Saturday Serendipity (April 8, 2017)

Here area few recommendations for your weekend reading.

1.  The latest status report on the roll-out of the new Family Tree Maker 2017 is that they missed their new projected shipping date of Tuesday, April 4th. The newest launch date (as of the April 6th UPDATE) is . . . they don't have one! Mackiev is working with Ancestry to solve "some architecture adjustments."  FTM is "getting closer and will continue to keep [users who pre-paid for FTM2017] posted."  If you are an FTM user -- or think you might like to begin using FTM 2017, then you need to follow their path to launch here.

2.  Have you ever heard of "surname extinction?" It is related to the concept of "daughtering out" and of what I guess could be called "marriage deficit" where lack of marriage throughout a generation of a family also includes a failure to procreate and pass on a surname independent of marriage.  You can read more about this phenomenon here at UpFront With NGS blog and get a link to view a  5 minute video about surname extinction here on YouTube (after you click to skip the ad).      

3.  The Weekly Genealogist by NEHGS linked this week to a piece that is probably all too familiar to genealogists with long-suffering spouses or partners who end up "tagging along" on genealogy adventures. Having just returned a few weeks ago from a genealogy trip to RI and MA where Molly chauffeured me to cemeteries, a town clerk's offices, various ancestor haunts, etc. (and walked rows of gravestones assisting me in the hunt) I think she might get a kick out of this one (or identify a kindred soul at least). You can read the piece here. 

4.  This week The Legal Genealogist, Judy Russell, reminded us of the 100th anniversary of the United States entry into World War I -- the supposed "war to end all wars." In reminding us, Judy also points out that  . . . many men = many records. She provides lists of many links to sources each genealogist should consider exploring at some point. You can read Judy's post here and surf the many useful links she provides.                       

5.  The New England Regional Genealogical Consortium (NERGC) bi-annual conference is just over two weeks away. It is being held in Springfield, Massachusetts this year. Heather Rojo of Nutfield Genealogy blog posted yesterday about the NERGC conference and you can read all about it (with many links to other blogs that have covered it) by going here. As Heather says, this is a major genealogy conference and will be of special interest to those having New England roots, but the topics are useful for anyone with a serious interest in genealogy. 

6.  Amy Johnson Crow posted a reprise and update of a post she first published back in 2015. The title says it all. . . "5 Photos You Should Take at the Cemetery." See Amy's list here.    
    
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Copyright 2017, John D. Tew

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