Correspondence Log: Keep a Copy of Your Request You should keep a copy of each request that you send. An easy way to do this is to maintain a correspondence log that lists: 1. Date on which you made the request. 2. Name and address of the person or institution 3. Type of information requested 4. Type of information received 5. Any money that you sent along with the request Keeping such a table not only reminds you of the information you've requested but keeps a handy list of contacts that you may be able to use in the future. For a printable correspondence log you can visit our Helpful Websites page at: http://groups.msn.com/AGenealogyExperience/helpfulwebsites.msnw [View the section: Products, Supplies, Charts and Forms] Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

Question: I recently saw that you can search the Domesday Book online from the Public Record Office website. I remember finding another site that listed some of my ancestors who were landowners before the Norman Conquest. Have you ever found such a website? Why can’t I find more of my relatives in this volume? Answer: If you are using the Domesday Book for genealogy do not get discouraged. It is not a population census, but a listing of the land owners at the time of William the Conqueror. I am not sure if we bookmarked the same website but I previously used www.domesdaybook.co.uk/. The feature I enjoyed with this site was the straightforward search for landowners. You might take a second look at the National Archives of the U.K. Website, as you can search the Domesday Book by landowner and by place name there at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/domesday.asp. The Domesday Book on the National Archives of the U.K. Is free to search. There is a charge to download images. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

Brenda, Thanks for this great site. Ancestor Hunt Search for ancestors and locate your family surnames in some of the best and largest databases of genealogy records online. Our own unique genealogy searches include the Surname Search Portal and the Obituary Search Portal. U S. Genealogy Searches for each state are being developed! These will search vast amounts of genealogy data across the web just by entering a surname, revealing obituaries and genealogy data from various genealogy databases and other genealogy and obituary sources. www.ancestorhunt.com Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

www.ancestorhunt.com Has current most wanted listed by state and loads of genealogy information too Did you hear about the cougar who ate an entire bull? He roared and roared, a hunter heard him and shot him. The moral is: If your full of bull keep your mouth shut. Proud member of the IBSSG --------------------------------- Looking for earth-friendly autos? Browse Top Cars by "Green Rating" at Yahoo! Autos' Green Center.

Finding Clues in Genealogy Forums & Message Boards Poking through past postings on popular genealogy message boards and forums can often reveal clues into your family history. Genealogy message boards are a prominent means of communication between family historians on the Internet, and allow for a tremendous amount of sharing of research. Popular (and Free!) Genealogy Message Boards GenForum http://tinyurl.com/yabwbj The popular genealogy boards at GenForum are arranged by surname and region. There are also boards for topics of general interest, such as genealogy software. Ancestry.com Message Boards http://tinyurl.com/yeb9a7 Over 17 million posts on more than 161,00 genealogy message boards make this a popular stop for anyone tracing their roots. CuriousFox http://tinyurl.com/yjeysl Almost every county, town and village in the UK and Ireland has a page for message board posts and queries. CousinConnect http://tinyurl.com/ybxsgs CousinConnect offers a Query Notification Service that sends you an email whenever a new query is posted to CousinConnect that matches your surnames and/or regions of interest. Separate the Wheat from the Chaff Utilize the forum's search feature to search by surname and/or locality to find information and queries posted by other researchers who have interests similar to yours. If your ancestor has a common last name, then use an unusual first name or geographic location from your family tree to help narrow the search. Contact Those with Similar Interests When your message board searches bring up a post (or several) from a fellow genealogist who seems to have done some research on your family or surname of interest, take a few minutes to send a short email. In general, clicking on the name of the forum poster will bring up the person's email address. Compose a brief email explaining how you found their name and your connection to their families or surnames of interest. Collaborating with a fellow researcher can often open up new avenues for both of you! Keep Track of Your Own Postings Just about, everyone who uses the Internet for genealogy research eventually posts a query regarding their ancestors on a forum or message board. This is a great way to meet other researchers who may be working on your family line or have direct knowledge of your ancestors. Most of us post such queries in multiple locations, however, making it hard to remember when and where we have left information when it comes time to check back for answers, change our email address, or update our family information. Here are three easy methods you can use to help you keep track of your genealogical travels: Correspondence Log - This typical form for recording letters you have written and the replies received works well for keeping track of surname queries and message board posts. Correspondence logs typically include a blank for the surname at the top and room to record information for each letter/query sent concerning that surname. You don't even have to use a fancy form to track your message board posts and queries, but be sure that for each query you make a note of the date posted, where it was posted, and a summary of your post. Then, once you receive the reply, you can make a note of the date the reply was received and the results (positive or negative). Bookmarks or Favorites - Create a folder in your bookmarks or favorites for the sole purpose of keeping track of your message board queries. If your program allows it, add a comment with the name of the message board and the date you last visited. You will need to remember to update the comments each time you visit, just like with a correspondence log. Genealogy Software - If you like to keep everything in one place, then consider using a genealogy software program to keep track of your message board queries. You can either use an organizational program such as Clooz, or add them to your family tree program. Some family tree software programs include correspondence logs or 'to do' lists. For ones, which do not, select a primary ancestor for each surname and add the information to the notes field. Be sure to include not only the URL, but also a copy of your post or query, the date you last checked, etc. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

Sally Jacobs is a professional archivist and she posts some excellent articles that are very helpful to the genealogy community, that's us. She has a great "blog" site at: http://practicalarchivist.blogspot.com/ And her regular site is at: http://www.jacobsarchival.com/ Sally is a real treasure-trove of information and her articles, blogs and hints and tips are really useful. Enjoy!! Sally Pavia Photo Organizing Tips: What to Keep? Contrary to popular belief, archivists do not keep everything. In fact, one of my archival professors used this memorable rhyme: "When in doubt, throw it out!" When I tell people this I usually get a surprised look. An archivist? Throwing things out? Yep. I'd be willing to bet I spent more time learning the art of archival appraisal than any other skill while in grad school. But aren't archivists the keepers of our shared history? Yes, but... Here is the undeniable reality: If historical societies kept every single item that landed on their doorstep....every cancelled check... Every unidentified photograph... Every duplicate map… there simply wouldn't be any room left for new collections. And that won’t work in the long run, will it? Hardly. The same holds true for your family archive, but it's a little different. When a collection stays in the family, the sentimental value is extremely important. I’m a mom myself, so I understand how difficult it can be to part with sentimental treasures like baby pictures, finger paintings, pinch pots and teeny tiny little clothes. If you keep everything you'll have an uncontrollable mess on your hands. Your grandkids are not going to want to keep all of your vacation slides. On the other hand, they would probably love to have a handful of photographs of you having fun on vacation. You can choose to leave them everything or you can make some careful selections now. When teaching folks how to purge a large chaotic photo collection, I like to use a fine wine analogy. You can read the article I wrote on this exact topic on my website. P.S. If you're thinking about joining us for our half day photo organizing workshop in Madison later this month, you'll want to check out two special offers that are good only through Friday, January 12th. Cheers! Posted by Sally J. At 8:02 AM 2 comments Labels: photo organizing, purge January 03, 2007 Photo Organizing Tips: Set Realistic Goals Large projects are often dead in the water before they are ever begun. They seem so daunting that just thinking about them is an energy drain. Not good. The key, of course, is to break the project down into smaller (read: do-able) steps. A goal like "I will organize all of my family photographs by the end of 2007 or die trying" is dramatic but not specific enough. Create goals that are small steps you can accomplish every month or week or day. Here's what I mean by concrete goals: I will complete an initial inventory of the photo collection by January 31st I will scan the most vulnerable images by March 1st. I will set aside 6 hours each month to work on this project. I will find a buddy (or a group of buddies) so we can work on our projects together. Even your "Big Picture" goal can be worded in more concrete terms: By the end of 2007, all the damaged and vulnerable photos will be stored in a safe environment (starting with a rescue of all photos in those horrible sticky magnetic albums). All the remaining prints will be sorted into groups in rough chronological order. I will complete at least one photo album or tribute book by the end of 2007. As you complete each goal, relish the satisfaction of crossing it off your list once and for all. If you tend to obsess over the big picture, ask yourself this brief but Very Important Question: "Is it better?" If you can say yes, then for goodness sake take a moment to celebrate your accomplishments. Big projects are completed in small steps, and it's important to stay motivated and on track. So go ahead and pat yourself on the back. Write a letter to a dear old friend telling them how lucky you are to have them in your life. You can even enclose a photo of the two of you (I ll talk about extra photos in the next Photo Organizing Tip). Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

[Sorry I haven't sent much out recently but what with the holidays and another bout of bronchitis, just didn't seem to have the time or energy. But holidays are over and I'm feeling better, so things will be back to normal soon. Sally] Early January is a traditional time when many of us decide to clean out our files and get re-organized. How about making a New Year's resolution to clean up any duplicate family trees and redundant names within family trees that you have submitted to RootsWeb's WorldConnect, AncestryWorld Tree, and/or Online Family Tree? Here is how to find them and do this. First look at your own online trees closely and examine them for: --Duplication of names within a single WorldConnect file (one user code. Do you have John Smith married twice to Mary Jones in 1879? Or Martha Jane Smith, the daughter of John Smith, listed twice? --Duplication due to uploading the same WorldConnect file more than once by using different user codes. In a recent search for a common-named LEWIS ancestor who was born in 1800, there were 70 "hits" or results. However, 22 of these were the same file that had been submitted by the same person using 22 different user codes. For the rest of this excellent article, go to: www.family-genealogy-online.com/clean-up-your-online-trees.htm Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

If you want to read about an unusual war, read about the Pig War it almost changed American history. -- A cougar ate an entire bull. He roared and roared until a hunter shot him. The moral is:If your full of bull, keep your mouth shut. Proud member of IBSSG

Here is a good site for information on the "Pig War" that Brenda was nice enough to post about: http://www.nps.gov/archive/sajh/Pig_War_new.htm If you want to read about an unusual war, read about the Pig War it almost changed American history. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

1776: British raid Prudence Island in Narragansett Bay In the early morning hours of January 13, 1776, British forces raid Prudence Island, Rhode Island, in an effort to steal a large quantity of sheep. But, upon landing on the island’s southern beaches, the British were ambushed by fifteen Minutemen from Rhode Island’s Second Company led by Captain Joseph Knight, who had been tipped off to the Brits’ plans and rowed across Narragansett Bay from Warwick Neck the previous morning. A brief but deadly battle ensued before the British were forced to retreat. Three British marines were killed and seven injured during the ambush. Two Minutemen were wounded; one died and the other was taken prisoner. Afraid of further violence, residents abandoned the island between 1776 and 1777, and the island’s homes and windmill were burned. Rhode Island’s Second Company continued to guard the area between Providence Warwick Neck and Chopmist on Rhode Island for the next three years. Captain Knight rose to the rank of major in 1777, taking command of the Third Providence County Regiment. The Rhode Island General Assembly chose to end the Minutemen system in 1777 and the Second Company was reorganized as the Fifth Company of Scituate Militia. Major Knight and his regiment served the Patriot cause throughout the Rhode Island campaign of 1778. Knight received a further promotion to the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1778 and remained in the militia until his retirement in 1800, by which time he had served 34 years in the service of Rhode Island. During his tenure, Rhode Island had progressed from colony to independent state to member state of the federal union. 1842: Sole British soldier escapes Kabul On January 13, 1842, a British army doctor reaches the British sentry post at Jalalabad, Afghanistan, the lone survivor of a 16,000-strong Anglo-Indian expeditionary force that was massacred in its retreat from Kabul. He told of a terrible massacre in the Khyber Pass, in which the Afghans gave the defeated Anglo-Indian force and their camp followers no quarter. In the 19th century, Britain, with a goal of protecting its Indian colonial holdings from Russia, tried to establish authority in neighboring Afghanistan by attempting to replace Emir Dost Mohammad with a former emir known to be sympathetic to the British. This blatant British interference in Afghanistan's internal affairs triggered the outbreak of the first Anglo-Afghan War in 1839. Dost Mohammad surrendered to British forces in 1840 after the Anglo-Indian army had captured Kabul. However, after an Afghan revolt in Kabul the British had no choice but to withdraw. The withdrawal began on January 6, 1842, but bad weather delayed the army's progress. The column was attacked by swarms of Afghans led by Mohammad's son, and those who were not killed outright in the attack were later massacred by the Afghan soldiers. A total of 4,500 soldiers and 12,000 camp followers were killed. Only one man, Dr. William Bryden, escaped to recount the details of the military disaster. In retaliation, another British force invaded Kabul in 1843, burning a portion of the city. In the same year, the war came to an end, and in 1857 Emir Dost Mohammad, who had been restored to power in 1843, signed an alliance with the British. In 1878, the Second Anglo-Afghan War began, which ended two years later with Britain winning control of Afghanistan's foreign affairs. WWI .. 1916: Battle of Wadi In an attempt to relieve their compatriots under heavy siege by Turkish forces at Kut-al Amara in Mesopotamia, British forces under the command of Lieutenant General Fenton Aylmer launch an attack against Turkish defensive positions on the banks of the Wadi River. British forces under Sir Charles Townshend had occupied Kut, a town on the Tigris River in the Basra province of Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) by September 1915. On December 5, the Turks had begun a siege of the town, inflicting heavy casualties. In response to Townshend’s calls for assistance the British regional command, led by Sir John Nixon, assembled a relief force led by Aylmer that included three new infantry divisions dispatched From India. On January 4, 1916, Aylmer set out up the Tigris from the British forward base at Ali Gharbi with 19,000 troops, 46 guns and two aircraft. His path was blocked by 22,500 Turkish troops and 72 guns under commander Nur-Ur-Din at Sheikh Sa’ad, just 15 kilometers upriver from Ali Gharbi and 32 kilometers from Kut. On January 6, Aylmer’s forces launched an initial attack, which the Turks quickly repelled, resulting in heavy British losses; another attack the next day failed as well. On the night of January 8-9, however, when Aylmer’s forces struck again, they were surprised to find that the Turkish troops had withdrawn for some unknown reason; Nur-Ur-Din was subsequently removed from command after he failed to justify the withdrawal. Still, after losing more than 4,000 men, Aylmer’s troops were exhausted and demoralized as they continued to make their way up the Tigris toward Kut, and their progress was hampered by the region’s typical shortage of available roads and supply routes. Meanwhile, the Turkish army under new regional commander Khalil Pasha set up new and firmer defensive positions—with some 20,000 troops—along the banks of the smaller Wadi River, through which the British would have to pass in order to reach Kut. Aylmer, aware of these enemy movements, planned to surround the Turkish forces, sending troops around to secure the area immediately behind the Turkish lines while simultaneously attacking with artillery from the front. The attack, which began in the early afternoon of January 13—postponed from the morning because of a persistent mist and a slow advance by artillery across the river—quickly lost the intended element of surprise, as the outnumbered British forces on both sides of enemy lines struggled to assert themselves against a robust Turkish defense. By the time Aylmer called off the attack at the end of the day, his troops had gained control of the Wadi, but it was a small advance that was unworthy of the 1,600 men killed or wounded in the attack and did little to bring relief closer to Townshend’s beleaguered forces at Kut. In April 1916, after nearly five months under siege, Townshend finally submitted, along with 10,000 of his men, in the largest single surrender of British troops up to that time. The British won back Kut in February 1917, on their way to the capture of Baghdad the following month.

The New Zealand Herald www.nzherald.co.nz Ancestors braved cold to migrate out of Africa Saturday January 13, 2007 RUSSIA - A stone age archaeological site by the River Don in southern Russia has been identified as the earliest known settlement in Europe of modern Humans. It indicates that the first migration of modern humans out of sub-Saharan Africa occurred less than 50,000 years ago, which would make the inhabitants The earliest known ancestors of modern Europeans. Researchers say the big surprise is the very early presence of modern humans in one of the coldest, driest places in Europe, an unexpected choice for People from Africa. The discovery is published in the journal Science, alongside another study showing that a skull found in South Africa has been dated to about 35,000 years ago and bears a close resemblance to the skulls of Europeans in the Stone age. The skull was discovered near Hofmeyr, South Africa, in 1952. Latest dating techniques place it in the same time period when Europe was being populated by modern humans from Africa. Both discoveries suggest that modern humans left Africa less than 50,000 years ago on a migration path that led them east to Asia and north to Europe Modern humans, Homo sapiens, are thought to have arisen in sub-Saharan Africa about 200,000 years ago. Previously, scientists thought they migrated out of Africa about 100,000 years ago. Artefacts found at Kostenki include simple tools such as drills and awls, and a spade made from antlers. The oldest evidence of modern humans outside Africa comes from Australian Artefacts dating to about 50,000 years ago. - INDEPENDENT

Historic passenger lists of ships go online 01 / 10 / 07 | People looking to track ancestors who emigrated from British ports will be able to search online passenger lists of the ships that carried them to new lands. Released on Wednesday by Britain's National Archives, the passenger manifests give an insight into all long-distance trips made by 30 million travelers from the country's ports between 1890 and 1960, including that of the Titanic which sank in 1912. "We hope the digitization will open up a hugely valuable resource for genealogists and social historians all over the world," said Dan Jones, National Archives' head of business development. The records, available via commercial Web site www.findmypast.com, which was licensed by The National Archives, also show the passages of Trans-European migrants. Many were Jews fleeing persecution, who began their journeys in continental Europe and traveled to British ports like Southampton and Liverpool to catch cheap sailings. During this period, thousands of Britons were propelled by economic reasons to seek new beginnings abroad. Between 1890 and 1914 an estimated 125,000 Britons emigrated every year to the United States, with 50,000 going to Canada and 25,000 to Australia. Trips to all continents are covered with sailings to South America, the Caribbean, West Africa and all parts of Asia. Initially only the period from 1890-1900 will be available but subsequent decades will be put online over the next few months. The lists provide an intriguing glimpse of individual voyages. What, for example, did 40-year-old Glaswegian spinster dairy maid Elizabeth Barr make of New Zealand when she arrived in 1923 on the steamship Remuera? Did she perhaps strike up an onboard friendship with John Woodrow, 21, a rabbit-catcher from Warwickshire? Or did she build a new life with another fellow passenger, 33-year-old London fireman Rufus Workman? Although the passenger lists have been available at the archives' offices in Kew, southwest London, for some time they are indexed by port of departure only and not name, making it difficult to find a particular individual. The passenger lists, which are presented online in their original form, vary Some are typed, others are handwritten. Some record tantalizingly little detail while others give occupations, addresses and ultimate destinations overseas. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

The National Archives and Records Administration is continuously creating new microfilms. Going over these lists of new items not only keeps you abreast of what may soon be available near you but can educate you in records that you did not know existed. For lists of these records by year go to: http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/microfilm/2006.html To give you just a couple of examples: M1916 Applications for Headstones of U. S. Military Veterans, 1915-1941 M1846 Record Cards of Letter Carriers Separated from the Postal Service, 1863-1899 Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

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Containers for ritual offerings, weapons and jewelry are among the finds uncovered this week after builders in Jerusalem’s Bayit Vagan neighborhood stumbled upon a 4,000-year-old Canaanite cemetery. The Israel Antiquities Authority was alerted back in July when builders working on apartment buildings in the Holyland Park Project found evidence of ancient tombs. The remarkable finds were the only discovered this week. The authority said the site covered more than 200 dunams and contains human and animal remains, as well as metal and certain artifacts and weapons, dating back to between 2,200 and 1,600 BCE. The approximately 50 tombs originally date from the early Bronze Age (2200 BCE to 2000 BCE), but were apparently dug up and used again about 1700 BCE to 1600 BCE, an authority spokesman said. The main finds were from the latter period, because when They were reused, most of the original contents were cleared out. (Jerusalem Post, Israel. November 2006) Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

Happy New Year to all our genealogists and family historians members! Please share this with your friends, relatives, and fellow genealogy society members. The Southern California Genealogical Society is proud to announce plans for the 38th Annual Genealogy Jamboree, slated for Friday through Sunday, June 8-10, 2007, at the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel and Convention Center (formerly known as the Burbank Airport Hilton and Convention Center). This popular genealogy conference features: ( A ) three days of lectures, exhibitors, and one-on-one research consultation by many of genealogy's most respected and knowledgeable presenters, for all experience levels and geographic / ethnic interests; ( B ) a special lecture track by the Creole Heritage Center, Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, Louisiana, "Louisiana - California Creole Connections"; ( C ) the Society's first day-long Family History Writers Conference, with lectures and workshops to inspire family history writers; ( D ) several events to socialize and network, including Saturday Evening Social and Zydeco La-La Dance with live music; ( E ) dozens of exhibitors and vendors with products and services to support your genealogical research. ( F ) reasonable registration costs -- three days for the cost of two, with discounts for early registration. SCGS members can attend for a full day for as little as $25. ( G ) a location in a fun, exciting area that is rich with several genealogical repositories, including the Los Angeles Public Library, Los Angeles Regional Family History Center, NARA, the SCGS Library and others, as well as Southern California's famous tourist destinations. ( H ) discounted hotel rates and easy access by plane, car and railway. ( I ) printed conference syllabus for all pre-registered attendees - included in the cost of registration. ( J ) Book Nook for book signings, Tech Zone with hands-on research assistance, free access to SCGS's online data resources, and virtual Surname Wall to connect with your cousins ( K ) Valuable door prizes drawings, including a 7-night stay at the Salt Lake City Best Western Hotel and $200 toward air fare. Don't miss this conference! Registration forms and complete details can be found at www.scgsgenealogy com. Southern California Genealogical Society 417 Irving Drive Burbank, California 91504-2408 phone: 818-843-7247 email: jamboree@scgsgenealogy.com web: www.scgsgenealogy.com

just thought i would share ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paula Hinkel" <phinkel@pacbell.net> To: <CA-SCGS@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2007 12:36 AM Subject: [CA-SCGS] Southern California Genealogy Jamboree June 8-10, 2007 > Happy New Year to all our genealogists and family historians members! > Please share this with your friends, relatives, and fellow genealogy > society > members. > > The Southern California Genealogical Society is proud to announce plans > for > the 38th Annual Genealogy Jamboree, slated for Friday through Sunday, June > 8-10, 2007, at the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel and Convention Center > (formerly known as the Burbank Airport Hilton and Convention Center). > > This popular genealogy conference features: > > ( A ) three days of lectures, exhibitors, and one-on-one > research consultation by many of genealogy's most > respected and knowledgeable presenters, for all > experience levels and geographic / ethnic interests; > > ( B ) a special lecture track by the Creole Heritage Center, > Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, Louisiana, > "Louisiana - California Creole Connections"; > > ( C ) the Society's first day-long Family History Writers > Conference, with lectures and workshops to inspire > family history writers; > > ( D ) several events to socialize and network, including > Saturday Evening Social and Zydeco La-La Dance with > live music; > > ( E ) dozens of exhibitors and vendors with products and > services to support your genealogical research. > > ( F ) reasonable registration costs -- three days for the cost > of two, with discounts for early registration. SCGS members > can attend for a full day for as little as $25. > > ( G ) a location in a fun, exciting area that is rich with > several genealogical repositories, including the Los Angeles > Public Library, Los Angeles Regional Family History Center, > NARA, the SCGS Library and others, as well as Southern > California's famous tourist destinations. > > ( H ) discounted hotel rates and easy access by plane, car > and railway. > > ( I ) printed conference syllabus for all pre-registered > attendees - included in the cost of registration. > > ( J ) Book Nook for book signings, Tech Zone with hands-on > research assistance, free access to SCGS's online data > resources, and virtual Surname Wall to connect with your > cousins > > ( K ) Valuable door prizes drawings, including a 7-night > stay at the Salt Lake City Best Western Hotel and > $200 toward air fare. > > Don't miss this conference! > > Registration forms and complete details can be found at > www.scgsgenealogy.com. > > > > Southern California Genealogical Society > 417 Irving Drive > Burbank, California 91504-2408 > phone: 818-843-7247 > email: jamboree@scgsgenealogy.com > web: www.scgsgenealogy.com > > > > > > - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * > > Have you stopped by the SCGS Library lately? > Check our website for hours and directions. > http://www.scgsgenealogy.com/contact-us.htm > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > CA-SCGS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

45 BC: New Year's Day In 45 B.C., New Year's Day is celebrated on January 1 for the first time in history as the Julian calendar takes effect. Soon after becoming Roman dictator, Julius Caesar decided that the traditional Roman calendar was in dire need of reform. Introduced around the seventh century B.C., the Roman calendar attempted to follow the lunar cycle but frequently fell out of phase with the seasons and had to be corrected. In addition, the pontifices, the Roman body charged with overseeing the calendar, often abused its authority by adding days to extend political terms or interfere with elections. In designing his new calendar, Caesar enlisted the aid of Sosigenes, an Alexandrian astronomer, who advised him to do away with the lunar cycle entirely and follow the solar year, as did the Egyptians. The year was calculated to be 365 and 1/4 days, and Caesar added 67 days to 45 B.C., making 46 B.C. Begin on January 1, rather than in March. He also decreed that every four years a day be added to February, thus theoretically keeping his calendar from falling out of step. Shortly before his assassination in 44 B.C., he changed the name of the month Quintilis to Julius (July) after himself. Later, the month of Sextilis was renamed Augustus (August) after his successor. Celebration of New Year's Day in January fell out of practice during the Middle Ages, and even those who strictly adhered to the Julian calendar did not observe the New Year exactly on January 1. The reason for the latter was that Caesar and Sosigenes failed to calculate the correct value for the solar year as 365.242199 days, not 365.25 days. Thus, an 11-minute-a-year error added seven days by the year 1000, and 10 days by the mid-15th century The Roman church became aware of this problem, and in the 1570s Pope Gregory XIII commissioned Jesuit astronomer Christopher Clavius to come up with a new calendar. In 1582, the Gregorian calendar was implemented, omitting 10 days for that year and establishing the new rule that only one of every four centennial years should be a leap year. Since then, people around the world have gathered en masse on January 1 to celebrate the precise arrival of the New Year. 1781: Mutiny of the Pennsylvania Line On this day in 1781, 1,500 soldiers from the Pennsylvania Line--all 11 regiments under General Anthony Wayne’s command--insist that their three-year enlistments are expired, kill three officers in a drunken rage and abandon the Continental Army’s winter camp at Morristown, New Jersey. British General Henry Clinton sent emissaries from New York to meet the mutineers and offer them full pardon and the pay owed them by the Continental Army in exchange for joining the Redcoats. Instead, the men turned south towards Princeton, which they captured on January 3, intending to march on Philadelphia and Congress. From Princeton, the mutineers dispatched envoys to meet with General Wayne, who was following behind them. They aired their grievances and handed over Clinton’s men for eventual execution. With this show of devotion to the Patriot cause, the mutineers strengthened their position in negotiations with Congress. General Wayne and Congressional President Joseph Reed met with the mutineers to hear their grievances on January 7; they came to an agreement three days later. Half the men accepted discharges, while the other half took furloughs coupled with bonuses for reenlistment. Those who reenlisted formed the Pennsylvania Battalion, which went on to participate in the southern campaign. These excellent terms prompted 200 New Jersey men stationed at Pompton to follow suit with their own mutiny. This time, the response was quite different. General George Washington used New England soldiers to disarm their New Jersey compatriots and executed two of the leading mutineers. These actions kept the Patriot army from disintegrating, but it still faced severe challenges--early 1781 saw more Americans fighting for the British than fighting for Washington. 1863: Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation During the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, calling on the Union army to liberate all slaves in states still in rebellion as "an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity." These three million slaves were declared to be "then, thenceforward, and forever free." The proclamation exempted the border slave states that remained in the Union at the start of the Civil War and all or parts of three Confederate states controlled by the Union army. As a Republican politician, Lincoln had fought to isolate slavery from the new territories, not outlaw it outright, and this policy carried over into his presidency. Even after the Civil War began, Lincoln, though he privately detested slavery, moved cautiously on the emancipation issue. However, in 1862, the federal government began to realize the strategic advantages of emancipation: The liberation of slaves would weaken the Confederacy by depriving it of a major portion of its labor force, which would in turn strengthen the Union by producing an influx of manpower. That year, Congress annulled the fugitive slave laws, prohibited slavery in the U.S. territories, and authorized Lincoln to employ freed slaves in the army. Following the major Union victory at the Battle of Antietam in September, Lincoln issued a warning of his intent to issue an Emancipation Proclamation for all states still in rebellion on New Year's Day. The Emancipation Proclamation transformed the Civil War from a war against secession into a war for "a new birth of freedom," as Lincoln stated in his Gettysburg Address in 1863. This ideological change discouraged the intervention of France or England on the Confederacy's behalf and enabled the Union to enlist the 200,000 African-American soldiers and sailors who volunteered to fight between January 1, 1863, and the conclusion of the war. In 1865, the 13th Amendment to the Constitution formally abolished slavery. 1863: A Nebraska farmer files the first homestead claim A farmer named Daniel Freeman submits the first claim under the new Homestead Act for a property near Beatrice, Nebraska. Signed into law in 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln, the Homestead Act essentially legalized the long-standing American practice of squatting on the vast federal landholdings in the West. Ever since the United States became a nation, intrepid pioneers rushed westward well before the government was prepared to oversee an ordered transfer of land into private hands. Ignoring legal niceties like titles or rent payments, the pioneers began farming and ranching wherever they found promising land, and often the government simply looked the other way. By the mid-19th century, illegal squatting had become such an established practice in the Far West that pioneers began to argue for its legalization. Settlers pointed out that they were building a new civilization in the West with their own money and sweat. Why should they have to pay for public land when they had already shouldered the heavy cost of clearing, breaking, and fencing it? Since the government clearly wanted Americans to settle the West settlers argued that the government should give land to anyone willing to work hard and sacrifice enough to develop it. Congress eventually agreed, and it passed a weak version of a homesteading bill in 1860. However, President James Buchanan vetoed the bill under pressure from pro-slavery southerners who wanted to slow the development of non-slave-holding western states. With the outbreak of the Civil War the following year, southern opposition was no longer a consideration, and Lincoln signed the even stronger Homestead Act into law in May 1862. The act authorized any citizen or intended citizen to settle on any surveyed but unclaimed 160-acre tract of public land. If settlers made the specified improvements to the land and paid a small fee, they would gain full title to the property after five years. Unfortunately, the government failed to reserve much of the best western land for claim under the Homestead Act and instead let it pass into the hands of railroads and speculators. By the 1890s, many homesteaders found that only marginal semi-arid tracts were still available for homesteading. Profitable farming on only 160 acres of such dry land was nearly impossible, and at least half of the original homesteaders abandoned their claims before they gained title to the property. In the early 20th century, the claim sizes were gradually increased to as much as 640 acres, making irrigation and efficient large-scale farming techniques feasible. Thus, while the majority of early homesteads failed, more than 1.6 million farmers and ranchers eventually fulfilled their contracts and became landowners in the West. 1946: Hidden Japanese surrender after Pacific War has ended An American soldier accepts the surrender of about 20 Japanese soldiers who only discovered that the war was over by reading it in the newspaper. On the island of Corregidor, located at the mouth of Manila Bay, a lone soldier on detail for the American Graves Registration was busy recording the makeshift graves of American soldiers who had lost their lives fighting the Japanese. He was interrupted when approximately 20 Japanese soldiers approached him-literally waving a white flag. They had been living in an underground tunnel built during the war and learned that their country had already surrendered when one of them ventured out in search of water and found a newspaper announcing Japan's defeat.

Indian Cemeteries ~~ Preserving the memory of historic cemeteries in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Burma This site is attempting to preserve the images of graves and monuments before they disappear. It is hoped that they will be useful to historians and genealogists, as well as serve to remember those whom they commemorate. It covers the area which used to be British India and includes present-day India, Pakistan and Bagladesh. Entries are not limited to British citizens, monuments cover many nationalities. http://www.bacsa.org.uk/ Family History in India European Cemeteries in India http://www.bacsa.org.uk/ Families In British India Society The Society was formed in November 1998 to provide a resource for people researching families and their social history in India from 1600 up to, and even after, Indian Independence in 1947. http://www.bacsa.org.uk/ The site has been created as a free service for those, irrespective of nationality, who lived and worked in North East India in the Tea industry, Ferry Service, Oil Industry, ITA administration, ITA Research Station at Tocklai,etc. The resourceful people included Planters, Engineers, Agronomists, Accountants, Scientists Administrators, Aircraft Operators, Doctors, Nurses, and many others. These lucky people are now mainly retired and living in various parts of the world. It is hoped that this website will offer a trip down memory lane and facilitate communication between these people, their friends and family. Today there are a large number of children who were born in N.E. India and have a strong interest in the place of their birth. We hope to encourage that interest. http://www.bacsa.org.uk/

[I have this very interesting 6-page article, or you can find it at www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/article_details.php?id=7817 ~~ Sally] Myths of British Ancestry By Stephen Oppenheimer Everything you know about British and Irish ancestry is wrong. Our ancestors Were Basques, not Celts. The Celts were not wiped out by the Anglo-Saxons, In fact neither had much impact on the genetic stock of these islands Stephen Oppenheimer's books "The Origins of the British: A Genetic Detective Story" and "Out of Eden: The Peopling of the World" are published by Constable & Robinson The fact that the British and the Irish both live on islands gives them a Misleading sense of security about their unique historical identities. But Do we really know who we are, where we come from and what defines the nature Of our genetic and cultural heritage? Who are and were the Scots, the Welsh, The Irish and the English? And did the English really crush a glorious Celtic heritage? Everyone has heard of Celts, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings. And most of us are Familiar with the idea that the English are descended from Anglo-Saxons, who Invaded eastern England after the Romans left, while most of the people in The rest of the British Isles derive from indigenous Celtic ancestors with a Sprinkling of Viking blood around the fringes. Yet there is no agreement among historians or archaeologists on the meaning Of the words "Celtic" or "Anglo-Saxon." What is more, new evidence from Genetic analysis (see note below) indicates that the Anglo-Saxons and Celts, To the extent that they can be defined genetically, were both small Immigrant minorities. Neither group had much more impact on the British Isles gene pool than the Vikings, the Normans or, indeed, immigrants of the Past 50 years. The genetic evidence shows that three quarters of our ancestors came to this Corner of Europe as hunter-gatherers, between 15,000 and 7,500 years ago, After the melting of the ice caps but before the land broke away from the Mainland and divided into islands. Our subsequent separation from Europe has Preserved a genetic time capsule of southwestern Europe during the ice age, Which we share most closely with the former ice-age refuge in the Basque Country. The first settlers were unlikely to have spoken a Celtic language But possibly a tongue related to the unique Basque language.