The Macomb County Genealogy Group Reveals Its Meeting Topics for 2018

Hi Everyone! 

We have released MCGG's 2018 meeting schedules for our MCGG Friday Group and our Let's Talk...Genealogy discussion group on Wednesday.

The meeting dates and topics can be found on the respective pages of this blog site and very soon in our Southeast Michigan Genealogy Events calendar on the Calendar page.

On both the MCGG Friday Meetings and Let's Talk Meetings pages, you will now find the PDF file link of our current meetings flyer which can be viewed and downloaded. (Please note the image of the flyer in this post is just a low-res image. To see/download the flyer PDF you need to go to either of the meeting pages.)

We hope you enjoy the coming genealogy season.

See you soon at the Mt Clemens Public Library! 
LE

Tonight's Let's Talk...Genealogy meeting is Cancelled Due to Weather

Yes, it is snowing outside ... a lot!

We have been informed that the Mount Clemens Public Library is closing at 5 p.m. today (Dec. 13) due to the weather which means that tonight's Let's Talk...Genealogy meeting is cancelled.

Though next season's meeting schedule is already set, we will put the topic of Maps as a meeting topic as soon as we can.

Remember, this Friday is our Annual Holiday Party which starts at noon. Bring a dish to share and enjoy the fun. Let's hope for better weather on Friday. 

Be safe, take care, have a Merry Christmas or Happy Holiday (whichever holiday you celebrate) and a Happy New Year.

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

The Next Let's Talk...Genealogy Meeting is this Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017!

Wednesday, December 13, at 7 p.m. in the Local History & Genealogy Room of the Mount Clemens Public Library is this month's MCGG Let's Talk...Genealogy meeting. Our topic for the night is ... There Be Dragons!: Maps.

We will share our favorite places to find maps and discuss how to use them in genealogical research.

New attendees are always welcome.

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

MCGG's Next Friday Meeting is Dec. 15

MCGG's next Friday meeting is this Friday, December 15, at 12:00 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Mount Clemens Public Library, it is our Annual Holiday Party which is a joint-meeting of the MCGG Friday and Wednesday Let's Talk...Genealogy groups.

Bring a dish to share and join the fun.

If you are in the Mt. Clemens area, PLEASE JOIN US.

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

2017 Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday Sales are All Around Us

Rather than recreate the wheel, remember to visit Genealogy Bargains website often over the next several days to keep an eye on Thomas MacEntee's list of all the genealogy bargains he has found.

Here are just a few mentions.

As you know from our last post, Family Tree DNA's FamilyFinder (autosomal) DNA test has been on sale for $59 after a one-day Flash sale for $49 the other week to start off the holiday sale. Well ladies and gentlemen, from today (Thanksgiving) until Cyber Monday, Nov. 27, the FamilyFinder test is on sale for $49 (the lowest price ever.) Shipping is extra.

It appears a third-party is selling the FamilyFinder test at the sale price on Amazon which qualifies for free shipping (for both regular and Prime members) but we have not tried purchasing this test thru Amazon so check reviews before buying.

Today is the last day for 23andMe's Ancestry Only DNA test sale. Buy two for $49 each or one for $69. Will they have a Black Friday - Cyber Monday sale? Possibly. It might be both tests (the 23andMe Ancestry only and the 23andMe Ancestry+Health) or just the Ancestry+Health. We have a few hours to wait and find out.

AncestryDNA is expected to have a sale too. Perhaps Black Friday only or it may run thru Cyber Monday. Again, we have to wait to learn.

Both 23andMe and AncestryDNA sell directly on their respective websites and on the Amazon website.

MyHeritageDNA autosomal DNA test is now on sale for $49 plus shipping until Cyber Monday, Nov. 27. Regular price is $99.

A fifth, much newer DNA testing company called LivingDNA is having a sale on its autosomal DNA test called LivingDNA. This company, based in the United Kingdom, is trying to get its ethnicity mixture test down to regions starting with Great Britain. The test is regularly $159 and the current Black Friday sale price is $89. Shipping varies from $9.95 standard to $39.95 for premium delivery. But be aware the company does not offer a matches database at this time so all you get is your ethnicity mixture and a general look at Y-DNA haplogroup (if male) and mtDNA haplogroup (male and female) similar to 23andMe's general look at haplogroups.

DNA testing kits are not the only things on sale for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There are many more genealogy-related and technology-related items on sale too.

Just keep an eye on your favorite subscription websites, genealogy-publishing websites, other membership services (like societies and webinars to name just two types), software companies, and technology stores. Even keep an eye on Amazon especially the books and software categories.

For example:
Evidentia Software is having a 25% off holiday sale with coupon code HOLIDAYS25. The length of this was not mentioned.

MacKiev Software is having a discount sale on the upgrade price to Family Tree Maker 2017. If you have not already bought the upgrade to FTM2017 (and you own a previous version made by Ancestry.com or earlier publishers of the software) you can purchase the download version of the upgrade for $59.95 instead of the regular upgrade price of $79.95. If you haven't already verified with MacKiev that you have a previous version, join the Family Tree Maker mail list. You get an email newsletter with a link to the the upgrade promo pricing.

Genealogy Bargains mentions that RootsMagic is having a sale too for Black Friday-Cyber Monday.

There are lots of other sales listed, and more will likely be added as the day/weekend progresses. MacEntee often finds discount codes for various genealogy- or technology-related items at Amazon too. 

So keep an eye out and stay safe shopping.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

2017 Holiday DNA Sales Have Begun!

While dealing with the falling leaves DNA holiday sales popped up on us. So here is a run down of the current DNA sales.

Family Tree DNA
Family Tree DNA ended its conference and began its holiday sales with a 7-hour FLASH sale on Sunday that featured a new lowest price ever ($49) for the FamilyFinder (autosomal) test. Hopefully you spotted that sale. If not, on Monday, Nov. 13, Family Tree DNA began its annual Holiday Sale which ends December 31, 2017. So what is on sale this year?

Family Tree DNA 2017 Holiday Sales include:
Autosomal DNA
Family Finder Test (autosomal for male or female) regular price $89 ... now $59

Y-DNA
Y37 Test (Y-DNA for males only) regular price $169 ... now $129
Y67 Test (Y-DNA for males only) regular price $268 ... now $229
Y111 Test (Y-DNA for males only) regular price $359 ... now $299

mtDNA
mtFull-Sequence Test (for males or females) regular price $199 ... now $169

Test Bundles (two or more test types bundled together to test one person)
FamilyFinder + Y37 Test (Y-DNA for males only) regular price $258 ... now $178
FamilyFinder + Y67 Test (Y-DNA for males only) regular price $357 ... now $278 
FamilyFinder + mtFull-Sequence Test (for males or females) regular price $288 ... now $218
Comprehensive Genome (FamilyFinder + Y67 Test + mtFull-Sequence Test (Y-DNA for males only)) regular price $556 ... now $442

If you have any questions about a test type, click on the FamilyTreeDNA label in the left column of this blog to see prior posts some of which explain the different tests. Or read about each test on the Family Tree DNA website.

In addition just like in previous years, if you are on the Family Tree DNA email list and/or have any tests kits at Family Tree DNA, you will receive a weekly holiday reward offer (good for seven days) giving you additional savings offers that can be used on top of the sale prices. You can you these weekly holiday reward offers yourself or share them with one person. Each reward can only be used once (by a single person.)

Each week of the holiday season you (actually each of your kits) will receive a new holiday reward offer for that week (good for seven days.) Just sign into each of your test kits, click on the reward icon from the DNA Dashboard to see each test's specific reward. You can use the reward yourself or share it with a friend by using the share link in your kit. Like last year, if you use or a friend uses one of your reward codes then you will get a bonus reward.

Shipping and taxes are extra which vary depending on where the test is being shipped. Last known price (by us) on shipping to Michigan is $12.95 which covers receiving and sending the test.

AncestryDNA
The Ancestry.com Holiday Sale on its AncestryDNA autosomal test is $79 (regular price $99) plus taxes and shipping. Additional kits purchased at the same time are just $69 each. There is no posted date as to when this sale ends.

We are not sure if the FREESHIPDNA coupon code will work with this sale but it does not hurt to try it.

In addition, Ancestry Gift Memberships are 20% off until November 23, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Choices include 6-month or 12-month plans to either the U.S. Discovery (access all U.S. records) or World Explorer (access U.S. and international records) subscriptions.

Ancestry also sells its DNA test directly on Amazon. There Prime members and non-prime members get free shipping. The price on Amazon reflects the current sale price ($79) for one. It appears you will not get the additional savings when buying more than one kit at a time.

23andMe
The 23andMe Thankgiving Sale started last week on its 23andMe Ancestry only test. Buy two 23andMe Ancestry only tests at the same time for $49 each (regular price $99 each.) If you want just one, the sale price will be $69. Shipping is extra. Remember 23andMe switched to the new Illumina Global Screening Array chip that is not very compatible with other companies. No end date for this sale has been posted yet. The 23andMe Ancestry+Health test is still regular price, $199.

23andMe also sells its DNA test directly on Amazon. There Prime members and non-prime members get free shipping. The price on Amazon reflects the current sale price ($69) for one. It appears you will not get the additional savings when buying more than two test kits at a time.

MyHeritageDNA
Also starting early is MyHeritage's Thanksgiving Sale on its MyHeritageDNA (autosomal) test. The sale price is $59 regular price $99) plus shipping. This sale runs until November 23, 2017.

So what about Black Friday (Nov. 24) and Cyber Monday (Nov. 27) sales? 
Well it is possible AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and MyHeritageDNA may have a sale on one or both of those days based on past years. AncestryDNA had one last year for that weekend at $69. It could be lower this year, if they do a sale, based on the sale price at the other companies. The free shipping code likely won't work but if the sale price is good enough you will still come out ahead in the end. For 23andMe the current sale is a good one but if you are interested in the health aspect of the testing you might want to wait and see if that 23andMe Ancestry+Health test goes on sale. Since MyHeritageDNA is a newer kid on the block it is anyone's guess. 

We will keep an eye for additional genealogy-related sales and let you know about them here or tell you where to read all about them.


See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Got Swedish Ancestors? ArkivDigital Free Access Weekend Nov. 11 to 12, 2017

It is that time of year again. ArkivDigital is having a free access weekend to its Swedish Records and Books of interest to genealogists. Free Access runs from Nov. 11 to Nov. 12, 2017.

The site operates in Swedish and English. To participate you have to register your name and email (for free) with ArkivDigital. If you have not used ArkivDigital before, you will need to install the latest ArkivDigital viewer software in order to see the record images. (The ArkivDigital viewer works best in Google's Chrome browser, a free software.) ArkivDigital has a help page for this free access weekend.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Nov. 8 to 12 Free Access to Military Records on FindMyPast Websites

FindMyPast is giving free access to Military Records from Nov. 8 to 12 to all United States and United Kingdom military records.

During this free access time period, you will need to sign-in to either your subscription account or free account.

If you do not have a free account at FindMyPast already, simply create one. (A free account is not the same as a free trial subscription so do not click on the link to sign up for a free trial subscription.) The simplest way to create a free account is to do a search, click to view a result image and the website will ask you to sign into your account or create a free account.

There are special search pages set up for this free access time period for two of the Find My Past websites -- FindMyPast.com's military search, and FindMyPast.co.uk's military search. You can access the military records regardless of country from either of the FindMyPast websites.

Have fun searching.
 
See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

The Next Let's Talk...Genealogy Meeting is this Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2017!

Wednesday, November 8, at 7 p.m. in the Local History & Genealogy Room of the Mount Clemens Public Library is this month's MCGG Let's Talk...Genealogy meeting. Our topic for the night is ... DNA Tested ... Now What?

We'll review some ways to make sense of those matches, and, of course, share our experiences with DNA testing.

New attendees are always welcome.

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

Free Access November 1-15 to the Fold3.com Native American Collection

Fold3 is offering free access to its Native American Collection from November 1 - 15. 

Just register for the basic Fold3 membership which is free with no credit card required. If you already have a free Fold3 basic membership, just sign into the website. (You do not need to sign up for a 7-day free trial which requires a credit card.) The easiest way to do this is to just start a search from the Native American Collection page and then click to view an image (marked free) and then the correct registration link to a free basic membership option will come up.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

MCGG's Next Friday Meeting is Nov. 3

MCGG's next Friday meeting is this Friday, November 3, at 1:00 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Mount Clemens Public Library, Christine Rowley, will present Genealogical Resources at the Richmond Historical and Genealogical Society. 

If you are in the Mt. Clemens area, PLEASE JOIN US.

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

Autosomal Transfers to Family Tree DNA are Now Just $10 Until the End of October

According to genetic genealogist blogger Roberta Estes at DNAeXplained, Family Tree DNA is having a sale on its Autosomal DNA Transfer Unlock fee. Instead of $19 to unlock the additional features it will be just $10 using a coupon code until the end of October (October 31, midnight Central Time) which is just three days away. Read on to learn the code.

What is an Autosomal DNA Transfer? 
Well, if you have tested your autosomal DNA with another DNA testing company such as AncestryDNA, 23andMe or MyHeritageDNA you can download your raw DNA data from that company's site and then upload that data to Family Tree DNA so you can compare your test to the FamilyFinder database at Family Tree DNA. (FamilyFinder is what FTDNA calls its autosomal DNA tests.) No "spit" is transferred between websites, just data.

What autosomal DNA tests can be transferred?
Currently data from the following autosomal DNA tests can be transferred to the autosomal test database at Family Tree DNA:

23andMe version 3 and version 4 chips
23andMe version 1 and version 2 chips can not be transferred. As of August 2017, 23andMe switched to a version 5 chip which is the new Global Screening Array chip that tests less locations and is currently not compatible either.

AncestryDNA version 1 and version 2 chips 
Ancestry changed test chips in mid-May 2016 so tests results since then are on the v2 chip.

MyHeritageDNA*
*Transfers of tests done at MyHeritageDNA actually get full access with the free transfer so there is no unlocking fee. (We learned something new by reading all the Frequently Asked Questions. So it pays to read all those details.) MyHeritageDNA tests are actually processed at the Family Tree DNA lab but MyHeritageDNA has its own reference populations for determining ethnicity mixture and its own algorithms for determining matches.

One thing to note is that transfers of tests on the AncestryDNA v2 chip and the 23andMe v4 chip receive all but the most speculative matches (6th to remote cousins) because these chips are not fully compatible.

Why would you want to transfer your results? 
It gets your autosomal DNA into another "pond" of potential DNA matches. Remember, not everyone who has tested has tested at each DNA testing company and you do not know where someone might have tested. So it is to your advantage to "fish in as many ponds as you can" to find those matches. (Testing at every company you can is a recommended strategy for those, such as adoptees, searching for unknown family.)

Doing an autosomal transfer is a cost effective way to fish in two ponds. Autosomal DNA tests normally cost about $89 to $99 plus shipping depending on the testing company but often these tests can be found on sale for between $69 and $89. So a transfer gets you into a second pond for about a third of the cost. (And if you got your original test on sale, it can almost be looked at as two tests for the price of one.)

Please note, that if you have already tested someone's autosomal DNA directly at Family Tree DNA you do not need to do an autosomal transfer of that same person's test from another company. Because you will very likely get the same results as the test you did directly with Family Tree DNA.

But if you tested yourself or someone else at one of these other companies, you might want to consider doing an autosomal transfer (or a few) to Family Tree DNA. If the test you plan to transfer is someone else's DNA, make sure you have that person's okay to do so.

If you previously did an autosomal transfer but did not unlock the rest of your test results for the $19 fee, perhaps this sale will make it worthwhile for you to unlock them now since it is just about half price for the next few days.

What costs are involved? 
The Autosomal Transfer is actually free and this allows you to see all of your matches in Family Tree DNA's FamilyFinder database. It also lets you use the Family Finder Matrix which lets you select up to ten matches to compare to see if they match each other like they match you. Depending on the volume of submissions it can take between one to twenty-four hours for the autosomal transfer results. Once you have your initial free results then you can decide to unlock (or not) the rest of your test results. So don't wait to long to decide to transfer and unlock all of your results.

To fully access your autosomal DNA transfer it normally costs $19 to unlock the rest of the test results. (*See the above exception for MyHeritageDNA transfers.) Unlocking allows you to access the Chromosome Browser (where you can see which chromosome segments you share with matches), your ethnicity mixture called MyOrigins, your ancientOrigins mixture, and it allows you to contact your matches if they have allowed matches to see their emails.

How do you get the sale price?
By using coupon code ATUL1017 the unlock fee drops to just $10.

If your autosomal DNA test happens to be on one of those chip versions that are not compatible and will not transfer, take note that the FamilyFinder (autosomal) test at Family Tree DNA is currently on sale for $69 plus shipping.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Recently Released just this Past Weekend: In Their Words Volume IV: German

Note: This post was originally published Tuesday, Oct 17, 2017, at 6:28 p.m. ET. Updated information has been added.

This past weekend the new book In Their Words: A Genealogist's Translation Guide to Polish, German, Latin and Russian Documents, Volume IV: German by William F. Hoffman and Jonathan D. Shea was released.

"The 665-page work is designed to help genealogical researchers find and understand German-language records that will tell them about the lives of their ancestors and relatives," according to the website. There is a section of example documents from the United States and Europe, as well as chapters on German grammar phonetics and structure, locating records in the United States, finding places and using gazetteers, a German letter writing guide, a vocabulary guide, and a list of common German given names and their equivalents in other European languages, and an index.

The book is available direct from Language and Lineage Press for $49 plus $5 shipping. You can print an order form and send a check with it, or send an email and directions to pay by PayPal will be sent to you.

But please note that the authors are currently awaiting a new shipment of books from the printer because they have already sold out of the copies of volume four that they had on hand. Update: The authors should be restocked next week.

The Polish Genealogical Society of America is also selling the book for $50 plus $4 shipping as a Pre-Order purchase. PGSA's shipment of books from the printer is currently on its way to them. Those who are PGSA members will get a member discount when ordering thru PGSA. Update: PGSA has received its shipment and started shipping the book today.

In Their Words volumes one thru three at MCPL.

Earlier volumes in the series are also available from a few other retailers. See the order information page on Language and Lineage Press website for details of who is carrying which volumes.

Our favorite library Mount Clemens Public Library already has the first three volumes of the In Their Words series: Volume 1 Polish, Volume 2 Russian and Volume 3 Latin. So if you are in need of Polish, Russian and Latin help, the books are awaiting your use.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

NSDAR Alexander Macomb Chapter hosts free Genealogy and Lineage Workshop

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Alexander Macomb Chapter is hosting a free Genealogy and Lineage Workshop on Saturday, October 28, 2017, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the auditorium of the Mount Clemens Public Library located at 150 Cass Avenue, Mt. Clemens.

Bring your family records and your research questions. Lineage research assistance and application filing is the main focus. However, anyone interested in learning to track his or her roots is welcome to attend the workshop at any time throughout the morning. Experienced DAR members will be available to help you.

For more information contact the Alexander Macomb DAR chapter.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Roseville Family History Center to Close Nov. 1, Merges with Bloomfield Hills FHC

We just got word that the Roseville Family History Center on 12 Mile Road will close on November 1, 2017, and will consolidate with the Bloomfield Hill Family History Center.

"Initially, the plan is to have the most recent extended films (the ones in the file cabinet near the main door) transferred to the Bloomfield Hills FHC for use by the patrons who ordered them. Ultimately, the needed equipment and remaining films will also be transferred over," according to the announcement.

The Bloomfield Hills Family History Center is located on 37425 Woodard Avenue, Bloomfield Hill, Michigan, 48304-5002. Though it might be a little further for some patrons to travel, the Bloomfield Hills Family History Center has many more days and hours of operations giving patrons more flexibility for their research. The Bloomfield Hills FHC is open: Tues 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Wed and Thurs 11 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.; Fri 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.; and Sat 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Please note that this FHC is generally closed between the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Entrance to the Bloomfield Hills FHC is by the NorthWest door at the back of the redish-brick church building. Upon entering, proceed straight ahead down the North hallway to the East hallway, turn right (south) and the entrance to the FHC is the third door on your left (East) side.

To see the locked digitized microfilm that is only available to view when visiting the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah; a local Family History Center; or an approved Family History Center affiliate location, you must use the patron computers of that facility. Remember to bring a USB drive with you if you hope to download any record images. The Bloomfield Hills Family History Center currently has about six or eight computers for patron use.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

5th National Archives Virtual Genealogy Fair on October 25 from 10 am to 4 pm

The National Archives will hold its 5th Virtual Genealogy Fair on October 25, 2017. No matter where you are if you have internet access you can attend by watching the speakers live via YouTube.

All session videos and handouts are available free of charge and are accessible from the Virtual Genealogy Fair page of the National Archives website.

The virtual day starts off at 10 a.m. Eastern Time with opening remarks. Topics include taking care of heirlooms, tax records, accessing burned records, as well as two sessions on working with records from the War Relocation Administration for finding Japanese American relocatees in other records and deciphering electronic records on Japanese Americans interned during World War II. Closing remarks are at 4 p.m. Eastern Time.

The day's events will be recorded and made accessible for free to those who can not attend/watch the presentations live.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

The MCGG Let's Talk...Genealogy Meeting Starts at 7 p.m. Tonight at MCPL!

Tonight -- Wednesday, October 11, at 7 p.m. in the Local History & Genealogy Room of the Mount Clemens Public Library is this month's MCGG Let's Talk...Genealogy meeting. Our topic for the night is ... SeekingMichigan.org Tips & Tricks.

We'll share resources found on the Archives of Michigan website as well as tips and tricks for better results.

New attendees are always welcome.

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

It's Back ... October is Family History Month ... Focus on Your Genealogy!

Note: This post was originally made October 5, 2017, at 9:56 p.m. ET. We've added some additional information.

How did so many pages of the calendar flip? Time is flying by because it is once again October -- which means it is Family History Month in the United States! 

As you know from years past MCGG encourages everyone to do something for his or her own genealogy this month! Though we are a little late this year mentioning our favorite hobby's "month of honor" you can do something each day or week using cues inspired by other national or international days of honor. Whether it is a bunch of little tasks, a couple larger tasks or some of each take time this month to do something for your genealogy.

Keep in mind that there are often many genealogy "free-access" and sale offers in honor of this month so stay tuned here and keep an eye out for them yourself. But do be careful: know what you are accessing/buying and from whom.

For those October days that have passed already, do the inspiration task suggestion on another day if they inspire you more than another day's suggestion. 

October 1 - 31 -- Family History Month in the United States.
It is also Computer Learning Month so check out a book or watch a webinar on how to use one of your genealogy-related programs ... or your computer; and it is American Archives Month so plan a future research visit to your state or local archive.

Additional month of October observations are:  Polish-American Heritage Month, German American Heritage Month (Sept. 15 - Oct. 15), Filipino American History Month, LGBT History Month, National Cyber Security Awareness Month, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, National Dyslexia Awareness Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 - Oct. 15), and National Work and Family Month to name just a few. So take sometime to research the Polish, German, Filipino, Hispanic branches in your family tree. And/Or take inspiration from the other month long observations to focus on some aspect of your family's history this month.

The week of October 1 - 7 (the first full week) is Mystery Series Week, plan to focus on the mysterious ancestors in your tree. Take another try at finding those elusive ancestors. The week of October 2 - 8 is National Carry A Tune Week, plan to focus on those ancestors known for their musical talent. The week of October 2 - 8 is Spinning and Weaving Week, plan to focus on those ancestors who were spinners or weavers. 

October 1 -- National Homemade Cookies Day. It's not genealogy related or is it? Bake up a batch of grandma's or great grandma's cookies from a passed-down recipe. If grandma is still living, visit or call her and talk to her about her -- informally interview her. International Day of Older Persons. Visit or call and talk to an older relative about his/her life and memories -- do an informal interview.

October 2 -- National Name Your Car Day. Scan those photographs with your ancestors and their cars, or write down your car memories of your own. 

October 3 -- National Techies Day. Spend sometime organizing the files on your hard drive and backing up your hard drive. Learn a new program or simply enter into your genealogy program that information you have been meaning to do. 

October 4 -- National Tacos Day; National Golf Lover's Day; National Vodka Day. Use today to research/focus on your Mexican/Spanish, Scottish, or Russian ancestors. National Pumpkin Seed Day (first Wednesday in October.) Write down your Halloween or farm harvesting memories. National Walk to School Day (first Wednesday in October.) Write down the memories of your and your children's first days of school and/or how you/they would get to school. Ask an Archivist Day. Sponsored by The Society of Archivists, use your Twitter account to ask your archive question using the #AskAnArchivist hashtag. 

October 5 -- National Do Something Nice Day and National Apple Betty Day. Use today to share something with a relative, or to research/focus on a Betty (Elizabeth) in your ancestry. National Rhode Island Day. Spend some time researching your Rhode Island ancestors. World Teachers Day. Spend some time researching relatives who were teachers.

October 6 -- National German-American Day. Use today to research/focus on your German ancestors. National Mad Hatter Day. Got a hatter in the family? Use today to research that relative. National Noodle Day. So many nationalities are known for noodles, pick one and research your ancestors of those nationalities or who lived in those countries. World Smile Day (first Friday in October.) Scan some of those ancestral photos (even those without smiles) or print out some of your digital photos. 

October 7 -- International Frugal Fun Day. Spend some time researching on your favorite or a new-to-you free genealogy website. International Newspaper Carrier Day. Use today to investigate digitized newspapers for your ancestors. Or re-read your newspaper finds to see if you missed something.

October 8 -- National Pirogi Day. Use today to research/focus on your Polish ancestors. Clergy Appreciation Day (second Sunday in October.) Research your clergy ancestors today and appreciate those in your life today.

The week of October 9 - 15 is Healthcare Security & Safety Week, plan to focus on those ancestors who worked in the healthcare or police/security fields. The second week of October is National Newspaper Week, plan to focus on those ancestors who worked in the newspaper field or research your ancestors in digitized newspapers.

October 9 -- National Leif Erikson Day. Use today to research/focus on your Nordic ancestors. National Native American Day (second Monday in October.) Use today to research/focus on your Native American ancestors. Curious Events Day. Try investigating a mystery in your family tree. Columbus Day (second Monday in October.) Use today to research/focus on your immigrant ancestors. Thanksgiving Day in Canada (second Monday in October.) Use today to research your Canadian ancestors, or those that lived there for a time. 

October 10 -- World Post Day. Use today to investigate your postal carrier ancestors. Or to transcribe some family letters. National Cake Decorating Day and National Angel Food Cake Day. Use today to research/focus on your baker ancestors, or to concentrate on finding any birth records you do not already have for your ancestors. Or write down your memories about family gatherings like birthdays, anniversaries, reunions, etc.

October 11 -- National Fossil Day (on Wednesday of the second full week in October.) Use today to research/focus on your end-of-line ancestors. What sources have you missed in trying to research these ancestors? Are any now available online? They may not be indexed but they may now be accessible. Or research the life of your longest living relative. International Day of the Girl Child. Pick a female ancestor and spend some time today researching her. National Sausage Pizza Day. Research your butcher ancestors or your Italian ancestors. Take Your Parents to Lunch Day. Use today to research/focus on your parents. National Emergency Nurse's Day. Use today to research/focus on your ancestors who worked in the health care industry. 

October 12 -- National Farmer's Day. Use today to research/focus on your farming ancestors. National Gumbo Day. Use today to research/focus on your Louisiana ancestors. National Vermont Day. Research any Vermont ancestors you may have. Cookbook Launch Day. Use today to research your female ancestors. Or, create "family cookbook" of your own with treasured, passed-down recipes or more current family favorites. Make it a project and you'll have made a holiday gift item. Moment of Frustration Day. Re-examine one or more of your "brickwall" ancestors and create a plan to knock down that wall. There are lots of ideas for how to do something for your genealogy today. 

October 13 -- National Train Your Brain Day. Use today to learn something new. Watch a genealogy webinar, or read a genealogy book. National Yorkshire Pudding Day. Use today to research/focus on your English ancestors. Navy Birthday. Use today to research/focus on your naval/seafaring ancestors. International Skeptics Day. Take another look at those family branches that might be a little shaky. International Day for Disaster Reduction. Use today to shore up your genealogy's ability to survive in event of a disaster. 

October 14 -- National Dessert Day. Use today to bake a family favorite dessert. Or to work on your family recipe book. National Motorcycle Ride Day (second Saturday in October.) Scan photos of your relatives with their motorcycles or write your memories of them or your first ride on a motorcycle.

The third week of October is Teen Read Week and National Friends of Libraries Week, plan to focus on those ancestors who were librarians. Or search for your ancestors in digitized books.

October 15 -- National Cheese Curd Day. Use today to research/focus on your dairy farmer ancestors. National I Love Lucy Day. Use today to record your memories of your funniest relatives. National Grouch Day. Use today to record your memories of your grumpiest ancestors. International Day of Rural Women. Use today to research your female ancestors who lived in the country or on a farm. If your Mom grew up on a farm, informally interview her about it. National White Cane Safety Day. Research your ancestors/relatives who were or went blind. 

October 16 -- National Department Store Day. Use today to research or write about your ancestor/relatives that worked in a department store. National Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day. Do exactly what the day says -- clean your desktop and organize your computer files! National Boss's Day. Research your ancestors who owned their own businesses. 

October 17 -- National Mulligan Day. Use today to "do something over." Revisit a problem or ancestor the eluded you once before. National Black Poetry Day. Use today to research/focus on your African American ancestors. 

October 18 -- National Chocolate Cupcake Day. Have a cupcake, with all this genealogy you need to keep your energy up.

October 19 -- National Kentucky Day. Use today to focus your research on your Kentucky ancestors. Evaluate Your Life Day. In the spirit of this day spend some time re-evaluating your research efforts on a particular problem. 

October 20 -- World Statistics Day. Even though numbers are not the goal of your genealogy, use today to see how many ancestors you know or how many sources you have in your genealogy. 

October 21 -- Sweetest Day. Use today to concentrate your research on finding any marriage records you do not already have for your ancestors. Or, as you show your "sweetests" you care, talk to them about themselves -- another opportunity to informally interview your relatives.

October 22 -- National Mother-in-law Day. Use today to research/focus on your spouse's mother's ancestors.

The week of October 23 - 29 is Get Organized Week, plan one or two days or an hour each day to organize your genealogy papers.

October 23 -- National Boston Creme Pie Day. Use today to research/focus on your Massachusetts ancestors. Swallows Depart from San Juan Capistrano Day. Use today to research/focus on your immigrant ancestors. Look again for those that are eluding your research efforts. 

October 24 -- United Nations Day. Use today to research/focus on an ancestor you put off researching because he/she is a nationality you have not researched before. 

October 25 -- International Artists Day. Use today to research/focus on your ancestors who were artistically inclined.

October 26 -- National Tennessee Day. Use today to research/focus on your ancestors Tennessee ancestors. National Day of the Deployed. Use today to research/focus on your military ancestors.

October 27 -- Navy Day. Use another day today to research/focus on your naval/seafaring ancestors. National Tell a Story Day in Scotland and the U.K. Try writing your memories about a particular relative. Or, write down those stories of your ancestors/family that you heard growing up. World Day for Audiovisual Heritage. Use today to interview a relative or transcribe a previously recorded interview.

October 28 -- National Make a Difference Day. Use today to help someone else with their genealogy. National Chocolate Day. With all this genealogy, here is a reminder to buy some Halloween candy. Trick-or-Treat is just three days away.

October 29 -- National Hermit Day. Use today to research/focus on your ancestors who did not marry or have children. Sometimes the probates of those without direct heirs can be goldmines. 

October 30 -- National Speak Up for Service Day. Use today to research/focus on your ancestors who did a good deed. Look for them in digitized newspapers.

October 31 -- Halloween. Do some more cemetery research or research probate records for your ancestors today. And, take a little break from genealogy to pass out some candy tonight. You did remember to buy some trick-or-treat candy right? Girl Scout Founder's Day. Use today to write about your memories in scouting no matter if you are a boy or girl. World Cities Day. Research your ancestors in city directories.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library! 
LE

Five Free BCG Day of Quality Education Webinars Available until October 13, 2017

Five free webinars (with handouts) are available until October 13 for viewing at Legacy Family Tree Webinars. These five presentation are part of the Board of Certified Genealogists sponsored A BCG Day of Quality Education and were recorded live in Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 6, 2017.

Here are the five presentations.

Using Timelines for Correlation and Analysis
by Jill Morelli, CG

Sweden's Multiple Naming Systems and How They Changed in the 1800s
by Martha Garrett, CG

Reasonably Exhaustive Research of African American Families That Came Out of Slavery
by LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, JD, LLM, CG

Land, Licenses, Love Gone Wrong, and Other Assorted Courthouse Records
by Ann Staley, CG, CGL

Systematically Using Autosomal DNA Test Results to Help to Break Through Genealogical Brick Walls
by Tom Jones, PhD, CG, CGL

You can learn more about the Board of Certified Genealogists from its website. But be aware that BCG's website is undergoing updates so you may need to check back if the site is temporarily down. The above webinars are at the Legacy Family Tree Webinars website and are not affected by the BCG website update.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

The Next Let's Talk...Genealogy Meeting is this Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017!

Wednesday, October 11, at 7 p.m. in the Local History & Genealogy Room of the Mount Clemens Public Library is this month's MCGG Let's Talk...Genealogy meeting. Our topic for the night is ... SeekingMichigan.org Tips & Tricks.

We'll share resources found on the Archives of Michigan website as well as tips and tricks for better results.

New attendees are always welcome.

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

Ancestry.ca offers Free Access for Canada's Thanksgiving Holiday

This weekend Ancestry.ca is having a free access weekend in honor of Canada's Thankgiving Day. The free access period is from October 6 to October 9, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Included in this free access offer is access to all Canadian and Immigration Records. A list of included database collections can be found here. If you are not in Canada you may get a message about directing you to another Ancestry site for your country, just click continue to Ancestry.ca (the Canadian site) to be able to access the free access offer.

To participate in the free access offer you will need to register for free with the Ancestry.ca website to receive a username and password. The easiest way to do this is to perform a search from the free access weekend page and then click to view a record, you will then be asked to create a free registered account.

Enjoy searching for your Canadian ancestors.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Genealogists Beware ... Scammers are Afoot -- Keep Yourself Safe Out There!

Recently MCGG has heard of a scam aimed at genealogists so we want everyone to be on their toes and on the look out to protect themselves in their genealogy life and while living life.

This scam we heard of was a website offering free ebooks or printing of books that are obviously still under copyright by their authors and publishers. The old adage "if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is not" holds true for this scam. The free offer requires creating a username and password and then asks for credit card information for "verification." In the very fine and faint print there is note of cancelling within seven days or a monthly membership fee will be charged. Obvious misrepresentation is occurring here. In this case the website starts off as liverpoolofficial.com and then as you are registering it switches to filesfetcher website which is a known name of a browser hijacker. So be aware and stay away from too good to be true offers.

And as a reminder, always be on the look out for email phishing scams of any kind that make it through your email provider's spam filter. Protect yourself by stopping before acting. Ask yourself would the purported company/individual make contact using email (or even by telephone) and make such an offer or demand. BUT above all do not click on any links in that questionable email. If you are unsure investigate the email offer/demand by other means. One way is to ask a more technological-aware family member or friend is the email/phone offer/demand a scam?

Lastly, be careful what you click on while browsing the internet. Make sure your devices are running security software that helps protect you from those links and ads to bad places. But remember you are your first defense by surfing the world wide web smartly.

Stay safe out there.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

MCGG's Next Friday Meeting is Tomorrow

MCGG's next Friday meeting is tomorrow Friday, October 6, at 1:00 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Mount Clemens Public Library, Deborah Larson, assistant director of the Mount Clemens Public Library, will present Tracing the History of Your House. 

If you are in the Mt. Clemens area, PLEASE JOIN US.

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

Lapeer County Genealogical Society will Meet on Oct 12, 2017, in Lapeer

The Lapeer County Genealogical Society is still without a website so as a courtesy MCGG would like to let you know that LCGS's next meeting is on Thursday, October 12, 2017, at the Lapeer County Center Building located at 425 County Center Street in Lapeer, Michigan. 

This month's meeting is annual joint meeting of the Lapeer County Genealogy Group and the Lapeer County Historical Society. The annual dinner begins at 6 p.m. for those who sent in their reservations and checks by the October 6 deadline.

At 7 p.m. there is a free presentation for all even if you are not attending the dinner. Tom Powers will present Wild Wild Midwest: Crime in the 20s & 30s. The topic is Michigan bank robbers based on Power's new book, Stick'Em Up: Michigan Bank Robberies of the 1920s and 1930s.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

MCGG's Next Friday Meeting is October 6

MCGG's next Friday meeting is on Friday, October 6, at 1:00 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Mount Clemens Public Library, Deborah Larson, assistant director of the Mount Clemens Public Library, will present Tracing the History of Your House. 

If you are in the Mt. Clemens area, PLEASE JOIN US.

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

Finding Your Roots TV Show Returns to PBS on October 3, 2017, at 8 p.m.

Season four of Finding Your Roots will premiere Tuesday, October 3, 2017, on your local PBS station at 8 p.m. EST. This is the hour-long genealogy television show headed by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. 

The season will spotlight 28 new guests including: Larry David, Bernie Sanders, Carly Simon, Christopher Walken, Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, William H. Macy, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Ava DuVernay, Janet Mock, Scarlett Johansson, Paul Rudd, Bryant Gumbel, Tonya Lewis-Lee, Suzanne Malveaux, Lupita Nyong'o, Carmelo Anthony, Ana Narvarro, Téa Leoni, Gaby Hoffman, Questlove, Dr. Phil McGraw, Carlayne Hunter-Gault, Garrison Keillor, Amy Schumer, and three more.

 Everyone has different television delivery/provider systems. Use your television provider's schedule system or PBS Detroit's schedule system to find the PBS channel number on your provider system and to learn when the show will be re-aired again. (On PBS Detroit's schedule system you can customize the listing to your service provider by edit or change provider so the schedule generated reflects your television provider's channels and schedule.) 

See You Soon at the Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

A Word of Caution ...

Back in August we mentioned that some of the DNA for genealogy tests could be found for sale on the Amazon.com website. Even at sale prices, these tests usually meet the minimum purchase amount for free shipping. If you are an Amazon Prime Member you receive faster shipping.

We thought just to remind everyone to make sure you know what you are purchasing and who is selling it.

We recommend sticking to the known DNA tests from DNA testing companies that serve the genetic genealogy community such as AncestryDNA, 23andMe, Family Tree DNA and MyHeritage. These companies vary in size and some services but all offer a match service (seeing who you match from those who have also tested.)

We also recommend verifying who is actually selling the test kit on Amazon. (View the item page and look under the price for the "sold by" which is right after the In Stock or Out of Stock.) Is it the actual DNA testing company or is it a third-party seller? If it is a third-party check out its ratings and reviews before making a purchase.


Stay safe out there.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Family Tree DNA's Family Finder (autosomal) Test on Sale for $69

Family Tree DNA is having a sale on its autosomal DNA test called Family Finder. Now regularly $89, the FamilyFinder test is on sale for $69 plus taxes and shipping. We have not seen yet when this sale price will end. 

During the month of September a portion of each sale (new tests, upgrades and paid transfers) will be donated to the Hurricane Harvey disaster relief efforts. Family Tree DNA is headquartered in Houston, Texas, and though email and phone support was hindered the back up generators protected the lab. Some FTDNA employees were personally effected by the hurricane.

Family Tree DNA is the only DNA testing company that tests Y-DNA and mtDNA in addition to autosomal DNA. At a later date, you can always add/upgrade another test type to the DNA sample already submitted. 

Any one (male or female) can take an autosomal DNA test. So if there is some elderly cousin or any relation really you hope to test, now is a good time to pick up a test kit or two. Each kit is managed separately and multiple kits can be linked to one email address.

Also, remember that Family Tree DNA also has a DNA Automsomal Transfer option. Autosomal DNA Transfers can be done with 23andMe V3 or V4 tests and AncestryDNA V1 and V2 tests. The initial transfer is free for a look at your matches and is just $19 to unlock the test to see/do more and be able to contact matches. We have two posts here and here that explain DNA Autosomal Transfers. 

Some of our other previous posts can explain a little bit about the difference between autosomal, Y-DNA and mtDNA tests. Click the labels to the left using either DNA, DNA Day, or FamilyTreeDNA. 

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library! 
LE