Family Roots Radio

Googling Genealogy and Other Items from 3 May Show

2007-05-07T17:26:00.000-06:00

We certainly had a great interview with Paul Allen on May 3rd. His vision of the future of genealogy is far reaching, and one I think most of us can appreciate, and help to bring to pass. You can read more of Paul's insights on his blog.

Time got away from us in our interactive web site segment, as we explored some less-common ways to use Google. Among the things missed was the promised PowerPoint presentation on "Googling Genealogy." Well, we posted it on the ProGenealogists' website, on the Articles page. On that page, look for the section on "Encyclopedic and Educational Materials" and then click on the "Googling Genealogy" link. Note that the link may take 20 seconds or so to load, and you need to manually advance the slides by clicking on them.

We also did not get time for the news items of the week, which was the posting of the Mexican Boarder Crossing database at Ancestry.com. The database covers 1903-1957, with hundreds of thousands of names from over a thousand microfilms. Our free site of the week was the Illinois State Archives, which has posted a significant number of databases, including marriage and death indexes.

Thanks for all your support for this first season of Family Roots Radio. Be sure to send us your questions and comments, as we plan for the next season.

Season One: Podcast Schedule

2007-05-04T09:50:00.000-06:00

Here's a listing of the episodes from season one of Family Roots Radio. Click on the title to listen to the episode.

May 3, The Future of Genealogy, Paul Allen
April 26, Common Surname Research, Christine Rose
April 19, Effective Library Research, Tom Kemp
April 12, Colonial Settler Biographies, Martha McCartney
April 5, Finding Living Relatives, Megan Smolenyak
March 29, Maximizing your Genealogy Software, Dick Eastman
March 22, Keeping Current with Genealogy, Leland Meitzler
March 15, Unlocking the Secrets of RootsWeb, Myra Gormley
March 8, Finding Answers through Education, Karen Clifford
March 1, Outfitting Your Genealogy Library, Craig Scott
February 22, Internet Census Records, Kathleen Hinckley
February 15, Surname Genealogy Websites, Matt Helm
February 8, Immigration Sources, John Philip Colletta

Episode Thirteen: Podcast Available

2007-05-04T07:09:00.000-06:00

If you missed our thirteenth episode, you can listen to the archived version, or feel free to download a copy to your desktop or mp3 player.

The quickest way to download is to right click on the "download a copy" link above and select "Save Link As" (Mozilla) or "Save Target As" (Internet Explorer). You will then be given options where on your computer to store the file. Our podcasts are 60 minutes long and average approximately 12mb in size.

If you use Apple iTunes (available for Mac and Windows) to listen to podcasts, click here to subscribe via iTunes to Family Roots Radio.

Future of Internet Genealogy, and Google the Topics on 3 May

2007-05-02T19:33:00.000-06:00

As we approach the end of our first season on Family Roots Radio, we've got a great show with significant topics to share. With Paul Allen as our guest, what better topic to discuss than the future of Internet genealogy. It's hard to believe how far we've come in the past decade or so, but just wait till you hear what's coming in the future. You'll enjoy sharing Paul's vision for what we'll all be able to do, in the not too distant future.

Of course, as they've already proven, Google is a major part of the future of the Internet. They are already a major tool for genealogists, so we'll explore the topic of "Googling Your Genealogy." With such a powerful search engine, it's surprising how much more it can do than we expect. Indeed, we'll even introduce you to Google's "custom search engine" function through which you can create a search engine for all your favorite pages. We'll even demo the concept with our Genealogy Sleuth Search Engine. Powerful things are happening in the future, and with Google. You won't to miss this.

Then, of course, there's our professional tip of the week, as well as the software tip. Don't forget about our free data site of the week as well. It'll be another jammed packed show. Tune in!

Paul Allen to Guest on 3 May Show

2007-05-01T18:45:00.000-06:00

Our May 3rd show will have a very special guest. As the founder of Ancestry.com, Paul Allen, will be discussing the future of Internet genealogy with us. Currently the CEO of World Vital Records, Paul's been measuring and assessing the Internet as a genealogical venue for more than a decade. Few people know more about how to use the Internet as a vehicle to bring people together with records, other researchers, family members, and even their ancestors. He'll have the inside scoop for us on Family Link, a new way to approach your family history research. Paul's excitement and experience is something we can all learn from. You won't want to miss this special interview with America's leading Internet genealogy entrepeneur.

Episode Twelve: Podcast Available

2007-04-28T22:35:00.000-06:00

If you missed our twelfth episode, you can listen to the archived version, or feel free to download a copy to your desktop or mp3 player.

The quickest way to download is to right click on the "download a copy" link above and select "Save Link As" (Mozilla) or "Save Target As" (Internet Explorer). You will then be given options where on your computer to store the file. Our podcasts are 60 minutes long and average approximately 12mb in size.

If you use Apple iTunes (available for Mac and Windows) to listen to podcasts, click here to subscribe via iTunes to Family Roots Radio.

Common Surname Research is Topic on 26 April Show

2007-04-26T11:36:00.000-06:00

If you've been putting off research on one of your families because the surname was too common (and all of us do it!), this is the show for you! It's not just Smith and Jones. There are hundreds of common surnames, and they often require some additional strategies in our ancestral pursuits. With noted surname genealogist Christine Rose on board for our interview, we will also take some time to explore some web sites that provide particularly useful help when seeking common surnames.

Get ready to review Genealogy Forum with us to see some helpful material they have gathered. Then we'll look at GenForum to discuss getting the most out of the larger message boards. Then we'll scoot across the pond and introduce the Guild of One-Name Studies, a fantastic resource for British research. We'll also expose the fallacy of several so-called "surname sites." They're helpful to a point, but. . . . Naturally, you won't want to miss the tip from the pros, or the software tip of the week. Then there's always our free data site of the week to help you find more ancestral answers. So, tune in, and enjoy!

Do you want a little homework before you listen to the show? Check out a couple of your surnames to learn how common they area at this surname frequency site from the U.S. Census Bureau. For more information on surname frequency, review our 15 March show.

Christine Rose to Guest on 26 April Show

2007-04-24T19:29:00.000-06:00

We have the rare privilege of having one of America's best and most respected genealogists joining us on Family Roots Radio on 26 April. We are very excited to be welcoming Christine Rose, one of just 50 Fellows of the American Society of Genealogists as we discuss a subject we all have to deal with: researching a common surname. Well known as an excellent genealogist, author and speaker, Christine Rose has spent much of her time pursuing the Rose families. Her experience in sorting out people with a common name, and researching in over 500 U.S. courthouses will be of interest to all researchers. She has also authored several significant reference books, including the quintessential guide to courthouse research. You won't want to miss our discussion about these topics with one of genealogy's leading ladies.

Review of Virginia Immigrants and Adventures

2007-04-20T15:50:00.000-06:00

As promised on our 12 April show, we are publishing here a review of Virginia Immigrants and Adventures:

Martha W. McCartney, Virginia Immigrants and Adventures 1607 – 1635: A Biographical Dictionary (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2007). 833 pp., $49.95.

Martha McCartney provides an excellent collection of biographical information on the early colonists along the James River from difficult to obtain primary sources. Virginia Immigrants and Adventures 1607 – 1635: A Biographical Dictionary will no doubt become a favorite work of students and genealogists of colonial Virginia history. That said, this is clearly a reference work. The format of the book is alphabetic for the most part, except where family groups appear listed together. This means that if the person being sought was identified with his/her parents, it may be necessary to search all the entries of the surname to locate the pertinent biography. This problem is negated, however, by the index included at the end of the book, making the book fairly easy to use.

In addition to the biographical information, McCartney has used her knowledge of the early geography of the area to link individuals to a particular place within the area. A map shows the areas where information on the individuals included in the book resided. Each biography references this map. This will be helpful in tracing individuals from the period in which counties govern the area, to this early period where individuals are identified by plantation or now defunct city. The first portion of the book also includes a brief description of the colonization of this area, describing, in great detail, each of the locations referenced on the map.

Clearly a work of many years diligent effort, scholars and genealogists alike may expect to benefit from the wealth of information McCartney has amassed. Unlike most histories and biographies covering this time period, McCartney has clearly tried to gather information on every person mentioned in the available records for this area. This makes it a source for information about the lives and habits of people which are widely available nowhere else.

Amanda Sims, MA (Pending, in history)

Episode Eleven: Podcast Available

2007-04-19T18:47:00.001-06:00

If you missed our eleventh episode, you can listen to the archived version, or feel free to download a copy to your desktop or mp3 player.

The quickest way to download is to right click on the "download a copy" link above and select "Save Link As" (Mozilla) or "Save Target As" (Internet Explorer). You will then be given options where on your computer to store the file. Our podcasts are 60 minutes long and average approximately 12mb in size.

If you use Apple iTunes (available for Mac and Windows) to listen to podcasts, click here to subscribe via iTunes to Family Roots Radio.

Effective Library Research on 19 April Show

2007-04-19T11:27:00.000-06:00

Libraries are one of the genealogist's life lines. So many records are in so many libraries, we can't live without them. However, sometimes it's hard to live with them as well! With noted genealogical librarian Tom Kemp on board, we have the opportunity to discuss more effective ways to conduct your library research. One of those ways is through a new service called GenealogyBank, available at a growing number of libraries.

In addition, we'll have the chance to look at some of the great state libraries in the U.S., through their websites. Our "Interactive Website" segment is scheduled to explore the Library of Virginia with their great collection of databases, as well as the Connecticut State Library which provides great guides to their collection. And, it would not be complete if we did not take a peek at the Illinois State Library for an example of their important catalog of materials.

If that's not enough, our tip from the pros will tell you how to find more of these great libraries, and our free site of the week will introduce you to a record type you may have never thought of, and an index to thousands of such records. Then, of course, there's our software tip, notice of what's new and more, so listen in!

Tom Kemp to Guest on 19 April Show

2007-04-17T18:35:00.000-06:00

Family historians love libraries, in large part because they have so many records. Who better to discuss the effective use of libraries with than Tom Kemp, one of America's premier genealogical librarians. Not only has Tom worked as a genealogical librarian in several libraries, he has served as the director for two major genealogy libraries in New England. He has also worked for two major library vendors, including his current position as NewsBank's Director of Genealogy Products. That will give us a chance to discuss America's Genealogy Bank, one of the newest major collections of information available online for genealogists. We'll also discuss ways to make your library research more efficient, and what every genealogist needs to know about libraries. So, tune in for more research success!

Episode Ten: Podcast Available

2007-04-13T17:14:00.000-06:00

If you missed our tenth episode, you can listen to the archived version, or feel free to download a copy to your desktop or mp3 player.

The quickest way to download is to right click on the "download a copy" link above and select "Save Link As" (Mozilla) or "Save Target As" (Internet Explorer). You will then be given options where on your computer to store the file. Our podcasts are 60 minutes long and average approximately 12mb in size.

If you use Apple iTunes (available for Mac and Windows) to listen to podcasts, click here to subscribe via iTunes to Family Roots Radio.

Colonial Settler Biographies on 12 April Show

2007-04-11T15:23:00.000-06:00

With an award winning colonial historian like Martha McCartney on the show, it seems good to explore the growing field of biographical sources for colonial settlers. Her new book is certainly not the first. Genealogists have been writing such books for more than a century. Now there are a growing number of websites devoted to the topic. We'll explore some of them, including the People of Colonial Albany as well as Mayflower History. Researchers with Pennsylvania German ancestry will want to learn about the Palatine Project, while all will appreciate the introduction to Google Books and how it pertains to this topic.

Add to that discussion our regular features, including the news of the week, the free site selection as well as the software and professional research tips, and you won't want to miss this show. Tune in right on time, since our question of the week may be considered mildly controversial as well.

Historian Martha McCartney to Guest on 12 April Show

2007-04-10T19:52:00.000-06:00

You won't want to miss this one! You don't know her yet, but you certainly should. So far, our guests have been well-known in genealogical circles, but it's also important for Family Roots Radio to introduce others who have had a significant impact on the field. Martha McCartney is an historian-archeologist who has applied her careful and diligent findings to genealogy and the field of family history is much better off for her efforts. A multiple award-winning research historian, with a focus on Jamestown, Virginia, Martha has recently published an 800 page biographical dictionary, Virginia Immigrants and Adventurers, 1607-1635. With biographical sketches of 5,500 early settlers, everyone with Virginia ancestors should take notice.

But, we're not limited to Virginia. We'll be discussing the kinds of sources and strategies Martha used to develop these biographies. Every researcher will want to learn from her experience. Come listen in, and become a better family historian!

Episode Nine: Podcast Available

2007-04-06T08:48:00.000-06:00

If you missed our ninth episode, you can listen to the archived version, or feel free to download a copy to your desktop or mp3 player.

The quickest way to download is to right click on the "download a copy" link above and select "Save Link As" (Mozilla) or "Save Target As" (Internet Explorer). You will then be given options where on your computer to store the file. Our podcasts are 60 minutes long and average approximately 12mb in size.

If you use Apple iTunes (available for Mac and Windows) to listen to podcasts, click here to subscribe via iTunes to Family Roots Radio.

Finding Living Relatives on 5 April Show

2007-04-04T14:45:00.000-06:00

We all have them, it's just that sometimes we don't know where they are. What's that? Living relatives. Oh, sure, you may know where your brother and his kids live, but what about your second cousin, once removed? What about relatives you don't even know you have? Family history research includes coming forward and seeking descendants of our ancestors, as well as searching for earlier ancestors. There can be great value in finding living relatives. They may have pictures and records (think: family Bible) we don't have. With a guest like Megan Smolenyak, we'd be missing a great opportunity if we did not discuss some of the ways to locate these living, but often unknown, relatives.

So, in the "Interactive Website" segment, we're going to explore a couple of the more controversial websites, those that provide information on living persons. Names, addresses, phone numbers, ages may already be out there (gathered from public records). We'll look at a couple of "phone book" sites, such as Switchboard or Directory Assistance Plus. But, there's more, including what some call "private investigator" sites. While sites like PeopleFinders charge a fee for a complete report, you can get a lot of information for free. The same with Intelius. But, the champion of free data, and controversy, is ZabaSearch. We'll explore and explain why.

Of course, you'll want to hear the news of the week, as well as our research tip from the pros, our software tip and our popular free data site. Be ready to link to the Genealogy Sleuth for that one! We'll be there on your Internet connection. Tune in and enjoy!

Megan Smolenyak to Guest on 5 April Show

2007-04-03T16:37:00.000-06:00

She's been all over the television on network news shows, and now, we've got her at Family Roots Radio! Megan Smolenyak, one of the founders of Roots Television will be our guest on April 5th. Learn the inside scoop on the search for Rev. Sharpton's roots and hear about the great additions at Roots Television. But, most of all, enjoy Megan's wonderful insights as we discuss ways of locating some of your missing, but living, relatives. With experience as broad, and touching, as hers, you won't want to miss this show. Be listening!

Genealogical Software, Links and More from 29 March Show

2007-04-03T16:14:00.000-06:00

Well, that was a great show with Dick Eastman, and we thank him for his insights and comments about genealogy software and other issues. We've already posted the links for the software we talked about, but we also talked about a great site that has reviews of 14 different software packages, and has ranked the software on numerous criteria. You'll want to spend some time at Top Genealogy Software to see who has the features you want.

There's also a couple of comparison charts online that show you the different features of different software. They're a bit dated, but are still a useful place to look. Check out Richard Wilson's chart, as well as Bill Mumford Report Card. Of course, we don't know who's selling the best, but with the help of Amazon.com, we can tell which software seems the most popular on their site. So, based on their sales ranking and figures (which are open to interpretation in many ways), here's the 15 top selling genealogy software programs there:

Family Tree Maker
RootsMagic
Family Tree Legends
Legacy Family Tree
Heritage Family Tree
GSP Family Tree
GenoPro Family Tree
The Master Genealogist
Generation Family Tree
Ultimate Family Tree
Family Tree Quick & Easy
Family Tree for Dummies
Easy Family Tree
Softkeys Family Tree
Multilingual Family Tree

In our news segment, we mentioned that vital records for Nova Scotia are now on line. The free data site of the week was the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System. Well, all of that should keep you busy till the next show. Be listening then!

Episode Eight: Podcast Available

2007-03-29T17:16:00.000-06:00

If you missed our eighth episode, you can listen to the archived version, or feel free to download a copy to your desktop or mp3 player.

The quickest way to download is to right click on the "download a copy" link above and select "Save Link As" (Mozilla) or "Save Target As" (Internet Explorer). You will then be given options where on your computer to store the file. Our podcasts are 60 minutes long and average approximately 12mb in size.

If you use Apple iTunes (available for Mac and Windows) to listen to podcasts, click here to subscribe via iTunes to Family Roots Radio.

Genealogical Software on 29 March Show

2007-03-29T12:08:00.000-06:00

With a genealogy techno-authority like Dick Eastman on the show, what better topic to explore than genealogy software. Many listeners have questions about the "best" software to use for genealogy, so we'll try to come up with some answers. In our "Interactive Website" section, we'll explore a couple of the major software sites, where you can learn more about the features, and even download free or test versions of the most popular software. Be ready to follow along as we explore Family Tree Maker, the number one software, as well as other full-featured software such as Legacy and PAF. Other important software to review includes RootsMagic and Ancestral Quest. Many professionals like The Master Genealogist for it's wide range of features.

Of course, that's not all. You'll want to learn about the free site of the week, and a software tip that could just save your computer when things go wrong. Plus, we'll reveal the sales ranking for the software we discuss, something you'll not find anywhere else! Our "Tip from the Pros" should help you get more out of those documents you've been gathering about your ancestors. So, tune in and enjoy!