Ogden family history conference (Sept 8, 2018)

8:30 am - 4:40 pm
Keynote speakers: EFY speakers Eric and Megan Richards.
No registration needed and participation is FREE.
More information available at www.ogdenfsl.org

There are about 50 different class sessions. For example:

Art of Family Story Telling — Rhonda Lauritzen & Rachel Trotter Family historians preserve stories to convey values and inspire future generations. We also know this…truth is better than fiction. This dynamic workshop, peppered with real-life examples, will help you write your story in an engaging way. Learn a storyboarding technique adapted from Hollywood for telling true stories, whether a single vignette or a whole book.

Audio Inspiration – Preserving Family Stories — Rhonda Lauritzen & Rachel Trotter A workshop on the easiest, most budget-friendly tools for preserving family stories with audio. This focuses on one of the most timeless and intimate formats - voice. Touching on interviewing tips, the class then delves into saving, sharing, transcribing, editing and combining audio with photos, music and free video tools. Ample time for Q&A.

Back Door & Rear Window Research Techniques — Virginia (Ginny) Ackerson We will discuss 5 strategies to help you break through your brick walls. Case studies will help illustrate the validity of these methods and enable you to understand the thinking processes involved.

Brick Walls: Research Strategies — Roland Astorga Can’t find any more records?  Are you stuck?  The better you are the more brick walls you have.  Since less than 5% of genealogy records are online you need strategies to find the missing 95% of records.  We’ll cover how to tackle the toughest brick walls utilizing the latest technology, websites and processes.

Finding Joy in Family History Through 10 Easy Tasks — Lynette Oberg

Learn new ways to explore your tree in Familysearch.org, index records, utilize hints, upload and tag photos, navigate the Family Tree mobile app and more.

How to Tell the Story of Your Lifetime — Lori GillespieThis session is for people who are ready to start writing their family histories and/or personal memoirs. We will discuss how to turn the memories in your head into an engaging narrative and a family treasure.

The Tales Dead Men Tell — Virginia (Ginny) AckersonThere can be over 20 different types of records created at death that have varying amounts of information in them. We will discuss what they are, what they contain and where to access them

Tips for Genealogical Research — Fritz JuenglingThis class has been extremely popular. It is geared toward the beginner and intermediate.  It is based on 30+ years of my own research and some years of working as a Research Consultant at the Family History Library.  If people use these tips, they can save themselves many hours and make their research more efficient.

For a complete list of class titles and descriptions, click here

To see what is offered when, click here.

pdf files

Pdf files are great for preserving page layouts, but lousy at reproducing photographs if used at a lower resolution (which are faster to scan but have poorer quality.)

PDFelement for iOS offers easy conversion of your images to PDF format on your iOS devices. You can snap photos or select photos from your album and then convert them into PDF for free. 
PDFelement for iOS is probably the best iOS app for format conversion of your documents and images. It is more than just a photo to PDF app and won't just convert your images into PDF format, it can also aid you in reading, editing and annotating your different PDF documents.
Moreoever, the app also allows conversion of PDF files into Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other 6 formats(HTML,RTF,Pages,XML,ePub,Text). 

audio file formats

What's the difference between .mp3, .m4a, and .wav?

M4a aims to overtake mp3 and become the new standard in audio compression. It is very similar to mp3 in many ways but developed to have better quality in a same or even lesser file size. M4a format was first introduced by Apple.  (MPEG-4 files with both video and audio normally use .mp4 file extension but when it is intended for audio only, the file will generally have a .m4a extension.)

Mp3, on the other hand, is the most well known digital audio format. It was also one of first compression formats on the scene and became hugely popular among music lovers/collectors. Its mainstream success is so tremendous that the file type is capable of being played anywhere and with almost anything - hardware or software. In theory, m4a will produce better sound quality but many would argue that, whether it’s true or not, the sound difference is not distinguishable and it would be a waste of time trying to convert mp3 files into m4a files. After all, the conversion will just make you lose the original sound quality, therefore, not a good idea unless necessary.

Mp3 files are usually small in size as compared to the wav file. But you will have compromise with sound quality because WAV (waveform audio format) has better quality.

Some, like mp3, are what we call "lossy CODECs", which means that every time we save in that format, a little more of the original signal is lost (just like dubbing cassette to cassette, back in the day!). The beauty of a lossless CODEC is that you can open and save the file as often as you like, and no deterioration will occur. The reason .wav is preferred (or is "better") is because we get to keep every part of the signal as it was originally captured.

To summarize:

WAV is uncompressed and the same as the original file.

MPs uses lossy compression that allows it to chop away parts of a recording that we humans hopefully won't notice.  (A typical MP3 file contains only 10-20% of the information in the original.)

Again, a factor in determining which format to use for memories is the length and complexity of the recording as each uploaded file has a 15 MB limit.

image file formats

To some a computer image is just a bunch of pixels, but in reality there are different kinds of image formats.  Each was created for a specific use and has advantages and disadvantages.

When saving memories in Family Search you can use TIF, JPG, PNG, and BMP.   So what's the difference?

TIF is a great choice for archiving images when all detail must be preserved AND FILE SIZE IS NOT A CONSIDERATION.  TIF format means that no image data is lost after scanning. TIF files are very large in size compared to JPGs because no  compression is used.

JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) is the default image format used for photographs and is the most popular one on the web. It supports 16.7 million colors.  It may not be evident to the human eye, but JPG images sacrifice some image information to keep file sizes small. Each time you save a file, some data is lost. This loss of image data is not recoverable. JPG is great for color photographs but NOT for line drawings.

PNG (Portable Network Graphic) is a better choice for storing line drawings, text, and iconic graphics at a smaller file size because it is lossless.  It is patent free (unlike the proprietary GIF format.)  If an image has large areas with flat or single tones colors - such as logos, icons, banners, and cartoons - then PNG is the format of choice. 

BMP (Bitmap) The native file format of the Windows platform is like the parent format to the above three. BMP formats commonly do not allow for image compression.  BMP images are crisp and precise, but being pixel dependent they don’t scale well. Detail comes at the cost of file size and that’s why you won’t see BMP images used on the web.

To summarize:

• JPG is the most common format that’s in use. But you should be careful as image quality degrades with every save.

• PNG is great for clipart and drawings where limited colors are in use.

Whichever format you choose, your memory cannot exceed 15 MB file size.

deciphering handwriting

In old handwriting, uppercase letters ”L” and “S” look alike, so an old name like “Lamuel” may appear as “Samuel” in a modern index.

Also easily confused are “I” and “J”; lowercase double ss may look like “fs” or “ps.”

David encountered this problem in his family history.  His great-grandfather Joannes Kozak came from Lieskovany, Slovakia.  His first wife Anna died young and we had trouble finding her records.  I soon discovered why:

Her last name is not Sapsanszky. Some people have viewed the script on her death certificate and assumed her parents names were Sapsanski and Sabouk.

 But the letter S in Stephn and Sunset (the street at the top of the document) is formed very differently. I was successful in locating her last name spelled with an L.

What if you're not certain?

Don't start blindly merging or deleting people!

Never present a guess as a known fact.  (preface it with "about" or "est")

Organize all known information so you can gather the clues you need to guess well.

Read through Give Me an Estimate

REMEMBER:
The genealogical process involves a lot of guessing (or hypothesis) about names, dates, places, relationships, and sources. We start with guesses about some of these, and then go out to find the sources and evidence that prove or disprove those guesses.
This means that genealogists need to be good guessers. Good guessers use all the clues available to them before making their best guess. From this guess they form a theory, which can be proven or disproven.

Cite at least one source for every event.
The Key Principle is Straightforward: THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE BETTER YOU CAN GUESS.

free Family History Library Classes and Webinars

for a current listing, go here

Sample of what's available from the past:

General Research Webinars

Finding Original Records: The Real Game of Hide and Seek - Handout
Cousin Research - Handout
Descendancy Research - Handout
DNA: I've Tested, Now What? - Handout
Genetic Genealogy: An Introduction to DNA - Handout
Give Me An Estimate: When It's Okay to Guess in Genealogy - Handout
Organizing Your Genealogy - Handout
Research Logs: A Tool for Organizing Your Research - Handout
Solving Tough Research Problems - Handout
Using Social Media for Family History - Handout

FamilySearch Webinars

Overview of FamilySearch - Handout
Starting Family Tree: Attaching FamilySearch Sources in Family Tree - Handout
Starting Family Tree: Attaching Non-FamilySearch Sources in Family Tree - Handout
Starting Family Tree: Correcting Relationships - Handout
Starting Family Tree: Navigating, Adding, Editing, and Standardization of Dates and Places] - Handout
Starting Family Tree: Preserving Memories Using Photos and Documents - Handout
Starting FamilyTree: Research Help and Searching the Records - Handout
Starting Family Tree: Submitting Names for Temple Ordinances (LDS Church Members) - Handout
FamilySearch Research Wiki - Handout
Tips and Tricks for Using FamilySearch's Historical Records Collection – Handout
Using the Family History Library Catalog Effectively - Handout

Research Seminars & Conferences

United States & Canada Research Seminar [2017]

Canada Census Records
Descendancy Research
Freedman Bureau Records
Great Internet Sites for United States Research
Immigration and Canadian Border Crossings
Over There!: World War I Records Over Here
Quebec Research
Tips and Tricks for Using FamilySearch's Historical Records Collection
The Research Process
United States Case Study
United States Land Records
United States Naturalization Records
Using LDS Church Records

"I don't want to spend more time with the dead than the living"

Wise words spoken by a mother with children at home.
When we think of family history, do we think of just one more thing we should be doing and checking off our list?
Do we feel guilty for not going to the genealogy library and sifting through reels of microfilm?
May I take a moment to remind you that there are many ways of doing temple and family history work ... some of which you are doing right now.

You are living, learning, and growing.  Remember the Lord didn't give you these life experiences to keep to yourself.  Write them down and share what you've learned with others.

Paul is coming home from his mission on Tuesday.  In what is most likely the last letter David could send to him in the mission field, David wrote:

I can relate to the mixed feelings that you are probably feeling right now. I remember sitting in the airplane on the runway in Venezuela on my way home from my mission. My heart ached that I was leaving so many people whom I had come to love, knowing that I would probably not see them again. My heart was swollen with great anticipation and love for my family, too, that I knew would be waiting for me when I arrived home in El Paso, Texas. It was a moment I will never forget. The night before I left Venezuela, I remember kneeling in personal prayer and asking God if my mission was acceptable to Him. I remember feeling a surge of the Spirit come over my entire being that confirmed to me that God had accepted my missionary efforts. I hope you will have a similar experience.

These are comforting words of reassurance.  They are also a part of David's personal life history.  All it took was a copy and paste to preserve this memory in David's family tree.

It is interesting what will jog our memories - a photo we've taken or a similar experience.  Sometimes it just takes asking the right question.

I told you about the Pando game we played at our recent Cardon family reunion.  Everyone was trying to guess what instrument their grandma Jackie had played in school: piano, violin, cello, flute, recorder.  No.  She gave them a hint: it starts with the letter "T":  trumpet, timpani, triangle, trombone, tambourine ... no one could guess that their little old grandma had played the tuba! 

You can learn more about your family, both living and dead, by asking questions.  It doesn't need to be a formal setting.  It can be around the dinner table.

Family search has compiled a list of 52 questions for you to answer about your family,  (I've posted them on this blog site.) Just one question a week will lead to amazing discoveries.  For example:

1. Are there any occupations that have run in your family for generations? (accountant, dentist, teacher...)
2. Did your family celebrate any obscure holidays or cultural traditions?  (we put more time and effort into celebrating Harry Potter's birthday than that of our own children!)
3. What were the differences between your dad’s side of the family and your mom’s side that had to be reconciled within your nuclear family?  (David was raised in Texas and Linnea in Idaho. The first couple years of married life were a battle with the thermostat!)
4. What are some crises, natural disasters, or other tragedies that you had to pull together to get through? (that might include being unemployed for 3 years or a car accident.)

Get the living involved in searching for the dead.  Not all of us are a Dennis Preece!  Claire loves to do baptisms for the dead.  We supply her with names.  My mom works in initiatory - we pass the names on to her.

Expand your circle to include extended family members.  Do you have a cousin or a great-aunt who has collected lots of old photos.  Ask if you can make copies.  Get the stories that go with the pictures.  The faintest pencil is better than the longest memory!

What are some things you have done to involve your family in appreciating and preserving their heritage?  This is family history in the making.

In the words of a Primary song (p 94):
Family history - I am doing it, My family history.
And the love I feel when I'm doing it Is very sweet to me.
I learn stories of my progenitors; I write their history.
I keep records of my loved ones On my own family tree.

Family living now and the ones who've died Can all be sealed to me,
And someday I'll meet every one of them, I'm sure as I can be.
Oh what joy we'll have when they say to me, "We're all a family.
I am yours and you are mine now, Through all eternity."


There is no one right way to do family history.  There are many opportunities.  Go with whatever appeals to you now.  It will change with time.  But whatever you choose to do will enrich your life.  That is one of the promised blessings. 

Let me know how I can help.