The March meeting of the Sun Country TMG Users' Group will be Saturday, March 8 from 10 a.m. until noon at the West Walley Genealogical Society Library, 12222 North 111th Ave., Youngtown AZ. This month's topics are Managing Source Documents (Inside and Outside TMG) and Overview of TMG 7.0 continued. Visitors are welcome! Barbara Shroyer Secretary

The East Texas Genealogical Society will hold its regular monthly meeting on Saturday, March 8, 2008, at 2:00 p.m. at the Tyler Public Library in the Taylor Auditorium. The featured speaker will be Debbie Parker Wayne. Ms. Wayne, a professional genealogist, will present a program titled “Using the U.S. BLM-GLO Web Site to Find Land Records.” The Bureau of Land Management – General Land Office has the records of the initial transfer of land from the government to individuals for the public land states. These records date from about 1820 to 1908 and are for most of the eastern public land states. Ms. Wayne’s program will include instructions on how you can search for land records of your ancestors, save a copy of the land patent, and even order a certified original copy of the patent. From these records you can find the information you need to order the land file from the National Archives where additional family information may be found. It was the desire to own land that brought many of our ancestors across the North American continent, and these original records often give us new information about our families that was not available elsewhere. Debbie Parker Wayne completed a successful career in the computer industry spanning over twenty-five years before moving to East Texas in 2000. In 1990, as the technical explosion in genealogy was beginning, her interest and experience with computers provided a perfect complement to her new-found interest in genealogy and family history research. Since moving to East Texas Ms. Wayne has worked full time on genealogical research and has taught many classes for genealogical societies in East Texas. She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, an officer in the Lone Star Chapter APG, and has attended Samford’s Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research. Approximately thirty minutes following the conclusion of the regular program and refreshments, the Computer Interest Group of the East Texas Genealogical Society will meet with Sharon Brogden who will present a program on “Pocket Genealogy.” ETGS meetings are free and open to the public. For more information about ETGS go to our web-site: www.rootsweb.com/~txetgs or contact June Everheart, Publicity Director at Everheart@suddenlink.net or (903)877-4501.

Hi listers and colleagues The Northampton Family and Local History Fair takes place on Saturday 15 March 2008. I'm delighted to report that the Oxfordshire FHS will have a stall at this event, when Wendy Archer and Alex McGahey will be selling our CDs, microfiche and some items from our bookstall. In addition, they will have our "Search Services" available on computer, featuring an array of Oxfordshire and North Berkshire indexes to censuses, baptism registers, marriage registers, burial registers and monumental inscriptions. Those researchers wishing to plan their visit to our stall in advance can view our resources on the following webpages :- CD sales ; _http://www.ofhs.org.uk/CDsales.html_ (http://www.ofhs.org.uk/CDsales.html) microfiche sales ; _http://www.ofhs.org.uk/mfiche.html_ (http://www.ofhs.org.uk/mfiche.html) bookstall ; _http://www.ofhs.org.uk/books.html_ (http://www.ofhs.org.uk/books.html) Search Services ; _http://searches.oxfordshirefhs.org.uk/_ (http://searches.oxfordshirefhs.org.uk/) The Northampton Family and Local History Fair takes place on Saturday 15 March 2008 at the LDS Church, 137 Harlestone Road, Northampton. The doors open at 10.00am. Further details about the event itself from :- _http://www.northants-fhs.org/_ (http://www.northants-fhs.org/) Best wishes. Paul Gaskell Publicity Officer Oxfordshire Family History Society Web : _www.ofhs.org.uk_ (http://www.ofhs.org.uk/)

The German Genealogy Group will hold its next monthly meeting on Thursday, March 6th at: Hicksville VFW Hall—Post 3211 320 South Broadway (Route 107) Hicksville, New York 11801 The meeting this month will feature “Heidelberg und Schwarzwald”, a Rheinland Video DVD presentation. Heidelberg, one of Germany’s most beautiful cities, is located in enchanted surroundings, right where the Neckar Valley opens to the Rhenish plains. The combination of castle ruins, medieval city, and the Neckar river has lost nothing of its attraction for visitors from all over the world. After Heidelberg, we visit Baden-Baden and travel on the Schwarzwald-Hochstraße to Freudenstadt and much, much more. This unique film tour ends in Meersburg on Lake Constance and leaves the viewer with many unforgettable memories. An Orientation session for beginners and newcomers will be held at 7 PM and the regular meeting will start at 7:30. GGG members and guests will have access to the building beginning at 6:30 PM. Among the many benefits of membership are a newsletter published ten times a year, a database of surnames, a free translation service, a book and CD lending library, interesting guest speakers at the meetings, mentoring, a start-up kit of helpful information and much more. We welcome all who are interested in researching their Germanic origins. There is no fee for guests and all are welcome. Visit our website at http://www.GermanGenealogyGroup.com and while there, be sure and visit our free, searchable Church, Yearbook, Vital Records and Naturalization databases.

Sunday, March 30, 1:00 to 5:00, Nancy Ellen Carlberg, presenter. Join us for a special meeting on Sunday, March 30, 1:00-3:00 p.m. when Nancy Ellen Carlberg discusses the “Differences between British and Irish Research.” In her presentation, Nancy will offer information about cemeteries, church records, civil registrations, and land and probate records existing in Ireland, Wales, England and Scotland in order to show you that, despite their name, they are not all alike. >From 3:30-5:00 p.m., Nancy will alert you to the “Hazards of Scottish Research.” Listen as Nancy points out the “quirks” in Scottish research, including the use of middle names, maiden names, Scottish name equivalents, the change in Scotland’s calendar and more! Learn what to watch for and find your ancestor hidden in the records. Join us at the Los Angeles Family History Center, 10741 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025 (enter from Eastbourne at Manning). Admittance is free and there is plenty of parking. For more information, see www.bifhsusa.org.

The French-Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan will hold their next meeting on 8 March 2008. The meeting is at 10:00 am at the Mt. Clemens Public Library, 150 Cass Avenue, Mt. Clemens, Michigan. This is our "Get Acquainted" meeting, so we hope to see you there. Anyone planning to attend is invited to bring a French-Canadian research question. Nancy Stevens, college instructor and author, will speak on "How to turn your Research Facts into Stories". For more information about the French-Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan, please visit our website at http://fchsm.habitant.org/index.html. Peggy Youngs -- One person's mess is merely another person's filing system. -

Irish Americans looking for their roots will have an opportunity to learn how to trace their family trees back to Europe at a genealogy lecture scheduled to take place in Bridgeport on Saturday, March 15, 2008. The presentations by three noted researchers will take place at Housatonic Community College 900 Lafayette Blvd in Bridgeport starting at noon. Prof. Jonathan Shea, a foreign language professor at HCC, will lead off the sessions speaking about American sources needed to find information about the family on this side of the ocean, some of which will take the researcher back to the family’s place of origin in Ireland. Among the sources to be discussed are local birth, marriage and death records, probate files, church registers and similar documentation generated on a local level as well as information laden records of the federal government such as decennial census returns, WWI draft registrations and ships passenger lists from Ellis Island and other ports of entry. Shea, a New Britain native, traces his paternal roots to the counties of Offaly and Mayo in Ireland and has done on site research in the National Archives in Dublin, local county records offices and Catholic parish archives in his counties of origin. Stated Shea, "My family not only emigrated to the US but to the United Kingdom, Australia, Argentina and New Zealand so tracking down all the various branches of the family has taken me on a documentary journey to four continents." Resources in Ireland will be discussed by Janet Pestey of the Connecticut Society of Genealogists. Major records sources such as the nineteenth century Griffiths Valuation Lists and the surviving Irish census returns will be covered as well as information on national vital records indexes many of which are available at the Family History Center in Woodbridge and the resources to be found at Irish National Archives. Also included will be Civil Registration records which began in 1864, church records, tithe records estate records. Local sources and computer sites will also be discussed. The speaker is a retired educator and a frequent lecturer on the topic. The third in the trio of experts is Daniel Lynch of Trumbull. Lynch will concentrate on internet sources researchers can use from the comfort of their own home to hunt for ancestors. As more and more records are digitized and becoming available on home computers, this facet of genealogical research is among the fastest growing aspects of genealogy. a pastime of millions Americans. Lynch is a 22 year veteran of the computer industry and served as a consultant to the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation and was featured on ABC News Good Morning America as part of their genealogy series. The author of numerous genealogy articles, Lynch is a frequent lecturer on genealogy and technology. The seminar is the result of a collaboration between Housatonic, The Connecticut Society of Genealogists, headquartered in East Hartford and the Connecticut Ancestry Society headquartered in Stamford. Free parking in the college's parking garage is available to all participants and all are welcome at the event. There is no charge to attend the lectures. The Irish program is the second of a series of genealogy lectures held at Housatonic. Last year's seminar on Polish and Eastern European research attracted a capacity crowd from all over the state as well as persons from neighboring states. To obtain an approximate head count of those planning to attend, would-be participants are asked to contact Prof. Shea at jshea@hcc.commnet.edu, Stephanie Hyland of The Connecticut Society of Genealogists csginc@ctfamilyhistory.com, or Rob Locke of Connecticut Ancestry Society at info@connecticutancestry.org

“Living Twice” is a Powerpoint presentation by Mary Roseberry . She will tell a genealogical story that started with the finding of a cache of letters found in a trunk in 2005 that led to the unfolding of a story of a family forced to leave Vienna and Berlin in the late '30s. Official documents, correspondance, and photos shared with grandchildren in the U.S. and Holland reveal details of their grandparents' experience that they knew little about. This program is free and open to the public. Subject: Living Twice Sponsor: Jewish Genealogical Society of Buffalo Date: Sun, March 16 at 2:00 pm Place: The Jewish Community Center, Benderson Building, 2640 North Forest Road, Getzville, NY Contact: 716-689-9670 ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping

We are sending this announcement out on behalf of our friends at JGSLA (Jewish Genealogy Society of Los Angeles). For information on the session, please contact Pamela Weisberger - pweisberger@hotmail.com. 'It's Online: Internet Sleuthing for the Family Genealogist' a half-day computer genealogy workshop Sunday, March 9th from 1:00PM - 5:30PM. Skirball Cultural Center - Magnin Auditorium 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049 Tel: (310) 440-4500 Have you wondered where your family members came from in 'the old country' or what their lives were like when they immigrated to the United States? Are you longing to reconstruct your family tree to pass on to your children, but think the process is too overwhelming or time-consuming to tackle on your own? This half-day seminar about searching online resources will give you the inspiration, motivation, and tools to begin your own research project. Ron Arons Online Odysseys: Exploring and Exploiting Internet Resources This presentation will discuss "best bet" websites beyond Steve Morse, Ellis Island and more, that allow one to find many other materials online, including historical documents, newspapers and articles, living people, incarcerated (black sheep) relatives, maps and photos, foreign language translators and aids to allow you to become a genealogy detective. Suzanne Russo Adams Advanced Ancestry: Searching Like a Pro! A genealogist's paradise-more than 3 billion names, 10 million U.S. Federal Census images and over 23,000 genealogical and historical databases make Ancestry.com one of the world's most-used genealogy website. Have you ever wanted to learn how to better use Ancestry's search technology to find your ancestors? Perhaps you're totally new to the process. Now is your chance to learn from an Ancestry expert. You'll learn valuable tips, tricks and techniques that will help you start getting the most out of Ancestry's search capabilities and take your genealogical skills to the next level. Beau Sharbrough Footnote.com: Bringing History to Life The new website, Footnote.com, has scored praise in the online world by bringing history to your fingertips by providing hands-on access to high-quality scans of previously inaccessible primary sources and National Archives records which users can search, download, and annotate. This real-time demonstration will show you how to navigate the portals of historical documentation to bring your family research alive. Film: Past Lives: The Stanley Diamond Story - 5:10PM - 5:30P The quest of Canadian genealogist Stan Diamond, to reconstruct his family in order to solve a genetic medical mystery led to the creation of the largest index in the world of specifically Jewish vital Records - Jewish Records Indexing Poland. This database has helped countless researchers discover their roots and had reunited families separated for decades because of the Holocaust. $25 fee, $15 Students You can register online for this class at: http://tinyurl.com/2ovk8u or go to http://www.skirball.org and click on "What's On" at the top, then click on Courses: Winter 2008. The first course to appear is the March 9 program. You can also register the day of the workshop in person. Any questions? Please email: Pamela Weisberger - pweisberger@hotmail.com.

There is a chance for people to trace their family tree at the Oxfordshire & Bucks Family History Fair, which is at Exeter Hall, Oxford Road, Kidlington on Sunday February 24th10am-5pm. Admission £2 (Accompanied children free) This family history fair is attracting people from all over the country. Both Oxford & Bucks Family History Societies will be present along with The Guild of One Name Studies & other societies. Other stalls present at the fair include computer software, charts, books, postcards, in fact everything to help with tracing ones family history. Further details can be found on www.familyhistoryfairs.com

MID-ATLANTIC AFRICAN AMERICAN GENEALOGY CONFERENCE Saturday, April 19, 2008 - Cherry Hill, NJ On Saturday, April 19, 2008, nationally known specialists will gather to convey the wealth of resources and techniques available for African American genealogical research. Sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), and co-sponsored by African-American Genealogy Group, Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society and the African American Museum In Philadelphia, the Mid-Atlantic African American Genealogy Conference (MAAAGC) will feature notable figures and key topics in African American genealogy: . Dr. Rick Kittles, Scientific Director of African Ancestry Inc, and featured geneticist in the popular PBS specials "African American Lives" and "Finding Oprah's Roots" Dr. Kittles specializes in tracing ancestry using DNA testing and will be the keynote speaker. . Reginald Washington, African American Genealogy Specialist at the National Archives . Khadijah Matin, National President of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society More than 20 one-hour genealogical sessions for beginning and intermediate researchers including: (View the attached schedule. ) . Military and Slavery Records . Native American Ancestry . Internet/Technology Tools . Repositories . Family Involvement . Research Tips and Techniques, and more. Need help with a difficult genealogical problem? Pre-register, submit your problem and receive help during the "brick wall" session. Mark April 19th on your calendar now and share it with your friends. You can find us on the web at www.maaagc.com. For advance registration information for you or your organization, contact: Sudie Bradley maaagc@gmail.com/ 856-468-7564

Coming this Sunday: Digital Photography for Genealogy On Sunday, 24 February 2008, 1:00-3:00 p.m., the British Isles Family History Society—USA will present “Digital Photography for Genealogy.” The internet and computers are the future of genealogy and digital photography is the means for capturing images to document your genealogy. Less expensive and more convenient than what we had before, digital photography is just the ticket for taking pictures of old documents or old relatives. Reagan has served as a computer support specialist for the City of Gardena, and as an officer for Questing Heirs, BIFHS-USA and South Bay Cities Genealogical Society, where he is currently the leader of the computer Internet Group. He also volunteers at the Torrance Family History Center, where he teaches computer classes. He is a webmaster for the El Redondo Chapter of the DAR as well as his own website at: Michael's Cavalcade of Genealogical Technica. >From 3:30-4:30, Peggy Wishon will lead the English study group on the topic, “Expecting the Unexpected. The Art of an Open Mind and Sheer Tenacity in tracing English Ancestors.” Focusing on less used English resources and methods, the group will explore selected online resources, Family History Library gems and County Record Office search requests – sources such as A2a and (British) National Archives “Documents Online,” Multimap.com, Stirnet.com, Free BMD Search, Victorian County Histories, etc; Parish Chest items and tax lists from FHL; burials reconsidered; Land records for rich, poor, farmers and merchants; analyzing existing pedigrees, and ordering research in England. Wishon, a part-time professional genealogist for the past ten years, has been doing English and American research since 1986. She has taken classes, attended seminars, read much and experimented a whole lot, and says she is at home with the ordinary sources, but finds expanding into “untried” sources and methods, plus adding details to the lives of ancestors to be just plain fun. Join us at the Los Angeles Family History Center, 10741 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025 (enter from Eastbourne at Manning). Admittance is free and there is plenty of parking. For more information, see www.bifhsusa.org

Fly Away Travel is now taking reservations for the 2008 Genealogy Seminar at Sea, October 25 to November 1st. The seminar at sea will be hosted on board Royal Caribbean's brand new, unparalleled, Liberty of the Seas, which will be sailing to the warm Eastern caribbean islands of Puerto Rico, St Maarten & Royal Caribbean's private paradise of Labadee. This Seminar at Sea stands to be the best of the best in terms of its stunning array of some of the most sought after speakers in the Genealogy coummunity today: ~ John Phillip Colletta ~ Laura G Prescott ~ George G Morgan ~ Donna M Moughty ~ Stephen J Danko ~ Paul Milner ~ Paula Stuart-Warren ~ Paul Milner Passengers will have the opportunity to learn the latest and greatest techniques in areas such as: methodology, writing & publishing, internet research, problem solving and geographic areas around the world. Guest's will have the opportunity to choose up to 15 lectures that will take plac in Liberty of the Seas four state of the art conference centers over a period of three days during the seven day cruise. The authored speakers will be featured for book sales and autographs during a special group activity. Check out our exciting all-star line-up of topics for this event at www.GenealogyCruises.com The cost of experiencing this week long seminar/vacation begins at just $864 per person, including all port taxes and seminar fees. Traveling companions not attending the lectures qualify for a rate reduction, as well as the 3rd & 4th passengers sharing one cabin. (Ask for details) Fly Away Travel is a full service Travel Agency with nearly 60yrs of combined experience. Fly Away Travel Spcializes in Group Travel, Honeymoons, Destination Weddings & Family vacations. Contact Cindy Lorenz at Fly Away Travel 800-837-0295 or by e-mail: FlyAwayInc@aol.com for additional information. Cindy Lorenz Fly Away Travel 2829 Whipple Ave NW Canton OH 44708 330-478-0295 800-837-0295 330-478-8800-FAX www.flyawaytravel.net

  Irish ancestors you can't find? Where should I look? What is available? Join the Genealogical Society of South Brevard on the 12th of March in welcoming Donna Moughty, a Professional Genealogist and a member of the Association of Professional Genealogist, as she provides us the keys to unlock our Irish Research. Ms. Moughty will be talking about Myth and Reality of Irish Records; Irish Civil Records;  Census Records and a number of other sources of information for your search. Ms. Moughty has a weekly blog on her web site at www.moughty.com.  The seminar starts at 9:30AM with a social time and the presentation will begin at 10:00AM in the Melbourne Library located at 540 E Fee Avenue. For more information please go to www.gssb.net. ************** Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living. (http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/ 2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)

October 18, 2008 Elgin, Illinois SAVE THIS DATE! The Illinois State Genealogical Society's 40th anniversary conference, 40 Years of Discovery - Portals to the Future, will be held at the Fox Valley University and Business Center on the campus of Elgin Community College. An experienced group of nationally known speakers will present more than 16 classes including the latest about how to use online resources at FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Cyndi's List, WorldVitalRecords.com, Footnote.com, GenealogyBank.com, DearMYRTLE.com, Google, USGenWeb, Family Tree Magazine, Roots Television and more. Find out how to document your sources, get organized using WORD tools, scan photos, and use the latest genealogy software program, Family Tree Maker 8.0. in our classroom computer lab. For information as it becomes available go to www.rootsweb.com/~ilsgs/ or email Linda at isgsconference@sbcglobal.net.

Folks The notes of last Monday's OFHS computer meeting are now available for perusal. Please click on the link called :- Computer Group: _Alan's notes on Open Source software_ (http://computer-group.oxfordshirefhs.org.uk/opensource.html) which can be found at :- _www.ofhs.org.uk_ (http://www.ofhs.org.uk/) Enjoy ! Paul Gaskell Publicity Officer Oxfordshire Family History Society Website : _www.ofhs.org.uk_ (http://www.ofhs.org.uk/)

Please note -- the information is in the process of being uploaded to the website. If you follow the link and don't see the registration form and driving directions, please check back again -- I've been promised it will be online soon. FYI, the event will be held about 20-25 minutes from Philadelphia and Trenton, just off the PA Turnpike, Rte 1, and I-95, so is easily accessible. And the parking is ample. Sunday, 16 March 2008, 10:30 – 4:30 Researching Irish and Scots-Irish Ancestry Lecture and Book Fair at the Bucks County Convention & Visitors Bureau, 3207 Street Road, Bensalem, PA 19057 RSVP by 5 March 2008 Celebrate St. Patrick's Day a little early, and learn how to use Irish records to research the Irish and Scots-Irish. Our presenters will be Dr. Brian Trainor and Mr. Allan Leonard, of the Ulster Historical Foundation in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Whether you are new to research in Ireland or are experienced with the complexities of Irish research -- and regardless of whether your interests lie in the north or the south of Ireland – you will learn something at this seminar! Savor some Irish treats in the morning, and choose a box lunch or bring your own. Seminar $25, box lunch $6.50. The Ulster Historical Foundation is the principal genealogical research agency in Ireland and a leading publisher of historical, educational, and genealogical source books – many of which will be available for purchase at this event. Dr. Trainor is the Research Director of the UHF and a former Chief Executive of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. Mr. Leonard, Operations Manager of the UHF, is an avid genealogist; born in America, but a fifteen-year resident of Ireland, his knowledge bridges both Irish and American sources. Don't miss this chance to learn from the experts! See http://www.genpa.org for registration information and driving directions.

Please excuse the senior moment with the previous post. This is the real McCoy! Date: 28 May - 1 June 2008 Sponsored by the St. Charles County Genealogical Society and St. Charles Community College History Department The annual Family History Research Trip to the Allen County Library (Fort Wayne, Indiana) features expert guidance from nationally-known genealogist Michael John Neill, M.S. Michael is a columnist for Ancestry.com, has led research trips to Ft. Wayne and Salt Lake City, and lectures nationally on a wide variety of genealogy topics. Michael will help you get the most out of your trip through individualized attention in the following areas: pre-trip planning work developing research strategies using resources while you are at the library answering follow-up questions after the trip Learn with short lectures each morning in at the hotel before the library opens. Stay very close to the library in the comfortable Fort Wayne Hilton Hotel. Receive an orientation to the library. Find out how you can ride the bus or drive yourself. For more information, go to the trip website: http://www.rootdig.com/acpltrip.html

Date: 28 May - 1 June 2008 Sponsored by the St. Charles County Genealogical Society and St. Charles Community College History Department The annual Family History Research Trip to the Allen County Library (Fort Wayne, Indiana) features expert guidance from nationally-known genealogist Michael John Neill, M.S. Michael is a columnist for Ancestry.com, has led research trips to Ft. Wayne and Salt Lake City, and lectures nationally on a wide variety of genealogy topics. Michael will help you get the most out of your trip through individualized attention in the following areas: pre-trip planning work developing research strategies using resources while you are at the library answering follow-up questions after the trip Learn with short lectures each morning in at the hotel before the library opens. Stay very close to the library in the comfortable Fort Wayne Hilton Hotel. Receive an orientation to the library. Find out how you can ride the bus or drive yourself. For more information, go to the trip website: http://www.rootdig.com/acpltrip.html

United Polish Genealogical Societies Seminar April 18-21, 2008 Salt Lake Plaza Hotel Salt Lake City, Utah We are holding the UPGS 2008 Seminar in Salt Lake City. Join fellow Polish researchers to locate records and documents that identify your ancestral village. Once located, access the thousands of microfilm held at the Family History Library, next door. Visit our UPGS blog. It includes a map pinpointing the ancestral villages of the attendees. http://upgs.wordpress.com/ Registration information is available at: http://upgs08.eventbrite.com/ For more information contact: upgs08@gmail.com