Genealogical Uses for Digital Cameras
Today’s genealogist is faced with the challenge of digitally storing records. The author tried to use limited financial resources on equipment that will perform a variety of tasks — such as copying vital records and photographing tombstones. He started looking at cameras as a way of preserving important information.
Some genealogical applications of a good camera: tombstone photos, photos of documents, photos of photos, and family history. Author discusses useful features of cameras and reviews some models. Read entire article by Philip Hermann.
Book Review of The Community of St. Demetrios and its Place in the Church of America: 1927-2006
A monumental work written in Greek describes the growth of the unique center of the Greek diaspora: St. Demetrios Cathedral of Astoria, New York. “The wise men and great teachers say the humble support society,” said Very Rev. John Antonopoulos. “The church community is supported by the unknown and unseen deacons.” Three hundred and fifty pages are devoted to this main thesis. His photos and time table of the priests are accurate. As an eyewitness, he chronicles the growth of St. Catherine’s Church of Astoria, using primary sources. Ministering to the community for over 50 years, he records masterfully the history of his parish. Read full review by Dr. Catherine Tsounis.
Disasters and Emigration of Our Hellenic Ancestors
All Greek families have stories about being profoundly impacted by disasters, both natural and man-made. And for the purposes of genealogical research, understanding the types and chronologies of these disasters can be useful and illuminating. Most common are earthquakes and wars, both often bringing about a collapse of family holdings and necessitating emigration to other areas of Greece or to cities abroad. Understanding these influences can shed light upon reasons for emigration, as well as offer colorful narratives to personalize the experiences of distant ancestors. Read entire article.
Writing Family Genealogies in Register Style
Lynn Betlock, the editor of The Weekly Genealogist, a weekly e-zine of The New England Histoic Genealogical Society, offers tips about writing in register style. "Whether you just want to write about your grandparents or compile a whole book, the basic building block is the family sketch, treating a couple and their children in an organized and interesting way. What is a family sketch? It’s just a story with a beginning, middle and end. The beginning is the first paragraph that contains the vital information about the parents — all of it. So, if the reader later wants to check back to see just when your great-grandmother married her second husband, it’s easy to find." Read full article.
Ireland Develops a Reaching Out Diaspora Genealogical Project: Could Greece Do the Same?
Lynn Betlock, the editor of The Weekly Genealogist, a publication of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, recently learned about the Ireland Reaching Out (Ireland XO) Diaspora project. According to the group’s website, “the Ireland XO project is based on a simple idea; instead of waiting for Irish-Americans and their global counterparts to come to Ireland to trace their roots, we go the other way. Working through voluntary effort at a townland, village and parish level, we identify who left, and trace them and their descendants worldwide, proactively engaging with them and inviting them to become part of an extended ‘virtual’ community with their place of origin. In this way, the entire Irish Diaspora of 70 million can be systematically reunified online and invited back to engage with their ancestral parish for the benefit of all. Read more. ”
Holiday Gatherings as Genealogical Research Tools--by Joan Young
You probably travel to visit relatives during the holidays. These holiday visits can result in a goldmine for the family genealogist in many ways.Visits to grandmother or Aunt Anna's home can also provide access to family heirlooms and photos in their possession. Ask other relatives who are visiting for the holidays to bring their albums of old family photos with them as well. Have them identify and label the people in the photos where possible. Discuss the photos during your visit to see if anyone can identify the unknowns. Read entire article.
Word Processing and Genealogical or Historical Writing--by Mary Harrell-Sesniak
Whether you're transcribing a historical document or writing a family history, a word processor can polish the finished product.
An entry-level program will suffice — but to make a document shine, a more sophisticated product, such as Microsoft Word or Open Office Writer, is required. Here are a few ideas to get started. Read more.
