Evernote has long been one of the best note-taking apps for use by genealogists and by millions of others. I have been a big Evernote fan for years and still am. However, Evernote later increased the prices of its Plus and Premium versions. Evernote Basic remains available free of charge but is now limited to two devices per account, like a computer and a phone, two computers, or a phone and a tablet. Bummer! 

Many Evernote users were disappointed by the news and have since looked for replacement programs. Now a new candidate from a well-known vendor is entering the marketplace.

Dropbox has long been a very popular cloud-based file storage service. Most Dropbox users find it is an excellent service for making backup copies of files as well as copying (or "replicating") those files amongst multiple computers, such as keeping the same files at all times on both your your desktop and laptop computers. The same files also can be retrieved on an iPad, iPhone, Android device, Windows Phone, or even on a Kindle Fire. Dropbox  has added a new trick that appears to be aimed at enticing Evernote users to switch to Dropbox's new service.

Dropbox Paper is a brand-new offering that is available to anyone who would like to try it. In it's simplest form, Dropbox Paper is a note-taking application built into the Dropbox file storage and replication service. It is designed for note taking and it (optionally) replicates copies of those notes to the owner's Windows computers, Macintosh computers, iPad, iPhone, and Android devices. All the notes are also available on any computer by opening a web browser and going to the Dropbox Paper web site. Does this sound like Evernote? You bet it does! I doubt if that is a coincidence.

Dropbox is also making a play for corporate users, again competing with Evernote. Dropbox Paper is cloud-connected so that your group can meet up in the same document and at the same time, regardless of where all team members are located or what devices they are currently using. Team members can enrich shared pages with lists, blocks of code, and embedded media. They can even embed Dropbox documents in your pages.

Dropbox Paper displays all related mentions, comments, shares and other notifications in a neat little list. That list and its associated pages can all file into folders, which you can sort by team or topic.

This is a huge part of how Dropbox is “reimagining the way people work together,” said Christina Cacioppo, Paper product manager. “Dropbox Paper is built to help fast-moving teams organize all their team’s knowledge in a single place, creating a home for their projects.”

Downsides

Dropbox Paper is still a bit buggy so if you try it please do not be surprised if you encounter a few bugs or if all the features are not yet enabled. I have tried it briefly and it does look good. I will caution you, however, that it does not yet seem to have much security. I'm using it for my recipes and for other non-personal items. However, I wouldn't use Dropbox Paper just yet for anything sensitive, such as my credit card information, bank account info, or anything else I would like to keep private. 

Dropbox's security reportedly is not as good as that of some of its competitors. Alternatively, you can use a competing service like SpiderOak which does not have the capability to see your data as long as you’re using the SpiderOak client you installed on your computer. 

Summation

Dropbox Paper looks like it may become a strong competitor to Evernote. You might want to try it now to see for yourself. 

You can learn more about Dropbox Paper at: https://help.dropbox.com/organize/dropbox-paper-faqs, https://www.dropbox.com/paper/start,  https://www.dropbox.com/apps/dropbox_paper, and at: https://learn.dropbox.com/self-guided-learning/dropbox-fundamentals-course/fundamentals-how-do-i-use-paper. 

 Author Marcel Deer announces the release of his new book "Finding Your Tribe: A Guide to Ancestry, Genealogy, and Family History," drawing from his personal journey of discovering his biological family through DNA testing and genealogical research.

A GUIDE TO ANCESTRY, GENEALOGY, AND FAMILY HISTORY

MARCEL DEER
Finding Your Tribe: A Guide to Ancestry, Genealogy, and Family History

Inspired by his own 38-year search for his biological father, Deer's comprehensive guide provides readers with practical tools and strategies for uncovering their family histories. The book combines personal experience with expert insights from genealogist Rob Earnden, offering a roadmap for others embarking on similar journeys of discovery.

The book emerged from Deer's successful search for his biological family, which culminated in discovering his half-sister through DNA testing and genealogical research. This discovery came after decades of searching, aided by genealogy expert Rob Earnden's expertise in DNA analysis and family tree construction.

"From the first time we spoke, there was an instant connection," Marcel recalls about meeting his half-sister. "She's an incredible woman, and it's been amazing to discover how much we share, not just in DNA but in interests and personality."

Finding Your Tribe: A Guide to Ancestry, Genealogy, and Family History provides readers with detailed guidance on using DNA testing, genealogy tools, and online resources to uncover family connections. The book includes practical methodologies, expert insights, and real-world examples to assist both beginners and experienced genealogists. 

"Thanks to Rob's knowledge and dedication, I discovered not only my father's identity but also a sister I never knew I had," says Deer. "It's been an incredible journey, and I want to help others experience the same joy of discovery."

Finding Your Tribe: A Guide to Ancestry, Genealogy, and Family History is now available on Amazon. The Kindle edition is priced at $4.99.

Readers can preview an exclusive sample of the eBook here.

About Marcel Deer Consultancy

As a full-time writer and marketing consultant, Marcel Deer has recently written and published his first book, 'Finding Your Tribe' A guide to Ancestry, Genealogy, and Family History. This book was written after Marcel discovered his sister, and the identity of his father, at 38 years old, earlier in 2024.

The Fellows of the American Society of Genealogists are again pleased to offer grant opportunities in support of important continuing genealogical research projects. These grants are intended to assist with those projects sitting unfinished (or unstarted) on every genealogist’s “back burner” for lack of financial aid to help cover researching and writing time, costs of copies, fees, travel, and other usual expenses associated with genealogical research and publication. 

Grants are for $2,500 each. Four grants are available for 2025. Projects are not limited regarding location, subject, length, or format, but the value of the work to other researchers and institutions will be an important consideration. Examples of possible projects include, but are not limited to, compilation of single or extended family genealogies, transcriptions or translations of original documents, bibliographies, indexes, studies of ethnic groups, geographic locations, migration patterns, legal history, etc., using genealogical resources and methods. Publication is not required, but acknowledgement of the support from the American Society of Genealogists in any distribution of the project results is requisite. The grantee is required to present ASG with a copy of the completed project in the format in which it exists – hard copy, digital image, database, etc.

To receive a 2025 Continuing Genealogical Grant Application, write to:

acwcrane@aol.com or 

Alicia Crane Williams, FASG, 4 White Trellis, Plymouth, MA 02360.

Deadline for submitting an application for 2025 grants is: April 1, 2025.

Grants awarded in 2024: 

• Shadidah Ahmad, Watertown, MA: This grant adds to the 2023 grant awarded to Ahmad to locate and record 200 funeral programs from churches and funeral homes, and through interviews with local elders to document the African American cemeteries in Holly Hill and Cottageville, South Carolina. The programs are being copied and digitized, their information captured on Excel sheets and entered into a genealogy program, with a future goal of creating a website with the digitized materials she has collected. Her research also include family Bibles and church organizations. In-person visits with community elders and with family members in charge of burial plots, etc., add flesh to the stories of a “rapidly dying history in these small, yet rich towns.” 

• Carolyne Ngara, Nairobi, Kenya: “A Comprehensive Genealogical Research of the Luo people of Kenya.” The Joka Jok oral history program has conducted 50 interviews with members of 24 ethnic Luo clans, with the expectation of eventually conducting over 100, “preserving over half a million records on the Luo.” Original documents, bibliographies, indexes, geographical locations, migration patterns and legal history of the Luo ethnic groups of Kenya will be studied. The preservation of endangered records is an urgent motivator in the face of political conflict in the area. The Luo population in Kenya us about four million or 13 percent of the total population, with others living in Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. U.S. President Barak Obama is a descendant of the Luo clan.

• Kelly Richardson, Dickinson, ND: Grant to continue her work with the Redwood Coast Land Conservancy on their project to restore and document the Gualala River Cemetery, Northern California. Over 100 individuals buried in the long-neglected cemetery have been identified, genealogical research has been done, and descendants, most of whom do not know they have an ancestor buried there, have been contacted. Twenty-nine family sketches have been published on the website (www.rclc.org/gualala-cemetery) and include California immigrants from Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Ontario, New Brunswick, Ohio, Missouri, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Norway, and West Prussia, connecting families who have lost track of branches that made it this far west.

• Pamela Vittorio, Brooklyn, NY: “Navigating the Records of the New York Canals (1817 to 1918): A Guide for Genealogical Research.” Tied to the Bicentennial anniversary of the Erie Canal in 2025, this project evaluates and presents for publication the records of the Erie and lateral canals of NY State at the State Archives using The New York State Canal Society’s archives, the Library of Congress, and New York Public Library, and regional collections. It is intended to supply researchers with tools, examples, and strategies for their work, and to help identify and find records of ancestors who may have worked along or been passengers on the canal. Databases include “Boats/boat owners” (1820s to 1920); “Laborers” (1817 to 1920); and “Other individuals associated with the canal, e.g. businessmen, etc.” (1817 to 1920).

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is launching a significant new tool to assist families across America impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia-related illnesses. The AFA Virtual Helpline Assistant, an avatar named “Allison,” is a free, fully interactive resource on AFA’s website (www.alzfdn.org) which answers users’ questions about dementia, caregiving, brain health, memory issues, and more. 

Allison is a friendly, professional avatar designed to supplement the work of AFA’s Helpline, which is staffed entirely by licensed social workers who are specifically trained in dementia care. The avatar is programmed to answer hundreds of common dementia-related questions, ranging from basic ones such as “What is Alzheimer’s disease?” to more advanced issues such as “What do I do if my loved one keeps asking to go home when they are already home?” 

Users can ask questions by typing text into a chat box or through voice interaction using their device’s microphone and will receive instant feedback and information. At any time during their session, users can ask Allison to create a ticket and have a Helpline social worker contact them to discuss more detailed, complex, or personalized issues. 

“This new service greatly expands our ability to provide people with helpful information in their time of need,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s President & CEO. “Individuals will be able to get answers to many questions quickly and easily, without having to search through a website, while still having the option to ask to speak with a licensed social worker.” 

The system is completely confidential and free to use. Allison can serve individuals in all major languages. Users do not have to input any personal information to use the system unless they are asking to speak with a licensed social worker, in which case they only need to provide contact information so the social worker can follow up with them. 

“Allison will be a helpful supplement to AFA’s Helpline social workers,” said Jennifer Reeder, LCSW, AFA’s Director of Educational and Social Services. “By providing answers to general questions and connecting users to social workers for help with more in-depth, detailed issues, this new service helps us better serve families, caregivers, and the general public.” 

The streaming animation service for this interactive Help avatar is powered by D-ID. It is programmed by David Norris of Bold Crow AI. 

Nearly 7 million Americans currently live with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One in six seniors are living with Alzheimer’s disease and more than 11 million people care for someone living with the disease every day. Caregivers need constant information and support to care for loved ones living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. 

Individuals wishing to utilize this service can do so by clicking here. Information about AFA’s other support services and programs is available on AFA’s website.

Rhode man, Danny Leavy and Edenderry's Kevin Guing have put their site live, documenting the contributions of over 540 people from Offaly who fought in a brutal fight that determined the long term future of the USA when the north based Union prevailed over the southern Confederacy.

The Civil War took place from 1861 to 1865 and erupted after Abraham Lincoln became USA president in 1860. Lincoln was opposed to slavery and with the USA continuing its westward expansion to the Pacific Ocean, there was building angst over whether these states should be allowed to have slavery or prohibited from doing so. After Lincoln's election, seven southern slave states seceded from the Union, trying to establish their own Confederacy.

Several fierce bloody battles were fought during the war before the Confederacy collapsed and slave owning declared illegal – Lincoln was assassinated at the end of the war.

Thousands of Irish fought in the Civil War, the vast majority on the Union side. The Civil War erupted after a wave of mass emigration to the USA following the 1840s famine in Ireland. Many of those emigrants headed to New York, Boston and other big cities the Union states in the north and on the Eastern seaboard.

Many of them lived in horrific conditions of poverty and then, healthy males were conscripted or enlisted to fight in the Civil War.

Former Rhode footballer, Danny Leavy emigrated to New York in the 1990s and in recent years, he has developed a huge passion in researching and documenting the lives of Offaly exiles who fought in the Civil War, often travelling to viewing their graves. Leavy played minor and U-21 for Offaly, as well as a few senior games, before departing to Yonkers in New York. Now living in Manhattan, he was elected on to the board of the New York based American Irish Historical Society last year and is also researching and writing a book on Cornelius Heeney, a Meath born man who spent much of his childhood in Edenderry, before emigrating to New York in the 1780s – he became a successful business man and also made a great contribution to the Catholic Church and charitable causes there.

Guing was a key member of the great Edenderry team that dominated Offaly football from 1995 to 2001, winning titles in '95, '97, '99 and 2001. He played several senior football games for Offaly from 1990 to 1997 and was a very solid defender. He was an Offaly senior football selector recently during John Maughan's time in charge.

He also has a great interest in history and combined with Leavy to research this project. It is a great resource, providing details of soldiers' family in Ireland, where they emigrated to, their war record and fate here, and when they died. It also provides a list by their home place in Offaly and details of soldiers are being uploaded to the site on an ongoing basis.

It is very much a labour of love for the two men and the site can be accessed on: https://americasoffalyheroes.com/.

A new interactive map highlighting information about publicly-owned land across Scotland has been created. The new resource – which can be found HERE – also allows people to see the land managed by the Scottish Crown Estate. Users can explore information on individual land parcels, including its ownership and size.

The information has been brought together as a searchable map for the first time and, as well as information on the Crown Estate, it also includes the four main landowning public bodies in Scotland.

These are:

Rural Affairs and Land Reform Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “I would like to thank all of our partners who have helped develop this resource that will allow people to explore the range of public or Scottish Crown Estate land in Scotland.

“Given the scale of it, at more than 10% of Scotland, this land provides us with opportunities for increasing opportunities for agriculture, woodland creation and peatland restoration, which in tandem with the existing capacity for timber production and renewable energy generation, are crucial to reducing our emissions. This is a significant demonstration of our commitment to providing transparency of public land ownership in Scotland.”

Public and Scottish Crown Estate managed land makes up 11% of Scotland – equivalent to around 857,000 hectares.

Chief executive of Crown Estate Scotland Ronan O’Hara said: “Crown Estate Scotland’s land and assets – which are held in trust for the people of Scotland – represent both a crucial resource and a key part of the country’s natural landscape.

“Crown Estate Scotland wants these assets to be used for the long-term benefit of the people of Scotland and we are delighted to be as open and transparent about those assets as possible.

“This is to make sure people know what is being held on their behalf and what we are doing to protect those assets for the long term.”

The following is a press release written by the (U.S.) National Archives and Records Administration:

The National Archives has approved $2,434,000 in awards for 30 historical records projects in 21 states, American Samoa, and the District of Columbia. The National Archives grants program is carried out with the advice and recommendations of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). 

A complete list of grants is available online. 

In partnership with state historical records advisory boards, the National Archives will fund 15 states to carry out programs that assist smaller archives, provide workshops and educational tools, and provide statewide archival services. 

Two Major Initiative grants will go to: 

• Washington College in Maryland to work with the Chesapeake Heartland Digital Archive to document Black heritage on the Eastern Shore,
• Franco American Collections Consortium in Maine to document the French-Canadian and Acadian diaspora from 89 collections held at 13 repositories.

Seven grants will be awarded to Archives Collaboratives.

• Planning grants will go to: 
  • the Highlander Research and Education Center in Tennessee to partner on a Southern memory workers’ collaborative,
  • Dance/USA to develop archival resources for three dance companies which represent traditional, cultural, and contemporary dance forms. 
• Implementation grants will go to:
  • the New York Folklore Society and partners across the state
  • the Association of Moving Image Archivists to work with four cultural organizations on digital readiness;
  • the Blacklidge Community Collective in Tucson, Arizona;
  • Urban Archives to support a location-based digital platform and collection management system;
  • Efforts of Grace, Inc. to work with the Alliance for Cultural Equity and over a dozen small museums and community-based archives in New Orleans.

Six projects will receive support from our Publishing Historical Records program to document major historical figures and important eras and social movements:

• the Correspondence of Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore,
• the Civil War Governors of Kentucky Digital Documentary Edition,
• a digital edition of Los Angeles Issei Poetry,
• the “Willie Jumper Stories” as part of the Digital Archive for Indigenous Language Persistence,
• Slavery Law & Power: Debating Justice & Democracy in Early America and the British Empire,
• Kinship and Longing: Keywords for Black Louisiana, a digital edition documenting 18th century French and Spanish Louisiana.

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission includes representatives from all three branches of the Federal government as well as the leading archival and historical professional associations. Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan is the Chair, and Christopher Eck is the Executive Director. Since it was established in 1934 along with the National Archives, the NHPRC has awarded 5,300 grants for preserving, publishing, and providing access to the nation’s historical documents.

RootsTech by FamilySearch has announced four of its keynote speakers for the world’s largest family discovery celebration, which will take place March 6–8, 2025.

Author Ndaba Mandela (grandson of Nelson Mandela), prominent artist Dana Tanamachi, and Olympic and Paralympic Gold-medalists Tara Davis-Woodhall and Hunter Woodhall, are the first keynote speakers to be announced. They will take the main stage to share their unique and inspiring personal, family and historical experiences with the global RootsTech 2025 audience.

Register to attend the 3-day event online or in person at RootsTech.org.

Ndaba Mandela

RootsTech by FamilySearch has announced that speaker, writer and philanthropist Ndaba Mandela (the grandson of Nelson Mandela) will be a keynote speaker during the world’s largest family discovery celebration, which will occur March 6–8, 2025. Photo provided by FamilySearch.All rights reserved.

Ndaba Mandela, a renowned speaker, author and social activist, grew up in South Africa. His grandfather, Nelson Mandela, was a prominent politician and public influence, spending 27 years in prison for his activism against Apartheid. When he was released, he invited Ndaba to live with him. While living with his grandfather, Ndaba was taught many lessons that inspired him to become a happy and effective global citizen. He attributes many of his teachings to his grandfather. Ndaba Mandela’s virtual keynote message will be available to watch at RootsTech.org starting Thursday, March 6.

Dana Tanamachi

Dana Tanamachi is a world-renowned artist. She is well known for her three-story mural at Starbucks inside New York City’s Empire State Building and for many other projects, including features on the covers of O Magazine and Time Magazine and her art on the US postal stamp. Dana is coming to Rootstech to share her own family story and its influence on her journey of becoming the artist she is now. Listen online or watch in person on Friday, March 7.

Tara Davis-Woodhall and Hunter Woodhall

Olympic Gold medalist Tara Davis-Woodhall and husband, Paralympic gold medalist Hunter Woodhall, met at a high school track meet in Pocatello, Idaho, in 2017. They were married 5 years later. They both competed for Division I universities on their respective journeys to the Olympics, Tara at the University of Georgia, then the University of Texas, and Hunter for the University of Arkansas. Their journeys and relationship have captured the attention and hearts of fans all across the globe. They will share their incredible relationship and story with RootsTech on Saturday, March 8, available to watch in person or online.

What Is RootsTech?

RootsTech is a place to learn, be inspired, and make connections through family history. Hosted by FamilySearch and sponsored by other leading genealogy organizations, we have hundreds of expert classes, tips and tricks videos, and inspiring stories that can help you experience family history like never before. Visit our on-demand learning library, or make plans to join us for our next virtual or in-person conference event.

Register for RootsTech 2025

Watch previous RootsTech keynotes and classes now on the RootsTech on-demand library.

About FamilySearch

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. We are a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use our records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 125 years. People access our services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 6,000 FamilySearch centers in 129 countries, including the main FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah

Lithographic print of P.T. Barnum

Milner Library is proud to announce the publication of the P.T. Barnum Letters and Ephemera, a digital collection drawn from Special Collections’ world-class circus holdings. This assemblage of 136 documents relating to Barnum and his many business ventures was originally collected by Walter Scholl, a former balloon ascensionist, parachute jumper, and retired printer from Chicago, who amassed a stellar collection of over 22,000 circus books, pieces of ephemera, and other items from a wide variety of sources. Scholl donated the lot to Milner Library in 1963-64, forming the basis of today’s Circus and Allied Arts Collection.

These intriguing, mundane, and sometimes confounding documents flesh out the world and writings of legendary showman Phineas Taylor Barnum, the man who revolutionized entertainment in 19th-century America. From important personal and professional correspondence to curious souvenirs saved from the dustbin of history, the collection illuminates the origins of modern show business through the works of a visionary self-promoter who blurred the lines between reality, entertainment, and humbug.

The collection includes a miniature oil painting of Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind.

Many of these seldom-seen documents deal with Barnum’s acquisition and later disposition of 760 acres of land in what is now metropolitan Denver, Colorado. On the advice of his daughter Helen and her husband Dr. William Buchtel, Barnum purchased the property for cheap during the bankruptcy of the Denver Villa Park Association in 1878, but his lofty goals for its development ran up against the relative undesirability of the land. Barnum ended up selling what he could, then transferring the remaining parcels to Helen for the price of one dollar. William became mayor of Villa Park, then renamed Barnum, upon its incorporation in 1887.

Other materials deal with the triumphant American debut of famed “Swedish Nightengale” Jenny Lind, which Barnum arranged and initially managed, as well as his eponymous dime museum in New York. The collection also sheds light on the Greatest Showman’s cozy relationship with the press and his embrace of the lecture circuit to generate additional revenue during the slow winter months.

The P.T. Barnum Letters and Ephemera are freely available online. Whether you’re a scholar researching American cultural history, a student exploring primary sources, or a circus enthusiast looking for a journey into the past, this collection promises to captivate and educate.

Officials with Stratford-Perth Archives say their new historical newspaper database has proved popular with the public, recording more than 53,000 visits in the nearly three months it's been online.

The archive launched in mid-September, allowing amateur and professional historians, and curious residents a way to look at old local newspapers dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The project kicked off in 2022, spearheaded by Jennifer Georgiou, an assistant archivist at the archives. For the last three years, she and two summer students have been working to scan the archives' microfilm and physical newspaper collection at a rate of about 12,000 to 28,000 pages each summer.

"I find now that a lot of researchers want a Google-esque database when looking for research," Georgiou said this week. "The numbers show that this has been a really great tool for researchers."

Users from as far away as New Zealand and Norway have looked at the database, said Betty Jo Belton, manager of archives services at Stratford-Perth Archives.

"We have heard from people who found information about family members just by searching the surname across a number of papers."

An advertisement for Milverton, Ont., merchant T.P. Roe, printed in the Nov. 13, 1913 edition of the Milverton Sun, makes a pitch to readers for "up-to-date" boots heading into the winter season. (Stratford-Perth Archives)

The scanned newspapers have been uploaded to a website operated by the non-profit OurDigitalWorld, which hosts digital artifacts for various Ontario libraries and archives.

You can read more at: https://tinyurl.com/mpwdvedf.