With so many things cancelled this past year, I am looking forward to attending…albeit virtually…the 2021 RootsTech.  RootsTech has gone global with this year’s online event.  My understanding is that you can watch 24 x7, the better to accommodate all the global time zones.  They have key speakers from the main stage and genealogical sessions to help us all learn and grow our family trees.  You can view the main stage information here and read about all the courses available in this PDF.
All of this is free.  If you haven’t yet, you can register using your FamilySearch login or complete your registration information at their site.  RootsTech is February 25-27.  Enjoy this learning opportunity!

​Sometimes genealogy is a bit like medicine—part science and part art.  Thinking beyond the usual solutions is how we often break through brick walls.  I have recently discovered information on tools for capturing memory that are meant more for patients with dementia or memory loss, but exploration of their offerings would suggest that they might prove useful for capturing family memories too.  Let’s look.

​This week we will continue to look at Polish research records.  Have you taken time to understand your ancestor’s name and spellings?  Did you dip your toe into the history of Poland, ensuring that you have identified the correct person and village/town to research?  This week we will look at vital records and census records. 

​Disclaimer…I do not claim to be an expert on Polish research, but I did want to share some highlights from a research guide I received for Christmas.  It has been on my wish list for quite some time. If you have ancestors in the Polish, Czech and Slovak areas, it is an excellent resource.  Let’s look

​As I watched the presidential inauguration this week, it made me think about the wide diversity of our country.  Were our ancestors involved in politics?  Or members of a local social club that reflected their heritage or their religion or their work or their interests?  It is an interesting side of our ancestors’ lives to explore.  Let’s look.

​Many who have midwestern pioneer ancestors feel fortunate to trace them back to the early 1800s.  If you cross the pond, you may find yourself running into the timeframe of the Julian to Gregorian Calendar.  I was fortunate to have had someone knowledgeable guide me when my Luxembourg ancestors had key dates during that transition time.  Unlike then, now there are many resources online to guide you.  Let’s look.

​I hope that 2021 to be a better year for all of us.  Did you squeeze any time for genealogy between the holidays?  I found some time to explore my Luxembourg roots and that led me to look at German records.  Some border towns were part of Luxembourg until demarcation shifts made them part of Germany.  With more records online I delved into these records.  And wished that I had census records for Germany.  I thought I would share what I have discovered so far about German Census Records.

Wishing you all a very Happy and Healthy New Year!  
While I am not much for New Year's resolutions, I do believe in setting some goals for the year. Why not use January to figure out what you want to accomplish in your family history this year?  Will you finally write your family history to share with family?  Or will you solve that brick wall that you have been working on for years?  Whatever you decide, we can only hope that 2021 will bring us a calmer and healthier new year. Happy New Year!

​Holiday Memories are here.  Whether you are “zooming” to stay connected with family or friends or social distancing through a window or six feet away with masks, we will all have tales to tell this year because of the pandemic. Let’s look at some tools for capturing these precious memories as we close out this crazy year.