SLIG 2011 ~ Irish Family History Research ~ Day 5

Friday morning ~ the last day of SLIG ~ we were in the home stretch as far as SLIG went and a quick check of the schedule showed we were in for a big time!  David Rencher was giving three of the lectures and Tom Jones was going to share how he reconstructed a lineage from Irish records fragments ~ this was going to be one busy day.

• Irish Poor Law System
• Rencher explained the Poor Relief Act of 1838 and how the system worked in practice.  In the back of my mind I  was aware that one of the jurisdictions referenced in Irish records was the Poor Law Union (PLU).  I was not aware of what it meant, how it worked, and the effect of the PLU on our ancestors. 
• This lecture served as another example of how important it is to immerse yourself in the history and culture of the area you research.
• The Act was modeled after the English version of the Act and was administered through the Church of Ireland parishes.
• The purpose of the Act was to "provide for" the poor and destitute by setting up a tax system on land occupiers, building local workhouses, interviewing the poor as to their need, placing them in workhouses, arranging for their removal (either from a parish or from the Country), and keeping track of them.
• During this time period (1830s-1860s) several famines and droughts hit Ireland.  The English government's corresponding decisions, actions and failure to act devastated the Irish population and affected Ireland for generations to come.  An excellent (thoroughly researched, heavily sourced and unflinchingly brutal) book in this regard is The Great Hunger by Cecil Woodham-Smith (follow the link to find it at a library near you).
• Since this course was for genealogists and its purpose was to provide sources for Irish family history research, Rencher only mentioned in passing the fact and results of the famine.  I direct genealogists/researchers to the following websites because I believe a study of the history of this appalling event is crucial to understanding its effect on the Irish people (to the present day).
• Check out Dr. William Rogers' course outline for the Great Hunger at Drew University ~ his course reading list and introduction are quite informative.
• The Wikipedia article on The Great Hunger gives an excellent outline of the causes and effects of this tragedy (be sure to check the accompanying notes and bibliography).
• Quinniplac University's The Great Hunger website provides an excellent introduction to its amazing collection of famine related items (workhouse minutes, parliamentary papers, books, photos, and art).   
• Records were maintained so research in your particular townland should give you a fuller picture of your ancestor's time and circumstances (whether your ancestor appears in the records or not).
• Rencher discussed in detail the possible classes of records and where they could be located:
• Pre-1838 Records ~
• Vestry Minute Books
• Bastardy Bonds
• Pew Schedule/Assignments
• Examinations
• Post-1838 Records (as the system became more institutionalized) ~
• Board of Guardian Minute Books
• Admission Books
• Dismission Books
• Locating the Records
• In Ireland, these records are deposited in the County library.  In Northern Ireland the records are at PRONI.  Rencher provided an appendix that listed the PLU records by Board of Guardian number, County and Repository.
• Rencher ended his lecture by telling us that all of the Irish were in some way affected by PLU from whatever side ~ I took that to mean whether your ancestors were landowners or tenants, city dwellers or rural dwellers, native Irish or transplanted Scots or English, church members or church administrators, families who experienced the workhouses, families removed from their land, individuals and families forced to emigrate, or families who remained.

• Irish Probate Records and Genealogical Collections
• Rencher reminded us that, as in all aspects of genealogy, an understanding of jurisdictions is key to Irish probate records.  
• Rencher discussed the history of Irish probate law and discussed in detail the types of records to be found.
• Wills
• Administrations
• Grant Books
• Day Books
• Inventories
• Rencher discussed the use of original indexes to probate court records  and pointed out the the FHL has an excellent microfilm collection of many probate indexes.
• Many original probate records (say it with me now ...) were destroyed in the Four Courts explosion and subsequent fire of 1922.  However, as is often the case, abstracts or transcripts may exist.  Additionally many wills are registered in the Registry of Deeds in Dublin.  Finally, if an individual had property in other places in addition to Ireland, records would have been maintained in those additional places (think England and Scotland).
• A large portion of the lecture was devoted to a discussion of sources of Irish probate records including:
• Transcript Collections (over 20 collections were detailed and discussed)
• Pedigrees
• Two specific items to check (if your ancestors had probates) are the Prerogative Will Index and the Diocese Index.
• Rencher also suggested checking out the Irish Genealogical Society International (IGSI) website which has an excellent online catalog and quarterly journal. Rencher even had copies of previous IGSI journals that he passed out ~ yeah a free gift!
• Rencher provided an extensive bibliography as well as appendices listing the pre- and post-1858 probate jurisdictions.  Two books suggested that provide an overview of Irish probate records are:
• ffolliott, Rosemary "Wills and Administrations A Prime Source for Family Research," in Irish Genealogy - A Record Finder, Donel Begley, editor. Dublin: Heraldic Artists, Ltd., 1981.
• Greham, John. Tracing Your Irish Ancestors, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc. 2006.
• As always, be sure to check out the FHL catalog for a wealth of probate records available to researchers right here at home (before you make the trip to Ireland).

• Methodology for Reconstructing Lineages from Irish Record Fragments
• If you have not had an opportunity to attend a lecture by Thomas W. Jones ~ try to find one!  He is an amazing speaker and after you listen to him noodle through a genealogical problem you will come away with a new appreciation for the research process done right!
• Of course the underlying theme of any Jones lecture is that lineages can be reconstructed.  However, there are four requirements to do the research accurately and thoroughly:
• persistence
• organization
• extensive research
• systematic analysis
• Jones walked us through his personal research on the Geddes men in County Tyrone, Ireland.  He discussed in detail the steps required to reconstruct a lineage ~
• Conduct an Exhaustive Search
• go from the known to the unknown ~ think "big picture" broad search, do not limit your time period, add years on either end
• make sure you include all name variants
• do cluster research
• search all known surviving records
• extract all information  ~ cast a wide net
• Correlate the Findings
• use tables or spreadsheets to be able to manipulate your data
• Establish Identities
• look for similarities
• look for differences ~ you can't afford to be a lazy or complacent researcher
• Group Identities into Generation
• use chronology ~ look for math errors and locations too far to make sense
• Propose Relationships
• determine family and extended family relationships ~ land records and probates are especially helpful for identifying members but also consider name lists
• consider naming patters
• consider location
• remember to include your negative evidence
• Use the Genealogical Proof Standard to Justify Your Conclusion
• a reasonably exhaustive search
• complete and accurate source citations
• analysis and correlating evidence from each applicable source
• resolve conflicting evidence
• explain your proof conclusion
• Jones gave an excellent (of course) bibliography to assist us in learning about the process and methodology he covered in his lecture.
• He also supplied us with one of his spreadsheets so we could follow along with his analysis of the Geddes' men.
• Jones' lectures are always so packed with information that you just need to sit back, listen and follow along.  Thankfully he provided us with great written materials to review. 

• Preparing for a Family History Experience in Ireland
• Rencher returned for what was billed to be the last lecture of the day (and the course) and it was a a relaxed discussion of preparing for a trip "across the pond."
• Rencher outlined the most important aspect of planning a trip to Ireland ~ What do you hope to accomplish?
• Identify place (where your ancestors lived)
• Identify people (are there siblings, parents who stayed or living relatives today to meet up with)
• Research pedigrees
• Visit your homeland and take in the history and culture of the area
• For each of the above objectives, Rencher outlined the plan to accomplish that goal.
• He reminded us to be realistic about what we can accomplish, how to accomplish it, and the amount of time and effort to accomplish our objectives.
• Planning a trip requires time and effort and includes "doing your homework" in regard to transportation, accommodations, travel guides, research facilities, opportunities to relax and take in the sights.
• Rencher pointed out that group research travel is an option ~ someone to guide you with your research in a new place is always helpful.
• He also reminded us to have a "Plan B" (you have heard of Murphy's Law haven't you?)  and realize that you will not accomplish everything in one trip (I haven't even done that with local research).
• If you are realistic in the planning stages, you will know what to expect and have a better time ~ Rencher's parting words were to "have fun."

• Review & Questions
• Ouimette returned to close out the course and answer any remaining questions.  Not to be outdone by Rencher's gift of previous IGSI journals, Ouimette stepped it up and brought parting gifts (what a great guy!).
• His handout entitled The Irish Collection at the Family History Library ~ Ouimette also discussed the handout in detail (really an additional bonus lecture ~ notes below)
• Ouimette began by telling us that the FHL has the largest and most comprehensive collection of Irish genealogy in the world.  He then spent the next hour outlining the collection (and proving his claim)!
• He discussed the ten most significant records collections available at the FHL.  While I was aware of certain of the records, until this course I was unaware of the importance of a few of them.
• Canceled land books, 1850s-1920s
• Townland and tenement valuation  manuscripts, 1830-1864
• Registry of Deeds, 1708-1929
• Ouimette discussed the catalogue system at the FHL and set out how the Irish collection is cataloged by topic ~ over 75 topics were provided in our written materials.
• The key point of this lecture (yes an added bonus lecture ~ like an additional music track) was to really make us think about all the possible record types/topics that need to be consulted in order to find documentation regarding our ancestors.
• Ouimette did an excellent job of discussing how to find the major records in the FHL catalog.  Keep in mind that records are catalogued by author, title, subject and locality so there are many paths to follow to find the records.
• Ouimette pointed out that Irish records can be difficult to locate at the FHL because "most original manuscript collections are not conveniently arranged by civil parish." That said, Ouimette then suggested how we could make our searches accurate, thorough and (hopefully) successful.
• Check out Ouimette's book Finding Your Irish Ancestors: A Beginner's Guide at page 143 for a table explaining Irish sources at the FHL.  
• Ouimette reminded us to continue to check out two online resources:
• FamilySearch.org's Record Search pilot where many Irish records are being indexed and are searchable online and 
• Irish Research Wiki at FamilySearch.org which has a wealth of Irish content and research guidance.
• Finally to whet our appetite for all research Irish, Ouimette discussed the large amount of records on microfilm as well as materials that have been scanned but not yet catalogued in the FHL Catalog.  So much material, so little time!
• Ouimette provided us with a one page sheet Research Methodologies for Tracing Irish Immigrants ~ giving us another reminder of the importance of the Genealogical Proof Standard!
• But that's not all folks ~ he also gave us a one page sheet Irish Given Names and Surnames with scads of variants to open our minds to all the possibilities out there for names.
• He gave us a really nice laminated brochure from Failte Ireland Tracing Your Ancestors in Ireland.  If you get a chance, try to locate one of these (a really nice and helpful 6-page summary of all things Irish genealogy).




The front cover of the brochure

 




The back cover of the brochure


It definitely appears there is a wealth of materials available to assist us in our research ~ with our questions answered and our course evaluations filled out, it was time to close out our Irish Family History Research Course ~ Slainte!

SLIG 2011 ~ Irish Family History Research ~ Day 4

With the religious and civil registration records out the way, we set our sights on census and land records. By Day 4 the group was dragging a bit ~ I think many of us spent part of our evenings checking out the records discussed during the day ~ just a bit of "records overload."  I'm glad the FHL closes at 9:00 pm each evening so we can get some sleep before another day of lectures!

• Irish Census and Census Substitutes
• Ouimette began the day by summarizing the history of the national censuses in Ireland.  Surprisingly enough although several censuses have been taken, far fewer have been kept!
• Nominal censuses of 1821, 1831, 1841 and 1851 were accidentally destroyed.
• Nominal censuses of 1861, 1871, 1881 and 1891 were intentionally destroyed.
• Nominal censuses of 1901 and 1911 are available to researchers .
• Later censuses are currently closed to the public.
• Fragments and, in some instances, transcriptions exist for some of the "destroyed" censuses.
• Ouimette suggested that we keep in mind that historians and researchers at the time did the same things we do today ~ review documents and abstract, transcribe and/or copy them.  Sometimes these abstracts and transcriptions are found in estate records, libraries and archives.
• When censuses are unavailable (due to destruction) researchers need to work with census substitutes.  In this instance, Ireland has a number of census substitutes, including:
• Tithe Applotment Books 1823-1828
• Griffith's Valuation 1848-1864
• Cancelled Land Books 1850s-mid 1900s
• I had not heard of cancelled land books before and it is worth you while to check out the FamilySearch wiki on this topic to learn more about them.
• Local Censuses and Name Lists
• Directories
• School Registers
• Ouimette commented that it is necessary to take a "big picture approach" to finding out about our ancestors ~ if they did not own land, they oftentimes worked land as tenants and records exist; children attended school; individuals and businesses appeared in directories; local and church censuses were conducted ~ keep an open mind about the types of records available during your ancestor's time.
• The FHL microfilmed the 1901 and 1911 censuses.  They are also online at the National Archives of Ireland. 
• Be sure to check out the books mentioned in the Day 1 blog entry as they provide excellent background information to the censuses and census substitutes.
• Additionally the Tracing Your (County) Ancestors series by Flyleaf Press (one for each County) offer suggestions for census substitutes available by locality.

• Methodology for Interpreting and Evaluating Name Lists
• Rencher explained the use of Name Lists in genealogical research.  Name lists include things like voting lists, tax rolls, school registers, church records, militia records ~ just think of the types of lists we are all on today and you will get the idea.  Rencher discussed in detail the important points to keep in mind when searching these lists: 
• What was the purpose of the list;
• Who prepared the list;
• What type of information was taken; and
• What does the list (or record) tell us
• Rencher reminded us that oftentimes what we find in our research is an index to or a transcript of a Name List.  We need to use the index or transcript as a finding aid and take the next step to locate the original. 
• Finally we need to evaluate the Name Lists ~ we need to follow these lists through time and perhaps we will be able to link individuals and/or families. 
• While it is important to find records, Rencher reminded us that it is more important to analyze what we have found and see if it helps us solve our genealogy puzzles.
• The class got to put into practice what we learned by working with a couple of name lists and answering questions ~ it was a great way to apply our new found knowledge and I learned a little something about Hearth Money Rolls and Householders Lists! 
• Rencher provided us with a one page sheet entitled "Ireland Checklist of Census Substitutes."    Rencher told me that he plans to add this to the FamilySearch wiki for Irish research and mentioned that I could post it to my blog (coming soon).   Be sure to check it out ~ there are several classes of records I had not heard of before!  

• Land Valuation Records
• Since one of the most important classes of records in Irish research is land records, Ouimette devoted the next hour to a detailed discussion of the four main records:
• Tithe Applotment Books 1823-1838
• Townland and Tenement Valuation Manuscripts 1830-1864
• Griffith's Valuation 1848-1864
• Cancelled Land Books 1850s-mid 1900s
• The importance of the Tithe Applotment Books is that these records list rural families in the years before the diaspora and serve as a substitute for the early censuses.  Be sure to read about the purpose and execution of these records.
• In order to prepare Griffith's Valuation, preliminary surveying and valuating work was done (and recorded) on each property in Ireland.  These Valuation Manuscripts provide a wealth of information.  Ouimette discussed the records in detail and identified where the records are maintained.  Added bonus ~ GSU microfilmed thousands of these books and they are at the FHL!
• Griffith's Valuation is a listing of all householders and landholders in Ireland at a particular point in time.  Supplements and updates to Griffith's have been published.  Keep in mind that this information is a snapshot which should be viewed in conjunction with the other land records information discussed.
• Cancelled Land Books are basically the records since Griffith's Valuation (if you do any Norwegian research, it is a bit similar in idea to the farmbooks in that the original information was taken down and updated over time on the basis of the property rather than the person).  This is a great and often overlooked source of information.
• When did a family move into an area?
• When did a family move out of an area?
• When did a family emigrate?
• Who are the surrounding (cluster) families in the area?
• Who is the major landowner in the area? ~ Perhaps there are estate papers somewhere!
• Yet again the FHL has microfilms for most localities .  The originals are located at the Valuation Office in Dublin or at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland in Belfast ~ is there a research trip in your future?
• Ouimette reminded us to make use of the Ordnance Survey maps.  The historical maps are quite detailed, correlate with the time frame of the land records discussed in the lecture, and best of all ~ are available online.  

• Estate, Land, and Property Records
• I did not think I would get much out of this lecture as my ancestors were most probably tenant farmers in Ireland (or the children of tenant farmers).  Rencher surprised me at the start of his lecture by stating that "estate records are among the best sources for documenting the poorer classes in Ireland." Then he proceeded to walk us through the key points:
• Various types of estates existed in Ireland
• landed estates
• crown estate
• encumbered estates (the effect of foreclosure (it's not new!) due to various depressions)
• The types of records maintained and relating to the estate
• by the landowner
• by the governing and taxing bodies
• leases on the property
• identification of landowners
• Availability of records - Rencher told us that the best way to determine if records existed for our locality was to check out the Manuscript Sources for the History of Irish Civilisation.  He mentioned that these records can be researched by locality.
• Rencher gave us tips and additional resources for finding estate, land and property records.
• He mentioned that only ten percent of the population is represented in the Registry of the Deeds.  This is one area of land records research that is quite different from American research.  It pays to spend some time learning the terminology and history of land records research in Ireland.

Four days down and one to go ~ we had learned so much but I felt I was reaching that tipping point!  Time for some fresh air, a long walk, and some caffeine.


Digital Photo by Simon Howden



SLIG 2011 ~ Irish Family History Research ~ Day 3

Taking a look at the schedule for Wednesday I knew I was going to get some religion ~ Irish Church records were front and center for three of the four lectures! 

(Digital Photo by Simon Howden)

Some general notes ~ An important point to be aware of is that there is a difference between civil and religious parishes in Ireland and that the Catholic parishes/dioceses and Church of Ireland parishes/dioceses are separate and do not overlap. 

• Be sure to check the FamilySearch wiki for your ancestor's County in Ireland to learn more about these jurisdictions and their particular locations in detail. 
• Be sure to take a look at local County research guides (published as a series) as they provide an interesting and informative overview of the history and culture for your particular area.

• Catholic Church Records
• Ouimette provided an excellent overview of the Roman Catholic Church in Irish history and culture.  We had an abbreviated history lesson starting with St. Patrick and moving in greater detail from 1541 through the 1870s.  
• The Roman Catholic Church has flourished in Ireland even in the face of (and perhaps in direct contravention to) English rule and religious persecution.  It is imperative to understand the political and cultural history of Ireland to truly understand our ancestors.
• Roman Catholic records were maintained on the parish level and registers were regularly kept for births/baptisms and marriages.  It was less common to have death/burial registers.  The Catholic parishes did not consider their records "public records" and did not forward them to Dublin and/or they only sent copies while maintaining the originals. 
• Ouimette laid out the types of records to be found and how to identify your ancestor's Catholic parish.
• Keep in mind that Latin was the "lingua franca" of the Church and oftentimes records will contain some written Latin.  Ouimette provided us with several of the standard terms and the FamilySearch wiki has an excellent table laying out words and terms that may be found in various registers.
• Original parish registers continue to be held on the parish level and microfilm copies of certain of the registers are available at the National Library of Ireland in Dublin. 
• Approximately one-third of the NLI microfilms are available at the FHL.
• Ouimette also suggested that County Heritage Centres (some better than others) have indexes available online.

• Church of Ireland Records
• Rencher took over at this point to give us an overview of the Church of Ireland's place in Irish history and the status of its records.
• Rencher provided a timeline of important historical dates as well as a summary of the records maintained by the Church of Ireland (COI).
• Although many of the COI's registers were destroyed in the Public Records Office explosion and fire of 1922, substitutes as well as some indexes to these records are available and Rencher provided suggestions on additional avenues of research.  
• Rencher provided two great charts (I like color!) laying out the schematic history of the COI diocesan organization both historically and today.  These charts were quite helpful in understanding the administrative strucure of the COI.
• In addition to birth, marriage and burial records, other COI records exist and were summarized as follows:
• Vestry Minutes
• Bastardy Bonds
• Pew Schedules/Assignments
• Parish Deeds
• Be sure to search out published Parish histories and registers.
• A key point Rencher made was that oftentimes pre-1922 records had been extracted and/or indexed and this is another avenue of records to be researched.
• He provided an excellent bibliography and an appendix showing a map of COI dioceses.
• Finally, it is important to remember that due to persecution of Catholics and the fact that COI was the established State church, no matter your ancestor's religion, you should always check COI records.

• Presbyterian Church Records
• Dean Hunter returned to provide an overview of the Presbyterian Church records in Ireland.
• The Presbyterian Church was the dominant church in Ulster as its adherents were the Scottish who arrived in the North of Ireland under the English plantation scheme.
• Hunter provided a background of the types of records to be found as well as their locations in Belfast.
• He suggested that preliminary research be conducted online through the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI).
• Additionally he provided a lengthy bibliography to assist researchers looking into Presbyterian records.

• Irish Civil Registration of Births, Marriages and Deaths
• Ouimette was back to outline the standard vital records research as it applies to Ireland. He provided a history of civil registration in Ireland and put it an the timeframe that it may be applicable to our ancestors.
• He outlined the types of records available:
• Original manuscripts
• Published indexes
• Microfilm copies maintained at the FHL
• Digitized images and searchable indexes
• Birth Registers
• Marriage Registers
• Death Registers
• Ouimette explained how to acquire copies of entries from the various registers and how to use the registers as a "springboard" to other records.
• He advised that you should always learn why a record was created ~ it is important to gain an understanding of what things you should be looking for in a record, who might have copies of it, and how it was used.
• We have to know the jurisdiction(s) we should be looking in for the record (as well as surrounding jurisdictions).
• Always use a year range and surname variants in your research ~ keep an open mind as far as dates and spelling go because it was not important to our ancestors and it was only more recently standardized.
• Keep in mind that indexes and registers are not perfect and sometimes very good reasons existed for "errors" in dates.
• As an example after registration was mandated by law, penalties were levied for late registration.  People often used dates that complied with their later reporting dates and did not trigger a fine.
• Be sure to look not only in national registers but also local registers.
• Indexes for many Irish civil registrations are now online at FamilySearch.org. 

I had always heard that there is a dearth of Irish records for the genealogist but after today's sessions I came away more aware of the wealth of records that are out there.  It does seem to be a more involved process to find them and acquire the birth, marriage and death information of my ancestors.  Since I enjoy puzzles and like the thrill of the hunt, today's sessions gave me some ideas on where to start my search.

SLIG 2011 ~ Irish Family History Research ~ Day 2

Tuesday's classes began even earlier (at 8:30 am) and since David Rencher was giving the first lecture I made sure I had plenty of Starbucks in my system so I could keep up with him!

• Something I enjoyed (although I am not sure about some of the other attendees) is that neither Rencher or Ouimette lectured directly from their written materials.  We have all been to conferences where the lecturer simply reads his written materials or his PowerPoint presentation ~ not fun (and I always wonder if they think we can't read, they are uncomfortable in front of groups, or they just didn't prepare)! 
• Neither Rencher nor Ouimette read their materials to us and in fact, while their written materials provided the "bones of the lecture," they were both quite fluid and their PowerPoint presentations added to and expanded upon their written materials.  For some attendees this was disconcerting at first, but both Rencher and Ouimette were good sports and provided copies of any "new" materials and certain charts or lists they used in their presentations. 

• Tools for Irish Reference
• Rencher discussed the importance of understanding the basic jurisdictions in Ireland through the years.
• Since recordkeeping is based on jurisdiction, this is a key concept.
• Rencher also discussed the breakdown between records kept in the Republic of Ireland (Dublin) and those kept in the Northern Ireland (Belfast).
• He mentioned that one important research tool is Manuscript Sources for the History of Irish Civilization. This multi-volume index is a listing of known manuscript sources by surname, county, issue, and other keywords.  Definitely a resource to check out at FHL!
• Other key reference materials were outlined and discussed in detail:
• Published Family Histories/Pedigree Indexes
• Maps & Gazetteers - especially Ordinance Survey Office maps (in this regard check out these maps online - fascinating!)
• Church Records
• Censuses and Census Substitutes
• Householders' Index
• Register of Griffiths' Valuation and the Tithe Applotment  
• Rencher reiterated that it is imperative that you conduct all your American research and acquire records of any information that will assist you in finding your ancestors' place (down to the townland if possible)
• He provided and discussed in detail an extensive bibliography of reference materials to assist the researcher with both the substantive information as well as the methodology required to successfully conduct Irish records' research.
• He reminded us that oftentimes Irish records may be in England ~ specifically as they relate to military records and records regarding the "Irish question."
• Since so much of our research effort will be spent trying to determine if the record we are interested in existed in the first place (and where an index or summary of it may have been maintained if the original no longer exists) and what efforts we undertake to find the records, maintaining accurate research logs is important.
• (I saw this coming when he mentioned that much of our results would be "negative" ~ drat, another reason we need to be organized and methodical!)



(A screen capture from Ordnance Survey Maps online ~ St. Mullin's, County Carlow, Ireland)



• Identifying Irish Locations
• We got two lessons for the price of one (geography and Gaelic) as this lecture covered in detail the system and sources of place names as well as land jurisdictions in Ireland.
• The first thing to keep in mind is that the same townland can be spelled a multitude of ways.  Ouimette provided an example from his own research of a townland in parish registers for Killury with eight different spellings ~ none of which was the "official" or present day spelling of the townland. 
• Oftentimes it helps to sound out phonetically the townland name your ancestor either said or wrote on his documents if you are having a hard time determining the townland and its possible variants.
• Ouimette laid out the various jurisdictions in great detail working from largest entity to smallest:
• Nation ~ actually two; the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (although my ancestors considered it the North of Ireland or the occupied counties!)
• Province ~ four
• Diocese ~ we need to keep in mind that there are both Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland dioceses and they are not the same and they do not usually overlap (just another wrinkle!)
• County ~ thirty-two
• Barony
• Poor Law Union
• Superintendent Registrar's Districts
• Parish ~ of course this can't be simple as there are three distinct types
• civil parishes
• Church of Ireland parishes
• Roman Catholic parishes
• City and Town
• Electoral Division
• Townland
• Ouimette discussed how to find the various jurisdictions for your ancestors by using a variety of resources including townland indexes (some of which are online), maps of Ireland, and Samuel Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland.
• Ouimette gave an interesting piece of advice ~ "Treat places like family" and learn about the surrounding jurisdictions to your place.  
• It is important to understand the physical layout of the townland, including the layout of estates, buildings, and natural features (lakes, waterways, railroads, paths, etc.).  Of course this is true in all place research but sometimes we forget ~ try to get a feel for the place or get the big picture in your mind.  
• Check out the Ordinance Survey maps online as they will be of utmost assistance to your research. 
• Once again we were provided with an excellent bibliography for further reading ~ two of the many resources to check out are:
• General Alphabetical Index to the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Baronies of Ireland: Based on the Census of Ireland for the Year 1851. 1861. Reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., 2000.
• Mitchell, Brian. A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland. 2d edition. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., 2002. 

• The Irish Collection in the Family History Library
• Evva Housley, an FHL librarian, gave us an overview of the Irish collection at the FHL.  She laid out the physical location of the materials and the types of records. The records break down by the following groups:
• Civil Registration of births, marriages and deaths ~ this did not begin until 1864 (although non-Catholic marriage registration began in 1845).  Many indexes and registers are available on microfilm (and some on now online at FamilySearch.org).
• Census records
• Church records - broken down by denomination (including Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, Quaker and others)
• Registry of Deeds
• Irish Wills 
• Census substitutes
• Periodicals and Indexes ~ Housley pointed out that this is a very underutilized resource
• Old Age Pension Claims ~ Housely discussed the importance of this resource and how to search them
• Encumbered Estates
• This lecture was basically to help us understand both the breadth and depth of the FHL Irish collection as well as understand the cataloguing system employed by the FHL.

• Irish Records and Resources on the Internet
• We finished out the day with a virtual trip to Ireland and all things Irish research to learn what is available online for Irish researchers.
• Ouimette started out by discussing how the Internet has altered both the content (what is available) and the process (how to find it) of genealogy research.
• Ouimette outlined three main portals for the Internet ~ these are basically the directories or finding aids to help the researcher locate what is out there on the Internet.
• Cyndi's List
• GENUKI
• IrelandGenWeb Project 
• Ouimette was quite complementary of several of the major collections for Irish records. His written materials listed and described many of the well-known sites (Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org) as well as several lesser known (at least to me) sites. A few of those that I checked out after class stand out:
• Historical Mapping Archive ~ I love maps and this site does not disappoint with its historical maps, so check out where you ancestor lived and what his world looked like (the example above is from County Carlow, Ireland).
• Public Records Office of Northern Ireland ~ an excellent example of "genealogy done right" as it is user-friendly, has excellent articles and a wealth of materials and indexes (as well as some digital images) for the Irish researcher.
• Waterford County Library ~ this is an example of a great county library, see if your ancestor's county has something similar.
• IreAtlas ~ Another great finding aid for finding places in Ireland.
• Ouimette mentioned that several Irish counties have a "web presence."  Be sure to check out what local researchers have placed online for their communities (similar to our rootsweb community projects).
• The 1901 and 1911 Censuses are online through the National Archives of Ireland ~ this is a great resource for searching out surnames ~ perhaps not all of your family came over and this is a great "jumping off point" for further research.  Check out the whole of the Archives for lots of tremendous historical and genealogical records.
• Ouimette's final thought on online research was to remember that although there has been an explosion of indexes, registers and actual scanned documents placed online, Internet  research is only the tip of the iceberg.  After you scratch the surface online, remember that the largest share of Irish records research is still found in libraries and archives or in the personal possession of individuals and communities. 

On that note, we finished up for the day and had the option to check out the FHL on our own and get started with our research.  Since we finished up by 3:00 pm and the FHL didn't close until 9:00 pm, we had six hours to get hopelessly lost on level B2 of the FHL ~ let the games begin!

SLIG 2011 ~ Irish Family History Research ~ Day 1

In the better late than never department, I have finally had a chance to process the Salt Lake Institute for Genealogy 2011 ~ Irish Family History Research Course ~ that I attended the week of January 10th.  In my defense, I stayed on in Salt Lake City through January 19th and on my return had to get back to real life.  That said, I continue to have the utmost respect for those blogging gurus who post daily while at a conference.  But now, let me share with you the highlights of SLIG 2011.

Bright and early (8:00 am) found all the SLIG attendees at a breakfast to kick off the week of genealogy education!  There were general introductions of the Course coordinators and several of the instructors as well as some general information about the Institute as a whole ~ vendors, administrative and logistical matters, and lunchtime and evening lectures (only for true genealogy warriors).  After breakfast and with binder in hand I searched for my "classroom."

Promptly at 9:00 am our coordinator for the week, David Ouimette, had us introduce ourselves and share our family surnames, county/regions of Irish ancestry, religious affiliations, locations in the Canada and/or the USA where our immigrant ancestors settled, and amount of previous research/current status of our research.  It was a great way to "break the ice" as well as give us a sense of each other's research interests.

The remainder of the day consisted of the following lectures:

• Introduction to the Course/Week
• The good news is that there are records both in the USA and Ireland that can help you find your Irish ancestors (not everything went up in smoke in 1922 or otherwise got destroyed through the years).
• Before you even think about crossing the pond to perform research in Ireland you need to do your homework here in the USA and find out everything you can about your ancestor who came over from Ireland with the records right here!
• The later your ancestor came over from Ireland the luckier you are because the records are better (on both sides of the Atlantic).
• There are several excellent resources, including FamilySearch.org and some other great websites, that continue to post information on a regular basis ~ be sure to check them out regularly!
• At some point in order to answer your research questions, you will "get to go to Ireland" (rather than "have to go to Ireland") ~ and there are a number of quality research facilities in Ireland.
• At the outset, he suggested several books that provide a road map for the beginner, intermediate and advanced Irish records' researcher.
• Grenham, John. Tracing Your Irish Ancestors: The Complete Guide. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., 2006. 
• Mitchell, Brian. Finding Your Irish Ancestors: Unique Aspects of Irish Genealogy. Baltimore, Maryland: Clearfield, 2007.
• Ouimette, David. Finding Your Irish Ancestors: A Beginner’s Guide. Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2005
• Ryan, James G. Irish Records: Sources for Family & Local History. Dublin, Ireland: Flyleaf Press/Ancestry, 1999.
• Ryan, James G. Sources for Irish Family History: A Listing of Books and Articles on the History of Irish Families. Glenageary, Co. Dublin, Ireland: Flyleaf Press, 2001.

• Irish Immigration - North American Sources and Methodology
• We were all in for a history lesson as the first part of the lecture covered the Irish immigration experience ~ the time frames, the reasons, and the experience once the immigrant arrived in America.  For those without a historical context this lecture was extremely useful.  The concept of chain migration was explained and discussed ~ another great reason why it is so important to perform cluster research!  
• Ouimette discussed in detail several excellent resources to check out to find evidence of Irish ancestral origins in American records (the list below is only a sampling):
• Naturalization papers
• Land records
• Probate records
• Church records
• Census records
• Tombstone inscriptions
• Birth, Marriage & Death records
• Newspapers
• Military records
• Family records
• Railroad Retirement records
• School records
• Published histories
• Ship passenger lists
• Church and civil records in Canada
• Employment records
• Social Security applications

• Irish Emigration - Irish Sources and Methodology
• This lecture took us across the Atlantic to find learn about the Irish emigration experience.  If you have not had an opportunity to hear David Rencher speak there are two things you need to know ~ he talks at lightening speed and he packs two hours of information into a one hour lecture! 
• Rencher discussed the principle ports from which the Irish emigrated, the costs involved and the effect that the Poor Law Act may have had on the emigration experience.  I was not familiar with the history of the Poor Law Act and workhouses in Ireland ~ definitely something to research in greater detail.
• One of the interesting and oftentimes overlooked research areas (especially during the famine years' emigration) is the use of the following records:
• Land records
• Church baptisms
• Poor Law documents
• Estate papers
• Directories
• Ordinance Survey lists
• School records
• Church records ~ we need to keep in mind that no matter our ancestors' "professed religion" the Church of Ireland was the State church for a significant period of time and our ancestors (no matter their religion) may be recorded there

• The Scotch-Irish in America
• This lecture focused on the available records in Ireland and Scotland to assist the researcher in locating his/her American Scots-Irish families.  Dean Hunter laid out the records as well as the indexes that are available and provided a list of the surname records maintained by the Family History Library.
• Since none of my "people" were Scottish and/or from the North of Ireland, this lecture held less interest for me than the other lectures.

• Irish Surnames and Given Names
• In this lecture Ouimette provided us with the history of Irish surnames and how to determine the possible source of an Irish surname.  
• Some things to keep in mind when researching your surname or given name:
• Many surnames are identifiable with certain locations or regions in Ireland
• Spelling is not particularly important (as there was no fixed spelling until the 20th century).  As a result, researchers will want to conduct their research using all known variants!
• The use of O or Mac in surnames ~ view these are simply a variant.
• When searching records realize that given names could be in English, Gaelic, Latin, abbreviated or a nickname and be prepared to research using all known variants!
• By way of example:
• English = Patrick
• Gaelic = Padraig
• Latin = Patricius
• Abbreviated = Pat, Patt, Patk, Patrk
• Nickname = Paddy, Padric, Pat, Patty, Paudrick
• Another example ~ sometimes an Irish given name has (to our mind) unusual variants:
• Bridget = Delia
• Jeremiah = Darby
• As in several cultures, there may be "naming patterns" and the Irish, in particular, used traditional naming patterns (although there are always exceptions to the "rule").

By the end of the day on Monday, I was glad the Family History Library closed at 5:00 pm so I didn't feel guilty about not racing over to get in any research time!

SLIG 2011 ~ Where To Lay Your Head

Wow!  I have been to the Salt Lake Institute for Genealogy (SLIG) before and thought lessons previously learned would help me during the week.  Some things I got right, others I got wrong ~ but, all in all, it was a great week with lots of learning going on.  Although I originally planned to blog each day while at SLIG, I found that the time got away from me and that I needed a bit of time to process it all (and catch up on my sleep).  So a little late, here are my "day by day recap" posts of my 2011 SLIG Adventure.

~ Some Thoughts on Accommodations~

Always give some thought to whether you should stay at the "conference" hotel (in this case the Radisson Hotel) or somewhere else.  In Salt Lake City and certainly around the Temple area there are a number of other places to stay, many of them are within walking distance and/or TRAX stops away from the conference.  Realize that you may be able to getter the same amenities for less somewhere else and choose your accommodations based on what works for you.

• The SLIG classes are held at the Radisson and it serves as the "conference" hotel.  It is a beautiful hotel, the rooms are lovely, and there is something to be said for staying at the same hotel at which the classes are held. 
• The downside to staying at the Radisson is that it is an extremely large hotel with a diverse clientele (business people, skiers, weekend tourists, event/concert stayers, and airline employees, as well as all those genealogists).  As a result I found the hotel "standard American business-oriented," a bit impersonal and unnecessarily spendy. 
• The gift shop and restaurant are nice but cater to tourists and expense accounts. 
• Room service is great but pricey. 
• The four elevators are always slow and, since most of the SLIG classes take place on the second floor at similar times, always crowded. 
• The first year I attended SLIG, the Radisson offered take away coffee or tea from their restaurant for $1 per cup, available on an honor system from large pump carafes ~ great for those of us who indulge in the caffeine habit and easy to get between classes.  Once they revamped their gift shop (to include a coffee bar) drip coffee is almost $4 a cup and the one employee is so busy making speciality drinks that waiting on line for a simple cup of coffee is torture. 
• On both occasions I stayed at the Radisson I found that the airport shuttle service offered is simply a shuttle service that books through the Radisson.  The shuttle service return trip (booked and paid for in advance) to the airport was quite late and neither the front desk nor I could light a fire under them to get them to show up anywhere near the scheduled time. 

Last year, I decided to check out the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel as an alternative to the Radisson.  The Plaza is located approximately 100 steps from the Family History Library and is one block from the Radisson. 

• I noticed that a number of conference attendees and instructors stay at the Plaza. 
• The rates are usually $10-$15 less per night that the conference Radisson rate.
• The Plaza is going through a process of upgrades (with more to come in the next year).  The rooms are large, well-maintained and have all the standard amenities.
• The rooms have coffee makers, refrigerators and microwaves ~ a real plus if like me, you like to make/have coffee or tea in the morning or evening and like to have some of your meals or snacks available when you want them.
• The rooms now have ergonomic desk chairs ~ another plus if you are doing any work from your room.
• A complementary shuttle service (with Plaza employees who could not be more helpful) is available to pick you up from the airport (use the call phone at the airport) and can be scheduled from the front desk for return trips to the airport.  I like the fact that the luggage lockup is a simple procedure and the driver will always help with your luggage.
• My driver mentioned that the shuttle service will take you to the restaurants, shops and grocery stores in the area if you call the front desk and set it up.  I had a great guy take me to the grocery store and wait for me while I picked up essentials like VIA (Starbucks) instant coffee, half n half, fizzy water, Crystal Lite Lemonade, yogurt, fruit, cheese, deli meat, crackers, Egg Beaters, and Zone bars (yum!).  I like being able to have snacks and meals on my clock.
• The gift shop has a variety of pretty fairly priced snacks.
• The restaurant has great breakfasts, a good salad and soup bar, and an excellent tuna melt!  The restaurant is pretty speedy, always welcoming, and inexpensive.  
• If you need anything ~ the front desk is always happy to help and quick to respond.
• I like walking to the Radisson each day for SLIG ~ it is a short walk and I get some fresh air.  It also makes me be more organized as I put my stuff together the night before so I am ready to roll in the AM.
• On those days when it rains or snows (and in January it sometimes does) you are no farther than 100 steps from the FHL, close enough to make a run for it (in rain).  No matter with snow as the street crew in SLC has the roads and sidewalks cleared almost as soon as the snow falls!
• The TRAX stops right outside the door and one stop later you are at Gateway Mall with a numbers of shops and restaurants.  Additionally, numerous restaurants are close at hand in the Temple area.

(A place to lay my head ~ and plenty of space)

My room at the Salt Lake Plaza

Setting up my work area (computer & printer)

The Utah Genealogical Association (who put on the SLIG) gave all attendees a handy map of the area as well as a list of services all within walking distance of both hotels in our course packet.  In summary, it pays to check out a variety of accommodations and find the one that best suits your needs and your budget ~ don't feel you have to stay at the conference hotel!

SLIG 2011 ~ Is There A Genealogy Conference In Your Future?

So is 2011 the year you plan to attend a genealogy conference ~ good for you! 

What are your next steps? 

The first step is to give some serious thought and do a bit of reading and/or online research to decide where to travel.  One of the main reasons I enjoy attending Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) is that the Family History Library (FHL) is nearby and has a wealth of research materials and personnel to assist you in your research.  Salt Lake City hosts a number of research conferences and seminars throughout the year (or you can make the trip to the FHL on your own). 

Perhaps you want to start out closer to home or closer to local research facilities that are key to your family's history.  Throughout the year, there are conferences and seminars in a number of places ~ select one that is near research facilities that will be of use to you.  Check out Genealogy Conferences and Expos (a Google Calendar from GeneaBloggers) to find out about upcoming conferences and seminars. While you are there, why not also check out GeneaBloggers' Events and Daily Blogging Themes calendars.

The second step is spending some serious time thinking about what you want to accomplish with your trip. 

• If You Fail to Plan ~ Plan to Fail!
• What do you want to accomplish?  What is/are your research question(s)?  Write out your Research Plan(s)!
• How do you intend to accomplish your goals?  Find out what resources are necessary to help you answer your research questions. Use your Research Plan to help you accomplish your goals.  Oftentimes the process of putting it down on paper shows the strengths and weaknesses of your current research and points you in the right direction to break down those brick walls.  If you spend a bit of time and effort now you will save a great deal of time and effort later.

The third step is spending some quality time planning your trip.  Whether you use pen and paper or your computer, you need to focus on the following areas and keep copies (either on your computer, mobile device, or printed out on paper) of all reservations, receipts, outlines, course materials, packing lists, travel information, as well as any legal and medical information.

• Budget
• Do you plan to attend a seminar?  If so, how many days is the seminar and what are the costs associated with it (course fees, travel arrangements, accommodations, meals) as well as research costs (photocopies, local travel, other purchases)?
• How many days do you plan to research on-site and what are the costs associated with the trip (any additional travel, accommodations, meals, or research costs)?
• There are simple template budgets in Microsoft Word and on Google Docs - draft and revise your budget throughout the planning stages and there will be fewer surprises during your trip!

• Pre-Trip Planning
• Make use of AAA services, go online at Trip Advisor, contact the local genealogical societies, archives, libraries, etc., to check out the logistics of your trip.  Find out the hours of operation, what is going on in the community, possible places to stay, interesting sites to visit, restaurants to try, how to get from one facility to the next (the nuts and bolts of the physical part of your trip). 
• Give yourself plenty of time to check out a variety of websites and follow up with telephone calls and/or emails to staff (the nuts and bolts of the research part of your trip). 
• You don't want to plan your trip when the facility is closed or on shortened hours. 
• You want to make sure you have checked out any online research catalogs in advance (a real time saver)
• You want to get as much done in advance to make the best use of your time once you are on site.
• Save your web page searches using Microsoft OneNote (a truly great program), EverNote, copying and pasting the web pages into your word processing program, or printing out the applicable information. 
• Whether you save the information to your computer or print it out, make sure to update the information as your trip nears.

• Course/Seminar Sign up
• Check out the early bird deadlines (usually a big cost savings) and make sure you are on any mailing list or blog that the sponsoring organization has set up to keep attendees apprised of news and events.
• Google the coordinators and instructors so you have some idea of their areas of expertise and see if they have any materials online, at the library (or bookstore) to get a feel for their teaching style. 

• Travel Arrangements
• Make use of any of the travel services online (AAA, Trip Advisor, Priceline, Kayak, specific airline portals) to get an idea of travel costs (keep in mind you may be driving, taking the train, or flying to your destination).  Use a mapping program to check out the area (Google is great for this).  Watch prices and determine the best days for travel to save costs.

• Accommodations
• Whether there is a conference hotel or not, always determine what housing arrangements best suit your needs.
• Keep in mind that distance will make a difference with all day conferences (especially if you need to make local travel arrangements).  Keep an open mind and be sure to check out bed & breakfasts, inns, hotels, university summer housing, and staying with friends and/or family.

• Packing Lists
• Start making your packing list both as it relates to the standard travel items as well as your genealogy related travel items. 
• What will the weather be like?  Why not put the weather gadget for the city in question on your iGoogle page to start getting a feel for your trip.
• What is the dress standard for your conference or research trip?
• Think comfort and keep in mind that at conferences, rooms can be drafty, too cool or too warm ~ think layers!
• Make sure you know what the research facility will allow you to bring in - notebooks, binders, pens & pencils, computers, cameras, scanners, etc.
• Make sure you know how much copies cost ~ most facilities require cash and prefer small bills. 
• What about your Virtual Research Toolbox?  Why not register to listen to some expert advice from Thomas MacEntee when he gives a Legacy Webinar on "Building a Research Toolbox" (scheduled for April 6, 2011).  

• Research Plan
• What do you hope to accomplish?  Repeat after me ~
• I won't get it all in one trip 
• I will not be at the research facility from dawn to dusk (trust me you will burn out!)
• I will focus my research in advance of my trip so I make the best use of my time
• Spend some time writing up your Research Plan(s) and have a plan of attack! 

• Travel Research Binder
• What do you need/want in paper format to make your research trip organized, timely, helpful and useful?
• Pedigree Chart(s)
• Family Group Sheet(s)
• Copies of any applicable records (vital records, religious records, censuses, emigration/immigration records, land records, tax records, city directories, and military records) used in your Research Plan(s)
• Master Location List
• Master Source List
• Full citations for sources already used in your Research Plan(s)
• Pages from Maps and Gazetteers of the areas in your Research Plan(s)

There are a couple of great webinars that do an amazingly in-depth job of explaining research plans, travel research binders, Research Logs Part 1 and Part 2, and taking a genealogy research trip ~ all found at FamilySearch.org.  Be sure to check out all their research courses as well as their research wiki.  Don't forget to check out Wikipedia for Country and region information.

Additionally Professional Genealogy has two excellent chapters dealing with research plans and analysis (Mills, Elizabeth S. Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co, 2001. Print.) Be sure to check out Chapter 14 - Problem Analyses and Research Plans and Chapter 15 - Research Procedures for some excellent tips.  (More on Research Plans in a separate post!)

You can watch the webinars in the comfort of your own home and check Professional Genealogy out of your local (or genealogy) library. Find the closest library at Worldcat.org.

Have you recently taken a genealogy research trip?  Do you have any tips, tricks or suggestions to add?  Please share!

SLIG 2011/Tech Tuesday ~ Microsoft's OneNote For Research Trips

I have mentioned before that I really love Microsoft's OneNote program which comes with all of the iterations of Microsoft Office.  I don't know why Microsoft doesn't market this program more because I think it is tremendous.  I especially like it for research trips, gathering research citations and lookups, and keeping track of my ancestry.com shoebox. 

Today I thought I would focus on how I used OneNote for my most recent research trip to Salt Lake City for SLIG 2011. 

I have set up a Travel Notebook with sections for all types of trips ~ for our purposes the section for Salt Lake City Seminars is shown.  The tabs at the top of this Notebook Section show the following:

• SLC Seminars
• Journal 2009
• Journal 2010
• Journal 2011
• Research 

I have enlarged the tab section (at the right) so you can see the titles of the various pages - in this instance "Packing List for 2011 Trip."  You can add pages yourself, link a Word document or an Excel spreadsheet, or grab a page from a website and "print" it to your Notebook (which is what I did with my airline reservation/confirmation, hotel reservation, and SLIG Course outline).  I also sent emails from my ProGen Study Group to my Notebook.  Anything from the Internet is easily sent from Windows Internet Explorer with a one click "send to OneNote button" and can also be done from other Internet browsers with a "print to OneNote button." 

In any event, this is a great place to keep all kinds of information about the "nuts and bolts" of my trip all in one place.  In the top right-hand corner you will notice that there is a Search function - just put in the word or phrase you are looking for and OneNote will search a particular Notebook or all Notebooks and provide you with a list of pages to help you find what you may have "misfiled."  You can keep your Notebook private, email it (either by page, section or Notebook) or share it online.  It has lots of bells and whistles, but even using just the "send to OneNote button" and keeping articles, web pages, etc., is a real boon.

The above screenshot shows the outline for the course I signed up for at SLIG 2011.  Note that the page goes into OneNote with the hyperlinks so you can always go click on the hyperlink and go directly to the website for updated information (really great when you have done research and did not keep track of where you got it from for your research log!).

In the first section for all SLC Seminars, I keep general information like the TRAX (trolley) information, restaurants that have been suggested to me, and various articles.

Finally (and perhaps most importantly) is the Research Section.  This is the place where I keep FHL catalog entries that I want to check out during my research trip.  I send them directly to OneNote so I have the film or book numbers as well as any specific information that may be of use.  I might note the family surnames I'm looking for, the time frames in question, and the priority of the research.

If you have Microsoft Office on your computer and have never checked out OneNote, why not give it a try before your next research trip.  Microsoft has some excellent tutorials on using OneNote (either version 2007 or 2010 ) ~ there is also a free version "in the cloud."  Microsoft recently published an iPhone app for OneNote which can be used with your iPhone or iTouch ~ I haven't gone there yet but I am on my way ~ oh yeah!

If you already use OneNote and have any tips or tricks to share ~ please leave a comment.  (I know I have only scratched the surface so feel free to share with the rest of us).  Thanks.

SLIG 2011 ~ Top Ten Reasons To Attend SLIG

Well the 2011 Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy has come and gone.  It was a very busy week and it was really intense ~ there was lots to learn and enough free time to get some serious research time in at the Family History Library.  What's not to like? 

~ So now, my Top Ten List of Reasons I Like To Attend SLIG ~

1. The focus is on education ~ on the first day there were approximately 15 vendors but it was terribly low-key and pretty much for informational purposes only
2. The classes are coordinated by course ~ all of your classes revolve around a theme, have a coordinator and instructors, each class tends to build on the last one, and instructors are usually available after class to answer questions or point you in the right direction
3. UGA and the instructors put together very useful presentations and materials ~ maps of the Salt Lake City area and available services are included, as are the course materials broken out by day and lecture
4. The class size is limited ~ the Irish Family History Research course had 19 attendees and our coordinator asked some questions the first day to gauge our prior knowledge, areas of interest, and family surnames ~ during the course of the lectures he made a point to address special areas of interest
5. After your classes finish up for the day ~ you are steps away from the Family History Library (FHL) and usually have the late afternoon and evening to research
6. Area hotels have very good rates prior to and immediately following SLIG so if you have the time you can fit in some extra research days at the FHL (to put all that new found knowledge to use)
7. UGA personnel seem genuinely interested in making the SLIG better each year and work hard to answer questions and solve problems
8. It's January and snowy ~ what better time to be in Salt Lake City, curled up a wealth of research materials
9. SLIG seems to be get a number of return researcher/attendees as well as newbies, and attracts people from all over the United States
10. Being away from home gives you the opportunity to really focus on your research to the exclusion of pretty much everything else (at least all those everyday things back home)

So, check out the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy's 2012 Schedule (and the preliminary schedules for 2013 and 2014).  Why not give some thought to planning a trip to learn something new and get in some research time in Salt Lake City.

In the Clover ~ Irish Family History Research at SLIG

(Digital Art provided by FreeDigitalPhotos.net ~ thanks)

Next week at this time I will be midway through Course 3 ~ Irish Family History Research with David Ouimette, CG ~ at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG).  January a great time to go to Salt Lake City and settle in for genealogy courses and research at the Family History Library (FHL).  The FHL is not very crowded and the cold weather really makes me want to stay warm and dry at the library.

As mentioned in a previous post, I have been to the SLIG before (I attended and highly recommend American Records with Paula Stuart-Warren and Internet Tools & Techniques with Barbara Renick and Debby Horton; additionally if you get the chance to attend any lecture given by D. Joshua Taylor ~ do it, he is a great speaker and is quite tech savvy). 

I am looking forward to this year's course because it is focused on Irish family history research, a subject near and dear to my genealogy heart as my father's ancestry is Irish by way of Counties Carlow, Cork and Kerry.  As an added bonus, the FHL is open Monday through Saturday from 8:00 am until 9:00 pm (on Mondays it closes at 5:00 pm) for research.  I plan go to the FHL during my "free time" and put all that theory into practice with the FHL's Irish collection.

The course outline is as follows:

Irish Immigration - North American Sources and Methodology

Irish Emigration - Irish Sources and Methodology

Scotch-Irish in America

Irish Surnames and Given Names

Irish Records and Resources on the Internet

Identifying Irish Localities

The Irish Collection in the Family History

Tools for Irish Reference

Catholic Church Records

Church of Ireland Records

Presbyterian Church Records

Irish Civil Registration of Births, Marriages, and Deaths

Irish Census and Census Substitutes

Methodology for Interpreting and Evaluating Name Lists

Land Valuation Records

Estate, Land and Property Records

Irish Poor Law System

Methodology for Reconstructing Lineages from Irish Record Fragments

Irish Probate Records and Genealogical Collections

Preparing for a Family History Experience in Ireland

Twenty lectures over the course of the week works out to four lectures each day ~ quite the schedule.  Mr. Ouimette is the author of Finding Your Irish Ancestors: A Beginner's Guide and is also a director at large of the National Genealogical Society (a more complete bio is here ). 

Since one of my New Year's resolutions is to be a more consistent blogger, I plan to post about my experiences at the 2011 SLIG.  If you will be in Salt Lake City attending the SLIG (especially if you are attending the Irish Family History Research course) perhaps we can meet up.  If you are not attending the SLIG in person, check back here next week to attend via my blog.

Slainte

January Birthdays & Anniversaries

Each month I will post a "roll call" of those who came before me ~ it is a listing of the birthdays and anniversaries of my Keough & Murphy ancestors who were born or married during that month.  I use a cutoff year of 1900 for privacy concerns. As you can see Ireland, Newfoundland and the United States (Missouri, Nebraska, New York, and Washington) are represented.

Do we share any of the same ancestors?  If so, I would love to hear from you and hear all about them.

1.   Bridget KEOUGH [947] (Jan 1854, Plate Cove East, Bonavista Bay, , NL)

2.   Pierce P. MURPHY [1772] (Jan 1876, Vesta, Johnson, Nebraska, USA)

3.   Elenora (Ellen) MURPHY [2129] (Jan 1893, , , Nebraska, USA)
4.   James RYAN and Catherine KEOUGH [1215] (4 Jan 1892, King's Cove, Bonavista Bay, , NL)
5.   John BURNS [1077] (5 Jan 1835, Ballyknock, County Carlow, Leinster, IRELAND)
6.   Daniel KEOUGH [180] (5 Jan 1871, Plate Cove East, Bonavista Bay, , NL)
7.   William KEOUGH [196] (6 Jan 1838, Plate Cove East, Bonavista Bay, , NL)
8.   John M. MURPHY [472] (6 Jan 1873, Rock Port, Atchison, Missouri, USA)
9.   Peter William WALSH and Anne KEOUGH [1209] (7 Jan 1900, Open Hall, Bonavista Bay, , NL)
10. Matthew M. MURPHY [1774] (8 Jan 1881, Vesta, Johnson, Nebraska, USA)
11. Andrew KEOUGH and Mary FURLONG [61] (9 Jan 1877, King's Cove, Bonavista Bay, , NL)
12. James MURPHY [999] (10 Jan 1872, Vesta, Johnson, Nebraska, USA)
13. Michael Daniel O'MURPHY and Honora Agnes BUTLER [91] (11 Jan 1861, New York, New York, New York, USA)
14. Patrick S. BURNS [1132] (12 Jan 1874, , , Nebraska, USA)
15. James KEOUGH and Mary ROSE [1216] (15 Jan 1893, King's Cove, Bonavista Bay, , NL)
16. Mary KEOUGH [2000] (16 Jan 1892, Boyds Cove, , , NL)
17. Andrew KEOUGH and Charlotte Mary KEATS [492] (16 Jan 1892, NL)
18. Catherine Elizabeth HEANEY [1452] (18 Jan 1890, Plate Cove East, Bonavista Bay, , NL)
19. Dora Josephine MURPHY [31] (19 Jan 1899, Burlington, Skagit, Washington, USA)
20. John PHILPOTT and Mary Catherine KEOUGH [1379] (20 Jan 1876, , Bonavista Bay, , NL)
21. Honora KEOUGH [946] (25 Jan 1850, Plate Cove East, Bonavista Bay, , NL)
22. Andrew Francis KEOUGH [244] (26 Jan 1886, Plate Cove East, Bonavista Bay, , NL)


Note:  The number in brackets [ ] is the individual's RIN (record identification number) or the couple's MRIN (marriage record identification number) in my genealogy program. An N before the number indicates that the record is found in my Newfoundland Families database.

January Month & Name Wordles made with Wordle.net ~ thanks