What do the following headlines from past issues of this newsletter have in common?

Hancock County, Georgia, Courthouse Burned (August 12, 2014)

Van Buren County, Tennessee Offices Destroyed by Fire, Birth, Marriage, Death, and Many Other Records Lost (January 9, 2015)

Fire in Major Russian Library Destroys One Million Historic Documents (February 1, 2015)

Home of the Marissa (Illinois) Historical and Genealogical Society Destroyed by Fire (January 31, 2015)

Roof Collapses at Iowa Genealogical Society Library (December 31, 2009)

Fire Destroys Much of Indiana Historical Collection (December 30, 2009)

Cologne [Germany] Archives Building Collapses; 3 Missing, Many Escape (March 03, 2009)

Archives Damaged in Italian Earthquake (April 07, 2009)

Louisville Library Regains Use of Genealogy Room After Flash Floods (September 11, 2009)

Help Save the Archives of Ontario [from mold that is destroying records] (February 18, 2005)

Genealogy Lost in Twister (November 18, 2002)

North Dakota Records Lost [in the great flood of 1997] (April 28, 1997)

New Jersey Historical Documents and Artifacts Damaged in Flood (April 24, 2007)

Jefferson Davis' Biloxi Home Beauvoir [and Records] Reported "Demolished" by Hurricane Katrina (August 31, 2005)

Library Rescues Genealogy Books [after a tornado] (June 2, 2003)

Resident Rescues Genealogy Papers from Wildfire (June 06, 2006)

Do you see a pattern here? We cannot plan on having access to original documents forever. In fact, many valuable documents will disappear in the future due to disasters over which we have no control.

Many people believe that scanning old documents and making digital images is not good for archival purposes. They argue that digital images don't last long and that "the required equipment to view the images won't be available in twenty-five years."

However, most archivists will say that the truth is exactly the opposite: by use of some very simple data maintenance methods (already used by governments, corporations, and non-profits all over the world), digital images can often last for centuries, much longer than the physical paper documents.

I will suggest that the discussion of records preservation needs to consider ALL possibilities. In this case, we have seen many instances where records were destroyed by Mother Nature, despite the best efforts of archivists and preservationists.

I will also suggest that there is no perfect method of guaranteeing that records will be available to future genealogists and historians. However, we certainly can improve the odds by performing all of the following:

1. Do whatever it takes to preserve original (physical) records. This means not only keeping the documents themselves safe from mold, mildew, insects, and other problems, but also housing the records in buildings that are as fireproof and flood-proof and earthquake-proof as possible.

2. Recognize the fact that preservation of documents by traditional means is never perfect. Some number of paper documents will be destroyed, whether by simply degradation of the paper or by natural disasters, such as fire, floods, and earthquakes. In short, we cannot depend on having a single copy of anything. We must have duplicate copies, which these days means digital images.

3. Having one duplicate is not enough. We need to make multiple duplicates and store them in different locations so that no one hurricane or flood or fire or other disaster will destroy all the copies. Luckily, with digital images, it is easy to store duplicate copies in several different locations.

4. We cannot allow the digital images to become obsolete. As technology changes, the digital backups need to be copied often to new storage media. Just because a floppy disk or a CD-ROM disk suffices today does not mean that it will be a viable storage media in a few years. If the document is important to someone, it needs to be copied to new storage media every few years.

Planning and preservation efforts apply equally to both large government archives and your personal genealogy records stored at home. With a bit of advance planning, we can ensure that valuable records are available to everyone in the future.

From the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics' web site:

Due to severe flooding at the offices of the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS), all public counter service is expected to be closed at least through 2/21/2022. RVRS is working diligently to restore access to records and equipment as quickly as possible.

Birth, marriage, and death records can be obtained at local City and Town Clerk offices. For births and deaths, you may obtain records at the city/town of event or the residence town at the time of event. For marriages, you may obtain records at the city/town where intentions (application) were filed. A link to city and town offices can be found here: https://www.mass.gov/lists/massachusetts-city-and-town-websites.

A subset of birth and death records are still accessible for issuance from RVRS. No marriage records are currently accessible for issuance. Customers can order certified copies of accessible birth and death records from RVRS online or by mail, but there will likely be delays in fulfillment. No overnight orders can be accommodated at this time.  Please expect a 3-week turnaround for online orders and a 5-week turnaround for mail orders. Records currently available for issuance are:

Updates will be posted as more information becomes available. Please email vital.recordsrequest@mass.gov if you have any questions.

The following announcement was written by TheGenealogist:

TheGenealogist’s latest release of transcripts of RAF ORBs provide the most complete collection of indexed AIR 27 records

TheGenealogist has today released over 4.2 million transcripts for its RAF Operations Record Books (ORBs), fully searchable by Name, Rank, Aircraft, Squadron, and Date plus many other fields, making it simpler to find your air force ancestors.

TheGenealogist uniquely allows you to search the period 1911-1963. With over 11 million records online, this is the largest collection of searchable AIR 27 records making it the best place to find details about your RAF ancestors.

Handley Page Hampdens taking off in formation at RAF Waddington

TheGenealogist’s significant transcription effort has been aimed at providing detailed indexes which cover 1911 to 1963.

Mark Bayley, Head of Content at TheGenealogist said: “We are delighted to be releasing such a large number of AIR 27 ORBs, making TheGenealogist the most comprehensive site for AIR 27 records online.”

The ORBs on TheGenealogist include not only the journal-like day to day entries recorded on Form 540 in which you can find RAF personnel mentioned, but also all of the appendices that go along with these documents, giving many statistical details as well as “Secret Orders”.

Some feedback TheGenealogist has received:

“One of your best. To be able to follow the day to day activities of individuals down to the hours the planes take off and land is amazing. I look forward to the rest of this data set.”

“A 2 minute search brought up 2 years of operations logs for my Father, who was a pilot in 123 Squadron stationed in North Africa, India & Burma. They are full of amazing information. Everything from a near miss when a Japanese machine gun bullet ‘entered his cockpit’, what films they watched & complaints about the food. Just wonderful.”

“Just to say a big THANK YOU for giving my family access to records of my late Uncle Douglas Thom's operations in 90 Squadron Bomber Command in 1944. We have been very frustrated that his log books seem to have "disappeared" when his home in mid Wales was cleared. Now at least we have a time-line of his sorties and more information to add to his "not often spoken about" story. I will be passing what you have on him to my cousin, his son Doug, in Canada.”

Learn more about RAF records and read TheGenealogist’s free articles here: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/raf/

This collection is provided in association with The National Archives.

These records and many more are available to Diamond subscribers of TheGenealogist.co.uk

About TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist is an award-winning online family history website, who put a wealth of information at the fingertips of family historians. Their approach is to bring hard to use physical records to life online with easy to use interfaces such as their Tithe and newly released Lloyd George Domesday collections.

TheGenealogist’s innovative SmartSearch technology links records together to help you find your ancestors more easily. TheGenealogist is one of the leading providers of online family history records. Along with the standard Birth, Marriage, Death and Census records, they also have significant collections of Parish and Nonconformist records, PCC Will Records, Irish Records, Military records, Occupations, Newspaper record collections amongst many others.

TheGenealogist uses the latest technology to help you bring your family history to life. Use TheGenealogist to find your ancestors today!

The following was written by 23andMe:

• Third quarter revenue of $57 million
  
• Therapeutics group advances first wholly-owned immuno-oncology antibody into clinical trials
  
• Vision of genetics-based primary care offers potential for millions of people to live healthier lives

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 10, 2022 -- 23andMe Holding Co. (Nasdaq: ME) (“23andMe”), a leading consumer genetics and research company with a mission to help people access, understand, and benefit from the human genome, today reported its financial results for the third quarter (“Q3”) of its fiscal year 2022 (“FY2022”), which ended December 31, 2021. 23andMe is the only company with multiple FDA authorizations for over-the-counter genetic health risk reports, and in particular the only company FDA authorized to provide, without physician involvement, genetic cancer risk reports and medication insights on how individuals may process certain commonly prescribed medications based on their genetics. The company has also created the world’s largest crowdsourced platform for genetic research, which it is using to pursue drug discovery programs rooted in human genetics across a spectrum of disease areas.

“We’ve made significant progress on both our consumer business and therapeutics efforts these last few months. On the consumer side, we acquired Lemonaid Health, which brings telehealth services that offer online access to healthcare professionals with e-prescribing, pharmacy and testing services to patients in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the United Kingdom. Combined with our Personal Genome Service, this positions us to achieve our vision of personalized, genetics-based primary care at scale. We also received FDA clearance for a direct-to-consumer genetic test on a hereditary prostate cancer marker, further expanding our ability to provide individuals with direct access to impactful health information that can help them make important life decisions,” said Anne Wojcicki, CEO and Co-Founder of 23andMe. “On the therapeutics side, we launched our first wholly-owned therapeutic, 23ME’610, into a Phase 1 clinical trial. This is our second immuno-oncology drug to enter clinical trials, following GSK’608, and marks an important milestone in our goal to find new medicines for people with serious unmet medical needs. We look forward to continuing to advance our pipeline of more than 40 programs across a range of disease areas, addressing targets that we have validated using human genetics.”

Recent Highlights

• • Initiated Phase 1 clinical trial for first wholly owned immuno-oncology antibody, 23ME’610, targeting CD200R1

  • Announced that GSK, our key collaborator in therapeutics, elected to extend the exclusive target discovery period under the collaboration agreement for a fifth year to discover and validate novel drug targets using 23andMe’s proprietary genetic and health survey database. 23andMe will receive a one-time payment of $50 million

  • Elected for a royalty option on GSK’608, the joint collaboration program with GSK targeting CD96. 23andMe will be eligible to earn tiered worldwide royalties up to the low double digits if GSK’608 is successfully commercialized.

  • Expanded customer database to 12.2 million genotyped customers

  • Received FDA clearance for direct-to-consumer genetic test on a hereditary prostate cancer marker

  • Launched two new reports for customers subscribed to 23andMe+, a membership service that offers insights and features to give members even more actionable information to live healthier lives. These new reports use machine learning to create a statistical model that estimates a person’s likelihood of developing a specific condition using thousands of genetic markers, along with a person’s ethnicity and birth sex. The new reports released in the third quarter were:

    • Nearsightedness (myopia) report

    • Severe acne report

  • Added new ancestry analysis, including additional insights into some customers’ indigenous genetic ancestry from North America and ancestral connections to 25 African ethnolinguistic groups

  • Received recognition from Inc. magazine as one of the “Best-Led Companies of 2021”; from Comparably, which listed Anne Wojcicki as one of the top CEOs among large companies and from Fast Company, which listed 23andMe as one of the “Brands that Matter”

  • Completed the redemption of all outstanding warrants in December 2021

“We are working to integrate Lemonaid Health’s telehealth services and our personal genetics services with the goal of bringing a genetics-based primary care service to our customers. This unique offering would enable our medical professionals to take a prevention-based, genetically-informed approach with our customers to help them live healthier lives. Beginning this quarter, Lemonaid Health’s financial results are incorporated into our consolidated results,” said Steve Schoch, Chief Financial Officer of 23andMe. “On the Therapeutics side, we were also pleased with GSK’s election to renew for a fifth year, with its $50 million fee. This further validates the value of our database to genetically validate targets for drug development and the potential for this approach to increase the probability of success in bringing new therapies to patients.”

FY2022 Third Quarter Financial Results
Total revenue for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2021, was $57 million and $171 million, respectively, representing increases of 3% and 10%, respectively, for the same periods in the prior year. Third quarter revenue growth was primarily due to the addition of two months of Telehealth business revenue from the recent acquisition of Lemonaid Health and higher subscription revenue. These increases were partially offset by lower Personal Genome Service (“PGS”) revenue primarily due to the shift in a promotional channel partner’s event, which occurred in the second quarter of FY2022 as compared to the third quarter of FY2021. Nine-month revenue growth was primarily driven by higher PGS revenue, subscription revenue and the addition of two months of revenue from the Telehealth business.

Consumer services revenue represented approximately 81% of total revenue for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2021, and research services revenue, substantially all derived from the collaboration with GSK, accounted for approximately 19% of total revenue.

Operating expenses for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2021 were $124 million and $271 million, respectively, compared to $71 million and $191 million for the same periods in the prior year. The increase in operating expenses was primarily attributable to increased sales and marketing expenses, consistent with the seasonal promotion activities of the PGS business, therapeutics-related research and development expenses, one-time transaction costs associated with the acquisition of Lemonaid Health and incorporation of Telehealth operating expenses.

Net loss for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2021 was $89 million and $148 million, respectively, compared to net losses of $45 million and $117 million for the same periods in the prior year. The increase in net loss for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2021 was primarily driven by higher operating expenses (as noted above) offset by changes in fair value of warrant liabilities of $33 million. In December 2021, the company redeemed all outstanding warrants.

Total Adjusted EBITDA (as defined below) for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2021 was $(64) million and $(121) million, respectively, compared to $(25) million and $(65) million for the same periods in the prior year. The decrease in total Adjusted EBITDA was driven primarily by the increase in operating expenses listed above, excluding one-time transaction costs. Adjusted EBITDA for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2021 for the Consumer & Research Services segment was $(32) million and $(33) million, respectively, compared to $(2) million and $(5) million for the same periods in the prior year. The decrease in this segment was driven primarily by the increase in operating expenses listed above, excluding therapeutics-related research and development expenses and one-time transaction costs.

Balance Sheet
23andMe ended Q2 FY2022 with cash of $586 million, compared to $282 million as of March 31, 2021. The increase was attributable to the $560 million in gross proceeds from the completion of the business combination with the Virgin Group Acquisition Corp during the first quarter of FY2022. In Q3 FY2022, 23andMe paid approximately $102 million in cash consideration for the acquisition of Lemonaid Health, of which approximately $13 million was placed in escrow to cover a potential purchase price adjustment and to secure the indemnification obligations of the former equity holders of Lemonaid Health.

FY2022 Financial Guidance
23andMe is updating its FY2022 guidance following the inclusion of telehealth operations into its consumer business and the redemption of all outstanding warrants. The projected range for full year revenue for fiscal 2022, which will end on March 31, 2022, has been increased from $250 to $260 million to $268 to $278 million. The increase in projected revenue is primarily due to the addition of telehealth services to 23andMe’s consumer business. The projected range for full year net loss has decreased from $210 to $225 million to $205 to $220 million. The decrease in projected net loss is primarily due to the favorable effect of the warrant fair value adjustment following warrant redemption offset by the inclusion of telehealth operating expenses, integration and merger-related transaction costs. The projected range for full year adjusted EBITDA loss has increased from $143 to $158 million to $148 to $163 million as we expect telehealth net losses to be partially offset by other beneficial effects in our operations.

Conference Call Webcast Information
23andMe will host a conference call at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, February 10, 2022 to discuss the financial results for Q3 FY2022 and report on business progress. The webcast can be accessed on the day of the event at https://investors.23andme.com/news-events/events-presentations. A webcast replay will be available at the same address for a limited time within 24 hours after the event.

About 23andMe
23andMe, headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, is a leading consumer genetics and research company. Founded in 2006, the company’s mission is to help people access, understand, and benefit from the human genome. 23andMe has pioneered direct access to genetic information as the only company with multiple FDA authorizations for genetic health risk reports. The company has created the world’s largest crowdsourced platform for genetic research, with approximately 80 percent of its customers electing to participate. The 23andMe research platform has generated more than 180 publications on the genetic underpinnings of a wide range of diseases, conditions, and traits. The platform also powers the 23andMe Therapeutics group, currently pursuing drug discovery programs rooted in human genetics across a spectrum of disease areas, including oncology, respiratory, and cardiovascular diseases, in addition to other therapeutic areas. More information is available at www.23andMe.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including, without limitation, statements regarding the future performance of 23andMe’s businesses in consumer genetics and therapeutics and the growth and potential of its proprietary research platform. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included or incorporated in this press release, including statements regarding 23andMe’s strategy, financial position, funding for continued operations, cash reserves, projected costs, plans, and objectives of management, are forward-looking statements. The words "believes," "anticipates," "estimates," "plans," "expects," "intends," "may," "could," "should," "potential," "likely," "projects," “predicts,” "continue," "will," “schedule,” and "would" or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology, are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements are predictions based on 23andMe’s current expectations and projections about future events and various assumptions. 23andMe cannot guarantee that it will actually achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed in its forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on 23andMe’s forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (many of which are beyond the control of 23andMe), or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are also subject to other risks and uncertainties that are described in 23andMe’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on November 10, 2021 and in the reports subsequently filed by 23andMe with the SEC. The statements made herein are made as of the date of this press release and, except as may be required by law, 23andMe undertakes no obligation to update them, whether as a result of new information, developments, or otherwise.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measure

To supplement the 23andMe’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations and unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets, which are prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”), this press release also includes references to Adjusted EBITDA, which is a non-GAAP financial measure that 23andMe defines as net income before net interest expense (income), net other expense (income), changes in fair value of warrant liabilities, income tax benefit, depreciation and amortization of fixed assets, amortization of internal use software, amortization of acquired intangible assets, non-cash stock-based compensation expense, acquisition-related costs, and expenses related to restructuring and other charges, if applicable for the period. 23andMe has provided a reconciliation of net loss, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, to Adjusted EBITDA at the end of this press release.

Adjusted EBITDA is a key measure used by 23andMe’s management and the board of directors to understand and evaluate operating performance and trends, to prepare and approve 23andMe’s annual budget and to develop short- and long-term operating plans. 23andMe provides Adjusted EBITDA because 23andMe believes it is frequently used by analysts, investors and other interested parties to evaluate companies in its industry and it facilitates comparisons on a consistent basis across reporting periods. Further, 23andMe believes it is helpful in highlighting trends in its operating results because it excludes items that are not indicative of 23andMe’s core operating performance. In particular, 23andMe believes that the exclusion of the items eliminated in calculating Adjusted EBITDA provides useful measures for period-to-period comparisons of 23andMe’s business. Accordingly, 23andMe believes that Adjusted EBITDA provides useful information in understanding and evaluating operating results in the same manner as 23andMe’s management and board of directors.

In evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, you should be aware that in the future 23andMe will incur expenses similar to the adjustments in this presentation. 23andMe’s presentation of Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an inference that future results will be unaffected by these expenses or any unusual or non-recurring items. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered in isolation of, or as an alternative to, measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Other companies, including companies in the same industry, may calculate similarly-titled non-GAAP financial measures differently or may use other measures to evaluate their performance, all of which could reduce the usefulness of Adjusted EBITDA as a tool for comparison. There are a number of limitations related to the use of these non-GAAP financial measures rather than net loss, which is the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP. Some of the limitations of Adjusted EBITDA include (i) Adjusted EBITDA does not properly reflect capital commitments to be paid in the future, and (ii) although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the underlying assets may need to be replaced and Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect these capital expenditures. When evaluating 23andMe’s performance, you should consider Adjusted EBITDA alongside other financial performance measures, including net loss and other GAAP results.

The following announcement was written by the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG):

“It Goes with the Territory! Find Your Ancestors in Pre-statehood Records” by Alice Hoyt Veen, CG, Tuesday, February 15, 2022, 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)

From the Old Northwest to the Hawaiian Islands, the United States has acquired and settled new lands. If your ancestor pioneered pre-statehood territories, they may have left records valuable to documenting and understanding their lives. Discussion includes a timeline of territorial settlement and governance, and strategies for locating and using territorial records.

BCG’s next free monthly webinar in conjunction with Legacy Family Tree Webinars is “It Goes with the Territory! Find Your Ancestors in Pre-statehood Records” by Alice Hoyt Veen, CG

This webinar airs Tuesday, February 15, 2022, at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Alice Hoyt Veen is a Board-certified genealogist, professional researcher, and genealogical educator. She believes family history success lies in truly understanding the records our ancestors created. Her presentations reflect this philosophy through real case-study examples and hands-on practice. Alice has spoken at national, regional, and state conferences, and for numerous local organizations. She is a past trustee for the BCG Education Fund, a charitable trust advancing the educational aims of the Board for Certification of Genealogists.

When you register before February 15 on our partner Legacy Family Tree Webinars website webinars page: (http://legacy.familytreewebinars.com/?aid=6789), you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Anyone with schedule conflicts may access the webinar at no charge for one week after the broadcast on the Legacy Family Tree Webinars website.

“We are pleased to present these high-quality educational webinars,” said President LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, JD, LLM, CG, CGL, FASG. “The Board for Certification of Genealogists promotes public confidence in genealogy by supporting uniform standards of competence. We strive to provide educational opportunities to family historians of all levels of experience.”

Following the free period for this webinar, BCG receives a small commission if you view this or any BCG webinar by clicking our affiliate link: (Webinar Library - Legacy Family Tree Webinars).

Webinar Library - Legacy Family Tree Webinars

To see the full list of BCG-sponsored webinars for 2022, visit the BCG blog SpringBoard at https://bcgcertification.org/bcg-2022-free-webinars. For additional resources for genealogical education, please visit the BCG Learning Center (https://bcgcertification.org/learning).

Maysoon Zayid, a comedian, actress, disability advocate and tap dancer, will be one of several international keynote speakers featured in the free, three-day RootsTech global family history conference that will be held entirely online March 3-5.

Who is speaking at RootsTech 2022?

You can read all the details at: https://www.deseret.com/faith/2022/2/9/22925614/rootstech-2022-maysoon-zayid-speaker-background-story.

OK, here is your history trivia question of the day: who was Colonel Griffith Jenkins Griffith?

I can tell you that this man with identical first and last names was once an impoverished 14-year-old Welsh immigrant who made good in his adopted country. When he arrived in New York City, he had no money, no family, and no education. Years later, as a multi-millionaire when a dollar was still worth a dollar, he donated 3,015 acres of prime real estate to the City of Los Angeles. He also spent several years in jail and probably was one of the wealthiest inmates of the time, if not THE wealthiest. His prison sentence was for attempted murder of his wife. Colonel Griffith J. Griffith believed that she was in league with the Pope to poison him and steal his money.

Oh yes, there is no record of his ever being promoted to the rank of colonel, even though he always used the title. Evidence suggests the only military title he ever held was Major of rifle practice with the California National Guard.

“Colonel” Griffith J. Griffith's name is almost unknown today although the land he donated to Los Angeles still bears his name: Griffith Park. He previously had established an ostrich farm on the property when ostrich feathers were popular in ladies' hats. Griffith Park now contains the world-famous Hollywood sign. He also donated money for the park's Greek Theater and for the Griffith Observatory. Why would such a wealthy benefactor be ignored by history?

It seems that the Colonel was disagreeable, if not a downright scoundrel. He collected many more enemies than friends. The fact that he was convicted for attempted murder also gave good reason for his name to be dropped from polite conversation.

Griffith J. Griffith arrived penniless in New York in 1866 and, a few years later, became a reporter, covering mines for a San Francisco newspaper. He also engaged in a lucrative side business, preparing confidential mining reports for the nation's richest men. His early knowledge of secrets not known by other investors gave him an edge long before the creation of “insider trading” laws. He invested his profits into other mining operations, sometimes losing money, but more often turning large profits.

By 1882, Griffith J. Griffith was rich. He obviously loved the role of millionaire. While short of stature, he wore the longest of long cream-colored overcoats in an age when overcoats usually came to the heels. The agate buttons on the coats were huge; each button probably cost the equivalent of a workingman's weekly wage of the time. He also carried a gold-headed cane.

One acquaintance described him as "a midget egomaniac." Another wrote that the colonel "was a roly-poly, pompous little fellow" who "had an exaggerated strut like a turkey gobbler."

It is claimed (although not proven) that Walt Disney modeled the image of comic book character Scrooge McDuck on Colonel Griffith’s normal appearance.

Colonel Griffith J. Griffith also married well. Christina Mesmer was rich. In fact, her father probably had more money than the “Colonel.” She was also dignified and respected.  According to the Los Angeles Times, it was a match made in society heaven:

“The bride has been educated in a superior manner, as befits the owner of so vast an estate. Her singing and playing are exceptionally fine, and her taste for flowers is remarkable (as is well illustrated in her mother’s garden). She can speak four languages, while the happy bridegroom can converse in three, including Welsh.”

They remained married for 16 years, but things went sour in the last year. Griffith started acting in a strange manner. He compulsively bit his nails, his manicurist said. And he was a sneak drinker, his lawyer said, privately putting away two quarts of whiskey a day while publicly donating money to the temperance movement.

While the couple was on vacation in 1913, Griffith entered their hotel room with a prayer book in one hand and a revolver in the other. He handed the prayer book to his wife, then shot her. At least, he tried to shoot her. Christina Griffith apparently jerked her head to one side as a reaction. That movement saved her life. She then jumped out a window, landed on an awning below, and crawled to safety through another window. The experience left her disfigured and blind in one eye.

The trial was almost an open-and-shut case, despite Griffith's high-powered defense team. An ex-governor of California headed the prosecution team. Griffith was found guilty but given a light sentence of only two years in jail.

Once in San Quentin and denied access to alcohol, Griffith's personality seemed to change once again. He turned down easy prison jobs and volunteered to make burlap sacks in the prison's jute mill, one of the least desirable work assignments available. When he was eligible for parole, he refused to apply. He served his full sentence.

When released from prison, Griffith was still a multi-millionaire but was hated by most everyone. Many people feared that he was crazy.

In 1912 he offered the city of Los Angeles $100,000 to build a popular observatory atop Mt. Hollywood. The mountain formerly had been known as Mount Griffith, but the city had re-named it when he was in prison. One prominent citizen wrote a letter about the proposed gift to the editor of a local newspaper, which published it on the front page. The letter stated, in part, “On behalf of the rising generation of girls and boys, we protest against the acceptance of this bribe . . . This community is neither so poor nor so lost to sense of public decency that it can afford to accept this money.”

The city council refused the money.

Colonel Griffith J. Griffith then created a trust fund to create the Greek Theater and the Griffith Observatory. The city did not accept the money until some years after his death.

Colonel Griffith J. Griffith died rich, but unloved, on July 6, 1919. He is interred at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles in the north end of Section 7, a.k.a. "The Griffith Lawn". While standing at the side of his obelisk and looking north, one can see the Griffith Observatory.

Although Griffith Park is well-known and visited by millions, few people today recognize the name of the park's benefactor.

"If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium."

Where will you go on your next vacation trip? A trip to New England? Washington, D.C.? How about to the beach? Or how about a European vacation? How about taking a trip to the town where your grandparents grew up or visiting the country of your ancestors? What if you could actually walk the same streets as your great-great grandfather or see the home where your grandmother was born? This is something you want to put on your bucket list.

A trip back to the old home town or to "the old country" can be an immensely satisfying experience. Those who prepare for the trip usually report they have great memories and photographs of the experience.

While it is always worthwhile to visit town clerks, courthouses, libraries, and other repositories wherever your ancestors lived, you also will want to spend some time looking for old cemeteries and perhaps for the land where the old homestead stood. This provides an interesting look at history and the hardships your ancestors faced, even if the old farm is now a shopping center. Few activities are more thrilling than traveling to your ancestor's village or gravesite. Standing where your forebears walked long ago is an amazing experience. When you visit the family homestead or homeland, you can further embrace the experience by eating the local food, and drinking the local beer, wine, or beverage of choice.

Of course, you will also want to find distant cousins, if possible. There is an interesting difference between Americans and many Europeans. Americans typically look back to find ancestors while Europeans often look forward in time, wondering what happened after people went to America.

Here are some suggestions:

Before you go

Do your homework! Research your ancestors before you leave home. Talk with older relatives to learn what they know. Visit a local Family History Center. Search the Internet. If planning a foreign visit and you do not speak, read, and write the language(s) of your ancestors, hire someone back in "the old country" to do research for you and to plan an itinerary long before you embark on the trip.

Read the Research Guides available free of charge from www.FamilySearch.org. These can provide an amazing amount of information about where records may be found. Research Guides and much more may be found in the FamilySearch Research Wiki at https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Main_Page.

Also check the World GenWeb (https://www.worldgenweb.org/) for each country and US GenWeb (http://www.usgenweb.org) for each state or county where you plan to do research.

Even if you do speak the same language or are planning a trip to another U.S. state or Canadian province, hiring a local guide with expertise in the local area may save you a lot of (expensive) time when you arrive. The worst thing you can do is to arrive in the old country with no plan and no background information; you won’t want to be doing your research (indoors) in the old country when you could be out sightseeing and visiting the places where your ancestors walked.

Find out in advance what is available where you're going in terms of museums, libraries, cemeteries and other sources of information. And don't forget to make note of their days and hours of operation. Again, don't simply show up unannounced. It is best to have an appointment in advance with a guide or staff member who is prepared to show you the information you seek. Did you ever watch the television series, "Who Do You Think You Are?" Those "discoveries" were all made well in advance by careful planning and then were shown to the celebrities when they arrived at the appointed time. You should do the same.

Study maps ahead of time to get an idea of where you want to go and how long it will take you to get there. Not only will you want to study current maps to find the current highways and the train routes, but you also will want to find maps of the areas of interest showing boundaries and village names at the time your ancestors lived there. Village names often change. Modes and routes of transportation also change. You need to know where your ancestors traveled in order to find their records and to appreciate their experiences.

You can locate cemeteries using maps or the USGS National Mapping Information (GNIS) at https://www.usgs.gov/us-board-on-geographic-names. Both foreign and U.S. place names can often be identified on the Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names Online at http://www.getty.edu/vow/TGNSearchPage.jsp.

Another problem is that one country may have two, three, or even more villages of the same name. Are you sure you have the right place? Be sure to check out this possibility and verify the precise location you want to visit.

One of my favorite stories has been repeated several times in a number of countries: American tourists go to "the old county" and find the local archives where records are kept. The local archivist then informs them, "The records are too brittle to be handled. They are falling apart, so we do not allow anyone to view them anymore. However, the Mormons were here several years ago and made microfilm copies of all our records, and you are welcome to view those microfilms." Of course, you could have looked at those same films when you were at home and not paying for hotels and restaurant meals! In many cases, you could view them on your computer while seated in your own living room

Travel can be expensive, especially in foreign countries. Plan your itinerary carefully to maximize the travel investments made.

Not everyone of the same name is related. The person you find may or may not be a relative. He or she also might not be interested in meeting American cousins who suddenly show up unannounced. Write in advance!

Be sure you enter all the information you learn before, during, and after your trip into a genealogy program. You might want to also print out everything on paper before going to the old country. When showing information to others, such as to newly-found distant relatives, it is usually easier for them to understand printouts on paper than to look at ever-changing screens of information.

Hire a guide/interpreter if you don't speak the old language. One of the more frustrating experiences is to arrive in your ancestors' village and then not be able to speak with anyone or even to read the signs. While English may be common in big cities throughout Europe, you may not find the same to be true in smaller villages.

Dress professionally. Looking like a researcher instead of a tourist and being focused will help you get the co-operation and assistance of courthouse workers, librarians, and cemetery caretakers in finding the information you want. Showing up in a Hawaiian shirt, cut-off jeans, and sandals will not help you get admitted to very many courthouses or libraries. And don't even think of entering a church or a cathedral when dressed like that!

Plan for bad weather. Perhaps one of the reasons your ancestors left is that they didn't like the weather and were seeking sunnier climates! Standing in a cemetery in the rain isn't much fun when you have neither an umbrella nor a waterproof jacket. You have only one chance to get the information and photographs you want, so you will need sturdy shoes, an umbrella, sunscreen, insect repellent, and a hat.

Take pictures–lots of pictures. Be sure to give copies to the people you meet if they are in the pictures with you.

Allow extra time–lots of it–for getting lost, talking with locals, and taking photographs.

Be prepared for sad stories. Most of our ancestors left their homelands because they were unhappy with their lives. Perhaps the crops failed and the children were starving or else the oppressive government of the times made life too difficult. Whatever the reasons, sad stories usually drove your ancestors to relocate. Be prepared.

Finally, start planning NOW! It is never too early to start planning your next vacation/research trip.

Hundreds of pages with the names of Holocaust survivors relocated to Displaced Persons Camps in Austria and Germany have now been reprinted and digitized. The extensive lists have never been available together, and the original volumes exist in only a few libraries worldwide. Thanks to a collaboration of the Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center in the UMass Amherst Libraries and Schoen Books of South Deerfield, Massachusetts, they are now available on the open web, enabling families of survivors, genealogists and researchers to have access to the vital information they contain.

The volumes were originally published in 1945 by the U. S. Government as a way to help survivors, the Sharit Ha-Platah or “the surviving remnant,” reach family members around the world.

Details may be found in an article in the University of Massachusetts News web site at https://www.umass.edu/news/article/holocaust-survivor-lists-digitized-first-time.

The following announcement was written by FamilySearch:

This week FamilySearch added 10 million new indexed records to United States City and Business Directories (ca. 1749 – ca. 1990), and 10 million Church records for Switzerland (1418–1996), the Philippines (1615-1985), and Brazil. Check out more records also added for Australia, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, New Zealand, Peru, Spain and the United States.

Don’t see what you’re looking for? Check back next week and, in the meantime, search existing records on FamilySearch. For other exciting genealogy content, peruse over 1,000 free, on-demand sessions from RootsTech Connect 2021.

The list of newly-added records is long, too long to be displayed here. You can find the entire list at:  https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/new-records-7-february-2022.