The Genealogy Gems Podcast with Lisa Louise Cooke - Your Family History Show

Published June 20, 2011 Get ready to be inspired while you listen to kids embracing their family history at the Kid's Camp lead by Charlotte Bocage.  In this episode you'll hear from the instructors, kids, parents and grandparents that all shared a very special day exploring the joy of genealogy. Genealogy Gems Podcast App users can also check out Bonus Content:  Genealogy Blogger Elyse Doerflinger of shares with the kids her favorite place to go digging for records Get the Get the

Published May 28, 2011 This week we did a 90 minute and the response has been fantastic.   I’ve had so many emails from those of you who attended, and I can just read the excitement in your words.   After the Google Search Tips and Tricks webinar Penny wrote: "Loved your last webinar for RootsMagic.  I had the reputation for being pretty sharp with Google searching, but you leave me in the dust."   And Eileen wrote: "Fantastic webinar! I can't wait to try it out!"   And after the Google Earth for Genealogy webinar Valerie wrote in saying : "Great show, learned a lot!!! Cant wait to get started  with Google Earth!!! Ordered your 2 disks right after the webinar!!!"   Mary says "Your Google Earth webinar this evening was golden!  Thank you for giving so much to the genealogy community."   Kim wrote: "GREAT Webinar....learned so much.....I'll never get any rest, tonight! Thanks Lisa!"   to view recordings of the webinars     NEWS: features an interview with Richard Gray   just added 175,000 Northamptonshire burial and cremation records to their website and they should be available online by early July. The first data release comprises burial records for seven towns in the English East Midlands area of north/northeast Northamptonshire: Broughton, Burton Latimer, Cransley, Desborough, Pytchley, Rothwell and Rushden. In all, there are approximately 24,000 records in the first batch of data, dating back to 1888, the largest of which is Rushden. The data comprises register scans and grave details for all 24,000 burials. Photos of all memorials in Broughton, Cransley and Pytchley cemeteries are also included and there are some photos for memorials in other cemeteries.   The remaining 151,000 records are from Kettering's two cemeteries, London Rd and Rothwell Rd, and the town's Crematorium which serves a large area stretching across much of north Northamptonshire and into the neighbouring west Cambridgeshire and south Leicestershire. These are expected to be added to the Deceased Online database in early July so put it on your calendar to check back on the website then.   just Completee the 1930 Mexico Census and have announced it is Now Available Online for Free! These are part of a total of  59 collections that were updated in this release, comprising 25 million new images and records for 19 U.S. states and 16 countries.  You can search all of these updated collections now for free at http://www. .   Updated Genealogy Gems App The Genealogy Gems Podcast app has been updated and is now iPad compatible, in addition to other improvements.           Google has abandoned their master-plan to archive the world's newspapers Google announced this month that they have notified their partners in their News Archive project that they would stop accepting, scanning, and indexing microfilm and other archival material from newspapers, and was instead focusing its energies on "newer projects that help the industry, such as , a platform that enables publishers to sell content and subscriptions directly from their own sites."   Thanksfully, Google did say in a press release email that it would continue to support the existing archives it has scanned and indexed. It added, "We do not, however, plan to introduce any further features or functionality to the digitized news product."  So it’s not going away, it’s just not going to grow or be officially supported.   What we don’t know is whether Google will finish indexing the newspapers it has already scanned. I hope so, but many folks out there aren’t very optimistic about it...We may still see this content pop up in other places, and I will keep my eyes and ears open for that and let you know when I know more.  Seems like a GREAT opportunity for sites like Ancestry or Genealogy bank to step in don’t you think?     MAILBOX: As we approach the memorial day holiday, Brandt from Washington wrote in with a question about Military Records.  He writes: "I recently found this Civil War pension application index record for one of my ancestors, Alexander B. Shute (and he sent me the card which you can see in the show notes). The index references two applications for pensions, one for an invalid, and one for his widow. Do you know how I could go about finding these applications? I'm very interested in seeing what they can tell me about Alexander. Thanks for the fantastic podcast, and keep the gems coming!"   Diana Chrisman Smith, an instructor for Family Tree University provides an answer:   "For Civil War veterans, the invalid file for the veteran and the widow's file are filed together at the National Archives (NARA) in Washington, DC.  If there was a file for a minor child, it would also end up in the same file.    There is a project underway in partnership between NARA, Footnote and FamilySearch to index and digitize all of the Civil War widow's pension files --- however, at this time they are only about 2% complete.   The index card for your Alexander Shute indicates that he did receive the requested invalid pension and his widow received her requested pension (there are both application and certificate numbers for both).  These application files should indeed show you information about Alexander.  However, this widow's pension file is not among those yet completed when I checked.    For those who ARE digitized in this project, the images of the complete file are available online at Footnote.com, by searching for the widow's name, the veteran's name, or the widow's certificate (WC) number.    For those who are NOT yet completed in this project, the next option is to request the file directly from the National Archives (NARA).  This may be done in one of three ways:   1. Visit the National Archives in Washington, DC, where the originals are located and view the file, making whatever copies you wish personally - this is the least expensive option if it is in your "neighborhood," since you may be selective about which pages you may wish to copy.   2. Visit  and obtain Form NATF-85 to request the document copies by mail.  The instructions indicate the price for the file (currently $75.00 fo the full file, up to 100 pages + $.65 for additional pages).     3.  Complete and submit the form NATF-85 online (same prices apply, but service is faster).    As the digitization project progresses, more files will be available online, making access easier - for now, NARA is about the only game in town for most pension files.   Note that this information is for UNION veteran files.  The access for Confederate files is different, and the subject for another day."   If you are interested in learning more about Military Records you can join one of Diana’s upcoming classes at Family Tree University:     Barbara writes in about how to find proof.  She writes: "I recently found a record for my gggrandmother at the St. John’s Almshouse.  The age is only a couple years off.  How can I verify that this record is indeed for her.  Even on my other side, the cemetery stone of my ggreatmother has the wrong date of death.  What alternatives do I have to prove this, other than hiring a professional genealogist?"   Lisa recommends: 1) Do some searching in the to see if you can find any articles that give you more insight into poorhouse records and the St. John's Almshouse records specifically.  2) Try contacting a reference librarian at a leading repository and posing a few specific questions to see if they can set you in the right direction.  I would recommend the National Archives UK and the in Salt Lake City.  The latter you can contact by email.  But strive to be specific with you question and provide a digital copy of the records involved if possible.     GEM: Roger Kershaw on Britain's Home Children Not long ago I got an email from Michelle who had a suggestion for a podcast gem.  A segment on British Home Children.  While I had heard that term before, I hadn’t come face to face with it in my own research.  Michelle explained in her email that these children were orphans or impoverished youth who were shipped to Canada from Great Britain through philanthropic agencies between 1869 and the 1930's. Michelle said he has an uncle whose grandmother and some of her siblings were British Home Children and she would be interested in learning more about them.    In this episode you’ll hear an interview with Roger Kershaw who joined the National Archives in the UK in 1986 and is now the head of Military, Maritime, and Family records for the Advice and Records Knowledge Department.    Canada designated 2010 as the year of the British Home Child and the journal spotlighted the subject with an article in each edition. The Journal is very well done, and these articles are particularly excellent as they shed so much light on this important part of history.   Get in touch with the Alberta Genealogical Society at

Published May 17, 2011 In this episode we cover little white lies told at the turn-of=-the-century about divorce, and The Photo Detective Maureen Taylor joins us from Who Do You Think You Are? Live in London.   "Like" the     NEWS:    National Archives EStore Opens Online Click the Bargain Vault link in the menu    The National Archives UK 9 June 2011, they will be taking part in #AskArchivists Day along with other archives from around the world. #AskArchivists on      A new service helps you synchronize between your computer desktop family tree database programs and some of the popular online family tree websites.     Ancestry.com Example of WebSearch:  .       MAILBOX: includes the webinar recording of Getting the Scoop on Your Ancestors From Old Newspapers   Google Search Tips and Tricks        Upcoming webinar   If you would like to talk to Lisa about possibly doing a webinar for your group, email Lisa’s Seminars and Webinars at Genealogy Gems   Juliana asks about PAF and records from Brazil . Search the FamilySearch Wiki on brazil research.    Elizabeth has a question about turn of the century divorces:  “I have found a handful of couples that around the turn of the century that had separated or divorced, but one or both of the people told the census taker they were "widowed".   Until I realized this was happening I simply took the "widowed" at face value and moved on. Are there resources you might suggest for finding divorce information around the turn of the last century?”   by the Department of Commerce and Labor Bureau of the Census from 1909.  This is an incredibly comprehensive book covering marriage and divorce statstics for not only the U.S. but around the world.    On page 50 the report comes right out and states:   “It should be remembered, however, that in th eUnit3ed States the number of divorced persons reported by the general census of population is grossly deficient, because many persons who are divorced, being sensitive in regard to the fact, report themselves as single or widowed.”    Search “Divorce” in the       GEM:  The Photo Detective at WDYTYA in London Interview with Maureen and some of the folks waiting in line   Websites mentioned in this episode: Photos through the Ages using ) free signup     Lisa’s upcoming appearances: The June 9-11, 2011 teaching classes and presenting the Genealogy Gems Podcast Live!   June 24 & 25, 2011.   in Overland Park, Kansas on July 29 & 30, 2011

Published April 30, 2011 In this episode listeners chime in on Ancestry online trees, Lisa shares an inspiring story, and talks with Mike Litterst of the National Parks Service about the Civil War 150th Anniversary web site.   NEWS:   FamilySearch Over at , with their most recent additions to the website they are now up to 600 free    Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree App iPhone, iPod Touch & iPad: you get the app from the iTunes app store by searching for "genealogy" or 'jamboree" or point your iPhone's mobile browser to All other phones like the Android, and BlackBerry: point your mobile browser to The for Android is now also available in the Amazon App Store.   Jamboree Webinar Extension Series These are a great way to get to not only preview what’s coming at Jambopree, but also you get to  participate in some of the great presentations that happen at Jamboree even if you can’t make it there in person this year   RootsMagic Upcoming Free Webinars Tuesday, May 24, 2011 5pm Pacific / 6pm MDT / 7pm Central / 8pm Eastern   Watch the recording of Google Search Tips and Tricks with Lisa Louise Cooke     by an unnamed Daily Mail reporter published on April 13, 2011    Learn more about the Great War in Genealogy Gems Premium Podcast episode 67 The Western Front Association at the Who Do You think You Are? Live conference 2011 in London       MAILBOX:   Many listeners write in about Ancestry online trees.   Pam and Roxanne comment on the fact that the women in Steve Buscemi’s family tree on an episode of WDYTYA? were listed with their married names and not their maiden names.   "Thank you Lisa for all these wonderful podcasts, they are a highlight to my week and I always look forward to them.' Roxanne, Vancouver BC And finally, I always LOVE to hear when someone out there discovers the podcast, and Karen in Vermont did recently and wrote in: "A few weeks ago I was delighted to find your two podcasts: Family History and Genealogy Gems.  I am a self-taught family historian who has been working on the genealogy of my husband and myself for the past several years.  I wish I had found your podcasts when they first came out.  They would have undoubtedly made my job much easier!…Thank you so much for your podcasts and I can't wait to work my way through them all to see what other discoveries I can make!"     GEM:  Interview with Mike Litterst of the National Parks Service         NEWSLETTER: Sign up for the free and receive the free ebook – 5 Fabulous Google Search Strategies for the Family Historian.

Published April 8, 2011 In this episode we cover Census Records Tips and Tricks.   MAILBOX:   "Keep coming up with these gems, you never know where they may lead!" from Angela who asks about Date Discrepanies and Lookalikes  “All of her life my grandmother was sure that she hadn't been told the whole truth about her birth.”   Garry in British Columbia wrote in about A Gem Found in the    Letitia in Ashford, England writes “Picnic: Problem In Chair Not In Computer!”    Phyllis from Porland OR is a new blogger and has a question about the "First I want you to know how much I enjoy your podcasts.  I really appreciate all the hard work you put into getting information to us about how to successfully trace our family roots and for encouraging us to start a blog.    I started my blog last October.  The site name is and once word got out about the site, family members that I never knew I had contacted me to give me information about our ancestors.  I was even able to find a relative of my great grandmother and my great grandfather in Pescasseroli, Italy and have begun corresponding with them!  So exciting."   APP TIP:  If your iPhone or Android Genealogy Gems Podcast app is acting up check for app and phone updates        In each episode we usually upload a few extra bonus goodies.  With the last episode I included a video version of my interview with Dick Eastman, and I often include photos and other documents, and those are unique to the apps, so be sure and click on Bonus or Extras once you’ve selected a particular episode.   Sean writes in about Citing Wikipedia Sources in your family history research Sean recommends using the text "Permanent Link."  Read more about it at the Finding the Flock Blog   Ken in Washington DC has a beef with Ancestry "First, thank you for the time and effort in putting together your podcasts.  I walk several miles to work each day and find the podcasts a wonderful way to pass the time.  I started with all of your archived episodes when I found the series early last year, finished those up last summer, and now eagerly await each new one."   Tammy in Oklahoma asks about old WAC Broadcasts "I'm a long time listener and happy to say that I am now a Premium Member as well!" I was recently transcribing letters that my grandmother sent home while she served as a WAC in London and Paris during WWII.  Her name was Louise Liberty Osborne.  She was quite a character.   One of the last letters I was working on mentioned that she appeared on the National Broadcast of the U.S. Army Hour which was on Sundays from 12 to 1:30.  The letter is dated May 14, 1944.  Do you know if recordings of these broadcasts still exist?  that specializes in old radio logs Set up some Google Alerts ("army hour" + 1944 for example) and Ebay Favorite Searches.  There are also several Old Time Radio podcasts in iTunes    Susan writes: I love listening to your podcasts. You have so many great ideas for family research. I learn something new with every broadcast.  I was wondering if you or any of your listeners have had any luck in finding family records at a church in Germany.  Lisa's Suggestions: The best way to start is with familysearch.org.  Look up Osnabruck in the online.  Under the location you'll find a large number of record collections.  Click on Church records and follow the links to the records you need.  You can then order the microfilm from your local Family History Center (or if the records have been digitized and are online that should be indicated on the page) and view them at the center.  If you're new to using Family History Centers I've done several podcast episodes in my podcast on them and how to use their records. The is also a tremendous online free resource to learn more about doing German research and answer questions that pop up along the way.   GEM: Census Tips and Tricks Lisa interviews Jason Harrison of Familysearch

Published March 25, 2010   Dick Eastman joins Lisa in this episode to discuss Cloud Computing.   Season 2 of the is coming this March 28, 2011   featuring interviews with many of the experts who attended the RootsTech conference.    Curt Witcher's visionary look at "."      Brian Pugh of FamilySearch called       Big Thank Yous To: Le Maison Duchamp    The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox Book Reviews: Available at the Genealogy Gems Store at Lulu press:   Craig Manson of the GeneaBlogie blog   Ian Hadden at Ian Hadden’s Family History   1911 Scotland Census     MAILBOX:   Jennifer in CA wrote in about how much she enjoyed the about Evernote. Brandt asked a question about Fraternal Organizations:  From Mutual Aid to the Welfare State: Fraternal Societies and Social Services, 1890-1967 by David T. Beito a professor of history at the   GEM: Interview with Dick Eastman on Cloud Computing

Published March 8, 2011 Who Do You Think You Are? Live in London was fantastic!  I can't wait to tell you all about it in this episode!  Like the Genealogy Gems Podcast on Facebook Above: The gates at Hinchingbrooke House forged by Harry Cooke GEM: Create your own Family Reference Library and Catalogue with Jan Gow Recorded at the RootsTech conference in Salt Lake City Resources mentioned in the interview: Hooked on Genealogy Tours PO Box 25-025 Auckland 1130 New Zealand Phone:  64 9 521 1518 Beehive Books Jan Gow has been a genealogist, tutor, author and lecturer at local, national and international levels (and cruise ships) since 1985. Service includes the APG Board and the New Zealand Society of Genealogists as treasurer and president. Owner of Beehive Books (since 1987) and Hooked on Genealogy Tours (since 1992) – each year preparing and escorting genealogists to Salt Lake City and the UK. Awarded the AFFHO (Australasian Federation of Family History Organisations) Award for Meritorious Service to Family History in 2006

Published Feb 8, 2011  In this episode Lisa chats with Josh Taylor of NEHGS about genealogy, technology and the future. Tips for Getting the Most from a Conference 1. Sit up front 2. Introduce themselves to the people sitting next to them 3. Attend classes that wouldn’t normally attend.  Try new topics, and let the presenters really lay out the topic and see how it might apply to their own research. Genealogy’s Star Blog article:   Unveiled their new website which features Illinois Resources for Genealogy Researchers The U.S. National Archives Records Administration new Online Public Access prototype    So try it out at   send your comments and feedback to . NARA’s first mobile app: “Today’s Document.”   Tutorial video on how to use the new Today’s Document application: The Today’s Document is absolutely free and you can get it at the Android marketplace and the Apple iTunes Store.  The Library and Archives Canada recently announced that within the next seven years, they will put most of its services online.  Ancestry.com has decided to disconnect their Expert Connect Service as of March 18, 2011 Jenna wrote in saying that the recent episodes of the Genealogy Gems podcast weren’t showing up on her Genealogy Gems .  If this happens to you it may be because a more current version of the app has been released.  Simply check for the app update on your mobile device, download it and you’ll be up and running again as Jenna did.  Get the Genealogy Gems Android app at the Android Marketplace, or the in the iTunes store.     MAILBOX:  Bill Buchanan and Kim Fillmore wrote in about some great genealogy gems they found on   Update: The toolbar has been discontinued.   GEM: Interview with Josh Taylor of the TV series Who Do You Think You Are?    New Blog Series Check out Lisa’s guests post on the Genealogy Insider blog

Lisa's New Book is Here!   Genealogy Blog:     Lisa's Upcoming Appearances:   All day seminar on Google at the in Southern California conference Feb 10-12 in Salt Lake City to speak on Google Search Strategies   Tips to Avoid Disappearing emails First go to your spam folder and select the emails you want and then click the Not Spam button – it may be called something else in your email, but most services have one.  Create a Contact In your email system for the sender of the email.  So for my newsletter, you would just  add ur  as a contact.   GEM: Interview with Kory Meyerink 50 Most Popular Genealogy Websites   GEM:  Interview with Chris Bair (with thanks to Chris Bair for sharing)

Published Jan 5, 2011 NEWS: 1916 Candian census of the Prairie Provinces at the Library and Archives Canada You can access the digitized images of the 1916 census online in two different ways: by Province, District Name, District Number, and Sub-district Number. Using the ," you can browse the microfilm reels page by page.   New Video on the Civil War from NARA Inside the Vaults: Discover the Civil War In this video just under 4 minutes the creators of NARA’s Discovering the Civil War exhibition  share little-known facts and extraordinary discoveries found in the fantastic Civil War holdings at the National Archives.   For more information on the  Discovering the Civil War exhibition, head on over to .   BBC iPlayer To Go International Now if you’re like me, and you live outside of Great Britain,  at some point you probably popped in on the BBC website to check out the British version of the TV series Who Do You Think You Are? Only to discover that the video is shown on the BBC iPlayer and it’s blocked to international visitors to the site.  The scoop is that the BBC plans to offer overseas access to the BBC iPlayer.  However, it’s not going to be free.   on the BBC iPlayer for iPad So for now, stay tuned.   On the blogging front A.C. Ivory announced right after the new year that he has launched a new version of his   Google Gadgets Update   Cemetery Justice Search Tip:  When it comes to newspapers, Webpage addresses change a lot. In cases like this where you have some of the original text, just type a sentence or two exactly as it appeared in the article.  Or how it appears in the snippet that came with the search result where the link is now bad.  In this case I just typed a sentence or two exactly as kathy quoted it to me in the email and the new webpage for the article was the first item in the search results list.  That’s little gem that works nearly every time.   Mailbox: New Genealogy Blogger Cynthia DeBock   Check out her first post entitled   It's always fun to hear how folks got bit by the genealogy bug.     Jen Alford writes: I just wanted to thank you for the great how-to videos that you did for the family history wreath.  I made one for my mom for Christmas this year and I can't wait to see her reaction!  I've also started a genealogy blog http://jen-gen.blogspot.com and have been enjoying the responses from the family that read it.  Thanks for all the inspiration!  I'm a premium member and love all the extras you have on there.  Keep up the good work! It doesn’t get much nicer than that!  Thanks Jen!   GEM: The New Google EBooks is now available in the U.S. from a new . You can browse and search through the largest ebooks collection in the world with more than three million titles including hundreds of thousands for sale. VIDEO: Introducing Google eBooks   But even if you aren’t interested in buying ebooks don’t overlook Google eBooks.   Try this: Go to google.com/ebooks Search on the word Genealogy, In the upper left corner under price click the Free Only Link. Try searches on topics of interest to you and you’ll probably be surprised at what you find.  And since this is just getting off the ground, you will definitely want to check back periodically to see what’s been added.   APP USERS: Check out the Bonus Content PDF for 2 more Google Books Search Strategies!   GEM:  The New Google Earth 6 To download the new version just go to    The big difference you will notice is that Street View has changed. Instead of finding it in the Layers Panel, you will now find a person icon, or what’s referred to as the Pegman, in the upper right corner by the navigation tools. Zoom in, click and drag the Pegman icon on to the area where you want to see Street View and after a second or two thick blue lines will  pop up if street View is available in that area.  Just drop the icon and you’ll immediately be flown in to street view.  I guess the pegman icon is to represent that the view will be from a person’s perspective, at street level.   Another big difference is that street view is more stream lined. Rather than clicking from one camera icon to the next to move around, simply use the arrow keys on your keyboard to travel around, and as you do the view continues to update automatically. The idea here is that it’s doing it’s best to simulate the walking around the street experience.  And as before you can swing the map around for a complete 360 degree view, as well as look up and down. VIDEO - Learn Google Earth:Street View  Easy-to-use historical imageryIn the new 6.0 version, they’ve made it easier to find historical imagery. When you fly to an area where historical imagery is available, the date of the oldest imagery will appear in the status bar at the bottom of the screen. If you click on this date, you’ll instantly be taken back in time to view imagery from that time period. The Historical imagery controller will appear so you can  browse through all the historical imagery available for that location, or simply close the time control and return to the default view.  It’s very slick and a great time saver!  Learn more about how to use Google Earth for Genealogy, I’ve got the answers for you in the Google Earth for Genealogy DVD series available at