My Vacation
I'll start off this week's newsletter with a warning: there may not
be a newsletter next week: I'm going on vacation. This time I am headed to
a very remote and exotic location that may not have much in the way of Internet
access. I intend to kick back, relax and enjoy the sunshine.
You may receive a newsletter next week. Then again, you may not. In any
case, you will receive a newsletter the following week.
Family Origins 9.0
I have always considered Family Origins for Windows to be one of the better
genealogy programs available. It combines a low price, an easy-to-use interface
and great reports. This week I had a chance to use the newest version of
Family Origins and can quickly report that it lived up to my expectations.
Version 9.0 is not a major re-write. Instead, it is a further evolution of
an already excellent genealogy program.
Installation of Family Origins 9.0 was simple; it completed in a minute
or two. I especially like the method of filling out the "registration card."
It's all done on the computer, and the card is sent electronically: no postage
stamps required.
Unlike a number of other genealogy programs, Family Origins 9.0 includes
a printed user's manual. In this case, the manual is a book, entitled Getting
the Most Out of Family Origins by Bruce Buzbee. Bruce is the programmer
who created Family Origins. Along with the steps to perform each task you
can do, he includes tips, notes, and cautions for getting the most from the
program, combining and sharing database information, and safeguarding your
work, all generously sprinkled with illustrations of the screens. This 236-page
book does a great job of explaining the program's many features.
I started out by importing a GEDCOM file containing data on approximately
3,000 people. The import was fast and seemed to import with very few errors
or missing data. I should point out that any GEDCOM file transfer between
two dissimilar programs will have a few errors or missing data. However,
this is as dependent upon the originating program as it is on the receiving
program. Family Origins also can directly import files from Personal Ancestral
File version 3 databases. Anyone using PAF version 3 will want to use that
option instead of dealing with the error-prone GEDCOM transfers. However,
Family Origins cannot read the newer Personal Ancestral File version 4 databases.
One nice feature of the Family Origins GEDCOM import was the ability to
add a source citation to each person's information. That is, I specified
a source citation of "Data imported from Dick Eastman's GEDCOM file." That
source citation was attached to each of the 3,000+ individual records imported.
This is an excellent method of answering the future question, "Where did
I obtain this information?" Of course, any other source citations that were
already in the GEDCOM file are also imported and attached to the appropriate
records.
I have always liked Family Origins' user interface; it seems intuitive,
and I find it easy to navigate around the family tree. Version 9.0 maintains
the same user interface as the earlier version with one major addition: in
the Tree View (actually a display of a person's pedigree chart), each person's
name now has a new down-arrow icon to the right of the name. When you click
on this down-arrow icon, a pull-down menu displays the names of that person's
spouse and children. You can then click on any one of those names to display
a new pedigree chart for the newly-selected person. Pedigree views in other
genealogy programs usually allow for ease of traveling up the family tree
to previous generations, but going down the tree in the opposite direction
may not be as simple. The programmers have to wrestle with the question of
"Which child do we select?" Family Origin's method seems as simple and intuitive
as any I have seen.
Entering new data is as easy and intuitive as the previous versions of
Family Origins. Entering data can be tedious in any genealogy program, but
Family Origins makes it easier than most others. The data entry screen is
obvious andself-explanatory. Most data entry fields can be reached by the
simple use of the TAB key; you don't need to continually reach for the mouse.
When entering place names, the field is "auto-completing." That is, the names
of locations previously entered into the database automatically complete
your entry as you type, unless you overstrike the letters with a new place.
For instance, when I started to enter the place name of Dexter, I only had
to enter the first 2 or 3 letters. Family Origins found the matching place
name of "Dexter, Penobscot County, Maine" in its database and automatically
entered that text into the field for me. That can save a lot of typing! In
addition, the data entry screen for individuals features a data calculator.
For example, if you find a tombstone that says, "Died March 3, 1882 at the
age of 77 years, 3 months, 2 days," the date calculator will determine that
the birth date was December 1, 1804.
When closing the program, a window always appears, asking if you want
to make a backup of the data. I wish that all genealogy programs would do
this!
Another nice feature of Family Origins screens is the ability to select
backgrounds and fonts. I find that a small font and a wood grain background
works well on my desktop system with the 17-inch monitor and fancy video
card. However, the same combination doesn't work so well on the laptop PC.
Family Origins allows the user to customize a number of screen options.
Family Origins has a "scrapbook" feature that allows images, sound clips
and even full-motion video files to be attached to an individual. This is
a great method of citing sources. Not only can you say that a person appears
in the 1840 census, but you can even include a scanned image of the actual
entry in the enumerator's (census taker's) handwriting. Previous versions
allowed these records to be attached to an individual; Version 9.0 adds the
capability to attach images, sound clips and full-motion video attachments
to sources, events and places.
One new feature is the FamilyFinder Report. You can select individuals
or families; Family Origins will then search the Genealogy.com World Family
Tree for any possible matches. I selected my grandfather's name and the option
of "search for all direct ancestors." The online search required about five
minutes to complete. I was then shown a long list of possible connections,
sorted by likelihood of a connection. A rating of five stars indicates a
strong possibility of a match. Fewer stars indicate a less likely match.
However, to view the records in question, the user must have an account on
Genealogy.com's World Family Tree Diamond Collection, which costs either
$19.99 a month or $199.99 a year.
Other new features in Family Origins version 9.0 include:
- More than 50 ways of printing your family tree, with a wide choice of
family charts, borders and colors
- Bookmarks to make it easy to return
to selected individuals time and time again
- Write a Letter allows you to easily write a letter to someone without
having to worry about the formatting. Simply fill in the blanks and click
the "Create" button, and Family Origins will print the formatted letter
for you. You can also ask Family Origins to add your letter to the correspondence
log so you can track any replies. Family Origins will even connect to an
online database of addresses of major archives and repositories, making
it easy for you to find the appropriate agency's address.
- Timeline chart allows you to graphically chart the lifespan of your ancestors
and the people around them.
- A new Relationship chart allows you to calculate the relationship between
any two people in your database.
- Family Group Sheets may now print family photos at the top of the sheet.
Family Origins has long allowed for opening two different databases simultaneously.
Version 9.0 adds the capability to drag and drop a person from one database
to another. This is very useful when a distant relative sends you a GEDCOM
file. You can open your own database first, and then open a second database
created with the new GEDCOM file. You can then examine the two databases,
side-by-side. If you find an individual in the new database that you want
to add to your own, simply click on that person and "drag" him or her into
your primary database. This capability allows you to be very selective about
the data you accept.
Family Origins will also allow you to create a family book, complete with
photos, notes, bibliography and an alphabetical index. You can even put your
family on the World Wide Web with the option to keep personal information
of living individuals private. Other reports available include address labels
and personalized calendars.
Family Origins version 9.0 is available in two versions: Regular and Deluxe.
Both versions have everything described so far, but the Deluxe version adds
a Place Finder plus a 2-month subscription to the GenealogyLibrary.com Web
site that contains more than 2,700 genealogy books, articles, and databases.
The above description only presents the highlights of this powerful and
full-featured genealogy program. You can learn a lot more on the Family Origins
Web site. You can also see screen shots and sample printouts there.
Family Origins version 9.0 requires Windows 95 or 98. (I suspect it will
also work on Windows NT or Windows 2000, although I did not test it on those
operating systems.) It also requires a 486 or faster processor along with
at least 8 megabytes of RAM memory. I'd suggest a Pentium and 16 megabytes
of memory or more. Family Origins 9.0 also requires the normal Windows devices
of a 2X or faster CD-ROM drive, 640-by-480 pixel display (or more) with at
least 256 colors and any printer supported by Windows. If you plan to use
the program's Internet features, then you will also need a modem or other
network connection and an Internet account.
Family Origins Standard Version sells for $29.99 (U.S. funds) and is a
bargain, in my opinion. This is a very powerful genealogy program at a modest
price. The Deluxe version of Family Origins 9.0 sells for $49.99. Registered
users of Family Origins can purchase an upgrade to version 9.0 for only $19.99.
Get more information or order Family Origins version 9.0 online at
the producer's secure Web site.
Genealogical Encyclopedia of the
Colonial Americas
This week I had a chance to use a thick new book called The Genealogical
Encyclopedia of the Colonial Americas by Christina K. Schaefer. This 830-page
reference manual is subtitled, "A Complete Digest of the Records of All the
Countries of the Western Hemisphere."
This "complete digest" lists record sources from the colonial periods
of all the Americas, from Latin America to the Caribbean, from the original
Thirteen Colonies to Canada and New France. The dates covered range from
the beginning of European colonization in the Western Hemisphere up to the
time of the American Revolution. The records described are the primary records
used in genealogical research; however, the time line has been extended to
provide more complete information in the following instances: U.S. states
other than the Thirteen Colonies with records that begin prior to the Revolutionary
War, until such time as they became part of the U.S. (possession, territory,
state); Latin American countries, which did not declare their independence
from Spain and Portugal until 1808 and, later, Canada through about 1841;
Caribbean countries and dependencies to about 1810; the subject of slavery
up to the abolition of the slave trade.
As you might guess, this is a monumental undertaking. Author Schaefer
must have spent thousands of hours researching this book. She includes the
best sources of information regarding an immigrant ancestor that can usually
be found in the country to which he immigrated. There are, nevertheless,
many important records still to be found in the country of origin—records
which had either remained in the mother country or had been returned to the
mother country: for example, church records, emigration and trade company
records, indenture agreements, military records, missionary society records,
probate records and wills, provincial land grants, and tax records. Thus
the last section of this book provides information regarding the location
of colonial records in such countries as Denmark, England, France, Germany,
the Netherlands, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, and Switzerland, and at the Library
of Congress in Washington, D.C.
Here is a listing of the contents of the seven distinct parts that make
up the book:
- Chronology of colonial history and dates of first colonial governors
- Colonies of Latin America arranged according to mother country
- Colonies of the Caribbean
- The Thirteen Colonies plus Maine and Vermont
- Other U.S. States with settlements prior to the Revolution
- Canada
- Resources for further research, including the location of colonial
records in such countries as Denmark, England, France, Germany, the Netherlands,
Portugal, Scotland, Spain, and Switzerland, and at the Library of Congress
in Washington, D.C.
The Genealogical Encyclopedia of the Colonial Americas also describes major
records sources in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador,
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
Uruguay, Venezuela, Brazil, the Guianas, Belize, Falkland islands, the Bahamas,
Barbados, Bermuda, the British Leeward Islands, the British Windward Islands,
Cuba, the French Antilles, Hispaniola, Jamaica, the Netherlands Antilles,
Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, the Virgin Islands, the original thirteen
colonies of the present-day United States, other U.S. states with settlements
prior to the U.S. Revolution and Canada.
As an example of the kind of information found in this new book, I looked
at Pennsylvania. This section starts with a brief, four- paragraph description
of the typical immigration patterns of the Colonial period, followed by descriptions
of the records from the County Courts of the Quarter Sessions and Justice
of the Peace (1682- ), Court of Common Pleas (1707- ), Orphans' Court (1716-
), Provincial Court (1683-1707), Supreme Court (1707- ), Chancery Court (1720-1736),
multi-volume published records of the Pennsylvania Archives, land records,
Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly, manuscripts, church records, newspaper
abstracts, county records and a lot more. The section on Pennsylvania fills
33 pages. Keep in mind that these pages are all made up of listings of where
to find records! There are similar sections for each of the countries and
colonies listed earlier.
The Genealogical Encyclopedia of the Colonial Americas by Christina
K. Schaefer certainly will become one of the standard genealogy references
of the early 21st century. I expect to see it on the shelf of every
genealogy library, as well as in many private book collections.
The Genealogical Encyclopedia of the Colonial Americas sells for $49.95
plus shipping. Any bookstore can order it for you if you specify ISBN 0806315768.
You can also order it directly from the publishers: Genealogical Publishing
Company. They have an online secure order form system so that you can safely
enter your credit card information. To read more about this book or to order
it online, visit the GPC Web site.
Family Tree Maker Version 8.0 Is
Shipping
Genealogy.com announced this week that the new version of Family Tree Maker
is now being delivered. I haven't seen the program yet but can relay the
following press release:
FREMONT, Calif., Sept. 19—Genealogy.com, LLC today announced the release
of Family Tree Maker 8.0, the latest version of its #1-selling genealogy
program. Family Tree Maker 8.0 offers a host of publishing tools, consolidated
into a new publishing center. Users can create heirloom-quality printed family
books and professional-quality family home pages that showcase family trees
and related information. Built-in wizards and templates make information
entry, management, research and editing as easy as answering a few questions
or clicking a button. Family Tree Maker 8.0 is offered in a Deluxe 24-CD
set, Deluxe 35-CD set, and a Collector's Edition which retail for $59.99,
$79.99 and $99.99, respectively. All versions include genealogically valuable
records on CD such as immigration, Census, marriage, birth and military data.
"We are constantly improving our programs to make genealogy research easier
and more enjoyable," said Rob Armstrong, Genealogy.com CEO. "Family Tree
Maker 8.0 makes everyone an expert—whether it's doing research, publishing
family tree information or creating designer-quality Family Home Pages on
the Web."
Expanded New Features
Family Tree Maker 8.0 has new features to help users research their ancestors,
create heirloom-quality printouts and create a family home page to share.
Key new features include:
- Publishing Center: The publishing center consolidates Family Tree Maker's
array of publishing tools and makes it simple to create heirloom-quality
family books and personal family home pages that look professionally designed.
The publishing center offers the following tools:
- Create-a-Home-Page Wizard: Guides users step-by-step through the process
of creating a family home page on the Web. Once the user answers a few questions,
the wizard automatically takes the information from the family file and
converts it into a personalized, easy to navigate Web site complete with
pictures, an index of individuals, and an internet family tree.
- Edit-Your-Home-Page Wizard: Allows for quick and easy updates of family
home pages. A special email feature lets users notify family members on
their personal email list when the page has been updated.
- Add a Tree or Report to the Family Home Page: Helps to customize the
family home page even further by adding a family tree or favorite reports
with a few simple clicks. This wizard takes users through a three-step process
for selecting and adding personalized printouts created in Family Tree Maker.
- Create a Family Book: Makes it easy to assemble family trees, reports,
maps, and stories into an heirloom-quality book, which can be posted online
or printed for sharing at a family reunion. Family books can be customized
with a variety of borders, colors, fonts, captions and photos—and organized
with a table of contents and index, all automatically created by the wizard.
- FamilyFinder(R) Tips: For researchers who are not sure where to look
next, one click of a button in Family Tree Maker 8.0 reviews what the user
has already entered and suggests where to research next. Sources include
vital records, national and international archives, and a list of online
resources. In addition pre-formatted letters make it easy to contact agencies
and request information.
- FamilyFinder Report: To make the user's search for ancestors as effortless
as possible, the Family Finder Report utilizes a star rating system to automatically
prioritize search results. A five-star match is 95% likely to contain information
about the researcher's family. A five-star source will also state the name
of the oldest ancestor that appears in the source, their relationship to
the searcher, plus additional relatives to add to his or her family tree
from this source.
- Find and Replace: Users can quickly make corrections throughout the Family
File with this new feature. Family Tree Maker 8.0's new find and replace
feature makes the process of correcting misspellings much easier.
- Improved Family Group Sheets: A wider variety of options allow users
to include much more information on the family group sheet. This standard
form becomes a more useful reference, easy to bring along when you do research
away from home.
About Family Tree Maker
Family Tree Maker is the easiest and most complete resource for building
your family tree. The #1 selling and favorite family history program for
over a decade, more people trust their family history to Family Tree Maker
than to any other genealogy program. Family Tree Maker features sophisticated
research tools, the widest variety of heirloom-quality printouts, easy-to-use
home page wizards, and the largest Internet genealogy community. Since 1989,
Family Tree Maker has won reviews and awards for excellence from leading
industry publications such as PC Magazine and Family PC. It sets the standard
for quality, value, and ease of use.
Pricing, Availability and System Requirements
The Family Tree Maker 8.0 Deluxe 35-CD set is available now for an estimated
street price of $79.99. Upgrades from previous versions of Family Tree Maker
are available for $29.99. All are available in retail stores worldwide, through
Genealogy.com, or by calling
800-548-1806.
Family Tree Maker 8.0 requires Windows 95 or Windows 98, Pentium 90 minimum
(166 recommended) or higher IBM PC or compatible, 16 MB RAM minimum (32 MB
recommended) 100 MB of free hard disk space, 2X CD-ROM drive or faster, 640x480
display, 256 colors. Works with most popular printers (monochrome and color)
supported by Windows. Modem for Internet functionality (28.8 kbps recommended);
video-capture board and soundboard (for video and audio clips); scanner (for
digitizing images); and digital camera are optional. Internet Service Provider
account required for Web site connection. User is responsible for all Internet
access fees and phone charges. As with all Windows programs, a faster processor,
more RAM and more disk space will enhance performance.
Walter Lee Sheppard R.I.P.
Walter Lee Sheppard, Jr., former contributing editor of the (U.S.)
National Genealogical Society's Quarterly, died recently while undergoing
treatment for cancer. He was a founding member of the Board for the Certification
of Genealogists and held many honors and recognitions. He was also a former
president of his national college fraternity, Phi Kappa Psi.
Mr. Sheppard wrote many genealogy articles and contributed to several
books, including Passengers and Ships Prior to 1684, Penn's Colony; Ancestral
Roots of Sixty Colonists Who Came to New England between 1623 and 1650 edited
by Walter Lee Sheppard, Jr., assisted by David Faris; Feudal genealogy;
The Ancestry and Descendants of Thomas Stickney Evans and Sarah Ann Fifield,
His Wife, Both of Fryeburg, Maine; Interpreting Genealogical Records; The
Magna Charta Surities, 1215 (originally written by Frederick Lewis Weis,
with additions and corrections by Walter Lee Sheppard, Jr., with David Faris);
and others.
Mr. Sheppard's undergraduate degree was from Cornell University. By profession
he was a chemical engineer. He is survived by a stepson; his second wife,
Bouie, died several years ago.
For Sale: Glebe House
For Sale: A historic house with a prime location in Arlington, Virginia.
The U.S. National Genealogical Society (NGS) was founded in 1903 in the
District of Columbia. The society moved to the Glebe House in Arlington,
Virginia in 1912. Early parts of the Glebe House date back to the 1830's
when the property was a 500-acre farm. A historical building, Glebe House
presently houses the administrative offices of the NGS. The NGS library is
located in a building behind Glebe House that was built in 1986 and designed
to resemble an old carriage house. It's a small library crammed with books,
computers and software.
According to a "Current News" page written by NGS Executive Director,
Fran Shane, and posted on the Society's Web site, the Glebe House is up for
sale. Shane writes, "While Glebe House has been a wonderful headquarters
building, we have outgrown these marvelous walls."
Potential buyers are invited to contact the National Genealogical Society,
4527 17th Street North, Arlington, VA 22207-2399. Telephone (703) 525-0050
or (800) 473-0060.
Home Pages Highlighted
The following is a list of some of the genealogy-related World Wide
Web home pages that have been listed recently on Rootscomputing.com:
Foggo family: A brief history of a family from the island of St. David's,
Bermuda. It is a weaving of the prime members of a family with centuries
of history on the tiny island in the Atlantic Ocean. Get details.
Orrell Family Association—dedicated to researching and documenting
the Orrell family regardless of geographical location or timeframe. Over
1,000 scanned images and documents, 30 books, and 30 genealogy databases
(GEDCOM downloadable) are available on the Web site. Get details.
Heer family site—information on the family of John Christian and Christina
Hausch Heer, who were originally from Bietigheim, Baden, Germany. They settled
in Galena, IL in 1842. Get details.
Baltimore City Nineteenth-Century Photos—This site contains photographs
of residents of Baltimore city or photos taken by Baltimore photo studios.
The names of all subjects are identified, and the majority are from the
19th century. Get details.
New Web site for Owsley Family Historical Society.
Get details.
To submit your home page to this newsletter, enter the necessary information
at the Rootscomputing Register.
Due to the volume of new Web pages submitted, I am not able to list all of
them in the newsletter.
If you would like to submit news, information or press releases for possible
inclusion in future newsletters, send them to roots@compuserve.com.
The author does reserve the right to accept or reject any articles submitted.
DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is being written and sent via e-mail at no
charge. I expect to write one new issue on a more or less weekly basis.
However, life sometimes interferes, and the need to earn a living may create
an occasional delay.
COPYRIGHTS: The contents of this newsletter are copyright by Richard
W. Eastman. You are hereby granted rights, unless otherwise specified, to
re-distribute articles from this newsletter to other parties provided you
do so strictly for non-commercial purposes. Please limit your re-distribution
to one or two articles per newsletter; do not re-distribute the newsletter
in its entirety. Also, please include the following words with any articles
you re-distribute:
The following article is from Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter and
is copyright 2000 by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the
permission of the author.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Dick Eastman Online
