tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46107219769900782232012-02-01T11:09:42.975-08:00Get to know your ancestors - we're here to help.tgs1noreply@blogger.comBlogger671100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-32021237120018665492012-02-01T11:09:00.000-08:002012-02-01T11:09:22.626-08:00

The new TGS website is up today and it is very impressive - attractive, professional, and full of features. Congratulations to those who worked so hard to create this great site! You can check it out at www.tgstopeka.org - (if the link still takes you to the old homepage, you may have to refresh your browser or delete your browsing history to get to the new site.) There is a private members'

Gramma Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10439035997546778931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-82604320266170736562011-09-25T16:44:00.000-07:002011-09-25T16:44:04.257-07:00

Less than two weeks to the Ancestor Fair! This free event will be at the Kansas State Historical Society on Saturday, October 8, from 10:00-3:00 and will feature mini-classes and informational displays for everyone. Whether you're beginning to research your family or are an experienced genealogist, you will find something of interest. Representatives of Ancestry.com will be there leading classes

Gramma Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10439035997546778931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-39390034935213879332011-08-24T12:18:00.000-07:002011-08-24T12:28:13.245-07:00

Just a reminder that the next monthly meeting is this coming Thursday evening (25 August) at 7:00 PM at the TSCP Library. Speakers this month are Dick Trupp and Dave Murray who will be telling us about Topeka's Combat Air Museum.

Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01095836443190256028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-3775085744118079552011-07-02T07:39:00.000-07:002011-07-02T07:49:16.861-07:00

Mark your calendars, and save Saturday, October 8th, 2011 for the 2nd Annual Kansas Ancestor Fair. Once again, this will be a FREE event, open to the public, in celebration of Family History Month. We'll be offering a variety of mini-sessions throughout the day, and will have a great lineup of informational displays and tables. Representatives from Ancestry.com will be on-site, presenting

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-18275049593394319112010-10-03T14:16:00.000-07:002010-10-03T14:21:25.565-07:00

October is Family History Month! Help us celebrate by joining us at the Annual TGS Open House on Sunday, Oct. 24th from 1-4pm. Stop by and check out the latest additions to the library, visit with experienced genealogists, learn about upcoming programs and classes, and enjoy some light refreshments.

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-26411787321741660642010-10-03T14:08:00.000-07:002010-10-03T14:16:14.133-07:00

Our first Kansas Ancestor Fair was a huge success! A beautiful day, a nice turnout, and a great mix of informational displays, mini-classes, ancestor photos and more. What more could a genealogist want?

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-88225236134050419162010-09-01T10:53:00.000-07:002010-09-03T06:11:57.510-07:00

Show off your favorite family ancestor photos at the 2010 Kansas Ancestor Fair on October 2nd in Topeka. Make a copy of each photo you would like to share (copies only - photos will NOT be returned), write on the back of each entry your name and the category in which the photo should be displayed, and mail to Topeka Genealogical Society, Attn: Ancestor Fair, PO Box 4048, Topeka, KS 66604 or

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-452668500158138022010-09-01T10:47:00.000-07:002010-09-01T10:52:28.062-07:00

For anyone who has done more than a little genealogy research, the loss of the 1890 Federal Census leaves a gaping black hole in our records, at an often-critical period in our research. We often hear that the census was lost to a fire, but there is more to the story. To read the fascinating story of what really happened, and how fortunate we are that the loss of records was not far more

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-36330184669709526782010-08-18T10:03:00.000-07:002010-09-03T06:12:34.351-07:00

It's that time of year, for county fairs and lots of fun. And, this year, we will have a special opportunity for those interested in family history. In conjunction with the Kansas Historical Society, the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, and the Topeka LDS Family History Center , TGS is co-hosting the first Kansas Ancestor Fair. This fun-filled event will be free, with activities for all

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-85470506620227727512010-05-26T07:38:00.000-07:002010-05-26T08:02:10.601-07:00

Genealogists and Family History enthusiasts in the Midwestern U.S. Region have a couple of exciting conference opportunities coming up this summer. First, the 2010 national conference of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom will be held in Topeka, Kansas from July 28-31. The event will include national speakers, workshops, regional tours, and exhibits and vendors. Kansas has a

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-89904293997853980362010-05-16T14:03:00.001-07:002010-05-16T14:18:32.214-07:00

Here's another hint for those who are trying to make progress with their genealogical research but still stay within their budgets ---- before you hop onto the internet to purchase a copy of the book that you need to consult, check your local libraries and repositories. You might be surprised what they do have. And, if no one in your locality has a copy of the book you need, perhaps your local

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-38956591012801076682010-05-16T13:55:00.000-07:002010-05-16T14:01:42.226-07:00

How time flies! We're 20 weeks into 2010 already. Hope everyone is following along and learning from these great tips, brought to us by Amy Coffin at the WeTree blog, and hosted by Geneabloggers.52 Weeks To Better Genealogy – Challenge 20Play with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Government Land Office (GLO) Federal Land Records web page. This is a great resource. Your task this week is to

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-9350286907416516982010-05-09T08:57:00.000-07:002010-05-09T09:06:39.577-07:00

Here's the next installment in a great series of tips to help you grow your genealogy skills. These suggestions are brought to us by Amy Coffin at the WeTree Blog, and hoted by GeneaBloggers.NARA Military SourcesExamine the “Genealogy and Military Records” page on the National Archives page. (Non-U.S. folks: examine the military records information from your country’s national archives.) Click

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-51134079003169359942010-05-03T10:46:00.000-07:002010-05-03T10:56:52.947-07:00

Here's another tip for keeping your genealogy research moving forward without breaking the budget - use your local Family History Center to order microfilm from the LDS Family History Library at Salt Lake!Anything that has been microfilmed by the Family History Library can be borrowed out to your local Family History Center for a very affordable fee of about $5.00 per microfilm roll. To find

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-38244649075515464042010-05-03T10:38:00.000-07:002010-05-03T10:46:06.153-07:00

Here's the latest installment in a series of weekly tips to help you stretch your genealogy research skills, brought to you by Amy Coffin at the WeTree blog, and hosted by Geneabloggers. As part of this exercise, be sure to check out the Topeka Genealogical Society's Facebook page!Dip your toe in the social networking pool. Genealogists are some of the friendliest people on the block. Networking

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-27194145385407897352010-04-29T07:08:00.000-07:002010-04-29T07:40:00.937-07:00

Are difficult economic times putting a crimp in your genealogy research? Follow along with this new series of posts for tips on how to keep your research moving forward without breaking the bank.Tip #1: Recorded lectures from major Genealogy ConferencesSummertime is the season for the major genealogy conferences in the U.S. But, by the time travel, hotel accommodations, and meals are added to the

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-41743635064250023802010-04-29T07:00:00.000-07:002010-04-29T07:06:06.509-07:00

The National Archives (NARA) has posted a list of record groups that have been or are in the process of being digitized by their partners, Ancestry.com, and Footnote.com as of March 2010. Although both Ancestry and Footnote are subscription databases, each allows free index searches of the digitized NARA records. Click here to see the full NARA listing.

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-44297230033886786202010-04-26T04:36:00.000-07:002010-04-29T07:32:52.631-07:00

Here it is – Challenge 17 , brought to us by Amy Coffin at the WeTree blog, and hosted by Geneabloggers. And, this is one that I know I need to work on! I have been fortunate enough to inherit many old family photos, and have accumulated many of my immediate family over the years. Few of them are labeled. I also have a frustrating stack of "unknown" photos --- surely related somehow to my family,

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-7235801291967424072010-04-16T18:59:00.000-07:002010-04-29T07:33:12.124-07:00

These tips are developed by Amy Coffin at the WeTree Blog, and hosted by Geneabloggers --Week 16: Check out the online library catalog of a university. You may use one close to you, or one in the area of your research. Colleges and universities have wonderful archives, many of which are valuable to historical research. Browse around the library website and investigate the various archival

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-6006279670389359942010-04-12T08:36:00.001-07:002010-04-12T08:51:32.417-07:00

In 1880, a special supplemental census was recorded for all individuals who were considered either temporarlity or permanently disabled, including those who were "blind, deaf and dumb, idiotic, insane, maimed, crippled, bedridden or otherwise disabled." If your ancestor's 1880 Census listing has a mark in columns 15 through 20, additional detail pertaining to his or her condition should have

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-43716504947502107602010-04-12T07:05:00.000-07:002010-04-29T07:33:32.788-07:00

This week, you readers get a double installment, as gardening demands and spring colds and allergies have caused me to fall a bit behind. These weekly challenges are developed by Amy Coffin at the WeTree Blog, and sponsored by Geneabloggers. Here you go!Week 15: Write a letter. It these days of emotionless email, the art of letter writing is getting lost. Pick one of your information needs or

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-85753261296752451372010-04-12T06:39:00.000-07:002010-04-12T07:05:19.119-07:00

What is a chancery cause? Chancery courts settled issues of equity, or fairness, that could not be readily decided by existing written laws. The outcome of the case is determined by a judge rather than a jury. Chancery court documents are useful when researching genealogical information and land or estate divisions and may contain correspondence, lists of heirs, or vital statistics, among other

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-88882710364499894922010-04-12T06:35:00.000-07:002010-04-12T06:39:34.993-07:00

If your family came through Pennsylvania, you might be interested in a new series of atlases published by Sharon and Angus MacInnes of Ancestor Tracks called Early Landowners of Pennsylvania: Atlas of Township Warrantee Maps of *** County, PA. These books show atlas pages of the land tracts, drawn in metes and bounds, of the earliest landowners of Pennsylvania. Each page reveals a wealth of

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-81283341310093924802010-03-28T07:10:00.000-07:002010-04-29T07:35:55.112-07:00

Here we are, one-quarter of the way into 2010. And, here's the next installment of a series of weekly tips and exercises designed to help you stretch and build your genealogical research skills. These tips are brought to us by Amy Coffin at WeTree, and hosted by Geneabloggers.Week 13: Make an appointment with Cyndi’s List (http://www.cyndislist.com/). All beginning genealogy publications include

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-82675334509431596792010-03-19T11:49:00.000-07:002010-03-21T18:54:35.594-07:00

Week 12 on your way to better genealogy, following the trail developed by Amy Coffin at the WeTree Blog, and hosted by Geneabloggers. Hope you are trying out these terrific hints, and learning lots along the way!Week 12: Check out the web sites for the Society of American Archivists (http://www.archivists.org/), ARMA International (http://www.arma.org/), and the American Library Association (http

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-49305088306637696542010-03-19T11:38:00.000-07:002010-04-29T07:36:54.178-07:00

Better late than never, here's the past week's post to 52 Weeks to a Better Genealogy. Again, these great hints are shared with us from Amy Coffin at the WeTree Blog, and hosted by Geneabloggers. 52 Weeks To Better Genealogy – Challenge 11Read the back posts from the Transitional Genealogists Forum. This is a message board for genealogists who are taking the steps needed to become professional

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-8415949554687785232010-03-10T06:44:00.000-08:002010-03-10T06:52:31.077-08:00

Here's more good news for genealogists. Roots Television, which had been scheduled to close on March 10th, will continue. According to Megan Smolenyek, the person behind the Roots Televison website, a flood of e-mail and tweet messages have persuaded her to keep the site going. She will be soliciting advertising support to help cover costs, but will continue to host the site. Here's a

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-9042433103570605212010-03-10T06:16:00.000-08:002010-03-10T06:38:24.107-08:00

The 2010 census is upon us. Very soon, your census form should be arriving in your mailbox. For genealogists, the census takes on special relevance as we realize that 72 years from now, some of our progeny may be excited to find our names among the 2010 census.Every ten years, Americans are presented with an opportunity to record information about ourselves and our household members that not

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-24517191683909553282010-03-07T12:42:00.000-08:002010-04-29T07:36:31.367-07:00

Here it is, number 10 in the weekly installments of tips and hints for sharpening your genealogical skills. (Brought to us by Amy Coffin at WeTree and sponsored by GeneaBloggers).52 Weeks To Better Genealogy – Challenge 10Investigate Family Search Pilot, which is part of FamilySearch.org. This is a wonderful collection of records which literally grows every day. In the middle left of the page is

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-31765409432841135662010-02-28T06:02:00.000-08:002010-02-28T06:13:52.740-08:00

Roots Television, the website which has hosted a wide array of video segments pertaining to genealogy and family history, is coming to an end. According to the notice posted by Megan Smolenyek, the mastermind behind Roots Television, the site was founded to help fill a void - the lack of a special television channel dedicated to the interests of genealogists. Although we still do not have our

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-13864612021324908512010-02-28T05:52:00.000-08:002010-04-29T07:37:18.333-07:00

We're 9 weeks into the New Year, already! Here's the next installation in the weekly series of exercises to help sharpen your genealogical skills, developed by Amy Coffin at the WeTree blog, and hosted by Geneabloggers. Pick five genealogy blogs and read them every day. Meet new people and networking within the online genealogy community is a great way to expand your own research and experience.

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-1133753455400210082010-02-21T08:49:00.000-08:002010-04-29T07:37:35.310-07:00

Here's the next weekly installment of a year-long series of tips to sharpen your genealogy skills, developed by Amy Coffin at the WeTree blog, and hosted by Geneabloggers. The tips issued so far have all been great ones - if you are following along and trying out the exercises, please share your experiences in a comment, and let everyone know what you find!Here's the Week 8 Challenge:Discover

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-64469716669712600242010-02-13T13:31:00.000-08:002010-04-29T07:37:57.278-07:00

Another week, another tip! Here's your genealogy challenge for Week 7:Play with Google Maps. This is a helpful tool for determining the locations of addresses in your family history. Where your ancestral homestead once stood may now be a warehouse, a parking lot or a field. Perhaps the house is still there. When you input addresses in Google Maps, don’t forget to use the Satellite View and Street

tgs1noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-72039074696921506422010-02-12T11:26:00.000-08:002010-02-12T11:33:22.036-08:00

If you missed the first episode of the new program, Faces of America, as it aired this week, you have another chance. The segment is now available for online viewing. Click here to watch the segment.

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-44828254961645407392010-02-07T20:52:00.001-08:002010-02-07T20:59:08.385-08:00

Good news for Missouri researchers! With the help of donations, the State Historical Society of Missouri has been able to generate enough funding to support a return to their regular 6-days-per-week operating schedule, at least for the next four months. Starting last Friday, February 5th, hours were restored to 8am - 4:45 pm Monday thru Friday, and 8am - 3:30 pm on Saturdays. Additional

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-49995323081936647332010-02-06T05:50:00.000-08:002010-04-29T07:38:17.916-07:00

Already, it is week number 6 and time for another tip. This one is a great one -Week 6: Online databases at your public library. Search your library’s web site and see if your card grants you access to online databases. Libraries (even small ones) often have wonderful online tools including genealogy databases, historical newspapers and more! Take some time and play with these little perks that

tgs1noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-61242782110874720972010-02-05T09:18:00.000-08:002010-02-05T09:32:33.311-08:00

Has the winter weather put a crimp in your genealogy research plans? Not to worry! In addition to the upcoming NBC series, "Who Do You Think You Are" (which debuts on March 5th), Public Television and Henry Louis Gates are teaming up to bring us more stories of what was discovered by using genealogical research and DNA analysis to explore the family histories of a dozen famous Americans. The

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-39145060112476199362010-02-05T07:15:00.000-08:002010-02-05T07:57:27.618-08:00

Researching African American family history is getting easier, thanks to a couple of fantastic new on-line resources. The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Library in Ft. Wayne, Indiana has created a website called the "African American Gateway," with links to resources by state, region, foreign country, and subject headings.The New England Historic and Genealogical Society has created a new

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-91486450554201655422010-02-05T06:43:00.000-08:002010-02-05T06:54:57.610-08:00

If you are searching in Kansas or Missouri for the final resting place of a Civil War veteran, you will want to take a look at this amazing website. John Jackson, retired after 21 years of service in the U.S. Army, has set a goal of photographing every Civil War veteran's grave in Kansas by 2011, the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. As his project progresses, photos of each

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-9271296154208417582010-01-30T17:43:00.001-08:002010-01-30T17:52:26.426-08:00

Researching African-American family history often presents a unique set of challenges, especially for those whose ancestors who were slaves prior to the Civil War. The Topeka Genealogical Society, working in partnership with the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library is pleased to be able to offer a special program featuring speaker Traci Wilson-Kleekamp from 1-4pm on Saturday, February 6th at

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-83734023409974590162010-01-30T17:34:00.000-08:002010-04-29T07:34:58.300-07:00

Here's the 5th week assignment for sharpening up those genealogy skills, and it is a great one. WorldCat.org is a terrific resource, and I use it all the time for tracking down those elusive materials that I need to access. You will be amazed at what you can find there. And, don't forget to try the advanced search feature.Play with WorldCat.org. WorldCat is a massive network of library content

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-20436998352084336992010-01-24T13:33:00.000-08:002010-01-24T13:36:03.474-08:00

With the assistance of the Mercer Funeral Home in Valley Falls (Jefferson County, KS), a listing of burials in the Valley Falls Cemetery is now avaiable on-line. The site includes a map of the cemetery, as well as listings with name, birthdate and date of death.

tgs1noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-37025338865947950722010-01-24T13:25:00.000-08:002010-01-24T13:30:27.957-08:00

If you are researching ancestors in Missouri, particulary in the St. Louis Area, you will want to check out the Genealogy and Local History Index available at the Missouri History Museum website. The index covers more than 125 sources, and is searchable by name, address, business, or source. If you find a match, copies of the source record can be ordered on-line. Another great Missouri

tgs1noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-64244061235498853042010-01-24T13:03:00.000-08:002010-04-29T07:34:58.301-07:00

Here it is, the 4th in a weekly series of steps toward making yourself a better genealogist:Week 4: Learn about your local public library’s inter-library loan (ILL) policy. Pick a genealogy-related book that you want to read that is not in your library’s collection. Ask the librarian how to request the book from another library. Find the different library systems from which you can request books

tgs1noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-74926289958795878692010-01-19T17:24:00.000-08:002010-01-19T17:29:12.084-08:00

Who Do You Think You Are? Some of you may recognize this question as the title of a popular British televison documentary series featuring genealogy and family history. Now, an Americanized version is coming soon on NBC."Who Do You Think You Are?" premieres Friday, March 5 (8-9 p.m. ET) and gives viewers an up-close and personal look inside the family history of some of today's most beloved and

tgs1noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-52017279987140039672010-01-19T14:40:00.001-08:002010-04-29T07:34:58.301-07:00

Here's your third week challenge:Assess yourself! You’re great at researching everyone else’s history, but how much of your own have you recorded? Do an assessment of your personal records and timeline events to ensure your own life is as well-documented as that of your ancestors. If you have a genealogy blog, write about the status of your own research and steps you may take to fill gaps and

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-85990057942590192062010-01-19T14:29:00.000-08:002010-01-19T14:32:58.859-08:00

Linda K. Lewis, creator of the digital cemetery blog, has posted a fascinating article about the customs dealing with death in the Victorian era. Read the full story here.

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-77163852271155042802010-01-13T04:56:00.001-08:002010-01-13T05:02:24.631-08:00

We're in the news! Barbara LaClair and the TGS Library are the cover photo of the January 2010 issue of Kansas Country Living magazine, published by the Kansas Electric Cooperative. Accompanying the photo is a very nice article on genealogy and family history, which interviews Ola May Earnest of the Linn County Genealogical Society. To see the article, stop by the Topeka Genealogical Society

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-80846018500414106032010-01-11T08:08:00.000-08:002010-04-29T07:34:58.301-07:00

Here it is -- your genealogy challenge for Week 2. This week, visit your public library again (we are having better weather this week, so if you couldn't get out last week, here's a chance to catch up and do both weeks 1 and 2 challenges). This time, your assignment is to examine the local history, archives, or special collection sections. Hint: At the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library,

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-60115019739863719002010-01-07T05:15:00.000-08:002010-01-07T05:20:25.362-08:00

Ancestry.com has added some new options to their wildcard search features, giving your even more possibilities of finding that elusive ancestor. The search engine will now allow you to begin a name with a wildcard, although it does not allow wildcards at both the beginning and end of the name. There must still be at least three non-wildcard characters entered in the name field. To see more

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-38321923185419720582010-01-03T07:23:00.000-08:002010-01-03T08:08:02.473-08:00

Get out your calendars, and mark the dates now, for two great conference opportunities in 2010.First, the Topeka Genealogical Society Annual Conference will be on Saturday, April 24th, in Topeka and will feature speaker Michael John Neill. The theme will be Finding Those Elusive Female Ancestors. Watch the TGS website for more detail and registration info.Next, Family History Expos is coming to

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-55485762123975009492010-01-03T06:59:00.000-08:002010-04-29T07:34:58.301-07:00

Amy Coffin, over at the WeTree Blog, has challenged genealogy bloggers everywhere to a new series of posts for 2010. Each week, a new suggestion will be explored, prompting us all to better genealogy throughout the year. This week, Challenge #1: Go to your local public library and check out the genealogy collection.In Topeka and the northeast Kansas area, we are blessed with many impressive

tgs1noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-41493253635068606322010-01-03T06:38:00.000-08:002010-01-03T06:58:32.967-08:00

As I was scanning the latest news on-line this morning, I came across an interesting article originally printed in the Washington Post. It seems that a young woman by the name of Erin Bried had tried to inspire her dinner guests by making a rhubarb pie just like her grandmother used to make, only to discover that she did not know how to tell the difference between rhubarb and swiss chard in the

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-36033207634959555272009-12-13T06:52:00.000-08:002009-12-13T07:03:03.178-08:00

Ancestry.com has been working in partnership with the folks at FamilySearch on a project to enchance digital census images and compile new census indexes. Last week, Ancestry released several new sets of images and indexes. If you previously been unsuccessful in locating your ancestors in census records, it may be worthwhile to check again using these improved resources. See the full story at

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-153154037507068072009-12-09T06:43:00.000-08:002009-12-09T06:52:57.117-08:00

Know a WWII history buff? Invite your family & friends to search and read first-hand accounts of submarine missions or reports of missing air crews. Explore the USS Arizona Memorial or view over 80,000 photos from the US. Army Air Force. Other WWII records on Footnote.com include:Japanese Air Target AnalysisArmy JAG Case FilesNavy JAG Case FilesNaval Press ClippingsAllied Military

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-59016641684011101372009-12-06T07:13:00.000-08:002009-12-06T07:17:32.816-08:00

Family Tree Magazine shows you how to use photo-enhancing software to make photos of headstones easier to read. Lisa Louise Cooke serves as your insider, dishing up these valuable tips and tricks.

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-15739136376310800422009-12-06T04:30:00.000-08:002009-12-06T04:45:35.710-08:00

April 2, 2012. Genealogists, mark your calendars! This date marks the release of the 1940 Federal Census, in digital format. To get a sneak preview of what questions were asked, and to monitor the countdown to the release date, check out the NARA website by following this link.http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/1940/

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-19431757855855000242009-11-23T19:00:00.001-08:002009-11-23T19:17:01.457-08:00

It's that time of year once again, when families gather to celebrate the holidays. Relatives will gather from near and far, around tables laden with the family's favorite dishes.These gatherings are a great time to talk about family history, asking questions of older relatives and sharing interesting family stories with the younger generation. Pull out the old family photos and scrapbooks, and

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-76814587166261641942009-11-20T08:07:00.000-08:002009-11-20T08:22:32.047-08:00

The national office of the Daughters of the American Revolution has launched the DAR Genealogical Research System, providing free searchable access to materials collected by the DAR over the past 119 years. The system, which is being added to on an ongoing basis, includes the following searchable databases:Ancestor - Established DAR Revolutionary War Ancestors with listings of applications

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-89863282978605285542009-11-11T08:34:00.000-08:002009-11-11T08:36:42.936-08:00

News & Announcements: State Historical Society of Missouri Hours and Services Cut Due to state budget woes, the Missouri State Historical Society will reduce its hours to 8am to 4:45pm Monday - Thursday, effective immediately. The facility will no longer be open to researchers on Friday or Saturday. Staff members have taken 20 percent pay cuts. The Missouri History Speakers Bureau will also be

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-69479670474203243442009-11-05T12:30:00.001-08:002009-11-05T12:56:19.993-08:00

There is a new social networking site which is well on its way to becoming the genealogist's version of Facebook. It is called Genealogy Wise and you can check it out at www.genealogywise.com. Lots of interest groups where you can join and participate in dicsussions, including one for the Topeka Genealogical Society. Today, I discovered a group called "Save Our (Local Genealogical) Societies,"

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-61097067661824157162009-10-27T14:46:00.001-07:002009-10-27T15:09:04.609-07:00

Last week, my not very old refrigerator quit without warning. There is nothing like the sudden absence of something that we usually take for granted to make a genealogist begin to think about what everyday life might have been like a couple of generations ago. As we endured several days without refrigeration while waiting on a new unit to be delivered, I thought often about how much life has

tgs1noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-16965640227198102652009-10-26T19:44:00.000-07:002009-10-27T14:43:45.343-07:00

The Open House at the Topeka Genealogical Society Library was held last Sunday afternoon, and we were pleased to have several folks who had never before used the library stop in and look around. Some left with interesting new information about their families! It is always gratifying to those of us who work so hard to build the library resources when we can help others find new information. For

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-6633346209106670932009-10-25T08:34:00.000-07:002009-10-27T14:45:43.535-07:00

Databases Available for use in the TGS LibraryThe New England Genealogical and Historical Society - Access to rich databases for New England locations, as well as digital versions of several major genealogical journals including New England Ancestors, Connecticut Nutmegger, and The Virginia Genealogist.Footnote.com - Searchable, digitized images of original records. Includes FULL pension

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-12148947660190335762009-10-22T19:45:00.000-07:002009-10-22T20:09:09.608-07:00

A question raised at our monthly program this evening (on the topic of Locating maps and plats on the Internet) has prompted this post -Once you search through the deed books and find a record for the land that your ancestor owned, how do you translate it to find the physical location? Have you ever searched and searched for a map that would overlay the range and township grids with current

tgs1noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-62424924967622365412009-10-20T14:58:00.000-07:002009-10-20T15:13:34.361-07:00

October is National Family History Month, first recognized in 2001 as the result of a Congressional resolution sponsored by Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah.This year, the National Park Service is getting involved in the celebration. See their article at http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/feature/family/,And, University of North Carolina's Documenting the American South is highlighting several slave

tgs1noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4610721976990078223.post-43469342670704049442009-10-19T11:54:00.001-07:002009-10-19T11:56:49.152-07:00

Welcome to Topeka Genealogical Society's new blog! We'll use this forum to keep you up to date with all the latest news on upcoming genealogical events and new resources of interest to genealogists and family historians. Check back often, as we know you won't want to miss anything!

tgs1noreply@blogger.com1