The following is a press release issued by the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG):

— The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG®), the largest organization serving genealogy professionals and related businesses worldwide, with nearly 2,500 members representing more than forty countries, today announced their 2022 leadership. The Board of Directors consists of the elected officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer), twelve directors, and the most recent former president willing to serve. The following are the members of the 2022 Board of Directors.

Officers:

President: Annette Burke Lyttle (Florida)

Owner of Heritage Detective, LLC, providing professional services in research, education, and writing.

Vice President: Suzanne L. Hoffman (Illinois)

Forensic genealogist specializing in Eastern European research and immigration.

Secretary: Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG (Ohio)

Author, speaker, instructor, columnist; recipient of the APG Laura G. Prescott Award for Exemplary Service to Professional Genealogy.

Treasurer: Pamela Ricciardi Paschke, CPA (Florida)

Retired Certified Public Accountant (CPA), author, speaker, DNA administrator.

Directors:

Jenifer Kahn Bakkala (Massachusetts)

Author of An American Family: Four Centuries of Labor, Love, and Reward; full-time professional genealogist; past president of the New England Chapter of APG.

Cinda Baxter, CG (Minnesota)

Assistant Director of Genealogical Institute on Federal Records, served as course facilitator for both the Boston University (BU) Certificate and BU Principles courses.

John Boeren, LLM, PLCGS [Netherlands]

Graduate of the Tilburg University Law School, full time professional genealogist, speaker at international conferences, and author. Owner of Antecedentia, Genealogy in the Netherlands.

Karin Coppernoll (Washington)

Proprietor of consulting business, Brick by Brick Genealogy.

Alec Ferretti (New York)

Member of Board of Directors of Reclaim the Records; works with the Wells Fargo Family & Business History Center.

Margaret Fortier, CG (Massachusetts)

Certified Genealogist® focusing on New England immigrants; facilitator for certification discussion groups; volunteer with the Archdiocese of Boston Catholic Records project at NEHGS.

Melinda Kashuba, PhD (California)

Owner of Kashuba Research Services, author, course coordinator and faculty member at Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research, and faculty member at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy.

Ricki King (Iowa)

Writer, speaker, mentor, lobbyist; worked with local, state, and federal agencies to help Woodland Cemetery become part of the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

Nefi Arenas Salazar (Mexico)

Specialist in finding ancestors of Jewish origin in colonial Mexico.

Cathie Sherwood (Australia)

Owner of Family History Academy, an online learning provider offering courses and workshops taught by experienced and respected instructors. Principal and founder of Ancestor Discovery, a professional family history research service.

Jessica M. Taylor (Utah)

President of Legacy Tree Genealogists, co-founder of Genealogy Business Alliance.

Mark A. Wentling, CG (Massachusetts)

Forensic genealogist specializing in unknown heir research and military repatriation, instructor, mentor, writer.

Past President:

Kenyatta Deshire Berry (California)

Author, attorney, lecturer, TV host of Genealogy Roadshow (PBS), contributor to “1619 Project.”

About the Association of Professional Genealogists

The Association of Professional Genealogists (www.apgen.org), established in 1979, represents nearly 2,500 genealogists in various genealogy-related businesses. APG encourages genealogical excellence, ethical practice, mentoring, and education. The organization also supports the preservation and accessibility of records useful to the fields of genealogy and history. Its members represent all fifty U.S. states, Canada, and forty other countries. APG is active on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Media Contact:

Kathleen W. Hinckley, CG

Executive Director

Association of Professional Genealogists

P.O. Box 535, Wheat Ridge, CO 80034-0535

email: admin@apgen.org

The following is a press release written by the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (AGRA):

27 January 2022

The Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (AGRA) is organising a workshop for professional genealogists to highlight the benefits of joining the Association. The meeting will take place online, via Zoom, on Wednesday, 16 February 2022.

AGRA is the largest professional organisation of accredited members in the UK and promotes high professional standards in the field of genealogy and historical research. AGRA also acts as a representative voice in matters relating to genealogy. Members are generally acknowledged to be the best in their field. An Associate category is also available for those entering the profession who aspire to build a career in genealogy.

Membership of the Association brings many benefits for working genealogists in terms of professional development and business growth. Study days, visits and regional network groups enable the membership to learn from one another. While AGRA’s user-friendly website and helpdesks at conferences help its members to connect with prospective clients. Having moved much of its activities online and adapted its application process during the pandemic, the Association is now planning a return to face-to-face events.

AGRA is looking to encourage other established researchers to join its growing community. The online workshop will be an opportunity for prospective Members and Associates to learn more about the changing face of AGRA and gain a better understanding of the application process.

Recent members will discuss their experiences of applying to the Association and the benefits gained since joining. In addition, one of AGRA’s assessors will explain the application process in detail and will be available to answer attendees’ questions.

The workshop will also include discussion of the challenges and opportunities facing professional genealogy practitioners and provide opportunities for participants to share their ideas and experiences.

The number of places for this professional workshop is strictly limited in order to offer attendees a more personalised meeting experience – so prospective attendees are encouraged to book early to guarantee their place.

The attendance fee of £15 will be deducted from AGRA’s first year subscription for anyone attending this event who goes on to make a successful application to join the Association. For more details and a link to the booking form, please see https://www.agra.org.uk/eventprofessional-genealogists-39-workshop-2022-02-16

FURTHER INFORMATION:

For further information please contact Jane Roberts via press@agra.org.uk.

A new database is enabling users to search and find matzeivos of those buried in the Jewish cemetery in the town of Lubavitch in Russia.

For the past several years, the Lubavitch Organization in Russia, under the leadership of shliach Rabbi Gavriel Gordon, has been conducting research and restoration work at the historic Jewish cemetery in Lubavitch. Hundreds of matzeivos were uncovered, raised, cleaned and restored.
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Following the restoration work, the organization set out to compile a database of all the matzeivos and names of those who are buried at the site. The project is fully sponsored by philanthropists Yosef and Penina Batsheva Popack, with the assistance of askan Reb Mendel Levin and the ‘Geder Avos’ organization.

The result of their efforts was the creation of a database where you can easily find most of the kvarim in this historic cemetery.

You can learn more in an article the anash.org web site at: https://anash.org/new-database-provides-a-glimpse-of-past-generations/.

The following is a news release from the Newfoundland and Labrador provincial government:

Vital Statistics records for deaths registered in Newfoundland and Labrador from 1950 to 1968 are now available online via The Rooms website.

In 2021, Digital Government and Service NL’s Vital Statistics Division provided an initial transfer of 59,698 death certificates, to allow public access for research purposes. This is the first time a collection of vital statistics records has been digitally transferred to The Rooms Provincial Archives. The records can be found on a searchable database here Vital Statistics (Deaths 1950-1968) digital collection.

All original materials and digital copies are still maintained by the department. Marriage, birth and additional death records will be added to the Archives in the near future.

The database can be keyword searched by: name; date of death; sex; marital status; place of death; or date of registration of death. Attached to each individual record is a digital reproduction of the individual’s registration of death.

The Rooms Provincial Archives holds many useful genealogical research sources, in paper and microfilm format, including: Vital Statistics (pre-1892), Vital Statistics (1891-1949) collections, parish records, census records, the All Newfoundland Births, Family History Collection (MG 929), Gert Crosbie collection, Mildred Howard collection and select newspapers.

Quotes
“Enabling public access to historic documents online is an important public service that we are proud to facilitate. Thanks to the work of The Rooms, Vital Statistics and the Office of the Chief Information Officer, we are allowing people to research and easily find answers to questions about their history and ancestors.”
Honourable Sarah Stoodley
Minister of Digital Government and Service NL

“Digitalizing these Vital Statistics records is bringing our history into the present in a modern, accessible way. In doing so, The Rooms is further cementing its own place as the province’s largest cultural facility – not only for the appreciation and exploration of art, heritage and culture, but for archival research, as well. I expect this new development to entice more Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to explore their ancestries and family trees.”
Honourable Steve Crocker
Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation

“Digital transfer of vital statistics records is an exciting milestone for The Rooms. These records are essential for genealogical research, and making them publicly available is one of our core archival services. I am delighted that the public can conveniently access these records online, and I am grateful to staff at The Rooms, Vital Statistics and the Office of the Chief Information Officer for their involvement in this project.”
Anne Chafe, CEO
The Rooms Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador

NOTE: This article is not one of the usual articles in this newsletter. It doesn't discuss genealogy, history, DNA, or legal events. However, it is about a topic that I believe is loosely related: a major museum has released a publicly-accessible catalog of its holdings.

If you have ancestors from Oregon or any other interest in Oregon's history, you will probably find the Oregon Historical Society's new Museum Collection Portal to be of interest to you.

The Oregon Historical Society has announced the launch of its Museum Collection Portal (museumcollection.ohs.org) — a public, online database highlighting the incredible objects in the museum’s care.

OHS’s museum preserves over 75,000 objects that document the history of the region, which includes clothing and textiles, Native American belongings, artworks, vehicles, equipment, and everyday items. At launch, the Portal provides access to the records for over 10,000 of these objects, with new records being added regularly.

Dinner Time on the Rifle Range

Users can connect to these historical objects by searching by name, description, maker, or date(s). Pre-filtered searches are another great way to explore the Portal, and users can experience OHS’s collections through broad subjects such as the Oregon Trail, the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, or quilts. Users can also browse recent acquisitions to the museum collection as well as learn more about the over 350 objects on view in OHS’s permanent exhibition, Experience Oregon. Each object record includes an image of the object along with its provenance — the history of the object’s ownership.

You can learn a lot more about the Museum Collection Portal in an article in the KTVZ web site at: https://ktvz.com/community/2022/01/25/oregon-historical-society-launches-new-online-museum-collection-portal/.

Thomas Crapper was a plumber in the late 19th century who founded Thomas Crapper & Co. Ltd. in London. He is widely (but erroneously) credited with invention of the flush toilet.

Thomas Crapper's date of birth is unknown but a record exists of his baptism in Thorne, Yorkshire, on September 28, 1836. He died January 27, 1910 so that date every year is dedicated to his memory because of all he did for England and the rest of the world.

Actually, Crapper did not invent the flushing toilet. It was invented by John Harington in 1596 but it never achieved much success commercially. Most people had never seen a flush toilet until after the 1880s. Crapper improved the design and used his skills as a shrewd businessman and salesperson to make it extremely popular. His company, Thomas Crapper & Co, owned the world's first bath, toilet and sink showroom, in King's Road, London, England.

The manhole covers in Westminster Abbey still have the Crapper Company name on them. They are a common tourist attraction in England.

Thomas Crapper

The slang term for human bodily waste, crap, would appear to be derived from Thomas Crapper's name but such an assumption would be in error. The word appears to be much older and appeared in other languages long before Thomas Crapper was born. In English, its first application to bodily waste, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, appeared in 1846 under a reference to a crapping ken, or a privy, where ken means a house.

Contrary to popular myth, Thomas Crapper was never knighted, and thus was not entitled to use the term “Sir” before his name. There is no record of his ever using the title. The first references to SIR Thomas Crapper appeared long after his death.

While Crapper may not be the inventor of the product he is most often associated with, his contribution to England’s plumbing history is significant. Let's celebrate Thomas Crapper Day today and take a moment to appreciate all that he did for the promotion of sanitary plumbing. The world would be very different without his salesmanship and the promotion of his products.

The following is a press release issued by FamilySearch:

We Are One People” Says 3-Time World Champion Boxer Samuel Azumah Nelson

Ghanaian Hall of Famer’s RootsTech 2022 Story Packs a Punch

26 January 2022, Accra, Ghana—Boxing is a sport that demands grit and determination, but those characteristics don’t appear from nowhere. Just ask Africa’s greatest boxing legend, Samuel Azumah Nelson and a RootsTech 2022 keynote speaker (3–5 March 2022). He credits his ancestors for endowing him with the qualities that carried him to 3 featherweight world championships and a place in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

“I need to show you where my courage and determination to succeed came from” he declared. “I am a proud Ghanaian with a Tabon DNA, power, and spirit. You must be interested in your family history and to live the values it represents.”

There’s a lot behind the Tabon affiliation that is a major part of Azumah’s story for attendees of RootsTech 2022 (March 3–5, 2022). The Tabon people were former slaves in Brazil. With the abolishment of slavery in the late 1800s, 7 families banded together and made their way back to the homelands from which their ancestors had been taken. The Asuman family, who later changed their name to Nelson, were among the leaders of the group. 

Register for free at RootsTech.org to watch Samuel Azumah Nelson on the main stage 3–5 March 2022

Rather than being ostracized as outsiders, the group was welcomed and sheltered by the ruling tribes, and they soon set about establishing new lives as tailors, architects, and farmers. But earning a living was difficult, and poverty remains a familiar companion in much of Ghana to this day. 

“Zoom Zoom,” as Azumah is affectionately nicknamed, was pressed into labor at an early age, forgoing formal education to help provide for his family, including his parents and 5 siblings. On the main stage at RootsTech 2022, a free online event, he will tell the fascinating tale about how he rose from those humble beginnings in total obscurity to the pinnacle of his chosen sport, including the story of a fateful encounter he had as a young boy with a man who was holding a pair of boxing shoes.

Despite his global fame, Azumah still clings to his family roots. “Even with our different genealogy, we are part of the global family,” he said. “If only we can remind ourselves that regardless of political affiliation, race, tribe, gender, country, and faith, we all belong to ONE BIG FAMILY OF GOD, I believe the world will be a beautiful place to live in.”

To enjoy more of Azumah’s powerful story, register today for free at RootsTech.org, and join the virtual event March 3–5, 2022! 

Find and share this announcement in the FamilySearch Newsroom.

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About RootsTech Connect 2022

RootsTech welcomes millions of people worldwide to celebrate family at the world’s largest family history conference and year-long learning platform. With hundreds of classes, inspiring speakers, meaningful activities, and joyful connections, RootsTech brings the human family together like no other event. The conference is 100% virtual and 100% free. Learn more at www.rootstech.org.

About FamilySearch.org

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services each month 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 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 5,000 family history centers in 129 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“Ich bin ein Berliner: (Re)uniting 5 Half-siblings from 4 Different Mothers” will be the topic of a virtual presentation by genealogist Michael Tobias for the Sunday, March 27, 2022, meeting of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois at 2 p.m. CST. Register/RSVP at https://jgsi.org/event-4559075.

He will describe the genealogy research process that began in July 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom when a woman asked for help in identifying her newly-discovered (via DNA) Jewish birth father. She could not imagine the story about to unfold.

The 19th North Carolina Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Societies, Inc.(AAHGS) Black History Month Genealogy Conference will be held Saturday, February 5, 2022. The theme is “Genealogy and History: The Ties that Bind Our Family, Community, Nation and World.”

Workshops are designed for beginners and intermediates; include topics related to Genealogy Research and History. Presenters are National and Local Genealogist: Renate Yarborough Sanders and Jeffrey Houser-Pres. Mecklenburg Genealogical Society. You don't want to miss this opportunity. Register today!

For more information, visit the website at www.aahgscharlotte.org.

Do you call family, friends, or business colleagues via video conferencing? Thinking of changing to a better service?

Check out The Best Free Apps for Video Calling at https://www.theverge.com/21286781/best-video-call-apps-free.