FGS Names Official Bloggers for FGS2011

Did you hear the news? The Federation of Genealogical Societies named their official bloggers for the 2011 conference.

I am thrilled to have been chosen as part of such a fantastic group.

Regular readers know the drill, but if you've recently stumbled upon this blog, here's what you can expect from me as an "Official Blogger."

There will be play-by-play action.
I cover conferences chronologically, describing what I did or saw each day. Sometimes if a lot happens in a day, I will break the time into smaller posts.

There will be pictures.
I am a visual learner and an armchair traveler. I love it when people use photos in their blogs, so I do the same.

There will be take-aways for the readers at home.
If I learn about a new tool, big news or powerful speakers who make impressions, I'll be sure to tell you about it.

There will be commentary.
I have opinions about the conference experience. Sometimes I share them.

There might be bacon.
If a certain vendor hosts a breakfast and happens to invite me again there *will* be bacon, but I don't want to jinx it.

In the interest of full disclosure, FGS did provide a complimentary registration to the conference, plus an $8 ticket to a social event. All other costs incurred are mine. Learn more about this event at the FGS conference blog.

Special thanks to the Federation of Genealogical Societies for this opportunity. I will do my best to cover the conference from my perspective and share it with the genealogy community.

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Suggest a Session Topic for RootsTech 2012

The Powers Behind RootsTech invite you to suggest a session topic for their 2012 conference. Enter your ideas in the comment box on the RootsTech home page.

How cool that they are seeking this feedback from the public and potential attendees. I made my own suggestion  for a session on intermediate blogging issues such as monetization, pros and cons of affiliate association, copyright, transferring blogging platforms, etc.

Don't get me wrong. I love all the how-to-blog sessions available, but I feel there are enough old salts out there who would benefit from the discussion of some more complex blogging issues we face.

Will they bite? Is anyone else interested in this topic as much as I am? I'm not sure. Guess I'll find out next February, because I'll be there no matter what.

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Springfield, Here I Come

I am officially registered for the 2011 Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference. I've had the hotel and flight reserved for a few weeks, but this conference registration makes it *official.* 

I'm looking forward to seeing my genealogy friends and meeting some new ones. Will I see you there? If not, no worries. You know I'll post a ton of pictures and make sure you don't miss a minute of the fun.

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Houston Area Genealogy Event This Friday

Friday, June 3, there will be a meeting of the Lone Star Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists from 7-9 p.m in Houston. You can find the details here.

Everyone is welcome! You do not have to be a member of APG, the Lone Star Chapter, or even a professional genealogist. If you don't feel comfortable crashing such an event, let me know and we'll form an entourage and make an entrance together.

I'm speaking at this event about my experience at RootsTech. I'll be talking about the RootsTech event in general, it's differences from other genealogy conferences and how it can benefit genealogists from a professional perspective.

Though I have a list of points I want to make, I hope to make this a group discussion more than a lecture. I want people to ask questions and learn as we go. Sort of like in the spirit of RootsTech.

If you're in the Houston area on Friday night, please come say hi! There will be cookies.
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RootsTech 2012 Call for Presentations

Below is the call for papers for RootsTech 2012. Get your proposals in, folks!

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Call for Presentations RootsTech 2012 in Salt Lake City, Utah

Dates/Venue:  February 2-4, 2012, Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City

Call Opens:     May 25, 2011

Call Closes:     June 30, 2011

Notification:    August 27, 2011

The inaugural RootsTech Conference in 2011 was a huge success. Over 3000 attendees filled the presentation venues to learn about technologies and applications that could impact the many emerging facets of family history-related consumer markets worldwide. The Community Zone bustled with technology vendors and demonstrations and the Internet buzzed with blogs, tweets, chats, and articles for a month following the close of the conference. We expect RootsTech 2012 to continue to exceed expectations.

Consider being part of the RootsTech 2012 excitement as a presenter! Please look into the list of suggested topics attached or below as a guideline for what we're seeking (you are certainly welcome to suggest additional topics). RootsTech 2012 presentations will be 40-50 minutes.

Submit your presentation proposal(s) online at RootsTech 2012 Call for Presentations.

Please forward this email to colleagues, business partners, friends, or anyone else you think might be interested in presenting at RootsTech 2012.

About RootsTech

The RootsTech conference is designed to bring technologists together with genealogists to learn from each other and find solutions to the challenges faced in family history research today. The conference’s activities and offerings are focused on content that will help genealogists and family historians discover exciting new research tools while enabling technology creators to learn the latest development techniques from industry leaders and pioneers.

Call for Speakers

February 2-4, 2012 | Salt Lake City, Utah

Genealogy is a fast growing market segment with broad consumer interest. The second annualRootsTech Conference brings genealogy technology users and consumer technology creators together to learn, collaborate, and shape the future of family history. Genealogy technology users at this conference are progressive, forward-thinking, and early adopters of devices and tools that simplify family history research. Technology creators include innovators, writers of code, developers, and other individuals who produce tools, services, and devices that could be used to simplify and increase involvement in family history.

Unique tracks will be offered that address the specific needs of genealogy technology users and technology innovators. We invite proposals that address technology challenges and solutions that have the potential to improve family history and genealogical research. Special emphasis will be placed on submissions that find ways for genealogy technology users and technology creators to work and interact together. Particular consideration will also be given to proposalsthat provide a hands-on or interactive experience, with presenters giving step-by-step approaches to using technology, software, hardware, algorithms, APIs, plug-ins, extensions, etc.

Possible session topics include:

•           GPS and geo-mapping

•           Mobile devices

•           Social applications

•           Imaging and visualization

•           Gamification

•           Cloud-based solutions

Submissions are due by June 30, 2011, with an extended deadline of October 15, 2011 for limited, late-breaking technologyresearch submissions.

Types of Sessions

1.     Presentations: Classroom settings that engage participants.

2.     Panels or Discussions: Formal panels of experts discussing specific topics, led by a facilitator.

3.     Hands-on Workshops: Labs where attendees have hands-on experience in a specific task or objective.

4.     Unconferencing: Informal, participant-led discussion groups.

Submission Information

Proposals will be accepted online at RootsTech.org from May 25, 2011 through June 30,2011. Complete submission guidelines will be available on the website at that time. Syllabus materials will be due from participating presenters on November 1, 2011.

Presenters participating in the RootsTech Conference will receive a complimentary conference registration and a syllabus. There is no monetary compensation for presenters at this conference. Out-of-state speakers selected to present four or more lectures will also receive hotel accommodations.

Community-Requested Session Topics

Check back frequently as the community weighs in on RootsTech session topics.  Recent suggestions include:  geo-mapping, setting up a blog, archiving, gene research, how technology can accelerate the research process, scanners, how tech gadgets can be used for genealogy, video podcasting, genealogy on a Mac, digitizing photographs and papers, voice recognition, and mobile apps.

Should I Join My Local Genealogy Society?

While gathering information for my monthly "Fun With Search Terms" series, I came across a search phrase leading to my blog that warranted its own post and answer:

Should I join my local genealogy society if I don't have family here?

My answer is yes, and here's why:

Friends
You will meet new people that have an interest in genealogy like you do. It's really refreshing to be part of a group that enjoys family history and speaks about it enthusiastically. Conversations about censuses that incite snores at your own family dinner table are met with enthusiasm at local genealogy society meetings.

Education
Programming at local society meetings often covers general genealogy topics that benefit all members. For example, I've attended meetings about genealogy DNA tests and military records. Sometimes small societies have local history programs as well. Even if the subject doesn't pertain to your own ancestors, there's always something interesting to learn. Plus, groups often have side meetings or opportunities for members to assist each other in research and brick wall advice. The collective wisdom in a local society is priceless.

Service
Almost all local genealogy societies are non-profit and dependent on volunteers. Your participation helps local groups to survive. You can also volunteer your time or expertise by being an officer, a snack bringer, or an assistant for anything the society may need. You may even share your own genealogy knowledge by being a guest speaker for your own group.

Parting thoughts
I belong to several societies where I do not have any local history. I recently joined a friendly group on the other side of town. I have zero ancestry in this part of Texas, but I have enjoyed the programs. Last month the group hosted a local historian who talked about the old railroad depot and the train history of the area. It was very interesting. Plus the members are all so dang nice. It's always a good meeting.

Hopefully the person that searched my blog asking that question will read my answer. Jump on in and be a part of a group that shares your interest in family history. There's so much to gain.

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Fun With Search Terms

It's time for another round of "Fun with Search Terms!" People type certain words or phrases into search engines. If the combination is right, my blog turns up in the search results. Sometimes the searches are funny. Sometimes I can provide more information to users, if only they'd comment on my blog. Either way, I enjoy the process. Please note that these searches are anonymous so I don't know who is stumbling on my blog. I just comment in the hope that they find it again.

Now on with the show. Actual search phrases are in bold.

native Chickasaw pictures from Oklahoma

Your best bet for anything related to Chickasaw history is the Chickasaw Cultural Center. If they don't have what you're looking for, they'll be able to point you in the right direction.

genealogist Houston

Here I am! I love that this search phrase leads right to my blog, so I'm going to keep mentioning it and building up that connection. 

a cowhand on the Chisholm Trail

Are you looking for photos? Historical accounts? A real person? I need more information, but I'll throw this link to the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center out there for you. I also have a book suggestion, but I'll wait to be contacted to see if the person is interested.

amy coffin book review

The genealogy book reviews on my blog are easily accessed by the "book reviews" label at the side of this page. I've also written several reviews in print. You can find some of them in issues of the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly magazine.

is flip pal any good?

Yes.

Sarah Neilson Jones

Sarah Brigance Williamson

Two more examples of people searching for my direct ancestors and visiting my blog without contacting me. Sad Amy is sad.

ideas for genealogy blogs

This book I'm working on has 201 genealogy blog ideas in it. Will that work for you? It will be released this Summer. Stay tuned.

who was Riley Fuzzel road named after?

It's a secret.

Thanks for playing!

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Water, Water, Everywhere

Atchafalaya Basin, Louisiana

I-10 at 70 MPH

I took this picture from a speeding car in 2010. Atchafalaya Basin is truly a lovely place on the road between Houston and New Orleans. Most speed right by Cajun Country on the way to The Big Easy without even a sideways glance toward the view.

Those that do get off the highway are rewarded by good scenery, good food and wonderful people. 

It's hard to watch the news and hear the reports of flooding in this area. It looks like a bunch of water and swamp from the Interstate, but if you take an exit you'll see the people that live and work there.

I have faith these folks can bounce back in time. When they do, I encourage you to get off the freeway and explore this area. It's truly an American gem. Buy some cracklin, too. 

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Book Review: The Time Traveller's Handbook by Althea Douglas

In this technological era, information as well as the way we retrieve it have changed greatly. Much of what used to be “common knowledge” is fading away as we attempt to grasp the facts and realities that arise. This is a challenge to genealogists who are dealing with historical documents that contain obsolete terms and details.

What is “green sickness?” How long did it take our ancestors to sail across the Atlantic Ocean? These answers aren’t easily attained today because they are part of the information of the past. As genealogists, we still need those “old” facts. Where do we find them?

Enter The Time Traveller’s Handbook: A Guide to the Past, by Althea Douglas (affiliate link). The author is a noted genealogist who has written extensively on Canadian local history and heritage. This latest endeavor is billed as a “guide for family historians working in Canada,” though the subject matter often pertains to readers in other countries as well.

The book is divided into sixteen chapters as well as an appendix, notes section, bibliography and index. The subjects covered in the chapters include historical documents, family traditions, education, money, travel, trades, home, health and heritage. The chapters flow easily and include many photos, tables and timelines to help readers process the information.

Douglas utilizes a conversational writing style that allows readers to learn more about her personal life and that of her ancestors during various eras in time. These anecdotes peppered throughout the chapter are entertaining, though sometimes draw attention away from the facts at hand and purpose of the book.

The biggest assets of The Time Traveller’s Handbook are its extensive reading lists. Douglas clearly is a well-read historian. This book includes numerous titles utilized in the manuscript, as well as a sizable bibliography. Readers will be pleased with the helpful published suggestions on both lists. Those looking for online resources will find only a couple recommended websites however, as the author focuses almost exclusively on printed resources.

Though the book is written by a Canadian for Canadians, it really is useful for genealogists in other countries as well. Much of the historical information contained in the book is relevant to British and U.S. research interests. Even the final chapters, which deal with Canadian heritage, are interesting and helpful from my American perspective.

According to the book’s introduction, this guide is “an attempt to bring together a lot of facts our ancestors once knew, took for granted and used regularly.” Douglas succeeds in packing a ton of information on numerous subjects into one soft-cover guide. The Time Traveller’s Handbook is a handy tool for assisting genealogists in understanding their ancestors’ every day lives.

The Time Traveller's Handbook by Althea Douglas

ISBN 976-1-55488-784-2

Dundurn Press

I Do Not Need Blogger Rehab

So I guess Blogger had a big chunk of downtime a few days ago. People freaked out. People got antsy. People got cranky. And some people got productive.

When I heard Blogger was down, my reaction was relief. If people couldn't blog, then I wouldn't be so far behind on my genealogy blog reading. Then when I woke up the next morning, Blogger still wasn't working. Even better!

During the down time, I started a citation project in my RootsMagic database. Basically, I've never liked the way my citations for US census entries looked. Thanks to the tips I learned in the RootsMagic webinars, I came up with a census source template that I met my needs.

So this weekend I started changing over the old citations to my new census source template. This project will take some time, but it is a very good thing in the long run.

So while the blogging world was thrown into a tizzy, I was actually quite happy with the Great Blogger Fail of 2011.

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Genealogy news Bits for May 11, 2011

I've been busy with The Little Book Project That Could, but I still find some time each day to read genealogy blogs. Here are some of the stories and posts I enjoyed and thought you might as well:

In her Begin with Craft blog, Valerie Craft compares the features of DNA companies 23 and Me and Family Tree DNA. See her post Relative Finder vs. Family Finder for her observations and an idea of what to expect if you dip your toe in the genetic genealogy pool.

Lorine McGinnis at Olive Tree Genealogy had a bad experience with Memopal. I don't use it, but I thought others might want to heed her warning.

Are you a current or former member of the ProGen study group who will be going to Jamboree? There's a meet up. See this post at Little Bytes of Life for details.

Ever wonder how to make the switch from Family Tree Maker 2011 to Roots Magic 4? Randy Seaver lays it all out in his GeneaMusings blog. Since I started from scratch in Roots Magic instead of transferring, this is one question I can't answer for those that have asked me. I'm so glad Randy does so, and did it better than I ever could.

Guess that's it for now. Go forth and be awesome.

FamilySearch Announces Releases of Hundreds of Millions of Civil War Records

This FamilySearch press release caught my eye. Check it out:

FamilySearch Announces Releases of Hundreds of Millions of Civil War Records

Salt Lake City, UT - May 10, 2011 - As the United States marks the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, people who had ancestors involved in the conflict can access millions of historical records recently published on thefamilysearch.org website. And millions more record sare coming, as Civil War indexing volunteers enlist in an epoch campaign over the next five years to provide access to the highly desirable historic documents.

FamilySearch announced the release today of hundreds of millions of online records at Librarians Day at the National Genealogical Society conference in Charleston, South Carolina. The collections include service records for both the Confederate and Union armies, pension records, and more. Some of the records have been available for some time but are now being added tofamilysearch.org/civilwar as part of this project. Here is just a sampling og what is available:

• Arizona, Service Record of Confederate Soldiers of the Civil War, 1861-1863
• Arkansas Confederate Pensions, 1901-1929
• Civil War Pension Index
• Louisiana Confederate Pensions, 1898-1950
• Missouri Confederate Pension Applications and Soldiers' Home Admission Applications
• South Carolina Compiled Service records of Confederate Soldiers (NARA M267)
• South Carolina Probate 1671-1977
• South Carolina Probate Records, Files, and Loose Papers, 1732-1964
• United States, 1890 Census of Union Veterans and Widows
• United States, Index to General Correspondence of the Pension Office, 1889-1904
• United States Union Provost Marshall's Office Files of Papers Relating to Two or More Civilians, 1861-1866
• U.S. Soldiers Index, 1855-1865
• U.S. Navy Widows' Certificates, 1861-1910 (NARA M1279)
• U.S. Registers of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914, Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933
• Vermont Enrolled Militia, 1861-1867
• 
  

"These records are significant because nearly every family in the United States at that time was impacted either directly or indirectly by the war," FamilySearch project manager Ken Nelson said. "Each soldier has a story to tell based on what his unique experience was during the war. Each family has their own story to tell. This is the paper trail that tells the stories about that period in our nation's history."

Many of the records are specific to the war itself, such as enlistment or pension records. These documents can provide key family data, including age, place of birth, or even name of spouse. Other collections, such as census records, tell the story of ordinary civilians who lived during that turbulent time. Even a local or state death record far away from the battlefront may contain death information on a soldier that was submitted by a family member back home.

FamilySearch's chief genealogical officer, David Rencher, said many people can benefit from the records.  "With the wealth of records created by the Civil War, I am inspired by the plan laid out by FamilySearch to make a substantial amount of this material available on their website over the next four to five years. This growing collection will be one that will serve the needs of the numerous descendants of the participants on both sides of the conflict," Rencher said.

About 10 million of FamilySearch's Civil War records are already indexed, so they can be easily searched by a specific name. However, there are many more records that need to be indexed, and that's where FamilySearch indexing volunteers come in. These volunteers view a digital image online of the record and enter in important information such as names, dates, and places.

FamilySearch project manager Jim Ericson said that this data will be used to create free searchable indexes that enable people to more easily find records about their Civil War ancestors. "Once these records are indexed and published online, anyone can search for the name of an ancestor and link to a digital image of the original record, if the image is also available online," according to Ericson. "Indexing helps people save time when finding records and enables a more powerful, engaging search experience."

Ericson said that more than 130,000 people helped enter other FamilySearch indexing projects in the last year, but more volunteers are needed for the multi-year Civil War era project. "We expect to maintain some focus on indexing records from the U.S. Civil War for the next three or four years to make the collection of Civil War era records extremely robust," Ericson said.

For those who want to learn more about their Civil War ancestors, there is also additional help on the FamilySearch ResearchWiki. This includes information about each regiment that fought in the conflict and records created by each states that participated in the war. There is also information for beginners who are just getting started learning about their ancestors who livied during the Civil War.

About FamilySearch

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical resources free online atFamilySearch.org or through 4,500 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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My Son is Growing Up

My son is growing up. Here's what that has to do with genealogy:

On Friday I had to get up at 4:45am so I could drive my kid to school--all polished and perfect in his band uniform--to board a bus for a competition across the largest city in the universe at rush hour.

The plan back home was for me to do a little work until I felt tired, then catch up on some sleep. However, sleep never came. Instead I got a full day's work on the Little Book Project That Could. All the writing is done now. I'm just trying to locate and select artwork that fits the words. This takes a long time as I go through my own stuff and look for public domain images online.

Then on Saturday I had to get up at 5am in order to deliver my son to school by 6am. The band was going on an amusement park field trip to San Antonio. Knowing my son, he'd willingly wander off on his own during this adventure. Knowing me, I'd worry the whole day until he got home at 11pm.

With the house to myself and distraction needed, I worked on the Little Book Project That Could again. More photo selection, more editing, less distance between me and the finish line.

I got so much done this weekend. Mostly because my son is growing up and moving father out into the world. And working on genealogy is the cushion between me and that fact.
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The Inzenhof Project

Last week I found the name of my 16th great-great grandparent, my maternal grandmother's maternal grandmother. I was very happy and threw myself a party. Not really.

Well the parades are over and it's time to get back to work. I have these three films of Hungarian records from 1800-1895. I might as well use them while the Family History Library will let me have them.

So I know Cecilia Kurta married Janos Jost and lived in Inzenhof, Austria. Sometimes this place was also called Borosgodor, Hungary depending on which way the wind blew. The border changed a bit, the names changed a bit, but Inzenhof and Borosgodor are the same place as far as I can tell. Oh, and I know my ancestors spoke German, but these records are in Hungarian so I've got that going for me.

Did Cecilia and Janos have siblings? I know the names of their parents, but not their grandparents. To extend this part of my family tree further, I'm going to have to study this whole dang village. Luckily, it's a small place.

I went to the Family History Center on Tuesday, and I'm going again today.

On Tuesday, I took film 0601494 and cranked it all the way to the end, which was 1895. Then I slowly went backwards, page by page, making note of any mention of the surnames Kurta, Jost, or Sommer/Szommer.

Each record has at least one name and a house number. I write all of these own as I go from page to page.

These particular records that I'm reviewing today don't look like birth or marriage records. I don't know what they are. Later on, I should encounter records that include parents' names and that will help me group people better.

After I go page-by-page on these three films, I will sort out all the house numbers and names. Then I will group people by house number and type up some notes. Then I will take those notes and go back to the films to try and establish family relationships.

That's my plan for now. It may change in the future. Probably somewhere there's a book that says I'm going about this all wrong, but in my gut this approach feels right.
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Genealogy News Bits for May 3, 2011

Here are some genealogy news stories over the past few days that may be of interest to you:

Free webinar today. Hurry! Relative Roots is hosting a Genetic Genealogy for Beginners webinar at 1pm EST today. There are also several other low-cost webinars in their future. More information here.

The My Society podcast put out by the Federation of Genealogical Societies is now available for download on iTunes.

Win a year of Geni Pro and a Family Tree Magazine subscription. No purchase necessary. Details on how to enter the contest here.

Legacy Family Tree is running a contest through May 6. The grand prize is a Netbook, and the 5 first prizes aren't too bad, either. No purchase necessary to enter, but you do need a Facebook account. Full contest rules here.

Family History Expos announced three new day-long genealogy events next month in Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming.

That's it for today. Go forth and be awesome.

Genealogy Conferences - The Magic Recipe

GeneaBloggers is hosting a new blog topic series this week. I've been asked to mention it, and I will gladly oblige because it's a good subject.

Genealogy Conferences - The Magic Recipe is fostering a frank discussion on genealogy conferences. Bloggers are invited to share their opinions and experiences during this 4-day event.

Here is the lowdown as stated at GeneaBloggers:

• Setting the Space – on Tuesday, May 3, 2011, the series beings by looking at genealogy conferences from the perspective of the planners – those who plan the events, secure the space and manage all the details that many attendees don’t get to see. We encourage those who have held genealogy events – from one-day workshops for your local genealogy society to multi-day national events to weigh in with their opinion.  Tell us your frustrations, your successes, and what changes are taking place or should take place when it comes to genealogy conferences.

• Delivering the Content – on Wednesday, May 4, 2011, the series continues with a look at what it takes to be a speaker or presenter at a genealogy conference.  Everything from the call for papers, to signing the contract, to making the presentation – we want to know everything involved from the speakers’ perspective. Tell us about the glamour, the limelight, the adoring fans; and tell us about the preparation, the travel and all the ugly details as well.

• Selling the Goods – on Thursday, May 5, 2011, we’ll discuss how vendors who sell their wares in the Exhibit Hall see the conference experience.  This will be an eye-opener for sure since most attendees think you just set up a booth and you are ready to sell. We’d love to hear from actual vendors about the process and the realities of selling goods and services at genealogy conferences.

• Taking It All In – and finally on Friday, May 6, 2011, we’ll hear from the attendees of genealogy conferences.  How do you decide which ones to attend? How far in advance do you start making plans? What do you look for when you take in a conference? Again, not only can you post about what you’d love to see at a genealogy conference, but let us know your frustrations and what needs to change.

I really hope there is a good discussion on this topic. The times they are a changin' and the business of genealogy conferences is ready for an adjustment. Do take some time to provide your own take and help shape the future of family history events.
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The Search for Number 16, part 3

The Search for Number 16, part 1

The Search for Number 16, part 2

I called my grandma to wish her happy birthday on Friday. We first talked about her upcoming DNA test. I explained why I wanted her to do it and what I hope to get from it. The truth is that I don't know what will happen, if anything.

She said something about being "the only one left." I explained that there were cousins everywhere. There's a possibility of a connection through DNA databases, or not, but she's definitely not the last.

After the DNA lesson, I told my grandmother that I found her mother's birth record. My grandmother never knew her mother (death from TB when grandma was 3), so she's learning about her family as I find information. My grandmother's mom was born on the border of Austria and Hungary. This Hungarian influence is news to my grandma.

I then told her the names of her mom's parents...her grandparents. I spelled out the names and she wrote them down. I can't imagine hearing my grandparents' names for the first time on my 83rd birthday, but that was the reality for my grandmother.

"I wish I had known this sooner," she said. At least she knows now. And there's so much more to learn.

The next step for me is to scour the microfilms that contain the birth and marriage information for my Number 16's Austrian village. The records span 1800-1895. I will start with 1895 and move backwards, looking for familiar names that connect to my family. Everything is in Hungarian, so this will take time.

I know there are siblings out there, and I know I can move back several more generations in the family tree. My grandmother knows her grandparents. Now its time to discover some aunts and uncles. Perhaps this can be a goal for 2012.

For now, however, I will be happy knowing my Number 16. One 2011 goal down, two more to go.
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