Salt Lake Family History Library promotes genealogy with your family

Just received this from FamilySearch. Kudos to them for getting the children involved. Hope you can take advantage of some of these opportunities.

Family History Library Sponsors

SUMMER of SLEUTHING

Are you looking for a fun activity to keep your children occupied this summer? Would you like to learn more about your family? Do you need a kick start to organize your family records?

“Summer of Sleuthing—Save Our Ancestors” (SOS) is a family summer activities program sponsored by the Family History Library to introduce families to the fun of family history. With a series of weekly challenges, families can participate in activities that will help them learn more about themselves and their ancestors. The program will also be available online at familysearch.org.

Summer of Sleuthing will begin at the Family History Library on Saturday, June 6, 2009 at 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Families are invited to come to the Library and register that day and participate in activities and classes. They will also receive packets to take home and complete. The challenges in the packets can also help youth in accomplishing goals in Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Primary Achievement Days, Young Women, and Young Men.

As part of the challenges, family members are encouraged to keep a journal of their experiences and create memories together as a family. We encourage you to share this message with all families, both Church members and those who are not. We hope that this experience will bring families closer together as they gain an appreciation for the lasting treasures to be found in family history work.

Sincerely,

FamilySearch Support

Father's Day Sale

(another reprint from our newsletter)

"Fatherhood is pretending the present you love the most is soap on a rope." --Bill Cosby.

How about something for Dad this year that he'll really love: a representation of his family that shows off the results of all his love and sacrifices over the years.

10% off
ANY Generation Maps Product
Promotion Code: dadday10per
Expiration Date: 6/30/2009

Planting an Ancestor Garden.

A reprint from our newsletter. Sign up at the bottom of the Generation Maps Main Page.

I went out this week and gathered several vases full of lilacs to fill my house and office. My maternal grandmother Eila Dana loved lilacs and thus they are one of my favorite flowers too. With the smell all around me and everytime I look over at the bouquet on my desk, I remember her fondly. (That is her on the left).

We have planted all kinds of other plants in honor of our ancestors too. Some of them include:

• Tomatoes--for my Dad who loves fresh tomatoes from the garden.
• Beets--for my Grandfather Carpenter who helped prisoners of war weed beets during World War II
• Begonias--for my Grandfather Dana who always had beautiful begonias on his deck.
• Lilacs--for Grandma Dana of course.
• Tiger Lillies-- for Kim's Grandmother Anderson who had big clumps of them in front of her house.
• Impatiens--for Kim's mother who had them all over her front yard.
• Crocuses--for my Mother who got all excited that spring was coming when they would peek through the snow.
• Roses--for my Grandmother Hortense Carpenter who helped me make potpurri with rose petals from her garden when I was a child.
• Hollyhocks--from my Great great Grandmother Schwendiman's house where they posed for many pictures. (That's her in the picture right under the arch with her mother Great great great Grandmother Williams)

What plants run in your family? Plant a few this spring in their honor. Maybe even get some plant markers to show off who you are honoring. And then share them with your descendants. Happy spring!

Another podcast interview about Generation Maps

My Interview on the upcoming Logan Family History Expo.
Podcast here.

Conferences and lectures

I've been busy reviewing syllabus materials and submitting contracts today for speaking at conferences. Managed to get proposals off to 7 other conferences this week too (pfhew--wiping my brow). I'm giving three lectures tomorrow in Kemmerer Wyoming. Here is what is coming up as far as my speaking engagements go:

• May 2nd "Serendipity and other Miracles: Why you need family history." "Where to Start when you inherit Genealogy" and "Making New FamilySearch easier with Certified Genealogy Software" Kemmerer Wyoming Regional Family History Conference
• May 9th Generation Maps at Logan Family History Expo (not actually speaking, Pfhew--wiping brow again).
• June 12th and 13th "Serendipity and other Miracles: Why you need family history." and "Making New FamilySearch easier with Certified Genealogy Software" Colorado Family History Expo
• June 26th-28th. "Where to Start when you inherit Genealogy" and "Using Genealogy Charts to further your research." Southern California Genealogy Society.
• July 17th-18th "Serendipity and other Miracles: Why you need family history." and "Making New FamilySearch easier with Certified Genealogy Software" Wyoming Family History Expo
• July 28th-31st "Basic Research Practices in the age of New FamilySearch" and "Making New FamilySearch easier with Certified Genealogy Software" BYU conference on Family History and Genealogy
• August 28th-29 "Serendipity and other Miracles: Why you need family history" and "Digitally Enhancing your photos" Salt Lake Family History Expo
• And a few other small/private speaking engagements (wiping my brow with a dramatic flourish)
  

Sorry for the random capitalization and punctuation. I'm edited out today.

To register for these great conferences, check my previous blog post on the conferences Generation Maps is going to.

After Dick Eastman's review of NERGC's conference, we are thinking about striking out for Springfield Mass. in 2011. Congratulations to them on such success this year. I have agreed in the past with Dick's opinions on how to hold a good conference. And it sounds like this one (though a good distance for us) would be one to try. We'll look forward to that. Let us know if you are planning to be there too.

Making sure your family history work survives you.

Depending on what format your family history work is in, a library may or may not accept it. Stefani Evans wrote a good starting point article on this for the Las Vegas Sun yesterday. In reality, the situation is much the same as a personal or family history. If it is quality work, it will be valuable to someone and it will be preserved.

Take a look at the article:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/apr/30/correct-format-saves-genealogical-work/

An assortment of new resources

Browzing though the current Library Journal reviews I came across a few resources my Genealogist friends might be interested in. Take a look at these, or head over to your local library to see if they have bought them yet.

Underground Railroad: Encyclopedia of People, Places and Operations. 2 volumes 746 pages. Wouldn't it be exciting to find an ancestor in here? Maybe one of your family's towns is there.

Greenwood Encyclopedia of Courtship and Sexuality through history. 6 volumes. 1620 pages. I would like to look up some ideas on Swedish courtship and marriage practices in this one for some research we've been doing on Kim's family. Maybe it will help you with yours.

Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing through American History: 1900 to the Present. 2 volumes. 820 pages. This one would be helpful in identifying photographs. A new version of the full encyclopedia covering mroe time periods is scheduled to come out in Jan 0f 2010.

And a couple of website resources looked good too:

Documenting the American South: a digital libary of primary sources on the culture, literature and history of the South from the holdings at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Encyclopedia of Alabama. A well designed site developed by the Alabama Humanities Foundation and Auburn University. While I wish the history section was larger, the articles are well written and include good lists of additional resources. There is alot of history in all of the sections though, including cemeteries in the "geography and environment" section, and lots of biographies in the "people of alabama" and other sections. So use the search feature but browse around a bit too.

Hope one of these helps you get around a tough research spot. You never know where you might stumble across something.

2 good children's resources for writing life history.

Fletcher, Ralph J. How to write your life story. Collins, New York, 2007.

This book is a great 102 pages on making your life into a good story. An engaging book in a very readable format. (Good for adults too.)

• Myth#1 You have to be a famous celebrity
• Myth#2 You must have an amazing life
• Myth#3 You can't write your life story until you are old and gray
• Myth#4 Nobody will read it so what is the point.

In answer to the above, Fletcher writes that interesting stories happen to everyone. What really is important is how well written the history is.

The book includes interviews with youth authors, Jack Gantos, Jerry Spinelli, Kathi Appelt and how they turn life stories into books. It also includes good information about how to write well, including: finding a focus, thinking about form, the "so what?" factor, chronology, characterization, dealing with the hard stuff, and etc. Highly recommended.

Smith, Erica. Write it Down! A girls guide to keeping a journal. Rosen Central: New York, 1999.

This was a vibrant 48 page little book geared towards middle school aged girls extolling the virtues of keeping a journal. It suggests that journaling can help you keep your "brain sane" and help you look back and see how much you are learning. It can help you get through life's tough situations and give you something to confide in without being judged.

There are "Jump Start" ideas throughout the book giving hints about what to write about, such as:

• Describe 5 great things about yourself
• What is one memory you have from first grade?
• Describe a typical school day.
• Describe a typical day 15 years from now.
• Who is your best friend?
• What do you talk about when you are together?
• Pick a person in your family and describe your feelings for him or her.
• How did you view this person when you were little? How do you view him or her now?
• If you could be any animal, what would you be? Why?
• Write about a special day you spent together with your bud.
• If you could take a trip anywhere with your friends, where would you go? Why?
• Describe a time when someone was really there for you. What did this person say or do that helped you?
• Describe a time when you were disappointed by a person. Did you express your disappointment? If not, how would you do it now?
• How are you similar to each of your parents? How are you different?
• When was the last time you tried something new? What was it? How did it go? Would you do it again?

The book had a large focus on keeping your journal private and how to deal with it if someone invades that privacy. I also appreciated it's recommendation to talk to a real person if you needed help with certain situations such as depression, drug use, physical violence, etc.--not just bury all your feelings in a journal.

The book also recommended using your journal as a vehicle for self discovery in other ways, once you have entries to go back and read. For example:

• Read what you wrote 6 months ago and look for some clarity about who you are and where you are going.
• Have a friend or family write in your journal, or choose a section to read to them.
• Re-write a story from your journal into a short story, a play or a song
• Try explaining what you want to in pictures only, no words.
• Jot down ideas on any topic, just random.

There were several website resources listed in the back, but I wasn't really impressed--certainly couldn't recommend them here. The booklist looked much more promising. I'll let you know when I try them out. Other than the questionable websites, this was a great book for budding teenagers. Hopefully it will help in getting a few interested in their own personal histories.

Making Family History

Yesterday, I gained a new member of the family. My sister got married. I have a new brother-in-law, Colin, and my sister is the new Mrs. Amy Slade. We spent the day with my family, and with a whole new branch of the family, as well as extended family we don't get to see enough. It was one of those watershed days, where your life and family all comes into focus. One of those days that don't happen often enough.

The day was heavenly. She couldn't have had better weather. And the trees were just coming into bloom. All up and down the street were gorgeous flowering trees and a breeze came up early in the morning and blew some of the petals all over the driveway and the yard. It was like confetti over everything. Daffodils and tulips were everywhere. Dad is a wonderful gardener so you wouldn't have even known it was the first really warm week of the year. It was just the most perfect spring day I've ever seen--just what one would want for her little sister's wedding.

Probably so I could incorporate it into my blog, (grin) Amy integrated family history and the blending of these two families into the party. (thanks Amy.) For favors, she had the favorite cookie recipes from each of the new couple's grandmothers, their mothers and then a new recipe for Amy and Colin. They printed recipe cards of each for everyone as mementos and displayed wedding pictures of each of the couples. Literally, it was a sweet tribute to the families they come from.

We, of course, printed a bunch of giclees of the couple and of Amy's bridal pictures. You'll have to permit me for a minute to brag about how beautiful my sister is. These giclees we did were incredible. And we had a hard time deciding which to print. They all looked like a magazine shoot.

Ok. I'm done. But she is gorgeous isn't she? And the prints turned out so nice. I'm afraid that we got a little carried away, and that they will have more pictures of themselves than they will know what to do with.

Amy and Colin are both the youngest children in their families and Collin comes from a large family. So there were tons of nieces and nephews, in-laws and etc. The pictures that included the whole family were amazingly huge, reminding me of the turn of the century photographs you see of huge families. I spent the day pretty blown away by the changes in our family. We haven't had a wedding for 15 years and my family has pretty much stayed the same for that time. Now, our family relationships are changing, my younger sister is an adult, and the balance of nurturing will begin to shift. The span of a family never ceases to amaze me even though I work with genealogy every day. Life moves so quickly and passes from one generation to the next in what seems like moments. And all through it, those precious, sometimes choppy, always consequential relationships are really the only important things in life.

And there is nothing like a family wedding to make your life flash before your eyes. Yesterday I got to see second cousins once removed, great aunts, my uncles I don't get to see enough, previous teachers, old family friends, neighbors I used to see every day but haven't seen for 15 years, and lots and lots of the people who shaped me into who I am. I got to spend a little time thanking those people for the wonderful influence they have had on me, catching up on how everyone is and being grateful and overwhelmed at how blessed I've been. It is just amazing how much one life affects so many others, and how so many lives affect yours. As I head back to real life today, I hope I can let that perspective continue to guide my day to day actions.

Dear Myrtle announces a new blog

Got this from Dear Myrt today. I'm sure it will be worth reading, as is everything she does.
Take a look:

DearREADERS,
Well, after much anticipation and behind-the-scenes effort, Ol' Myrt here is pleased to announce the birth of a BRAND NEW Genea-Blog namely the Internet-Genealogy Blog featuring my take on topics presented in Family Chronicle, Internet Genealogy, Discovering Family History and History Magazine.

NOT TO WORRY
Ol’ Myrt here is not abandoning her own DearMYRTLE’s Genealogy Blog. You can count on me to continue to “opine” here on a regular basis. (Opine is a word Genea-Musing's Randy Seaver used recently to characterize one of Ol' Myrt's posts.)

WHY ANOTHER BLOG?
As if six to twelve DearMYRTLE blog entries each week aren’t enough, eh? Seriously though, all sorts of great things are happening in the magazines from Moorshead Publishing, Ltd. and I’ve jumped at the chance to spotlight the work of some mighty talented genealogy experts.

Hmm, does Myrt really “jump”?

You betcha. Just ask my grandchildren.

Visit http://blog.internet-genealogy.com today, and subscribe to the RSS feed using whichever blog reader you are familiar with.

The best part is they’ve turned on “comments” so you can freely share your feedback with the other blog readers. I look forward to hearing from you.

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.
Myrt@DearMYRTLE.com

Blog post about us.

Geoff Rasmussen just posted a great article about the fine art prints we do.
Take a look at
Publish your tree on artist's canvas.
You really have to see these giclee prints to appreciate them. They are beautiful. A real heirloom--like Geoff said. Hope his family enjoys it.
Thanks Geoff.

Sources 2

I'm all into source integrity lately. (Did you click on any in my last post? :-D) Here is another good link today.
Six Genealogy Myths to Avoid
Thanks Family Tree Magazine. Good Stuff.

Sheva the Fair, my most famous Great-Grandmother

For today's carnival of genealogy I've chosen to tell you about my most famous ancestor who changed the course of Jewish History. Sheva of Alexandria also known as Sheva the Fair.

Sheva is the seventeenth great-grandmother of my father's mother through my Sylvester, Streeter and Schram lines. She was born in 34AD in Alexandria, Egypt and brought by her parents to En-Gedi Israel in 45AD. From the extant sources we know that she grew up happily with her two older brothers there by the spring in En-Gedi where her father was a sandal maker.

Sheva changed the course of history in 74 AD when she was taken prisoner by General Lucius Flavius Silva, the Roman commander of the 10th legion stationed at Masada. As I'm sure you know, Masada was one of the last strongholds of the Jewish people after the fall of Jerusalem. As described by Flavius Josephus in his book Jewish War (7:143) the seige of the Romans against the Jewish Sicarians on the inpenetrable Masada was one of the great military standoffs in history. The Romans withstood the heat of the Negev desert to build 4 forts and lay siege to the fortress, eventually building a siege ramp of thousands of tons of rock which still stands today. According to Josephus (Jewish Antiquitites 2:434), the fortress walls were breached by the battering ram on 16 April 74AD where the Romans found that 961 of the 966 men, women and children who had occupied the mount had taken their lives in a mass suicide rather than be captured by the Romans.

The famous Israeli archaeologist Yigael Yadin discovered Sheva's papyrus codex journal when he excavated Masada in 1964. It was found with a primitive roman mirror, linen scarf and some high heeled sandals (only worn by Roman nobility.) The journal has shed much light on the life of the Roman soldiers and specifically Silva. While Sheva wrote of her growing love for Silva and their deep relationship, it also describes her gentle turning of his heart towards compassion and respect for the Jewish people. It is because of Sheva that Silva became a life-long advocate for the Jewish people. Through Sheva's journal that we know of Silva's response to the suicide at Masada, "A victory? What have we won? We've won a rock in the middle of a wasteland, on the shores of a poisoned sea." Tragically, while the fortress was under seige, Silva gave her the choice of returning to Rome with him or taking the means necessary for her to live independently of him. Rather than being a kept woman, she chose to take the wealth and soldiers Silva offered her and return to Alexandria. It was with Silva's money that she became one of the founding benefactors of the famous Library of Alexandria, one of the largest libraries in the ancient world. The sculpture above stands in the library courtyard. Later fragmentary sources tell of her finding love with Demetrius of Phaleron. While she had three children with Demetrius, including my sixteenth great-grandfather Theophrastus, it is known that she always felt her soulmate was Flavius Silva.

Much has been written and said about Sheva in the many books, articles and etc. about Masada and the Library of Alexandria. In fact, Sheva was portrayed by Barbara Carrera in the 1981 movie Masada. Barbara met with me and my grandmother to do research for the role early in 1981. She ended up doing an ok job I think but didn't really capture the beautiful grace of this amazing woman.

Genealogical information on my father's mother's mother's line is from Ancestry's One World Tree and these personal websites.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes.

I've made a family recipe for a bunch of my genealogy friends lately and thought I would share it with you. This recipe is from my Mother's Mother's Mother's Mother-- my great-great grandmother Ethel Amelia Williams. The fact that she was born in Salt Lake City, Utah 15 Feb 1880, and died there in 23 Mar 1973 is deceptive. She lived most of her life in Idaho--specifically Idaho Falls. Her husband Fred Schwendiman was born 28 Jul 1872 in Niederstocken, Bern, Switzerland. I've always thought this was a Swiss recipe since it was from "Grandma Schwendiman" but Mom informs me today that while it could have come from her Swiss mother-in-law, Ethel was also very creative herself, or she could have just found it in a newspaper. Mom doesn't really know. But I do know that she often made them.

I have this one picture of me with Grandma Schwendiman. She is on the left. Me and Mom are in the middle, and my Grandmother Dana (Grandma Schwendiman's granddaughter) is on the right. Unfortunately, Grandmother Dana's mother Nama (Viola) wasn't here for this picture even though she was alive. I would have had a five generation picture. Can't complain though. Happy to have this one.

Here is the recipe:

1 pint Cottage Cheese,
1 cup Sour Cream
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 beaten eggs.

Mix together and cook like pancakes on a hot griddle.

My kids love these for dinner. They are great just with butter and maple syrup. But they are especially good with strawberries, raspberries or bananas on them. Or you can cook the raspberries right into them by putting a few on each pancake when you first put them on the griddle (before you flip them.)

Mom says I can't share Grandma Schwendiman's recipe for egg cake, chili sauce or honey candy because they are family secrets. Grandma Schwendiman and Nama left strict instructions that they were not to be shared outside the family. Mom says that in those days a woman's identity was wrapped up in how good of cook they were and these women wanted to secure a great identity for their daughters I guess. Being the daughter of two home economics teachers (Mom and my Dad's mother) I've never worried about being a good cook. But I have a couple of recipies to fall back on just in case. You won't see them on this blog. You'll have to come visit. Let me know when you are coming and I'll have some ready for you.

Sources

A great companion to my New FamilySearch rants.

Top 5 Absolutely Worst Genealogy Resources...Ever...I Mean These Are Horrible

Thanks Tim Great Laugh.

My favorite genealogy resources for children

Ok. As fast as it seems life is moving now, this is terribly old-fashioned of me, but I have a list of books for you. Sometimes I just feel like unplugging and cuddling up with a book.

Here are a few for you to cuddle with--with your favorite child. Maybe you can inspire a budding genealogist:

Campbell, Starr Hailey. The Adventures of James Series: A Trip to the Cemetery, A Trip to the Oncologist, Baby Sarah is born. Creative Continuum; Anaheim CA, 2005 and 2006.

Rice, Chris and Melanie Rice. How Children Lived: A First Book of History. Dorling Kindersley; New York, 1995.

Taylor, Maureen. Through the Eyes of Your Ancestors. Houghton Mifflin: Boston, 1999. Talks about the Humiston picture that everyone is reading about this week. (here)

Horowitz, Lois. Dozens of Cousins. Ten Speed Press; Berkley, 1999.

Perl, Lila. The Great Ancestor Hunt: The Fun of Finding Out Who You Are. Clarion Books: New York, 1989.

Oryx American Family Tree Series.
Brockman, Terra. A student's guide to Italian American Genealogy. Oryx Press: Phoenix, 1996.
Paddock, Lisa. A student's guide to Scandinavian Genealogy. Oryx Press: Phoenix, 1996.
Robl, Gregory. A student's guide to German American Genealogy. Oryx Press: Phoenix, 1996.
Schleifer, Jay. A student's guide to Jewish American Genealogy. Oryx Press: Phoenix, 1996.
McKenna, Erin. A student's guide to Irish American Genealogy. Oryx Press: Phoenix, 1996.
Ryskamp, George. A student's guide to Mexican American Genealogy. Oryx Press: Phoenix, 1996.
Kavasch, E. Barrie. A student's guide to Native American Genealogy. Oryx Press: Phoenix, 1996.
Johnson, Anne E. A student's guide to British American Genealogy. Oryx Press: Phoenix, 1996.

And just in case you still need an electronic fix-- one great weblink.

Rootsmagic announces LDS Temple Certification

RootsMagic 4 Certified for Temple Trips and Ordinance Reservation

RootsMagic becomes First Desktop Genealogy Software to Reserve and Print LDS Temple Ordinances Using New FamilySearch

SPRINGVILLE, Utah. — March 30, 2009 — RootsMagic, Inc. announced the immediate availability of an update to their RootsMagic 4 genealogy software which is now FamilySearch certified for both temple ordinance reservation and temple trips. RootsMagic 4 is the first- and currently the only- desktop genealogy software to offer these features and certifications.

Ordinance Reservation Certified

As an “Ordinance Reservation Certified” application, RootsMagic 4 has the ability to link people in your desktop genealogy file with matching people on the New FamilySearch website. Once linked, RootsMagic 4 makes it easy to share data between your personal file and New FamilySearch. By simply clicking on the temple icon next to a person’s name, you are shown that person's official temple ordinances, complete with dates, temple names, and status. You may then reserve any incomplete ordinances that you wish to perform in the future or update your own file with ordinances which are already completed.

Temple Trip Certified

As a “Temple Trip Certified” application, RootsMagic 4 can create “Temple Trips” from any ordinances which you previously reserved through New FamilySearch. You select which reserved ordinances you wish to print ordinance cards for and RootsMagic will print a paper with a barcode on it known as a Family Ordinance Request (FOR). You simply take the paper to the temple and a worker will scan the barcode, printing off all the desired ordinance cards. Once the ordinances are completed, RootsMagic will update their status in your personal file.

“We’re very excited to be the first to work with FamilySearch in this important work,” said Bruce Buzbee, president. “Our mission is, ‘Family History Made Easy’, and that is exactly what this is. To submit and track temple ordinances used to be a long, complicated process involving many files and floppy disks. Together with FamilySearch, we’ve been able to simplify it to a few clicks and a single, printed page.”

New FamilySearch Made Easy

RootsMagic also simplifies other tasks when working with New FamilySearch. Recently, RootsMagic 4 received awards for “Easiest to Sync” and “Best Dashboard” at the 2009 FamilySearch Developer Awards. Video tutorials, demonstrating how easy it is to work with New FamilySearch using RootsMagic 4 are available at http://www.rootsmagic.com/fs.

Free Trial Available

A free trial version of RootsMagic 4 is available at http://www.rootsmagic.com. The trial version allows a person to import their data, add information, and play with RootsMagic’s major features without any time limitation. “We’re so excited about this new release, we wanted to give everyone a risk-free option to try it for themselves,” said Buzbee.

Users of other genealogy software products will find it easy to experiment with RootsMagic 4 using their own data. RootsMagic can directly import data from PAF, Family Tree Maker (through 2006), Family Origins, and Legacy Family Tree. It can also read data using the popular GEDCOM format.

About RootsMagic, Inc.

For over 20 years, RootsMagic, Inc. has been creating computer software with a special purpose- to unite families. One of our earliest products- the popular “Family Origins” software, introduced thousands of people to the joy and excitement of family history.

That tradition continues today with “RootsMagic”, our award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history fun and easy. “Personal Historian” will help you easily write and preserve your life stories. “Family Reunion Organizer” takes the headaches out of planning those important get-togethers. And “Family Atlas” creates beautiful and educational geographic maps of your family history.

For more information, visit http://www.rootsmagic.com.

Source: RootsMagic, Inc.

RootsMagic 4 Released

Latest Version of Leading Genealogy Software Now Available to the Public

SPRINGVILLE, Utah. — March 25, 2009 — RootsMagic, Inc. today announced the official release of RootsMagic 4, the latest version of the award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history easy and enjoyable. With the release comes a free trial version of the software as well as a discount offer for owners of other software products.

Impressive New Features

“RootsMagic 4 is the biggest release in our 20-year history of making genealogy software,” said Bruce Buzbee, president. “We’ve updated RootsMagic to work with the latest genealogical technologies available today, while staying true to our mission to make family history easy, accessible, and fun.”

RootsMagic 4 boasts an impressive list of new features including integrated web search, improved SourceWizard for citing sources, sharing events among multiple persons, creating pre-defined groups of persons, person and place mapping, recording DNA tests, and improved navigation and data entry. RootsMagic 4 is also one of the only desktop genealogy programs certified to work with “New FamilySearch”.

Freeing Your Data

“A common request that we hear from people is that they don’t want their data to be trapped in their computer,” said Michael Booth, vice-president of development. “One of the most popular features in RootsMagic 3 is our ‘Shareable CD’ which puts your data and pictures onto a CD or DVD along with a special copy of RootsMagic. You can then give the discs to family and friends and they don’t have to buy or install anything. It’s all there on the disc.”

“We’ve taken that a step further in RootsMagic 4,” explains Booth. “One unique and exciting new feature is ‘RootsMagic To-Go’. It allows you to install RootsMagic onto a USB drive and transfer data between it and your computer. This gives you the freedom to take RootsMagic and your data wherever you go- to work, on vacation, to the library- anywhere.”

Free Trial

A free trial version of RootsMagic 4 is available at http://www.rootsmagic.com. The trial version allows a person to import their data, add information, and play with RootsMagic's major features without any time limitation. “We’re so excited about this new release, we wanted to give everyone a risk-free option to try it for themselves,” said Buzbee.

Users of other genealogy software products will find it easy to experiment with RootsMagic 4 using their own data. RootsMagic can directly import data from PAF, Family Tree Maker (through 2006), Family Origins, and Legacy Family Tree. It can also read data using the popular GEDCOM format.

Pricing

RootsMagic 4 is available for only $29.95. Existing RootsMagic and Family Origins users may upgrade for only $19.95.

Discount Offer

For the first time in company history, users of other genealogy software programs can receive a competitive upgrade discount. Through May 31, 2009, users of Personal Ancestral File (PAF), Family Tree Maker, Legacy Family Tree, or The Master Genealogist may purchase RootsMagic 4 for only $19.95, saving $10 off of the regular price.

More information about the competitive upgrade can be found at http://www.rootsmagic.com/upgrade.

About RootsMagic, Inc.

For over 20 years, RootsMagic, Inc. has been creating computer software with a special purpose- to unite families. One of our earliest products- the popular “Family Origins” software, introduced thousands of people to the joy and excitement of family history.

That tradition continues today with “RootsMagic”, our award-winning genealogy software which makes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history fun and easy. “Personal Historian” will help you easily write and preserve your life stories. “Family Reunion Organizer” takes the headaches out of planning those important get-togethers. And “Family Atlas” creates beautiful and educational geographic maps of your family history.

For more information, visit www.rootsmagic.com.

Source: RootsMagic, Inc.

Where to put your genealogy endeavors

I ran across an interesting section in Organizing your Family History Search: effective ways to gather & protect your genealogical research by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack (Betterway Books: Cincinnati, 1999) about what to do with your genealogy research when you don't have an office. (Or like me, when your projects overflow out of your office.)

Your dining room table looks perfect until it is time for dinner, so here are a few options:

• Try a cabinet style computer desk, or a folding screen to take over a corner of the family room.
• Take over a large closet, you can build shelves (or I got mine from IKEA) and make a desk out of an ironing board (my closet desk is from an old kitchen countertop when we were remodeling.)
• Get a laptop instead of a desktop (Sharon says you can make an office out of anywhere, even the bathroom if you need to when you have a laptop)
• Make use of the library for books and journals--don't buy as much. (good advice for all of us--overflowing office or not.)
• Go ahead and use the kitchen table--buy tv trays for eating
• Move to a climate where you can eat on the patio.
• (I would add--just eat out)
• Kick a kid out of their bedroom.
• Or just go for the "I'm hopelessly hooked on genealogy" decor

Sharon's book was light and humorous with some good ideas. Thankfully, I have a great office--I needed a place to be able to get away and work. But I also turned the closet in that office into shelving space and a second desk. My daughter has claimed the second desk and joins me to do her homework there. Now if either of us could just keep the desks cleaned off....

Our 1 year Blogversary

Well it has been one year today. My friends on facebook think the celebration should include chocolate or going out to dinner. (Let me know when you figure out how to post it to the internet guys.) On twitter we have been talking about microwaving marshmallow peeps. Hmm. I don't think my husband in the next room realizes its the blogversary. He never reads it. He's busy working.

I think, in lieu of celebrations, I'm feeling reflective.
Some of the posts people talk to me about most were right in the beginning.

• Why I do genealogy
• The 10 best things to do with a genealogy chart

But then some of the series have garnered some attention too:

• Genealinspired
• Will your work survive the digital age?
• How to share your family history with your family

And I'm very proud of the one that came out lately:

• Generation Maps recieves FamilySearch Developer Award

I'd like to do alot more with this blog in the next year. I'll try to bring you more good information about genealogy and the industry. I'd like to get in more entries to carnivals. I think they are fun. If you have any other suggestions I'd love to hear them.

It is amazing what this last year has brought. I wonder what the next year is going to bring.

I think the blog has been a little like family history for me. A good outlet. Nice hobby. Helping me discover more about who I am and where I'm headed. Hope it has some good ideas and information for you too. I appreciate you reading.