You might find this of interest. Dave icq#4202467 -----Original Message----- From: Gary Wiles <wilesgm@erols.com> To: RootsWeb-Help-L@rootsweb.com <RootsWeb-Help-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Saturday, February 06, 1999 1:05 PM Subject: Ellis Islan Immigration >Something new online. > >>Patricia Domingo wrote: >> >>> > ARCHIVE PUTS HUDDLED MASSES ON-LINE - Volunteers scanning Ellis Island >>> > Records. (SF Examiner 2/2/99) >>> > >>> > Climbing the family tree will take a lot less clawing as soon as a >>> nonprofit >>> > foundation finishes a more than $15 million project to post Ellis >Island >>> > immigration records on the internet. >>> > By helping people to access information instantly that previously was >>> buried >>> > in a bureaucratic quagmire, the project will revolutionize >genealogicial >>> > research for many of the more than 113 million Americans who already >>> actively >>> > pursue their family histories. >>> > Officials at the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation in NY, >the >>> same >>> > organization that gave Lady Liberty a face lift in 1986 without any >>> public >>> > funding, estimate that more than 40% of Americans can trace their >>> European >>> > ancestry back to Ellis Island. >>> > "This is going to be a reference point", said Vern Deubler, Pres. of >>> the >>> > Calif. Genealogical Society, which was based in San Francisco for a >>> century >>> > before moving to Oakland this year. "It's going to provide people with >>> very >>> > important leads". >>> > By the end of next year, the foundation hopes, people will be able >to >>> enter >>> > any information they know about a progenitor and the program will >search >>> more >>> > than 20 million records for a match. The software will even be able to >>> > tolerate misspellings. >>> > If a match is found, the researcher can choose to print out a photo >of >>> the >>> > ship and a copy of the original manifesto that marked the immigrant's >>> arrival. >>> > At Fisherman's Wharf on Monday, Stephen Briganti, Chairman of the >>> > foundation, said the new database would especially help Bay Area >>> researchers. >>> > He said the Bay Area remains one of the major hubs for Eliis Island >>> > immigrants and their descendants. Tens of thousands of immigrants came >>> here >>> > after arriving through the port, first to fuel the Industrial >revolution >>> and >>> > later to farm wine grapes. He said first generation travelers from the >>> main >>> > Ellis Island years - 1892 to 1924 - still live in the area. >>> > Briganti added that Californians' interest in Ellis Island >immigration >>> > research, based on requests for the foundation's resources, is >>> outstripped >>> > only by New yorkers'. >>> > The database - which organizers say could be ready by the end of >2000 >>> - >>> > will catalog records of almost 20 million immigrants who flooded the >tiny >>> NY >>> > Harbor island. Until now, those documents have been stored at the >>> National >>> > Archives and Immigration and Naturalization Service in the clunky >>> microfilm >>> > format. >>> > The first phase of the project was to collect and digitize records >and >>> > install computers at the museum. >>> > Now, Briganti said, putting the information on the Internet has >become >>> a top >>> > goal as well. >>> > "We're pretty confident this is going to work," Briganti said. "It's >>> not >>> > perfect, but it's light years ahead of going to the Archives." >>> > A demonstration of the system showed that a reseacher can enter >>> information >>> > in any or all of 11 fields, which ask for personal information such as >>> the >>> > subject's name and country of birth, and immigration, like the >subject's >>> port >>> > of entry. >>> > Foundation spokeswoman Peg Zitko said the project got off the ground >>> when a >>> > nationwide network of Mormon volunteers agreed to digitize the >microfilm >>> > information for free. Thousands of volunteers have logged more than 2 >>> million >>> > hours; they've entered 3/5's of the data so far. >>> > A spokesman for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in >Salt >>> Lake >>> > City said the project was important to the church's mission. "We've >>> always >>> > been involved in genealogy," said Dan Rascon, "because linking to our >>> family >>> > helps us understand who we are and what we may become." >>> > Information on the project may be found at www.ellisisland.org on >the >>> > internet. >>> > >>> > (And I just want you all to know that I typed this, not scanned, so I >>> hope I >>> > get some appreciation out there!!!!!!!! Best, and good night! Terry >in >>> > Calif.) PS, Please feel free to pass this along to other genealogy >>> lists. >>> > >>> >>> ==== RABURN Mailing List ==== >>> For questions or comments regarding the RABURN List, please write to >>> Patricia Domingo: patsygal@napanet.net >>> >>> REMEMBER--NO FLAMES AND NO ATTACHMENTS SENT TO THE LIST!! >> > >______________________________