A Northern District of California Magistrate Judge ruled against plaintiffs last Friday, dealing another blow to their efforts to hold Ancestry.com accountable for the alleged misappropriation of their names, images, and likenesses by the world’s biggest online genealogy company through its collection of their yearbook photos and information for commercial purposes.

After their case was dismissed for lack of constitutional standing and they appealed, the plaintiffs sought an indicative ruling from the court. The request asked Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler to either grant a motion to reconsider her dismissal ruling or make an indicative ruling that the motion presents a “substantial issue” and that she would accept remand from the Ninth Circuit to hear it.

In last week’s decision, the court said it would only partly consider the motion because of a lack of an underlying Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(b) “extraordinary circumstance” motion. “Because there is no pending Rule 60(b) motion, there is no basis for the court to say whether it would deny or grant the motion. The court can, however, state whether the proposed Rule 60(b) motion would raise a ‘substantial issue’ without tying ‘the district court to a particular ruling on the motion after remand,’” the court explained.

(Some) details may be found at https://lawstreetmedia.com/news/tech/court-denies-motion-for-indicative-ruling-in-ancestry-com-case/.

I must admit this is new to me. I have been involved in genealogy research for more than 40 years but I never heard of anyone researching their ancestry based on the shape of their foot...

According to an article by Camila Barbeito and published in The List web site:

"Today more than ever before, genetic makeup doesn't necessarily coincide with birthplace. While most people of ancient history could trace back their ancestors to the same place they called home, few can do the same in 2021. Even if you were born in Philadelphia or San Diego, you might trace your forefathers back to Ireland, Nigeria, China, Italy, or India, even if you never knew you were connected to those places. While that's all well and good, and definitely makes for an interesting day checking out your results (not to mention fun conversation at the dinner table), what's anyone to do once their DNA test is over with? If you're interested in examining your ancestry further, we present you with another alternative: the shape of your foot. Unexpected? Maybe. But the results are actually surprisingly accurate."

The article then goes on to describe the Egyptian foot shape, Greek foot shape, Celtic foot shape, Roman foot shape, and the German foot shape.

OK, I am not sure I believe these claims but I do think it is interesting. You can read the article at: https://bit.ly/3dPU6ho.

In case anyone is interested, I seem to have Egyptian feet which strikes me as a bit strange. After 40 years of tracing my family tree, this is the first clue that I have encountered that claims I have Egyptian ancestors. Perhaps a few thousand years ago...

The U.S. Department of the Interior and the Minnesota-based Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition have signed an agreement to collaborate in the search for records of Indian boarding schools.

The goal is to establish an online archive of the records starting late next year, so families can access them.

A memorandum of understanding will allow for the sharing of records and information in support of the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative, which was announced earlier this year.

Details may be found in an article by Dan Gunderson and published in the MPRNews web site at: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2021/12/12/search-for-indian-boarding-school-records-gets-a-boost

An online database is using 19th-century census records to provide a detailed ancestral history of more than 2,000 Cavan townlands.

Michael McShane, who launched the website Cavan Townlands with his wife Catherine Kerr, has recently uploaded a new dataset of census records and census substitutes from the 19th century focusing on the towns of County Cavan.

Although not a Cavan native, McShane has traced his family heritage back to the county and is now sharing his extensive research with others who are keen to trace their ancestry.

He has uploaded records from the 1821 census, which covers 17 of the 36 parishes in Cavan, in addition to the records of the Tithe Applotment Book of 1832, which covers most towns in the county.

You can read more in an article at https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/genealogy/family-cavan-irish-census-records-online.

This isn't related to the normal subjects of this newsletter (genealogy, DNA, legal issues, etc.) but it does contain information that I believe every computer user should be familiar with.

Everyone should be using a VPN in order to protect their privacy and to avoid hackers. An article by David Gewirtz and published at https://www.zdnet.com/article/best-vpn/ gives some excellent choices as to state-of-the-art VPNs available today.

I use a VPN all the time whenever I am online, just for safety's sake. I use Private Internet Access (usually called PIA) which is not mentioned in Gewirtz's article and I am very happy with it. However, if I was to select a new VPN nowadays, I probably would choose ProtonVPN which IS mentioned in the article.

Based in Switzerland, where local laws prohibit anyone from spying on your data and for allowing up to ten simultaneous connections (use your desktop plus laptop plus smartphone plus tablet computers simultaneously), ProtonVPN would be a good choice.

If you do not have a VPN installed, take a look at either PIA or ProtonVPN or at any of the others listed in Gewirtz's article at: https://www.zdnet.com/article/best-vpn/.

The following should interest many people reading these articles:

Reunions Will be Hybrid This Year: Combination of In-Person & Virtual Reunions magazine Helps Family, School, and Military Reunions Safely Re-live the Past & Make New Memories Press Release: https://mailchi.mp/thomaspr/reunions-magazine-lists-7-best-covid-19-travel-tips-stay-safe-for-the-holidays Savannah, GA, December 7, 2021 – Reunions magazine, the leading online reunion planning and celebration publication for 30 years, announced today the “7 Best COVID-19 Travel Tips” list for holiday travel, compiled by Carole Terwilliger Meyer, author of Miles of Smiles: 101 Great Car Games & Activities. In the December 2021 edition, Reunions magazine provides useful tips on how to stay safe on the road during the holidays, as well as ideas on how to set up reunions with safety in mind; and education, resources, and event planning ideas for family, class, and military reunions.    Stay Safe on the Road   Millions look forward to the joy of reuniting with family and friends every year, even more this year due to last year’s separation caused by the pandemic. According to Reunions magazine, some of the top ways to stay safe when traveling include: When Driving: Bring a kit with disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, and snacks to reduce stopping along the way. Pack plastic sandwich bags to hold your mask and more. Plan ahead on where to stop: for example, locations that provide clean restrooms. Hotels & Planes: Check ahead about safety protocols. Open hotel windows, when possible, and air out the room for a few hours. Use a plastic sandwich bags to cover germy TV remotes and other surfaces. Pack your own pillows.   Connected Virtually and In-Person During the Holidays   There will be an increase in travel this holiday season, however a lot of people are uncomfortable hosting and visiting in-person (vaccinated or not). Options include virtual and hybrid (in-person and virtual) reunions. “Reunions will take many forms this year,” said Rick Voight, CEO, Vivid-Pix and Publisher of Reunions magazine. “People are balancing safety concerns with longing to be together. Some people will reunite with just a few people or host full in-person family gatherings; some will have virtual ‘Zoom Reunions,’ and others will host hybrid reunions -- so we will see hybrid physical/distance reunions becoming more prevalent during the holidays and the coming year.”   Free Vivid-Pix Classes “How-To Zoom” & “Gathering Traditions” Teach What to Do When Together   To assist people with getting together and what to do when they are together, Vivid-Pix has created two sets of free classes: How-To Zoom and Gatherings Traditions. The how-to series provides instructions on how to connect, literally, with step-by-step log-in, settings, and more information; and how to connect, emotionally, by sharing photos and memories online through “Gathering Traditions,” which also explains how to have engaging conversations with all ages, and for those interested in family history/genealogy, record time-capsules for reliving memories, created with Kenyatta D. Berry, host of the Genealogy Roadshow on PBS. Vivid-Pix also offers other great ways to stay connected virtually during the holidays through gifting photos restored with Vivid-Pix RESTORE software, which can be printed and sent to friends and family as cherished holiday gifts (info at: https://www.vivid-pix-prints.com/), and the Vivid-Pix Holiday Software BOGO is available through the year-end, so everyone can get Vivid-Pix for themselves and give one as a gift (value $99.98 - for only $49.99), perfect for friends and family who love photos or sharing family history -- info at: https://www.vivid-pix.com/bogo-restore.   About Reunions magazine   Acquired by Vivid-Pix in February 2021, Reunions magazine is the leading reunions resource to assist family, class alumni, and military reunion participants relive the past and make new memories. For 30 years, Reunions magazine has provided easy access to ideas, features, planning, and education for reunions and reunion planners alike. For more information, see https://reunionsmag.com/.   About Patented Vivid-Pix Photo Restoration Software & Education to Relive and Share Memories   Vivid-Pix provides helpful genealogy, family history, and gathering education at https://vivid-pix.com/education.html to relive and share cherished memories. Vivid-Pix RESTORE patented AI software automatically restores faded old black and white, sepia, and color photos and documents from a wide variety of image types and provides image organization, editing, and saving. The U.S. Patent Office has awarded two patents to Vivid-Pix for its image processing techniques to automatically correct images.   Vivid-Pix RESTORE is available for Mac and Windows for $49.99 at: https://vivid-pix.com/restore/buy.html with a 10 Free-Fix Trial without credit card required at: https://vivid-pix.com/restore/free-trial.html. See Vivid-Pix RESTORE in action at:  https://Vivid-Pix.com/restore. Vivid-Pix was founded by Rick Voight and Randy Fredlund, who have a combined 47 years of experience from Eastman Kodak Co. They brought Kodak’s “You Press the Button, We Do the Rest” philosophy to the design of Vivid-Pix RESTORE software.   For more information on Reunions magazine and Vivid-Pix, see www.reunionsmag.com and www.vivid-pix.com.

The following announcement was written by the Southern California Genealogical Society:

Jamboree WEBINAR from SCGS on Saturday, January 8, 2022 at 10:00 am Posted: 11 Dec 2021 05:56 PM PST French Canadian Settlements in the Midwestern U.S. Annette Burke Lyttle, MA  Webinar from SCGS Saturday, January 8, 2022 10:00 AM (Pacific Time) To register for this Jamboree webinar meeting  and pay the $5.50 fee, Register here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3408791029618956812 After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. ABOUT THE PRESENTATION French Canadians have inhabited the Midwestern United States since the late 17th century, and major immigration waves from French Canada came to the Midwest in the 19th century. Many of these immigrants sought to maintain their language and customs by settling together in communities. Learn about the history of these communities and how to find the stories of ancestors who lived there. ABOUT THE SPEAKER Annette Burke Lyttle is a professional genealogist specializing in online and repository research, and genealogical education and writing. She loves helping people find and tell their family stories. HANDOUT A handout will be available shortly before the presentation. A link will be included in a reminder that will be sent the day before the session. 2022 Webinar Times 1st Saturdays                                   3rd Wednesdays 10:00 AM Pacific                             6:00 PM Pacific 11:00 AM Mountain                        7:00 PM Mountain 12:00 PM Central                            8:00 PM Central 1:00 PM Eastern                              9:00 PM Eastern ABOUT THE SCGS JAMBOREE EXTENSION SERIES WEBINARS A goal of the Southern California Genealogical Society is to offer educational opportunities to genealogists and family history enthusiasts everywhere. The Jamboree Extension Webinar Series helps delivers those opportunities. COST The initial webcast of each session is $5.50 per webinar. Webinars are archived and available only to SCGS members as a benefit of membership in the society. The webinar archive can be found at http://www.scgsgenealogy.com/webinar/archive-index.html. UPCOMING WEBINARS The list of upcoming webinars can be found at http://scgsgenealogy.com/webinar/jes-index.html. JOIN SCGS TODAY Learn about all the SCGS member benefits at http://www.scgsgenealogy.com/about/benefit-memb.html. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. View System Requirements Please direct any questions to the SCGS Webinar Committee at Webinar@scgsgenealogy.com

The following is a Plus Edition article written by and copyright by Dick Eastman.

Genealogists have long relied on paper for storing their genealogy publications. While useful, paper does not last forever. Even the best acid-free paper will deteriorate someday. Even worse, today's printer inks and laser toners used to print on that paper will disappear many years earlier. Suppose, then, that you print out your records on the finest quality archival paper today and put it away in a safe deposit box for posterity. Within ten or twenty years, that data may become unreadable as the printed characters slowly fade away. The cruel irony is that high-quality, acid-free paper is worthless if it looks blank!

Life expectancy of the media used for storage isn't the only issue. A bigger problem may be the capability to read that media many years after its creation. Paper records are easy to read if the paper does not disintegrate and the ink does not fade. However, other media are often used and almost always have limitations.

For instance, my first computerized genealogy records were stored on 80-column punch cards. When was the last time you saw a device that could read those cards? My data stored on punch cards is now useless, regardless of the life expectancy of those cards.

My next genealogy database was stored on 8-inch floppy diskettes in dBase-II, a popular database program that ran on CP/M computers. (CP/M was the forerunner of MS-DOS, which, in turn, has been replaced by Windows.) 8-inch floppies were very popular in the late 1970s and very early 1980s. Again, those 8-inch floppies are now useless as nobody makes equipment to read them anymore. My data stored on those disks is now inaccessible.

As technology evolved, I updated my hardware and software. I moved to 5 ¼-inch floppies, then to 3 ½-inch floppies, then to ZIP disks, on to CD-recordable disks, and I recently added a DVD-recordable drive to my networked computers. However, each of these also has a finite lifespan: the applicable medium is destined to become as obsolete as the 80-column punch cards.

For many years genealogists, librarians, historians, and archivists have relied on microfilm and microfiche for long-term records preservation. Properly created and stored, these films should last a century or longer. However, I was quite surprised recently to learn that microfilm and microfiche are doomed to become obsolete and unusable long before then.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) has sent microfilm cameras and crews to locations all over the world for many years. These microfilm cameras have recorded hundreds of millions of records, and almost everyone involved was confident that the organization would continue to film more records forever and ever. However, a problem has arisen in the past few years: nobody makes the microfilm cameras anymore. As present cameras wear out, or if the Church wishes to expand the number of teams, there are no new microfilm cameras to be had.

It seems that almost every organization in the world (except perhaps for genealogy) is going digital. Hospitals, insurance companies, governments, and others who used to microfilm records for long-term preservation have now stopped doing so and have switched to digitally-scanned records. Who can blame them? With digital scanning, expenses are lower and record storage space requirements are greatly reduced.

The remainder of this article is reserved for Plus Edition subscribers only. If you have a Plus Edition subscription, you may read the full article at: https://eogn.com/(*)-Plus-Edition-News-Articles/12184126

If you are not yet a Plus Edition subscriber, you can learn more about such subscriptions and even upgrade to a Plus Edition subscription immediately at https://eogn.com/page-18077. 

The following announcement was written by TheGenealogist:

The latest release from TheGenealogist sees 60,290 new owner and occupier records added to their unique Lloyd George Domesday Survey record set. The IR58 Inland Revenue Valuation Office records reveal to family historians all sorts of details about their ancestors' home, land, outbuildings and property owned or occupied in Edmonton, Enfield and Southgate at the time of the survey in the 1910s.

Baker Street, Enfield from Image Archive on TheGenealogist

These property tax records, taken at a time when the government was seeking to raise funds for the introduction of social welfare programmes, introduced revolutionary taxes on the lands and incomes of Britain's population. To carry out this policy the government used surveyors to catalogue a description of each property in a street and also to plot it’s location on large-scale OS maps.

Using the IR58 records from The National Archives, these valuable records can now be searched using the Master Search at TheGenealogist or by clicking on the pins displayed on TheGenealogist’s powerful Map Explorer™. The ability to switch between georeferenced modern and historic maps means that the family historian can see how the landscape where their ancestors had lived or worked may have changed over time.

Baker Street, Enfield – Lloyd George Domesday OS map on Map Explorer™

This online 1910s property records resource is unique to TheGenealogist and enables the researcher to thoroughly investigate a place in which an ancestor had lived in the 1910s notwithstanding that the streets may have undergone unrecognisable change in the intervening years.

See TheGenealogist’s page about the Lloyd George Domesday Survey here:

https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/lloyd-george-domesday/

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 announcement was written by Findmypast:

This week's Findmypast Friday update involves two unique record collections spanning 108 years.

Asia, Far East Directories & Chronicles 1833-1941

Did your ancestors work or reside in the Far East? Discover more with this collection of directories and chronicles that cover the international community in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Indo-China, Straits Settlements, Malaysia, Siam, Dutch East Indies, Borneo and The Philippines.

Consisting of over 70,000 records printed in books that were published between 1833-1941, the collection provides listings of active corporations, foreign residents and government agencies of all nationalities for each particular year, together with their addresses in countries including Borneo, China, Indo-China, Japan, Korea and The Philippines.

They were compiled annually from many different local sources, and include names and addresses of Western corporations, institutions, consulates and foreign residents including large numbers of Americans, Canadians and Australians. Details of the residents include addresses, occupations and employers. 

Parts of these books can also contain details of treaties, conflicts, changes of jurisdiction, relevant law, currencies and taxes, public holidays, festivals and traditions.

London, Synagogue Seatholders 1904

Discover your Jewish heritage with this collection of seat holders from a number of synagogues across the area now known as Greater London.

Covering 16 synagogues from Bayswater to Stoke Newington, these transcripts and images provide a snapshot of a time in which the Jewish population of Britain was saw significant growth, rising from 46,000 to 250,000 between 1880-1919. Many of these new arrivals were refugees from Russia, fleeing the Pale of Settlement region in which Jewish residents had faced terrible persecution and been forced from their homes. 

Newspapers

This week’s update sees Findmypast publish five brand new titles along with substantial updates to 13 existing ones.

New titles:

• • • Bromley & West Kent Mercury, 1919, 1921, 1927-1930, 1933-1950
    • India, 1890-1921
    • Sheffield Public Advertiser, 1760-1763, 1768, 1770, 1772, 1774, 1776, 1787, 1790-1793
    • South London Mail, 1888-1906
    • Swanage Times & Directory, 1919-1936

Updated titles:

• • • Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser, 1875, 1891
    • Cambria Daily Leader, 1897, 1911
    • Glasgow Courier, 1851, 1856
    • Lancashire Evening Post, 1911-1915
    • Lancaster Standard and County Advertiser, 1897
    • Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 1861-1862, 1864-1867, 1869, 1871, 1890-1891, 1897, 1899-1905
    • Macclesfield Courier and Herald, Congleton Gazette, Stockport Express, and Cheshire General Advertiser. 1844, 1858-1859, 1877, 1891
    • Newark Advertiser, 1879-1891, 1897, 1905, 1908-1909, 1911, 1914, 1917, 1958, 1963, 1966-1968
    • Northern Weekly Gazette, 1876, 1913
    • Porthcawl Guardian, 1958
    • Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, 1869
    • West Ham and South Essex Mail, 1928
    • Weymouth Telegram, 1874, 1876, 1879-1881