Note: This article is not about any of the "normal" topics of this newsletter: genealogy, history, current affairs, DNA, and related topics. However, thousands of genealogists are also frequent users of Google Docs so I am posting this brief article to inform them of recent upgrades:

The Google team has been hard at work polishing our favorite blank documents to look at, Google Docs. While some of the changes are merely cosmetic—I mean, look at all those pretty new icons in the menu—others added new functionality. And if, like most humans, you dismiss every notification for a new feature, you might have missed them.

So, whether you're a Google Docs power user or just a casual (no judgment!), dive into the most recent batch of features, and get a feel for how these Google Docs tips can improve your workflows.

Details may be found at: https://zapier.com/blog/google-docs-features/. 

I normally do not like to publish articles involving politics. However, in this case, the article revolves around the actions (or technically, the inactions) of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administation, a major supplier of genealogy information):

The National Archives is denying Republican accusations that its decision to refer Donald Trump’s handling of classified records to the Justice Department had anything to do with an inquiry from a top House Democrat.

House Republicans have been raising questions over the timing of the referral, which occurred on Feb. 9 — the same day House Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) wrote to the agency to raise questions about Trump’s handling of sensitive documents that he retained at his Mar-a-Lago estate. But that timing is “entirely coincidental,” Acting National Archivist Debra Steidel Wall wrote in a letter to congressional Republicans on Tuesday.

The Archives’ inspector general operates with complete independence from the broader agency, Wall said, and did not receive Maloney’s letter, which was directed to the Archivist.

“At no time and under no circumstances were NARA officials pressured or influenced by Committee Democrats or anyone else,” Wall wrote.

Wall directed congressional inquiries about the ongoing investigation to DOJ, which is spearheading the probe into Trump’s handling of documents. DOJ had requested NARA “not share or otherwise disclose to others information related to NARA’s recovery of the 15 boxes at this time in order to protect the integrity of DOJ’s ongoing work,” Wall wrote.

You can read more in a rather lengthy article by Kyle Cheney and Nicholas Wu published in the Politico.com web site at: https://tinyurl.com/2p85eesv

(Continued from previous message)

The following announcement was written by Findmypast:

As the Christmas shopping season is soon to be upon us, perhaps it is time to remind people that there is no such thing as a "family" coat of arms. You will see ads on the web and in magazines as well as pushcart merchants in the malls selling this stuff. Yes, they will be happy to sell you an "authentic" reproduction of the Smith or other surname coat of arms, suitable for framing. They will also sell golf shirts embroidered with the same coat of arms or coffee cups with the same. 

(Insert the sound of a loud, obnoxious buzzer here.)

A typical (but bogus) coat-of-arms, probably belonging to this person:

Sorry folks, that stuff is totally bogus. Don't waste your money! The people selling that stuff are flim-flam artists. Ask them for documentation that the coat of arms they sell is, in fact, authorized for everyone with the same last name as your own. They won't be able to do so because that is not how coats of arms are issued.

Coats of arms are part of a system of heraldry or the display of armorial designs that goes back to the Middle Ages. The United States has no system of coats of arms. Awarding of coats of arms is done only in the British Isles, the former British Commonwealth nations, Europe, some countries in Europe, and a few countries in Asia. 

In the British Isles, the former British Commonwealth nations and most western European countries, coats of arms are only awarded to individuals. To be sure, another person (usually the oldest son) may be able to obtain permission to display the same coat of arms if he applies for it after the death of the original holder. Therefore, if you are the oldest son of the oldest son of the oldest son of the oldest son of the person originally awarded the coat of arms, you might be allowed to display the same coat of arms, after you have applied for the right to display it. 

A written application is required, and only one person is approved. Anyone else wanting to display the same coat of arms must wait for the death of the present holder and then apply himself. The actual rules for the use and display of coats of arms are a bit more complex than what I want to describe here, but suffice it to say that 99.9% of the purveyors of coat of arms reproductions ignore all those rules.

NOTE #1: If you have a certificate from the herald authority of the country involved, then you do have the authority to display the coat of arms. However, if you have such permission, I suspect you already know a great deal about this subject and probably have already skipped this article. For those without written authorization, I will caution you that displaying an unauthorized coat of arms as your own is a form of impersonation.

NOTE #2: There are some variations of these rules in a few European countries. The Netherlands has two parallel systems for coat of arms. Families of the nobility follow the above rules while medieval families of the merchant class developed a different system that can be passed from father to son without paperwork. Some eastern European families use a coat of arms system with somewhat different rules. However, the only place I know of that allows for coats of arms to be used by everyone of a certain surname is Japan. If you are a direct all-male descendant of a Samurai warrior, you can ignore this article. 

To see how widespread the "family coat of arms" business has become, go to any Web search engine and search for "your family coat of arms." For instance, you can search for "family coat of arms" on Google. You will find many Web sites advertising this schlock; many of them even claim that the products are "authentic." Well, the word "authentic" can be interpreted in multiple ways. Yes, the coat of arms in question probably is or was authentic for someone; but, I doubt if it is authentic for your use. 

It is illegal to conduct schemes or devices to obtain money through the U.S. mails by means of false representation. Indeed, anything sold to you as "your family's coat of arms" has been misrepresented. The legal citation is 39 U.S.C.93005. If you believe you have been the victim of a coat of arms scam, you can do something about it! If you purchased products that you feel did not live up to advertised claims, demand a refund! If your money is not returned within 30 days or so from a U.S. company, submit a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Bureau of Consumer Protection at: ReportFraud.ftc.gov

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will investigate any companies that use the U.S. mails to misrepresent mass-produced surname books or coats of arms. You can contact them at:

U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Consumer Protection Division
475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
Washington, DC 20260-1100

A few letters of inquiry from the federal government will send a strong message to the people who produce products or services of questionable value. 

Finally, credit card companies are very active at consumer protection. If you used a credit card to pay for a product that is of questionable value and the company involved has refused to return the money, call the toll-free number shown on the back of your credit card and describe the problem to Customer Service. The credit card companies have much more leverage to obtain refunds than you do, and they move much more quickly than the government does.

Because of the extra protection offered by credit card companies, always make your online and offline purchases by credit card. Do not use cash, checks, money orders, or debit cards for online purchases; you will not enjoy the same level of protection as that provided by credit cards. Despite the "old wives' tales" that float around, credit cards are always the safest method of sending payments, both online and offline. (Debit cards are not true credit cards and may or may not have fraud protection. Check with your issuing bank for details.)

For more information about the proper use of coats of arms and other armorial designs, check out the following web sites:

The College of Arms is the official heraldic authority for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and much of the Commonwealth including Australia and New Zealand: http://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk.

The Heraldry Society exists to increase and extend interest in and knowledge of heraldry, armory, chivalry, genealogy and allied subjects: http://www.theheraldrysociety.com.

The Heraldry Society of Scotland promotes the study of heraldry and encourages its correct use in Scotland and overseas: http://www.heraldry-scotland.co.uk/ .

The Royal Heraldry Society of Canada or RHSC and its branches encourages, educates, and promotes the art and science of heraldry: http://www.heraldry.ca. 

I do have one word of advice: if your relative buys you a Christmas present that includes the "family's coat of arms," I suggest that you smile graciously and accept the gift. Don't break out laughing until you return to the privacy of your own home. After all, there is no sense in making fun of someone else's innocence.

The following is from the MyHeritage Blog:

Ever wondered which of your relatives lived the longest, the average age of your relatives at marriage, or which first names are the most common in your family? Did you know that there’s a handy section of the MyHeritage website that can tell you all of this and much more? We’re delighted to announce that our useful Family Statistics feature has just received a major upgrade! Family Statistics is a totally FREE feature that provides dozens of enlightening and fun insights about your family. If you love spotting trends and analyzing data, you won’t want to miss it.

Overview

Family Statistics shows you dozens of different analytics for your family tree. Using the metrics on the page, you can better understand your family history across several categories: places, ages, births, marriages, children, divorces, and now, relationships.

Among the many interesting facts that are showcased, you’ll learn which couple was married the longest and which pair of siblings had the largest age gap. You’ll also discover who had the most children, who was married the most times, and even find out the most common birth months in your family. Think you know your family tree inside and out? Family Statistics may give you a few surprises.

What’s New

The current update includes a facelift of the design for a more contemporary look. The display is larger, making the page easier to read. In this update, we’ve also added new insights and made the overall user experience on the page more enjoyable.

In the new design, the navigation between the categories has moved from the left hand panel to the top of the page, which allows for an enlarged view of each page component.

Accessing Family Statistics

The full article is much longer. You may read the full text at: https://blog.myheritage.com/2022/10/new-and-improved-family-statistics-on-myheritage/ .

Meghan Markle has revealed insight into her genetic heritage on the latest episode of her bombshell podcast, Archetypes.

Unpicking the “Angry Black Woman” stereotype in a thought-provoking discussion with Nigerian American actress and comedian Issa Rae, writer Ziwe Fumudoh and professor Emily Bernards, The Duchess of Sussex told listeners that she took a genealogy test which revealed that she is 43% Nigerian.

“I just had my genealogy done a couple years ago,” Meghan explains, as her guests eagerly ask her to share what the results entailed.

The Duchess then proudly says “I’m 43% Nigerian” to the shock of Ziwe, who shouts “No way!”.

Meghan says she wants to explore her heritage further after getting the results.

You can read more in an article by Emman Ovuakporie published in The News Guru web site at: https://tinyurl.com/38bn5rjm.

As a recent survivor of Hurricane Ian that plowed through Florida, and also as a long-time user of the Zello app (for several years now), I paid close attention to an article by Charity Blanton published in the WPSD web site: 

Millions of people in the path of Hurricane Ian are still without power.

With many cell towers down or inoperable, it's extremely difficult for the people who need help and the people who want to help to communicate.

Cellular companies are rolling in temporary portable cellular towers to provide at least some connection to the internet, but these towers often cannot meet the demand of customers. Rescue departments and volunteers have turned to a smartphone app as a solution.

Zello is sort of like a walkie-talkie app, allowing users to send audio and text messages to one another even in areas with limited cell service. Many rescue agencies use Zello to communicate with each other. Volunteers use Zello too — Cajun Navy Relief is using it right now to help in Florida.

Cajun Navy formed years ago during Hurricane Irma and began using the Zello app as its sole communication tool. The community currently has volunteers reviewing requests for help and mobilizing volunteers across the country. It's pretty amazing to listen to their Zello channel as people from Texas, Virginia, Arizona, and other states far away from Florida log on to review requests or tickets from victims of Hurricane Ian.

The article goes on for a bit longer at: https://tinyurl.com/ykepym6t.

I strongly agree and recommend Zello. I recommend you install it on your cell phone. You may never need it. Then again, maybe you will. The app is free for iPhones and Android devices.

The following announcement was written by the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration:

COLLEGE PARK, October 26, 2022 — The National Archives Catalog now contains more than 200 million digitized pages. 

The Office of Innovation collaborated with offices across the National Archives, as well as external partners like Ancestry and FamilySearch, to reach this milestone in August. 

Technical upgrades that improved how the agency uploads images have been critical to meeting this milestone and staying on track for the ultimate goal: 500 million digitized pages in the Catalog by September 2026.

The 205,039,338 digitized pages reflect records digitized by the agency and its partners, and the pages can be found in more than 28 million archival descriptions in the Catalog. 

“In the context of the past couple of years, digital access means so much to archives and to our customers,” said Digital Engagement Director Jill Reilly. “It has been really meaningful for us to accelerate our ability to get the content the National Archives and the partners have been generating and open that up to everybody via the Catalog.”

Some recently uploaded highlights include photographs of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, U.S. Marshal Criminal Bookings for 1961–1978, and Utility Patent Drawings. 

The latest additions are regularly updated on What’s New in the Catalog on the National Archives website.

The National Archives is in the process of modernizing the Catalog. Check out a sneak preview of the beta version and provide feedback.

This is a follow-up to my earlier article, Making Black America: Through the Grapevine, that I published last week at https://www.eogn.com/page-18080/12962630:

That article describes Making Black America: Through the Grapevine, a four-part television series from executive producer, host and writer Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., which premiered on October 4th on PBS stations nationwide. 

In last night's broadcast, Henry Louis Gates showed Slave Schedules. Ironically National Genealogical Society just published Tony Burroughs' latest study of Slave Schedules, "Do Slave Schedules Accurately Report Owners?" in the latest issue of the NGS Quarterly. 

Tony's article obviously covers much of the same information but then goes into a more detailed and more in-depth description of Slave Schedules. Tony's article begins with:

"Before the Civil War the majority of African Americans in the United States were enslaved - the property of their enslavers. When tracing an enslaved ancestor it is essential to identify the former owner. Many researchers use a surname taken from an 1850 or 1860 federal census slave schedule to help identify their African American ancestor of that surname. However, slave schedules may not correctly distinguish owners from employers. Other genealogical records better identify the owner of an enslaved African American ancestor."

Tony's article then goes on to provide numerous hints on how to identify the correct surname.

If you are researching Slave Schedules, make sure you check Tony's article in the NGS Quarterly..