Using a Mac to Trace Your Family Historyocalamug.org/resources/meeting-notes/geneology-presentation.pdf · • In addition to the basic features it will search some of the internet

Using a Mac to Trace Your Family History

Ocala Mac Users ClubBobby Adams

14 February 2012

Sunday, February 26, 12

Topics • Basic Genealogy• Internet Tools• Genealogy SW for the Mac• Demonstrations

– Family Tree Maker for the Mac & Mac2– RootsWeb.com– Ancestry.com– FamilySearch.org


Genealogy on TV

• Alex Haley’s Roots• Who Do You Think You Are? (NBC)• Faces of America with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.• Find My Family (ABC)• Generations Project on BYU (PBS)


Basic Genealogy• Defined – What are we talking about?• Genealogist or Family Historian• We Need to Collect Enough Information to Make the Use

of Computer and Internet Tools Effective• Best to capture them in a format designed for this type of

information, e.g., Pedigree or Family Group Sheets• There are many books available on genealogy and I

encourage to go to the library or book store • Also as you will see a little later there is an abundance of

material available on the internet that is free


Basic Genealogy (Cont.)• Gather as much information about yourself and your

immediate family, grandparents, and more if possible.• Write it down. Focus on events, names, locations, dates

of birth, marriage, and death (BMD)• In these events we are looking for verifiable information

so it is a good idea to cite the source of your information• Get in the habit early of documenting the sources of your

information.• It is a good idea to have at least three sources for each

event• Consider the creditability of the source• Expect spelling of names to have many variations• Look for women under both maiden and married names• Look for families as well as individuals


Internet Tools

• Databases of genealogical information• Search engines to help you find your information• Web sites (over 265K)• Forums (Rootsweb over 160K)• Mailing Lists (Rootsweb over 30K)• E-Mail


Internet Tools

• Most Popular Web Sites

• Largest DBs– Ancestry– FamilySearch– U. S. GenWeb– RootsWeb– Footnote– WorldVitalRecord– GenealogyBank


Computer SW

• Lets get our data organized. There are many computer programs available to help us organize our genealogical information. Some of the most popular are:– Family Tree Maker (Mac and PC)– Reunion (Mac)– Personal Ancestral File… and many others

• Some are free and some are not.– Family Tree Maker for the Mac, sells for $70 at Sam’s

Club. With a 6-month trial subscription to Ancestry.com

– Reunion sells for $100– PAF can be downloaded free at FamilySearch.org


Mac Genealogy SW Review


Family Tree Maker

• It is the number one selling family history program for over 20 years.

• It will help you organize, search, and share your information.

• Demo…– What the program looks like, e.g., menus, toolbars,

entry screens, etc.– How information is entered and organized– Ways that the program can present your information


Family Tree Maker (Cont.)

• In addition to the basic features it will search some of the internet DBs and look for information about the people you have entered in to your family tree.

• If you have a subscription to a genealogical DB such as Ancestry.com, is will show “hints” and send you e-mails of possible information on your ancestors.


FTM for the Mac2 • New Features:

– TreeSync– Mac only Features– Combined Family View– Better Ancestry Integration– Enhanced Performance– New image collection for charts and reports

• Installation:• File Conversion:


FTM App for the iOS Devices • iPad and iPad2

– Ancestry app that allows you to create, edit, and view your Family Tree information

• The app will allow you to “sync” for information between Mac and iOS devices. The iPad2 would be a very convenient way to visit family members and capture information and media.


Demonstrations…

A picture is worth a thousand words…


FTM Demos… • Diana Frances SPENCER, Princess of Wales

– Names of Spouse, Children, Parents, and Grandparents;– Dates of Birth, Marriage, and Death;– Locations of Life Events;

• Show FTM Tabs – Plans– People– Places,– Media– Web Search


RootsWeb

• Began in mid-eighties, by couple of young grads.• Created first genealogical mailing list, ROOTS-L.• 1996 registered their project as RootsWeb.com.• 2000 acquired by The Generations Network, who also

owns Ancestry.com.• Today it hosts the largest and most comprehensive

collection of free genealogical resources available on the internet.

• Over 465 million names, 30 thousand individual web sites, and 30 thousand mailing lists. It is large and a little confusing.


RootsWeb (Cont.)

• It’s holdings are broken down generally into Family Trees, Message Boards or Forums, Mailing Lists, and Web Sites.

• Search templates in general look at Surnames (RSL), Localities, Documents, Date Ranges, etc.

• Because of time, I am going to focus on Family Trees.• WorldConnect, one of the largest collections of Family

Trees, it can save you a lot of work.• Lets go to Rootsweb.com…


RootsWeb (Demo)

• URL: www.rootsweb.com• User Interface:

– Home– Searches– Family Trees– Mailing Lists– Message Boards– Web Sites– Passwords– Help


http://www.rootsweb.com


Ancestry.com

• One of the oldest genealogical resources, it is a subscription service, although it has free material, and the Library Edition is available at the Marion Co. Library. It is the world’s number one online source for family history info. It is part of The Generations Network.

• Over 23 thousand independent DBs… Message Boards, Member Directory… More than five billion names!

• The User I/F has Tabs for Home, My Ancestry, Search, Ancestry Community, Learning Center, and Store.

• Getting Started: Account, UserID and PW.


Ancestry.com (Cont.)

• Register and sign up for Newsletters and other info.• Something about large and complex DBs…• Home: Historical Records, Family Trees, Stories and

Publications, Photos and Maps.• Use Quick Guide if you get lost.• Let’s take a look…


Ancestry.com (Demo)

• URL: www.ancestry.com• User Interface:

– Home– Family Trees– Searches– Collaborate– Learning Center– DNA– Publish– Shop & Gift– Help




FamilySearch.com

• Founded in 1894 to gather genealogical records and assist members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with their family history and genealogical research.

• The collection includes over 2.4 million rolls of microfilmed genealogical records; 742,000 microfiche; 310,000 books, serials, and other formats; 4,500 periodicals; 700 electronic resources.

• The Ancestral File database contains more than 36 million names that are linked into families.


FamilySearch.com (Cont.)

• The International Genealogical Index database contains approximately 600 million names of deceased individuals. An addendum to the International Genealogical Index contains an additional 125 million names.

• Over four thousand Family History Centers, including one here in Ocala.

• Site is free, but need to get an account and register to get the full treatment.

• Let’s take a look at the site…


FamilySearch.org (Demo)

• URL: www.familysearch.org• User Interface:

– Home– Searches– Family Trees– Mailing Lists– Message Boards– Web Sites– Passwords– Help


Other Resources of Value

• Cyndislist.com• Genealogy.com• USGenWeb.org• WorldGenWeb.org• Ellisisland.org• Immigrantships.net• Google Earth


Summary

• Questions?
