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Free Online Lecture
Around the World in a Handful of Objects
Join Matthias Waschek, Jean and Myles McDonough Director of the Worcester Art Museum, for a survey of works from the museum's collection which reflect the depth of the human experience. Moderated by Curt DiCamillo. August 19 at 4 p.m. (ET). Register Now
In-person Research Tour
Fall Research Getaway
Escape to Boston for three days of research, one-on-one consultations, social events and more at the American Ancestors Research Center, led by our expert genealogists. October 13–15. Register Now
Spotlight: Cemeteries, Geauga County Public Library, Ohio
by Valerie Beaudrault
Geauga County, seated in Chardon, is located in southeastern Ohio. The Geauga County Public Library has made data for 18 cemeteries available online, which can be browsed by name or by section and lot. The website also provides a database for ten Amish cemeteries, and a listing of veterans by township. Search each database using the search box at the upper right, or navigate using arrows. Data fields provided are surname, first name, township/cemetery, section and lot, birth date, death date, and veteran status. Search Now
Virtual Author Talk
Camper English with Doctors and Distillers
From alchemy to mixology—join experts in spirits and law for a look at the linked history of medicine and liquor.
Epitaph expert John Hanson on how to interpret early New England gravestones, and what they can tell us about our ancestors' lives. August 25 at 3 p.m. (ET)
A Body Found in 1948 Became an Australian Obsession. Now, There’s an ID. “‘He’s the most well-known John Doe … in Australia, the most well-known forensic case — and we solved it,’ Colleen Fitzpatrick, a genetic genealogist and founder of Identifinders International, told The Washington Post.”
A Tale of Two Toms: on the Uses and Abuses of History “What happens when a historian begins to idolize their subject? Jenny Hale Pulsipher explores the process of historical mythmaking and how Tom McEnery contributed to the rise and downfall of Thomas Fallon as a historical figure in San Jose, California.”
Last week's survey asked where you would go if you could visit one place in the world connected with your ancestry. We received 3,591 responses. The results are:
5%, Massachusetts
6%, One of the other five New England states
2%, A mid-Atlantic state
2%, A southern state
1%, A midwestern state
<1%, A western state
4%, Canada
<1%, The Caribbean, Mexico, or South America
21%, England or Wales
15%, Scotland
18%, Ireland
1%, Spain or Portugal
8%, Germany or Austria
3%, France
2%, Belgium or the Netherlands
6%, Scandinavia
2%, Greece or Italy
4%, Eastern Europe or Russia
<1%, Africa
<1%, Asia
<1%, Australia or New Zealand
2%, A place not mentioned above
This week’s survey asks if any of your ancestors or relatives were associated with the whaling industry. Take the survey now
Want to share your thoughts on the survey with us? We are always happy to hear from our readers. Email us at weeklygenealogist@nehgs.org. Responses may be edited for clarity and length and featured in a future newsletter.
Readers Respond: One Ancestral Place to Visit
By Lynn Betlock, Editor
Last week's survey asked where you would go if you could visit one place in the world connected with your ancestry. Thank you to everyone who replied. Below is a selection of reader responses.
Lynn Gaulin, North Attleboro, Massachusetts: After having my DNA tested, I discovered at age 83 that my ancestry was part Chilean rather than Germanic, so learning about Chilean history and culture is a new goal. A visit to Chile would be thrilling!
Don Hill, Katy, Texas: I would go to South Korea to meet my mother's extended family. My mother married my father while he was stationed in the U.S. Army there and she immigrated to the U.S. in 1968. Eventually the rest of her immediate family followed. I know much less about the genealogy and history of my maternal side, due to lack of information and language barriers in my research. My mother said her father took many years of research to put together a jokbo (a Korean genealogy book) when she was a child. Traditionally, families kept a jokbo, which is passed down through generations. The firstborn son of each family inherits the original jokbo and continues the genealogy and family line. However, my eldest uncle was not interested and broke the tradition.
Marian Natale, Cary, North Carolina: Because I have visited many of the places connected with my ancestry, I would choose to go somewhere new: Sulmona, the town in Italy that was home to my husband’s grandparents. We’ve been fortunate that the records for 1809 to 1865 are online, and I would now love to explore records that aren’t on the Internet.
Pat Galovich, Cloverdale, Surrey, British Columbia: My mother's ancestry is Manx, from the Isle of Man. She was born in Douglas, the capital city. I've been there twice already but would not hesitate to return. The Isle is a place almost lost in time and people there treat you like family right away. The lifestyle is unhurried, honest, and hardworking. Because it is an island, everyone looks out for each other and I felt I became part of the community immediately. The scenery is great and reminds me of places in British Columbia, where I was born. The recorded history of the Manx people is extensive, which allows Manx descendants to discover much about their ancestry.
Database News
New Volumes Added to Boston Catholic Records
This week we’re announcing 14 new volumes in Massachusetts: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Records, 1789-1920. These new volumes come from St. Francis of Assisi (Lawrence), St. Mary (Plymouth), and St. Peter (Plymouth). This database is available to American Ancestors members. Search Now
Your Legacy. Your Peace of Mind. Your Free Will.
As a family historian, you know that wills are important in your research—but have you created a will for yourself? Free Will, an easy and free online will creation tool, will guide you step-by-step through identifying beneficiaries for your assets, supporting the causes that are important to you, and planning for the preservation of your research. Learn More
