FAMILY SEARCH

25 August 2008

FamilySearch has updated or added three new free databases this week to its online pilot program at http://pilot.familysearch.org. The new additions represent over 9 million new names.  There are now over 477 million searchable names on the pilot site.

Current indexing projects include the 1920 U.S Census, 1869 Argentina Census, 1930 Mexico Census, 1945 Florida State Census, Louisiana Deaths, German Church Records, Italy Church Records, Spain Church Records, Venezuela Church Records, and Nicaragua Civil Registration Records.

1870 U.S. Federal Census
Thirteen  new states and almost 9 million names were added to the free 1870 U.S. Census index online. Indexes are now available for Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Dakota Territory, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wyoming. Digital images can be searched for all states except Kentucky, Vermont, and Virginia.

West Virginia Births Index
A searchable name index for West Virginia Births for 1853 to 1930 has been added. This project includes 220,000 names and is 76% complete. For a list of counties indexed in the collection to-date, see the project description at http://pilot.famlysearch.org   No images currently.

West Virginia Deaths Index
The West Virginia Deaths Index 1853 to 1870 is now available online. Over 266,00 names were added, and it is 80% complete. This is an index of both statewide and county death records. A link to digital images on the West Virginia Division of Culture and History website is provided from the index.
 

Summary of Current Projects/Updates
1870 US Census, Searchable database online, Updated – 13 new states

WV Births, Searchable database online, Updated – 14 new counties

WV Deaths, Searchable database online, Updated – 14 new counties

1920 U.S. Census, Indexing Project, New states added

1869 Argentina Census, Indexing Project, New in cue

1930 Mexico Census, Indexing Project, New states added

1945 Florida State Census, Indexing Project, New in cue

German Church Records, Indexing Project, New in cue

Italy Church Records, Indexing Project, New in cue

Louisiana Deaths, Indexing Project, New counties added

Nicaragua Civil Registration, Indexing Project, New in cue

Spain Church Records, Indexing Project, New in cue

Venezuela Church Records, Indexing Project, New in cue 

29 August 2008 

FamilySearch added the 1905 South Dakota State Census and German church books to its pilot Record Search collection online. The total number of names available for searching on the pilot site is now 478,034,410. The entire collection can be searched for free directly online at http://pilot.familysearch.org.

Collections
1905 South Dakota State Census, 472,575472,575, New
Germany, Brandenburg, Church Books, 0248,852, Updated
Germany, Posen, Church Books, 035,240, Updated 

12 September 2008 Update:
The following free collections were added to the Record Search pilot this week at FamilySearch.org (go to Search Records and then Record Search pilot or directly at http://pilot.familysearch.org).

1850 U.S., Images = Yes, 587,550 Records, Added Louisiana and Wisconsin

1850 U.S. Slave Schedule, Images = Yes, 243,023 Records, Added Slave Schedule for Louisiana

Mexico—Burials and Marriages, 1700 to 1900, Images = No, 1,486,827Records, Database was reloaded with enhanced search capabilities to recognize more family/surnames.

Norway—Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1700 to 1900, Images =  No, 6,018,831 Records, Database was reloaded with enhanced search capabilities to recognize more family/surnames.

Spain, Avila—Catholic Parish Records 1530 to 1935, 534,149 Records, Images = No, Digital images only; preparatory to indexing online. 

ANCESTRY

Aug 29, 2008

Family Tree Maker 2009
Family Tree Maker team posted two different blog posts to the Ancestry.com blog late yesterday. One announces Family Tree Maker 2009 and discusses some of the new features coming in the latest version. http://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2008/08/28/family-tree-maker-2009-release/ 

The other post, directed to Family Tree Maker 2008 customers, explains that they will be receiving a free upgrade to 2009. http://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2008/08/28/message-to-family-tree-maker-2008-owners/

1900 Census (new merged index)
The newly improved 1900 U.S. Federal Census index is now available on Ancestry.com, following an agreement we announced last month with FamilySearch. We merged the Ancestry.com 1900 index with the new FamilySearch 1900 index to make it easier for people to find the records they’re looking for by getting the best of both indexes. The new 1900 index also provide several new fields of indexed data including birth month and birth year. The new 1900 census images have been available for a few weeks now. Chris Lydiksen, a product manager for content, blogged about the update and that the new 1900 index will be free for a limited time on Ancestry.com.

http://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2008/08/29/ancestry-familysearch-merged-1900-us-census-index-now-live/

ANCESTRY.COM LAUNCHES GLOBAL PUBLIC INDEXING INITIATIVE AND ANNOUNCES FIRST COLLABORATION WITH THE FEDERATION OF GENEALOGICAL SOCIETIES 
Ancestry.com Introduces the World Archives Project to Preserve and Provide Online Access to Historical Records

Philadelphia – Sept. 4, 2008 – Ancestry.com, today launched the World Archives Project, a global public indexing initiative designed to give individuals everywhere the opportunity to help preserve historical records. The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) is the first organization to partner with Ancestry.com during this beta phase of this new venture, enlisting genealogists and family history enthusiasts to help test the software and prepare it for a more public release.

Now in public beta, the World Archives Project allows individuals to transcribe information from images of original historical records and to create indexes that will remain accessible for free on Ancestry.com and on Ancestry’s localized sites in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Sweden, and Italy. Active contributors* will soon be able to access all original images that are part of the World Archives Project. Organizations can also partner with the World Archives Project and sponsor indexing projects. Ancestry.com will donate a digital copy of the sponsored index and images back to partnering organizations.

“As a global society, we are falling further and further behind when it comes to digitizing historical records,” said Tim Sullivan, president and CEO of The Generations Network, parent company of Ancestry.com. “The World Archives Project allows us to work collectively as a community to preserve and to digitize records that will otherwise surely be lost to the wear and tear of time. By providing free access to these indexes on the world’s most popular family history website, we will provide millions of people with access to records that might help them unlock new clues about their ancestors.”

Already, several thousand individuals have joined the World Archives Project private beta, indexing Wisconsin Mortality Schedules and Nebraska State Censuses. Participants provided feedback and recommendations for this public beta release.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this cause and to help spread the world about this new initiative,” said Wendy Elliott-Scheinberg, president of FGS. “The World Archives Project is a great way for enthusiasts and genealogical societies to directly impact and further family history research.”

“FGS has been enormously helpful in the development of our vision for the World Archives Project,” said Sullivan. “The 500+ genealogy societies that FGS represents are absolutely critical to the continued health and growth of genealogical research. We’ve been searching for years for the right way to partner with genealogy societies, and we think this project will allow us to help them attract new members by leveraging the popularity of Ancestry.com. We appreciate the encouragement and support FGS provides and look forward to continuing our relationship as this project marches forward.”

For more information about the World Archives Project or to get involved, visit www.ancestry.com/worldarchivesproject.

*Specific guidelines must be met to be considered an active contributor. For more information, visit http://landing.ancestry.com/wap/learnmore.aspx.