Why Save Old Negatives?

Last night we had dinner with a friend who had just brought home boxes of old photos and negatives to sort and share with his family. He was wondering whether or not he should keep the negatives with the selected prints. It's a good questions. Now that most of us use digital photography, film negatives have become nearly obsolete.

But before you throw out that old color or black and while film, it might be worth considering what you will be losing.

Film negatives are to photography what HD is to television. Sharper, richer, better.

I found this image a few years ago with a batch of negatives from my grandmother Arline. The detail from the scanned negative is impressive:

U.S. Military Unit. Negative. Digital image. Privately held by Denise Levenick, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Pasadena, CA. 2008

A new print made from a clean, well-preserved negative will produce a much sharper, better image than a print made from a digital scan of a photo. 

The negative is the 1st generation version of the image seen by the eye. The print made from the negative is the 2nd generation. 

When the print is scanned, this digital image becomes the 3rd generation. Print it out, and you will be holding the 4th generation.

A better solution is to make a digital image directly from the negative.

Digital technology can capture much more information than is visible on that 2nd generation print. A "digital negative" can be manipulated for restoration, enhancement, and enlargements. It can be stored in multiple places to insure preservation in the event of disaster or damage to the original. It can be owned by multiple people.

How to Scan Film

Negatives and slides contain more detail than most photographic prints, so you will need to scan film at a higher resolution to capture all that information. Many museums and institutions recommend film scanning at 2400 to 3200 dpi in TIFF format. This creates very large files, but will make very good prints.

If you plan to enlarge the image to poster-size,  you will want to increase the resolution even further.

Many flatbed scanners will accommodate film and slide scanning with the use of a special film adapter. Be aware that it can be time-consuming to scan film at high resolution. 

It's Okay to Play Favorites

Any photo scanning project can benefit from thoughtful selection. For most collections, it's not necessary to scan every single image. Choose the best of several, choose the representative photo that captures the most people, or choose highlights from a particular year or decade. 

Skip over photos that are unfocused, cut off heads or limbs, or show endless frames of endless desert. 

Preserving Negatives

After you've scanned the negatives to make digital copies, preserve the film in specialty archival negative pocket pages in a negative binder, or vertically in special negative boxes. 

Store film in a cool location, less than 68 degrees if possible. Keep out of the light. Avoid excess moisture and fluctuations in humidity. An cool interior closet is a good location.

All modern film is Safety Film, manufactured from non-combustible materials. Older film may have a vinegar-like odor; this is a clue that the film is unstable and dangerous. Isolate the offender and take it to your local professional photo supply for advice. The best solution may be to digitize the film as soon as possible and destroy the original.

5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of a Virtual Conference

Sure, you can attend the sessions in your running shorts and squeeze in a webinar between the kids' soccer games. You can even wear your PJs and bring food and drinks to class! You can play the radio in the background or keep an eye on game score, too.

But, I've found that multitasking isn't always the most effective way to attend a Virtual Genealogy Conference. It's too easy to be distracted by everyday routine and miss out on just the session or chat I want to see most.

Instead, I get a lot more out of online learning when I take time to prepare just like I would if the conference was held on site.

This weekend's Family Tree University's Fall Virtual Conference features three different genealogy activities:

• 15 recorded webinars
• 8 scheduled live chat sessions with presenters
• a conference message board for on-going discussion and questions

All activities will be coordinated by Kerry Scott, FTU Instructor and Clue Wagon blogger. Kerry is sure to keep things lively and entertaining all weekend.

A Handful of Tips for Getting the Most Out of a Virtual Conference

1. Get Online and LogIn

A day before the conference begins you will receive a copy of the Student Manual (pdf) and a link to the Conference website on Blackboard. This is the same software used by many universities for online learning and it's intuitive and easy to use. 

If it's your first online conference it's a good idea to take time now to make sure you can log into the site. The content won't be posted until the actual date, but you can be ready to go! You don't want to miss something good because you are figuring it out the details.

2. Mark Your Schedule

I like to review the topics and presenters ahead of time so that I have a good idea of what sessions I want to view early on in order to ask any questions I might have at the live chat with the presenter. The full program for the Fall FTU Virtual Conference is posted here.

If possible, view companion webinars before the live chat so you are ready to ask questions and join in the conversation.

3. Prepare Your Home and Family

When it comes to weekend genealogy, it seems like it's all or nothing at my house. I might have time for uninterrupted research and webinars, but when family activities take priority during a virtual conference, I focus on downloading materials and checking the message boards so I can review everything later.

Sometimes it's possible to set aside a Genealogy Weekend that's clear for conference events and your own personal genealogy research. Let the rest of the family know what hours you'll be busy; order pizza or make a do-ahead casserole. Pretend you are attending a conference on-site and give yourself time to make the most of your virtual conference weekend.

3. Join In! Ask Questions! Participate

In a face-to-face conference the presenter can see you smile or nod your head, but in a virtual world the chat room is lonely and quiet without participation. It's okay to make brief comments just to let folks know you are there. Ask a relevant question, or make a remark like, "thanks, "great idea," or "LOL" to join in.

4. Take Advantage of the Experts

The Discussion Board is a great place to leave questions, pose a problem, or make a request for more information. You've got a a wealth of experience available; make use of it!

5. Download the Materials

Before signing off for the weekend, take time to download the webinars and handouts, and print out a copy of the conference program. It will be your Table of Contents to hours of genealogy education on demand, whenever you have time and questions on the conference topics.

You still have time to register for this genealogy event and get ready for a weekend of family history fun and education. See you this weekend at the Family Tree University's Fall Virtual Conference.

Lessons from America's Dark Days: Back to School Will Never Be the Same

Memories hitch a ride on the coat-tails of bigger stories. So it is that we remember the everyday things in life as seen through the lens of something bigger, more important, and more memorable than our usual routine.

I remember exactly where I was when the news was released that President Kennedy had been shot. I was on the playground at my elementary school. The principal's voice came over the loudspeaker loud and clear. We could hear his words booming as far as the chain-link fence that maintained a boundary between the street and rolling balls.

"Children. Stop. Stand still. Teachers and children, return to your classrooms."

This had never happened before. What could it mean? 

Accustomed to regular Bomb Drills and Earthquake Drills, we knew when to obey a business-like adult voice. I remember the hush as we quietly walked back to our second-grade classroom. It was only a few minutes before we were seated at the wood and metal desks and our teacher stood expectantly at the front of the room. She, too, seemed expectant and nervous. 

We sat there, heads cocked toward the crackling classroom loudspeaker, waiting. Finally, the Principal came back with the news. President Kennedy had been shot. He was in the hospital. School would be dismissed early.

No one spoke. Our teacher was calm, but sad. We didn't know what this would mean until much later. And it wasn't until later that day we learned President Kennedy had died, and much much later that we understood what it means for a country to lose their leader suddenly and violently.

On September 11, 2001 I was at school again, but this time I was the teacher. And I was still caught unawares. At the time I was not in the habit of listening to the radio or television news in the morning (9/11 changed that). I ate breakfast, dressed, packed my lunch, and arrived at the high school campus unaware that America would be forever changed by the events of that morning.

It wasn't until I walked along the corridor, as I noticed an unusually thick swarm of students gathered in the hallways, sitting on the floor, and clustered outside classroom doors, it seemed something was out of order. My "good mornings" were returned quietly until one student looked up at me from the floor and spoke, her voice hoarse and her eyes red from crying,"

"Mrs. Levenick, don't you know what's happened?"

Anything more than a change in Prom date was inconceivable. I shook my head.

"The World Trade Center has been hit by a plane. It's my dad's company."

I didn't believe her. How could it be true? I turned around and walked quickly to the faculty room where the news was verified. I knew less than anyone there. The story had been unfolding for some time. And now, the school announced, class as usual. Maintain routine.

It was a long long day. A virtual news blackout and six hours of nervous teenage girls on the edge of hysteria. I set the lesson plans aside and we spent the day talking about everything and anything. We would study The Odyssey later in the semester, tragedy and the human response. Of course, it wouldn't have made much difference if school had been dismissed. It was probably just as well we could provide what limited support and reassurance possible. No one knew anything, except it was better to be with someone than alone.

September 11, 2001 remind me so much of that dark day in November when a booming voice called over the loudspeaker, "Children. Stop."

Using Adobe Lightroom to Manage Genealogy Images

Most genealogists eventually find they need a comprehensive image management system if they want to do more than simply file away images in computer folders. After grappling with the problem for years, I found Adobe Lighroom was the solution for my ever-expanding image collection and my changing work style. 

House Historian Marian Pierre-Louis recently asked if any genealogists used Lightroom for genealogy, and I expect there may be several dedicated users willing to trade tips and share experiences. I've been using Lightroom since 2008 to manage my growing image archive and successfully migrated my entire photo management system from a Windows computer to a Mac in 2010.

Like many Adobe products, Lightroom is aimed at professional users, making it especially useful for anyone who wants to establish a productive and efficient workflow. Professional photographers want to take pictures, after all; they probably don't really want to spend time managing digital files.

Why Lightroom?

When I started scanning my family documents and photographs to create a set of Digital Masters, I quickly discovered that my current photo editing/management software crashed with large TIFF files.

Adobe Photoshop Elements combined with my nominal PC hardware just couldn't handle the large files quickly and smoothly. I liked the file tagging ability of PSE, and the organization and editing features, but it became a real chore to work with a large number of files.

XnView was my next choice and it served very well throughout my initial scanning. At the time, I was scanning old letters at the unnecessarily high dpi of 1200, but XnView could handle the enormous TIFF file sizes. XnView could also convert TIFF to JPG, resize, and do a number of other tasks.

I would probably still be using the Mac version of XnView if Adobe Lightroom hadn't come along and seduced me with it's elegant design, smooth workflow, and fabulous tutorials.

My Favorite Lightroom Features

• Non-destructive editing -- yes, any changes are just instructions written to the file; the original is still there in all it's beautiful original detail
• Presets -- beautiful beautiful preset instructions make it possible to Import, Name Files, Add Meta, Change Sizes, etc. all at the same time
• Meta Tagging -- easy to understand meta tagging interface makes adding keywords nearly effortless
• Simple Editing -- I don't do much editing with my archive images, preferring to keep them as original as possible, but when I need to crop, restore color, or touch up, I use the simple editing tools of LR
• Independence -- my images are managed by Lightroom, but my files are still accessible by any image viewer because they continue to live in standard file folder hierarchy on my external hard drive. If I decide to move back to a Windows machine one day, I can easily install the Windows version of LR and access my files smoothly, or I could abandon LR (!) and still open and view my files and their embedded metadata.

Probably the hardest part of getting started with Lightroom is simply "getting started." I attended an all-day workshop by LR expert Scott Kelby, and then followed David Marx's program for setting up Lightroom on an external hard srive at TheLightroomLab.com. 

If you are intrigued by the idea of using Lightroom for your genealogy, I strongly encourage you to download the trial version and read tutorials and about setting up your initial file system. I used a small trial photo collection as I learned the program. It isn't particularly difficult to learn, but like most things, takes a bit of time and focus.

I've written about my photo workflow using Lightroom in the past, but have made some changes to my initial scheme. I will aim to update the information and post a follow-up for anyone interested.

Update on Tuesday, September 4, 2012 by Family Curator

Marian, Lightroom really shines in metadata searches. I am using LR3, and I expect it is similar in the new LR4 if that is what you are using. 

LR has different modules to handle different tasks. Tagging and organizing happen in the Library Module. I do most of my work in the Library Grid View. To get there: Click on Library in the upper menu; Click on the grid view in the lower center panel. You should see thumbnail versions of your images and a Library Filter menu across the top. Enter your search terms, press enter, and you will see all images with (or without, as you choose) those tags. The dropdown search bars offer several options for searching.

Hope this  helps.

How to Archive Family Keepsakes Book Now Available

 

It's Here!

How to Archive Family Keepsakes -- Learn how to preserve family photos, memorabilia and genealogy records  includes over 200 pages of ideas and techniques to help family historians preserve heirlooms, organize research materials, and enhance genealogy skills. 

It's exciting to write a book, but it's really exciting to see it in print!

How to Archive Family Keepsakes is the book I needed -- and couldn't find -- when I inherited my grandmother's treasures. Instead, I spent weeks researching preservation techniques and archival best practices for family photos, documents, and artifacts. Writing How to Archive Family Keepsakes gave me a chance to share what I'd learned.

The overall scope of the book expanded somewhat as I worked with my editors at Family Tree Books on the concept and outline. It became obvious that home archivists needed to know more than how to safely store old documents. They might also want to learn

• best practices for digitizing heirlooms of all kinds
• how to choose what to save and what to toss
• how to catalog letters, documents, and artifacts
• what file formats work best for archival copies
• tips for moving toward a paperless genealogy life
• new ideas for organizing the paper in their research world

If you are looking for ideas and techniques to help you organize, preserve and share your family keepsakes, I hope you will take a look at How to Archive Family Keepsakes.

Family Tree Books, is in the Exhibit Hall at the Federation of Genealogical Society conference this week in Birmingham with copies of the book "hot off the press." Stop by and say Hello!

How to Archive Family Keepsakes now available from

ShopFamilyTree.com - save 10% with code FAMILY10F

Amazon.com

and your local bookstore

Fall Foliage Opportunities at NEHGS

The weekly newsletter and periodic press releases from the New England Historic Genealogical Society are getting to be a kind of Yankee torture. I may read "Come Research in New England" but what I see are gem-tone autumn leaves, wool sweaters, and sharp blue skies. 

If you have New England ancestors and have never visited your ancestral haunts in autumn, add it to your genealogy ToDo List. There's no better way to get started with New England research than by attending one of the outstanding programs offered at the New England Historic Genealogical Society headquartered on Newberry Street in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston.

The early Fall program schedule at NEHGS reminds me once again why I wish I lived in Massachusetts --

Using AmericanAncestors.org 

September 12, 2012 10:00AM - 11:00AM

Free lecture on how to use the features, tools, resources, and content of the NEHGS website, AmericanAncestors.org. With more than than 200 million searchable names covering New England, New York, and other areas of family research dating back to 1620, this is a top resource for New England research. 

New Israel - New England: Jews and Puritans in Early America

September 12, 2012 6:00PM - 7:00PM

Author Michael Hoberman will discuss his book New Israel /New England: Jews and Puritans in Early America, which examines the history of colonial New England through the lens of its first settlers. The New England Puritans’ fascination with the legacy of the Jewish religion has been well documented, but their interactions with actual Jews have escaped sustained historical attention. New Israel/New England tells the story of the Sephardic merchants in Boston and Newport between the mid-seventeenth century and the American Revolution. It also explores the complex and often contradictory meanings that the Puritans attached to Judaism and the fraught attitudes that they bore toward the Jews as a people. This event is cosponsored with the American Jewish Historical Society, New England Archives.

Writing and Publishing Seminar, Part I

September 15, 2012 9:00AM - 4:30PM
This is the first of a two-part seminar on writing and publishing your family history. Workshops in Part 1 include defining your project, writing in genealogical format, working with images, and adding narrative to your genealogy. Part 2, to be held on February, 23, 2013, delves into the editorial process and book production, and offers a chance to meet with publishers/printers and consult with experts.
Cost: Tuition: $110. Includes light breakfast, lunch, and all program materials.

For more information, contact education@nehgs.org or 617-226-1226.

Join Me and Learn New Skills at the Family Tree University Fall Virtual Genealogy Conference

When you can't go to a genealogy conference, let the conference come to you! Family Tree University will present a Virtual Genealogy Conference September 14-16, 2012 with 15 recorded webinars, online chats, discussions, and giveaways.

I am one of several genealogy educators who will present sessions for the weekend in three tracks -- Technology, Research Strategies, and Ethnic Research. One of the advantages of a virtual conference is that you don't have to choose between concurrent sessions. Every presentation is pre-recorded and your registration pass gives you full access to view and download sessions throughout the weekend for view whenever you wish.

I will be presenting two sessions on digitizing with your heirloom documents and photos and your genealogy piles (oops, files). 

Scanning Secrets

Do you have photos and documents you want to preserve digitally? In this class, discover tips and tricks for scanning your family ephemera, from choosing the right resolution to cropping and more.

Paperless Pedigrees: Organizing Your Genealogy Electronically

There’s a bigger benefit to going green in your genealogy than simply saving the environment: Embracing electronic documentation can preserve and put in order your exhaustive research. Just because the material you work with is old doesn’t mean your organization techniques should be outdated. Check out this class to get your e-files in order.

You can get a head-start on the conference at FaceBook by attending live 30-minute chats hosted by several conference presenters. Read the full schedule for dates and times of Meet the Presenter on FaceBook.

Save on Registration

There's still time to get a discount on Conference registration. Family Tree University is offering a 20% discount to Family Curator readers who enter the special code FRIENDSOFDENISE when registering for the Conference. 

View the conference program and meet the presenters. Register here with the discount code FRIENDSOFDENISE.

Book Review: Finding Inspiration in "Sweet Home" Cooking

I buy cookbooks for many reasons. The last reason I buy a cookbook is because I want to cook the recipes.

First, I am attracted by an interesting title and cover, even better with a photograph. Next, I'm interested in the story line or theme. Is this a book about foreign cuisine with amusing travel anecdotes? Will I learn something about food customs or preparation technique?

I buy cookbooks because a well-written recipe can be almost as satisfying as a slice of decadent death--by-chocolate cake (note: almost). We aren't a big dessert family, saving sweet treats for holidays and Sundays, but I love flipping though a cookbook and tasting the deliciousness of home-made goodness.

I also buy cookbooks because they inspire me to try something new -- a new dish, a new technique, or maybe a new way to preserve my own recipes.

Sweet Home: Over 100 Heritage Desserts and Ideas for Preserving Family Recipes is one of those cookbooks I bought because of the very last reason. More than just a collection of recipes or a coffee-table book of mouth-watering photographs, Sweet Home is filled with ideas for any family historian who has wondered about preserving old recipes or sharing memories of family meals. That I can't wait to try out most of the recipes is an added bonus.

Who wouldn't love to taste

• Cloudberry Krumkaker Cones
• Mom's Banana Cake
• Spiced Cider Doughnuts
• Pumpkin Snack Bread
• Dad's Chocolate Mudslide Cookies

Author Rebecca Miller Ffrench grew up in a family of dessert lovers where evening dessert "was a sacred bonding time." She talks about the sad passing of weeknight desserts in most homes and reconnecting with the past through food. In the same way that Gena Philibert Ortega notes the importance of food and meals in family tradition (From the Family Kitchen), French writes about how recipes and cooking have always been a central part of family life.

More Than Recipes

Sweet Home is filled with more than recipes. The four chapters -- Preserving, Celebrating, Giving, Creating -- are anchored by dozens of ideas for preserving and sharing family recipes and favorite foods.

Preserving focuses on recording food stories and memories and sharing favorites with tips from interviewing cooks to making an accordion fold recipe album.

Celebrating showcases "10 Ways to Make Small Moments Big." I like the fun idea to make photo cake cards on a stick to use in decorating future birthday cakes! 

Giving features ideas for personalizing food gifts in clever and unique packaging.

Creating is for the family food historian in many of us with ten possibilities for Creating Your Own Food Story with activities, writing, and new traditions.

As I read Sweet Home and enjoyed the beautiful photographs, I was inspired to think about how I could preserve my own family's food memories before they slip away. Some of the recipes reminded me of dishes I had forgotten or hadn't made in years. Sweet Home is a more than a cookbook, it's an inspiration for why we need to save family food memories and  a simple guide on how to get started.

Sweet Home: Over 100 Heritage Desserts and Ideas for Preserving Family Recipes , by Rebecca Miller Ffrench (Maryland: Kyle Books, 2012). Available from Amazon.com

Learn Genealogy Skills from Home: Family Tree Univ. Fall Virtual Conference

Would you like to advance your genealogy education without the fuss and expense of travel? Wouldn't it be great if you could pop in and out of conference sessions between kids' soccer games, social commitments, and lunch with a friend?

If you think so, I hope you will join me, Lisa Alzo, James Beidler, Lisa Louise Cooke, Rick Crume, Thomas MacEntee, Gena Philibert Ortega, and Diana Crisman Smith September 14-16 for the Fall 2012 Virtual Genealogy Conference presented by Family Tree University.

15 View-Anytime Videos

The seasonal FTU Virtual Conference presents a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in genealogy instruction, live chats, and message board discussions all via the internet. The Fall Course features 15 instructional videos in three tracks: genealogy technology, ethnic research, and research strategies. 

I will be presenting two pre-recorded sessions on moving your genealogy research and keepsakes into the digital age:

Scanning Secrets: Tips and Tricks for scanning photos, documents and ephemera

Paperless Pedigrees: Organizing Your Genealogy Electronically

Video sessions may be viewed at any time during the three-day conference, and are also available to download. 

Live Chat Sessions

Scheduled live chats provide an opportunity to ask questions and broaden your understanding of topics and strategies; message boards offer a forum for ongoing discussion.

Choosing a Cloud Genealogy Program

Best Genealogy Tablet Apps

Discussing Source Documentation

Researching Courthouse Records

Sunday Brunch Free-for-All

Share Your Stumpers: Ideas for Your Brick-Wall Problems

Learn more about the Family Tree University Fall 2012 Virtual Genealogy Conference here.

SAVE $50 Until Wednesday Nite

A special two-day promotion saves you $50 off the regular $199 Registration price when you use the coupon code FTUNEWSVC at checkout. This offer expires 11:59pm, Wednesday 15 August 2012.

Registration includes an All-Access Pass for the three day conference and a "swag bag" of goodies from Family Tree. 

I hope to see you September 14-16 at the Family Tree University Fall 2012 Virtual Genealogy Conference.

Disclosure: I am a contributing author to Family Tree Magazine and a presenter at the Fall 2012  Virtual Genealogy Conference. I receive a small affiliate fee when you click through and register from this blog. See About: Disclosures for more information.

Put Another Candle on the Birthday Cake!

I'm going to try to write this post without breaking down. Couldn't write it last year, but maybe now. . .

Three years ago today I woke up to a wonderful birthday surprise orchestrated in secret over many weeks by a dear friend and my dear mother. It seems they had conspired behind my back and over the internet to give me a most creative and personal birthday gift. That was most certainly a birthday to remember.

I was Taken by a Tech Surprise to discover in my early morning blog reading that something funny was going on over at Shades of the Departed, with the help and downright encouragement of footnoteMaven. Mom was appearing as the newest guest blogger for A Twice Told Tuesday Birthday Story! The back-story was told more clearly (?) by Penny Dreadful in the Comments section of the Shades Birthday Story; scroll down for the dreadful scoop.

From the look of this photograph, it wasn't the first time Mom had pulled off a surprise

Birthdays do have a way of sneaking up and catching us when we least expect it.

Who could have known that footnoteMaven helped Mom pull off the last birthday gift I would receive from her. And it could not have been more perfect. Thank you, dear fM, for a wonderful memorable celebration. I'm toasting your renewed good health today and Mom is adding her prayers from above.

Digitize Your Family History Webinar

Photo and Scan Your Genealogy Photos and Documents

If you are looking for tips to speed up your family heirloom digitization project, you may be interested in a new webinar I will be presenting Thursday, 9 August 2012 for Family Tree University.

Digitize Your Family History will feature:

What does it mean "to digitize"

Why you should digitize your family keepsakes

Scanning vs. Digital Photography

Choosing what to digitize

Using a commercial digitizing service

Tricks for making copies with your digital camera 

Tips for scanning success

Setting scan resolution (dpi)

Naming digital files

In addition, attendees have submitted how-to questions that will be answered during the webinar, and have an opportunity to ask further questions at the end of the presentation. Topics include:

How to scan a tintype

Setting up a digital camera to photograph framed items

Scanner settings for cabinet card photographs

Digitizing an oversize document

and more

My favorite part of the program shows my newest photo innovation -- using a flexible tripod for some camera gymnastics.

Hope you can join us next Thursday, August 9 at 4 pm Pacific Time / 5 p.m. Mountain / 6 p.m. Central / 7 p.m. Eastern

Use the code FAMILY10F when you register and save 10%. Click here to learn more and register.

Book Review: My Genealogy Book Purchases at GRIP

This week's Summer Reading series features two titles I purchased from genealogy bookseller Maia's Books at the recent Genealogical Institute of Pittsburgh. I have been working with probate records recently and was pleased to find two books highly recommended during my Intermediate Course with Paula Stuart-Warren and Josh Taylor.

Inheritance in America

Inheritance in America: From colonial times to the present by Carole Shammas, Marylynn Salmon, and Michel Dahlin is the result of an academic grant "Inheritance, Family, and the Evolution of Capitalism in America." It touches broadly on the concept of inheritance (as stated in the title) from Colonial Times to the Present, with a focused look at the colonies or states at four points, each a century apart. The book also looks carefully at laws in Pennsylvania and California.

Roughly half of the 320 page book is devoted to inheritance law before the mid-nineteenth century. Chapters in Parts One (Inheritance Under Family Capitalism) and Two (Family, Property, and the Rise of Corporate Capitalism) focus on

English Inheritance Law and the Colonies

Colonial Testamentary Practice and Family Capitalism

Changes and Attempted Changes in Postrevolutionary Inheritance Law

Inheritance Law and the Rights of Women and Children in the Nineteenth Century

Testamentary Behavior in the 1790s and 1890s

Part Three features an analysis the the Federal Estate Tax and Inheritance in the 20th Century.

Most of my present research is grounded in 18th and 19th century probate records, and I am finding the sections on colonial law to be a useful survey of the inheritance laws that would have been known by my ancestors. I wonder if they would have embraced Limited Family Partnerships, Family Trusts, and LLP arrangements in an effort to direct distribution of their assets after death?

Estate Inventories: How to Use Them

Estate Inventories: How to Use Them by Kenneth L. Smith is a short volume packed with  useful information for anyone working with probate and estate documents. Reading an old estate inventory is a bit like opening someone's medicine chest; it feels kinda sneaky in an interesting way.

I didn't know just how poor my ancestor really was until I compared his inventory to those shared by Smith. A few pots and pans, minimal dishes, and a bit of furniture and bedding all tell the story of a family of very modest means.

Smith's chapter on spelling variations, paleography (handwriting) and phonetics are useful reviews on how to decipher handwritten documents. His own personal experience in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia directs the examples with German phonetics, handwriting, and customs, but are useful for researchers working anywhere in the United States.

The discussion of net value and worth is out-of-date, using a 1982 reference chart for converting money to current value, but the footnotes suggest that a newer version of the same table could be substituted. He also makes the good point that values are relative to wages, cost and scarcity of goods, and other economic factors. Sample inventories and discussion help understand the concepts more fully.

Nearly half of the 137 page book comprises a Glossary of Uncommon Terms that are typically found in estate inventories. Some of the vocabulary is regional featuring  Pennsylvania Dutch words and nicknames for objects, but most words are not focused on any particular part of the country. 

Both are useful volumes I am glad to add to my genealogy library.

About Maia's Books -- Martha Mercer brought an extensive selection of titles to GRIP, with an especially good variety of books focused on Pennsylvania and German research. I also purchased two map books for the German research that is on my ToDo list.

Inheritance in America is available from Maia's Books and Amazon.com

Estate Inventories is available from Maia's Books and Amazon.comAmazon.com

Please leave a comment if you can recommend other useful books or articles for working with probate and estate records.

Getting a GRIP on the 2012 Inaugural Session of the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh

If success of a venture can be measured in "repeat business" GRIP has found a place as a valuable resource for genealogical education with the inaugural session at La Roche College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Hopefully, Institute Directors Debbie Deal and Elissa Scalise Powell are enjoying a bit of R&R after a week of classes, lectures, and full-time "directing" to make sure that everything ran smoothly.

In my Intermediate Course with Paula Stuart-Warren, more than a few people were asking for "preferred" registration status for next year's six-course lineup. Don't worry, according to Elissa, that won't happen and everyone will get the same opportunity to sign up when registration opens, but the enthusiasm of the first attendees is a good indication of GRIP's achievement.

Each of the four courses offered an outstanding instructor and a curriculum of targeted lectures and hands-on exercises. The classrooms were comfortable and well-equipped, the evening lectures were varied and interesting, and the dorm accommodations were convenient and economical. The cafeteria food was an unexpected highlight featuring local fresh ingredients in a changing daily menu. 

I shouldn't really be writing all this because now it's going to be tougher for me to get a spot next year! 

My Personal Take-away from GRIP

I learned so much about becoming a better, more effective researcher, from the instructors as well as from my classmates. I learned that collaboration is a good thing. Although I've attended several conferences and seminars, I often spend most of my social time with geneabloggers where conversation tends to move towards social networking, marketing, and the technology of blogging. I met several bloggers at GRIP, but the emphasis for all of us was on learning how to be better genealogists, rather than on how to be more effective bloggers.

Reading posts from some of the other bloggers in attendance emphasizes the week's focus. I enjoyed meeting Christy Webb, Karen Blackmore, Michelle Chubenko, Chris Staats, Shelley Bishop, and Cathy Desmarias for the first time and catching up with old friend Becky Wiseman, but we were all at GRIP intent on the same purpose, to become better genealogists. 

Would I go again? In a flash. But, I'd pack away a six-pack of Diet Coke; La Roche is dedicated Pepsi Country, and that can make for some tough study sessions.

Book Review: More Genea-Fiction with Prof. Simon Shaw Mysteries

In the mood for more mystery after last week's interview with genealogical crime author Steve Robinson? Jefferson Tayte's next adventure is slated for spring 2013, and in the meantime you might enjoy browsing through an engaging mystery series by Sarah R. Shaber featuring Professor Simon Shaw, a young history professor at a small college in Raleigh, North Carolina.

In the debut title, Simon Said , a body is found on the archeological dig of a local historic home, but it's not as old as it should be. The unidentified remains appear to be from the 1920s instead of three centuries earlier. Shaw is called in as an expert consultant for his skill has a historical researcher and finds himself reluctantly drawn in to a mystery he can't resist.

Like any genealogist, Shaw knows he has to flesh out the family tree to discover the roots of the story, and therein lies the puzzle.

I enjoyed the well-developed characters in the novel, as much as the mystery. Simon and his faculty friends are interesting people who you grow to care about, and Simon's difficulty coping with his new divorced status is realistic in it's heartache. The mystery itself pulled me along through the pages and made it a quick, but enjoyable read.

I was glad to find that the next book in the series, Snipe Hunt, was also available in the Amazon Kindle Owner's Lending Library to borrow for free for Prime members.

Snipe Hunt  is set on the North Carolina Outer Banks where Simon joins his friends for a beach house Thanksgiving holiday. When the body of a local man is found in the water with a cache of gold coins, local interest is revived in old tales of shipwrecks and booty. Simon is becoming more comfortable in his role as "forensic historian" with this experience, but he still manages to appear ready to go back to his quiet uneventful life at any time.

Happily (for the readers), people just keep turning up dead and Shaw's adventures continue in three more mysteries. The series now numbers five books, and it's anyone's guess if Shraber will continue with more. Her latest publications have turned to historical fiction featuring Louise Pearlie, a young widow working in Washington, D.C. as a clerk in the OSS (to become the CIA). Louise's War and Louise's Gamble are in my list of Books to Read this Summer!

The Professor Simon Shaw Mystery Series (in order)

Available in Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, Paperback editions

Simon Said  (Book One) Amazon

Snipe Hunt (Book Two) Amazon

The Fugitive King  (Book Three) Amazon

The Bug Funeral  (Book Four) Amazon

Shell Game  (Book Five) Amazon

Sarah Shaber's New Series

Louise's War

Louise's Gamble

See Disclosure page for full statement.

GRIP Day Two: Getting Into the Groove

It sounds rather dull to say we are setting into a routine here at GRIP, so instead I'll suggest that we are moving toward Genealogy Zen. We wake, we eat, we listen, talk, and think genealogy. We move from dorm room, to classroom, to cafeteria, back and forth and KGEN plays continually on the radio without interruption.  

Today the Intermediate class heard sessions on citing sources and finding information through NUCMUC, NARA, and JSTOR, with a two-hour after-dinner presentation on using Google Earth and map overlays for genealogy projects. Paula and Josh have so many tips and tricks for effective searches and little-known repositories that I'm keeping a running ToDo List for my own research.

Collaboration is clearly a keyword this week, and hearing ideas from classmates points out the experience and expertise of so many researchers. The trick is connecting and sharing so we can help one another. Paula made a good case in class for enlisting help and hiring local researchers to expedite a project or as guides to help you become acclimated in a new repository or locality. I had never thought about it before, but it really makes a lot of sense to seek out an expert at times.

Genealogy bloggers tend to read about each others interests and specialities on their blogs making it fairly easy to connect online, but it takes just a bit of conversation to figure out the same information in person. 

The Getting a GRIP daily newsletter listed attendees from 28 states and Italy. Just imagine the wealth of experience --

Pennsylvania: 26

Ohio: 17

Maryland: 10

Virginia: 7

New York: 6

New Jersey, West Virginia: 5 each

California: 4

Colorado, Minnesota, Washington: 3 each

Maine, Michigan: 2 each

One each from: Italy, Arkansas, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin

Tomorrow the Intermediate course moves on to Land and Tax Records, Court Records, Military Records, and Research in "New" Localities. It promises to be a long and interesting day concluding after dinner with a two hour session on Pennsylvania Research. 

Time for Lights Out!