They Came From by Mary Hill. August 28.
• Getting the Most from Your Records: Putting Them Through the Wringer! by Linda Geiger. September 4.
• More Blogging for Beginners with DearMYRTLE. September 6.
• You Use WHAT for Genealogy? by Thomas MacEntee. September 11.
• Don't Be an Audio Hog: Free and Easy Ways to Share Your Audio Files by Marian Pierre-Louis. September 18.
• Using Church Records to Identify Ancestors by Mary Hill. October 23.
• Using Court Records to tell the Story of our Ancestors' Lives by Judy Russell. October 30.
• Ancestry Trees Can Jump Start Your Research by DearMYRTLE. November 1.
• Researching with Marian! Creating a Research Plan with YOUR Research by Marian Pierre-Louis. November 6.
• Researching Your Ohio Ancestors by Lisa Alzo. November 13.
• Mind Mapping Your Research Plans and Results by Thomas MacEntee. November 20.
• How Computers & Gadgets are Changing Genealogy by Barbara Renick. December 4.
• Overcoming Lost Records Using Technology by Karen Clifford. December 18.

Click here to register.

See you online!

FamilySearch Records Update: 10.5 million new records from Brazil, Indonesia, Italy, New Zealand, Peru, and U.S.

FamilySearch added an additional 10.5 million indexed records and images in the last two weeks. The largest portion of this update includes the 8,613,673 images added to the New York Probate Records from 1629 to 1971, increasing this collection’s images by 63 percent. Other notable collection updates are the 699,800 indexed records and images from the Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Immigration Cards from 1900 to 1965, and the 307,448 images from the Peru, Lima, Civil Registration from 1874 to 1996. See the table below for the full list of updates. Search these diverse collections and more than 3.5 billion other records for free at FamilySearch.org.

Searchable historic records are made available on FamilySearch.org through the help of thousands of volunteers from around the world. These volunteers transcribe (index) information from digital copies of handwritten records to make them easily searchable online. More volunteers are needed (particularly those who can read foreign languages) to keep pace with the large number of digital images being published online at FamilySearch.org. Learn more about volunteering to help provide free access to the world’s historic genealogical records online at FamilySearch.org.

FamilySearch is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources for free at FamilySearch.org or through more than 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Collection	Indexed Records	Digital Images	Comments
Brazil, Civil Registration, 1870-2012	0	124,490	Added images to an existing collection.
Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Immigration Cards, 1900-1965	217,585	482,215	Added index records and images to an existing collection.
Indonesia, Jawa Tengah, Purwokerto, Miscellaneous Government Records, 1950-2012	0	58,096	Added images to an existing collection.
Italy, Messina, Messina, Civil Registration (Comune), 1866-1910	0	186,424	Added images to an existing collection.
New Zealand, Probate Records, 1860-1962	92,516	146,936	Added index records and images to an existing collection.
Peru, Lima, Civil Registration, 1874-1996	0	307,448	Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., Minnesota, County Marriages, 1860-1949	0	2,531	Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., New York, Probate Records, 1629-1971	0	8,613,673	Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., New York, Queens County Probate Records, 1785-1950	0	92,855	Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., Ohio, Jefferson County Court Records, 1797-1940	0	226,791	Added images to an existing collection.

Five Ways to Honor Your Female Ancestors

Thanks to guest blogger, Lisa Alzo, for this article.

When I began researching my ancestors more than 22 years ago, I started with my maternal line. Upon reflection, that may not have been the best choice because women are often much more difficult to trace than their male counterparts. March is National Women's History Month, and the perfect time to research your female ancestors. Whether you're just beginning or have hit a brick wall in your search, here are a few tips to get you on track to tease out those maiden names and focus more on the women in your family tree.

1. Fill in the blanks. Choose a female line to focus on. If you’ve got a number of maiden name blanks (Anna __or Mary __) on your family tree, make it your mission to try to find those maiden names. Not sure where to begin? Need a refresher course? View the Chasing Women: Finding Your Female Ancestors webinar, or pick up a copy of the Finding Female Ancestors Legacy QuickGuide™(Print, or PDF).

2. Learn about the time period. To make sure you’re not overlooking important sources, you should always learn the federal, state, and local laws that influenced your female ancestors’ rights for voting, naturalization, and other matters. For example, you can learn more about Women’s Suffrage from the National Archives, Archives Library Information Center (ALIC), or dig into special manuscript collections or Harvard University Library’s Open Collections Program “Women Working, 1800-1930” to research women’s occupations. Find even more special collections via the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (NUCMC). Enjoy other educational opportunities by attending a women's study lecture (check with community organizations or libraries in your local area for special events), or self-study sessions on the Library of Congress website, or History.com.

3. Tell “her” story. Give voice to your female ancestors by telling their stories. The research I did on my maternal lines eventually became the foundation for my first book, Three Slovak Women, in which I pay tribute to my mother and grandmother.

If writing a book seems a bit too ambitious, try a smaller project. For example, you can write a series of profiles about different female ancestors and create a Blog where you can post them for others to read and enjoy. If you need help coming up with topics consider participating in the “Fearless Females” Blogging Prompts Series on my blog, The Accidental Genealogist.

4. Create a photo collage or remembrance. If writing is not your thing, then tell the stories through images or video. They say “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Truly nothing evokes emotion like a photograph—especially one of a favorite female ancestor. Create a simple photo collage that can also double as a photo timeline. First, if you haven’t done so already, scan some images of your favorite females. The Flip-Palmobile scanner can help you get the job done. Print the images (at home if you have a photo printer, or use a local printing service). To get your images looking just right, pick up a copy of Geoff Rasmussen’s Digital Imaging Essentials. Then, purchase an inexpensive segmented collage frame at your local retail store, and insert your printed photographs. One option is to create a traditional multi-generational theme, showing several generations of women from the same family tree (e.g. you, your mother, your grandmother, great-grandmother, etc.). Alternatively, you can get creative and use themes such as holidays (your female ancestors at Christmas, Easter, etc.), or a broader theme such as family gatherings (baptisms, weddings, vacations or other special events). Another great idea is to create a photo story book or scrapbook (services such as MyCanvas from Ancestry.com, Shutterfly, or Snapfish, allow you to create customizable books or other keepsakes of different styles and price ranges. For something even more special, you could create a video, using a service such as Animoto—an online service where you can quickly create a video using still images, music, and text (their free service limits you to 30 second videos; pricing plans are available for longer videos).

5. Preserve precious memories or memorabilia. If you’re fortunate to have a female ancestor’s diary, scrapbook, or other treasure, consider turning it into a digital preservation project. Susan Peterson, who writes the Long Lost Relatives blog, found an interesting was to preserve her great grandmother’s autograph book using SlideShare. I hope to do something similar with my mother’s autograph book. In addition, there are plenty of other projects you can do such as heritage crafts, quilts, and even recipe books. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to get started on my list of projects to celebrate the fabulous females in my family.

Lisa A. Alzo is a freelance writer, instructor, and lecturer. She is a frequent presenter for the Legacy Family Tree Webinars series.

A Look at Wisconsin Genealogy Resources, free webinar by Thomas MacEntee now online for a limited time

The recording of today's excellent webinar by Thomas MacEntee is now online to view for free for a limited time. It was good, even for people with no Wisconsin ancestors:

"As was promoted before the webinar, although I have no Wisconsin people, I did have people that crossed Wisconsin, and the webinar was interesting, inspiring, and my fiance and I got new resources for related research. The presenter was professional, pleasant and enjoyable."

Special thanks to the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society for their work in developing the new Legacy QuickGuide: Wisconsin Genealogy. Available for just $2.95, this 4-page PDF contains a listing of essential Badger State resources including a timeline of Wisconsin history events, tips on Wisconsin research strategy, a list of Wisconsin migration routes and more. Also included are over 100 links to websites and resources covering vital records, church records, census records, as well as general Wisconsin resources.

View the Recording at FamilyTreeWebinars.com

If you could not make it to the live event or just want to watch it again, the 1 hour 30 minute recording of Behind the Cheese Curtain: A Look at Wisconsin Genealogy Resources is now available to view in our webinar archives for free for the next 7 days. It is also available to our monthly or annual Webinar Members. Visit www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com to watch.

Special Discount Coupon

The special discount coupon of wisconsin that was announced during the webinar is valid for 10% off anything at both www.LegacyFamilyTreeStore.com and www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com through Monday, March 11, 2013.

New - Webinar Memberships

Webinar Members get:

• On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 138 hours of genealogy education)
• On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 352 pages)
• 5% off all products at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com (must be logged in at checkout, and yes, you can also use the 10% off webinar coupon above for a total of 15% off)

Introductory pricing:

• Annual membership: $49.95/year (that's about the cost of 5 webinar CDs)
• Monthly membership: $9.95/month

Click here to subscribe.

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

• Blogs: Easy-to-Make Web Pages by DearMYRTLE and Carrie Keele. March 8.
• Breaking Down Your Irish and Scottish Brick Wall in the New Poor Law Records of Scotland by Judy Wight. March 13.
• Evidence: Guidelines for Evaluating Genealogical Evidence by Linda Geiger. April 3.
• That First Trip to the Courthouse by Judy Russell. April 10.
• A Treasure Trove of Irish Websites by Judy Wight. April 17.
• What's New at FamilySearch by Devin Ashby. April 24.
• Researching your Roots in Rhode Island by Maureen Taylor. May 1.
• Blogging for Beginners with DearMYRTLE. May 3.
• Land Records Solve Research Problems by Mary Hill. May 15.
• Ten Hidden Resources Every Genealogist Should Know by Lisa Alzo. May 22.
• The New Frontier in Genetic Genealogy: Autosomal DNA Testing by Ugo Perego. May 29.
• The Genealogy of Your House by Marian Pierre-Louis. June 5.
• Get What You Came For: New Search Options Let You Target Obituaries, Photos, Passenger Lists, Births, Marriages, and More by Tom Kemp. June 12.
• Next Exit: Your New Jersey Ancestors by Thomas MacEntee. June 14.
• How Knowing the Law Makes Us Better Genealogists by Judy Russell. June 26.
• Canadian Ports of Entry: Ship Passenger Lists, Immigration Records, and Border Crossing Records by Kathryn Lake Hogan. July 10.
• Research in the Old Line State: An Overview of Maryland Genealogy by Michael Hait. July 17.
• Top Ten Techniques for Finding More in Library Catalogs by Barbara Renick. July 19.
• Top 21st Century Genealogy Resources - A Baker's Dozen by Tom Kemp. July 24.
• Direct Your Research with City Directories by Maureen Taylor. July 31.
• Captured For All Time: Recording Family Voices to Preserve and Pass Down by Marian Pierre-Louis. August 7.
• Digital Research Guidance, Research Logs, and To Do Lists: FamilySearch, Research Wiki, and Legacy FamilyTree by Geoff Rasmussen. August 14.
• Colonial Immigrants: Who They Were and Where They Came From by Mary Hill. August 28.
• Getting the Most from Your Records: Putting Them Through the Wringer! by Linda Geiger. September 4.
• More Blogging for Beginners with DearMYRTLE. September 6.
• You Use WHAT for Genealogy? by Thomas MacEntee. September 11.
• Don't Be an Audio Hog: Free and Easy Ways to Share Your Audio Files by Marian Pierre-Louis. September 18.
• Using Church Records to Identify Ancestors by Mary Hill. October 23.
• Using Court Records to tell the Story of our Ancestors' Lives by Judy Russell. October 30.
• Ancestry Trees Can Jump Start Your Research by DearMYRTLE. November 1.
• Researching with Marian! Creating a Research Plan with YOUR Research by Marian Pierre-Louis. November 6.
• Researching Your Ohio Ancestors by Lisa Alzo. November 13.
• Mind Mapping Your Research Plans and Results by Thomas MacEntee. November 20.
• How Computers & Gadgets are Changing Genealogy by Barbara Renick. December 4.
• Overcoming Lost Records Using Technology by Karen Clifford. December 18.

Click here to register.

See you online!

136 Hours of Genealogy Classes Now Available at FamilyTreeWebinars.com

New Annual/Monthly Webinar Memberships Provide Anytime-Access to Entire Webinar Archives and Instructors’ Handouts

Genealogists and family historians can now have anytime, anywhere and unlimited access to the nearly 100 recorded genealogy webinars and more than 350 pages of instructors’ handouts that have been part of the Legacy Family Tree Webinar series with their new website at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com.

Access to the complete archives (over 136 hours of classes) is now available through an annual or monthly Webinar Membership at the introductory price of $49.95 (annually) or $9.95 (monthly). Watching the live, weekly webinars continues to be free (36 more are scheduled in 2013), and visitors are free to view recordings for one week after a live presentation. For Webinar Members, new recordings and handouts will be added monthly at no extra cost.

A leader in online genealogy education, the Legacy Family Tree Webinar series has been attended by researchers in more than 100 countries. “I’m excited to bring quality genealogy education into the homes of genealogists world-wide,” said Legacy Family Tree Webinars host, Geoff Rasmussen. “Genealogists from the most remote parts of the world have been able to learn from some of genealogy’s  finest instructors because of these webinars. It’s been fun to help pioneer this technology for our industry.”

FamilyTreeWebinars.com currently features 36 of genealogy’s leading educators including Megan Smolenyak, Thomas MacEntee, Barbara Renick, DearMYRTLE, Marian Pierre-Louis, Maureen Taylor, Geoff Rasmussen, Lisa Alzo, and Karen Clifford. Click here for the complete list. Subjects include:

• Google
• Organization
• Photographs & Digital Images
• Researching in United States, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, England, Germany, Eastern Europe
• Brick Wall Solutions
• DNA
• Genealogy Technology
• Many more

Register for upcoming webinars for free.

Click here to register for future webinars.

Become a Webinar Member

• Annual Memberships – introductory price of $49.95/year – complete access to webinar archives and handouts for one year
• Monthly Memberships – introductory price of $9.95/month – complete access to webinar archives and handouts for one month

Click here to subscribe.

Legacy Tip - Using the Interview Questions report and Recording an Oral Interview

Now that I live in the great state of potatoes Idaho (I love it here!) I’m only a three hours’ drive from my 89-year-old grandfather and the birthplace of four generations of my ancestors. During a recent visit with Grandpa, however, I think broke all of Marian Pierre-Louis’ rules for conducting a good oral interview.

After catching up with each other on the events of the past couple of years, the conversation turned towards the past – Grandpa shared stories of growing up, including colorful accounts of my dad’s earlier years that were all new to me. About halfway through my visit, I started to wish that I had a way to record our conversation. Luckily my smart phone was in my pocket which had the “Voice Recorder” app installed. I quietly retrieved it and pressed the button to begin recording. I haven’t yet listened to the recording, but unfortunately, all of the really good stories were told before I pushed the record button. Next time I hope to be more prepared (and maybe I’ll ask Grandpa for permission first…), but in the meantime, I at least have a recording of his voice and some interesting conversation.

Retrieving the recording from my smart phone is quite simple. Within the Voice Recorder app, just click on the recording's name, click Send, and then select from a variety of methods to send such as email or even Dropbox.

From what I've read, most cell phones save audio files as a .3gp file which is not compatible with Windows Media Player or even with Legacy. So I next had to convert the audio file to an .mp3 on my computer which I did using a free program called 3GP to MP3 converter (just be sure to do the custom installation so you don't get all of the extras).

After saving the audio file to my hard drive, I can link it to Grandpa’s Multimedia Gallery in Legacy Family Tree following these steps:

1. Open the person's Picture Gallery and click on the Sound button.
2. Browse to the audio file and click Open.
3. Add the caption and date.

Choosing the Right Questions to Ask

Now that Grandpa’s 90th birthday celebration is only a couple of months away, I will be better prepared, partly due to the Interview Question Reports in Legacy Family Tree. Legacy has 13 types of interviews to select from with over 1,200 open-answered questions. One of the interviews is “Grandpa Remembers” which includes 26 different categories including:

• All about you
• As time goes by
• Being a Grandpa
• Dating and Marrying Grandma
• Favorite things
• Growing up
• Hopes and dreams
• Stormy seas
• Traditions
• And many more

The questions are all open-ended, meaning, you are not likely to ever get just a Yes or No answer. Examples of a few questions include:

• How did you first meet Grandma?
• How do you spend your spare time?
• If you made a wish when you were young, what would you wish for?
• Tell me about one of your heros
• What was the naughtiest thing you ever did?
• How did you keep your house warm in the winter and cool in the summer?
• What did you always want to be when you grew up
• Did people ever tease you? What about?
• And lots more

The Interview Questions are available in Legacy Family Tree by going to Reports button > Books/Other tab > Interview Questions button. Here you can print the questions, turn on/off certain questions, or even add your own. The report can be printed or emailed as a text file or PDF.

Marian’s webinars

If you want to know how to do it right, register (free) for Marian Pierre-Louis' two webinars which are scheduled for later this year:

• Captured for All Time: Recording Family Voices to Preserve and Pass Down
• Don't Be an Audio Hog: Free and Easy Ways to Share Your Audio Files

Register for 2 webinars this week - Blogs: Easy-to-make Web Pages AND Wisconsin Genealogy

Join us this Wednesday AND Friday to hear from two of our favorite webinar speakers, Thomas MacEntee and DearMYRTLE. On Wednesday, Thomas will present "Behind the Cheese Curtain: A Look at Wisconsin Genealogy Resources" and on Friday, DearMYRTLE with her daughter Carrie Keele, will present "Blogs: Easy-toMake Web Pages."

Wednesday - Behind the Cheese Curtain: A Look at Wisconsin Genealogy Resources by Thomas MacEntee

Participants will learn the basics of researching their Wisconsin ancestors starting with the early history as part of the Northwest Territory up through the present-day. While many of our ancestors may have settled in or passed through Wisconsin, finding them and the records left behind is another story. Wisconsin research offers certain challenges and it helps to know the strategies needed to tackle those records. You’ll not only get a quick lesson in Wisconsin history, you’ll also learn about special record sets and resources unique to the Badger State. Many of the strategies Thomas discusses can be applied to any U.S. state, so if you don't have any Wisconsin ancestors - you'll still find something to learn!

Click here to register.

Friday - Blogs: Easy-to-Make Web Pages by DearMYRTLE and Carrie Keele

Honor ancestors by creating blog posts - a place on the web that anyone can find using simple search engine techniques. Learn how to cut costs of printing & snail-mailing your family newsletter, and find out how to reach beyond your current membership circle. Carrie demos setting up a blog in three easy steps. Myrt analyzes a printed newsletter and demos how to turn it into a blog. Includes info on setting up a Google Calendar that several members can update, and how to convert your blog into a genealogy book.

Click here to register.

Webinar Reminder: Join us for the live webinars on Wednesday, March 6, 2013 and Friday, March 8, 2013 at 2pm Eastern U.S. Registration is free but space is limited to the first 1,000 people to join that day. Before joining, please visit www.java.com to ensure you have the latest version of Java which our webinar software requires. When you join, if you receive a message that the webinar is full, you know we've reached the 1,000 limit, so we invite you to view the recording which should be published to the webinar archives within an hour or two of the event's conclusion.

Test Your Webinar Connection

To ensure that your webinar connection is ready to go, click here and then click on the "Test Your GoToWebinar Connection" link.

Add it to your Google Calendar

With our Google Calendar button, you will never forget our upcoming webinars. Simply click the button to add it to your calendar. You can then optionally embed the webinar events (and even turn them on and off) into your own personal calendar. If you have already added the calendar, you do not have to do it again - the new webinar events will automatically appear.

Webinar time

The webinars will be live on Wednesday, March 6 and Friday, March 8, 2013 at:

• 2pm Eastern (U.S.)
• 1pm Central
• 12pm Mountain
• 11am Pacific
• 7pm GMT

Or use this Time Zone Converter.

Here's how to attend:

1. Register at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com today. It's free!
2. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to the webinar.
3. You will receive a reminder email during the week prior to the webinar.
4. Calculate your time zone by clicking here.
5. Make sure you have the latest version of Java installed on your computer. Check at www.java.com.
6. Check your GoToWebinar connection here by clicking on the "Test Your GoToWebinar Connection" link.
7. Click on the webinar link (found in confirmation and reminder emails) prior to the start of the webinar. Arrive early as the room size is limited to the first 1,000 arrivals that day.
8. Listen via headset (USB headsets work best), your computer speakers, or by phone.

We look forward to seeing you all there!

Vote for your favorite genealogy software and education tool

Our Legacy Family Tree software AND Legacy Family Tree Webinars have been nominated for Best Genealogy Software and Favorite Genealogy Education or Learning Experience as part of The About Genealogy 2013 Readers' Choice Awards. Now you can vote for your favorite once per day through March 19, 2013. Can you guess who I voted for?

Click here to vote for your favorite genealogy software.

Click here to vote for your favorite genealogy education or learning experience.

Then set a reminder to cast your vote - once per day - through March 19.

Thanks to the genealogy community for your nominations.

Annie Moore of Ellis Island - A Case of Historical Identity Theft, free webinar now online by Megan Smolenyak

I hesitate to write this because we've had so many terrific webinars, but I think today's webinar by Megan Smolenyak could top the list as the best we've ever had (sorry Thomas, Lisa, Karen, Linda, Michael, Mary, Kathryn, Marian, Maureen, and so many others - it was just...that...good...)!

Megan's "Annie Moore of Ellis Island: A Case of Historical Identity Theft" not only pulled at every viewer's heart strings, but she taught plenty of genealogy methodology and showed the results that persistence brings.

View the Recording at FamilyTreeWebinars.com

During the webinar we "unofficially" announced the availability of our brand new webinar website - www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com. I'll write more about it next week. In addition to the webinar's recording being available in the archives for free for about a week, it is also available as part of the monthly or annual webinar membership. Webinar Members get:

• On-demand access to the entire webinar archives (now 136 hours of genealogy education)
• On-demand access to the instructor handouts (now 352 pages)
• 5% off all products at www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com (must be logged in at checkout)

Introductory pricing:

• Annual membership: $49.95/year (that's about the cost of 5 webinar CDs)
• Monthly membership: $9.95/month

Megan Smolenyak

• Webinar members have access to all of Megan's webinars here.
• Megan is a speaker on our upcoming Legacy Genealogy Cruise to the eastbound Panama Canal in September 2013. Learn more here.
• Megan's books
  • Who Do You Think You Are: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History
  • Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing

Special discount coupon

The special discount coupon of annie that was announced during the webinar is valid for 10% off anything at www.LegacyFamilyTreeStore.com or www.FamilyTreeWebinars.com through Monday, March 4, 2013.

Register for our upcoming webinars (free)

• Behind the Cheese Curtain: A Look at Wisconsin Genealogy Resources by Thomas MacEntee. March 6.
• Blogs: Easy-to-Make Web Pages by DearMYRTLE and Carrie Keele. March 8.
• Breaking Down Your Irish and Scottish Brick Wall in the New Poor Law Records of Scotland by Judy Wight. March 13.
• Evidence: Guidelines for Evaluating Genealogical Evidence by Linda Geiger. April 3.
• That First Trip to the Courthouse by Judy Russell. April 10.
• A Treasure Trove of Irish Websites by Judy Wight. April 17.
• What's New at FamilySearch by Devin Ashby. April 24.
• Researching your Roots in Rhode Island by Maureen Taylor. May 1.
• Blogging for Beginners with DearMYRTLE. May 3.
• Land Records Solve Research Problems by Mary Hill. May 15.
• Ten Hidden Resources Every Genealogist Should Know by Lisa Alzo. May 22.
• The New Frontier in Genetic Genealogy: Autosomal DNA Testing by Ugo Perego. May 29.
• The Genealogy of Your House by Marian Pierre-Louis. June 5.
• Get What You Came For: New Search Options Let You Target Obituaries, Photos, Passenger Lists, Births, Marriages, and More by Tom Kemp. June 12.
• Next Exit: Your New Jersey Ancestors by Thomas MacEntee. June 14.
• How Knowing the Law Makes Us Better Genealogists by Judy Russell. June 26.
• Canadian Ports of Entry: Ship Passenger Lists, Immigration Records, and Border Crossing Records by Kathryn Lake Hogan. July 10.
• Research in the Old Line State: An Overview of Maryland Genealogy by Michael Hait. July 17.
• Top Ten Techniques for Finding More in Library Catalogs by Barbara Renick. July 19.
• Top 21st Century Genealogy Resources - A Baker's Dozen by Tom Kemp. July 24.
• Direct Your Research with City Directories by Maureen Taylor. July 31.
• Captured For All Time: Recording Family Voices to Preserve and Pass Down by Marian Pierre-Louis. August 7.
• Digital Research Guidance, Research Logs, and To Do Lists: FamilySearch, Research Wiki, and Legacy FamilyTree by Geoff Rasmussen. August 14.
• Colonial Immigrants: Who They Were and Where They Came From by Mary Hill. August 28.
• Getting the Most from Your Records: Putting Them Through the Wringer! by Linda Geiger. September 4.
• More Blogging for Beginners with DearMYRTLE. September 6.
• You Use WHAT for Genealogy? by Thomas MacEntee. September 11.
• Don't Be an Audio Hog: Free and Easy Ways to Share Your Audio Files by Marian Pierre-Louis. September 18.
• Using Church Records to Identify Ancestors by Mary Hill. October 23.
• Using Court Records to tell the Story of our Ancestors' Lives by Judy Russell. October 30.
• Ancestry Trees Can Jump Start Your Research by DearMYRTLE. November 1.
• Researching with Marian! Creating a Research Plan with YOUR Research by Marian Pierre-Louis. November 6.
• Researching Your Ohio Ancestors by Lisa Alzo. November 13.
• Mind Mapping Your Research Plans and Results by Thomas MacEntee. November 20.
• How Computers & Gadgets are Changing Genealogy by Barbara Renick. December 4.
• Overcoming Lost Records Using Technology by Karen Clifford. December 18.

Click here to register.

See you online!