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| EOGN Note: The information in this archived copy was accurate on the date of publication. Since then, Web sites have appeared and disappeared, companies have been merged and many other facts have changed. You may find references in this archived copy that are no longer accurate. This newsletter is available in both ASCII text and HTML versions. To change your preference, go to the address shown at the very end of this newsletter. Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter Standard Edition A Weekly Summary of Events and Topics of Interest to Online Genealogists Vol. 8 No. 9 – March 3, 2003 This newsletter relies solely upon "word of mouse" advertising. If you enjoy reading these articles, please tell others to go to http://www.RootsForum.com.Some of the articles in this Plus Edition newsletter are restricted to your personal use. Search previous issues of Standard Edition newsletters at: http://www.RootsForum.comPlus Edition subscribers may gain access to a reserved section of the Discussion Board. Details are available at http://www.rootsforum.com/plus/messageboard.htm.Listen to Dick Eastman’s broadcast on FamilyHistoryRadio.com.Copyright© 2003 by Richard W. Eastman. All rights reserved. - New Genealogy Newspaper
Column Items marked with a Plus Sign (+) appear only in the Plus Edition newsletter. - New Genealogy Newspaper Column If I may indulge in a bit of shameless self-promotion, I am pleased to announce that my new genealogy newspaper column appeared in print this week. I now have the honor of being a columnist in two newspapers in the Ocala, Florida area: The Reporter and The Leader. My newspaper columns will be a bit different from the e-newsletters. I hope to appeal to a different audience; those who are a bit less high-tech oriented. I expect to write often about how to get started in genealogy as well as some more advanced topics and current genealogy events. I hope to grow this new effort into a syndicated column. If you would like to see my genealogy columns published in a newspaper near you, please contact the managing editor at your local newspaper and make the suggestion. I expect to contact many of these editors myself, but there are a lot of them! It may take some time before I can contact the managing editor in your area. Thank you. Talk back! To add comments or to ask follow-up questions, please visit the newsletter Discussion Board at http://www.RootsForum.com and click on "Discussion Board."- Governor Bush Responds In recent newsletters I have written several times about Governor Jeb Bush's plan to dismantle the Florida State Library and Archives, all part of a budget-reduction proposal. A coalition of the Florida State Genealogical Society, Florida Historical Society, Florida Archaeological Council, Florida Anthropological Society, Florida Trust for Historic Preservation and the Florida Association of Museums has been fighting the proposal. Governor Bush apparently has been feeling the heat. This week he sent e-mails to many people that "explain" his position. The e-mails seem to be in response to earlier e-mails sent by concerned citizens to the governor. In fact, upon close reading, you begin to realize that Governor Bush is backing away from some of his earlier statements. Here is a copy of the e-mail sent to a number of newsletter readers this week: From: Governor Jeb Bush [mailto:Jeb.Bush@MyFlorida.com] Subject: State Library Relocation Dear Friend: Over the past several weeks, I have listened closely to the various views and responses to my proposals regarding the Division of Library and Information Services and the circulating collection of the State Library. I have been impressed by the passion and commitment to libraries and the unwavering support for the State Library shared by librarians, educators, scholars and citizens alike. I sincerely appreciate the concerns shared by the citizens of this great state when it comes to the preservation of our state's published history and the protection of our libraries. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me on this important matter. I would also like to take this opportunity to share with you the reasoning behind my proposal and to clear up some misconceptions which have been circulated. First and foremost, I do not favor, and have not proposed, the elimination of the permanent collection of the State Library or the State Archives. This one-of-a-kind collection, which includes the published and unpublished history of the state from the time it was a territory until present day, such as maps, state agency publications, journals and diaries, photographs, as well as books about the state, is a tremendous resource for scholars, educators, and all Floridians interested in our great state history. Under my proposal, this collection will continue to be housed in the R.A. Gray Building and supervised by a professional staff of librarians and archivists and appropriate support staff. However, I do propose moving the circulating collection of the State Library, which consists of general volumes of fiction and non-fiction, to Nova Southeastern University, for three reasons: First, the needs of public libraries have changed. The State Library of Florida began building its circulating collection to supplement the collections of small, rural, or economically disadvantaged communities. This supplemental collection was necessary until 1997, when every county in Florida began offering free public library service. Moreover, through the Florida Library Information Network, Florida's interlibrary loan service, all citizens have access to the collections of libraries throughout the state. In time, the Florida Electronic Library will allow user-generated interlibrary loans, making accessibility even easier. These are all great achievements, and credit should go to Florida's libraries, as well as the Division of Library and Information Services. Because of this success, however, a circulating collection based in Tallahassee is no longer necessary. The second reason I proposed this move is that it will increase accessibility to this circulating collection. The simple fact is that in its current location, the circulating collection is underutilized. Last year the circulation of this collection, including interlibrary loans, was just over 60,000. If that sounds like a lot, it's really not. Because of the low usage, the circulating collection actually cost, you, the Florida taxpayer, $184.62 per registered borrower last year, or $64 per circulation. Now, the third major reason I proposed this move, is to make the best use of taxpayer dollars. My budget recommendations support Florida's public libraries including $32.4 million for State Aid to Libraries, $6 million in federal Library Services and Technology Act funds, $1.2 million for library cooperatives, and $6 million for library construction projects. Our focus will be where it belongs: developing partnerships with Florida's communities. But part of what makes those recommendations possible is the $10.2 million in savings that taxpayers will realize by moving the circulating collection. In a very tight budget year with expensive constitutional amendments passed by the voting public, we must make sure that every tax dollar is spent wisely. Thankfully, our new agreement with Nova Southeastern University does not merely save money, it will actually increase the circulation of the collection. The Nova Southeastern University Library, Research, and Information Technology Center is a joint use library administered by Nova Southeastern University, an independent not-for-profit educational institution, and Broward County Libraries, a public library system. Nova's circulation last year was 421,659, or seven times the current circulation enjoyed by the collection. The Broward County Libraries have 1.3 million registered borrowers in a county with a population of 1.6 million, meaning that 82% of the service population has a library card from this institution. Any person who holds a card from any Broward County library and all employees and students at Nova will have direct access to the collection, while citizens everywhere will have access through Florida's interlibrary loan program. No Floridian will lose access to this collection, and thousands of Floridians will have better access to it, once this agreement is implemented beginning this July. Relocating the collection is one of the actions that we will take to allow the State Library to refocus on meeting the future needs of Florida's 469 public libraries and the citizens they serve. I now look to move forward in implementing other library priorities like the Florida Electronic Library, initiating a statewide library card, and expanding the Florida Library Information Network. The State Library of Florida and Archives will continue to collect, catalog, preserve, and make available the unpublished and published history of Florida. The future of the new agency is very bright, and I look forward to working with Secretary of State Glenda Hood and the entire new department as we work to create and preserve what I know will be the best state library and archives in the nation. I thank you again for taking the time to share your views and opinions with me. I hope this response has given you a clearer picture of my proposal and its benefits to all Floridians. Sincerely, Jeb Bush A close reading of the latest e-mail and comparison against Governor Bush's earlier official statements reveal some interesting changes: Governor Bush's e-mail states, "First and foremost, I do not favor, and have not proposed, the elimination of the permanent collection of the State Library or the State Archives." This is a true statement but conveniently overlooks the fact that he did state earlier that he wanted to eliminate all personnel and the entire budget for the library. Perhaps he didn't say he wanted to eliminate the books, but he is on record as stating that he wishes to eliminate the library in which they are housed. When early reports stated that the governor suggested moving all books to nearby Florida State University, the university president publicly started that such a move was impossible without money and a building. The governor then found another university that is willing to house the collection. That university is privately owned, however.Governor Bush's e-mail states, "Under my proposal, this collection will continue to be housed in the R.A. Gray Building and supervised by a professional staff of librarians and archivists and appropriate support staff." This statement is a direct contradiction to his first proposal. In other news, the above-named coalition is growing and now is seeking a court order to stop Governor Bush's plan. The coalition has agreed to seek a legal restraining order to keep the state from giving away its collection of more than 300,000 books to Nova Southeastern University. Pam Cooper, President of the Florida State Genealogical Society, said the suit probably will challenge the governor's legal authority to give away taxpayer-owned property. Names of at least two dozen state lawmakers vowing to defend the State Library also appear on a list compiled by the genealogy group, including ranking members of Bush's own Republican Party, such as Senate Appropriations Chairman Ken Pruitt, Senator Bill Posey of Rockledge and House Speaker Johnnie Byrd. Governor Jeb Bush obviously is feeling the pressure, thanks to the concerted efforts of both individual citizens and organizations to express their concern. Talk back! To add comments or to ask follow-up questions, please visit the newsletter Discussion Board at http://www.RootsForum.com and click on "Discussion Board."- First Online International Genealogy Conference Genealogy conferences are great learning experiences. Three or four large genealogy conferences are held in the U.S. every year, a bigger one is held in London, and I have read about some large ones in Australia as well. A genealogist can travel to one of these conferences to attend lectures, talk with vendors, and attend social functions. Attending a two to four-day genealogy conference can sharpen one's research techniques quickly. There are two big drawbacks to these big national conferences, however: time and money. For reasons I have never understood, the biggest genealogy conferences in the U.S. are held on weekdays and the following Saturday. Attendance obviously is limited as many would-be attendees cannot attend a week-day conference. The financial realities are easier to understand, however. Attending most of the conferences involves an airline trip, hotel expenses for four or five nights, and restaurant meals. Conference admission fees for the multi-day events are now $150 to $200 or even more. In short, attending a genealogy conference in a distant city costs more than $1,000. No wonder they don't attract more attendees! As a side note, I have to mention that the Society of Genealogists' annual Family History Fair in London is an obvious exception. It is scheduled on Saturday and Sunday with an admission of less than ten dollars U.S. It is held in a location that is easily accessible as a day trip by thousands, many of whom use public transportation. No wonder this one Family History Fair attracts more attendees than the three biggest U.S. conferences combined! Thanks to modern technology, genealogists around the world will have a new option this year: a "virtual" event instead of a physical one. Starting on June 10, Family History Radio will present the first international online Genealogy Conference, called eGenConference. This virtual event will feature over 100 presenters, scores of exhibitors, a training school with a variety of courses, and virtual social events where you can exchange information and meet scores of other genealogists. Using streaming media and other Internet technologies, genealogists anywhere in the world will be able to listen to the presenters, visit virtual booths, participate in roundtable discussions, download literature and handouts, and attend social events. All this can be done anytime between June 10, and July 10, 2003, twenty-four hours a day, anywhere there is an Internet connection – even in the comfort of your own home. EGenConference will be sponsored by Family History Radio, Genealogy Research Associates Inc., Genealogy.com, and the Federation of Genealogical Societies. Its mission is to provide the latest genealogy information, products, services, training, and online interaction with other genealogists throughout the world at a fraction of the cost of attending a regular brick-and-mortar event. I will mention that one of the sponsors, Family History Radio, also hosts my Internet radio program. However, I am not involved in the EGenConference, and this is not an advertisement. I am simply intrigued by the concept and want to pass on the information to others. The EGenConference states that the following will be available:
Best of all, all presentations will be archived from June 10th to July 10th to provide ample time for all to attend. Registration costs $69.95. This is a major landmark for the genealogy community. Using the Internet for an "e-conference" sounds like a winner. I have attended several similar online events recently, all of them non-genealogy related. They work well. I have asked myself several times, "Why doesn't someone hold an online genealogy conference?" When you go to a genealogy conference, what do you experience in the presentations? Typically, you listen to the presenter's speech and view his or her PowerPoint slides. At the end, you join in a question-and-answer session. The online equivalent will be the same: you will listen to the presenter's voice as played in your computer's speakers, watch the slides on your screen, and then participate in a question-and-answer period afterward. You will receive the same information as attendees of an in-person genealogy conference. In short, you can attend this virtual conference for a fraction of what you would pay to travel to a brick-and-mortar conference. You will get the same lectures, view the same slides, and be able to ask the same questions – but now, you can do so at your convenience. What’s more, you don't have to eat the greasy food served at the conference hall snack bar! You can find more information about EGenConference at: http://www.familyhistoryradio.com/fhr_sp/egeninfo.php?Talk back! To add comments or to ask follow-up questions, please visit the newsletter Discussion Board at http://www.RootsForum.com and click on "Discussion Board."I briefly mentioned the Society of Genealogists' Family History Fair in the previous article. This is a highly-successful event held every May in London. It is conveniently located, held on a weekend, and is modestly priced. It is a "must attend" event in England. It regularly attracts attendees from all over the British Isles as well as from Canada, the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand. The 2003 edition of the Family History Fair is shaping up to be as good as any of the previous events. Presentations will be made by most all of the better-known genealogy speakers in England. The list of speakers includes Rhys Griffith, Alec Tritton, Peter Christian, Audrey Collins, Paul Smart (from the U.S.), Sue Gibbons, Sharon Hintze, John Konvalinka (from the U.S.), John Hanson, Peter Park, Dr. Geoff Swinfield, David Hawkings, James Ryan, John Hanson, and Else Churchill. More than sixty exhibitors will also selling and exhibiting at the Family History Fair. The Family History Fair will be held in the Royal Horticultural Society's New Hall and Conference Centre, Greycoat Street, Westminster, London SW1. Speaking of expenses in the previous article, I'll mention that I attended the SoG Family History Fair a few years ago and then attended a large conference in the States a few days later. Thanks to discount airfares over the Atlantic in May and the low admission fee, my total expenses for attending the London event were actually lower than the expenses of attending the following week's conference in the U.S.! More information about the SoG Family History Fair, including a complete list of exhibitors and details about the lectures, may be found at: http://www.sog.org.uk/events/fair.html.Talk back! To add comments or to ask follow-up questions, please visit the newsletter Discussion Board at http://www.RootsForum.com and click on "Discussion Board."- 10th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry The 10th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry will be held in Melbourne from the 23rd to 27th April 2003 at the Melbourne Convention Centre. The event is hosted by the Genealogical Society of Victoria. This year's session promises to be a big one. As in the two previous articles, I was planning to list the speakers at the Australasian Congress. However, the list is too long! You can see the list online, each with their topics, on the Congress' Web site. A large exhibitors' hall will feature products and displays from all the major Australian genealogy vendors. Several special dinners are also planned during the Congress. The Australasian Congress will be held at the Melbourne Convention Centre, situated on the Yarra River adjacent to the Southbank Entertainment Precinct and a 15-minute walk from Melbourne's business and theatre districts. Registration costs $495 (Australian). You can read all the details of the 10th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry by clicking on: http://www.RootsForum.com/shorturl/australasian.Talk back! To add comments or to ask follow-up questions, please visit the newsletter Discussion Board at http://www.RootsForum.com and click on "Discussion Board."- GED-IT There are many GEDCOM file utilities around, I am sure I have described at least two dozen such programs in this newsletter over the years. However, this week I had a chance to use a new GEDCOM utility that is quite unlike any I have used before. GEDCOM files are commonly found in genealogy work. (For an explanation of GEDCOM files, see my article "GEDCOM Explained" at http://www.rootsforum.com/archives/news0219.htm.) All modern genealogy programs are capable of copying their databases to a GEDCOM file, which can then be used to transfer data to someone else's genealogy program. GEDCOM files are frequently stored on online Web sites. The usual method of looking at someone else's GEDCOM file is to download it to your PC or Mac computer and then import it into your genealogy program or else use a third-party GEDCOM viewer to examine the file. However, that method can be slow, tedious, and even risky if you accidentally import someone else's GEDCOM file into your own genealogy database.GED-IT is a new online GEDCOM file viewer created by Julian Pedley. GED-IT lets you access and analyze any online GEDCOM file. It doesn't matter what server it is on, just as long as it is accessible via normal Web protocols, either HTTP or FTP. (HTTP is generally used to display Web pages, while FTP is "File Transfer Protocol," commonly used to transfer files between computers.) With GED-IT, there is no need to download a file to your computer. You simply go to GED-IT's Web site and tell it to display the information on another Web site. GED-IT will transfer the file to its own Web site at very high speed, then display all the information in your Web browser. You can look at pedigree charts or descendant charts or examine details on a family-by-family basis. Multi-megabyte GEDCOM files can be displayed within 2 or 3 seconds. This is all done online; there is no need to install any software on your computer. Macintosh and Linux users will especially appreciate GED-IT as there are not many genealogy utilities available for those operating systems. GED-IT should work also with handheld Windows CE computers although reading the data on a small screen may be a challenge. Nonetheless, the fact that large files do not need to be downloaded and stored makes this a natural fit for handheld systems with limited storage capabilities. I searched on the Web for some GEDCOM files, found several, noted their URLs (Web addresses) and then went to GED-IT's Web site. I entered the first URL into GED-IT. A couple of seconds later I was presented with six options:
The use of each option was super simple: move the mouse and click. The pedigree charts are impressive. However, I soon learned to first click on "View List of Surnames" to find the names of interest. That quickly narrowed the search. I then could click on any name to view family charts of that person. If interested, I could then easily view a pedigree chart of the person as well. The only drawback I can find is that the files must be stored on a server in true GEDCOM format; GED-IT cannot look inside files compressed in ZIP format. GED-IT is a winner. Use of this online utility is faster and easier than downloading GEDCOM files one by one. It is also user-friendly; there is no need for a user's manual. Best of all, it is free. The genealogy community owes a big "Thank you" to Julian Pedley for making GED-IT available to everyone. To use GED-IT yourself, go to: http://ged-it.pedleyonline.comTalk back! To add comments or to ask follow-up questions, please visit the newsletter Discussion Board at http://www.RootsForum.com and click on "Discussion Board."- GedStar-Plus for The Master Genealogist GedStar is a genealogy program for the Palm series of handheld computers. To be clear, these are the devices made by Palm, Sony and Handspring, not the "PocketPC" devices make by Compaq, HP, Dell, and others. GedStar is a program that converts GEDCOM files into data that can be viewed on the handheld's screen. It is an excellent method of carrying your genealogy database with you in a handheld Palm device. You can read my review of GedStar at http://www.rootsforum.com/archives/news0116.htm.Now GedStar author Doug Gordon is looking for a group of beta testers for the upcoming "GedStar-Plus for The Master Genealogist." GedStar-Plus is an enhanced version of GedStar that converts data directly from The Master Genealogist (TMG) version 4 and 5 databases, without the GEDCOM export step. This is quicker and easier and eventually will allow handheld computers to take advantage of TMG features that are not easily translated via GEDCOM. Doug would prefer volunteers who are already users of GedStar. If you would like to volunteer to be a beta tester, send a message to beta@gedstar.com.Talk back! To add comments or to ask follow-up questions, please visit the newsletter Discussion Board at http://www.RootsForum.com and click on "Discussion Board."- National Intelligencer Abstracts Online The following is a press release from the U.S. National Genealogical Society: National Genealogical Society Announces National Intelligencer Abstracts Online WASHINGTON, DC - The National Genealogical Society is pleased to announce that it has made available on-line, abstracts from The National Intelligencer (Washington, DC), 1800-1850. This database is a very special, fully indexed abstract database of marriage and death notices from this early newspaper. The National Intelligencer, like all newspapers, did not record every birth or death for a given period. However, the abstracts are a fascinating account of events that happened to prominent individuals and their families, including bizarre events such as deaths resulting from disasters, early wars, duels, massacres on the frontier, or epidemics. Although published in the nation's capital, individuals included in the abstracts are from all over the country - and the world. Curt B. Witcher, President of the National Genealogical Society stated, "The treasures genealogists will find in The National Intelligencer database are truly remarkable. While published in Washington, DC, researchers will find abstracts from up and down the entire Atlantic seaboard, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and beyond. Indeed, this database may provide the keystone clues in the search for an illusive ancestor." The name index to the database is available on-line at no charge, and is fully searchable including assistance with name variations and misspelled names. A user fee is charged for access to the full database at a modest charge to cover costs. According to NGS's Executive Director, Wendy Herr, "A special effort was made to accommodate both the needs of the casual user, as well as the more serious genealogical researcher through an option to use the full database for either a thirty day period, or an more extended search". The database is located under "Resources" on the main NGS website About The National Genealogical Society Founded as a non-profit society in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is a dynamic and growing membership of individuals and other groups from all over the country - and the world - that share a common love of the field of genealogy. The NGS offers several programs, educational materials and "how to" services geared toward beginners, advanced professionals and toward those individuals whose expertise in genealogy and family history documentation is somewhere in between. The NGS national headquarters are located in Arlington, Virginia, in the historic national landmark house known as "The Glebe". For additional information, visit NGS's website at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.Talk back! To add comments or to ask follow-up questions, please visit the newsletter Discussion Board at http://www.RootsForum.com and click on "Discussion Board."- Maryland Historical Society Library to Close The following announcement is from the Maryland Historical Society: Beginning June 1, 2003, the Maryland Historical Society Library will be closed for renovations and expansion. We will reopen sometime in the fall 2003. Please check our web site for construction updates ( During our closing, we will not be able to respond to requests for Library staff-assisted research. We apologize for any inconvenience our closings may cause. Contact us by e-mail at library@mdhs.org or telephone 410/685-3750, Ext. 349, with any questions you may have.Talk back! To add comments or to ask follow-up questions, please visit the newsletter Discussion Board at http://www.RootsForum.com and click on "Discussion Board."- (+) Create Your Own Web Server, Part #2 This is a Plus Edition-only article and is available only to subscribers to the Plus Edition of this newsletter. To learn how to subscribe to the Plus Edition, go to http://www.RootsForum.com/plus - (+) Online Genealogy Dictionaries & Other References This is a Plus Edition-only article and is available only to subscribers to the Plus Edition of this newsletter. To learn how to subscribe to the Plus Edition, go to http://www.RootsForum.com/plus Rumors are flying around that claim a new scam is underway. Reportedly, a certain Web site is offering introductory 5-day free trials to access a "genealogical search library and reference books." The site assures that the "5 Day Trial is 100 % Free for the First 5 Days. Cancel before [the] end of trial and nothing will ever be billed." After five days, the charge is to be $59.99. The hapless buyer enters credit card information into the Web site and is then given access to the site. Sadly, the site is simply a collection of links that point to many free genealogy sites. In other words, it isn't worth two cents. With this realization, the buyer sends an e-mail to cancel the subscription before the fifth day. However, the e-mail address that was displayed as the cancellation address is invalid, and the e-mail bounces back to the duped subscriber. On the sixth day, the con artists charge $59.99 to the credit card. Here is the problem: all the rumors floating around state that "someone" was charged. No names seem to be mentioned. I'd like to substantiate rumors. If definitive proof is available, the scam artist can be shut down. However, this requires more than an e-mail stating that "somebody" was bilked. A message section on this newsletter's Discussion Board is open for discussion about this topic. If you have any knowledge of the scam operation in question, please post a message at: http://rootsforum.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?s=cb228b2529652c9c212817d79edfd47c;act=ST;f=7;t=3 I have written a number of times about the great new online database of Icelandic genealogy. My most recent article is available at: http://www.rootsforum.com/archives/news0303.htm#AllIcelandicGenealogy. Compiled from records in the Book of Settlement, written in 1125, the Family Sagas, church registers, administrative records, and censuses dating back 300 years, this online database lists every Icelander currently living as well as their ancestors, back to the original settlement of Iceland in the 9th century, or as far as records exist. No other genealogy database in the world can compare to this exhaustive work. The database was created and placed online by DeCode Genetics. The Íslendingabók, or "Book of Icelanders," database was meant as "our way of returning something to the community," according to DeCode CEO Kári Stefánsson. Now privacy advocates have all but crippled the database. Even worse, the database's primary purpose of genetic research has also been weakened. You can read about this in "The Scientist Daily News" for February 10, 2003 at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20030210/03 My thanks to Peter Archdale for telling me about this story. Talk back! To add comments or to ask follow-up questions, please visit the newsletter Discussion Board at http://www.RootsForum.com and click on "Discussion Board."- Are We Puppets of Our Ancestry? Are there genes for risk-taking, or homosexuality, or violence? Did we inherit bad social behavior from our ancestors? If so, what do we do about it? On the 50th anniversary of the cracking of the DNA code, Carolyn Abraham reports on a death-row murderer whose lawyer wants to plead that his inherited genetics made him do it. The full story is at: http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20030301/FC1COVE/TPScience/Talk back! To add comments or to ask follow-up questions, please visit the newsletter Discussion Board at http://www.RootsForum.com and click on "Discussion Board."lu·te·fisk \´lüd·e¸fisk, ´ lüe-\ or lut·fisk \´lüt¸f-\ also lu-de·fisk \´lüde-\ or lud·fisk \´ lüd¸f-\ n -s [lutefisk fr. Norw, fr. lute to wash in lye solution + fisk fish; lutfisk fr. Sw, fr.luta to wash in lye solution + fisk fish; ludefisk & ludfisk fr. Dan ludfisk fr. lude to wash in lye solution + fisk fish; stockfish that has been soaked in lye water, skinned, boned, and boiled Last week I wrote about a company that sells mail-order haggis, an ethnic dish famous to Scottish descendants. A newsletter reader wrote, "What about us Norwegians and our devotion to lutefisk?" Well, a quick search of the Internet shows that, indeed, mail-order lutefisk is available for those hardy, ahem, "soles" looking for the delicacy. Lutefisk is famous, or infamous, in areas of the U.S. settled by Norwegian immigrants. I am told that it is a delicacy that has to be savored. Of course, the description of the dish and its aromas is a bit less than "savory" to many. In sagas of the Norwegian Kings from the 12th century, Snorre wrote about King Oystein building fishing shanties in the Lofoten area of Norway. Then, as now, Lofoten was the most important spawning ground for the cod. In the months of January through April, huge catches are taken from the fjords of Norway. The Norwegian-Artic species of the cod spends its life in the feeding grounds of the Barents Sea. At maturity, from six to seven years, the spawning cod migrate, returning to the Lofoten area. The fish are caught, cleaned, and dried for several weeks. Lutefisk, or "dried, reconstituted fish soaked in lye" is a once-a-year delicacy for many Norwegians. It is traditionally served at Christmas although some will eat it on other occasions. When asked why it is only eaten once a year, one Norwegian replied, "Oh, you can't eat lutefisk more than once a year." With that bit of questionable logic in mind, let’s examine the creation of this delicacy. The age-old preparation method is to soak the dried cod in regularly changed cold water for a period of eight days. The cod is then soaked for another two days in a mixture of water and potash lye, after which it's soaked for two more days in fresh water. The process reportedly leaves an unmistakable aroma in the house for days. The final step is simmering the fish for 10 to 15 minutes, just until it becomes translucent. If overcooked, lutefisk quickly becomes the consistency of gelatin and is best discarded. Lutefisk must be served hot on piping hot plates. Accompaniments vary among bacon or pork drippings, white sauce, mustard sauce, or melted butter – which seems to remain a favorite. Boiled and steamed potatoes, stewed whole, dry green peas are a must as a vegetable accompaniment. The only other necessary additions are freshly ground pepper and lefse, or flatbread. In some parts of Northern Norway, lutefisk is served with melted goat cheese. Even most Norwegians will agree that lutefisk tastes bad, but you'll need to pour huge amounts of aquavit into them to get this confession. For those not prepared to soak fish in lye or to create an aromatic household that offends visitors and residents alike, there is another option. Mike's Lutefisk in Glenwood, Minnesota, will do all the unpleasant tasks and then deliver fresh or frozen lutefisk to your door via UPS. Owner Mike Field sells all sorts of Norwegian dishes, including potato lefse, pickled herring, fresh lutefisk, frozen lutefisk and even lutefisk TV dinners! I think I'll pass on that TV dinner. You can read more or even order from Mike's Lutefisk site at: http://www.lutefiskmike.com . While there, you may be amused to note that the Web site says that Mike Field is of Irish descent.By the way, lutefisk is no longer popular in Norway. An article in the New York Times a few years ago claimed that "more lutefisk is eaten in the United States than in Norway." O Lutefisk, O Lutefisk, how fragrant your aroma. --Verse with a Scandinavian twist from O Lutefisk, to be sung to the tune of O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree) Talk back! To add comments or to ask follow-up questions, please visit the newsletter Discussion Board at http://www.RootsForum.com and click on "Discussion Board."The Upcoming Events section of this newsletter is published once per month, usually in the first newsletter of each month. Each event will be listed very briefly: date(s), location and brief details, followed by either an e-mail address or a Web page that you can use to find more information. Since detailed information is available via e-mail or the Web, I will not list the details in this newsletter. If you do contact any of these organizations, please tell them where you heard about the event. Here are the listings, arranged by date. An asterisk indicates a new listing that has been added since the last time this list was published: *March 6-8 - Waynesboro, PA: "Unlocking Your Past" will feature 13 presentations by a distinguished panel of area authors, historians, professional genealogists, educators, curators and experienced family history researchers. There will be dozens of exhibits featuring samples of local family histories, photo albums, family memorabilia and period clothing. Informational videos will start every half hour in two separate rooms, while ongoing computer demonstrations will show how computers and the internet can help family history research. *March 8 - Jacksonville, FL: The Southern Genealogist's Exchange Society program will feature guest speaker Gene Barber, Baker County, Florida, Historian and author. He will speak on "Differences in the English Language Then and Now." http://sgesjax.tripod.comMar. 13 & 14 – Provo, UT: The sixth annual Computerized Genealogy Conference will have a theme of "Rethinking Research in a Digital World." http://ce.byu.edu/cw/cwcompu/*March 15 - Vancouver, WA: The meeting of the Clark County Genealogical Society will feature John Philip Colletta speaking on four different topics. http://www.ccgs-wa.org*March 15 - San Mateo, CA: The San Mateo County Genealogical Society will be sponsoring a seminar featuring Nora M. Hickey of County Cork, Ireland. http://www.smcgs.orgMar. 22 - Rohnert Park, CA: Sharon DeBartolo Carmack will be all-day speaker for the Sonoma County Genealogical Society’s meeting. http://www.rootsweb.com/~cascgs/carmack.htmMar. 22 – AZ: The AzGAB Annual Workshop. Location and time to be determined. http://www.azgab.orgMar. 22 - Eugene, OR: The Oregon Genealogical Society Will present "Breaking Through Those Brick Walls," featuring Cindy Webb, Joan A. Hunter and Leslie Brinkley Lawson. fernemell@attbi.com*March 22 - New YorkCity: the Seventh Annual Seminar"Discovering Your Immigrant Ancestors" will be sponsored by the Italian Genealogical Group and the New York State Order of the Sons of Italy. Five important speakers will speak about researching your family's roots. http://www.italiangen.org*March 22 - Norman, OK: Searching for your Native American Ancestor? Cleveland County Genealogical Society will present a half-day seminar. Sharron Standifer Ashton will speak on "Identifying Native American Ancestors Using Government Documents and Solving Traditions of Indian Ancestry." http://www.rootsweb.com/~okccogsMar. 23-30: The Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc. of Plano, Texas plan a trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City for March. http://www.geocities.com/GenFriendsGHL*Mar. 29 - Bryan, Texas: Research Ramblers Seminar 2003 will feature speaker John A. Sellers. The topics include "History's Role in Your Genealogical Pursuits; Learning where Your Ancestors Played, Prayed, Lived,and Died" and "Women, That Gender You Can't do without in Your Research; What are they saying About your Family in the Paper?" bsfoy@cox-internet.com*March 29 - Weston, Massachusetts: The Massachusetts Genealogical Council's (MGC) annual program will feature Peter Koutoujian, retired Waltham, MA City Clerk, who will discuss records and issues dealt with by town and city clerks. Ruth Thomasian will address the value of photographs when records are lost, affecting those such as refugee populations or individuals needing destroyed vital records. Sharon Howland illustrates the power of grass root organizations in preserving records. David Allen Lambert, Reference Librarian at the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston, will talk on how to get the most from newspaper research. http://massgencouncil.orgApr. 5 – Phoenix, AZ: The Annual Book Festival sponsored by the Arizona Humanities Council and the Arizona State Library. Time and details will be forthcoming. http://www.azhumanities.orgApr. 5 – Carmichael, CA: The Annual Spring Seminar of the Sacramento German Genealogy Society with featured speaker Robert Minert. boisseree3@aol.comApril 5- Dallas, Texas: The Dallas Genealogical Society will host the fifth lecture of its 2002/3 Lecture Series, "Developing Genealogical Skills." The speaker will be Barbara Vines Little, who will speak on "Untold Treasures: Manuscript Records and Rare Books on Film", "Chancery Records: The Secrets They Hold; The Families They Reveal", "When You Can't Do It Yourself", and "Taxes: Milk Them For All They're Worth." http://www.dallasgenealogy.orgApr. 5 - Port Charlotte, FL: The Charlotte County Genealogical Society, Inc. will present noted genealogist, author, columnist and speaker George Morgan in "A Spring Fling Genealogy Symposium." charleyslady@yahoo.comApr. 5 - Trenton NJ: The Genealogical Society of New Jersey and The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania will jointly sponsor an all day educational program featuring two lectures by noted British historian George Redmonds and two by other known speakers. http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/meetings.htm*April 5 - Richmond, VA: The Virginia Genealogical Society will hold its annual Spring Conference with a theme of "Ancestors on the Move: Tracing Migration Routes." Ms. Carrie Eldridge will be the principal speaker, conducting four sessions. mail@vgs.org*Apr. 5 - Copperas Cove, TX: The West Bell County Genealogical Society (WBGS) and Five Hills Genealogical Society (FHGS) will hold the 2003 spring seminar. The featured speakers are Emily Croom, author and speaker, including her book ‘Unpuzzling Your Past’, George Ballentine, President of FHGS, and author and publisher of several CDs including the transcription of the Journal of Rev. John Ballentine, 1737 – 1774, and Anna Houston Price, regional speaker and active member of Williamson County Genealogical Society (WCGS) and Austin Genealogical Society (AGS) in Austin TX. http://www.rootsweb.com/~txfhgs/temp.htmApril 12- Barrie, Ontario: The Simcoe County Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society will host the Regional Conference "Tracing Ancestors Near and Far" featuring Kahlile B. Mehr, AG, MLS, MA, Collection Development Specialist, Family History Library, Salt Lake City. http://www.simcoebogs.comApril 23 - 27 – Melbourne, Australia: The 10th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry will be accompanied by an extensive trade exhibition, local and international speakers, an extensive social program, and so much more. bev@conferenceconsultants.com.auApr. 24-26 – Columbus, OH: The Ohio Genealogical Society's 2003 Annual Conference "Ohio: 200 Years of Heritage" will feature nationally acclaimed speaker: Kip Sperry. http://www.ogs.orgMay 3 – Prescott, AZ: The Northern Arizona Genealogical Society is hosting Jana Sloan Broglin as their annual seminar speaker. http://www.rootsweb.com/~aznags*May 3 - Birmingham, Alabama: The Alabama Genealogical Society will hold its annual Spring Seminar. Curt Witcher, manager of the Historical Genealogy Department of the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and president of the National Genealogical Society, will be the featured speaker. jylhardy@bellsouth.netMay 3 & 4, London, England: Family History Fair, Royal Horticultural Hall, Greycoat Street SW1. A comprehensive range of exhibitors and lecture programmes. Tickets £6 per day (or £4 in advance with ssae). http://www.sog.org.uk/events/May 12 – 26 - Scotland, Ireland, and Northern Ireland: "Visit Appalachia’s Ancestral Homelands—Scotland, Ireland, and Northern Ireland" – The East Tennessee Historical Society 2003 tour. http://www.east-tennessee-history.org*May 16-18 - Richmond, VA: The Chapman Family Association 2003 Annual Convention will be held -Activities include presentations and discussions on Chapman genealogical data, a social banquet/buffet and various workshops. http://www.ChapmanFamilies.org*June 11 - Oxford, UK: The second "Family Tree Day" in Oxfordshire will be held at the Centre for Oxfordshire Studies. Hosted by the staff of the Centre for Oxfordshire Studies in conjunction with the Oxfordshire Family History Society, the day will have numerous attractions including computer demonstrations, the chance to browse and make purchases from the society’s extensive bookstall and the opportunity to make purchases of CD and microfiche from the society without incurring those irritating postal charges. The society’s computerised search services and birth brief index will also be available for consultation. http://www.ofhs.org.uk*June 19-21 - Columbus, OH: "German Ancestry from Quill Pen to Cyberspace" will be the theme of the 2003 National Conference of Palatines to America. Speakers for this event will be Cyndi Howells, Joan Kirchman Mitchell, Beth Stahr, Don Heinrich Tolzmann, Richard Pawling and Roger Minert. http://www.palam.org/conf/2003conf.htm*Jun 20-22 - Norfolk, England: the Barcham Family Gathering will take place close to the Barcham ancestral home of Edingthorpe, Norfolk, England. This is to be the first worldwide gathering of Barcham's and their descendants (all of whom trace back to Norfolk) that has ever taken place. http://www.barcham.org.uk*(update) June 27-29 - Philadelphia, PA: The National Underground Railroad Family Reunion Festival. Descendants of "conductors," "station masters," abolitionists, fugitives, historians, educators and all those associated with the Underground Railroad and the public are encouraged to attend. http://www.undergroundrr.com*July 6-10 - Richmond, VA: The Virginia Genealogical Society will conduct the fifth annual Virginia Institute of Genealogical Research. The Institute wil explore Virginia genealogical resources, locations, and migration patterns. The intensive four-day and -evening immersion will consist of two tracks--one for novice Virgina researchers and the other for experienced Virginia researchers. mail@vgs.orgJul. 12 - Whitewater, WI: "Pathways to the German Homeland" is the subject of the German Interest Group-Wisconsin workshop. http://www.rootsweb.com/~wigig/index.htmlJul. 18-20 - Shippensburg, PA: "Mother Cumberland - A Harvest of Memories: Reunion 2003" is for anyone with an ancestor of any surname who lived in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania during the 1700s. dcuillard@aol.comJuly 20-25 - Washington, DC: The International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies and host member Jewish Genealogy Society of Greater Washington invite you to attend the premiere conference for Jewish genealogists. This conference will attract more than a thousand attendees. http://www.jewishgen.org/dc2003*July 24-26 - San Rafael California: The Pennington Research Association's 2003 Annual Reunion/Meeting will feature speaker will be Cyndi Howells, speaking on genealogy research on the Internet. http://www.PenningtonResearch.orgAug. 16 – Victoria, BC: The Norman Morison Sesquicentennial (150th) Anniversary. The Hudson’s Bay Co. ship, ‘Norman Morison’s’ last trip to Victoria arrived in 1853. A celebration is planned for descendants of passengers on any of the 3 trips of the ‘Norman Morison.’ http://www.joansjoy.ca/ReunionsOctober 1-11 - Boston to Quebec; Join the California Genealogical Society for a spectacular New England/Canada Fall Foliage cruise with great genealogical lectures presented by George F. Sanborn Jr. FASG FSAC and David Allen Lambert. The 10-day cruise sails round trip from Boston and will make stops in Maine, Nova Scotia, Quebec and New Brunswick. library@calgensoc.org*Oct. 3-5 - Rosemont, IL: The Polish Genealogical Society of America (PGSA) will celebrate its 25th Anniversary at the society's Annual Conference. http://www.pgsa.orgOctober 4 - Oxford, England: Oxfordshire Family History Society Open Day 2003 will include a demonstration and workshop on the scanning of old photographs, an assortment of visiting societies, dealers in second hand books and postcards, sales of microfiche readers and the like, a beginners' helpdesk, computing demonstrations giving advice on such things as which genealogical software package to choose, and the use of the internet in family history. http://www.ofhs.org.ukNov. 6-9 - North Falmouth, Cape Cod, MA: 7th New England Regional Genealogical Conference. The theme is "New England: America's Melting Pot." Speakers include: Sharon DeBartolo Carmack, John Philip Colletta, Maureen A. Taylor, Dick Eastman, and Pamela Clark Cerutti. http://www.rootsweb.com/~manergcIf you would like to see your event listed in future newsletters, send an e-mail to: meetings@rootsforum.com. You must include either a Web page that gives details or an e-mail address for the organization or for someone within the organization who is willing to supply the meeting details upon request. Please limit your listings to events where you expect 100 or more people to attend.The PR Budget for this newsletter is $0.00. I rely upon "word of mouse" advertising in which you recommend this newsletter to your friends. This newsletter is a private project of mine, and I have a zero budget for a publicity campaign to get more readers. In each issue, I try to offer you useful, interesting and sometimes amusing information to help you with your genealogy efforts. Can you take a minute to help me out in return? If you think this newsletter is a worthwhile read, please tell your friends. Better yet, suggest they can read the Standard Edition or subscribe to the Plus Edition at http://www.RootsForum.com.Thanks. Are you interested in the articles in this newsletter? Would you like to learn more or ask questions or make comments about these articles? Join this newsletter’s online discussion group. Go to http://www.RootsForum.com and click on "Discussion Board."You can also search past newsletters at the same address: http://www.RootsForum.comIf you would like to submit news, information or press releases for possible inclusion in future newsletters, send them to richard@eastman.net. The author does reserve the right to accept or reject any articles submitted.COPYRIGHTS and Other Legal Things: The contents of this newsletter are copyright by Richard W. Eastman with the following exception: Many of the articles published in these newsletters contain quotes or references from others, especially from other Web sites, software user’s manuals, press releases and other public announcements. Any words in this newsletter attributed to another person or organization remain the copyrighted materials of the original author(s). This document is provided for informational purposes only. The information contained in this document represents the views of Richard W. Eastman with one exception: words written by other authors and republished herein are the views solely of those authors. All information provided in this document is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied. The reader assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document. You are hereby granted rights, unless otherwise specified, to re-distribute articles from this newsletter to other parties provided:
Also, please include the following statement with any articles you re-distribute: The following article is from Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright 2003 by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at Anyone complying with the above does not need to ask permission in advance. Permission to use the words in this document for commercial purposes usually is granted. However, commercial use requires advance authorization. Thank you for your cooperation. ABOUT SPAM FILTERS: Be aware that the biggest problem faced when sending e-mail newsletters is spam filters in e-mail servers. Although the problem plagues many, many newsletters and other types of perfectly legitimate email, this newsletter seems to be particularly susceptible. It is quite long, and contains numerous examples of the kinds of things that spam blacklists, in their infinite wisdom, have deemed to be "spam like." Therefore, numerous email servers will delete this newsletter under the assumption that it is spam. If you all of a sudden stop receiving your copy of the newsletter (and this happens more than you might think), don't just assume I skipped an issue or there's something wrong with the newsletter's distribution. I rarely skip an issue without noting that in advance. If you stop receiving the newsletter, chances are that it's not a problem with your subscription; it's a problem with your mail server or your spam filter. That is the number one cause of newsletter subscription problems. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dick Eastman is a frequent presenter at major genealogy conferences. He has published articles in Genealogical Computing and Family Chronicle magazines and for a number of Web sites. He was an advisor to PBS' Ancestry series and appeared as a guest in one of the episodes. He serves on the Advisory Board of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and is a past Director of GENTECH and of the New England Computer Genealogists. Dick is the author of YOUR ROOTS: Total Genealogy Planning On Your Computer published by Ziff-Davis Press. He also manages three Genealogy Forums on CompuServe. He can be reached at: If you have questions or comments about the article in this newsletter, go to http://www.RootsForum.com and then click on "Discussion Board." Post your message there. You will receive then assistance from Dick Eastman or from a number of other people.SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: To obtain a subscription to Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter – Plus Edition, go to To receive a free e-mail notification whenever a new Standard Edition of the newsletter becomes available, go to http://www.rootsforum.com/mailman/listinfo/newsletter-standard_rootsforum.com.This newsletter is available in both ASCII text and HTML versions. To change your subscription to the ASCII version, send an e-mail to ascii@roots.d2g.com. To change your subscription to the HTML version, send an e-mail to html@roots.d2g.com.If you have any questions about your subscription, send a message to support@rootsforum.com.
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