I'm forwarding this email newsletter to the List for two reasons: 1) It contains an excellent review of the two online 1900 censuses from ancestroy.com and genealogy.com. The review gives you a good comparison so you know what to expect before you "buy." Note that Heritage Quest is indexing the 1910 census, but starting with CT and NY. Hopefully, they'll get around to WI someday. 2) There's an article about the "Russians to America" CD. My understanding is that the index includes everyone who was noted as having come from Russia, which would include not onlyRussians, but also Poles, Lithuanians, Ukrainians, Belarussians, etc., who were part of the Russian Empire. The index apparently goes up to 1895, so it overlaps a bit with the Ellis Island index, and of course covers the other ports as well. The index was done under Ira Glazier, so presumably it would work very much like the Germans to America Index. Mary Popovich -----Original Message----- From: info@avotaynu.com <info@avotaynu.com> To: Nu? What's New <nuwhatsnew@burst.sparklist.com> Date: Sunday, July 22, 2001 4:24 PM Subject: Nu? What's New? Vol. 2, No. 15 >*********************************************************** > Nu? What's New? > News About Jewish Genealogy > from Avotaynu > Vol. 2, No. 15 - July 22, 2001 > Gary Mokotoff, Editor >************************************************************ > >U.S. censuses are the highlight of this edition of "Nu? What's >New?" The complete 1900 census is on the Internet--both images and >index. Now available on CD-ROM is an index to the 1910 census for >Connecticut with plans to make New York City and New York State >available shortly. > >Indexed 1900 Census Now Available Online from Genealogy.Com >=========================================================== >The first online 20th-century U.S. census--images and index--the >1900 census--is now available at Genealogy.com. Every evidence is >that it is a well-thought-out system. > >The index does not include all persons, just heads of households >and members of the household whose surnames differ from the head of >household. These are typically in-laws, boarders or servants. The >index is organized by state; you search one state at a time. There >are a number of search options--exact name (given and last name), >last name only, or browse the index. When specifying a given name, >there is a valuable feature that is an attempt to show all persons >who have variants of the given name. For example, requesting all >persons named Abraham Goldstein displays persons named Abe >Goldstein as well. A search for David Goldsteins also displayed >persons named Dave Goldstein, yet a search for Jacob Goldstein did >not show persons named Jack. There is no wildcard option. > >It is possible to browse the index. Keying a surname (or partial >surname) brings you to the place in the index where the surname >starts, and then it is possible to browse forward or backward in >the index. This is a very valuable feature when the exact spelling >of a given name is not known (Abram, Abe, Abraham). For example, >browsing for the surname Goldstein brings you to the first person >in the census named Goldstein. It is then possible to browse >forward examining all persons named Goldstein in the index. >Browsing backwards uncovered the surnames Goldsteim, Goldstei, >Goldsteen, and Goldstean. The browse feature is also a useful tool >for valid spelling variants of a surname. For example, Tartasky, >Tartatsky, Tartacki and Tartazky are all variants of the same >surname. Browsing with a search argument of Tarta displays the >index starting at all persons whose name starts with "Tarta". > >Clicking on an index item brings up the image of the page on which >the name appears. Images are very crisp and large (242K), and can >be saved. Important note: Typically U.S. census sheets are two >physical pages, the first with numbered lines 1-50, the second >number 51-100. A not-so-conspicuous note at the top and bottom of >each page view states "Important: If your ancestor is not on the >image below, try viewing the Next Image. Some census pages are on >multiple images." > >Response time was excellent. > >No system is perfect. There are some considerations in using the >system. There is no soundex search option. This is ameliorated >somewhat by the browse feature. Being only a partial index has some >disadvantages. If two boarders (perhaps siblings) have the same >surname, the index only includes the first person. If a recently >arrived immigrant was a boarder with a relative with the same >surname (a brother, for example), the immigrant would not be in the >index. These two examples can be real cases to researchers who may >not have known the circumstance of their ancestor's living >arrangements in 1900. The fact is there were 75 million people >enumerated in the 1900 census, and a complete index would have at >least quadrupled the effort and could not be economically >justified. > >The method of scanning the records is a subject of controversy. >Genealogy.com provides images with only two "colors": black and >white. Advantage: faint images are enhanced. Ancestry.com uses a >gray scale technique. Faint images remain faint but readable, and >darkened areas retain their underlying images. In comparing two >identical census pages at the Genealogy.com and Ancestry.com sites, >the gray-scale technique is preferable. For example, on one page, >information was crossed out and overwritten. The Genealogy.com >image was undecipherable; the Ancestry.com image was readable. > >The 1900 census is valuable to Jewish genealogists because it >includes the year an immigrant ancestor arrived in the U.S. and the >person's naturalization status. The 1900 census database is a fee- >based service. The cost is $14.99 per month or $79.99 for annual >service. The census is located at >http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/1900census.html. > > >Index to the 1910 Census for >New York City, New York State, Connecticut >========================================== >Heritage Quest has indexed the 1910 census for Connecticut and is >in the process of completing the indexing of New York City and New >York State. The indexes are available on three separate CDs. The >U.S. government indexed only selected states of this census; New >York and Connecticut were not included. Many ancestors of Jewish >Americans came to the U.S. during the period 1900-1910, and >researchers typically do not know where these immigrants lived >during this time. Even if the street address is known, the census >was organized by a unique Enumeration District coding, and there >are a limited number of finding aids to convert street addresses >into Enumeration Districts. > >Data for each person in the index includes surname, given name, >age, sex, race and birthplace (usually country or state only). Also >included in order to identify where the person lives is county, >locality, roll number, part and page number. A valuable feature is >that any data field can be used by the search engine. The search >engine has many search features--too many to enumerate here--but >does have exact match, include and exclude facilities. Multiple >search parameters in an "and" relationship are allowed. > >The Connecticut CD costs $29.95 and is now available through >Avotaynu at http://www.avotaynu.com/cds.htm. The New York State CD >has a planned cost of $49.95, and the New York City CD will cost >$59.95. They will be available within the next few months. Watch >future editions of "Nu? What's New?" for the availability of the >New York CDs. > > >New Beginners Guide to Jewish Genealogy: >"Discovering Your Jewish Ancestors" >======================================= >Heritage Quest has published a new beginners guide to Jewish >genealogy titled "Discovering Your Jewish Ancestors" by Barbara >Krasner-Khait. > >The 300-page book is rich with illustrations and examples taken >from the author's personal experience. It starts with an overview >of Jewish history and other background factors that are required to >understand how to do Jewish genealogical research. This is followed >by chapters on how to find records of ones ancestors. Special >topics such as rabbinic and Sephardic genealogy, colonial research, >and the Holocaust are covered. Getting help through organized >Jewish genealogy and the Internet are described in depth. The book >has numerous Internet addresses reflecting the trend toward using >the Internet for genealogical research. It includes an extensive >topical bibliography. The book will be reviewed in a future edition >of AVOTAYNU. > >Cost for the softcover version is $24.95. Avotaynu offers it at >http://www.avotaynu.com/books/Krasner-Khait.htm. The site also >shows the complete Table of Contents. A hardcover version at $49.95 >is available at the Heritage Quest site: >http://www.heritagequest.com. > > >"Russians to America" CD Has Flaw >================================= >Avotaynu has discovered a significant flaw in the "Russian to >America" CD. It will not hinder its value if you are aware of the >problem. For a large batch of records, if the surname (last name) >is at least nine characters in length, only the first eight >characters appear in the database. For example, Goldstein appears >as Goldstei, Goldschmidt appears as Goldschm. The problem is masked >by the fact that there are records in the database where the full >name is presented. If you are searching for a person whose surname >is nine characters or greater, perform a second search on just the >first eight characters. It is a good research technique anyway to >browse records above and below the area where you expect to find >information to account for random errors. The CD is an index to >about 430,000 immigrants to America who came from Russia in the >period 1855-1895. Additional information about the contents of the >CD can be found at http://www.avotaynu.com/cds.htm. > > >"From Generation to Generation" Back in Print >=========================================== >Arthur Kurzweil's landmark beginner's guide to Jewish genealogy. >"From Generation to Generation" is back in print and sporting a new >cover. Cost of the hardcover version is $25.00. Sadly, it is a >reprint of the 1994 book rather than an update. Consequently, >factual information such as the list of Jewish Genealogical >Societies is as of 1994 with incorrect mailing addresses. Avotaynu >is listed at its address in Teaneck, New Jersey, where we have not >been located for the past six years. But the appeal of Kurzweil's >writing style remains. You can order the book at >http://www.avotaynu.com/catalog.htm. > > >Summer Issue of AVOTAYNU >======================== >The Summer issue of AVOTAYNU will be mailed later this week. It is >rich with articles by experts in their respective fields. Topics >include unexpected genealogical resources at the Central Archives >for the History of the Jewish People by Hadassah Assouline, >archivist of CAHJP; an update on Jewish emigration through Hamburg >by Juergen Sielemann of the Hamburg City Archives; a report on the >trend toward creating a common database of Holocaust victims by >Peter Lande; Mexican-U.S. border crossings by Claire Prechtel- >Kluskens of the U.S. National Archives; the Central and East >European map collection of the U.S. Library of Congress by Stephen >Paczolt, of the Geography and Map Division of the LOC; and history >of the Jews of Transylvania by Romanian history professor and >AVOTAYNU Contributing Editor, Ladislau Gyemant. > >Among the other topics are strategies for using the Ellis Island >database by Gary Mokotoff; and new resources in Israel found by >AVOTAYNU editor, Sallyann Sack, on her annual trek to Israel. > >You can subscribe to AVOTAYNU at >http://www.avotaynu.com/journal.htm. > > >Reminder: Jewish Genealogical Research Trip to Salt Lake City >============================================================= >If you failed to have your genealogical "fix" for the year because >you did not attend the very successful International Conference on >Jewish Genealogy held recently in London, consider spending a week >doing research in Salt Lake City in October. Every year, veteran >professional genealogist Eileen Polakoff and myself take a group of >Jewish genealogists to Salt Lake City. This year's dates are >October 25 - November 1. Experience levels range from absolute >beginners to advanced researchers all of whom take advantage of >Eileen and my expertise in record searching and the 2.4 million >microfilm reels of records at the Family History Library. >Additional information can be found at >http://www.avotaynu.com/slctrip.htm. > > >Avotaynu Book Offerings Has New Look >===================================== >We all suffer the frustration of trying to use the Internet to >order merchandise by going to the seller's Home Page and not >finding how to locate the goods you want. Avotaynu now sells more >than 60 books of interest to persons researching their Jewish >family history, and I have struggled for a long time as to how to >present these books. About a year ago, I happened on an Internet >site in Romania that presents numerous books in a readable fashion >that does not take an enormous amount of download time. I finally >have implemented the design, and now you can see all books we sell >at a new site: http://www.avotaynu.com/allbooks.htm. > > >Peter Lande -- Consummate Volunteer -- The Sequel >================================================ >No, I did not have advanced information, but by a remarkable >coincidence, just four days after the last edition of "Nu, What's >New?" in which I lauded the volunteer efforts of Peter Lande, he >was given the "Lifetime Achievement Award" of the International >Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies at the annual >Conference on Jewish Genealogy held in London from July 8-13. > > >Miscellany >========== >It has been reported by Family Tree Magazine that Senator Orrin >Hatch (of Utah, of course) has introduced a resolution in the U.S. >Senate to make October Family History Month. Information can be >found at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/famhistmonth.asp. > >For those interested in the impact of DNA testing on genealogy, >Dick Eastman's column at Ancestry.com has a number of articles. His >weekly column appears at >http://www.ancestry.com/library/view/columns/eastman/eastman.asp. > >************************************************************ >To be added or removed from this mailing list, go on >the Internet to http://www.avotaynu.com/nuwhatsnew.htm > >Back issues are available at http://www.avotaynu.com/nu.htm. > >To subscribe to AVOTAYNU, The International Review of Jewish >Genealogy, go to http://www.avotaynu.com/journal.htm. > >To order books from our catalog, go to >http://www.avotaynu.com/catalog.htm > >Copyright 2001, Avotaynu, Inc. All rights reserved > >Send requests to reproduce portions of "Nu? What's New?" to >info@avotaynu.com >************************************************************ > >--- >You are currently subscribed to nuwhatsnew as: busia@mindspring.com >To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-nuwhatsnew-59867B@burst.sparklist.com