Genetics was the hot topic at this annual meeting of
genealogy and technology. It was the newest track of
lectures added to the lineup, and attracted illustrious
geneticists such as Bryan Sykes of Oxford University
and Scott Woodward of Brigham Young University, who
discussed their DNA research and its relevance to
genealogists. BYU researchers were taking blood samples
to add to its database of pedigree-linked DNA, which
currently has about 25,000 donors (see
the project's Web site for more info).
Ancestry.com announced a new venture with Relative
Genetics (the lab that's also handling the BYU study
samples). The two companies are offering what they
call "the most complete and extensive DNA test
available." For $219, GenetiKit will test your DNA for
either a paternal or maternal line, then report back
to you on others who share your genes and how you
can contact them. Sykes' company, Oxford Ancestors, was
also on hand to offer its own selection of DNA tests.
Mac users will be happy to know Ancestry has heard
your call for Mac-friendly products. The latest release
of the 1920 US census index is available on CD-ROM for
both Mac and Windows operating systems. Ancestry
software developers are working on future CD releases to
include Macs, too.
FamilySearch's latest CD release, the 1881 Canadian
census, was not quite ready for the conference. Look
for it later this spring (we'll let you know when it's
released). Meanwhile, Canadian researchers can sink
their teeth into the upcoming April issue of Family
Tree Magazine, which has a feature on tracing Canadian
roots.
Next year's GenTech Conference will be held Jan. 17-18
in sunny Phoenix.
Going Digital
I've been a photo buff since I was a kid. I used my first 35mm camera on a trip to Alaska when I was 15. Since then I've owned a half-dozen or so good cameras and have always been the family's designated photographer.
When digitals hit the scene, I first bought a little Kodak, then upgraded to a Nikon designed for use with laptops. Finally I settled on a Nikon Coolpix 950. I opted for a higher-end camera because I knew it would eventually replace all my 35mm gear.
Digital photography is great for genealogists. There's something magical about snapping a photo (although a digital camera doesn't really "snap") and instantly downloading it to the computer where I can manipulate the image, print it or send it up to my Web site. In addition, digitals make it easy to shoot old family photos; my trips to the photo lab to get duplicates of treasured photos are a thing of the past. I even bought an adapter, which allows me to digitally re-shoot my thousands of 35mm slides.
The toughest decision in going digital is choosing a camera. For me, the two must-have features are an optical zoom (higher quality than a digital zoom), and the ability to have as much control over the picture as I do with my professional equipment. For others, a point-and-shoot digital may be a better bet.
If you're interested in going digital, I found an excellent resource for camera suggestions based on your budget.
Other digital photography sites:
• How to Get Started in Digital Photography
• Tips for Photographing Gravestones
P.S. If you were interested in the column on Republic of Texas
Claims that appeared a couple weeks ago, you might like to know the Clayton Library in Houston has the collection on microfilm. Learn more at the library's Web site.
Find more sites on digital photography.
—Nancy Hendrickson, Contributing Editor
stjoemo@pobox.com
Hendrickson is a family historian, freelance writer and the author of two astronomy books. Browse the archive of her AncestorNews columns.
German Immigration in the 1870s
Q: My husband's grandfather and his parents came to the US about 1873, possibly by way of Liverpool. They were from Germany. Where in New York would they have landed? Which ports were open then?
A: There were many American ports in operation in the 1870s, but the major
ones seeing the most arrivals were Baltimore, Boston, New Orleans, New
York and Philadelphia. It's impossible to guess which port your husband's relatives were
most likely to arrive at—although German arrivals tended to favor the
ports of Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore—but your best course of
action is to check published indexes first, such as the Germans to
America series, and then ports that are indexed for the 1870s. These
would include Baltimore, Boston and Philadelphia. The port of New York
is not indexed for this time period, and if they came through New York,
they would have been processed at Castle Garden, located in Battery Park,
since Ellis Island did not open as an immigrant receiving station until
1892. No special records would have been created; you'd still be
searching for the passenger arrival list. If your husband's grandfather
and his parents became naturalized citizens, check for naturalization
records, which might give you arrival information, depending on when they
became citizens.
—Sharon DeBartolo Carmack
Carmack is the author of A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your Immigrant & Ethnic Ancestors.
Pose your question to our family history experts or browse the archive of Now What? Online columns.
Never Too Late for Class Reunions
This week's tip comes from Elizabeth Talmage of
San Clemente, Calif.:
"In the year since my mother died, I have found myself
wishing I knew more about her youth. When I found an
invitation to her 50th high school class reunion, I
decided to see if anyone who went to school with her
would be willing to share their memories with me. I
e-mailed the reunion coordinators, introducing myself
and explaining what I hope to find out. I offered to
send a flyer to be displayed at the reunion, along with
stamped, self-addressed envelopes for anyone who might
wish to write me a note. The folks coordinating the
reunion said that they would pass the word, and that
all they needed was my address. Their warmth and
willingness was very encouraging to me.
"Since then, I have received letters describing the
activities that my mom and her friends took part in,
suggestions for books on the history of my mom's
hometown and county, as well as a descendency report
beginning with my great-great-grandmother. In addition
to the stories and information, now I also know who
lived 'down the road' or 'on the next farm over.'
Another benefit has been the pleasure in going to the
mailbox and finding letters from people who were my
mother's friends, neighbors and classmates; these
letters bring with them a sweet feeling of connection
to my mom and her days as an Iowa farm girl."
If you have a great idea for discovering, preserving or celebrating family history, we'd love to hear it. E-mail us your tip at genealogy-newsletter@fwpubs.com with "TIP OF THE WEEK" in the subject line. If we publish it as a Tip of the Week, you'll win a free copy of Everyday Life in the 1800s by Marc McCutcheon.
Be first to check out these new articles on our Web site:
Immigrant Books
Are you planning to beat the winter blahs by sorting
through your old family photos? Add these books to
your winter reading list. They just might teach you
something about your collection of vintage photos.
Slovenian Success
If you're researching Slovenian ancestry, the
possibilities stretch back to the 15th century, when
the country's oldest exisiting vital records were
created. Many Slovenian genealogists can trace their
roots back to the mid-1600s. But all family history
success starts with the present, so take advantage of
the resources in our Slovenian Ethnic Toolkit.
Resourceful Romania
Romania is one of the Eastern European few countries
whose people aren't Slavic: They're descendants of
Dacians of the ancient Roman Empire. You can learn
more about your Romanian roots with the resources
in our Ethnic Toolkit.
Overwhelmed by the number of family history-related Web sites popping up? FamilyTreeMagazine.com sorts through them all—whew!—to bring you only the very best. We recommended the following as Sites of the Day during the last week:
• Genealogy Tip of the Day
Pick Genealogy Tip of the Day from the list and
fill out your information to subscribe.
• Genealogy Instruction Beginners, Teenagers and Kids
Tells beginners how to get started.
• Fun & Easy Family Projects
Inspiration for starting family traditions.
• Ask Jeeves Kids
Where kids get answers to their questions.
• Ancestral Scotland
Search engine, calendar of events and tourism
info for Scottish roots tracers.
• GenTech 2002 Conference
The meeting of genealogy and technology.
• Willow Bend Books
11,500 books, maps and CDs related to genealogy.
See today's Site of the Day on our home page and keep checking daily for more top picks! You can also suggest a site by clicking here.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Spice Up Your Life
You'll never look at your spice rack the same after participating in the Celebrations of Culture: Asian American at the Milwaukee Public Museum. Learn how simple spices helped to change cultures around the world. The two-week program from Feb. 2-15 will highlight more than cooking: A variety of cultural groups will also participate. The famed Indian Kalakriti dance troupe will perform and offer commentary on the dances at noon Feb. 2 and 9. Members from the Asian community in Milwaukee will speak about customs and culture. If the little ones want to learn about Asian traditions, they can join in a lunch-and-learn program available at the museum. Visit the museum's Web site or call (414) 278-2702.
Look for more upcoming living history events.
—Crystal Conde, Editorial Assistant
crystal.conde@fwpubs.com
Using Indexes or Passenger Arrival Lists
To identify an immigrant in an index or passenger list,
you must have enough information (e.g., birth date, town
of origin) from other sources and know the full original
name of the immigrant. A foreign name that seems unique
in America may be as common as John Smith in the
homeland. Knowing approximately how old the immigrant
was upon arrival will help you eliminate others by the
same name in the index. Knowing the town of origin or
names of relatives or neighbors in America with whom
your ancestor may have traveled will help you eliminate
other passengers of the same name. Keep in mind that
names were often recorded as they were heard. Many
emigrants were illiterate and did not know how to spell
their names, even if asked. Ship company clerks often
recorded the name as they heard it, so check for
spelling variations.
—Sharon DeBartolo Carmack, author of A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your Immigrant & Ethnic Ancestors
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