Saturday Serendipity (June 20, 2020)

Here are a few recomended reads for this weekend.

1.   Randy Seaver, of Genea-Musings blog, provides a number of regular features (among which is his "Genealogy News Bytes" on Tuesdays and Fridays).  He also posts record collection updates that are well worth scanning to see if there might be some new records for you to explore for your genealogy research.  For example, this week Randy posted record collection updates at Ancestry.com here and at FamilySearch.org here.  Randy's record collection updates provide an easy, convenient way of checking for likely new sources for your research.

2.   And speaking of record collections .  .  . James Tanner, of Genealogy's Star blog, posted this week about daily free record collection access during this month of June (which shockingly only has 11 days left).  You can read the remaining schedule for free access here.  The collections include documents from countries outside the U.S. such as Germany, Spain, the U.K., Greece, Italy, Netherlands, etc. 

3.   Jacqi Stevens, of A Family Tapestry blog, posted an interesting piece this week titled "The Trouble With Strategies."  She walks the reader through her strategy for researching into an Irish family using baptismal records and the traditional method of selecting godparents.  You can read Jacqi's post here.

4.   Lately there have been many blog posts about the photo enhancment tool on MyHeritage.  This week Marian Wood, of Climbing My Family Tree blog, posted a wonderful step-by-step use of MyHeritage and other photo tools to reveal "Who's Hidden in That Tintype."  Read the post and see the reveal here.

5.     Heather Rojo, of Nutfield Genealogy blog, wrote again this week about her 3rd great grandfather who left for California during the Gold Rush and became a 49er.  You can read about New England 49ers here and you can read a long list of other 49ers from New England to see if any of your family member might possibly be listed. 

6.   And finally, on a somewhat lighter side, Peter Muise, of NEW ENGLAND FOLKLORE blog, posted this week about the importance of social distancing during this pandemic .  .  .  and the all-time distancing champion for modeling the necessary behavior is revealed.  Read his timely post here.

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Copyright 2020, John D. Tew

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Saturday Serendipity (June 13, 2020)

After a brief hiatus last week due to yard clean-up in the aftermath of a violent wind and rain storm, Saturday Serendipity returns this week with the following recommended reads.

1.   The Weekly Genealogist newsleter of NEHGS announced this week the addition of a new database available at American Ancestors.  The database is comprised of over 800 pages and some 20,000 searchable names in The Genealogical Advertiser (1898 -1901).  Learn more about the database and the quarterly magazine that was published in Cambridge, Massacusetts by going here. 

2.   James Tanner, of Genealogy's Star blog, posted this week about the truly amazing photograph enhancer tool on MyHeritage.  Read about the tool AND see some before and after examples here. 

3.   The Legal Genealogist, Judy Russell, posted this week about a timely issue–race and citizenship.  Read "Review: how white was white enough?" here.

4.  Linda Stufflebean, of Empty Branches on the Family Tree blog, posted a methodology piece this week on the use of court records–unindexed court records.  You can read her post and illustration of the method here.  

5.   One of the many issues that have arisen during the COVID pandemic is "food insecurity."  While food insecurity is different from rationing, Heather Rojo, of Nutfield Genealogy blog, gives us a look backward to the days of rationing during WWII complete with photos of the implementing tools of national rationing.  You can read the post and see the photos here.

6.   Finally, The Weekly Genealogist of NEHGS highlighted two stories of interest this week.  The first is a piece about the passing of Irene Triplett in North Carolina at age 90.  She was the last person to collect a Civil War pension -- $73.13/mon.  You can read the full story here.  The second story is about a woman born in Korea and named Kang Meesook.  In 1983 she was found in a market parking lot at age two in Goesan, South Korea.  In 1984 she was adopted by an American  couple and grew up in Michigan.  Fast forward and Kara Bos is now married and with a family of her own -- which led to an interest in genealogy and DNA testing.  After testing through Family Tree DNA and reaching out to her presumed half sisters, she found herself kneeling and begging for contact with her biological father at the doorstep of one half-sister (who called security).  Kara then sought out an attorney and sued to force a DNA test by her presumed father.  Read the rest of the story here.  

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Copyright 2020,  John D. Tew

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