DNA for beginners

Looking for some "newbie" information on DNA and genealogy?  The International Society of Genetic Genealogy has a great page on Genetic Genealogy Q&A for Beginners.  http://www.isogg.org/ggfaq.htm

You will also find information regarding Genealogical DNA Testing Myths at http://www.isogg.org/dnamyths.htm

The ISOGG web site is a great resource. You can find it at http://www.isogg.org/  This society is the first society specifically founded to promote the use of DNA testing in genealogy. "The mission of the International Society of Genetic Genealogy is to advocate for and educate about the use of genetics as a tool for genealogical research, and promote a supportive network for genetic genealogists."

Resources at the website include information for DNA beginners, listing of events, message groups, speaker bureau, and more.  Check out the link "for newbies" in the left hand side bar on the home page.

To acquire a DNA testing kit visit www.familytreedna.com

Sue

Family Charts

Often customers ask where they can get "fancy family charts"  Family ChartMasters offers decorated charts, design your own charts, and consultations.  Here is information from the company Facebook page. 


Family ChartMasters is the premier printing service for any kind of genealogy chart imaginable. In addition to the design-it-yourself online Family ChArtist program, Family ChartMasters continues to offer a multitude of custom chart printing services, including both decorative and working genealogy charts. Custom decorative designs come with an online preview system that gives you personalized attention and feedback until the chart is exactly the way you envision it. Working charts are oversized, inexpensive, family reunion-type charts that display your entire file in one place to write on and add more information. Family ChartMasters has printed working charts up to 800 feet long with information for over 30,000 people. Free consultations are always available at http://www.familychartmasters.com/consult.


Sue

1901 and 1911 Irish Census

Irish Census 1901 & 1911

The original Ireland household scheudles are available for FREE via the National Archives of Ireland website.

All thirty-two counties for 1901 and 1911, searchable by all information categories, are now available on this site. Corrections and improvements will be ongoing, and we are very grateful to all users who have submitted corrections to us. A small amount of material is missing from the site, and will be placed online as soon as possible.

African American Database NEW!!

ProQuest® African American Heritage is a groundbreaking digital resource exclusively devoted to African American family history research.

This collection was created in partnership with leading African American genealogists and recognized leaders in genealogical information to develop a comprehensive mix of resources, records, and tools specifically pertaining to African Americans.

As a consequence of slavery and the changing legal status of African Americans research in this area can be more challenging than other genealogical inquiries.

ProQuest African American Heritage helps individuals address these unique issues by not only bringing together records critical to African American family research; but also by connecting them to a community of research experts, whose mentoring and assistance can frequently be the difference between research success and futility.

Take a quick tour of highlights, which include:

• A user-friendly interface that combines the best elements of our award-winning HeritageQuest® Online database with new, enhanced navigation and tools
• Primary sources devoted specifically to African American family history, including census records, vital records, freedman and slave records, church records, legal records, and more
• The newest primary source collections include North Carolina cohabitation records, North Carolina and West Virginia marriage records, U.S. Colored Troops Records (1861-1865), and registers of slaves and free persons of color from select states and counties.
• Unique access to family history books related to African Americans, including titles from Genealogical Publishing Company made available in digital format for the first time ever
• Exclusive access to an updated, online edition of Black Genesis—an exhaustive guide that makes locating resources pertaining to slaves and free blacks easier
• Exclusive partnership with AfriGeneas—recognized as a leading social networking site devoted to African American genealogy—that provides direct access to expert advice, moderated forums, chats, mailing lists, surname registry, and more
• Unlimited site and remote access to extend availability 24/7

Try ProQuest African American Heritage in your library. Or, contact yourProQuest Account Representative to learn more about this product and others that directly support research into the genealogy and history of African Americans.

Extreme Reference: DNA and Genealogy

While giving an impromptu presentation yesterday, I had a question about DNA testing and genealogy.  This is becoming a more frequent question so I thought I would add some information to the blog so everyone can understand some concepts.

Most DNA tests cover Y chromosome (paternal) and mitochondrial DNA tests (maternal).  Y chromosome tests cover the male line going back and can be used to test surnames.  Mitochondrial (mtdna) tests cover femals lines going back, so the test cover's the mother's, mother, mother, mother, mother, etc. 

DNA testing is compared to common DNA threads found through out the world.  There are many different labs and DNA studies that are continuous and ongoing.  For more information about DNA and genealogy please visit the International Genetic Genealogy Society webpage at http://www.isogg.org/.

In additon, you can search for surnames projects for relatives that have already completed testing.  For Y DNA surnames check http://www.ysearch.org/.  For mitochondrial DNA, look at http://www.mitosearch.org/.

Below is an interesting video about Chris Haley (nephew of Alex Haley of ROOTS fame) and a Y chromosome DNA test.

Land Records Using BLM and Google Earth

Finding Your Relatives Masonic History ~ David Zwahr

Last Wednesday (June 15), David Zwahr gave a presentation about Masonic records and how to use them for genealogy purposes.  Many of you may recognize David from his many research trips to the library on Wednesday and his work with Lynna Kay Shuffield.

The presentation was full of very useful information that many of our customers may be interested in:

There are many histories of lodges compiled by members of Masonic groups and some of the Grand Lodges.  Each state has a Grand Lodge that records the initial application for membership, payment of dues, offices held, transfers, and any demits.  Original applications and paperwork are held by the individual Lodge Secretaries through the Lodges.  Original petition for membership (application) has some information about the candidate and his family, such as fathers name and where the father was born.  Also, since 1955 an original birth certificate is required to be turned in with the petition.  An explanation of name changes is also required to be disclosed on the form.

When a lodge closed down, the records of the lodge were supposed to be transferred to the Grand Lodge Secretary for storage at the Grand Lodge.

The best way to start looking for Texas Masonic heritage is to contact the Grand Lodge of Texas.  The website for the Grand Lodge of Texas is http://www.grandlodgeoftexas.org/.  There is also a Grand Lodge Library and Museum in Waco that has much information.

Upon request and the appropriate fee, the Grand Lodge of Texas will send a researcher an index card with compiled information about the membership activity of a member in Texas.  With this information, the researcher can then contact the secretary of the lodge that the ancestor belonged to and request information from the original petition for membership.  Not all lodges allow copies of the petitions or other documents.   Many only allow digital photography or copying of the information.

In addition, many lodges keep photographs of members which could be the only surviving photograph of ancestors.  This could also be a benefit of contacting the lodge secretary.

Other resources of information about ancestors include:

Proceedings of Grand Lodge of Texas from 1837 onward

Transactions Texas Lodge of Research

Roster of Members (published every five years)

There is also the Houston Masonic Library and Museum http://www.houstonmasonilibrary.org/.

Hope the information is useful to some of you!

Heather

Missing Microfilm

Elbert County, Georgia Superior Court Deed, 1801-1806, 1813-1816.

Extreme Reference: Latin Phrases

A very nice lady approached the reference desk yesterday asking for some help translating Latin phrases in Catholic church records.  She was new to genealogy and had never looked at Catholic church records in Latin before.  After explaining some of the more common words, such as natum (birth), baptizum (baptism), and sponsores (godparents), we came across a few phrases that I had not seen before:

"anno aetatis suae" = in the year of his age" (used for indicating how old someone was when they died, such as 80 years, 5 months, and one day)

"levantibus" = slang for godparents

Heather

Illinois Database of Freed Slaves

The state of Illinois has compiled a little-known database that can provide a lot of help to genealogists. A freed slave was required to carry a certificate to prove he or she was free and not a runaway. Those certificates, called “free Negro bonds,” had to be submitted to the county and, today, provide some of the information for an online database.

Archivists working under the auspices of the secretary of state’s office maintain the Servitude and Emancipation Record Database (www.ilsos.gov/GenealogyMWeb/servfrm.html) that contains historical records, many of them documenting freed slaves who settled in Illinois.
You can learn more in an article by Dave Bakke in The State Journal-Register at http://goo.gl/BDFwA.
 
From Dick Eastman's Online Genealogical Newsletter 5 June 2011
http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2011/06/illinois-database-of-freed-slaves.html

Vinegar Syndrome Microfilm

As many of you know several rolls of microfilm have been removed from upstairs because of deterioration. All of the rolls that have been removed are marked in the microprint database and finding aids. The rolls that can be duplicated have been sent off to the company for duplication and we do not have a current time frame on when they will be ready. The rolls that could not be duplicated because of the damage being too extensive have been properly disposed of and we are looking into replacing them as funding allows.

Ashley