Kasey Alvarez-Duckworth wrote: > The download password is *******. I have downloaded it twice though > both times it said the file was corrupted. Actually, it's not. You may want to check the e-mail you were sent when you *registered* to download. Even if it were, why are you spreading it around? Legacy asks little enough of the genealogical community in return for providing their software. If you want to use the software, why is registering with them a problem? I have no connection with Legacy; in fact, even though I have the software, I don't use it. But please respect their work. -- Joe Makowiec can be reached at: http://makowiec.org/contact/?Joe Joe Makowiec <makowiec@nycap.rEMOVECAPSr.com>

> > > Many public libraries now have the Heritage Quest program on their > > > computer, and it contains all the census records, with free access > > > via the library's computers. Check with your local library. > > > > When I used this path from the Houston TX library the only census' I > > found were years 1790, 1800, 1810, 1920, 1860, 1870, 1890, 1910 > > and 1920. I believe that there are more years than that. I also found > > some of the indexing to be inadequate. I can say this as I have > > copies of census data I copied at the library that I could not find > > at Heritage Quest. > > > > "James Hills" <jameshills@att.net> > > The years you listed are at this point the only ones with indexes. > I would presume at the Houston Library you can find the other years > on microfilm. > > Census indexes always seem to be inadequate. It often requires a > great deal of imagination to overcome the mistakes of both the > enumerator or the indexer. Even so, they are an immense improvement > over what we used to have: No or few indexes. > > County your blessings. It is free! And, even though not perfect, > the HQ indexes are reputed to be the most accurate. > > "Richard A. Pence" <richardpence@pipeline.com> I agree 100% my message was intended as information so that others would not expect to find the complete census when checking that site. There is no indication in either their site or otherwise that the census data are incomplete. Jim Hills James Hills <jameshills@att.net>

ms_historybuff@yahoo.com writes: > The problem is to get the right software the first time. Probably > other problems ...... tell me. Not much money available. Most of the genealogy software programs have demos that you can download. I would try that and see which I liked best. Of course, if you have a Mac, I'd recommend Reunion hands down. The PAF program for the Mac did an okay job with no bells and whistles. Any program you use should be able to import your data into another program using GEDCOMs. Edith ECFensom@aol.com

A second free software is PAF which you can download for familyhistory.com. It is very user friendly and dose the basic stuff. I use it when I am helping friends but also use The Master Genealogist for most of my own databases. PAF has been around for years and the newest version is for Windows. It has always been a good buy. Julia FamRSearch@aol.com

I cannot help you about that form as I am close enough to go in person. However, I would suggest that you print out a copy of the form and attach it. It has saved me a copuple of times when they start to write no such file number to see the actual index card. The in house form has a place for each of the numbers and I put them all down. There is only 1 file in the soldiers name. His widow's application and all would be part of that file, but you need to put down both numbers as It is filed (or so I have been told) under the last number used. But you would only pay for the one file. Julia FamRSearch@aol.com

> In spite of the generic advice, I can not resist the temptation to > put in a plug for the software program I use, which is the Master > Genealogist by Wholly Genes software. Could you email me off list about TMG? I have a couple of questions, and since you are a user maybe you can answer them. Heather Olsen "Heather Olsen" <kitchen6@earthlink.net>

> I am ordering the Civil War Pension files for two on my ancestors. > Their index cards came up in Ancestry.com and I need help deciding > what numbers I am supposed to put on the Form 85 <snip> I would put both numbers and a copy of the printout from Ancestry. You will have a real person at the other end trying to find the file. Give them every bit of information you have. Send the money for one file [assume it is one person for that amount of money. They will let you know otherwise.] "Joan Best" <joanbest@earthlink.net>

John & Neva Brigham <neva@cwis.net> wrote: > I downloaded the free Legacy software. I filled in my email and > address. BUT, I have not received an email from Legacy with my > password. How do I access the software? That's odd; when I did it, the email was pretty much instantaneous. Have you tried a second time? davehinz@spamcop.net

> I downloaded the free Legacy software. I filled in my email and > address. BUT, I have not received an email from Legacy with my > password. How do I access the software? > > Neva "John & Neva Brigham" <neva@cwis.net> Type in the password 'history'

Ol' Bab wrote: > We knew Mom was fooling around with genealogy, but the extent was a > surprise! > > We (I and eldest son) want to do it right, save this stuff to > electronic format, make it available on a website (that's no > problem). > > The problem is to get the right software the first time. Probably > other problems ...... tell me. Not much money available. Download (no charge) either PAF from www.familysearch.org under Order Products, or Legacy from http://www.Legacyfamilytree.com/ Both are excellent; I've used PAF longest and like it best, but that's personal preference. Both programs do GEDCOM in case you want to share data as data or need to change your mind about what program (Catch: if you used *all* the bells and whistles in your first program, GED will lose some of 'em). Both will do "save as HTML" for webpages. > Any good advice is appreciated. I don't want to start entering > data, only to find the effort wasted due to poor choice. I'm afraid that's a factor that will only become clear about half-way through data-entry. :( Murphy's Law, you know. > Using my "handle" for now, until I figure how you people get away > with letting your names and email addresses hang out for SPAM > harvesting... Dunno -- my spam generates from another source, not the newsgroups. Cheryl singhals@erols.com

James Hills wrote: > > > Many public libraries now have the Heritage Quest program on their > > computer, and it contains all the census records, with free access > > via the library's computers. Check with your local library. > > > > Anita "buckeyegal" <buckeyegal@insight.rr.com> > > When I used this path from the Houston TX library the only census' I > found were years 1790, 1800, 1810, 1920, 1860, 1870, 1890, 1910 and > 1920. I believe that there are more years than that. I also found Click on BROWSE in the upper left, not SEARCH. So far's I can tell 1900 is the only one missing in both places (guess which one I want this week?) > some of the indexing to be inadequate. I can say this as I have > copies of census data I copied at the library that I could not find > at Heritage Quest. Nobody knows your family as well as you do. And indexers make mistakes. Cheryl singhals@erols.com

Please remember that the person who is looking for a Britsh emigrant to the USA is in England. Many of the suggestions given are only applicable in the USA. bob gillis bob gillis <rpgillis@bellatlantic.net>

> > If no one comes through with an online list, there's always your > > local public or college library. Marriage customs have been a topic > > of scholarly research ever since the establishment of anthropology > > as a branch of human knowledge. > > > > Cynthia Van Ness, MLS -- roots@bfn.org > > Thank you for the suggestion, but I am looking for something more > interactive. Example: When I first started looking online for my > "Mary" relatives, I soon learned to look for "Polly". I was able to > pass this on to others, and in return I was sent links they had > found later on supporting the Mary/Polly naming custom. Neither one > of us would have gone there on our own. Those links led to other > discoveries we would probably had missed out on. > > I have been looking for online pages of info regarding marriage > customs/rites in IT, OK, TX where there was not a minister or > Justice of the Peace, etc. I am hoping to find something that will > make my great aunt feel OK about talking about the paperless > marriages of a number of family members pre 1925 ish. She refuses > to talk about them and it has left huge gaps in the family history. > > Many genealogy lists have "talked" about naming customs and some > marriage customs, I was just hoping there would be a list that spent > more time on the subjects of customs, rites of passage and the like. > I don't have the time and computer knowledge to start my own list, > or I would consider it. > > Brenda Branstetter <bransflakes@earthlink.net> Due to the lack of preachers in Tx around that time MANY marriages were not "papered". You had to try and catch a circuit riding preacher. Some couples would simply leave a note on the church stating that such and such are living together as man and wife. You can hopefully ease her mind by telling her these marriages were still recognized, even if not on "paper". If the couple lived together but were hindered by lack of "Godly officials" yet vowed to each other, I feel the marriage would be recognized by God himself, who needs a court official? God was the only witness they needed. Hope this helps her. Kasey Alvarez-Duckworth http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/a/l/v/Kasey-L-Alvarezduckworth/ Kasey Alvarez-Duckworth <ms_historybuff@yahoo.com>

> I am doing a study at University on Copyright, Data Protection and > Freedom Of Information Acts and how they effect the family > historian. I particularly want to focus on the various closure > rules that relate to documentation. Can any one suggest and source > books or websites etc that may be useful from an academic point of > view? Anyone know where I may find out what law states what length > of closure should apply to what document type etc. Any help / > advice gratefully received. > > Wendy > NW England > "Sportysprout" Good Morning! In Texas we also are fighting closures. Some of them quite ridiculous. They already have closed ALL birth and marriage indexes. They claim due to identity theft. Well, you can get the same info off of a headstone that you can get in an index. Besides that if you do a public records search as in looking for a criminal you can get the info. I am all for nothing but the birth being public unless the person is deceased, but once they are deceased it is all public. They also are trying to close the SS death records. Kasey Alvarez-Duckworth http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/a/l/v/Kasey-L-Alvarezduckworth/ Kasey Alvarez-Duckworth <ms_historybuff@yahoo.com>

> The problem is to get the right software the first time. Probably > other problems ...... tell me. Not much money available. > > Any good advice is appreciated. I don't want to start entering > data, only to find the effort wasted due to poor choice. > > "Ol' Bab" <olbabNO-SPAM@rochester.rr.com> Good Morning, Ancestry.com has a free program, it is pretty good, I used it before I purchased family treemaker. If you then decide to purchase family treemaker, you can instantly import all you have done from Ancestry to FTM. Best of luck to you! Kasey Alvarez-Duckworth http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/a/l/v/Kasey-L-Alvarezduckworth/ Kasey Alvarez-Duckworth <ms_historybuff@yahoo.com>

> I downloaded the free Legacy software. I filled in my email and > address. BUT, I have not received an email from Legacy with my > password. How do I access the software? > > Neva "John & Neva Brigham" <neva@cwis.net> The download password is HISTORY. I have downloaded it twice though both times it said the file was corrupted. Kasey Alvarez-Duckworth http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/a/l/v/Kasey-L-Alvarezduckworth/ Kasey Alvarez-Duckworth <ms_historybuff@yahoo.com>

"James Hills" <jameshills@att.net> wrote: > > Many public libraries now have the Heritage Quest program on their > > computer, and it contains all the census records, with free access > > via the library's computers. Check with your local library. > > When I used this path from the Houston TX library the only census' I > found were years 1790, 1800, 1810, 1920, 1860, 1870, 1890, 1910 > and 1920. I believe that there are more years than that. I also found > some of the indexing to be inadequate. I can say this as I have > copies of census data I copied at the library that I could not find > at Heritage Quest. The years you listed are at this point the only ones with indexes. I would presume at the Houston Library you can find the other years on microfilm. Census indexes always seem to be inadequate. It often requires a great deal of imagination to overcome the mistakes of both the enumerator or the indexer. Even so, they are an immense improvement over what we used to have: No or few indexes. County your blessings. It is free! And, even though not perfect, the HQ indexes are reputed to be the most accurate. Richard "Richard A. Pence" <richardpence@pipeline.com>

> I downloaded the free Legacy software. I filled in my email and > address. BUT, I have not received an email from Legacy with my > password. How do I access the software? > > Neva "John & Neva Brigham" <neva@cwis.net> Why don't you go to the Legacy web site and ask them. They probably are the only ones who can help you. Richard

> <snip> > > The complete records of all 283 freedom suits are available for > download at > http://www.stlcourtrecords.wusl.edu > > "Joan Best" <joanbest@earthlink.net> The address given in Joan's post is slightly incorrect. It should be: http://www.stlcourtrecords.wustl.edu It sounds like a very interesting resource, and I for one am glad that Joan let us know. Austin W. Spencer "Austin W. Spencer" <AustinWSpencer@sdc.cox.net>

>We knew Mom was fooling around with genealogy, but the extent was a >surprise! > >We (I and eldest son) want to do it right, save this stuff to >electronic format, make it available on a website (that's no >problem). > >The problem is to get the right software the first time. Probably >other problems ...... tell me. Not much money available. > >Any good advice is appreciated. I don't want to start entering >data, only to find the effort wasted due to poor choice. > >"Ol' Bab" <olbabNO-SPAM@rochester.rr.com> My, it's been a busy few months on this list for all of the different topics of this post! We must be getting a lot of new members that just miss each of the previous discussions! If your mother has been "fooling around with genealogy" to an extent that has "surprised" you, chances are she's been doing fairly well, just not with the convenience that a good genealogy software program can give her. If your objective is to get her working (and her work) online, be sure to learn about all the dangers in both accepting what you find online as absolute fact and the problems with posting information online. Because of these problems, there are still some genealogists (not too many, I hope) who make a blanket judgment that Internet research is unacceptable (hard to believe!). It's important to always remember that the internet and any software program are only tools to help with research. I think the software discussion comes up on this list at least once a month, so I would recommend you check the list archives at http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENMTD (since the beginning of this year is probably sufficient) and you'll find lots of very detailed information and referrals, including personal opinions and places where you can get ample information and download free trial versions of software. (Since the topic comes up so frequently, the number of responses received for a query may vary from previous times; so it pays to check the archives. Likewise for any other question, like protecting yourself against spam, protecting your privacy, etc., checking the archives is always good.) At http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/other/Software/ you can find mailing lists for about every genealogy software program there is and "listen in" on what kinds of problems owners of the software have as well as ask their opinions. You might also want to check out http://www.mumford.ca/reportcard/ being sure to check out all the different parts of the report card. It grades each software on multiple tasks, but keep in mind that some things may have changed since this report card was issued. Take your time to learn about proper research practices and learn as much as possible about all your options before investing in the software. Your genealogy program is indeed an investment, which can make research much easier or more difficult. You've got the right idea about doing some "homework" to make your money count for the most. You can get lots of information about good standards of research practice through http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/comstandards.htm http://www.cyndislist.com/ and http://www.rootsweb.com/ The Gen-Newbie-L@rootsweb.com has some excellent starting education, as well as many experienced researchers who help people with many topics to get them on the right track and stay there, both related to research and computer use. A very comprehensive book to have around is "A Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy" by Val D. Greenwood. Your mom may already have a copy of it in her belongings, or you may even find it still available to read or download for free online, or you may find it at the local library. (I was surprised when my son found the latest edition somewhere online for me, but I have no idea where.) Fortunately, the increasing popularity of genealogy has been making the field more and more competitive, both for prices and features of genealogy software. As you learn a little about doing the research properly, you should carefully examine for yourself as much factual information as possible about all the programs and the makers, as well as trying out all the free demos. Especially if money is tight, don't let your enthusiasm for getting the project moving influence you to make too hasty a decision. You'll have a much better pay-off if you are patient and do all of your "homework" first. It's worth it in the long run to go ahead and use each of the various free trial programs with different family lines for a while, so you get a real feel for them. It won't really take too long before you see that each program has it's own advantages and disadvantages and you'll be better able to make the right choice for your needs and preferences. For the precise reasons you state, I've always found that buying the best I can afford (of anything utilitarian) is usually the best way to go, so I don't soon find myself having to replace it or buy something extra anytime soon. This is why my first choice since 1997 or 98 has always been The Master Genealogist by Wholly Genes Software at http://www.whollygenes.com/ TMG was originally created for professional genealogists (as opposed to the popular market) and was for a long time far more comprehensive in it's capabilities than any of the other less-expensive, more commonly found programs. It used to cost quite a bit more than any other program, with good reason. I've been happy with mine all this time, and it hasn't needed so many patches and updates as the other programs. The best features of TMG for me have been (1) virtually unlimited capability and flexibility with comprehensive, easy to understand instructions (actually in a good-sized book) so you can successfully use as few or as many features as you like (you can "grow into it, in a manner of speaking"; (2) the best tech support (through mailing lists, the website, and very accessible free tech support) I've ever seen for any kind of software anywhere; and (3) you won't get constantly barraged by additional "needs" or offers to buy more stuff or updates. Wholly Genes has now separated out the book and certain other "extra" items that used to be automatically included in the TMG purchase but weren't absolutely necessary, thus making the basic program and the built-in instructions now closer in price to other software programs. You can then buy the other components as desired or needed. There are, of course, also lots of people who are quite happy with other programs; and there are some who even use different programs for different purposes. If you don't see a parade of recommendations this time around on this list, be sure to check the archives. Diane genmail@1st.net