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

It’s time to get rid of all the paper that is cluttering up your genealogy research as well as your need to keep receipts for income tax purposes, to keep copies of eyeglass prescriptions, to organize your warranties for the various items in your life, to keep copies of business cards, and for hundreds of other purposes where you might need to quickly and easily find a piece of "paper" in the future. Luckily, there are many software tools available for organizing your paper files by scanning them, saving the images to a database on your computer, and (optionally) throwing away the paper.

Remember when everyone talked about how we would someday become a paperless society? Now it seems like we use paper more than ever. Let’s face it – everyone still uses paper. We end up with piles of it – bills, receipts, financial and insurance statements, and much more. Still, the trend toward government and business entities wanting digital documents is growing. For instance, the Internal Revenue Service prefers that you file your taxes electronically. If an audit is requested, the I.R.S. strongly suggests you show up at the audit with electronic images of your receipts, not with boxes of paper. According to ruling Rev. Proc. 97-22 from the IRS, agency employees will accept digital documents. If you do insist on submitting tax forms and receipts on paper, the I.R.S. employees will simply scan all your paper and then throw that paper away! The agency doesn't have enough file space to store paper from all the taxpayers, but it has lots of available space for digital storage. In addition, I.R.S. employees can retrieve electronic images much faster than they can retrieve paper documents. Perhaps you should do the same. After all, this is the 21^st century!

I have written often about the advantages of genealogists going paperless. See https://duckduckgo.com/?q=site%3Aeogn.com+paperless&t=hf&ia=web for a list of my past articles about going paperless. This week, I am experimenting with a new software tool that shows a lot of promise for anyone thinking of reducing clutter and simplifying the retrieval of needed information at any time in the future.

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/11773152.

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 Findmypast:

Findmypast have expanded their exclusive collection of Catholic parish registers with over 100,000 records covering 59 parishes across Cornwall, Devon & Dorset.

Published online for the first time in association with Diocese of Plymouth, this valuable new resource spans 1781-1921 and includes;

• • Over 55,000 baptism records
  • Over 16,000 marriage records
  • Over 15,000 burial records
  • Over 15,000 congregational records

Each record includes both a transcript and scanned colour image of the original document. The amount of information listed in these detail rich records may vary, although most results will reveal key biographical details as well as the date, parish, and location of the event that was being recorded.

Baptisms will reveal the names of godparents and parents, enabling you to uncover details of previous generations as well as the identities of family friends or relatives. Marriages will provide the name of your ancestor’s spouse, father and witnesses while burials allow you to discover the final resting place of your ancestors, their age at death, marital status and in some cases even cause of death. 

Congregational records are packed with other fascinating facts surrounding your ancestor’s relationship with the church such as details of their confirmation, first confession or even the location of their seat rental. 

As many of the original registers were written in Latin, Findmypast have applied a Latin dictionary to the name search field. This gives their search the capability to search for the English and Latin versions of a name when the name variants option is selected.

Today’s release marks just the latest update to the Catholic Heritage Archive, Findmypast’s ground-breaking digitisation project to bring millions of records from across Scotland, England, Ireland and American online for the very first time.

The Roman Catholic Church holds some of the oldest and best-preserved family records which, until now, have remained locked away for centuries. By working with partners at various Archdiocese, Findmypast has enabled millions of users across the world to explore their Catholic roots online.

Newspapers

This week’s Findmypast Friday update also sees 11 new papers added to the Findmypast newspaper archive along with updates to 18 existing titles. New arrivals include:

• • Cosmopolitan covering 1865 and 1868-1876
  • Illustrated Crystal Palace Gazette covering 1853-1854
  • Illustrated Midland News covering 1869-1871
  • Illustrated Newspaper covering 1871
  • London Illustrated Weekly covering 1874
  • South London Advertiser covering 1863-1866
  • Surrey Herald and County Advertiser covering 1826-1828
  • Tichborne Gazette covering 1872 and 1874-1875
  • Warminster Herald covering 1857, 1859-1869, 1872-1874, 1877-1880, 1882-1884 and 1886-1893
  • Westerham Herald covering 1883-1889, 1893-1896, 1898-1935
  • Wolverton Express covering 1901-1954

While additional pages have been added to:

• • Borough of Greenwich Free Press from 1857
  • Bury Free Press from 1997
  • Fenland Citizen from 1989
  • Grantham Journal from 1960-1967, 1981-1983, and 1995-1996
  • Haverhill Echo from 1994-1997
  • Herne Bay Press from 1898
  • Islington Times from 1858
  • Kentish Express 1878
  • Liverpool Albion from 1837, 1851, 1859 and 1865
  • Lloyd’s List from 1913
  • Music Hall and Theatre Review from 1902-1903
  • New Milton Advertiser from 1992
  • Newmarket Journal from 1997
  • Saffron Walden Weekly News from 1997
  • South Eastern Gazette from 1910
  • Spalding Guardian from 1957, 1961-1963 and 1995-1997
  • Suffolk and Essex Free Press from 1997
  • Wellington Gazette and Military Chronicle from 1879

The following announcement was written by the National Genealogical Society:

The National Genealogy Hall of Fame is an educational project sponsored by the National Genealogical Society (NGS). The entire genealogical community is invited to participate in this project – through annual elections to the National Genealogical Hall of Fame, we honor those individuals of the past who made significant contributions to genealogy and set the high standards by which we work today.

Would your society like to honor a genealogist whose unique, pioneering, or exemplary work lives on today? Perhaps there was a notable genealogist in your state or county whose name should be memorialized in the National Genealogy Hall of Fame. If so, NGS and the National Genealogy Hall of Fame would like to hear from you. They are seeking nominations from the entire genealogical community for persons whose achievements or contributions have made an impact on the field. This educational program increases appreciation of the dedication and useful advancements achieved by committed genealogists whose work paved the way for researchers today. This is an opportunity for your nominee to receive National exposure for their contributions to genealogy.

A nomination for election to the National Genealogy Hall of Fame must be made by a genealogical society or similar organization on the official nomination form and National Genealogical Society (NGS) affiliation is not required of nominees, nominating societies, or electors. Thirty-six outstanding genealogists have been recognized for their contributions since 1986. Those elected are permanently commemorated in the virtual Hall of Fame on the NGS website. See https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/hall-of-fame-members/

The formal Call for Nominations can be downloaded at https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/hall-of-fame/

Deadline for all submissions is 15 December 2021. Official nomination forms are available from the NGS website (https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/hall-of-fame/) or by contacting the National Genealogical Society, 6400 Arlington Blvd, Suite 810, Falls Church, VA 22042-2318; phone 1-800-473-0060.

The following announcement was written by the The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania:

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania – Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania has named James M. Beidler, a Keystone State native and longtime family history professional, as Interim Executive Director.

Beidler, who also served as GSP Executive Director from 1999 to 2003, has made a name for himself as an author, editor, and speaker during this 30 years of genealogy work. He recently co-chaired the successful virtual conference of the International German Genealogy Partnership after original plans for an in-person conference needed to be cancelled due to COVID-19. The IGGP conference drew more than 800 registrants from around the globe and was lauded as the first online genealogy conference to be successful in all aspects from program to exhibits.

“We are absolutely thrilled that Jim will be working with us," said Valerie-Anne Lutz, President of GSP. "His background and experience are perfect for GSP as we reimagine the organization and work toward a better future."

Beidler has been given the charge to take the renewed enthusiasm of the society’s passionate volunteers and kickstart activity by the society in a variety of directions. “It all began this summer after I rejoined GSP as a member,” Beidler said. “I had a Zoom call with the president and secretary just to let them pick my brain a little. Sometime later, I realized I might have more to offer than just some talking points.”

In addition to doing an inventory of all GSP’s resources—in terms of materials as well as human capital—Beidler will be helping the current board members and volunteers with everything from programming to publications to website improvements to grant opportunities, as well as recruiting more members, volunteers, and board members to help GSP become a state society that is the first stop for any genealogists with Pennsylvania roots, which is estimated to be about one in four Americans.

About Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania

GSP is a non-profit educational institution located at 2100 Byberry Road, Suite 111, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19116, and is found on the web at the URL, https://genpa.org

Founded in 1892, GSP is one of the earliest genealogical societies founded in the United States. Our mission is to provide leadership and support in promoting genealogy through education, preservation, and access to Pennsylvania-related genealogical information. GSP is committed to preserving and publishing primary source records and to helping people to search for their ancestors.

The following announcement was written by AGRA (The Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives):

Dr John Burt

Dr John Burt was an Associate of AGRA, who made a great impact with his enthusiasm and willingness to get involved. His sudden death earlier this year came as a great shock to all his colleagues, who very much wished to find a way of remembering him and his contribution to AGRA and to genealogy. We are therefore pleased to announce that Council has decided to institute an annual bursary award of £250 in his memory. This is to be payable to an AGRA Associate progressing to full membership, and will go towards the expenses of furthering their genealogical education.

Antony Marr, AGRA Chair, said: “John made a tremendous contribution to both AGRA and the wider genealogy world. We are all saddened at his death.

“This bursary is a fitting tribute to John, providing a lasting legacy to his passion for furthering genealogical knowledge.”

Dr John Burt, M.B., Ch.B., B.A., Cert. Archaeol., M.Sc., F.S.A.Scot., Q.G., was a retired general medical practitioner. Known as Jack by family and friends, he followed in his father's footsteps working for nearly 30 years as a local GP in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. Educated at Edinburgh Academy and obtaining his medical qualifications at the University of Aberdeen, John was a keen climber having reached the summit of all the Munros in Scotland and even gained a Blue Peter badge as a child.

He had a passion and huge knowledge of military medals which he had been collecting since childhood. Researching the men named on Fife War Memorials enabled him to give knowledgeable talks on the First World War – a war both of his grandfathers had fought in and survived.

John loved researching and learning and relished the challenge of tackling a new project. He published a book on Pictish stones in the 1990s which remains the only work of its kind to date.

Following his retirement from medical practice he gained an M.Sc. in Genealogy, Palaeography and Heraldry with the University of Strathclyde. Researching the case notes of individuals in Roxburgh District Asylum for his dissertation enabled him to write two books for genealogists and historians on mental health in nineteenth century Britain, which were published by Pen & Sword History: 'Lunatics, Imbeciles and Idiots: A History of Insanity in Nineteenth Century Britain and Ireland' (2017) and 'Madness, Murder and Mayhem: Criminal Insanity in Victorian and Edwardian Britain (2018).

John endeavoured to make a positive difference to the lives of others through his work and research and was well-loved and much respected by both the medical and genealogy communities. It is therefore fitting this bursary will go towards making a positive difference to genealogists.

FURTHER INFORMATION: For further information please contact Jane Roberts, on tel 0771 4203891 (09:00-17:00 hrs) or via press@agra.org.uk.

On Sunday, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced a donation of $2 million to the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City.

The donation is to help Native American tribes learn more about their ancestral roots, according to the church.

Elder Kyle S. McKay of the Seventy, and several Native American members, presented the gift during a reception at the museum on Sunday.

The museum, which honors many Native American tribes, will use the gift to build a FamilySearch center and fill other needs. The center will include digital interactive exhibits for Native American families. Many will be able to learn more at http://FamilySearch.org,which is the Church’s nonprofit genealogy arm.

“Native Americans have been moved around so much from different places that a lot of our families have lost contact with each other. Having a center here is a way for us to connect our families together again,” James Pepper Henry, director of First Americans Museum, said.

You can learn more in an article by Genelle Pugmire and published in the Provo, Utah Daily Herald at https://bit.ly/3pl20Gk..

An article about privacy and DNA that I will suggest should be required reading for every genealogist who has submitted or is thinking of submitting DNA information to a publicly-available database is available in the govtech.com web site. It states (in part):

"Vera Eidelman, staff attorney for the ACLU's Speech, Privacy and Technology Project, said people need to think about the wealth of information they're giving up when they use genetic testing kits for fun."

"Genetic testing kits give users a fun look into the past. But what could be at stake in the future is cause for concern among privacy advocates.

"When people think of genetic testing kits, they typically think of companies like 23andMe or Ancestry.com.

"These companies allow you to spit into a tube and mail off your DNA-rich saliva. They report back with information about who your family is, where they're from, famous relatives and, with an upgrade, genetic markers indicating possible diseases you may have inherited.

"This alone concerns organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union.",

The article points out that "Ancestry.com, 23andMe, and My Heritage DNA bar law enforcement from use."

You can find the article at: https://www.govtech.com/news/why-users-should-consider-where-genetic-testing-data-ends-up

From an article by Michael Walsh and published in The Register Citizen web site:

"A grant received by the Sharon Historical Society and Museum will allow the nonprofit to fully catalog and document its large collection of Frances Morehouse Kelsey’s work.

"Kelsey, a well-known Sharon resident, died in 1999 after a life spent documenting daily life in the town and the northwestern part of Connecticut. Much of that work was donated to the historical society in 2019 by Kelsey’s family.

"Now, thanks to a $50,000 grant received from the Institute of Library and Museum Services, the nonprofit is going to have the ability to finally process what they said is a room full of materials."

You can read many more details in the article at: https://bit.ly/3ATTzE7.

“If you find yourself struggling to know how to find your ancestors, FamilySearch has a new search experience that can help you find your ancestors in a quick and easy way without having to sign in. The FamilySearch Discovery Search experience provides a way to quickly search select databases on FamilySearch—the tree, records, memories, and last name information—all at the same time. This is a great way to get started with your family history and connect with your ancestors quickly!”

You can learn more at https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/discovery-search-experience/.

"Regina Vaughn has been painstakingly tracing her family legacy dating back to slavery to keep a vow she made to her late mother more than a decade ago.

"She has spent countless hours, days, nights, weekends, sometimes holidays through weary and watery eyes from all of the tears while trying to uncover her lineage, primarily through written documents and files on microfilm."

You can read more in an article by Terry Collins and published in the Yahoo News web site at: https://news.yahoo.com/black-genealogists-surprising-findings-using-091008275.html.