Heads Up! Only 2+ Weeks Until Our Archives of Michigan Bus Trip

The Bulletin Board in the MCPL's Genealogy Room.

This post is for anyone going on MCGG's Bus Trip to the Archives of Michigan on June 13. Have you started or finished your Research Log? 

Yes ... No? However you decide to make your plan of what to look at while at the Archives of Michigan and Library of Michigan, take note that you have just a little over two weeks to prepare yourself and your research.

The seats on the bus ... have room for just one more, just one more, so contact Ann if interested.* And soon the wheels on the bus will go round and round, all the way to Lansing. 

[* At the time this post was written, just one seat remained available for the bus trip. Contact Ann using the macombcogg email.]

At our June Let's Talk...Genealogy meeting attendees who are going on the bus trip will have an opportunity to talk about the research plan/log they have devised. We will also talk about our Summer research plans. Please note that for this June meeting we will be meeting in the auditorium rather than the genealogy room.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

You May Have Noticed Some Changes Here ...

If you have visited this site lately you may have noticed some changes. We added a page or two and changed another.

Why? The Macomb County Genealogy Group's board decided to move our internet presence to one site rather than have some information duplicated between our blog site and our website at Rootsweb. This will save us time and we will not need specialized software to keep the older website up-to-date.

Our old website will still be around for awhile to direct anyone who finds that URL (printed in older publications) to this blog site.

So this blog website now holds everything: the information about our group, our history, our meetings, links to our databases we have created with the Mount Clemens Public Library, our member surnames list, our newsletters, our publications for sale, and the Southeast Michigan Genealogy Events Calendar. And, of course, our blog where we strive to keep you informed.

MCGG Rootsweb Website 26 May 2015

Over the almost 8 years (19 July 2007 to 26 May 2015) that our Rootsweb website was our main internet presence, the site counted 9,306 unique visitors as of 26 May 2015, and we appreciated everyone of them.

Today as I write this post, this blog site has counted 9,497 visitors (and counting faster than I can type and edit) since August 29, 2013, the date of our first post almost two years ago. But we know that number tracks only some of our many visitors because there are many ways to view blog site posts. And like on our old website, we appreciate all of our visitors counted or not.

So please keep visiting and reading this blog to keep up-to-date with the Macomb County Genealogy Group.

See you soon at the Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Remember ...

Today, May 25, 2015, is Memorial Day. 

It is not about BBQs and a lot of that other stuff we pack into this holiday weekend that seems to kick off the start of Summer.

Today, the last Monday in May, is meant for us in the United States to remember the people who died while serving in this country's armed forces.

My Grandma used to call it Decoration Day. And it meant a visit to the local cemeteries to plant flowers. These days for many people it is not always possible with family being spread out from their "origins."

So remember to remember some way today those who died serving our country.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Registration for Free Live Streaming of SCGS's Genealogy Jamboree is Now Open

SCGS

On Sunday, May 25th, the Southern California Genealogy Society (SCGS) opened up registration for the FREE live streamed sessions of the 46th Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree.

Genealogy Jamboree begins Thursday, June 4, with DNA Day and continues Friday, June 5 through Sunday, June 7. There will be 14 hours of free genealogy education Friday through Sunday with handouts available. Ancestry.com's sponsorship is making this possible.

The live streamed DNA sessions on Thursday are pay-to-view. If you have payed/registered for the Thursday DNA sessions just log into your account and check the box at the bottom to add access to the free sessions.

Visit the SCGS blog site to see the schedule of live streamed sessions for each day. Registration gets you a user login and password to join the live stream event.

If you can't watch the sessions live, you will be able to watch at your convenience before July 5, 2015, from the special Jamboree Archive. You will still need to register to view the special archive. Live stream registration will remain available until July 5. (These sessions from Jamboree will not be added to the regular webinar archive for SCGS members only.)

The sessions picked for live streaming are varied and look interesting so if you want to watch it all live plan your days accordingly and enjoy some genealogy education.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

AncestryDNA Members Check Your Email -- There is a Members Only Sale

If you are already an AncestryDNA member check the email that you used with your AncestryDNA test(s). 

Ancestry is running a members only AncestryDNA sale until 11:59 p.m. EDT May 27, 2015. So if you already have an AncestryDNA test, you can order another test or tests at the sale price of $79 saving 20 percent ($20) off the regular price of $99. You just need to click on the link in the email Ancestry.com sent to you.

Why test at Ancestry? Though Ancestry does not provide any tools to help you analyze your DNA matches (like a chromosome browser), Ancestry.com's customer base (your potential matches) are a positive. Getting the test at a sale price (like $79) is plus too because ...

You can then download your DNA test results from Ancestry.com and then do an autosomal data transfer to FamilyTreeDNA's FamilyFinder (autosomal) test where there are several tools to analyze your matches and a different customer base of potential matches. As of late last year, FamilyTreeDNA has a free autosomal transfer program where you get to see your top 20 matches for free. Then the cost to see all of your matches (including FamilyTreeDNA's take on your ethnicity mix) is just $39. So if you get the AncestryDNA test on sale for $79, do a transfer and unlock your results at FamilyTreeDNA for $39 then in the end you will have your DNA in two pools of potential matches for just $19 more than the cost of a regular price AncestryDNA test or FamilyFinder test.

We're still keeping an eye out for the hinted sales this summer at FamilyTreeDNA so when we spot one we will let you know.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

From the Vertical Files: A Michigan Driver License from the First Year of Issue

Tuesday's Tip

You never know what you might find. That is why it is so important to prepare a research plan when you visit a library/archive or similar institution. Learn all you can about a repository's resources and its collections -- use those online resources like the online catalog to prepare before you leave home. It is also important to take a look around once you arrive because not everything is online at most places.

Local History Vertical Files at Mount Clemens Public Library

So if you have Macomb County roots, have you investigated the vertical files in Mount Clemens Public Library's Local History and Genealogy Room? Now not every family is represented in the files but there are a variety of topics relating to Mount Clemens and Macomb County.

Here's a look at one item from one of the files. This comes from the Priehs file.

First Drivers License of Mrs Dora Priehs

Even though it is just a photocopy and not the original, it is still interesting to see what a driver license from the first year Michigan started issuing driver licenses (1919 by the way) looks like. The license was good for one year. (Michigan issued chauffeur licenses as of 1915.)

Supposedly this was the first driver license issued in Macomb County. Dora Priehs (maiden name Wolf) was the wife of Frank Priehs. Frank went into business with his brother Louis, forming Priehs Brother Automotive Sales in July 1919 after buying out Louis' partner.

Here's a look at Henry Ford's first drivers license from the website/blog of The Henry Ford. If you looked at Henry' Ford license did you notice anything? Dora and Henry's were issued the same day and it appears Dora got her's approved before Henry.

Now some collections have different rules and that is the case with the Mount Clemens Public Library's Local History Vertical File Collection. To see a file, you need to request it by filling out a purple slip (located on top of the cabinets) and giving it to a genealogy room volunteer or a staff member at the Information Desk. When you are finished with the file, return it directly to the volunteer or the staff member at the Information Desk. Do not leave the file unattended in the room.

So remember to investigate the places you plan to visit ... you never know what you might find.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Tomorrow is Our Annual Pot-Luck and Silent Auction -- Bring a Dish to Share, the Event Starts at 5 p.m., Dinner at 6 p.m.

One last reminder to all MCGG Friday Group and MCGG Let's Talk...Genealogy members that tomorrow Wednesday, May 13, is our Annual Pot-luck and Silent Auction combined meeting. Bidding starts at 5 p.m. and dinner is at 6 p.m. Bring a dish (homemade or store bought) to share and some money if you plan to place a bid.

This year we have a lot of books, particularly for Michigan and Genealogy How-to. But there are plenty of other genealogy/history subjects too.

Remember, to let Ann know if you are attending so we have an idea of how many tables/seats we will need. Reply to her recent email or use the Macomb email on our contact page. Of course, if you find you can attend at the last minute, don't worry we always have a few extra seats. 

Last Thursday we combined a #Throwback Thursday picture with the meeting reminder. Here is another look at that image. This time it should enlarge a bit more though the original pictures were a bit dark.

MCGG Picnic 1976

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

#Throwback Thursday ... and a Meeting Reminder for Wednesday, May 13th

We thought we would mix things up a bit and post a #Throwback Thursday moment. Here is a look at the MCGG picnic from 1976! from one of our scrapbooks. That year the picnic was held at a member's cabin in New Baltimore.

Nowadays this picnic is our Annual Pot-luck and Silent Auction event. Which also makes this a reminder to all MCGG Friday Group and MCGG Let's Talk...Genealogy members that next Wednesday, May 13, is our Annual Pot-luck and Silent Auction combined meeting. Bidding starts at 5 p.m. and dinner is at 6 p.m. Bring a dish (homemade or store bought) to share and some money if you plan to place a bid.

This year we have a lot of books, particularly for Michigan and Genealogy How-to. But there are plenty of other genealogy/history subjects too.

Remember, to let Ann know if you are attending so we have an idea of how many tables/seats we will need. Reply to her recent email or use the Macomb email on our contact page. Of course, if you find you can attend at the last minute, don't worry we always have a few extra seats.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Another Update to Michigan Probates Collection on FamilySearch.org

Late yesterday, FamilySearch.org made another update its Michigan, Probate Records, 1797-1973 collection.

As of today, 67 of the 83 counties are represented in some manner in the collection. Unfortunately, I did not make a count of the counties at the last update back in December 2014 in order to tell you if any new counties have been added or if it is just more images. 


Remember each county varies in what is available. This collection is also not indexed so you need to manually search it like "digital microfilm." Where possible, start with the index books. Use the FamilySearch catalog to determine what records were microfilmed for the county you are dealing with and to figure out if more digital images are likely to be added later.
And remember these records are free.

See you soon at the Mt. Clemens Public Library!

LE