Family Stories Month - Family Visitors

 “We’re having company” This statement was usually issued at a family dinner – either one of the birthdays in March or April, or perhaps at Easter. It was the first indication every year that an aunt or uncle was coming to visit during the summer and this may or may not include their children as well. With my mum and her sisters being part of a very large sibling group (20 living children), we generally had family come for a holiday every year. Sometimes more than one sibling would come at a time or they would sort of book end one another.

 

This meant lots of time spent together. Welcome gatherings, dinners, lunches, tea, drop ins. It was fairly standard. My aunt up the street was usually where any company that came stayed while they were in Canada. Her door and our door were always open and often revolving with people in and out to spend time with whoever was over.

 

And the sightseeing day trips were also fairly standard – Niagara Falls, Dundurn Castle, Wonderland, St Jacobs or the Bell Homestead. But most days were just time spent together to enjoy each other, get caught up, reminisce and have a few laughs. It was at these get-togethers that we heard the family stories. Again and again and again.

Family History Month - Gleaning Stories from Documents

For many of our ancestors, we need to glean the documents in order to recreate their life story. Our curiosity is usually piqued by a single entry on a document and from there we are off on a research tangent. One case for me, occurred when I was looking at the death register for my paternal great grandfather, Walter Haddow. The informant on his death register says “James Sneddon, son in law”

From this, I knew that one of my paternal grandmother’s sisters had married James. I plugged the information into ScotlandsPeople and came up with a marriage for Walter’s daughter Jessie and groom James Sneddon. They married in 1908. Jessie was a postal clerkess and James a shale miner. 

I then looked for them in the 1911 census and, in looking at the “fertility” column discovered that they had had three children born to them but only one living child, son George. 

That sent me looking for the deaths of two young Sneddon children in MidCalder. I discovered that the two children were, in fact, twins. Agnes Miller (named for James’ mother) and Walter Haddow (named for Jessie’s father) were born in 1910 and died just two hours later. This must have been a devastating blow to the couple. Indeed, to the entire extended family. Shortly after this, James was able to secure a job as a insurance agent and the family moved to Edinburgh. 

Further research shows that Jessie and James had an additional six children, for a total of 9. Sadly, they also lost 3 in infancy – Robert as a newborn, then Jean and Mary each at the age of one. More than half of the children born to the couple succumbed in infancy. I can’t imagine the heartache and loss. 

George, their first born, lived to the ripe old age of 73, Walter to the age of 62, Robert to the age of 73 and Agnes to the age of 79.

Similarly, I have posted two stories this week about using documents, including army records and newspapers to uncover stories from the history of the city I live in. One post looked into the rumour of a suicide at the Brantford Club and the other teased out “more of the story” of a Fegan Boy.

As genealogists, we all chase the stories. As family historians, we research the stories in depth, capture them and then need to preserve them so that future generations may also know them.

How are you capturing, documenting and preserving the stories in your family’s history?

Family Stories Month – Chasing Rumours

 

November is Family Stories Month. Stories are such a critical piece of family history. We work to uncover the stories of those who came before us and in doing so, we work to not only preserve them but also to understand our part in the larger family dynamic.  

It is said that within three generations, we will have been forgotten. I remember being acutely aware of this when my aunt passed away in 2020. She knew her grandparents (three generations removed from me). She had talked to them, spent time with them, listened to them, knew their personalities. She had watched their interactions with others, understood the things that were important to them, had heard their stories. With her gone more recent generations could only imagine what they were like. 

It was the stories and the need to preserve the stories that started my journey into family history. While my eyes often glazed over as the family stories were being repeated and repeated and repeated, it was only after the storytellers had passed away that I longed for one more listen. And this time, I would not only pay attention, I would write them down to preserve them. 

Often as we listen to stories that have come down through the generations, we wonder how much truth there is to them. The stories we see as folklore, perhaps. Or wishful thinking. Stories that may have been altered in some way. 

In this post, I will look at one such story. It is not my family’s story, but that of a prominent Brantford Family from history. A prominent Canadian family. A prominent Scottish-Canadian family. 

The Rumour: 

The Brantford Club was established in 1898 and has served Brantford businessmen (and now women) for 125 years. Like many old mansions, it is rumoured to be haunted. Staff and club members alike have talked about seeing a man (of varying descriptions) in the halls and basement of the club. Digging deeper into the rumour, I learned that there was a suicide committed at the club many years ago. Perhaps it is the spirit of this man that continues to loiter in the halls of the Club. Further rumour is that the victim of the suicide was the brother of W. Ross Macdonald. 

William Ross Macdonald was the 4^th son and 6^th child of Scottish born dry goods merchant, George MacDonald and his English wife, Julia Bulley. George and Julia emigrated to Toronto in 1886 and had five children: Alex, George, Julia, William and Norman. The family moved to Brantford when Norman was a young boy. He attended high school in Brantford. 

Both William and his younger brother, Norman, studied law at Osgoode in Toronto and then opened a joint law practice “MacDonald and MacDonald” in Brantford. Both men served in the first world war. William went on to become a politician, serving as an MP, Deputy Speaker and then Speaker of the House of Commons. He later served as Senator and then Solicitor General of Canada. William served as Lieutenant Governor and was made an officer in the Order of Canada. 

Although he was involved in municipal politics as an alderman, Norman preferred military life to politics. He served the City of Branford as its Solicitor for most of his career. In WWI, Norman was deployed to France where he served from 1915-1918. He was injured no less than four times during his time in France. He made it to the rank of Captain. Following his return to civilian life, Norman served as Major for the 10^th Dragoons in Brantford. 

Norman offered his services when the second world war broke out. He served in the Dept of the Judge Advocate General. He was in London during the Great Blitz and fortunate enough to escape unscathed when his place of residence was bombed. Norman had the unique distinction of being one of few Canadians who had been called to the Bar in England. He was enrolled in the Inner Temple in London in 1942 while serving there during the war. 

I decided to do some digging on this branch of the MacDonalds. Two of William’s brothers died quite young. Brother George, a clergyman, died in 1940 at the age of 53 following complications from an appendectomy. George died in Edmonton, Alberta.

Brother Norman died in 1947, in Brantford, at the age of 54. In retrieving his death registration, it shows the place of his death as 98 George St Brantford. The Brantford Club.

Cause of death: GSW Head/Gunshot wound.

In response to “Accident, suicide or homicide” the answer is Suicide. 

Manner of injury: Pistol.

 

So there we have it. Truth to the rumour. It was the brother of W. Ross MacDonald who had committed suicide at the Brantford Club. The date was 22 February, 1947. Norman’s funeral was held at Alexandra Presbyterian Church. His body was cremated and the ashes were buried at Farringdon Church Cemetery. 

On Monday, February 24, the local newspaper, The Brantford Expositor, ran an article on page 2, detailing his life of service. It does not mention his place of death or how he died. Likely a sign of the times and wanting to retain the dignity in death that he commanded in life.

A Month of Scottish Gravestones - John Rae

John Rae was born in Orphir, Orkney, on 30th September 1813. As a young teen, Rae studied medicine at Edinburgh University and the Royal College of Physicians, qualifying at just nineteen years old. 

Rae’s father worked for the HBC as an agent and so John signed on to be a ship’s surgeon on the HBC's ship, the Prince of Wales. However, his return trip became untenable due to the ice in that part of Canada in the winter, so the young Rae  accepted a job as surgeon and clerk at Moose Factory. He remained there for 10 years. 

While in Moose Factory, Rae spent a great deal of time with the indigenous community where he learned to make snowshoes, travel by sled, forage for food and make warm clothing. These skills were invaluable for his later Arctic expeditions. 

Rae was tasked with mapping the Artic and set out to learn surveyor skills. He later made a series of expeditions to map the Arctic and also to look for Franklin’s lost expedition. One discovery that became critical was learning that King William Land was not a peninsula as everyone had thought, but was, in fact, an island. The body of water he discovered was named Rae Strait, after the explorer. And this was the last link in a navigable passage to the Northwest: a series of open channels that connected the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. 

On each expedition, Rae once again relied on his relationships with the local indigenous communities. One community taught him the value of insulating his home with snow to keep the winds and water out. At an Inuit community, he learned about a group of 40 men who had been stranded on King William Land and had died. Many had resorted to cannibalism in order to attempt to stay alive. He also learned that the ships Franklin had used were ill supplied for any possible adversity, having carried a large library, player piano, silverware and tinned food. None of which were of much use when stranded in the frozen arctic. While the group had attempted to navigate an inland waterway in hopes of finding a settlement, they had not been successful. Their boat was discovered and several skeletons were also discovered nearby. 

When Rae returned to England and met with Franklin’s wife, she was horrified at the thought of her husband turning to cannibalism and so dismissed Rae’s findings altogether. This then altered the information recorded in the history books. Rae was ignored as the person to discover the Northwest Passage and instead, that accomplishment was wrongly assigned to Franklin.

Orkney is incredibly proud of their famous son. A statue of him watches over Stromness Harbour. There is a permanent exhibit retelling his story at the Stromness Museum. And there is a carved memorial to John Rae inside Kirkwall Cathedral. Rae is buried in the kirkyard at the Cathedral and has a rather unassuming headstone for a man who played such a prominent part in history.

A Month of Scottish Gravestones - Body Snatchers

In the early days of medical learning, the only way to "see" the inside of a body was to open it up. There were no xrays, CT scans, 3d replicas or simulators. And of course, there was a far greater demand for bodies than bodies available. 

Although the Anatomy Act allowed for the bodies of hanged criminals or the homeless to be used for dissection, there were still not enough bodies to go around. So, digging up bodies became quite a lucrative business. 

When we think of Scotland and body snatchers, most think of Burke and Hare. However, Burke and Hare were not grave robbers but rather serial killers. Their bodies were incredibly "fresh" because they never actually made it to the grave. 

However, while they were famous, others worked in the depth of night, digging next to the freshly interred bodies, slipped the bodies out of a tunnel beside the grave and made their way to the anatomy dept at the University of Edinburgh (or Glasgow or Aberdeen). This became such a lucrative job that folk were feared for the safety and souls of their loved ones. 

Some kirkyards, like St Cuthberts or New Calton in Edinburgh installed watch towers where guards would keep watch at night. 

Other families paid handsomely for mortsafes to put over the graves. 

Poorer families would sit vigil at the graveside for three or four days, until the bodies were no longer useful to the anatomists. 

What signs have you encountered that are evidence of this dastardly time in Scottish history?

A Month of Scottish Gravestones - Symbolism

 October is Family History month in North America and in the past, I have blogged daily on various topics pertaining to Family History. This year, I decided to do something a little bit different and blog on some of the gravestones I have encountered in my travels to various graves in Scotland. 

To start, let's look at some of the meanings behind the symbolism often found on gravestones. 

The most common are symbols that signify death: the skull with or without cross bones, the bell that tolls for thee, the shovels and scythes used by the grave digger. All of these are to remind us of our own mortality, and really just to say "death is coming" 

Here we can see the bell, the skull and cross bones as well 

as the grave diggers shovel 

Here we see the tools of the grave digger

Another common symbol is the urn, which of course holds the remains of the deceased. Sometimes the urn is draped or partially draped with a cloth. This is to signify that the veil between this life and the after life is thin. 

And of course, there is also the Grim Reaper who is coming for all of us. 

Sometimes there are symbols which alert us to the occupation of the deceased:

In the centre, at the top of the other symbols is a ring, signifying that the deceased was a jeweller

I particularly like this one. The anvil symbolizes that the deceased was a black smith but we can also see a horseshoe at the top of the headstone, telling us he made shoes for horses. The crown in the centre symbolizes glory in death 

This one in the Auld Kirkyard in Alloway is in pretty rough shape however, because it is so decorative and so telling, there is also the "pattern" for it next to it

At the top is the crown, signifying glory over death. We can also see the cross bones. But in addition, we see a wrench (spanner) a horseshoe and the person putting a shoe on a horse. So once again, we know the deceased was a blacksmith

This tomb is found in the Glasgow Necropolis and is a monument to actor John Henry Alexander  who owned and managed the Glasgow Theatre Royal. You can see the curtains of the stage. There are also a number of symbols from his theatre life on the headstone. 

And although this monument looks like it has been vandalized but in fact it symbolizes that the deceased was "cut down in the prime of his life" and died as a young man. 

This gravestone in the old Kincardine Cemetery in Grangemouth is also telling. It appears to me that the man who died left behind a wife and possibly a mother or mother-in-law as well as 10 children: one daughter and nine sons. 

What symbols have you come across on gravestones while wandering through cemeteries that have made you stop and take notice?

Turning Your Family Tree into a Family Treasure In Brief Guide

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 8, 2018 | Utica, OH

EmailTerri O’Connell for contact details, review copies, photos, and an author bio.

IDG Introduces their Newest In-Brief Research Guide:

“Turning Your Family Tree into a Family Treasure” By Christine Woodcock

The In-Depth Genealogist (IDG) is pleased to present their newest in-brief research guide in the research series by writer, Christine Woodcock, entitled “An In-Brief Guide to Turning Your Family Tree into a Family Treasure”. Christine wrote the column “In Search of Your Scottish Roots” for The In-Depth Genealogist’s digital magazine, Going In-Depth. Scottish born, Canadian raised, she is a genealogy educator with an expertise in Scottish records. She enjoys sharing new resources to assist others in their quest to find and document their heritage. Christine is also a lecturer, author and blogger. She is the Director of Genealogy Tours of Scotlandand enjoys taking fellow Scots “home” to do onsite genealogy research and to discover their own Scottish heritage.

As the family historian, you have collected a cornucopia of research documents: bits of scrap paper, newspaper clippings, photos, obits, e-mails and other assorted bits of “research”. What can you do to preserve these documents and the stories they tell for future generations? Turn your family tree information into a treasured family heirloom, a family history book. In this In-Brief, Christine shares tips on how to start, develop the content, interview relatives, share your own story, and determine your book format. There are also recommended websites, publishers, and resource books within the guide.

“An In-Brief Guide to Turning Your Family Tree into a Family Treasure” is available now as a PDF ($2.75). Pre-orders of the printed laminated guide, 8.5” x 11” ($9.95 + shipping) are through The In-Depth Genealogist Store (http://theindepthgenealogist.com/shop-idg/idg-products/).  IDG has published fifteen guides which are all available as 4-page PDFs and laminated print versions. Subscribers to the digital magazine, Going In-Depth, receive a 10% discount on purchase of each guide. 

Packing Your Cemetery Bag

Every genealogist or family historian has a inner taphophile - someone with a love of cemeteries. We might want to visit ancestor's graves, an historic cemetery or we might just enjoy wandering amongst the peace and tranquility of these sacred sites. 

If you plan to go and visit an ancestor's grave, make sure  you pack your cemetery bag before  you go. Here's what your cemetery bag should include:

•         a camera and batteries - take photos of everything. The sign to the cemetery, a wide angle view of the cemetery, the proximity of the grave to a landmark within the cemetery (a fountain, the office, a pond, a church). Photograph all sides of the gravestone. Check nearby stones as they may also be your ancestors. If the names are the same and you are unsure of a connection, take photos of all sides of the gravestone for further research. 
•         pencils and paper - take notes. Write down names, dates and inscriptions exactly as they appear on the stone. It is very easy to make assumptions in the excitement of the moment, and it will be important to have an accurate record once you return home. Take note of any symbols your are unfamiliar with so you can look them up later. These may give important clues about the life of your ancestor. 
•      garden clippers - carefully trim back any overgrowth that covers the stone - especially if the stone is a flat marker. Do NOT dig into the marker to remove moss or growth. Instead, try washing it away
•         water and soft cloth - wash away any dirt or moss that is obscuring  your ability to read the marker. If a marker is hard to read, pour some water over it to see if the wet stone allows for enhancement in reading the marker

  

What Qualifies as a Genealogy Specialty?

Some colleagues and I were discussing areas of specialty. It came about as a result of the article in the APGQ about having a genealogy niche.  My area of specialty is very much a niche. Not only is my base limited to Scottish genealogy but within that, I have niched again into Ancestral Tourism. My niche is about helping others locate their Scottish ancestors while researching using the records IN Scotland.

I give talks and webinars about the different records that are available both online and off. Mostly off. This limits me when being chosen for Conferences. The topics - while plentiful - are limited in scope and don't appeal to the larger audience. Sure I can add in the usual talks on Google, Social Media and even Getting Started but so can hundreds of other genealogists. So I stay limited. If I don't get picked, I don't get picked. Sometimes I'm dismayed but mostly I decide to attend the conference any way, but to attend as an exhibitor/vendor and allow those who are interested to find me.

I am a teacher. I understand the adult learner. I am relaxed and generally very dynamic - unless this is talk 4 or 5 on the same day. Then I know that my audience is just as worn as I am so I keep it short and sweet.  Who doesn't like being dismissed early? And I've yet to hear anyone feeling short changed.

So, what qualifies someone as being a specialist in a specific area of genealogy? Here are my thoughts

1.) The most critical, of course, is a knowledge of the record sets. An intimate knowledge.  What is available? Where it is available? Is it accessible? And what benefit it will be for a family history researcher?

2.) If you are a specialist in any given country, it really is important for you to know the history of the country. That allows you to know what records certain events generated and whether those records might still exist. It lets you know what genealogical value the records might contain.

3.) If you are a specialist who also does client research - that is, researching other people's family history - then you also need to know the basics of methodology, the genealogical proof standard, source citation, and effective report writing. I don't do client research. For a whole lot of reasons. Mostly to do with wanting to teach rather than research. So I would never offer to give talks or webinars on any of the requirements listed above. Ever. Yes, I know them. Yes, I use them in my own research. But I don't even begin to pretend to be as qualified in any aspect of client research as my colleagues who are. I don't want to take away from their expertise nor do I want to provide a less than stellar product to people who are paying good money for my work. I am honoured to be connected to some amazing genealogists who do client work and I am only too happy to pass people along to them. It shows the client that I care enough about them to want them to get expert input and it allows my colleagues to enjoy doing what they do. It is a win-win for all of us.

So, being in a niche, how do I keep from going stale? I am constantly looking at new presentations. But I keep them aligned with my niche. 

• ·      Is the presentation about Scottish research?
• ·      Does the presentation showcase Scottish records?
• ·      Will the presentation assist people who are researching their Scottish ancestry? 

What do I stay away from? Pretty much everything else. 

• ·       My husband's family were from England. I rocked that research but my knowledge generally is limited to the area where his ancestors lived. So I don't talk on English records. I defer to colleagues who do.  
• ·       My husband's parents were first generation Canadian. I also rocked that research but don't use the records enough to present on Canadian records. I do share where people can find things that may assist them finding their Scottish ancestors who have emigrated to Canada, but those are the basic records. Beyond that, I pass them off to the teachings of my colleagues who specialize in the Canadian records.

I    If I'm constantly having to ask my colleagues about their area of expertise in order to put a presentation together, then I need to concede it is not my area and I need to pass the presentation off to them. Similarly with client work. If I don't know the history of the country, the records that are available, where those records are available or what genealogically relevant information they contain, I need to pass that off to someone who does know. 

I'm interested to hear from my colleagues who have a specialty or niche on what they think qualifies someone to claim the specialist status. Post your comments below.

RootsTech Is Off To A Great Start

This week is one that genealogists look forward to all year. This week is RootsTech. The largest genealogy conference in the world, when thousands of genealogists from across the globe gather in Salt Lake City to learn, share, network and enjoy. 

Salt Palace lit up at night

The week started off in fine form tonight with the Media Dinner. This dinner is sponsored by Family Search and serves as both  welcome and a thank you from FamilySearch to the RootsTech Ambassadors. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to be chosen to use our social media channels to share our experiences with the genealogy community. 

Signs lead the way

Well over 100 RootsTech Ambassadors, Media and FamilySearch staff and volunteers gathered at the Salt Palace for an incredible meal, a chance to connect and celebrate and to get an overview of the week ahead. 

Thomas McEntee, Christine Woodcock, Dave Lambert

Team CanGen Summit - Christine Woodcock & Kathryn Lake Hogan

The In-Depth Genealogist team. 

Me and my genealogy twin

Here's to the week ahead. It will be full of opportunity, full of learning, full of networking and most of all, full of fun and celebration.

Join Me in Halifax!

I am thrilled to have been invited by the Genealogical Society of Nova Scotia to speak at a day long symposium. 

Join us on Saturday, October 15, 2016 at the William Spry Community Centre for a day of talks on Scottish genealogy research. 

Talks include: 

• In Search of Your Scottish Ancestors (getting started on Scottish research)
• Lesser Known Databases for Scottish Research (both online and offline)
• Breaking Through Brick Walls (strategies for discovering "next steps")
• They Came From Scotland (Tracking Your Scots Immigrant Ancestor)

GANS is going to feed you as well! Lunch and refreshments are provided to keep you energized. There will be publication sales and chances to purchase these resources during breaks.

The day is full of genealogy fun and learning and is open to everyone. To register, simply click this link. 

I'm looking forward to seeing you in Halifax in October!

A Look Back at Family History Month

For most of us in the world of genealogy, every month is family history month! However, October is specially designated in certain parts of the globe and there are special incentives and encouragements to get researching, or to start documenting the stories. 

I have had an incredibly busy, but also very productive, month. Let's have a look back:

Oct 2/15: While not specifically family history related, I attended the OOR CLUB luncheon meeting at the Duke of York Pub in Toronto. This is the monthly meeting of a group from the Scottish Studies Foundation. In addition to meeting and eating, there is a speaker. The October speaker was none other than Rory Sinclair, piper for Clan Sinclair, and president of the St Andrew's Society of Toronto. Rory gave a fascinating two part talk. The first was on the history of tartan. The second was on the history of bagpipes. I thoroughly enjoyed both parts of the talk and look forward to attending the Club again next month, when I am the speaker. My talk is entitled "Within These Walls" and is a virtual walk around the walled city of Old Town Edinburgh. 

October 3/15: As chair of the Scottish SIG, I hosted a webinar on the SIG's behalf. This was the first in a series of webinars that will take place on the first Saturday of each month all through the school year. Our speaker was Shirley Sturdevant who gave an incredibly informative and motivational talk on Gathering Oral and Family Histories. 

Oct 7/15: I presented a webinar on Navigating the ScotlandsPeople Website. It was very well attended and I received some fantastic reviews afterwards. 

Oct 13/15: I met with a family to gather information to create a family history book from the research that their wife and mother had spent a lifetime doing. 

Oct 14/15: I headed to Montreal where I gave a talk to a group at the Dorval Library on Scotland. This was a virtual tour of the country and was very well attended. 

Oct 15/15: After returning from Montreal, I gave a webinar on some of the Lesser Known Databases for Scottish Genealogy Research

Oct 18/15: What a day this turned out to be! I had lunch with Kathryn Lake Hogan (http://www.looking4ancestors.com/) and Mike Quackenbush (http://mikequack.com/). We were sharing our frustration with the lack of opportunities for Canadian genealogists to share their skills and expertise. Out of that, the Great Canadian Genealogy Summit was born. We, in the following 5 days, pulled an entire conference together. Complete with 7 speakers, vendors, a venue, a pre-conference event at the Ontario archives AND sponsors! This Summit is designed to showcase Canadian genealogists and their expertise in various parts of research that involves our ancestors, Irish research, French-Canadian research, English research, Canadian research, Loyalist research, Scottish research. All of the areas where our stories as descendants began. 

Oct 20/15: I took part in an online presentation to look at different design concepts for the new ScotlandsPeople website now that the contract for same has been awarded to CACI. Some fantastic things coming!

Oct 23/15: The announcement about the Great Canadian Genealogy Summit was made!! Then I headed into Toronto to meet Kathryn Lake Hogan and Jennifer Alford (http://www.jenealogy.biz/) for a late breakfast. After breakfast, Kathryn headed to meetings and Jennifer and I toured the amazingly beautiful and historic Casa Loma. 

Oct 26/15: Scottish Genealogy Research 101 (https://www.familytreeuniversity.com/courses/scottish-genealogy-101) was launched by Family Tree University. This is a 4 week, intensive course on Scottish genealogy research. I wrote the program and now get the honour of instructing. 

Oct 27/15: I presented a brief webinar on Researching Scottish Death, Burial and Lair Records. 

Oct 29/15: I headed to Detroit to attend the Scottish American Leadership Conference where I will be a panelist and get to network and collaborate with other partners in this dynamic community. 

Behind the scenes of all of this, I blogged, completed and submitted an article for In Depth Genealogist, proofed and ordered the second edition of my book, "In Search of Your Scottish Ancestors", and pulled together a one day Symposium on Scottish Genealogy to take place in Winnipeg in April.

A busy but fulfilling month. Onward November. 

RootsTech Announces Keynote Speakers!

SALT LAKE CITY, October 27, 2015—RootsTech, the largest family history conference in the world, announced today the first three keynote speakers in its all-star lineup for RootsTech 2016. The first general session (Thursday, February 4, 2016) will feature three inspiring speakers, which include New York Times bestselling author Bruce Feiler, award-winning journalist Paula Williams Madison, and the president and CEO of FamilySearch International, Stephen Rockwood.

Bruce Feiler is a bestselling author and columnist for The New York Times, where he writes the “This Life” column about today’s families. He is also the writer and presenter of the PBS Series Walking the Bible and Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler.

His latest book, The Secrets of Happy Families, reviews best practices for modern-day parents from some of the country’s most creative minds, including top designers in Silicon Valley, elite peace negotiators, and the Green Berets.

 “RootsTech is the premier event for people who care about family history,” Feiler said. “I've become a passionate believer in the importance of telling your family history as a foundational tool for having a happy family. I can't think of a better audience to share my own story with.”

Paula Williams Madison is an award-winning journalist who is a former NBC executive. Currently, Madison serves as chairman and CEO of Madison Media Management LLC, a media consultancy company based in Los Angeles with global reach. She’s been named one of the “75 Most Powerful African Americans in Corporate America” by Black Enterprise Magazine and was recently honored by the East West Players and AARP with their Visionary Award.

  

After a successful career in news journalism, Madison retired in 2011 and embarked on a search for her grandfather Samuel Lowe, who returned to his native China after living in Jamaica. Madison produced a documentary film on the topic, Finding Samuel Lowe: From Harlem to China. In April of this year, HarperCollins published a memoir of the journey Finding Samuel Lowe: China, Jamaica, Harlem.

  

Attendees can expect to hear about Madison’s compelling journey, including the resources that helped her. “I used FamilySearch.org to research and try to locate my family in China. This system will help people like me find their families,” said Madison. “Family to me means bloodline—past, present, and future. You have to honor the past as you live in the present so that you can guarantee a future for your family.”

Stephen Rockwood is the new president and CEO of FamilySearch International and managing director for the Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Prior to joining FamilySearch, Rockwood was a successful entrepreneur, creating unique service offerings for worldwide customers and building several businesses from the ground up.

with thanks to FamilySearch for sharing their press release with their RootsTech Ambassadors

Vote for Your Genealogy Rock Star(s)

Voting for the Genealogy Rock Star Awards is now OPEN 

Genealogy Rock Stars are:

".... genealogists are those who give "must attend" presentations at family history conferences or as webinars. Who, when you see a new family history article or publication by that person, makes it a must buy. Who you hang on their every word on a blog, podcast or newsgroup, or follow avidly on Facebook or Twitter?"

You can vote for as many as you like. As John Reid says, this gives Societies, Organizations, and Conference planning committees the chance to see who they might want to have speak for them - genealogy speakers that will draw a crowd AND provide valuable information on their topic of expertise. 

The votes are tabluated according to the country you acknowledge you are from on the first page of voting. You don''t have to limit your vote to genealogists in the country where you reside. 

Ready?   Set?

VOTE: 
http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.ca/2015/09/rockstar-genealogists-2015-voting-now.html

Guess Who Made the List of Genealogy Rock Star Nominees?

You know those days when life throws absolutely every curve ball it can your way? Well yesterday was one of those days. No air conditioning on the hottest day. Moving kids to college with a million things going wrong. Deadlines that had to be met and a wee voice in my head screaming how much happier it would be if I took a day to do nothing. 

After a looong day, I arrived home and retrieved my phone - yeah, it had decided charging wasn't on the agenda for yesterday either. Just as I picked it up, I received a message from my Genea-buddy, colleague and friend Kirsty Gray. I have to say, Kirsty & I haven't known each other long, and we don't chat every day, but somehow those times when we do connect seem to be the time when we are most in need of a pick-me-up, a helping hand or a comforting shoulder. Genea-intuition? 

Kirsty was congratulating me on my nomination as a Genealogy Rock Star. WHAT? Then I thought she was wanting me to congratulate HER. No, she was congratulating me. She even sent me the link to John Reid's blog, Anglo-Celtic Connections: 
http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.ca/2015/09/rockstar-genealogist-2015-nominations.html

Kirsty had alerted me to the fact that the nominees were listed alphabetically (sort of) so I scrolled down to the bottom to make sure she wasn't pulling my leg. Sure enough! I scrolled back up and read the criteria to make the list:

Rockstar genealogists are those who give "must attend" presentations at family history conferences or as webinars. Who, when you see a new family history article or publication by that person, makes it a must buy. Who you hang on their every word on a blog, podcast or newsgroup, or follow avidly on Facebook or Twitter?

Yes! I totally rock every one of the criteria! (Did I mention few Scots have self-esteem issues?) Then I read through the list. WOW! To be on the same list as many of the genealogists nominated is a huge honour in and of itself. Truly it is. 

And to see some of my good Genea-buddies on the list was a real treat. The friends I have come to know through this mad passion of ours. Friends I get to hang out with at conferences and workshops and chat with online. People I can reach out to and who will reach back. Friends that, when I am at a conference with them, I get to witness attendees coming up to them and complimenting them on their work, their talk, their helpfulness. That makes being their genea-buddy all the more enriching. We truly do share in each other's successes and enjoy when the others get the spotlight. 

So, the contest is ON. The voting starts September 7. I can't wait to see the winners in each category because I know that no matter who wins, the title will be well-deserved. 

Thanks to each and every one of the nominators for putting together such a fantastic list, and for including me among some of the best in the biz. I am truly honoured. 

And Suddenly, It's Over

After months of anticipation and a whirlwind weekend, suddenly....it's over. The annual conference of the Ontario Genealogical Society, or as it was known this year #OGSBARRIE2015 took place this past weekend.

The OGS conference is the largest in Canada and brings together like-minded individuals to learn, network and share. While the reported attendance seemed smaller than in past years, the busy-ness suggested otherwise. Unlike past years, the marketplace seemed to have a steady stream of customers, the talks were all well attended and for the first time, there were some pop-up talks, known as Fast Tracks. These were short presentations that were set up in the marketplace and which generally were a big draw. The location of these was ideal in that it meant more people were willing to make the trek to the marketplace, and that, in turn, brought more business to the marketplace, which was a plus for the vendors. 

It was wonderful to connect with people that I only know by name on Facebook - the other members of the various genealogy groups I subscribe to and who show up in my news feed on a regular basis. Thank you to those of you who made the effort to come over and say hello! 

And it was incredible to meet up with my colleagues, many again who I only know from social media or that I only get to see a couple of times a year. 

Mark Olsen, Thomas McEntee, Christine Woodcock, Lorine Massey, Dave Obee, Janet Iles, Kathryn Lake Hogan
Colby and Ryder
photo credit: Hubs Massey; Mark Olsen

What a fantastic hobby/obsession this is! I now have new genie connections, renewed genie connections and a whole new energy for the coming months. 

Plans are already underway for Conference 2016 - being hosted by the Toronto Branch. The theme is On the Cutting Edge and announcements have already been made that Judy Russell and CeCe Moore will be speaking. Conference 2016 is already shaping up to be every bit as fantastic as #OGSBARRIE2015.