7 Tips for Using Al as Your Genealogy Assistant

AI is a technology tool revolutionizing genealogical research, and much more. It’s hard to keep up. A shoutout to a presentation, “7 Tips for Using Al as Your Genealogy Assistant,” by Dana Leeds, which was given on Wednesday in the Legacy Family Tree Webinar series. The tips are:

1. Research Assistant:
2. Information Summarizer:
3. Data Extractor:
4. Writing Assistant:
5. Text Transformer:
6. Tech Support Specialist:
7. Visual Illustrator.

It’s available for a week at www.legacyfamilytreewebinars.com.

 

YouTube: 217 million census records: evidence from linked census data

This lecture presented at LSE  is about using census data to study economic history. The speaker,  James Feigenbaum from Boston University, discusses methods for linking census records across time to track individuals and families. This allows researchers to ask new questions about economic mobility, health, and demographics. For example, the speaker mentions a project that linked census records to study how automation affected workers, specifically young telephone switchboard operators, in the labour market.

Some specific points of interest to family historians:

  • The lecture discusses methods for linking census records across time, which can be used to track families over generations.
  • The speaker mentions using genealogical data from FamilySearch to supplement the census data, particularly for women whose name changed on marriage.
  • The lecture acknowledges the challenges of using genealogical data, such as selection bias.
  • The speaker emphasizes the importance of considering the context of the data when interpreting the results.

It occurs to me this type of study would be a way to address questions like were children who came to Canada from Britain with organiztions like Bernardos advantaged or disadvantaged in later life compared to others in the age cohort.

MyHeritage adds New York Passenger Lists, 1906-1942

As people frequently travelled to Canada via the US, especially during the winter, this newly added MyHeritage database with 15,213,248 entries and linked images is of interest. Records typically include the passenger’s name, year of birth, year of arrival, and the ship’s name.

These are not as informative as the Ellice Island immigration records, which also cover a longer period, from 1892 to 1954. On MyHeritage, those are part of the Ellis Island and Other New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 database, which has 113,554,317 records. The new records may be helpful in filling in gaps or with transcription issues.

This Week’s Online Genealogy Events

Choose from selected free online events in the next five days. All times are ET except as noted. Assume registration in advance is required; check so you’re not disappointed. Find out about many more mainly US events at Conference Keeper at https://conferencekeeper.org

Tuesday, 19 March

2 pm ET – Ottawa Virtual Genealogy Drop-In, by OGS Ottawa Branch.
https://ottawa.ogs.on.ca/events/virtual-genealogy-drop-in-2-2024-03-19/

2:30 pm ET – Vital Records of Pennsylvania from 1682 to Today (Presented by Allen County Public Library)  https://www.genealogy.acpl.lib.in.us/

7 pm ET  – My Family Tree: Tales from the Crypt, by Jack de la Vergne for OGS Nipissing District Branch.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEvcuyorDssEtCfPRgZ-1EbKN0rH5L2Vw6F#/registration

8:00 pm ET – Maternal Threads Unwoven: Identifying Margareta’s Mother in 18th Century Sweden, with Jill Morelli, (BCG Sponsored) (Presented by Legacy Family Tree Webinars)
https://familytreewebinars.com/

Wednesday, 20 March

7 pm: March Medley (RootsTech, Family Tree Maker, RootsMagic), for OGS Thunder Bay Branch.  https://thunderbay.ogs.on.ca/events/thunder-bay-march-medley/

7 pm ET – Canadian Women Astronomers and the Dominion Observatory, by Sharon Odell for Heritage Ottawa.
https://heritageottawa.org/events/canadian-women-astronomers-and-dominion-observatory

Thursday, 21 March

2:00 pm ET – 7 Tips for Using AI as Your Genealogy Assistant, with Dana Leeds (Presented by Legacy Family Tree Webinars)  https://familytreewebinars.com/

6:30 pm ET – United States Military Records: A General Overview (Presented by Allen County Public Library)
https://www.genealogy.acpl.lib.in.us/

7 pm ET – Walk-through & Learn to Navigate the New OGS
Website. by Colleen L’Abbe with guest Mike More. for OGS.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrcOiuqT0oGtW2QdZTnUmaMGdqdN2WYMFb

Friday, 22 March
Saturday, 23 March

 

 

LAC Co-Lab Update for March

There are currently 3,705 items in Collection Search identified as Co-Lab-only contributions. What happened? Last month, there were 3,875 contributions!

The reporting format has changed. Two projects among Library and Archives Canada’s Co-Lab Challenges appear to be reporting progress.

Treaty 9. is now 26% tagged. Previously 0 % complete.

Mary Ann Shadd Cary remains 47% complete.

Expo67 is 7% complete, up from 3 % last month.

Summiting Mount Logan in 1925: Fred Lambart’s personal account of the treacherous climb and descent of the highest peak in Canada remains 13% complete.

Women in the War remains 1% complete.

Arthur Lismer’s Children’s Art Classes is 1% complete.

John Freemont Smith remains 93% complete.

Canadian National Land Settlement Association remains 98% complete.

Molly Lamb Bobak remains 95% complete.

Diary of François-Hyacinthe Séguin remains 99% complete.

George Mully: moments in Indigenous communities remains 0% complete.

Correspondence regarding First Nations veterans returning after the First World War remains 99% complete.

Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 remains 95% complete.

Legendary Train Robber and Prison Escapee Bill Miner remains 99% complete.

Japanese-Canadians: Second World War remains 3% complete.

The Call to Duty: Canada’s Nursing Sisters remains 94% compete.

Projects that remain 100% complete are no longer reported here.

What’s New and Exciting at MyHeritage

At the recent RootsTech, MyHeritage Founder and CEO Gilad Japhet presented another talk in what has become an annual tradition. He started by discussing a development in his genealogy that added 100 people to his family tree using DNA recovered from an envelope. He then covered recent developments and what to look forward to from the company, including a forthcoming arrangement with FamilyTreeDNA.

Military Monday: World War Graphic History

Glenn Wright’s well-attended presentation, Hidden Treasures: Canadian Military Records Seen and Unseen, to OGS Ottawa Branch on Saturday was far too rich to summarize here. Become an Ottawa Branch member to view the recording now posted.

Toward the end, Glenn mentioned the  new to me website World War Graphic History. By Matt Barrett,  historian, animator, illustrator, and caricaturist, it details the biographies, experiences and personalities of each and every CEF battalion commander.

While many give the names as header, others are cryptic: The Prohibitionist; The Orangeman; The Physician; The Public Defender; The Elder; The Exonerated; The Bankrupt; The Indian Fighter; The Man Among Boys; The Labour Man; The Independent; The Police Chief; The Bug; The Nazi-Watcher, The Home Wrecker, The Broken-Hearted, The Philanderer, The Soldier o’ Fortune; The Quiet Man; The Incompetent; The Also Ran; The Undead.

There’s also a full-text search capability.

Newspapers.com Update

The following are updates of UK newspapers. Only one pre-dates the 21st century.

ENGLAND

Newspaper Title City/Community Years Included
Number of Pages
The Shuttle Kidderminster, Hereford and Worcester 2014-2019 22,272
Oxford Mail Oxford, Oxfordshire 2015-2019 14,499
The Guardian London, Greater London 1821-2024 1,143,179
The Bolton News Bolton, Greater Manchester 2014-2019 63,543
Harwich and Manningtree Standard Colchester, Essex 2016-2019 6,511
Andover Advertiser Andover, Hampshire 2015-2019 11,228
Leigh Journal Leigh, Greater Manchester 2014-2019 12,733
Knutsford Guardian Warrington, Cheshire 2014-2019 14,029
Harrow Times Harrow, Greater London 2015-2019 12,210
Bury Times Bury, Greater Manchester 2014-2019 12,204

SCOTLAND

Newspaper Title City/Community Years Included
Number of Pages
Greenock Telegraph Greenock, Strathclyde 2015-2019 9,265
Clydebank Post Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire 2015-2019 8,316
Alloa and Hillfoots Advertiser Alloa, Central Region 2015-2019 9,743
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald Ardrossan, Strathclyde 2015-2019 9,900
Border Telegraph Galashiels, Borders Region 2015-2019 7,434
East Lothian Courier Haddington, East Lothian 2015-2019 11,138
Central Fife Times and Advertiser Dunfermline, Fife 2015-2019 7,375
Dunfermline Press and West of Fife Advertiser Dunfermline, Fife 2015-2019 11,247
Helensburgh Advertiser Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute 2015-2019 7,906
Cumnock Chronicle Cumnock, Strathclyde 2015-2019 7,876
Evening Times Glasgow, Strathclyde 2015-2019 1,683
Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter Dumbarton, Strathclyde 2015-2019 7,628
Irvine Times Irvine, Strathclyde 2015-2019 8,308
Ayr Advertiser Ayr, Strathclyde 2015-2019 8,920

There were no new papers or updates for Wales or Ireland. Updates for Canada are for recent months.

You may be interested in the latest Newspapers.com Fishwrap blog post, Guinness World Records: How a Brewery Launched a Book on Records

Ancestry adds Isle of Man BMD Index

Ancestry sourced this new collection from ManxBMD,  a database of 349,789 index entries for civil registration in the Isle of Man. Civil registration began in 1849 but was not compulsory until 1878 (1884 for marriages).

The index provides birth year, surname, name, district, vol, entry, and notes for births.

For marriages, the year, surname, name, place of marriage, district, and further details are given.

For deaths: year, surname, name, age, district, vol, page, entry,  where from, notes.

Information on how to order certificates and fees, which increase on 1 April, is at https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/departments/enterprise/central-registry/legislation/

Ancestry, Findmypast, MyHeritage and FamilySearch have other IOM databases which give additional information for a more limited timeframe, such as parents for births/baptisms and spouse for marriages. 

Sunday Sundries

Miscellaneous items I found of interest during the week.


St. Patrick’s Day: How Irish-born writers contributed to Canadian and Irish histories

A genetic perspective on the recent demographic history of Ireland and Britain

Ravenser Odd: the medieval city Yorkshire lost to the sea

Housing policies need to fully consider market dynamics to move beyond ‘tall and sprawl’ cities

Sitting is bad for your health and exercise doesn’t seem to offset the harmful effects

Everyone Archives
Kyla Ubbink is presenting at 6:30 pm on 26 March on archival presentation at Bethell Fieldhouse, 166 Frank St, Centretown, Ottawa. Everyone Archives, a new initiative in Ottawa, will offer workshops, resources, and social opportunities for people working on archiving projects outside of major institutions.

Thanks to this week’s contributors: Allen Grant, Ann Burns, Anonymous, Barbara May Di Mambro, Bob,  Brenda Turner, Dianne, Donna Jones, gail benjafield, Jean, Kenneth R Marks, Linda Stufflebean, Nancy, Nick McDonald, Sunday Thompson, Teresa, Unknown.

 

 

The Genealogist Releases 3 Million Irish Records for St Patrick’s Day

County Tipperary transcripts

Over 80 parishes with 1,769,007 individuals have been added: Anacarty And Donohill; Ardfinnan; Ballina; Ballinahinch And Killoscully; Ballingarry; Ballycahill And Holy Cross. Ballylooby And Duhill; Ballyneale And Grangemockler; Bansha And Kilmoyler; Boherlahan And Dualla; Borrisokane And Uskean; Borrisokane, Uskane And Eglish; Borrisoleigh; Bourney And Corbally; Cahir; Cappawhite; Carrick On Suir; Cashel; Clerihan; Clogheen; Clonoulty And Clogher; Clonoulty And Rossmore; Cloughjordan; Cullen And Latten; Doon And Castletown; Drangan; Drangan And Cloneen; Drom And Inch; Fethard And Killusty; Golden And Kilfeacle; Gortnahoe; Gurtnahoe And Glengoole; Kilcommon; Killenaule; Killenaule And Moyglass; Kilronan Newcastle And Mulogh; Kilvenogue; Knockavilla; Lorha And Durrow; Loughmore And Castleiny; Moneygall And Barna; Monsea And Killodiernan; Moycarkey And Borris; Moyne And Templetuohy; Muckarky And Borris; Mullinahone
Nenagh; Nenagh And Lisbouny; New Inn And Knockgraffan; New Port And Killoughscully; Newcastle And Fourmilewater; Newport; Newport And Birdhill; Newport And Killoscully; Newport And Killoughscully; Pallasgrean And Templebredon; Portroe; Powerstown; Shinrone And Ballingarry; Silvermines; St Peter And Pauls Clonmel; Templederry; Templemore; Templemore And Killea; Templemore Killea And Clonmore; Templetenny; Terryglass And Kilbarron; Thurles; Tipperary; Toomevara; Upperchurch And Drombane; Waterford And Lismore; Waterford And Lismore Templetenny; Youghal Arra.

A full list of the coverage may be found at: https://thegenealogist.co.uk/coverage/parish-
records/ireland/#tipperary

Irish Wills
Find 1,263,399 wills in:
Dublin Will and Grant Books 1272-1858,
Calendar of Wills and Administrations 1858-1922,
Irish Will Indexes 1484-1858,
Prerogative and Diocesan Copies of Wills and Indexes 1596-1858,
Will Registers 1858-1900
Soldiers’ Wills 1914-1918

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A full list of the coverage may be found here:

Clonegal (Baptisms) 1833-1880*UPDATED: March 2024*
Clonegal (Marriages) 1833-1860, 1864-1881*UPDATED: March 2024*
Clonmore (Marriages) 1813-1833, 1860-1880*UPDATED: March 2024*
Leighlinbridge (Baptisms) 1783-1784, 1817-1867, 1869-1880*ADDED: March 2024*
Leighlinbridge (Marriages) 1783-1788, 1820-1842, 1844-1880*ADDED: March 2024*
St Mullins (Baptisms) 1796-1798, 1800-1816, 1820-1881*UPDATED: March 2024*
St Mullins (Marriages) 1792, 1796-1799, 1802-1814, 1816, 1818, 1820-1822, 1825-1881, 1908-1913, 1915-1916, 1918, 1920-1921, 1923

https://thegenealogist.co.uk/coverage/parish-records/ireland/#tipperary

Irish Wills

Calendar of Wills and Administrations 1858-1922
Since 1858, grants of probate and administration have been made in the Principal and District Registries of the Probate Court (before 1877) or the High Court (after 1877). They are indexed in the Calendars of Wills and Administrations. Up to 1917, the Calendars cover the whole of Ireland, but since 1918 they cover only the 26 counties in the Republic.

Dublin Will and Grant Books
Deputy Keeper Of Ireland, Index To The Act or Grant Books, and To Original Wills, Of The Diocese Of Dublin 1272-1858 (26th, 30th, and 31st Report)

Prerogative and Diocesan Copies of Wills and Indexes 1596-1858
This dataset contains records from before 1858 when wills were proved by the appropriate courts of the Church of Ireland (the Prerogative Court and the Diocesan or Consistorial Courts). While most of the originals were destroyed by the 1922 fire some survive for the Prerogative Court (1664-1684, 1706-1708, 1726-1728, 1728-1729, 1777, 1813 and 1834) and some Diocesan Courts – Connor (1818-1820 and 1853-1858) and Down (1850-1858). The will books for Armagh, Belfast and Londonderry are in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.

Soldiers’ Wills 1914-1918
Over 9,000 wills held by The National Archive of Ireland, covering enlisted and non-commissioned soldiers who fought in the British Army in the World War I and a very small number from the South African war of 1899-1902.

Will Registers 1858-1900
Remnants of the wills distroyed in 1922.

Wills Index, 1484 – 1858
An index to those records where an original document still exists with the NAI (e.g. an original will, administration or grant of probate, a certified copy, a transcript, or even abstracts and extracts). Documents which are not technically wills were often included in the NAI testamentary card catalogues because it was genealogically useful and around 10% of this dataset is made up of these types.

TheGenealogist’s article: A Long Way from Tipperary:
https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2024/a-long-way-from-tipperary-7187/