History
There’s going to be a six-month long party to commemoration the 150th anniversary of the laying the foundation stone of the Wallace Monument atop the Abbey Craig, which is actually located in the village of Causewayhead—part of historic Stirling, home to Scottish kings and queens. As the story goes, a committee was set up to [...]
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How many times have you heard someone comment, “If you believe that I’ve got a bridge I can sell you…” Needless to see there are several different versions of conveying the message but most of us who have spent time in New York, know that the bridge in question is the Brooklyn Bridge. The Brooklyn [...]
VH1 is airing a genealogy theme on its production of VH1Rock Docs series that will certainly be popular with fans. The show premiers on 23 May 2011 and plans to start by exploring the ancestry of 50 Cent. To quote the summary on the VHW web site: “50 Cent has always been defined by the [...]
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Family Historians are usually faced with the problem of preserving old photographs. Families old photograph’s, Family Tree University is offering a free 30-minute Photo Detective Live! webinar. The presentation is also available for download. Here’s the link: Watch the webinar and download the slides on FamilyTreeUniversity.com.
Findmypast.co.uk has a new and improved death records search–see below: “Easily find records of your ancestors’ deaths using findmypast.co.uk’s powerful new death records search Following the transformation of our births and marriages, we have revolutionised how you search for your ancestors’ death records. When you search, you will be presented with a list of individual names – [...]
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This following terrific Ancestry.com feature was posted yesterday by Stephanie Cruz who focus is on features that help you find and reach out to other members who share your family history research: “Did you know that you can share your member tree with friends and family for free? Send them an email invitation and they can [...]
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As we all know, water is essential to all life on earth. It’s all about water. In the desert we are aware of the lack of water to sustain meaningful life and today we see the tragic consequences of too much with the what is happening to the people living close to mighty Mississippi river. [...]
Continue reading about The ancient and sacred stepwells of India
The National Archives Science Working Group has just released a publication developed with a team of archivists, records managers, data managers and scientists in Federal agencies is designed to help Federal agency CIOs, IT program staff and records officers understand what procedures are in place now and what policies and process procedures need to be [...]
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I’d like to point you to a website called African Origins. It contains information about the migration history of Africans who were forcibly carried on slave ships. This important site will bring to light the history of millions of Africans captured and sold into slavery during suppression of the transatlantic slave trade during the 19th century. [...]
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When a loved one dies we often realize too late that a lot of memories have been irrevocably lost and we spend a lot of time wondering why we didn’t ask questions. Becoming interested in genealogy is a real eye opener because it helps us to discover the real people who contributed to making you, [...]
On May 5, NARA and five national and international research organizations met in Washington DC to launch a new international research portal for records related to Nazi-era cultural properties. The purpose of the project is to extend public access to the records through a single internet portal. This includes access to descriptions and digitized copies [...]
The establishment of Christianity in Scotland may have begun with St. Ninian around the end of the 4th century, but the strongest roots are in the island of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland, close to the Island of Mull. It’s just three miles long and one mile wide. Although insignificant in size, Iona [...]
During the course of the French-Mexican war General Ignacio Zaragoza and his poor and outnumbered Mexican army defeated the French army intent on capturing a small town in east-central Mexico called Puebla de Los Angeles. This was a great moral victory for the Mexican government, symbolizing the country’s ability to defend itself against a threat [...]
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blog.findmypast.co.uk says: “Findmypast.co.uk has always had the most comprehensive England & Wales birth and marriage records – now we’ve added our exclusive additional records to create one simple search. As well as England & Wales records, you can now search for your British ancestors’ births and marriages in our overseas, military and at sea records, some [...]
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The World Memory Project was created by The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Ancestry.com, to allow the public free online access to records so that families and victims of the can discover what happened to their loved ones as a result of one of the worst events in the history of the world. This [...]
I just read in NewsMax that the last typewriter factory had closed down. To be honest I thought they’d already gone the way of the dinosaur. With memories of the Olivetti typewriter upon which I learned to touch type on the QWERTY keyboard and the IBM electric typewriter at one time state-of-the art, I decided [...]
Dutch explorers found Australia in the early 1600s, but decided against settling because the land was too dry and inhospitable. After losing the American colonies the British were anxious to find another place to ship convicts and established the state of New South Wales as a penal colony. In 1788, nine ships of convicts along [...]
The mid 18th century was a time when Scots led the world in every field. It was an intellectual revolution that that included physicist Joseph Black, geologist James Hutton, and economist Adam Smith. In literature Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns were without peer and the subject of this article Sir Henry Raeburn, a portraitist, [...]
It’s 150 years since the first battle of Bull Run, one of the highlights of the anniversary of the Civil War, which illuminated a small band of Scottish men who played a crucial role in the most brutal conflict in the history of the United States. The group, named the 79th New York Highland Regiment, [...]
The most recent posting on the FGS blog is the following announcement of two new appointments to the Board–Congratulations to Thomas MacEntee and Randy Whited: “For Immediate Release April 22, 2011 FEDERATION OF GENEALOGICAL SOCIETIES BOARD APPOINTMENTS Thomas MacEntee and Randy Whited Named Directors April 22, 2011 – Austin, TX. The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) [...]
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The first social game tied to real-world family history is now available. Did you know that more than half of the people on play games on Facebook? World Vital says: “Funium announced today the immediate public availability of its free Facebook game, Family Village. Family Village is the first Facebook® Platform game to help players explore their real [...]
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Ancestry says: “Ancestry.com’s mobile app for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod has now been downloaded over 1 million times, with one-third of those downloads happening in the last two months alone. In addition, over half of users of the app are new to Ancestry.com indicating a growing interest in family history, Ancestry.com and in mobile [...]
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According to Desert News, GeneTree.com has announced a new series of specialty DNA tests on Monday that identify a wider scope of one’s family history. The new tests provide more specific genetic information that makes possible the answers to what are considered puzzling genealogical issues—some that have been unanswered questions for generations. GeneTree.com new specialty [...]
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“Bloomsbury Publishing has announced that it has purchased the backlist of The National Archives’ publications and has agreed to co-publish a range of forthcoming titles. The backlist covers the full range of adult trade titles along with academic works. These include the best-selling titles Genealogists’ Internet by Peter Christian and The UFO Files by Dr [...]
Continue reading about Bloomsbury Publishing acquires The National Archives’ UK publications list
When I left Scotland one of the items I missed was the “Water Biscuit”. When I asked people in New York where I could find them they’d actually never heard of them. Shortly after I got married I went to visit my mother-in -law who was, when I arrived at her home in Brooklyn, enjoying [...]
Charlie Chaplin (Charles Spencer Chaplin) was born in London, England, on April 16th 1889. His father was an actor; and his mother, known under the stage name of Lily Harley, was an actress and singer. Charlie was fending for himself before he reached the age of ten as the early death of his father and [...]
Continue reading about Charlie Chaplin’s 122nd birthday tomorrow, April 16
I’ve just found a terrific website called Connected Histories I’d like to share that brings together 11 major digital resources related to early modern and nineteenth century Britain (1500-1900), with a single search that allows the sophisticated searching of names places and dates, and the ability to save, connect and even share resources within your [...]
“At 4:30 a.m. on April 12, 1861, a single mortar round was fired on Fort Sumter, S.C., and the Civil War began. By the time it ended in 1865, approximately 620,000 soldiers’ lives had been lost, and America had changed in profound, immutable ways. One hundred and fifty years later, we’re still examining why.” – [...]
Continue reading about The battle began 150 years ago today. What caused the Civil War?
FindMyPast.com.uk says: “We have just published two new sets of military records on findmypast.co.uk: Royal Navy Officers Medal Roll 1914-1920 and New Zealand WWI Soldiers. Below is further information about these records and the valuable details about your ancestors you could discover. Royal Navy Officers Medal Roll 1914-1920 These records comprise a transcript of the complete WWI [...]
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Beware! this is my personal opinion. The following list of tips from World Vital Records is one of the best I’ve seen for online research with reminders to back-up your work, save originals, and print out. They’ve kept it simple, unlike many who give good advice, but the lists are way too convoluted with many [...]
The following is a press release from Ancestry.com “Nearly 25 million National Archives Civil War records documenting lives and service of Union and Confederate soldiers available free to public at Ancestry.com from April 7-14 WASHINGTON, D.C., and PROVO, UTAH — (April 6, 2011) – Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, and the National Archives, [...]
I never forget that I owe my knowledge of and acquaintance with my ancestors for the most part to FamilySearch.org. And, I still believe that their organization is the best place for beginners to start their search and learn how it all works. I’d like to remind you of their wonderful free classes and vast [...]
I might be a wee bit biased here because I’m Scottish born and spent my formative years in Scotland in an area steeped in history. When I lived in New York I actually met very few Scots, but now that I’ve moved south they’re everywhere. And, because I’m a family history enthusiast, I see Scottish [...]
During the 18th century there were hundreds of pack trains carrying gold and silver bullion from the Spanish mines in southern Colorado to Mexico City. Enslaved Indians worked in the mines that produced rich ore destined for the treasury of Spain. Millions of dollars worth of gold and silver was hauled to Mexico City, but [...]
Continue reading about Lost Spanish treasures still lies in New Mexico lava beds
The following copied from the National Archives and Records Administration website to help spread the word about a media conference scheduled by the NARA to take place on April 12. The discussion is one on how technology could improve access to government information for all. It’s free and open to the public but registration is required. [...]
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FindMyPast.co.uk has added more records to their database as follows: “You can now search for your ancestors in 1,447,671 new baptism, marriage and burial records for Hampshire on findmypast.co.uk This substantial new release of records will really benefit those with Hampshire roots. The table below provides the details about these new records: Type of records Number [...]
Continue reading about FindMyPast has added over 1.4 million Hampshire, England, parish records
Oliver Morley the new Chief Executive Officer at the National Archives of the United Kingdom has launched the new Business Plan for 2011-2015. It’s called For the Record. For Good and lays out the National Archives for the next four years. The plan is to address the need for innovation and transformation of the organization [...]
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Dozens of graves have been found wedged between two northern Charlotte development areas and some residents wonder if the cemetery is the final resting place of slaves who worked in the areas farmland during the antebellum era. The grave markers are actually shaped rocks stuck in the ground have no inscriptions and they’re difficult to [...]
Continue reading about Cemetery shrouded in mystery to remain undisturbed
In a desperate attempt to break out of St Petersburg, Virginia, one hundred and forty-six years ago today, Confederate General Robert E. Lee made Fort Stedman his last attack of the Civil War. The attack failed, and within a week Lee was evacuating his positions around Petersburg. Petersburg had been under siege by the Army [...]
Continue reading about Civil War Battle of Fort Stedman March 25,1865
Here’s a copy of a post on the Ancestry.com blog written by Tana L. Pedersen (Family Tree Maker expert) that answered a question of my own, so and I’m passing it along because it may answer yours. “Last month when I announced the February webinar for Family Tree Maker, hundreds of you posted questions for our [...]
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For my readers in the United Kingdom the following offer from Ancestry.com.uk is offering free access for 24 hours to their English, Welsh and Scottish census collections to commemorate Census Day 2011: “Get ready! To mark Census Day 2011, we’re letting you access all our UK census record indexes, from England, Wales and Scotland, completely FREE, for [...]
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A new Civil Wars Trails guide has been developed by the North Carolina Division of Tourism designed to enhance the travel experience for this year’s 150th anniversary observance of the Civil War. The maps follow the war from Roanoke Island to Robinsville with markers at 232 sites in 78 counties. Historic moments are illustrated with [...]
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“Nearly 37 Million Americans Claim Irish Ancestry including President Obama and Walt Disney PROVO, UTAH (March 14, 2011) – In recognition of St. Patrick’s Day, Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, today launchedThe Irish Collection – the definitive 19thcentury collection of Irish historical records. The collection provides nearly 100 years of insight into life [...]
The 13th century Blair Castle located in Pitlochry, Perthsire, Scotland was badly damaged after a fire on Thursday, 10th March 2011. A team of about 50 firefighters prevented a catastrophe by keeping the fire from spreading to the main building. The firefighters fought for 90 minutes using breathing equipment but the they had to withdraw [...]
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A woman digging in her backyard on the Florida Keys last fall found a jaw bone and a piece of human skull. Detectives were able tell her the bones were likely to be as much as 75 years old. Surprise! The results of radiocarbon dating tests have determined that the bones are around 2400 years [...]
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I’ve written about the merger of the National Archives of Scotland and the General Register Office for Scotland. This is to remind you that as of April 1, the merger will be completed: “From 1 April 2011 the name of the merged NAS-GROS organisation will be the National Records of Scotland (NRS) The strapline for the new [...]
The following information was posted on the National Archives blog “NARations” including the link to the minutes of the February 18, meeting. Anyone involved in the research process will find this interesting. I’ve also provided a link to the NARations blog where you can see the very interesting blog comments: “The minutes from the Researcher [...]
Continue reading about Minutes from the February 18th DC-area Researchers Meeting are now available
Since I started to study genealogy and discovered a contradistinc approach to history, the genealogy and social history of Puerto Rico is one of the richest that I have so far encountered. Puerto Rico, nicknamed Land of Enchantment, has a unique heritage. Christopher Columbus claimed the island for Spain when he landed there in 1493 [...]
I’m a big fan of Thomas MacEntee of Geneabloggers and was able to attend the RootsTech 2011 “Virtual Presentations Roundtable” (via desktop conference) moderated by Thomas. It was a very interesting experience. I’ve taken the liberty of posting the following information from Genealbloggers and can recommend setting aside some time to view them. The following [...]
Findmypast.co.uk keeps getting better and is a force to be reckoned with the the world of genealogy databases. I’ve found plenty of data on my ancestors that I haven’t found elsewhere. Here’s the latest news from this competitive group: “Findmypast.co.uk and the British Library are working together on an exciting project to digitise a treasure [...]
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GenealogyInTime is launching a new article this week, which is an in-depth guide to English genealogy that provides an innovative approach to finding your English or Welsh ancestors. The guide uses a chronological approach, which helps one to understand the flow of events “so you can spend more time looking for your ancestors and less [...]
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According to the National Archives and Records Administration there are two words that records managers never want to hear—unauthorized destruction. This occurs when records are destroyed or deleted without an approved disposition; when a records has been approved for permanent retention; prior to the end of the approved retention period unless by court order; when [...]
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Many years ago, I spent almost every weekend shopping in the King’s Road area of Chelsea and, according to a good friend, little has changed. Every street seems to have been home to a noted artist or writer at some time or other. It’s also an area rich in historic parks and gardens. In 1834 [...]
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The March issue of Discover My Past Scotland magazine goes online on Monday 28 February. This 40-page A4 issue is packed with special features and how-to guides to connect you with your Scottish Heritage, including: MacBraynes – lifeblood of the islands Sources in Kirk Sessions – new avenues for your research Tay Bridge disaster – [...]
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On February 21, 1948, the National Association for Stock Car Racing–or NASCAR–was officially incorporated. The force behind NASCAR was William France Sr. (1909-1992). France, a mechanic and auto-repair shop owner from Washington, D.C., moved to Daytona Beach, Florida in the mid-1930s. The Daytona area was a focal point for racing enthusiasts, and France became involved [...]
Continue reading about NASCAR has truly earned its place in history
The following is a communication from the National Genealogical Society: ‘The NGS 2011 Family History Conference will be held 11–14 May 2011 at the Charleston Area Convention Center, 5001 Coliseum Drive, North Charleston, SC 29418. More than seventy-five nationally recognized speakers will provide over 180 lectures on a wide variety of topics including research in South [...]
Here’s a George Washington story you probably haven’t heard before. It’s an article written by Jesse Washington, who covers race and ethnicity for “The Associated Press”. It’s a interesting article, which is why I’m posting it on SpittalStreet: “George Washington’s name is inseparable from America, and not only from the nation’s history. It identifies countless [...]
The Knights Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, founded in 1080, is the oldest Order of Chivalry in existence. It’s also is also the third oldest religious Order in Christendom and the only remaining offshoot of the period in history known as the Crusades. The Order that never numbered more than a few thousand [...]
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Renovation plans for the 92-year old Wayne Aspinall Federal Building and Courthouse are underway to make it the first net-zero historic landmark. A zero net energy building (ZNE) is a term used to describe a building’s use with zero net energy consumption and zero carbon emissions annually. The courthouse will be the first of its [...]
The National Archives of Scotland closing its doors and moving collections to General Register House
The National Archives of Scotland’s premises will be opening its doors for the last time to the public on Friday 25th February 2011. From Monday 28th, access to National Archives collections will be exclusively available at General Register House. Increasing use will also be made of digital images of popular record series in the Historical [...]
If you missed Episode 2 of “Who Do You Think You Are?” country music star Tim McGraw’s search for his roots, click on the link. It was a terrific show. The country music superstar uncovers his father’s heritage among the Founding Fathers. I’m sure it was a cathartic experience for him—It usually is.
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The following is an interesting announcement from the National Genealogical Society: “Did you know that at the NGS 2011 Family History Conference, Charleston, South Carolina from 11-14 May 2011, the exhibit hall is free to the public? This is a great opportunity for non-conference-attending companions or local community members to experience an exciting element of the annual conference – [...]
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The “72 Year Census Rule” is the length of time that personal information on the U.S census forms is kept private. When completing a census forms, every household typically answers questions that includes personal information that is preferentially private. As a result the United States Government imposed a rule that protects citizens’ right to privacy [...]
Continue reading about The U.S. 72-year census rule and the Scottish 100-year census rule
The following announcement was written by FamilySearch: “SALT LAKE CITY—RootsTech, a new family history and technology conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 10-12, 2011, announced today that six of its popular sessions will be broadcasted live and complimentary over the Internet. The live broadcasts will give those unable to attend worldwide a sample [...]
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It looks as though there is a solution to the cliff-hanger caused by the departure of the Ancestry.com Expert Connect service. Genealogy Freelancers.com is welcoming many of those affected by the situation to transition to their service. The company was established in 2008 and offers a project bidding system, which is an easy transition for [...]
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