2010 Membership Dues are Due!

Membership dues for the Florida Genealogical Society are due. The membership year runs from January 1st through December 31st, and dues must be received by February 15th. The dues are very reasonable: $20 for individuals and $25 for a family.

Please print a copy of the FGS Membership Application at http://www.rootsweb.com/~flfgs/FGS_Member_Appl%20-%20010109.pdf or at http://tinyurl.com/FGS-Membership and complete it so that we have your most current information. Please make your check payable to the Florida Genealogical Society and mail it and the application form to:

The Florida Genealogical Society, Inc.
P.O. Box 18624
Tampa, FL 33679-8624

Otherwise, you can bring these your check and application form to the January or February meeting.

Your dues pay for the extraordinary speakers and programs that FGS presents each month, including the Fall Seminar. We have some great new things planned for the society in 2010 and you don't want to miss out!

In addition, FGS also has a membership incentive program! If you bring in two new members during 2010, your 2011 membership will be free! Make sure the new member specifies on the membership application form that he or she was referred by you.

News from Other Societies - South Bay Genealogical Society

The South Bay Genealogical Society is holding a "Seminar by the Bay" on Thursday, January 28, 2010, from 8:30 AM to 3:45 PM at the Sun City Community Hall in Sun City, Florida. The speaker will be Hank Z (Hank) Jones, FASG. FGS Tampa members will remember Hank from our own 2005 Fall Seminar, and know what a great speaker he is. He will present four lectures:

• "When the Sources are Wrong!"
• "Tracing the Origins of 18th Century Palatines and Other Emigrants"
• "The Great Genealogists & What Made Them Great"
• "How 'Psychic Roots' Became an Unsolved Mystery!"

Registration is $45.00 ($40 for SBGS members) and includes morning coffee and muffins and a hot buffet luncheon. More details can be found at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry/~flsbgs and questions can be emailed to South-bay@juno.com.

FGS Meeting - Saturday, January 2, 2010

Start your New Year with the first of a great series of genealogy speakers and programs for 2010!

The Florida Genealogical Society will hold its January monthly meeting at 10:30 AM on Saturday, January 2nd, in the auditorium of the John F. Germany Public Library, 900 North Ashley Drive in Downtown Tampa. Our speaker will be Sharon Tate Moody, CG, certified genealogist, columnist for the Tampa Tribune, and former president of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG).

Sharon will present a program titled "Finding Missing Links in Land Records." Land records are among the most plentiful but least used records that contain genealogical information and clues. This presentation will help you learn how to locate them and glean new information for your research.

Join us for a great presentation to start the New Year 2010!

CG is a registered service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists.

News from Other Societies - Pasco County Genealogical Society

The Pasco County Genealogical Society will meet on Saturday, January 9, 2010. The speaker will be Ann Bergelt and she will present a program titled “German Research Suggestions”. If you are in need of pinning down where and how to find your ancestors before they came to America please attend this informative session by Ann Bergelt. It will be an opportunity for descendants of German immigrants to find new ways to determine the geographic location of the original ancestors and to gather hints on obtaining record copies and the possibility of meeting more distant generations. An added bonus is that many of her tips can help in other foreign research. Ann is an accomplished speaker and winner of multiple awards from the Florida State Genealogical Society.

For more information, you may send an email to Pcgslibrary@yahoo.com or visit their website at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~flpcg.

News from Other Societies - Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay

Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay Meeting
"SHOW AND TELL"
Members' Genealogical Research Success Stories
Sunday, December 13, 2009

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay will meet at Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, 14041 Icot Blvd., Clearwater, Florida on Sunday, December 13, 2009. Library access and a social with refreshments begin at 1:30 PM, and the program starts at 2:00 PM.

The program will include a celebration of the 10th year of the Society's existence and will include lighting of the candles to celebrate the third night of Hanukkah. Refreshments will be served appropriate to the Hanukkah holiday and will be followed by a "SHOW and TELL" segment by members Lynn Arroya, Carol Jaffe, Deborah Radstrom, Barbara Smith and Linda Zolinsky, all of whom have experienced a breakthrough or an amusing incident in their personal research. Each will relate the circumstances of their experience and the success or failure of their effort. These "show and tells" will provide insight and give encouragement to others on how they too can achieve success in their family research. Bring a success or interesting research story with you, and tell us about it.

The Jewish Genealogical Society’s library and research resources including printed materials and Internet access, along with guided assistance and information exchange from experienced researchers will be available to participants at the meeting. Members may check out library materials to take home.

The purpose of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay is to assist interested individuals in learning about Jewish genealogy and how to research and document their own family histories. The Society does this by facilitating the exchange of research information, encouraging and facilitating research activities, educating members to help themselves and others, making available research resources and materials, arranging genealogical research tours and presenting monthly programs of interest to Jewish genealogical researchers.

Anyone interested in learning how to do Jewish genealogical research is invited to attend. Beginners as well as experienced researchers are welcome. For further information on the Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay or directions to the meeting call Sally Israel at 727-343-1652.

News from Other Societies - Manasota Genealogical Society

The next meeting of the Manasota Genealogical Society will be held on Tuesday, January 5, 2010 from 9:30 am-12:00 noon at the Central Public Library. Our guest speaker will be Donna Moughty, whose talk is entitled: “Putting Your Family Tree On-Line”.

Following the guest speaker, our Computer Special Interest Group will meet and is open to all who are interested in learning what's new in genealogy on the Internet.

For more information, please call Jean Morris at (941) 722-5156 or visit us on the web at: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~flmgs/.

FGS Donates to the Malcolm H. Stern-NARA Gift Fund

Our society has renewed its annual membership in the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) for 2010. That organization is involved in many activities that help societies grow and prosper. One of those is their annual conference, which will be held in Knoxville, Tennessee, on August 18-21, 2010.

FGS is actively involved with a number of projects that focus on records preservation. One of the things that FGS's promotes and publicizes is support for the Malcolm H. Stern-NARA Gift Fund. Established in 1983, the Stern-NARA Gift Fund is a nationally supported program to finance the creation of finding aids and the microfilming of valuable research materials now preserved in the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C. FGS is the administrator of this philanthropic organization.

The Stern-NARA Fund makes possible the creation of finding aids and the microfilming of valuable research materials now preserved in the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in Washington, D.C. It helps to finance the creation of finding aids and the microfilming of materials now preserved at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in Washington, D.C. These microfilm copies, produced without government funding, are then distributed to the 13 National Archives Regional Archives branches for use by researchers. They can also be accessed through any LDS Family History Center in the world. You can view a partial list of microfilmed materials that the fund has facilitated at http://fgs.org/projects/sternnara.php.

Our Board has just authorized a donation of $125 to the Stern-NARA Fund for 2010. This equates to about $1 per member of our society. This is an extremely important way for our society to contribute to the worldwide genealogical community. Private donations are also accepted, and you can learn more about that at http://fgs.org/projects/sternnara.php.

News from Other Societies - Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay

Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay Meeting
"THE HISTORY OF JEWISH SURNAMES"
Sunday, January 17, 2010

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay will meet at Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, 14041 Icot Blvd., Clearwater, Florida on Sunday, January 17, 2010. The group generally meets the 2nd Sunday of the month but because of a scheduling conflict is meeting the 3rd Sunday for January only. The program topic will be “The History Of Jewish Surnames”. A social with refreshments begins at 1:30 PM, and the program starts at 2:00 PM.

This program will be an exact replication (audio recording & PowerPoint) of the Jewish surname program that was presented by Warren Blatt at the 29th International Conference on Jewish Genealogy in Philadelphia in August 2009. While Warren Blatt will not be with us in person, you will hear his recorded voice and see his complete PowerPoint presentation on “Jewish Surnames.” Warren Blatt is an internationally known Jewish genealogist who is the managing director of JewishGen, an affiliate of the Museum of Jewish Heritage. He is the author of Resources for Jewish Genealogy in the Boston area and co-author of “Getting Started in Jewish Genealogy.”

The history of Jewish surnames is complex. This presentation explains their origins, types and etymologies. You will learn how they were developed and their transformation upon immigration. Discover which Jewish surnames are the most common in the U.S., Eastern Europe and Israel. Myths about Jewish names will be dispelled, and sources for learning more about your surname will be presented.

The purpose of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay is to assist interested individuals in learning about Jewish genealogy and how to research and document their own family histories. The Society does this by facilitating the exchange of research information, encouraging and facilitating research activities, educating members to help themselves and others, making available research resources and materials, arranging genealogical research tours and presenting monthly programs of interest to Jewish genealogical researchers.

Anyone interested in learning how to do Jewish genealogical research is invited to attend. Beginners as well as experienced researchers are welcome. For further information on the Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay or directions to the meeting call Sally Israel at 727-343-1652.

News from Other Societies - Genealogical Society of Sarasota

The Genealogical Society of Sarasota will hold its January meeting on Saturday, January 16, 2010.

10:00 a.m. Networking
10:30 a.m. Program

George G. Morgan, Speaker (Author of "How to Do Everything: Genealogy” and “The Official Guide to Ancestry.com”)
Topic: Bring 'Em Back to Life: Creating an Ancestor Profile

Selby Library, Geldbart Auditorium


For more information, please visit their website at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~flgss/.

News from Other Societies - Genealogical Society of Sarasota

The Genealogical Society of Sarasota will hold its December meeting on Saturday, December 12, 2009.

10:00 a.m. Networking
10:30 a.m. Program

Larry Berry, Speaker
Topic: Genealogy Research in England and Wales

Selby Library, Geldbart Auditorium

For more information, please visit their website at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~flgss/.

News from Other Societies - South Bay Genealogical Society

The South Bay Genealogical Society will hold its december meeting on November 15th at noon at the SouthShore Regional Library. Ann Bergelt will present a program titled "Your Research Plan."

For more information, visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~flsbgs.

FGS Holiday Party

FGS is having its annual Holiday Party on Saturday, December 19th, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM, in the Heritage Room, North Pebble Beach, at Sun City Center. As always, this is an opportunity to enjoy the camaraderie of the society and get to know one another better. Please bring a dish to share with others.

Please RSVP to Noreta Wells at (813) 684-0843 by December 10th.

DIRECTIONS:
Take I-75 south until you see the exit for Sun City Center (Exit 240) and turn east at the bottom of the ramp. You will be on Rt. 674 East. Stay in the left lane as you approach the 5th traffic light.. (Walgreens will be your landmark.) Turn left on N. Pebble Beach and then make a right on Cherry Hill Rd. You will come upon some buildings on your left with Enter and Exit signs. Enter here, and you will come to the back parking lot. Park here, and on your left will be a sign that reads "Heritage Room." (This sign will be under an awning.) Various rooms have different names.

If you get lost, please call Linda Anderson's cell phone at (813) 285-3181, and she will help guide you.

Please join us for this festive get-together!

News from Other Societies - Charlotte County Genealogical Society

The Charlotte County Genealogical Society will be holding its 2010 Spring Seminar “Updating Your Genealogy Toolbox” with Dick Eastman on Friday, February 12, 2010, at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 2565 Tamiami Trail, in Port Charlotte.

The seminar topics include: Genealogy Searches on Google; The Organized Genealogist; The Latest Technology for Genealogists; and Where is Genealogy Software Headed. Full information is available at the Charlotte County Genealogical Society website at www.ccgsi.org.

News from Other Societies - Manasota Genealogical Society

The next meeting of the Manasota Genealogical Society will be held on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 from 9:30 am-12:00 noon at the Central Public Library.  Our guest speaker will be Sharon Tate Moody, C.G., whose talk is entitled: “Child of No One:  The Law and Your Illegitimate Ancestor". 

Following the guest speaker, our Computer Special Interest Group will meet and is open to all who are interested in learning what's new in genealogy on the Internet. 

News from Other Societies - Pinellas Genealogy Society

The Pinellas Genealogy Society on 21 Nov 2009 beginning at 11:00 am at the Largo Library, 120 Central Park Drive in Largo, FL. All are welcome to this free program.

The speakers will be Jim and Terry Willard, Professional Genealogists and writer. The program is entitled, "Attacking Your Dead-ends." The program is preceded by an informal Q&A session on "Computers in Genealogy" beginning at 9:45 am.

Light refreshments will be served after the presentation and there will be opportunity to talk with the speakers and PGS members.

News from Other Societies - Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay

Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay Meeting
"SHOW AND TELL"
Members' Genealogical Research Success Stories
Sunday, December 13, 2009

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay will meet at Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, 14041 Icot Blvd., Clearwater, Florida on Sunday, December 13, 2009. Library access and a social with refreshments begin at 1:30 PM, and the program starts at 2:00 PM.

The program will include a celebration of the 10th year of the Society's existence and will include lighting of the candles to celebrate the third night of Hanukkah. Refreshments will be served appropriate to the Hanukkah holiday and will be followed by a "SHOW and TELL" segment by members Lynn Arroya, Carol Jaffe, Deborah Radstrom, Barbara Smith and Linda Zolinsky, all of whom have experienced a breakthrough or an amusing incident in their personal research. Each will relate the circumstances of their experience and the success or failure of their effort. These "show and tells" will provide insight and give encouragement to others on how they too can achieve success in their family research. Bring a success or interesting research story with you, and tell us about it.

The Jewish Genealogical Society’s library and research resources including printed materials and Internet access, along with guided assistance and information exchange from experienced researchers will be available to participants at the meeting. Members may check out library materials to take home.

The purpose of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay is to assist interested individuals in learning about Jewish genealogy and how to research and document their own family histories. The Society does this by facilitating the exchange of research information, encouraging and facilitating research activities, educating members to help themselves and others, making available research resources and materials, arranging genealogical research tours and presenting monthly programs of interest to Jewish genealogical researchers.

Anyone interested in learning how to do Jewish genealogical research is invited to attend. Beginners as well as experienced researchers are welcome. For further information on the Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay or directions to the meeting call Sally Israel at 727-343-1652.

News from Other Societies - South Bay Genealogical Society

The South Bay Genealogical Society will hold its November meeting on November 17th at noon at the SouthShore Regional Library. Pattie Schultz and Pam Treme will present a program titled "Internet Research."

For more information, visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~flsbgs.

FGS Meeting, Saturday, November 7, 2009

The Florida Genealogical Society will hold its monthly meeting at 10:30 AM on Saturday, November 7th, in the auditorium of the John F. Germany Public Library, 900 North Ashley Drive in Downtown Tampa. The program is titled “Ancestor Show and Tell,” and attendees are encouraged to bring documents and artifacts to display and describe to the group. This popular annual program provides education and discussion of things that can expand your family history research.

News from Other Societies - Manasota Genealogical Society

The next meeting of the Manasota Genealogical Society will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 from 9:30 am-12:00 noon at the Central Public Library. Our guest speaker will be Jim McHugh (President of the MGS), whose talk is entitled: “The Mysteries and Jewels of City Directories"

Following the guest speaker, our Computer Special Interest Group will meet and is open to all who are interested in learning what's new in genealogy on the Internet.

For more information, please call Jean Morris at (941) 722-5156 or visit us on the web at: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~flmgs/

Candidates for FGS Tampa Board Election

The slate of candidates for of officers and board members for the Florida Genealogical Society were presented, in accordance with the Bylaws, at the October meeting on October 3rd. The election will be held at the November meeting on November 7th. The candidates are:

• Andrew Martin "Drew" Smith - President
• Tammy Patascher - Vice President
• Trevetta Hartline Wunderlin - Recording Secretary
• Loraine Jacobs Rose - Corresponding Secretary
• Mary Lyons Rivers - Treasurer
• Shirley J. Evans Besch - Director (3 year term)

Nominations will be accepted from the floor on the day of the election.

News from Other Societies - Brandon Area Genealogical and Historical Society

The Brandon Area Genealogical and Historical Society announces a change in its program for next week on October 13, 2009.

The Census Bureau canceled the originally announced program, stating they did not have anyone available to present a program. Mary and Merton Gates have stepped up and volunteered to present a slide show program on their last trip to England. A big "Thank You" to Mary and Merton for stepping up for us.

If you are planning to take the day trip November 14th to Ybor City with our society, have lunch, and tour the Centro Asturiano building, and then continue to the cemetery, please let Scott Peeler know at the October meeting. This is an exciting event, and it provides a tremendous historical perspective into Tampa and the wonderful historical in which we live.

We encourage everyone in this geographical area to join us for the exceptionally important and informative cultural event!

News from Other Societies - Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay

Drew Smith To Speak On
GENEALOGY AND DNA
Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay Meeting
Sunday, October 11, 2009

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay will meet at Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, 14041 Icot Blvd., Clearwater, Florida on Sunday October 11, 2009 with Drew Smith speaking on DNA and Genealogy. A social with refreshments and library access begins at 1:30 PM, and the featured program starts at 2:00 PM.

Are you afraid to try DNA as a research tool because the science seems too intimidating? This overview will explain how DNA relates to genealogy, what kinds of DNA tests are available, and how researchers can share test results with each other as a basis for determining a relationship.

Drew Smith, a nationally known genealogist, is an instructor for the School of Library and Information Science at USF. He has more than 30 years experience in the field of computing, and he has extensive experience as a genealogist. His genealogical credentials include: co-host of the weekly "Genealogy Guys Podcast," columnist for 2 computer magazines, and leadership roles in many local, national and international genealogy organizations too numerous to list. Drew is an expert in digital genealogy, and his latest book “Social Networking for Genealogists” was recently published.

The mission of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay is to assist interested individuals in learning about Jewish genealogy and learning how to research, document and preserve their own family histories. The Society does this by facilitating the exchange of research information, encouraging and facilitating research activities, educating members to help themselves and others, making available research resources and materials, and presenting monthly programs of interest to Jewish genealogical researchers. The Society’s library and research resources include both printed materials and Internet access as well as guided assistance from experienced researchers. Special emphasis is given to helping beginners.

Anyone interested in learning how to do Jewish genealogical research is invited to attend. Beginners as well as experienced researchers are welcome. For information on the organization or directions to the meeting call Sally Israel at 727-343-1652.

News from Other Societies - Pasco County Genealogical Society

All of us have heard the family story about one ancestor or another that fought the Indians or saved the village from disaster. The trick is finding the proof behind the family folklore. The October speaker for the Pasco County Genealogical Society is Paul L. Enchelmayer, and he will walk attendees through a case study of how much proof is enough.

Paul is well-traveled in Florida, speaking at nearly two dozen societies and clubs, presenting programs to help others learn how technology can aid in family history projects. He is Chairman of the Genealogy Group of the University Club of Winter Park, Past-President (and current webmaster) of the Central Florida Genealogical Society in Orange County, a member (and webmaster) of the Florida State Genealogical Society's Speakers Bureau, a member of the National Genealogical Society, and a member of the the Hamilton County Genealogical Society in Cincinnati.

For more information, please visit the Pasco County Genealogical Society's website at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~flpcgs.

Florida Genealogial Society - October's SPECIAL Meeting - Research-a Rama

The Florida Genealogical Society (Tampa) will host a special monthly meeting on Saturday, October 3, 2009, at the John F. Germany Library in downtown Tampa. The event is called Research-a-Rama and its intent is to provide members of the society and the public with a day of high quality presentations and insights into using the excellent Genealogy and Local History collection of the library.

Research-a-Rama will take place between 10:30 AM and 4:30 PM in both the auditorium and the Genealogy and Local History collection located on 2-W with concurrent activities in both areas.

The event will begin with a very short FGS business meeting at which the slate of candidates for the FGS 2010 Board will be announced. Nominations will be accepted from the floor from FGS members. (Voting will take place at the November meeting on Saturday, 7 November 2009.)

There will be four presentations given in the auditorium during the day, given by Drew Smith and George G. Morgan. The presentations will include:

§ “Finding the Books You Want” – An introduction to using the online library catalog and WorldCat (Drew Smith)

§ “Using Ancestry Library Edition (Part 1)” – An overview of the content of the Ancestry.com site and its organization (George G. Morgan)

§ “Using Ancestry Library Edition (Part 2)” – Search strategies for searching databases (George G. Morgan)

§ “Online Newspaper Research” – An introduction to the newspaper databases at the THPLC and how to search them, with a mention of TRAILS and the obituary database content and microfilm search process. (Drew Smith)


The library auditorium will be set up classroom style with tables and chairs, and the John F. Germany Library will provide the use of laptop computers from its computer labs for use during the sessions. In addition, you can bring your own laptop. The auditorium will have plenty of electrical cords for you and there is Wi-Fi connectivity for you.

Concurrent with the presentations in the auditorium, there will be several activities taking place in the Genealogy and Local History Department on 2-W in the library. The FGS Board members and society volunteers will provide two one-hour periods during the day when they will staff two tables. One session will be held in the morning and another in the afternoon as follows:



§ One table will be for “How to Get Started” with genealogical research. This will be similar to the “Ask a Genealogist” program that the society provides at the library each month. We will provide guidance to get started with research, supplemented by assistance from library staff.

§ One table will be for “Brick Wall Suggestions.” Board members and society members will provide more specific suggestions for seeking alternative records and research methods for overcoming brick wall problems. Again, supplemental assistance from staff members will be helpful.

The other activity will be two iterations of a guided tour of the collection and resources in the excellent Genealogy and Local History Department. Please note that the John F. Germany Public Library's genealogy collection has added millions of dollars worth of genealogical materials over the last four years!

Drew Smith and a member of the library staff will lead these tours. (These tours will be a direct follow-up to the first session in the auditorium in the morning.) The tour will focus on: the organization of the physical print collection and its modified Dewey Decimal Classification numbering; location and organization of the periodicals and city directories; contents of the microfilm and microfiche materials; the maps and gazetteers; vertical surname files; vertical clipping files; circulating collection; microfilm readers and printers, with focus on the ST-200 units; and other little known or used resources in the collection. (If there are any people who missed an earlier collection tour, another make-up tour can be conducted at 3:30 PM.)

This very special event will be advertised by the library, by FGS, and in the media. It is open to the public and is certain to be a very popular event. Make sure that you arrive in the auditorium early for the event. Bring your laptop and research materials!

Yes, this is just one week after the FGS Fall Seminar with Elizabeth Shown Mills, but we'll all be energized by Elizabeth's presentations. In addition, everyone will learn how to hone his or her research better than ever.

In addition, the Tampa-Hillsborough Public Library Cooperative has a very special announcement to make that day about a new online resource for all the county library card holders. You'll be thrilled too!

Make sure you plan to attend this very special education opportunity! The Florida Genealogical Society of Tampa is a leader in genealogical education, and you do not want to miss this unparalleled day of research-honing sessions!

News from Other Societies - South Bay Genealogical Society

The South Bay Genealogical Society will hold its October meeting on October 20th at noon at the SouthShore Regional Library. Debra Fleming will present a program titled "Census Analysis" and will discuss how to get the most from examination of pre-1850 U.S. federal census records.

For more information, visit http://www.rootsweb.com/~flsbgs.

News from Other Societies - Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay

Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay
HANDS-ON GENEALOGY WORKSHOP
Sunday, November 8, 2009

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay (JGSTB) will meet at 2:00 PM on Sunday, November 8th at Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, 14041 Icot Blvd., Clearwater, Florida for a hands-on working session for individual research using the Internet and resources of the JGSTB library. Several experienced JGS mentors will be available to provide individual assistance. A social with refreshments and library access begins at 1:30 PM.

The workshop will begin with a brief overview of the genealogical research resources that are available for use at this session. Full access to Ancestry.com will be available on a few computers. While this workshop is intended to be a working session for those who have already begun their research and wish to further it or seek assistance with problems, rank novices will be given an abbreviated “jump start” session on how to get started. The overview will be followed by actual use of available resources for your own individual research under the guiding hands of our experienced mentors. A listing of the JGSTB library holdings of 150 genealogy books, maps and CD-ROMs can be seen at . Attendees should bring their own research materials and information and be prepared to work. Bring your own laptop computer if you have one. Several computers with Internet access will be available if you cannot bring your own.

The purpose of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay is to assist interested individuals in learning about Jewish genealogy and how to research and document their own family histories. The Society does this by facilitating the exchange of research information, encouraging and facilitating research activities, educating members to help themselves and others, making available research resources and materials, arranging genealogical research tours and presenting monthly programs of interest to Jewish genealogical researchers. The Society’s library and research resources include both printed materials and Internet access as well as guided assistance from experienced researchers. Special emphasis is given to helping beginners.

Anyone interested in learning how to do Jewish genealogical research is invited to attend. Beginners as well as experienced researchers are welcome. For further information on the Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay or directions to the meeting call Sally Israel at 727-343-1652.

The 2009 FGS Fall Seminar with Elizabeth Shown Mills

The Florida Genealogical Society (Tampa) is very pleased to announce the details of its 2009 Fall Seminar, which will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 26, 2009, at the Dale Mabry Campus of Hillsborough Community College.

This year's speaker is Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA, distinguished, internationally recognized genealogy expert, speaker, author, and researcher.

Ms. Mills is a historical researcher and writer who has spent her life studying American culture and the relationships between people. A popular lecturer and author who has appeared on radio and television on three continents, Elizabeth has been widely cited as “The person who has had the most impact on family history in the post-Roots era.”

Across a thirty-year career, Elizabeth has been the long-term editor of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and president of both the American Society of Genealogists and the Board for Certification of Genealogists. Since 1987, she has headed the groundbreaking Advanced Research Methodology track that she created at the Samford University Institute of Genealogy & Historical Research.

Elizabeth is the author, editor, and translator of thirteen books and over 500 journal and magazine articles in genealogy, history, literature and sociology. Aside from her 2004 reality-based historical novel, Isle of Canes—which reviewers have called a “masterpiece” and a cross between Roots and Gone with the Wind—Mills is best known for two works now considered essential references in the field of family history: Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers & Librarians and the award-winning Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace (Library Journal “Best Reference Work, 2007).

She will present four excellent lectures:

• The Elusive Ancestor: There’s No Such Thing as “Too Poor to Trace”
• Sources & Citations Simplified: From Memorabilia to Digital Data to DNA
• The Identity Crisis: Right Name, Wrong Man? Wrong Name, Right Man?
• Okay, I Got the Neighbors – Now What Do I Do with Them?

Join us for an exciting day of genealogical presentations, vendors and exhibitors, and great door prizes! In addition, an informal luncheon workshop about getting started with your genealogy will be presented. Box lunches will be available for purchase at HCC on the day of the conference. We will arrange for quantities to be available based on the number of registrations received by 15 September 2009.

Registration for the Fall Seminar is $35 for members and $40 for non-members. If you join FGS in conjunction with registering for the seminar, you will be entitled to the Member registration fee of $35 and your membership will include the last quarter of 2009 and all of 2010!

You will find the 2009 FGS Fall Seminar Registration Form, a Map of Hillsborough Community College, Site of 2009 FGS Fall Seminar showing the location of HCC's parking and the building in which the auditorium is located, and the FGS Membership Application in the right-hand columns of our website at http://fgstampa.org (under IMPORTANT FGS DOCUMENTS). For more information, please email us at fgstampa@hotmail.com.

Join us for an exciting and informative day with the inimitable Elizabeth Shown Mills!

News from Other Societies - Manasota Genealogical Society

The next meeting of the Manasota Genealogical Society will be held on Tuesday, October 3, 2010 from 9:30 am-12:00 noon at the Central Public Library. Our guest speaker will be Jean Morris, whose talk is entitled: “Tribunes & Gazettes: Newspaper Research in Genealogy”.

Following the guest speaker, our Computer Special Interest Group will meet and is open to all who are interested in learning what's new in genealogy on the Internet.

For more information, please call Jean Morris at (941) 722-5156 or visit us on the web at: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~flmgs/.

Elmer's Genealogy Library Closing

Elmer's Genealogy Library in Madison, Florida, will be merging with the Huxford Genealogical Society Library located in Homerville, Georgia, in 2010. Members of Elmer’s Genealogy Library will be invited to transfer their membership to the new and larger library. The new library will be named the Folks Huxford and Elmer Spear Genealogical Library and will be managed by the Huxford Genealogical Society. Homerville is located on US 84 between Valdosta and Waycross.

The merger and transfer of the contents of Elmer’s Library to the Huxford Genealogical Society Library in Homerville, Georgia includes over 30,000 books, nearly 4,000 rolls of microfilm and over 10,000 sheets of Microfiche. The actual transfer will begin as soon as the City of Homerville completes the renovation of the building that will house both libraries.

News from Other Societies - Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay

Drew Smith To Speak On
GENEALOGY AND DNA
Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay Meeting
Sunday, October 11, 2009

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay will meet at Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, 14041 Icot Blvd., Clearwater, Florida on Sunday October 11, 2009 with Drew Smith speaking on DNA and Genealogy. A social with refreshments and library access begins at 1:30 PM, and the featured program starts at 2:00 PM.

Are you afraid to try DNA as a research tool because the science seems too intimidating? This overview will explain how DNA relates to genealogy, what kinds of DNA tests are available, and how researchers can share test results with each other as a basis for determining a relationship.

Drew Smith, a nationally known genealogist, is an instructor for the School of Library and Information Science at USF. He has more than 30 years experience in the field of computing, and he has extensive experience as a genealogist. His genealogical credentials include: co-host of the weekly "Genealogy Guys Podcast," columnist for 2 computer magazines, and leadership roles in many local, national and international genealogy organizations too numerous to list. Drew is an expert in digital genealogy, and his latest book “Social Networking for Genealogists” was recently published.

The mission of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay is to assist interested individuals in learning about Jewish genealogy and learning how to research, document and preserve their own family histories. The Society does this by facilitating the exchange of research information, encouraging and facilitating research activities, educating members to help themselves and others, making available research resources and materials, and presenting monthly programs of interest to Jewish genealogical researchers. The Society’s library and research resources include both printed materials and Internet access as well as guided assistance from experienced researchers. Special emphasis is given to helping beginners.

Anyone interested in learning how to do Jewish genealogical research is invited to attend. Beginners as well as experienced researchers are welcome. For information on the organization or directions to the meeting call Sally Israel at 727-343-1652.

Library of Michigan Crisis – Petition Needs Our Support

Within the genealogical community, the Library of Michigan has long been recognized as one of the premier state libraries in the country.

The cohesive Library of Michigan collection with over 180 years of Michigan history, literature and culture records and reflects the lives of not only those who remained to raise their families within the state but of millions more whose migration to other parts of the country left their footprints in the soil and records generated by their passage. Visitors come from all across the country to research at the Library of Michigan.

In addressing a $2 Billion deficit in the Michigan budget, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm issued an executive order in July, which would abolish the Department of History, Arts and Libraries. As originally proposed, the collections of the Library of Michigan would be scattered and the building built and designed to house the state library would be renovated to house a new function.

In meetings held during the Federation of Genealogical Societies/Arkansas Genealogical Society Annual Conference in Little Rock this past week, the Records Preservation and Access Committee (RPAC) representatives have initiated a petition drive in support of the Library of Michigan. This is the first time it has exercised this option since 2006, something of an indicator of the seriousness with which the genealogical community views this situation.

The RPAC petition became available for signature on Sunday, the 6th of September. The RPAC will close the petition drive on the 1st of October, the date the governor’s order is scheduled to take effect. The earlier one signs, the greater the impact.

Although the prospects for reversing this action are remote, we would not want it to be said that a state library can be closed without its users caring (or for other governors to think it a politically expedient thing to do).

Genealogists from within and without Michigan are encouraged to sign the online petition found at http://www.PetitionOnline.com/RPAC2009/petition.html. The RPAC then ask that you urge the members of every society of which you are a member to do likewise.

Additional background and the latest developments can be found at the web site of the Michigan Genealogical Council at www.mimgc.org/LOM.html. They may also suggest legislators to whom individual letters might be addressed at appropriate points in the legislative process.

News from Other Societies - Suncoast Genealogy Society

Saturday, November 7, 2009, 1:00 to 4:30 PM., the Suncoast Genealogy Society is pleased to announce their 2009 Seminar at the Palm Harbor Library, 2330 Nebraska Ave., Palm Harbor, FL 34683.

Topics to be covered are: "Collateral Relatives" and "Underused Resources and Marriage Records". The Guest Speaker will be Donna Murray, long time genealogist and contributing columnist of the St. Petersburg Times. A Book and Periodical Sale will precede the seminar. For further information Contact John Mangan at (727) 667-0457 or Email: John8530@aol.com.

News from Other Societies - Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay

Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay Meeting
Hamburg, The Main Embarkation Port For European Jews
And Accessing Its Website On The Internet
Sunday, September 13, 2009

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay will meet at Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, 14041 Icot Blvd., Clearwater, Florida on Sunday September 13, 2009 presenting Deborah Shapiro Radstrom and Rita Kirstein Shapiro speaking on Hamburg as one of the main embarkation ports for European Jews and accessing its website on the Internet. A social with refreshments and library access begins at 1:30 PM, and the featured program starts at 2:00 PM.

Deborah Shapiro Radstrom and Rita Kirstein Shapiro will present the history of the Port of Hamburg. An emigrant city adjoining the Port housed and fed the masses that converged on Hamburg was developed by one Jewish man, Albert Ballin. This emigrant city helped the thousands of emigrants to depart in an orderly and safe manner to various parts of the world, although most opted for the U.S.A. Our presenters will demonstrate how to use the Port of Hamburg website and its database to research outbound ship’s manifests to locate passengers listed on those manifests. You will learn how to use the tools and techniques at the website to research the Port of Hamburg’s ships manifests.

More than five million people left their homes in Europe between 1850 and 1939 via the Port of Hamburg to start a new life in American. From 1891 on, Hamburg became one of the most important ports for emigrants from all across Europe.

The mission of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay is to assist interested individuals in learning about Jewish genealogy and learning how to research, document and preserve their own family histories. The Society does this by facilitating the exchange of research information, encouraging and facilitating research activities, educating members to help themselves and others, making available research resources and materials, and presenting monthly programs of interest to Jewish genealogical researchers. The Society’s library and research resources include both printed materials and Internet access as well as guided assistance from experienced researchers. Special emphasis is given to helping beginners.

Anyone interested in learning how to do Jewish genealogical research is invited to attend. Beginners as well as experienced researchers are welcome. For information on the organization or directions to the meeting call Sally Israel at 727-343-1652.

For those who need directions, here is how to find our meeting place:

We meet at Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, 14041 Icot Blvd., Clearwater, Florida. (the red star on the map below) This is just across the bay from Tampa and just off of Ulmerton Road (SR 688) that exits from I-275. Icot Blvd. intersects with the north side of Ulmerton Road (SR 688) between U.S. 19 and 49th Street. From Ulmerton Road, turn north into the Icot Center entranceway (there is a large Autoway Nissan Dealership on the corner). You will find a left-turn lane on Ulmerton at the Icot entrance if you are coming from the West. If you are coming from the East, just make a right turn into Icot Blvd.

There are "Icot Center" gateposts marking the entranceway onto Icot Blvd. from Ulmerton Road. You will see a Holiday Inn Express Hotel on your right and a Nissan Autoway dealership on your left as you enter Icot Blvd. Proceed about a quarter of a mile on Icot Blvd, and your will see the Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services building on your right. It is identified with a large masonry sign at the entranceway into the parking lot.

Imperial Polk Genealogical Society to Host One-Day Seminar with Jana Solan Broglin, CG

The Imperial Polk Genealogical Society will host a on-day seminar on Saturday, October 17, 2009, at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Their keynote speaker is nationally-recognized genealogical expert and lecturer, Jana Sloan Broglin, CG, who will present four presentations:

• "See Ya in the Funnies"
• "Ohio: The Great Land Experience"
• "Hookers, Crooks, and Kooks" (or "Aunt Merle Didn't Run a Boarding House")
• "The Key to the Courthouse"

The event will be held in the Alumni Room of the Charles Thrift Building at Florida Southern College, 111 Lake Hollingsworth Drive, in Lakeland. Doors open at 8:00 AM for registration, and the seminar will take place between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Pre-registration is $40, and registration at the door on the day of the conference is $45, and a continental breakfast and lunch are included in the price.

A registration form with seminar details is available in PDF format at http://www.ipgs.org/SeminarFlyer.pdf. For additional information, please send email to KAYSTONE@prodigy.net or IPGSKED@aol.com.

CG is a registered service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists.

Brandon Area Genealogical & Historical Society To Host Spanish Cultural Day

The following press release was received from Scott Peeler, President of the Brandon Area Genealogical and Historical Society (BAGHS):

The Brandon Area Genealogical and Historical Society (BAGHS) is holding a Spanish cultural day on Saturday, November 14, 2009, to highlight one of the social clubs and cultures of one of our prominent ethnic groups in the Tampa area. At 10:00 a.m., we will meet at the Centro Asturiano building which is at the corner of Palm Avenue and Nebraska Avenue on the western edge of Ybor City, Tampa. I encourage you to carpool. Enter the gated parking lot from Nebraska. Enter the building from the parking lot and take the elevator to the 2nd level. One of the members of the Centro Asturiano will be giving us a brief overview of the history of the Spanish in Tampa, and specifically the people from Asturias. Asturias is a region in northern Spain from which the majority of the Spanish emigrants came to Tampa, many to work in the cigar industry. We will take a tour of the Centro Asturiano building which has been the recipient of thousands of dollars of grant money in recent years to restore the beautiful building which will soon be celebrating its one hundred year anniversary.

On the lower level of the Centro is Latam Restaurant where we will have a typical Spanish meal. This level of the Centro was formerly the cantina where male members smoked cigars, played cards and dominoes, and had their strong Spanish coffee and drinks after a hard day's work in the cigar factories. Mr. David Morejon, owner of Latam at the Centro Restaurant, has put together a great buffet menu for our group. There is no need to indicate a food choice when making your reservation since we will be served buffet style. We will have exclusive use of the restaurant that day as he does not normally open for lunch and is doing this just to accommodate our organization. Our menu will include baked chicken, roast pork, yellow rice, black beans, choice of coffee, tea or soft drink with flan for dessert. I am sure you will enjoy the delicious food. The total charge per person for the entire day's activities and meal is only $17, which is an excellent price, including tax and gratuities. Normally, there is a room charge which he is going to waive for us. We certainly do appreciate his kindness in being so generous to BAGHS and our friends.

After our meal, we will proceed to the original Centro Asturiano Cemetery where our guide will continue his informative lecture about well-known citizens who are buried in the cemetery. We can travel in convoy to the cemetery which is located on the corner of Indiana and Ola Avenues next to Woodlawn Cemetery. The cemeteries are located between Tampa Street and North Boulevard a few blocks north of Columbus Drive. It is about two miles west of the Centro. If you are not familiar with that area you will want to make sure you follow the others as we travel. Neither the Centro nor the guide for the day is charging us anything for this event so we are going to take up a voluntary collection at the cemetery which will be used for the upkeep of the cemetery. Of course, it is not mandatory that you donate, but I am sure they would appreciate any amount you can give for the upkeep of this historic cemetery since it is privately owned and not maintained by the city.

The 33rd Annual FSGS Conference - “It’s Way More Than Just Florida!”

The following press release was received from the Florida State Genealogical Society (FSGS):

The 33rd Annual FSGS Conference
“It’s Way More Than Just Florida!”

Join us for the fun and excitement of the 33rd annual Florida State Genealogical Society Conference on Friday and Saturday, November 13-14, 2009, in Melbourne, Florida. The conference will be held at the Hilton Melbourne Rialto Place and promises to be our best event yet!

The Speakers and Topics

If you thought that our state conference only focused on Florida, you would be dead wrong. There are always excellent presentations on a wide variety of topics and geographical areas. This year’s conference is pleased to present Craig Roberts Scott, MA, CG^SM, as our featured speaker. He will present lectures on four topics: “Basic Military Research,” “Treasury Records: Follow the Money” “Publishing Your Genealogical Material; Getting the Ink on Paper,” and “Problem Solving.” Craig is a professional researcher, speaker, and author. He is an expert on military research and in working with U.S. federal records. He is the president and CEO of Heritage Books, Inc., a genealogical publishing firm with over 2,800 titles in print.

In addition, the conference program committee has selected eight world-class speakers to present 15 other lectures for all levels of researchers. They are: Pamela J. Cooper; Paul Enchelmayer; Amy Larner Giroux, CG^SM, CGL^SM; George G. Morgan; Donna M. Moughty; Ann Mohr Osisek; Drew Smith, MLS; and C. Ann Staley, CG^SM, CGL^SM. Their topics include: research in the U.S. and the U.K. and Ireland; using many different record types; using Google and online resources to research your genealogy; family health history research; copyright and plagiarism; using blogs; and more! The speakers and their topics can be seen on the Conference Flyer and Registration Form at the FSGS website at http://www.flsgs.org.

The Hotel

The Hilton Melbourne Rialto Place is the venue for the conference. It has undergone a complete renovation and is a truly beautiful facility. It is the winner of the Hilton Hotel Corporation’s prestigious 2008 “Connie Award” for Best Overall Performance, the highest award given to any Hilton hotel. The hotel is located at 200 Rialto Place in Melbourne, and FSGS has negotiated a great rate of $84.00 per night for up to 4 people per room – our lowest hotel rate since 2004! Parking and high-speed Internet access are complimentary too! You will enjoy the food to be served at luncheons and the gala Friday evening banquet.

The Exhibit Hall

The vendors and exhibitors joining us will provide a diverse and wonderful collection of materials for sale and great displays. They also bring their knowledge and experience to share with the attendees. Feel free to ask questions about your research problems and get their advice. There also will be door prizes and other surprises!

APG Ancestor Road Show

The Florida Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists will once again host their popular “Ancestor Road Show.” Attendees can sign up to spend time with a knowledgeable professional researcher to get suggestions for breaking down those inevitable brick walls. The organization will also host a networking luncheon on Friday.

Florida Pioneer Descendants

We’ll again honor this year’s recipients of the Florida Pioneer Descendants Certificates at our gala awards banquet on Friday evening. We’ll also present a session at which you can learn about this prestigious program and get all your questions answered.

Mark Your Calendar Now!

Further information about the conference, the speakers, and topics and descriptions are available at the FSGS website at http://www.flsgs.org. You can download Conference Registration materials in PDF format and make your reservations. We’ll look forward to seeing you there!

“It’s Way More Than Just Florida!”

CG and CGL are registered Service Marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists.

News from Other Societies - Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay will meet at Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, 14041 Icot Blvd., Clearwater, Florida on Sunday September 13, 2009 presenting Deborah Shapiro Radstrom and Rita Kirstein Shapiro speaking on Hamburg as one of the main embarkation ports for European Jews and accessing its website on the Internet. A social with refreshments and library access begins at 1:30 PM, and the featured program starts at 2:00 PM.

Deborah Shapiro Radstrom and Rita Kirstein Shapiro will present the history of the Port of Hamburg. An emigrant city adjoining the Port housed and fed the masses that converged on Hamburg was developed by one Jewish man, Albert Ballin. This emigrant city helped the thousands of emigrants to depart in an orderly and safe manner to various parts of the world, although most opted for the U.S.A. Our presenters will demonstrate how to use the Port of Hamburg website and its database to research outbound ship’s manifests to locate passengers listed on those manifests. You will learn how to use the tools and techniques at the website to research the Port of Hamburg’s ships manifests.

More than five million people left their homes in Europe between 1850 and 1939 via the Port of Hamburg to start a new life in American. From 1891 on, Hamburg became one of the most important ports for emigrants from all across Europe.

The mission of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay is to assist interested individuals in learning about Jewish genealogy and learning how to research, document and preserve their own family histories. The Society does this by facilitating the exchange of research information, encouraging and facilitating research activities, educating members to help themselves and others, making available research resources and materials, and presenting monthly programs of interest to Jewish genealogical researchers. The Society’s library and research resources include both printed materials and Internet access as well as guided assistance from experienced researchers. Special emphasis is given to helping beginners.

Anyone interested in learning how to do Jewish genealogical research is invited to attend. Beginners as well as experienced researchers are welcome. For information on the organization or directions to the meeting call Sally Israel at 727-343-1652.

FGS Meeting - Saturday, 1 August 2009

The Florida Genealogical Society will hold its monthly meeting at 10:30 AM on Saturday, August 1st, 2009, in the auditorium of the John F. Germany Library. This month's program is "Not Just a Clockmaker: Exploring Your Ancestor's Occupations," presented by Ann Mohr Osisek. Ann describes the lecture as follows:


"What was your ancestor’s true occupation and how did it affect his life and that of his family? Organization of family groups is used to closely study occupations through several generations and the importance of creating a census timeline for an ancestor to study listed occupations throughout his or her lifetime. Using the clues of an ancestor’s ethnic background and immigration to determine whether he or she was an indentured servant. Determine if history and migration patterns played a part in their occupation with the use of city directories and other reference works as tools in your research."

A native of West Virginia, Ann has been a Central Florida resident for the past thirty-three years and has served as Managing Instructor for the Genealogy Programs at the Disney Institute in Orlando, FL. She has taught genealogy classes for the Orange County, FL, Adult Education Program for the past seventeen years and has been a computer lab genealogy instructor at the Seminole County, FL, Community College. She has been a long-time genealogical instructor in the Elderhostel Program in central Florida and teaches a weeklong genealogy class at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. Ann is President of the Florida State Genealogical Society, a Past President of the Central Florida Genealogical Society, and their long-standing Education Chair. She is a member of the National Genealogical Society and the Association of Professional Genealogists. Ann has completed courses at Samford University’s Institute of Genealogy & Historical Research in Birmingham, AL, and was a 1997 recipient of The Florida State Genealogical Society’s Outstanding Achievement Award in recognition of her contributions to the field of genealogical education. She has been published in the FGS Forum and numerous genealogical and historical society journals.


The John F. Germany Library is located at 900 N. Ashley Drive in downtown Tampa. Following the meeting, make sure to visit the History and Genealogy Department on 2-West. Make sure you sign the guest book there, and then enjoy researching in one of the very finest genealogy collections in the Southeast.