QFHS Snippets - Feburary 2013 Volume 13, No. 2

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Dear [member]
Join us on 20 February for our first general meeting for 2013.
 
Have you booked your spot to play the Trout Game yet? Places are limited.
 
Learn about Family Search’s new family tree database.
 
Participate in State Library’s Access and Digitisation Survey.
 
Your contributions and feedback can be sent to us at: snippets@qfhs.org.au

Happy researching!

Table of Contents

  1. About This Newsletter
  2. QFHS Gaythorne Centre
  3. QFHS Dates to Remember
  4. QFHS Trout Game
  5. Queensland State Archives Saturday Openings
  6. Free Taxi Service to Queensland State Archives
  7. Queensland State Archives Seminars
  8. Cradle to Grave - Toowong Council Book Launch
  9. Commemoration of the S. S. Pearl on Brisbane River 1896
  10. Caloundra Family History Research Inc
  11. Shake Your Family Tree Day - Date Claimer
  12. Ipswich Historical Society is Now Online
  13. Family History Nnub
  14. State Library of Queensland’s Access and Digitisation Survey 2013
  15. Delpratt Family Collection
  16. Old Favourites Back On Top in Queensland Baby Names
  17. Four Generations of Women in Victoria Family Born on Same Day
  18. Lilian Watson Family History Book Award
  19. Free Online Australian Genealogy Magazine
  20. Revealing a Dead Man's Secrets in an Australian Shipwreck
  21. British Soldiers, American Revolution
  22. Fees Increased at the General Register Office of Northern Ireland (GRONI)
  23. CIGO's 2012 Award to the General Register Office of Northern Ireland   
  24. Will Irish Newspapers Now Be Ignored?
  25. Dublin Moravian Memorial Inscriptions Online
  26. 13 Ways to Find Your East European Ancestors in 2013
  27. Census of the Canadian Northwest Provinces, 1906 Database
  28. U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s "Remember Me" Project
  29. Arlington National Cemetery
  30. Ellis Island Still Closed After Suffering Hurricane Damage
  31. Trumbull County (Ohio) Casualties Database Online
  32. Misprinted Pennsylvania Birth Certificates Give the Wrong Father
  33. GenealogyInTime Magazine
  34. Headstones Destroyed During the Nazi Occupation Unearthed
  35. Genealogist Helps Army Identify Remains of Airman Killed in 1946
  36. Icelandic Girl Sues to Use Banned Name
  37. Lost Telegram Reunited with Family
  38. Blood of Louis XVI Found
  39. Better Searches on the Internet with Soovle
  40. In Which I Assign You a New Year’s Resolution
  41. Two Facebook Family Reunions
  42. Farewell to NewFamilySearch and Welcome Family Tree
  43. When a Genealogy Hobby Digs Up Unwanted Secrets
  44. Top 100 Genealogical sites in 2012
  45. Acknowledgements

1.    About This Newsletter

Snippets is a monthly publication of the Queensland Family History Society Inc. (QFHS). QFHS Website http://www.qfhs.org.au/

Please do not click on reply to contact Snippets - the 'click on reply' facility is strictly for 'un-subscribing' to the mailing list.

You are encouraged to contribute items which you feel would be of general interest to the family historian hunting for that illusive relative. Humorous items and items relating to the technology of using computers in genealogy are also welcome. Submit your BRIEF items supplemented by hyperlinks to additional details.

Snippets will rarely include items of a commercial nature and only then when they are likely to be of interest to a majority of our readers.

Submit your items to us via: snippets@qfhs.org.au


2. QFHS Gaythorne Centre

Our address is:

58 Bellevue Ave, Gaythorne QLD 4051
QFHS library - (07) 3355 3369

For details about QFHS Centre, including location map, transport etc, click here: http://www.qfhs.org.au/location_hours.html#Library


3. QFHS Dates to Remember

Revised information - please note.

QFHS Monthly General Meetings are held each month excepting January and December and the third Wednesday of each month. Attendance at the meetings, held at the QFHS Library, is free, and visitors are most welcome.
2013 Meeting Dates
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 20 February 2013. Our guest speaker will be: Peter Dunn who will present "Women at War in Brisbane (World War II)".
________________________________________

QFHS Daytime Meetings are held on the first Monday of the month (but not in January or when the first Monday of the month is a public holiday. Then it is held on the second Monday of that month) at 20 Marmont Street, Geebung from 10am - 12 Noon.

The next meeting will be held on 4 February, 2013.

Contact Maureen Mutton on 3265 4378 if you would like to attend.
________________________________________

Central European Group
Meetings are held 10am - Noon on the 4th Saturday of each odd-numbered month. A $2 donation goes toward purchasing relevant records.

The next meeting will be on 23 March at the QFHS library.

For further information, contact Eric Kopittke on (07) 3376 4339 or email kopittke@tpg.com.au or centraleuropean@qfhs.org.au
________________________________________

English West Country Group
This group researches the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset. Meetings are held from 12 Noon - 2pm at the QFHS Library, on the fourth Thursday of the odd-numbered months.

Next meeting: Thursday, 28 March.

For further information contact Robert Browning on (07) 3261 1084 or email: robertbb2@bigpond.com
________________________________________

Family History Writing Group
These meetings are held from 9am - 11am at QFHS Library on the third Saturday of odd-numbered months.

Next meeting: Saturday, 16 March.

For further information contact FHWriters@qfhs.org.au or Robert Adamson on (07) 3357 8138 or Sue Reid on (07) 3378 2278.
________________________________________

Irish Interest Group
Meetings are held from 10am - 12 Noon at QFHS Library on the second Saturday of the even-numbered months (not December).

Next meeting: 9 February.

For more information about the Irish Interest Group, contact Mary King on (07) 3205 3353 or email irish@qfhs.org.au
________________________________________

Scottish Interest Group
Meetings are held from 10am - 12 Noon at QFHS Library on the second Saturday of odd-numbered months (except January). Donations to buy more Scottish resources are welcome.

Next meeting: Saturday, 9 March.

For further information: Email scottish@qfhs.org.au OR phone Sam on (07) 3266 9131
________________________________________

Welsh Interest Group
This group meets on the fourth Sunday of the odd numbered months from 10am - 12 Noon at the QFHS Library.

Next meeting is: Sunday, 24 March.

Contact Kaye Hart on welsh@qfhs.org.au for further information.
________________________________________

Member Orientations - 'Old' and New Members Welcome
You will almost certainly learn new stuff about the Society, and helpful hints about using the Library and researching, all in a friendly atmosphere and informal setting. New members are especially welcome.

The next orientations will be held on:
Numbers are limited to allow full participation. BOOKING is ESSENTIAL. Please note: Sessions are usually fully booked, with a waiting list, so please advise the organisers as soon as possible if you find you are unable to attend when you have a booking. Contact Bev Bonning on (07) 3355 7389 or email at: welcome@qfhs.org.au
________________________________________

Family Tree Maker User Group
These meetings run from 10am - 11:30am at QFHS Library and are held on first Friday each month except January and last Saturday in each even-numbered month except December.

The next meetings will be held on:
For further details, please contact Kerri Kleidon or Joe Greaves via e-mail on: familytree@qfhs.org.au
________________________________________

The Master Genealogist (TMG) User Group
This group caters to the needs of all users, from novice to advanced. The group meets in the QFHS Library on the third Saturday of each month (except December) at 1:30pm.

Next meeting is 16 February.

For further information, contact George Kearney on 0438 073 344 or Kevin Haley on (07) 3359 7491.


4. QFHS Trout Game

Allow yourself the privilege of having a fun day in family history and play the Trout Game! The game simulates researching an English family (the Trout family) using eleven types of records. The aim is to see if you can get back to the 1500s. Use the game to see how good a researcher you are using basic research techniques not involving computers at all and find out why you may have brick-walls in your research.

The Trout Game will be played on Sunday, 19 May 2013 from 10am to 4pm at QFHS Library. Cost is $5.00 which includes morning and afternoon tea (BYO lunch). To make your booking, contact Game Master Ann Swain via email at: a.swain@bigpond.com or telephone (07) 3352 5537. Numbers are limited and early bookings are essential.


5. Queensland State Archives Saturday Openings

Queensland State Archives will be open to the public on the second Saturday of every calendar month from 9am to 4:30pm. The next three Saturday opening dates are:

Queensland State Archives are located at 435 Compton Road, Runcorn, Queensland. For more details, go to: http://bit.ly/H4ubPc


6. Free Taxi Service to Queensland State Archives

For those who find it difficult to get to the Queensland State Archives (QSA), there is a taxi service for researchers available every Tuesday.

Information can be obtained at: http://bit.ly/JzSy5n

To book taxi travel to QSA, phone (07) 3131 7777.


7. Queensland State Archives Seminars

ArchivesSearch Seminar
This seminar provides researchers with an introduction to the searchable catalogue ArchivesSearch. It can be accessed online or in the Public Search Room at Queensland State Archives. It will be held on Tuesday, 19 February from 10 am to 11 am.

Getting Started Seminar
Learn about Queensland State Archives’ collection and how best to find the information you are seeking. This seminar, presented by an experienced reference archivist, will provide you with the basics you need to start your research at Queensland State Archives and will include a short tour. It will be held on Tuesday, 19 March from 10am to 12 Noon.

To book your spot for either seminar, call (07) 3131 7777.


8. Cradle to Grave – Toowong Council Book Launch

The publication will be launched by on 7 February at 10:30am by Denver Beanland, former local and then state government representative, as well as former Vice Mayor of the City of Brisbane/ Deputy Mayor and former Queensland Attorney General.

Cradle to Grave – Toowong Council was compiled by Melva A. Welch OAM. This new book is a cameo record of the elected and appointed men who served Toowong's Local Government from its formation in 1880 until 1925, when the area became part of the Brisbane City Council under the Greater Brisbane Act.

For more information phone, (07) 3371 5000 or email:  tdhsoc@gmail.com


9. Commemoration of the S. S. Pearl on Brisbane River 1896

You are invited to attend a Commemoration Service of the capsizing of the S.S. Pearl on the Brisbane River on 13 February, 1896. There was a loss of twenty-nine lives, with sixty people being saved. It is hoped that as many descendants as possible will attend to share the stories of their families.

For further information, email: pseto@bigpond.net.au


10. Caloundra Family History Research Inc

The February Guest speaker at the Guide Hut in Arthur Street, Caloundra will be Qld Family History Society member Ms Desley Schafer. Desley’s presentation will be “Pioneers and the Hardships”. The date to diarise is Thursday, 21 February, at 1:30pm. Visiting members of the public are always welcome to attend these talks hosted by our research group.

Further information on the group’s calendar of events, resources, “Caloundra Clipper” journal, activities, and even a map to locate us, is available on our website at: http://www.caloundrafamilyhistory.org.au/ For personal contact, phone Valerie on (07) 5437 3879, Roz on (07) 5493 1197; June on (07) 5493 2679, or you can email at: caloundrafamilyres@y7mail.com


11. Shake Your Family Tree Day - Date Claimer

The National Archives (NAA) of Australia is holding its annual  Shake your Family Tree Day on Tuesday, 16 April 2013 at the NAA Brisbane Office, 16 Corporate Drive, Cannon Hill. 

More information will be provided from the NAA website as it comes to hand. Go to:  http://www.naa.gov.au/


12. Ipswich Historical Society is Now Online

The Ipswich Historical Society Inc. recently launched its new website which gives information about the Society and provides details on its upcoming events and projects.

The aim of the Society is to collect, preserve, conserve, interpret, educate, and display the social history of the Ipswich region.

You can visit their website at: http://www.ipswichhistoricalsociety.org.au/


13. Family History Nnub

The Family History Nnub is a digital community notice board for family historians in Queensland. You can use the Nnub to:

To learn more and access Nnub, go to: http://familyhistory.nnub.net/


14. State Library of Queensland’s Access and Digitisation Survey 2013

State Library is eager to learn more about your collections, how you provide access and where you are with digitisation. The survey is running to the end of March 2013. Your responses will help them to plan training, and promote and develop online catalogues, websites and toolkits.

You can complete the survey at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2SPQBF7


15. Delpratt Family Collection

The Maurice George Delpratt Collection (Acc: 28115) comprises the correspondence of Sergeant Maurice George Delpratt from Tamborine, Queensland, who was captured at Gallipoli and held as a prisoner of war in Turkey for three-and-a-half years.

The moving and informative letters and postcards (almost 200 in total) were written to his family and donated by them to State Library.

You can see images of and read the correspondence at: http://blogs.slq.qld.gov.au/jol/2012/08/17/new-acquisition-maurice-george-delpratt/


16. Old Favourites Back On Top in Queensland Baby Names

Jack and Ruby are back at the top of the list of most popular baby names in Queensland.

For the top five baby names for boys and girls in Queensland for 2012, go to: http://bit.ly/UFPNXQ


17. Four Generations of Women in Victoria Family Born on Same Day

A birthday is your special day to shine, but for one Victorian family the celebration is a crowded affair. Four generations of women from one family have all been born on 5 January, after baby Sienna Wass recently arrived in an unexpected twist of fate. She will share her birthday with her mother, grandmother and late great-grandmother.

Read more at: http://bit.ly/Tfqn3Q


18. Lilian Watson Family History Book Award

The aim of this annual Award presented by Tasmanian Family History Society is to encourage family historians to present the results of their research for others to read and enjoy.

The Award is for a book, however produced or published, printed on paper, dealing with family history and must have a significant Tasmanian content.

For more information go to: http://www.tasfhs.org/LilWatAward.htm


19. Free Online Australian Genealogy Magazine

The Forgotten Times features untold and little-known tales from Australian history, and articles by experts about researching your personal history, family tree and all matters relating to genealogy.

Go to: http://www.theforgottentimes.com/


20. Revealing a Dead Man's Secrets in an Australian Shipwreck

A new web site details the search for the living male descendants of the 35 men who died on the Great Barrier Reef in 1791 during the wrecking of the Pandora. The intention is to find matching DNA (Y) signatures to sequences recently obtained from 3 skeletons recovered from the Pandora wreck in the 1990s.

The skeletons were studied by medical scientists and affectionately nicknamed Tom, Dick and Harry and subsequently kept in secure, climate-controlled storage at the Queensland Museum, pending developments in DNA research which would one day perhaps present a way to identify the three unknown sailors.

Consequently, there are now 3 good DNA (Y) ‘signatures’ from Tom, Dick and Harry for comparison and it is theoretically possible to match these signatures with signatures from living male descendants – if they can be traced genealogically of course! But finding ‘matches’ will provide a means to positively identify Tom, Dick or Harry.

This project will be a ‘reverse genealogy’ – it set outs with identification of Tom, Dick and Harry as an objective. If your family name is Bowler, Cullimore, Croy, Eglington, Fea, Mackey, Millar or Stewart, one of these 8 men may be your ancestor. You can also check whether your family name is among the other 27 men who died in 1791 when the Pandora was wrecked.

You can learn more at: http://pandorawreckancestors.net/


21. British Soldiers, American Revolution

Anyone interested in American history might enjoy this online blog, entitled British Soldiers, American Revolution. It details the experiences of many of the enlisted men who were part of the British government’s effort to hold onto those thirteen rebellious North American colonies.

It is possible you could find an ancestor listed in the British Soldiers, American Revolution. Regardless of whether or not your own ancestor is listed, reading the articles will provide great insight into the harsh conditions these men endured and will give a greater appreciation of the lives they led. British Soldiers, American Revolution can be found at: http://redcoat76.blogspot.com/.


22. Fees Increased at the General Register Office of Northern Ireland (GRONI)

Fees for services provided by the General Register Office of Northern Ireland are being increased. The fees are for birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates, as well as fees in relation to marriage and civil partnership formalities and other services. The changes are in effect now. 

You can read more at the GRONI web site at: http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/news-dec12-general-register-office-fees-increasing/


23. CIGO's 2012 Award to the General Register Office of Northern Ireland

The Presentation of the certificate for Council of Irish Genealogical Organisations’ (CIGO) 2012 Award for Excellence in Genealogy has been made to the General Register Office of Northern Ireland (GRONI).

In making the Award, CIGO recognised that GRONI had completed the digitisation of all Birth, Marriage and Death (BMD) records for the six counties of Northern Ireland in 2011. This allowed for new and more informative indexes to be created which can be searched on computer within the Belfast-based Public Search Room. A new Public Search Room was then set up with 22 PC positions for researchers. CIGO recognised that this new computerised system is extremely user-friendly and allows for many varieties of searches of the indexes including 'wildcard' searches.

To read more, go to: http://bit.ly/138KuDq


24. Will Irish Newspapers Now Be Ignored?

The National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI) has adopted a new policy. Any website which links to one of the 15 NNI member newspapers will have to pay a minimum of 300 Euros, with the licence fee going up if you post more links. Note that this is not a fee to post an excerpt or some punitive measure for the copying of an entire article. No, the NNI wants to charge for links alone. It doesn't apply just to newsletters or web sites, the NNI wants to charge the same fee to anyone who even posts a single link in a Twitter message or any other message in any public place on the Internet. That includes Facebook, all blogs, all web pages, and perhaps anyplace else online!

For details see: http://bit.ly/ZUV3LM


25. Dublin Moravian Memorial Inscriptions Online

A new e-booklet listing memorial inscriptions from the Moravian Cemetery, Whitechurch, County Dublin, Ireland, can be freely downloaded from: http://homepage.eircom.net/~seanjmurphy/epubs/

The Moravian Church, the Unitas Fratrum or United Brethren, is a pre-Reformation Protestant Church which today has about 900,000 adherents worldwide. The Moravians established congregations in Ireland in the 1740s and in 1764 they opened a burial ground at Whitechurch, County Dublin. There are over 700 stones in the graveyard; with men buried on one side and women on the other. Inscriptions from 629 memorials dated from 1764-1900 are included in the online booklet. The records of the Dublin Moravian Congregation are held at Gracehill, County Antrim, and while they have not yet been digitised, microfilm copies are available in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland in Belfast.


26. 13 Ways to Find Your East European Ancestors in 2013

Finding those elusive East European ancestors can be difficult. This article includes 13 ways to get started.

Written from a United States perspective, you should still find something helpful here: http://exm.nr/WAe5TI


27. Census of the Canadian Northwest Provinces, 1906 Database

The Library and Archives Canada (LAC) Blog at: http://thediscoverblog.com/tag/census/ has announced the release of a new version of the Census of the Northwest Provinces, 1906 database. In 1906, the Canadian government called for a special census of the Prairie Provinces (Manitoba, and the two newly created provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta) in order to track the high rates of population growth in Western Canada.

Previously, users could search only by geographical information such as province, district and sub-district. It is now possible to also search by nominal information such as name, given name(s) and age for an individual.

The new Census of the Northwest Provinces, 1906 database is available at: http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1906/Pages/1906.aspx


28. U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s "Remember Me" Project

Most families cherish family photographs taken years ago. Sadly, many Jewish families from European countries were denied the opportunity to preserve family photographs during the upheavals of World War II. Now the Remember Me? Project is working to find old photographs and even to identify the people in the pictures. More than 300 Holocaust survivors worldwide have now been identified through their childhood photographs.

The project is meant to identify the people in the photos, and to record their stories in an attempt to broaden understanding of the Holocaust and preserve the era’s history. Remember Me? has also helped survivors reconnect with loved ones from whom they were separated during the chaos of the war.

The Remember Me? project can be found at: http://rememberme.ushmm.org/

You can learn more about this project in an article at: http://hrld.us/Zk5wQm


29. Arlington National Cemetery

The massive electronic database detailing the grave sites of the roughly 400,000 people buried at Arlington National Cemetery is now available online at: http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/


30. Ellis Island Still Closed After Suffering Hurricane Damage

Ellis Island, the historic point of arrival in the United States for more than 12 million European immigrants, has been closed since Hurricane Sandy hit New York Harbor on 29 October 2012, and the damage to its museum and other landmark structures will cost millions of dollars to restore.

Read the full article at: http://www.genealogyblog.com/?p=23930


31. Trumbull County (Ohio) Casualties Database Online

The Trumbull County Veterans Service Office maintains an online database of all Trumbull County residents who gave their lives in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Trumbull County Casualties website may be found at: http://www.trumbullcountycasualties.com/

Information on how to use the site is available at: http://www.trumbullcountycasualties.com/how-to-search


32. Misprinted Pennsylvania Birth Certificates Give the Wrong Father

500 new Pennsylvanians will get the wrong answer to the question "Who's your Daddy?" if they rely on their misprinted birth certificates. A computer glitch caused the problem when the state Division of Vital Records recently transitioned to new records software.

Read more about the technical glitch at: http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/bizarre&id=8957576


33. GenealogyInTime Magazine

This good genealogy search engine also offers a free newsletter when you register.

Check it out at: http://www.genealogyintime.com/index.html


34. Headstones Destroyed During the Nazi Occupation Unearthed

In a find that local Jewish groups have described as highly significant, Greek police said Thursday that hundreds of marble headstones and other fragments from Jewish graves destroyed during the Nazi occupation in World War II have been recovered.

The 668 fragments were found buried in a plot of land in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city, following a 70-year search for the remains of graves smashed when the city’s main Jewish cemetery was destroyed. Most of the gravestones found dated from the mid-1800s up until World War II.

More details are available at: http://www.genealogyblog.com/?p=23736


35. Genealogist Helps Army Identify Remains of Airman Killed in 1946

Staff Sergeant Zoltan Dobovich's family knew he died in the crash of a B-17 in the Alps on the Italian-French border in 1946. The family also knew remains found at the crash site the following summer were buried in a common grave at Arlington Cemetery under a tombstone listing the names of all eight Army Air Force officers and airmen killed. However, they did not know whether any of the body parts recovered then or in subsequent decades as the glaciers on the Mont Blanc range retreated belonged to the radioman from Bucks County - until now.

Recently, the military was able to conduct DNA testing that identified some of the remains as those of Dobovich.

You can read more about this story in an article at:  http://bit.ly/WTVRL0


36. Icelandic Girl Sues to Use Banned Name

A teenage girl is suing the state of Iceland for the right to legally use the name given to her by her mother, after it was banned by the government. The problem? Blaer, which means "light breeze" in Icelandic, is not on a list approved.
Iceland has official rules about what a baby can be named. In Blaer's case, her mother said she learned the name wasn't on the register of permitted names only after the priest who baptised the child later informed her he had mistakenly allowed it.

You can read more about Blaer’s plight at: http://bit.ly/ZYBkKV


37. Lost Telegram Reunited with Family

By the time Thanksgiving arrived, members of a San Carlos family were wondering what happened to a letter carrying a precious piece of their history.

The letter, which contained a 1938 telegram that was the “opening page” of a family love story, was mailed in early November but never arrived. They feared it was lost until they learned they’ll get back the memento after its strange voyage through the postal and criminal justice systems.

Read the full article at: http://bit.ly/12bZq4W


38. Blood of Louis XVI Found

Do you believe you are descended from Louis XVI? If so, proof may soon be available although only if you have an all-male line of descent. A DNA report may soon be available. A team of scientists have said they believe an old gourd contains the blood of the French King.

The monarch was killed by guillotine by French revolutionaries on 21 January 1793. The team of experts from Spain and France has published its findings in Forensic Science International journal.

You can read at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20882305


39. Better Searches on the Internet with Soovle

Which search engine is better, Google or Bing or Yahoo? Now, one web service searches all those sites and more simultaneously. Soovle is one simple-to-use search vehicle that will utilise the power of the following websites at once:

In short, Soovle.com is a customisable search engine that provides the search suggestion features of the best providers on the internet. It combines the power of all of the above web sites into one easy-to-use package. Soovle.com always can provide a lot of information about whatever you are seeking. Try it.

Soovle can be found at http://www.soovle.com/ Help and instructions for how to use the site are found in the “secrets” link in the upper right-hand corner.


40. In Which I Assign You a New Year’s Resolution

Kerry Scott has written this interesting article regarding the internet and the pitfalls researchers may face when copying and pasting data from online family trees onto theirs.

Check it out at: http://bit.ly/W16vzS


41. Two Facebook Family Reunions

Two Bosnian sisters who lost track of each other almost 72 years ago met for the first time with the help of Facebook although they lived only 200 kilometres apart. Tanija Delic, 88, and Hedija Talic, 82, had not seen each other since 1941.

Read more about the sisters’ reunion at: http://bit.ly/Xa3yuK

A United States man has been reunited with his sister 65 years after the siblings were separated in foster care thanks to a seven-year-old friend who searched Facebook. Clifford Boyson, of Davenport, Iowa, met his sister, Betty Billadeau of Missouri, in person recently.

Read more at: http://bit.ly/Tfru3B


42. Farewell to NewFamilySearch and Welcome Family Tree

Amy Tanner Thiriot has written an in-depth guide describing recent changes made to FamilySearch.org. She writes: The Church genealogical database NewFamilySearch (NFS) has been frustrating for so many people, particularly those who do actual genealogical research and care about accuracy. NFS allowed people with no particular skill to upload sketchy aggregated online family trees (usually culled from Ancestral File, Ancestry, and RootsWeb) and have their data look as valid as the correct information.

Family Search recently released a replacement for NFS. It is called Family Tree.

You can read the remainder of Amy Tanner Thiriot’s article at: http://bit.ly/13jkAgy


43. When a Genealogy Hobby Digs Up Unwanted Secrets

Amateur genealogists beware - researching your ancestry doesn't always turn up heroes and royalty. It may turn up a felon, a bigamist or another unsavoury character. Roughly 1 in 5 of those surprises are negative. The bombshell may be the discovery of someone up the family line who engaged in illegal or immoral activity.

When you look at what your ancestors did, you don't get the glory and you don't get the blame. It just means you have a colourful story to share.

Read more here: http://on.wsj.com/Wbd1Ty


44. Top 100 Genealogical sites in 2012

This list was categorised by GenealogyInTime Magazine. Enjoy reading the top 100 at: http://bit.ly/135ng10


45. Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all those who have taken time out to send items of interest to our "Snippets" mailbox at: snippets@qfhs.org.au

The more we receive, the more frequently we can produce a Newsletter. If your submission does not appear in this issue, we will try to include it in a future edition. Please note that reference to any product does not imply endorsement. Members are cautioned to evaluate products prior to purchase.

Pauline Macfarlane

Disclaimer: This newsletter is produced in good faith, and information received is deemed to be accurate, but the editor takes no responsibility for incorrect information supplied. [Editor's note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editor or of QFHS]

Permission to reprint articles from QFHS 'SNIPPETS' NEWSLETTER is granted unless specifically stated otherwise, provided: (1) the reprint is used for non-commercial, educational purposes; and (2) the following notice appears at the end of the article: "Previously published in QFHS 'SNIPPETS' NEWSLETTER" with the appropriate date and volume number (eg QFHS 'SNIPPETS' NEWSLETTER January 2009 Vol 9 No. 1). The last six months issues of Snippets are available from: http://www.qfhs.org.au/snippets.html

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