The Genealogy Guys celebrate their 250th episode!

They discuss a wide variety of subjects, including:

• George's organizing projects to date this year
• The Guys' forthcoming book, Advanced Genealogy Research Techniques, to be published in September 2013. The book is available for pre-order at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. 
• Upcoming conferences at which The Guys will be speaking this year.
• Drew is providing research assistance on a project concerning the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys.
• Drew is working on the Boddie/Bodie surname with the Guild of One-Name-Studies.
• He also discusses FHISO, the Family History Information Standards Organisation. 

The Guys enthusiastically thank their sponsors and the thousands of listeners around the globe for their dedication and support over all the episodes.

The news includes:

• The Family History Library's Saturday hours will change on April 13, 2013, to 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• FamilySearch announces the additions of new collections, including the addition of indexing projects in process or completed.
• Findmypast.com has released 2.5 million UK criminal records covering the period 1770 to 1934.
• Ancestry.com announces that, for a limited time, users can buy Family Tree Maker 2012 and receive Photo Explosion Album, a photo editing software package for free.
• An international genealogy conference in the UK, Exodus: Movement of the People- The story of migration to, from, and within the British Isles - will be held September 6-8, 2013, at the Hinckley Island Hotel in Hinckley, Leistershire, UK. For more information, visit http://www.exodus2013.co.uk.

George provides reviews of some excellent materials:

• How to Archive Family Keepsakes by Denise May Levenick
• The Heirloom Registry, by Houstory Publishing (See more details at http://www.heirloomregistry.com.)
• A Week of Genealogy: Things to Know and Do Online and Offline by Dr. Margaret M. McMahon, Ph.D.
• Out-of-Style by Betty Kreisel Shubert

Listener email includes:

• Stan provides an excellent website called FileRight for Genealogy and Military Records, which includes many great military and naturalization links, at http://www.fileright.com/naturalization-family-roots-military-records.html.
• Beverly wanted to know why she can't locate 1820 U.S. federal census records for Montgomery County, NC.
• Tom asks about the future of DNA testing.

Drew talks about the resources he is using in two research projects in which he is participating.

Drew, an official RootsTech 2013 blogger, reminds listeners that Early Bird Registration for RootsTech 2013 ends on February 15th. Drew invites our listeners to email us at genealogyguys@gmail.com with suggestions for interviews while he's at RootsTech 2013.

Other news includes:

• RootsMagic announces a free viewer app for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.
• BillionGraves has been acquired by Otter Creek Holdings.
• Findmypast.com adds 21 million new Irish birth, marriage, and death records.
• The "Find My Past" TV show from the UK, seasons 1 and 2, is available for viewing online at http://www.findmypast.com/articles/find-my-past-tv/series-two.
• Ancestry.com has updated the 1850 and 1940 U.S. federal censuses online.
• The Federation of Genealogical Societies has launched a new blog for the War of 1812 fundraising at http://www.preservethepensions.org/blog/.
• MyHeritage has launched a special campaign offering deep discounts on DNA tests through Family Tree DNA. They also have released a new version of the free MyHeritage app that allows you to "edit on the go."
• The Suzanne Winsor Freeman Grant Committee has announced that applications are being accepted for the 2013 student grant. Contact Denise Levenick at swfgrant@gmail.com for more information.
• Saving Memories Forever announces the first community outreach by starting a fundraising campaign on February 11, 2013, on behalf of the American Widows Project.
• OCLC and FamilySearch have announced a combination of resources. FamilySearch's catalog will be incorporated into OCLC's WorldCat and WorldCat will be linked into the FamilySearch catalog.
• Drew discusses the FamilySearch announcements of new records added to their site.
• Family Chartmasters has announced announced a new book, Zap the Grandma Gap: Connect with Your Family by Connecting Them to Their Family History. The book is available at https://zapthegrandmagap.com.
• Drew suggests using Blogtrottr to notify you when there's a new episode of the podcast. Add the RSS address and an email will be sent to your mailbox.

Listener email includes:

• George provides more information about locating Boer War records to Jane, a follow-up to the discussion on episode #246.
• Michelle asks for advice about obtaining Railroad Retirement Board records.
• Rich identified an interesting site, WhatWasThere at http://www.whatwasthere.com.
• Ann recommends Google Picasa for organizing digital photographs.
• John makes multiple copies of the same digital photo and stores a copy with each person's record.
• George has bought a new CanoScan scanner and is busy digitizing all his documents and photographs.

The news includes:

• The Federation of Genealogical Societies announced the creation of a new society to promote the preservation of records in the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). The Society of Preservation Patriots recognizes donors of $250 or more to the Rabbi Malcolm Stern-NARA Gift Fund of the Preserve the Pensions initiative.
• The Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) announced its new blog, SpringBoard: News and Notes.
• The Newberry Library's Dr. William M. Scholl Center for American History and Culture announced the release of a new historical web resource, the Chicago Foreign Language Press Survey, a collection of translations of approximately 50,000 newspaper articles from the 1860s to the 1930s from 22 ethnic newspapers.
• MyHeritage has released a new version of the MyHeritage app (v2.0) that lets users "edit on the go."
• The Blog Book Tour brings new books and authors directly to users' computers January 10-26, 2013.
• WikiTree announced free comparisons of GEDCOM files.
• Mahlon discusses Oklahoma death records available at http://oklahomadeathindex.blogspot.com.
• FamilySearch announced the addition of 7 million new records on January 15, 2013.

Listener email includes:

• Jane asks for pointers to record resources for the Boer Wars in South Africa
• Lori asks about problems obtaining SS-5 forms from the U.S. Social Security Administration.
• Carole describes her frustration at trying to obtain SS-5s.
• Shawn asked about the military pension records discussed in the December podcast at fold3.com.
• Ashley talks about her Slovak family.
• Anne purchased a Fujitsu ScanSnap S1100 and is very pleased with it. (Learn more at http://scanners.fcpa.fujitsu.com/scansnap11/s1100.html.) She also discusses how she solved a handwriting interpretation problem.
• Virginia asks for guidance for how to enter a family scandal into her genealogy database.
• Jonathan is seeking a genealogical researcher for his Scottish Cameron emigrant ancestor. (Visit the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) website, the ICAPGen website, the Association of Professional Genealogists website, and the Federation of Family History Societies (FFHS) website.
• Kelly asks about naming conventions for digital photos.

The news includes:

• Ancestry.com's sale to Permira Advisors, LLP, was concluded on December 31, 2012.
• Findmypast.com announced the release of of significant records from 1790 to present for the U.S., the UK, Ireland, and Australia.
• Findmypast.com announced release of records concerning "The Green Redcoats" and more.
• RootsTech has announced the addition for its 2013 conference of Story@Home with a full selection of classes and workshops.
• The Israel Genealogy Research Association (IGRC) has announced that it has released a new search engine for their AID (All Israel Database). While each database is presented in the language of the material found, the search engine can understand both Hebrew and English, thereby making the search more effective than ever.
• The North Carolina Genealogical Society announces its first full webinar, Tarheels in the Family Tree, presented by Helen F. M. Leary, CG Emeritus, FASG, FNGS, to be released on the NCGS website. It is free to all from 18 to 20 January 2013. It will be available after that to NCGS members for free.
• The North Carolina Genealogical Society and the Caswell County Historical Society are hosting an all-day seminar on 6 April 2013 in Yanceyville, NC, with speaker George G. Morgan.
• FamilySearch.org continues to add millions of digitized records.

The listener email includes:

• Carolyn provides a number of suggestions to Evan in South Africa for his search as described in our 26 September 2012 episode.
• Timothy asks if there are any widespread problems or gaps within the 1940 census. He is having difficulty finding his grandfather, Eugene Langford Padgett (b. 1894). He also asks for suggestions concerning source citations for vital records materials found in his family's possession.
• Matthew shared information about a new application under development called "Storied" at kickstarter.com.
• Tom discusses errors that result and are perpetuated from people accepting without question information on online family trees. He urges the use of "critical thought and evaluation" before accepting such information as definitive.

The news includes:

• FamilySearch.org has contributed $250,000 to the Federation of Genealogical Societies' War of 1812 Pensions Digitization Project.
• RootsMagic has just released Version 6 of its family tree software program. A new video is available at their site, and the software is on sale through December 20, 2012.
• MyHeritage.com has announced its purchase of Geni.com.
• Origins.net announced 169,100 burial indexes (1560-1909) and 140,000 baptism indexes (1538-1882) covering Middlesex and London.
• Ancestry.com has announced the launch of its new newspaper site, Newspapers.com.
• The University of Indianapolis is teaming up with Ancestry.com to encourage students to explore and reflect on their family history.
• Ancestry.com has announced the launch of two new collections at their website: U.S. Headstone Applications, 1825-1963 and U.S. Burial Registers, Military Posts and National Cemeteries, 1862-1960.
• Ancestry.com has announced a new Community Support site at its website.
• WikiTree announces "Cousin Bait" Toolkits.
• FamilySearch.org continues its digitization and indexing projects. Learn more on the podcast.
• The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) has announced their election results.
• The New England Historic Genealogical Society has announced that their organization has won the 2012 Society for the Study of American Women Writers (SSAWW) "Edition Award" for its book Reminiscences and Traditions of Boston by Helen Mather Crocker, edited by Eileen Hunt Botting and Sarah L. Houser.

George reviews three new publications:

• Family History Library Research (At a Glance sheet) by Carolyn L. Barkley
• Birth, Marriage & Death Records: A Guide for Family Historians by David Annal and Audrey Collins
• Marriage Law for Genealogists: The Definitive Guide by Rebecca Probert

Drew mentions his upcoming appearance at the FGS-sponsored lunch at RootsTech 2013, and discusses a new Google+ facility called Communities.

Listener email includes:

• Jonelle responds concerning her poor experiences with obtaining records assistance from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
• David updates us on the passage of legislation in Northern Ireland to bring access to its BMD registers in line with the practice in Scotland.

The news includes:

• Ancestry.com agrees to a $1.6 billion buyout by Permira Advisors LLP.
• The governor and secretary of state of Georgia have announced that funding for the Georgia State Archives has been reinstated for the remainder of this fiscal year.
• FamilySearch continues to digitize and index millions of records and The Guys give an update.
• FamilySearch has been recognized for its "continued dedication and support" of African-American family history at the 2nd International Black Genealogy Summit held in Salt Lake City on October 18-20, 2012.
• WikiTree has announced the release of "MatchBot", a new automated matching tool.
• Origins.net has announced the addition of the first 25 of 176 Irish directories to its service.
• The Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) has announced its new Board of Trustees, and additions of a one-hour video about certification and testimonials to its website.

Listener email includes:

• Mac tells us that he was able to obtain records from the U.S. Veterans Administration's Freedom of Information Office for an ancestor who was a Spanish-American War veteran. They conducted a BIRLS (Beneficiary Information and Records Locator Search).
• Doug discusses Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness (RAOGK).
• Sharon tells us that the search for Ellen Chance (discussed on a previous episode) should have included both Ancestry.com and findmypast for both passenger lists and departure records.
• Brad asks for advice about his large genealogy publishing project.
• Jane shares information about Merchant Marine records, and particularly about a list published by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Steamboat Inspection Service.
• Dennis discusses Reunion 9 and MacFamilyTree.
• Helen asks about possible resources for tracing an ancestor who may have been slain by Native Americans in Iowa in 1858.

The news includes:

• FamilySearch.org has completed many states in the 1940 U.S. Federal Census and other projects including South American, U.K., Scotland, Slovakian, Philippines, and Swedish records.
• The Federation of Genealogical Societies announced that a generous donation of $135,000 has been received from the estate of the late Jon Stedman and is designated for the Preserve the Pensions – War of 1812 Pension Digitization Fund.
• The Illinois State Genealogical Society has announced a War of 1812 Pension Fund Challenge in the amount of $10,000.
• RootsMagic has announced the release of two new CDs of RootsMagic webinars, Volumes 3 and 4. The webinars are still available to view online or download, but there have been many requests to bundle the webinars into CDs.
• The Michigan Department of Education and the Department of Natural Resources have agreed to move selected materials of the Family History Collections at the Library of Michigan to the reading room of the Archives of Michigan.
• The 2012 winners of the Suzanne Winsor Freeman Student Grant were announced at the Southern California Genealogical Society Genealogy Jamboree in Burbank. The winners are Elyse Doerflinger and A.C. Ivory. Each received a check for $500. Congratulations!
• MyHeritage.com has announced that the milestone of 1 billion profiles has been reached. In addition, the company announced its new SuperSearch facility.
• The Guild of One-Name Studies announced the publication of a new book, Seven Pillars of Wisdom: The Art of One-Name Studies.
• Ancestry.com has recently added 7 more states’ indexes for the 1940 U.S. Federal Census at its site: CO, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT.
• The Federation of Genealogical Societies announced the appointment of Patricia W. Rand as its treasurer.
• The Florida Genealogical Society (Tampa) has awarded its 2011 Volunteer of the Year Award to George G. Morgan.

Listener email includes:

• Pat suggested additional meanings for the term “NG” that appears in some fields on census records.
• Henry shared several ways to perform and improve free searches on the Internet.
• Neil asks The Guys about the ethics of how to handle potentially damaging information discovered during one’s research.
• Phil reports back on advice The Guys gave him about contacting the Special Collections area of the library at Kent State University. He did so and was able to obtain 105 pages of copied materials from the 19th century for his family. He also contacted a presidential library and obtained some copies of extracted materials!
• Bill has been researching an ancestor, John Greenough. However, in his email, he also discussed the importance of using FamilySearch.org and becoming familiar with the ways that can be used to effectively search their millions of records.
• Richard marked a milestone in his listening to The Guys’ podcast episodes.
• Kyle McWhirter has been working on a tool that provides statistics for surnames in the U.S. It is a Surname/Family Name Popularity Index, and it can be accessed at http://family-names.findthedata.org.
• Richard asked The Guys several important questions about completing a family history started by a distant cousin for the Dimmitt family.
• Mike wrote to discuss “term graves” and his experiences with a Chicago cemetery. The Guys ask for comments and suggestions from our listeners.
• J.T. asks questions about autosomal DNA testing and database sizes.
• Janet wrote with questions about her husband’s ancestors (Mansfield) who moved from Virginia to Kentucky. She is trying to determine the correct Samuel Mansfield.

The news includes:

• The Guys will be at the Southern California Genealogical Society’s Jamboree on June 8-10, 2012.
• RootsMagic announces new webinars and additions to its catalog of recorded webinars.
• FamilySearch announces the addition of millions of new records on its site and the completion of almost half of the 1940 U.S. federal census.
• The Federation of Genealogical Societies announced that its Malcolm H. Stern-NARA Gift Fund has participated with NARA recently in digitizing and making available the records of the Sultana Disaster at the Fold3.com website.
• Ancestry.com announced that it has added its 10 billionth record to its site.
• Ancestry.com announced its AncestryDNA^TM service.

Listener email includes:

• Michael asks about the notation on the 1880 U.S. federal census of “NG” under the birthplaces of an ancestor’s parents.
• Chris sent a link to a fascinating article about using DNA to determine the origin of the Melungeons.(http://news.yahoo.com/dna-study-seeks-origin-appalachias-melungeons-201144041.html) Rich also sent another link on the same subject right after the podcast was recorded. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/24/melungeon-dna-study-origin_n_1544489.html?ref=fb&ir=Black+Voices&src=sp&comm_ref=false#s=1022230)
• Laurie asked about the available DNA tests, and Drew weighs in based on his experience.
• Walter asks whether there is a DNA test available to determine whether his mother and a good friend, who looks like his mother’s twin, are related.
• Susanne asks about genealogy sites that are free.
• Bob talks about the work he and his wife are doing as arbiters for the 1940 indexing project.
• Tom asks when we think an index to the 1940 census will be available, and comments about the indexes not being made available until an entire state is indexed.
• Amy shares information about Titanicat by Marty Crisp.
• Linda writes about resources for the descendants of the Armenian Genocide. She tells us that University of Michigan Professor Fatma Muge Gocek has done extensive research on this issue with other area specialists (one is also here at U Michigan – Ronald Suny in Political Science). If the person who asked the question in an earlier podcast is still trying to find resources that might help her find information on her ancestors, she might send an e-mail to either Professor Gocek (Gocek@umich.edu) or Professor Suny (rgsuny@umich.edu) to see if they know where information on where people were moved or killed and records that might be useful. Gocek, Suny, and another scholar, Norman Naimark at Stanford, co-wrote a book, A Question of Genocide: Armenians and Turks at the End of the Ottoman Empire (http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/HistoryWorld/MiddleEastern/?view=usa&ci=9780195393743) about the genocide. The Guys both recommend checking the University of South Florida’s Holocaust & Genocide Studies Center site at http://lib.usf.edu/hgsc.
• Ann has a question about her husband’s paternal grandfather who was born in international waters while his mother was emigrating from Wales to the United States. In another email, she reports on remarkable files uncovered in the possession of a library.
• Jo wrote to provide some clues and resources to Moshe who is researching a Jewish man named Markowsky.

The news includes the following items:

• Ancestry.com has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Archives.com.
• FamilySearch.org uploaded 14 million new records for 19 countries, and the 1940 U.S. federal census indexing project is in full swing.
• The Southern Genealogist’s Exchange Society in Jacksonville, Florida, is hosting a virtual tea party on Mother’s Day (U.S.) on 13 May 2012 as a fundraiser and as a way to honor female ancestors.
• Drew reviews the book Family Matters by Michael Sharpe.

Listener email includes:

• Jason asks about a program that keeps track of digital source materials and about cloud computing.
• Doug reports that volunteers for the FamilySearch U.S. federal census indexing project can only specify the state for which they would like to index.
• Paul provided us with a fascinating story about two children who survived the Titanic sinking from a newspaper clipping in his great-grandmother’s scrapbook. He provides a link at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Marcel_Navratil for more information. He also shared information about dogs on the Titanic and offers another link at http://www.mnn.com/family/pets/blogs/remembering-the-dogs-of-the-titanic to learn more - including a story of a mother cat and kittens.
• Eric wrote to discuss copyright and fair use, and discusses a research problem involving a colleague.
• Beth Cook of Best Public Relations wrote to share information that Dracula was Irish and not Transylvanian.
• Janet asks for advice about whether DNA testing might help her in her quest for her husband’s ancestor.
• Moshe sent document images and asks for suggestions about his search for a Jewish man, Irving Markowsky.

Drew shares his third and final set of interviews from RootsTech 2012.  This set features Janet Hovorka of Family ChartMasters and her three children; D. Joshua Taylor of brightsolid; Michael Leclerc of Mocavo; and Elissa Powell (noted genealogical educator and professional genealogist from Pennsylvania). 

Drew shares the second set of interviews that he conducted at RootsTech 2012.  This set includes FamilySearch Senior VP of Product Engineering David Burggraaf, Instructure CEO Josh Coates, FamilySearch Senior VP of Patron Services Don Anderson, and Google Software Engineer David Barney.

Drew shares the first set of interviews that he conducted at RootsTech 2012.  This set includes FamilySearch Chief Genealogical Officer David Rencher, author and speaker Lisa Alzo (an expert on Eastern European genealogical research), past FamilySearch CEO Jay Verkler, and new FamilySearch CEO Dennis Brimhall.

The news includes:

• Who Do You Thing You Are? debuts for its third season on NBC on Friday, February 2, 2012.
• Fold3 announced that it is providing free access to all of its Black History Collection records throughout the month of February in celebration of Black History Month.
• brightsolid is one of the major sponsors for RootsTech 2012 in Salt Lake City this week.
• brightsolid has announced that they have recruited renowned genealogist D. Joshua Taylor as their business development manager and media spokesperson in the U.S.
• WikiTree has announced that they have closed new user registration. New members must now be invited by current WikiTree members.
• Ancestry.com, Behind the Name, and WeRelate have announced a new approach for searching for variant names. Learn more at http://www.werelate.org/wiki/WeRelate:Variant_names_project.
• Ancestry.com is partnering with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania to bring more than 300 years of Pennsylvania records online.
• George G. Morgan's new book, How to Do Everything Genealogy, 3^rd edition, has just been published by McGraw-Hill in softcover and in electronic format. George will soon announce how people can order a signed copy.
• Registration is now open for the Federation of Genealogical Society's 2012 Conference on August 29 to September 1, 2012, in Birmingham, Alabama.
• Registration is open for the Southern California Genealogical Society's Jamboree on June 8-10, 2012, in Burbank, California.
• DNA genotyping is being used to help answer the centuries-old mystery of the so-called "Lost Colony" of Roanoke Island on North Carolina's Outer Banks. Learn more at http://the-scientist.com/2012/01/01/lost-colony-dna/.

Listener email includes:

• Joel Weintraub tells The Guys about a collection of One-Step tools for working with the forthcoming 1940 U.S. Federal Census at Steve Morse's website.
• Patricia has a question about her great-grandfather, John A. Hamilton.
• Rob of New Port Richey, Florida, asks about access at the University of South Florida Tampa Library and at the Tampa-Hillsborough Public Library system to records outside of Florida.
• Margaret discusses how she shares family history information with relatives and others using her blog and Dropbox.
• Steve shares information with family members in a similar manner. He also talks about his experiences in transferring data between genealogy database programs, a topic that The Guys discussed in a previous episode.
• Avi asks questions concerning his family members who lived in the area of Troy, New York.
• Phil asks for help because he has discovered that his grandmother had four first names.

The Guys reviewed several new items:

• Family Roots Publishing has a new book by Ruby Coleman titled Genealogical Research in Nebraska. (Order at http://www.familyrootspublishing.com/store/product_view.php?id=1545.)
• Genealogical Publishing Companyhas released three new QuickSheet publications written by Elizabeth Shown Mills. They are:
  • The Historical Biographer's Guide to the Research Process
  • The Historical Biographer's Guide to Finding People in Databases & Indexes
  • The Historical Biographer's Guide to Cluster Research (the FAN Principle)

The news includes:

• FamilySearch ushers in 2012 by adding 119 million new records.
• The New England Historic Genealogical Society announces education programs at its Boston facility.
• The Association of Professional Genealogists has added back issues of the APG Quarterly for 2004-2011 available in the Members Only area of its website.
• Arphax Publishing Co. announces the launch of its historical maps website, HistoryGeo.com.
• GenSoftReviews announces the 2011 User Choice Awards.

Listener email includes:

• Many condolences have been received from around the world for the passing of Fletcher, our dilute calico cat who "spoke" on many podcasts over the years. She died on 8 December 2011 and is deeply missed.
• Carole advises us that the Doña Ana County Genealogical Society in Las Cruces, New Mexico, will be holding its first conference in April 2012. She also discusses the recurrent problem of the accuracy of documentation and the conflicting data that can result.
• Dave recently wrote about his research in St. Croix. Listeners may be interested in reading his blog at http://200inparadise.blogspot.com.
• Mac tells us that if you are going to order any New York certificates, you might also want to cross-reference the databases at italiangen.org.
• Rich asks a fascinating question about how to represent the correct country in his RootsMagic software for Canada at different historical periods.
• Wayne reports that he cannot download the podcast using the latest version of the Ubuntu operating system. The Guys ask other listeners about their experiences with this.
• Maria asks Hank Jones and The Guys about Palatines in Australia.
• Sébastien has had good results with the DNA genealogy study between Coombs and Comeau descendants. He recommends the site at en.comeaunet.org/dna/big-annoucement-regarding-antoine-comeau-2/ to our listeners who may have a Coombs ancestor.
• Joel Weintraub tells us that the discussion on a previous podcast about markings on ships' passenger lists/manifests could also have pointed people to the site at www.jewishgen.org/InfoFiles/Manifests/.
• Mark shared with us a publication by the St. Louis Post Dispatch that discusses the new National Personnel Records Center facility. The 12-page PDF document is an excellent overview of the NPRC, where many U.S. military service records are stored.
• Noi asks for a recommendation of a good website that compares genealogy database software programs. We recommend going to Wikipedia and searching for the phrase “Comparison of Genealogy Software” for some excellent comparisons.
• Susan asks about whether she should use Family Tree Maker 2012 or RootsMagic. This spurred a detailed discussion by The Guys about the GEDCOM standard and how data is exported from one program and imported to another. They talk about the fact that there will be a need to manually handle some data after the transfer.

The news includes:

• The Guys announce the death of their cat, Fletcher, on 8 December 2011. Fletcher was a vocal contributor to the Podcast over the years and received email and inquiries from the show's listeners. She is very much missed.
• Three leading genealogy organizations, Archives.com, FamilySearch International, and findmypast.com, have announced that they are joining forces to launch a project to index and make available the 1940 U.S. federal census images.
• MyHeritage unveiled an innovative mobile family tree app for iPad, iPhone, and Android.
• MyHeritage has also released the new Family Tree Builder 6.0
• FamilySearch added new records for the U.S., Canada, Estonia, Jamaica, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, and Sweden.
• A new effort called the Genealogists for Families Kiva Project that will make small loans to help those less fortunate.
• Ancestry.com has released two million North Carolina World War II Draft Cards at its site.
• Moorshead Magazines Ltd. is releasing on 1 January 2012 a new publication, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors. They are also carrying Maureen Taylor's newest book, Bonnets and Hats. Visit http://www.familychronicle.com/books.htm for more information.
• 1000Memories provides an excellent place on the Internet to organize, share, and discover the old photos and memories of your family and friends.

George discusses two exciting finds in his genealogy from this month.

Listener email includes:

• Peter asks for ideas about how to share his research with family members.
• Barb discusses how much she likes Family Tree Maker 2012's new sync facility. She also talks about Memeo Autosync (at http://www.memeo.com/autosync.php) and its ability to sync folders on different computers.
• Dave discusses his research on St. Croix and the different family perspective it gives.
• Maria discusses her problematic Northcote ancestor who emigrated from Exeter, Devon, England, to Australia.
• Connie has suggestions for Richard and his North Dakota research, including newspapers from across the state. Visit http://history.nd.gov/archives/whatnewspapers.html for many details.
• Eric wrote that Ancestry.com is requiring the purchase of a copy of Family Tree Maker 2012 to demonstrate the program to others.
• Judy asks for suggestions about how to lay out complicated intermarriage families so that they can be more easily conceptualized and understood.

The Genealogy Guys announce that there have been over 1,000,000 downloads of the podcast since it began on 5 September 2005!

Thanks to all our listeners!!!

The news includes:

• The British Library has announced the launch of the British Newspaper Archive website. It initially hosts more than 4 million pages from more than 200 British and Irish newspapers, primarily from the 18th and 19th centuries.
• RootsMagic has announced the official release of RootsMagic Version 5, the latest version of its award-winning software.
• The Guild of One-Name Studies has introduced flexible membership joining rates in six currencies.
• A new grassroots group called Saving Ours, concerned with preserving our archived materials, has launched a new website at SavingOurs.com.
• FamilySearch has added 18 million new records from 12 countries to its site, including 21 new U.S. collections.
• Ancestry.com has announced a newly upgraded app at the iTunes store.
• Ancestry.com has announced the release of Family Tree Maker software for the Macintosh.

The Guys review the following new print resources:

• Applications for Enrollment of Creek Newborn Act of 1905, Volume I, transcribed by Jeff Bowen. (Clearfield Publishing, 2011.)
• Seminole of Florida, Indian Census 1930-1940 With Birth and Death Records 1930-1938, transcribed by Jeff Bowen. (Clearfield Publishing, 2011.)
• The Guide to FamilySearch Online by James L. Tanner. (Bookmark Graphics, 2011.) Available at Amazon.com.
• English Genealogy Research by Paul Milner, a new QuickSheet publication from Genealogical Publishing Company.

The listener email includes:

• Richard is looking for clues to locating his grandmother's cousin Robert George Jones.
• Vickie is researching her great-great-grandfather, Francis Edward Johnson, a longtime brick wall.
• Susan describes how she copies PDF files between desktop, iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.
• Rich adds to the PDF discussion and uses O'Reilly's free Bookworm services at bookworm.oreilly.com.
• Maria is researching her great-great-grandfather after his arrival in Australia, circa 1866.
• Michael would like to contact Judy to help chart her family tree. [Judy: Please email us again]
• Laura asks if there is a new edition of Professional Genealogy being published.
• Patti is researching the marriage of her great-aunt, who served with the Women's Army Corps, in 1945 in Italy while still in service. She is seeking Italian civil registration records.
• Brad is seeking a professional researcher to help with work in Georgia and Tennessee. The Guys suggested directories at the websites of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the Board for Certification of Genealogists.
• Jason has questions about notations on ships' passenger lists and about the College of Arms and coats-of-arms.

The news includes:

• FamilySearch has announced a new CEO, Dennis C. Brimhall, who will succeed Jay L. Verkler on 2 January 2012.
• FamilySearch has added 2 million records to its U.S. collections.
• A new monthly podcast, the Polish Genealogy Podcast, has begun. You can learn more about the podcast at the FaceBook page at http://www.facebook.com/PolishGenealogyPodcast. The first episode can be downloaded from http://forums.ancestry-world.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1862.
• The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration has awarded Archives.com the hosting of the 1940 U.S. federal census images when they are released on 2 April 2012.
• MyHeritage has announced that it has acquired FamilyLink.com, Inc., owner of FamilyLink.com and WorldVitalRecords.com.
• Ancestry.com and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum have announced that material from four museum collections containing information on more than 30,000 victims of Nazi persecution is now available at Ancestry.com and available at no cost.
• Ancestry.com has added more than 50 million new U.S. birth, marriage, and death records to its U.S. Vital Records Collection.
• Pennsylvania's new vital records bill (SB-361) would set at 50 years when death records and 105 years when birth records become open to the public.
• Britain's Prince Charles has stated that his genealogy connects him to Vlad the Impaler, the 15th-century Romanian warlord.
• "Who Do You Think You Are?," the popular genealogy television series, resumes on Friday, 3 February 2012.

Listener email includes:

• Mac asks whether you need permission to publish screen shots taken at Internet websites.
• Christine asks for suggesions for places to search for information about servants and laborers in Minnesota in the first decade of the 20th century.
• Claire comments on using the iPad and popular genealogical software. She also discusses her participation in the Smith Surname Project.
• Don had a grandfather who would not talk about his past, and the things he once talked about he later denied. Don is looking for suggestions to help him get past his brick wall.
• Mary Ann reminds us that the Internet Archive (http://www.archive.org/) is another excellent place to search for digitized books online.
• Beth is using a program called Bento on her iPad to organize and show off her photographs.
• Judy asked for help in downloading a PDF book from her computer to her iPad and iPhone.

Drew discusses some of his recent research work.

The news includes:

• Footnote.com has rebranded and changed its name to Fold3.com.
• Ancestry.com has released the 1930 Mexico National Census.
• RootsMagic has released Personal Historian, Version 2.
• Ancestry.com has released Family Tree Maker 2012 with TreeSync.
• findmypast.ie has launched online Irish family history forums.
• Arphax Publishing goes online with online maps HistoryGeo.com.
• South Georgia newspapers are now available online at the Digital Library of Georgia.
• The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania will hold its Pennsylvania Family History Day in Exton, PA, on Saturday, November 5, 2011.
• Early Bird registration for RootsTech 2012 in Salt Lake City on February 2-4, 2012, is available until November 30, 2011.
• Ancestry.com has expanded its U.S. School Yearbook Collection.
• The Federation of Genealogical Societies has introduced a new app for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, available through iTunes.
• FamilySearch continues to release massive amounts of new content. Drew discusses some new materials, but be sure to check back at FamilySearch often.
• The 1940 U.S. Federal Census digital images will be available at the National Archives and Records Administration website on April 2, 2012. FamilySearch and Ancestry.com will both have the images at their sites for free. FamilySearch is actively recruiting volunteers to index the records. Ancestry.com, too, will be working to expedite indexing of these important records.

Listener email includes:

• Kevin asks about genealogy software for the Mac, iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.
• Judy asks how to transfer a PDF book to her iPad and iPhone.
• You may want to check out a new site, Storytree, at http://www.storytree.me as a place to capture your family stories.
• Another new site, RestingSpot.com, at http://restingspot.com, seeks to record cemeteries and resting spots and mark them with GPS coordinates in a huge database.
• Brad asks about the availability of grants for genealogical projects.
• Sue recommends a book by Judy Jacobson titled History for Genealogists as a helpful resource for timelining your ancestors' lives and placing them into historical context.
• Jeff asks about the availability of Pennsylvania vital records.
• Judy follows up on her quest for ancestors in Southwestern Virginia in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

The news includes:

• FamilySearch announces the update of its YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/familysearch.
• MyHeritage.com now offers shared group subscription payments.
• Family Tree DNA is now accepting third party transfers of test results.
• Synium Software has released MacFamilyTree 6.1 and MobileFamilyTreePro.
• FamilySearch has released 12 million new records and images for England and Mexico, 1.8 million records to 23 U.S. collections, and 2.3 million images to its Hungary collections.
• Joel Weintraub and Steve Morse announce a new One-Step Tutorial at http://stevemorse.org about the forthcoming 1940 U.S. federal census release in April 2012.
• The Guild of One-Name Studies announces extended membership to new joiners at the NZ Family History Fair in Hamilton on 26-27 August 2011, and for the whole month of August 2011 at www.one-name.org/nzfhf-offer.html.
• WikiTree announced that they have passed 2 million profiles and that they have released a new Relationship Finder. In addition, they have announced that Thomas MacEntee has joined the WikiTree team as their Genealogy Ninja.
• The Admiral Nimitz Foundation has recently created the Society of the Sons and Daughters of World War II Veterans. The Society's goal is to preserve the stories of sacrifice and achievement of America's "greatest generation." They plan to preserve important materials in digital format to preserve them and make them available.

Listener email includes:

• Nancy suggests that Colleen expand her New York query by checking city directories.
• Joseph asked about the existence of a Florida cemetery registry. Drew suggested he contact the Florida State Genealogical Society.
• Sue asked about the availability of software for genealogical societies' websites. The Guys suggested that she contact EasyNetSites which provides modular society software service.
• Russ asked if The Guys were aware of the blog about the Stockton School in East Orange, New Jersey. Drew replied that it belonged to his brother!
• Alan advised that there is OCR software that reads Fraktur. He obtained FreeOCR from http://www.freeOCR.net.
• John asked whether Drew's Twitter feed had been compromised.
• Erin asked Drew about using his iPad for genealogical research vs. using a netbook.
• Melanie asked about a relationship term used in the 1910 U.S. census wherein an ancestor, his wife, and four children have an older widow living with them whose relationship is listed as "companion." Listeners can send in their comments and suggestions about this to us.
• Grace is our new "Marathon Woman." She also asked about RootsTelevision. Megan Smolenyak advised George recently that the site has been taken down. The Guys hope to learn more at the FGS Conference in Springfield, Illinois, next month.
• Carole made some suggestions for Beverly's quandary about Canadian immigration information.
• The Indiana Genealogical Society issued a matching $10,000 grant challenge to help funding for the FGS "Preserve the Pensions" program. See their site at http://www.indgensoc.org/projects/1812_pensions.php and donate to make your dollars grow! And learn more at http://fgs.org/1812.
• Dave installed the new Mac OS X Lion, but was really upset that Carbonite (back up) is not ready to support it!

The Genealogy Guys record this episode in front of a live audience at the annual Summer Institute of the Dallas Genealogical Society, in the Auditorium of the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library in downtown Dallas, Texas. 

This week's news includes:

• Cyndi's List at www.cyndislist.com has launched a new website with a new look, new organization, and improved navigation.
• MyHeritage.com has acquired Bliscy.pl from Poland's Internet publishing company, Wirtualna Polska, expanding its presence in the Polish family history market.
• Anthony Ray, a junior majoring in Music at West Coast Bible College in Lancaster, California, was introduced at the 2011 Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree in Burbank as this year’s recipient of the Suzanne Winsor Freeman Memorial Student Genealogy Grant.
• The Guild of One-Name Studies will be at the Colorado Family History Expo on June 24-25 in Loveland, Colorado, and will offer extended membership to people joining for the first time. The offer is also good at www.one-name.org/colorado-offer.html.
• The "Genealogy Roadshow" currently filming in Ireland will make its debut on RTE later this summer, and it should also be accessible online at http://www.rte.ie/player.

This week's email includes:

• Linda, listening to Episode #222, where George talked about the 1880 U.S. federal census and the Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent schedules, tells us that there is a "Statewide Index to Indiana's 1880 DDD Schedules" available on CD-ROM from the Indiana Genealogical Society. The society also offfers a "Statewide Index to Indiana's 1890 Soldiers Enrollment Lists".
• Margie thanks Bill for suggestions about where to locate more information about the WPA.
• Brandt has questions about source citations for some land records he has come across.
• Charleen asked for advice about very early birth records in New York State.

The Guys review three new books:

• Complete Delaware Roll of 1898, transcribed by Jeff Bowen. (Clearfield Company and Genealogical Publishing Co., 2011)
• Finding the Civil War in Your Family Album by Maureen A. Taylor (Picture Perfect Press, 2011)
• NGS Research in the States Series: South Carolina by Janis Walker Gilmore (National Genealogical Society, 2011)

Drew interviewed Lisa Louise Cooke, host of the Genealogy Gems Podcast, at the Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree in Burbank, California, June 2011.  Lisa talks about some of her Google-related presentations and products.

The news includes:

• The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy opened registration on June 4th for its annual institute in Salt Lake City on January 23-27, 2012. More information is available at www.infouga.org.
• Real-Time Collaboration announces AncestorSync, which allows you to seamlessly download, upload, or synchronize your family tree from your online pedigree to your personal computer and back again. Learn more at www.ancestorsync.com.
  
• FamilySearch has recently added millions of records about the U.S. Civil War, and plans much more. See more at familysearch.org/civilwar.
• The Guild of One-Name Studies is offering a special extended membership offer to new members. The offer is available from June 24th through June 26th only at www.one-name.org/yorkoffer.html.
• Big Mountain Productions is currently filming "The Genealogy Roadshow" in Ireland, with host Derek Mooney, and it will begin broadcasting in mid- to late-August.
• The United States Holocaust Museum and Ancestry.com have partnered to launch the World Memory Project at www.worldmemoryproject.org to build the world's largest online resource on Jewish victims and non-Jews who were targeted for persecution by Nazi Germany and its collaborators.
  
• The British Library has announced that it will digitize 40 million pages of its newspaper collection at Collindale.
  
• ProQuest has updated its list of impressive databases that provide genealogists with a wealth of online data.
• The New England Historic Genealogical Society has announced upcoming events, programs, and tours for June through September 2011.

Listener email includes:

• Beverly asks for information about the RSS download address for the podcast.
• Linda made a breakthrough on her great-grandfather's first wife in Kentucky based on a link George provided at the recent NEHGS seminar. Look at "Kentucky Genealogy and History Guide" at http://kentuckygenealogysearch.com.
• Mike advised The Guys that George's book How to Do Everything: Genealogy appears in the movie Little Fockers.
• Chris asks for ideas about what to save and what not to save.
• Karen responded to Drew's challenge about locaing his father's family in the 1920 Newark, NJ census.
• David advises The Guys that The Civil Registration Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 has recently received royal assent. It will allow access to the Civil Registration registers. More information is available at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia/2011/20/contents/enacted.
• Sheri wrote about the terrible tornadoes in the U.S., and she wants to know if there are resources available online to help people be reunited with photographs, Bibles, documents, and other materials. Listeners are encouraged to email The Guys with their ideas and information.
• Patti asks George about U.S. federal censuses and the Agricultural Schedules.
• Lynda tells about visiting SW Virginia and making contact with Mary Kegley, the author of a number of books about the area. Lynda encourages people to make contact with historical and genealogical societies because they often have unique content that may help your research.
• Ed asks about genealogy software that might work on a desktop computer, a laptop, and on an iPad2. 

The Genealogy Guys travel to Boston, Massachusetts, to the headquarters of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, where they record this episode in front of a live audience.

The news includes:

• The New England Historic Genealogical Society, together with the Jewish Cemetery Association of Massachusetts and the American Jewish Historical Society of New England have made available for the first time online acess to a growing database that currently includes 13 Massachusetts Jewish cemeteries, with more added each week.
• Genealogist Anthony Ray of Palmdale, California, has been named the recipient of the 2011 Suzanne Winsor Freeman Memorial Student Genealogy Grant.
• WikiTree announces that it has reached 1 million profiles.
• The California Genealogical Society will host a family history day with Ancestry.com on 4-5 November 2011 at the Hyatt Embarcadero in San Francisco.

George extends a special thank you to Miriam in Spokane, Washington, for taking photos of a tombstone there and for locating and sending a copy of the obituary.

Listener email includes:

• Russ enjoyed the episode in which Drew unpacked a box of family materials that his brother sent to him.
• Lee has enjoyed the interviews that Drew conducted at RootsTech, but suggests that RootsTech provide a quieter venue for such interviews next year.
• Bill reports that NARA will hold its annual genealogy fair on 24 April 2011 in Washington, DC. One of the main themes is WPA records. View the schedule at http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/know-your-records/genealogy-fair/2008.html#schedule
• Judy is seeking advice on researching her mother's family in Southwest Virginia.
• Mark in Plymouth, UK, asks about the availability of apps for the iPhone, Android, Windows Phone 7, and Blackberry phones.
• Sean reports on the status of RootsMagic's work to import freeform source citations and place them into formatted source citation templates.
• Gordon provides excellent advice for flattening curled or rolled up paper by humidifying it. He also strongly warns that photographs should not be treated this way. He suggests a more detailed discussion in Photographs: Archival Care and Management, by Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler and Diane Vogt-O’Connor published by the Society of American Archivists.
• Cheryl provides the pricing at NARA for copies of military files.
• Michelle thanks The Guys for their help in making contact with her Irish cousins. It's a real success story.

The Guys review and recommend a number of great genealogy books:

• Our Daily Bread, German Village Life, 1500-1850, by Teva J. Schee, is published by Adventis Press. It sells in softcover for $19.95. It is also available in eBook format for Kindle for $9.95.
• The Last Muster: Images of the Revolutionary War Generation, by Maureen Taylor, is published by The Kent State University Press. It retails for $45 but is currently listed at Amazon.com for $29.70.
• The Ultimate Search Book, 2011 Edition, by Lori Carangelo, is published by Genealogical Publishing Company for the Clearfield Company. It sells for $39.95.
• Revolutionary War Pensions (Awarded by State Governments 1775-1874, the General and Federal Governments Prior to 1814, and by Private Acts of Congress to 1905), by Lloyd de Witt Bockstruck, is published by Genealogical Publishing Company. It sells for $89.50.
• The Family Tree Sourcebook: Your Essential Directory of American County and Town Records, from the editors of Family Tree Magazine, is published by Family Tree Books. It also provides a 30-day free membership to http://www.familytreemagazine.com. It sells for $34.95.
• Online State Resources for Genealogy, by Michael Hait, is published at Lulu.com as an eBook. It sells for $15.00 and is delivered electronically.

Drew gives George one more week off by making this another all-interview episode (the remaining 3 interviews that Drew conducted while attending RootsTech 2011 in Salt Lake City in February).  The interviews were with:

• Tami Glatz, President of the Second Life chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) and genealogical lecturer;
• Paul Nauta, Manager of Public Affairs for FamilySearch;
• Audrey Collins, Family History Specialist at The National Archives, UK.

Drew gives George the week off by making this an all-interview episode (3 of the interviews that Drew conducted while attending RootsTech 2011 in Salt Lake City earlier in the month).  The interviews were with:

• Louise St Denis, Director of the National Institute for Genealogical Studies (www.genealogicalstudies.com), an educational organization affiliated with the University of Toronto.  NIGS has just acquired the social networking site Genealogy Wise.
• Brewster Kahle, Chairman of the Internet Archive (www.archive.org) and long-time Internet entrepreneur and activist.
• Anne Roach, Chair of RootsTech 2011 (rootstech.familysearch.org).

The news includes:

• Sandra Hargreaves Luebking, nationally known author, editor, instructor, lecturer, researcher and much loved friend in the genealogy community, died on 17 February 2011.
• Ancestry.com marks Black History Month with the addition of 250,000 new African-American records.
• Moorshead Magazines has published a new issue of Family Chronicle with a new article by George.
• The Guild of One-Name Studies extends a special offer to attendees of the Who Do You Think You Are LIVE show in Olympia, London, England this coming weekend, and also to anyone else unable to attend. The latter offer is available at http://www.one-name.org/specialoffer.html for one week from the beginning of the show on 25 February 2011.
• Real-Time Collaboration, Inc., acquires Ohana Software LLC to help extend compatibility of genealogy collaboration.
• The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) announced that the dates of next year's institute will be January 23-27 at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City. The RootsTech 2012 conference will be held there the following week, February 2-4, 2012.
• The Tri-City Genealogical Society has concluded a vast indexing project of photographs from South Central Washington State. You may search the indexes at their website.
• GeneaPress is a new site that publishes press releases/announcements for the genealogy community. The Guys have alse embedded a link in their website. Check it out!

The Guys discuss Drew's experiences at the GenTech conference in Salt Lake City. Interviews from the conference will follow in forthcoming podcasts.

Listener email included:

• Margie asks for guidance about where to locate materials about the WPA concerning the area around Springfield, Massachusetts.
• Carole asks for guidance about migrating from one genealogy database program to another, and what to do with free-form source text and formal source templates.
• Steve commented on episode #215, and he also has just ordered the Flip-Pal scanner.
• Kenneth was fortunate that he has inherited 17 photo albums and his mother's journals. He has been scanning these items, and he shared a wonderful, restored timtype of his great-grandfather in Union Army uniform.
• Karen asks about why we should save of our own records and artifacts for future generations.
• Melanie has some rolled up documents that she would like to flatten but not frame.
• Marcie asked us to always include the year in the dates of events we mention in the podcast.
• Maureen is looking for software to handle records for the National Orphan Train Complex in Concordia, Kansas.
• Gus is seeking guidance about how to enter names of royal personages into his database. Calling all listeners to provide feedback and suggestions!

The news includes:

• The Suzanne Winsor Freeman Memorial Student Genealogy Grant has been established and will be awarded to a student attending the 2011 Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree. Application deadline is March 1, 2011. For more information, contact Denise Levenick at dmlevenick@gmail.com or at 626.688.8974.
• NBC launches the second season of "Who Do You Think You Are?" on Friday, February 4th.
• Ancestry.com has announced the discontinuation of its Expert Connect service.
• Moorshead Magazines, publishers of Family Chronicle, Internet Genealogy, and History Magazine, have a special offer. Buy two books, Life During the Civil War and Tracing Your Civil War Ancestors, and pay shipping for just one.  Visit Family Chronicle at http://www.familychronicle.com for more information and to order these books.
• MyHeritage.com has announced a major upgrade on its Smart Matching (tm) technology at its website.

The Guys open one of the boxes of family materials that Drew's brother, Jeff, sent him in December. Drew explores the wealth of new materials he has received and he and George describe and discuss them in detail. Photographs, letters, certificates and diplomas, V-mail, letters, and more are included. Here are links to two pages:

Drew's Mother and Friend beside Jeep (ca. 1943) Marriage Card received by Drew's Parents