Friday Newsletter and Follow News: 19 November 2010

This Week in Genea-Blogging:

There were lots of fabulous posts this week on the Atlanta Family History Expo; you can find a report and links to these articles at Amy Coffin's We Tree Genealogy Blog in "Fun and Friends at the Atlanta Family History Expo."

One theme that turned up this week was not just “getting organized,” but specific “monster” areas that present challenges for us, such as photos and e-mail:

Michelle Gudrum at The Turning of Generations asked an important organizational question in “Sorting Sunday: You’ve Got Mail!”: what is the most efficient and effective way to handle our genealogical e-mail? (You can also read my embarrassing answer in the comments.)

At Long Lost Relatives.net, Susan Petersen muses about what to do with all those tons and tons of photographs our families have taken over the years in “Sentimental Sunday – Those Kodak Moments.” Ugh, a chore we all have to confront sooner or later. I think I need a sabbatical to deal with mine.

Hop topics of the week:

Data sharing among researchers using different genealogy software sharing programs; among those weighing in on this subject were James Tanner at Genealogy’s Star (“Understanding the controversy surrounding GEDCOM”) and Dear Myrtle (“Do we need a genealogy sieve?”).

Google and Ancestry; Thomas MacEntee wrote about it in "Ancestry.com and Google Marriage?" on GeneaBloggers and Dear Myrtle wrote about it in "Should Google be interested in Ancestry.com?" Check out the comments, too.

Ouch! Too true – Kerry Scott at Clue Wagon asks “What Would Genealogist Barbie Look Like?” I think she’s onto another item to add to The Genealogist’s Gift Store.

More great advice from Paula Stuart-Warren at Paula’s Genealogical Eclectica: “First impressions should be captured.” Sometimes I think that my first impressions of new documents are all over the place, but upon reflection, I think Paula is right – some of these ideas could lead to a productive avenue of research later on.

A neat story about a very special act of genealogical kindness is developing over at Lisa Swanson Ellam’s The Faces of My Family – the name of the blog, by the way, is very appropriate to the subject: How to identify the numerous people in an old family reunion photo? Find a genealogical angel to show it all over town! Read about this great story in “Why a 92 year old photograph is keeping me up at night – Part 1” and “Part 2.” And finally, "Brane Family Reunion Photo - 1918."

Cynthia Shenette has written a wonderful post on what she is thankful for in the experience of her ancestors and extended family in coming to this country in “Reflecting on My American Experience This Thanksgiving” at Heritage Zen.

Another must-read post on genealogy and health is at Kathleen Brandt’s a3 Genealogy: “Medical Genealogy.”

This week I am recommending that you check out some stunning pictures; the first two are featured at ‘On a flesh and bone foundation’: An Irish History in “Fizzy Friday: Looking back from whence we came: The Wicklow Mountains, Ireland.” And more in "Those places Thursday: some of 'Our' Ireland in Stills." Wish I was there…. And then at Becky Wiseman's kinnexions, check out the fog-drenched scenery she captured at Lake Lurleen State Park in Alabama in "Greetings from KenTennMissAla."

On a “personal connection” note, Jen’s “There’s One in Every Family” submission for the 100th COG at Climbing My Family Tree mentions a Moorman connection that I am pretty sure is my same set of Moormans, so I think we’re cousins. (I have since heard from her and she confirms it.) And, BTW, Vickie Everhart over at BeNotForgot is also connected to the Clarks who are connected to those Moormans. Now I feel as though I really do belong among the GeneaBloggers who have a “Cousin Club” within the genea-blogging community.

For more suggested blog reading, check out Best Bytes for the Week at Elizabeth O'Neal's Little Bytes of Life and Follow Friday: Around the Blogosphere at Susan Petersen's Long Lost Relatives.net.

This week I started following these blogs:

A Geek Girl Does Genealogy

ArchivesInfo

Genealogy: Pilgrimage Through the Past

Genealogy, Technology And a Whole Lot More

MK’s Family Page

Penrose Mornings: Blood Family Blog

South Carolina Pioneers

SpittalStreet.com

The African-Native American Genealogy Blog

The Journey Takers Blog

My Research Week

This has been a fairly productive, if somewhat scattered, week. I’ve caught up a bit in some of the areas where I fell behind after the trips to Knoxville and Greenville. Research on the Floyds (looking up Floyds on Genealogy Bank and transcribing 200+ pages of court materials sent to me by my cousin Eunice) and Brinlees (finding and entering information on the family of my great-great grandparents’ Hiram Brinlee Sr. and Betsey McKinney – the last of my known “great-greats” for whom this has to be done) is going full-blast.

For my husband I am assembling my gggg-grandfather William Lewis’ Revolutionary War service record on Footnote so that he can look over the documents, try to figure out where he was and when, and also figure out how long he spent in a British jail in Charleston after being taken prisoner. Unfortunately, I don’t think these documents are going to help; most of the information I am finding covers the years up to 1779, before his capture. While the compiled service record indicates that in addition to the 1st Regiment he also served in the 10th and 3rd Regiments (due to reorganizations), I haven’t found him on any of the documents for those units, yet. Perhaps when (if?) we are in Charleston next May, he can find some local resources there to help him out.

In my last couple of Friday newsletters I forgot to mention the fabulous Fall Fair put on by the Fairfax Genealogical Society on 30 October. The four presentations of the day were given by Loretto Szucs: “What’s New at Ancestry.com,” “Hidden Sources,” “The Ancestry World Archives Project,” and “Dead Men Do Tell Tales.” These were cram-packed with information and a pure delight to listen to; and I just don’t know where Lou gets the energy and endurance! (She also delivered the presentation at our monthly meeting on the previous Thursday – a real Energizer Bunny!)

And Jasia - I'm working on my submission for the 100th Carnival of Genealogy!  Really!