The following is a press release issued by the Portsmouth, New Hampshire Public Library:

Levenson Room

Thursday, August 21, 2025

Presented by the library’s Special Collections staff and members of the Ranger Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), these events are free, open to the public, and appropriate for all levels of interest and experience. All levels will learn something new!

Anyone who delves into their family history soon discovers a common frustration: records don’t always tell the same story. Names diverge, dates contradict, place names don’t make sense. When the paper trail splits in two, how do you decide which path leads to the truth? Fortunately, there are a handful of effective strategies that can help you sift through the inconsistencies and find the facts about your ancestors.

No registration required! Just drop in.

About the Presenter

For nearly three decades, B.J. Jamieson has pursued the stories hidden in her family tree, with research adventures that have taken her from local archives to Scotland and Ireland. She has been helping others track down their wayward relatives for almost as long. Along the way, she has earned graduate degrees in both library science and genealogy to improve her research skills.

Just a quick update — the $29 DNA kit sale has been extended through August 17! This is the lowest price this year, and there are just a few more days to grab it. MyHeritage DNA is just $29 If you have been curious about DNA testing, now’s a great time to explore it. MyHeritage offers: An ethnicity breakdown across 79 ethnicities and 2,114 regions A global DNA database of over 9 million users Powerful DNA tools to understand how matches are related Ancient Origins: a unique feature that traces origins back 10,000 years Access to advanced DNA tools and Ancient Origins is available with a Complete or Omni subscription, or a free trial. http://myheritage.com

Wyoming's museums, historical societies, archives and cultural heritage institutions can access free, professional archival expertise through the Wyoming Roving Archivist Program.

The program is excited to welcome Morgan Stence as the new roving archivist, ready to visit institutions across the state to help preserve and share Wyoming's irreplaceable historical collections.

"We know that many of Wyoming's cultural heritage institutions want to better care for their collection, but may not know where to start or lack the resources for professional consultation," said Marcie Blaylock, reference historian and archivist for the Wyoming State Archives. "The Roving Archivist Program brings that expertise directly to you – at no cost to your institution."

The program offers comprehensive, on-site assessments that help institutions understand their collections' needs and develop realistic improvement plans. 

Applications are now open, and institutions across Wyoming are encouraged to apply. The program serves museums, historical societies, archives, libraries with special collections, tribal cultural centers and any organization caring for historical materials.

Apply online at tinyurl.com/wyo-roving-archivist-app.

Learn more about the Roving Archivist Program by visiting rovingarchivist.wyo.gov.

Vanessa St.Oegger-Menn, Pan Am 103 archivist and assistant university archivist in the Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center, has been announced as the 2025 recipient of the Society of American Archivists (SAA) Spotlight Award.

Created in 2005, the award acknowledges contributions made by those who work in service to the profession and archival collections and whose work may not usually receive public acknowledgment.

St.Oegger-Menn earned an M.A. in 20-century British literature at California State University, Long Beach and she also has a master of library and information science with an emphasis in archives and cultural heritage preservation from the School of Information Studies.

In SAA, St.Oegger-Menn has served in a crucial role in SAA’s efforts to support archivists and communities who collect in times of crisis. In 2018, she was a member of the initial Tragedy Response Initiative Task Force which was convened to create and compile resources for archivists dealing with sudden tragedy.

The Task Force later grew into the Crisis, Disaster and Tragedy Response Working Group (CDTRWG) with responsibility to maintain and update SAA’s “Documenting in Times of Crisis: A Resource Kit,” develop immediate and on-going resources for archivists facing crises and develop partnerships with organizations whose relief efforts focus on cultural organizations.St.Oegger-Menn was invited to serve as one of the co-chairs of the first incarnation of the working group.

In this capacity, she has had an enormous impact on the work of this group.She has led essential efforts to build organizational infrastructure and to identify workflows to keep projects on track and worked with committee members and council liaisons to surmount obstacles.

St.Oegger-Menn has also served as one of the group’s most steadfast advocates by representing CDTRWG through speaking engagements and at regional, national and international conferences. She has co-presented on the working group to a host of internal and external organizations, including the Art Libraries Society of North America and the Australian Society of Archivists.

She co-authored an article in 2023 for SAA’s magazine, Archival Outlook, that detailed the working group’s efforts and has facilitated the working group’s ongoing speaker series. Upon her time for transitioning out of the role of co-chair, St.Oegger-Menn developed a plan for a post-chair transition to provide support to incoming co-chairs and she also agreed to remain on the working group and co-lead the Collaboration and Outreach subcommittee.

The hard work and empathy St.Oegger-Menn has brought to her work has not gone unnoticed by her colleagues. Through her work with trauma-informed archives, she has worked indefatigably to support archivists in times of crisis. As her nominator, Kara McClurken, pointed out in her nomination letter, “Her passion, her empathy and her experiences through the working group and through her position as the Pan Am 103 archivist at Syracuse University have been essential to the creation of a supportive and sustainable low-cost support network to archivists and communities experiencing trauma … Long after her time on the working group is over, the infrastructure, the tools, and the community she has fostered will serve as a legacy to her dedication to the cause.”

How long has your family lived in Muskingum County?  Could they have been among the first to call Zanesville home?  Brooke Anderson from the Muskingum County Genealogical Society will give a presentation about how to discover if your ancestors were among the first residents of Muskingum County, and how to join First Families of Muskingum County.

• Wednesday, August 20 
• 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. 
• Ohio University Zanesville – Herrold Hall1425 Newark Road, Zanesville, OH, 43701

www.muskingumcountyhistory.org

www.muskingumcountyhistory.org/muskingum-250

www.ohio.edu/zanesville & www.muskingumlibrary.org/

https://www.historyplace.com/specials/calendar/august.htm

Coconino County has officially established an Unidentified Remains Task Force, a specialized team dedicated to identifying unknown deceased individuals and reconnecting them with their families.

The task force includes experts from the Medical Examiner’s Office, Health and Human Services Department, Information Technology Department, Sheriff’s Office and County Attorney’s Office who reexamine historical cases involving unidentified remains with modern investigative tools.

“We’re not just solving cold cases — we’re restoring identities, returning dignity to those who have died without a name, and getting answers families have waited years to find,” County Attorney Ammon Barker said.

For decades, some families in Coconino County have lived with unanswered questions about missing loved ones. Advances in forensic science including DNA sequencing, forensic genealogy and digital facial reconstruction, now make it possible to revisit these cases with fresh hope.

The task force is reviewing a backlog of unidentified remains dating as far back as the 1960s, combining physical evidence with modern databases like the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System or NamUs, Combined DNA Index System, and Forensic Genetic Genealogy to begin matching remains to missing persons reports.

“Technology is evolving at an extraordinary pace,” Chief Information Officer Matt Fowler said. “Having the ability to analyze significantly larger number of genetic markers compared to traditional forensic DNA profiling enables the identification of relatives, even distant ones, through shared genetic information. We are excited to bring closure to families by leveraging today’s technology.”

The success of the task force will also rely on the community. County officials are urging families with missing loved ones to come forward, particularly those who have never submitted a DNA sample.

“You might hold the one detail that connects the dots,” County Sheriff Bret Axlund said. “We’re asking for your stories, your photos, your DNA to help solve these cases.”

To support this effort, the County will host a series of free DNA collection events, open public forums, and informational sessions to encourage participation and foster trust. A dedicated team of family liaisons and victim advocates will also be available to assist those navigating the process.

With this initiative, Coconino County is leading with both science and empathy, proving that even decades-old cases can still be solved when the right people, tools, and commitment come together.

Visit coconino.az.gov/unidentifiedremains or e-mail URTF@coconino.az.govfor more information or to contribute to the initiative.

A crowdfunding campaign is seeking donations to help pay for a new website to transcribe probate records.

UK-based charity Free UK Genealogy, which runs websites FreeBMD (civil birth, marriage and death records), FreeREG (parish registers) and FreeCEN (census records), has announced that it is planning to create a new website, FreePRO, to host free transcriptions of probate records.

CEO Denise Colbert said that the charity is looking to digitise a collection of 800 volumes of probate calendars, which date from 1853 (a year before civil registration of probate was introduced, in 1858) to 1943.

Richard Light, who is leading the project and volunteers to handle technical aspects of website development, said the 800 volumes would be transcribed using optical character recognition (OCR), before being checked by human volunteers.

“We are trying to keep very close to our slogan of ‘Human transcription for family history data’”, Denise Colbert said. “We feel like that’s something that sets us apart from the bigger boys. It’s always a human that has eyes on the record before it’s published. While we are using OCR to process these images, each record will have had eyes on it by a transcriber who knows what they’re doing and tidies each record up. I think that’s quite topical in this age of AI.”

Denise Colbert also said that FreePRO will offer a more flexible search facility than the government’s Find a Will website, allowing searches on points of entry such as the deceased’s occupation, the value of the estate and the date of death down to the exact day and month.

Free UK Genealogy is currently eyeing a tentative launch date of 2026 for FreePRO.

The charity is aiming to raise £40,000 to pay for the initial digitisation of the 800 books.

An initial online crowdfunder set a target of £10,000 to be reached by a deadline of 5pm on Friday 29 August, and has so far raised £2600.

Denise Colbert said the aim for the initial crowdfunding round is to raise £10,000 in pledges, then to raise a further £10,000 in match funding from charitable initiative The Big Give’s Champion partners. The charity would then try to raise the remaining money through The Big Give’s Christmas Challenge fundraising campaign at the end of the year.

Free UK Genealogy is also actively seeking corporate donors, especially businesses that use probate records, and those that have an older demographic in their customer base. Rewards offered to corporate donors include promotion on campaign pages, emails, newsletters and social media accounts.

The following is a press release written by the folks at Ancestry.com:

To mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Ancestry, the global leader in family history, today announced a partnership with the WWII Veterans History Project to preserve and share the stories of those who served. Timed with Veterans Day 2025, Ancestry is honoring this historic milestone by introducing Thank You For Your Story, a commemorative storytelling effort complete with a WWII discovery and preservation hub featuring curated record collections, preserving the firsthand accounts of 80 WWII veterans, and helping countless others unearth their own. It's our way of saying, "Thank You For Your Story."

This initiative aims to preserve and share the experiences of those who served during one of history's most defining moments so they are not forgotten. With less than 1% of WWII veterans still alive today, as noted by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, this initiative comes at a crucial time.

"There's never been a more important time to honor our ancestors' WWII-era stories and lived experiences and to preserve the memory of some of America's most remarkable heroes," said Crista Cowan, Ancestry Corporate Genealogist. "Every family has a World War II story waiting to be discovered, and this initiative is a powerful way to remind people to uncover their personal connections to this chapter in history. These veterans' sacrifices not only deserve remembrance, but their wisdom and experiences offer invaluable lessons that can guide our lives today."

For the last ten years, the WWII Veterans History Project has spearheaded a nationwide effort to film and document the personal stories of WWII veterans. As part of this effort, a collection of these stories will be made available for free on Ancestry websites, where anyone can learn from the lived experiences of these American heroes – ensuring their voices are heard, remembered and passed down for future generations.

"This anniversary is a powerful reminder that the opportunity to hear directly from those who lived through it is disappearing fast," said Benjamin Mack-Jackson, Founder of the WWII Veterans History Project. "By partnering with Ancestry, we're able to make these vital human stories more widely accessible than ever before and ensure they're never forgotten."

Over the coming months, Ancestry and the WWII Veterans History Project will be uploading and preserving these powerful veteran stories. While the full experience will debut in early November, visitors can explore military records and resources now at www.ancestry.com/wwii to begin uncovering their own family's history and connection to this defining era.

About Ancestry:
Ancestry, the global leader in family history, connects everyone with their past so they can discover, preserve, and share their unique family stories. With our unparalleled collection of more than 65 billion records, over 3 million subscribers and over 27 million people in our growing DNA network, customers can discover their family story and gain a new level of understanding about their lives. Over the past 40 years, we've built trusted relationships with millions of people who have chosen us as the platform for discovering, preserving and sharing the most important information about themselves and their families.

About the WWII Veterans History Project:

The WWII Veterans History Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission to give the past a future, one story at a time. We're dedicated to educating and inspiring future generations to better appreciate the sacrifices made by the greatest generation through documentary films, traveling museum exhibitions, and educational programs. Founded by Benjamin Mack-Jackson in 2015, our organization has impacted veterans and students alike, preserving countless war stories and encouraging students to reflect on the past and its lasting impact.

London law firm Edwin Coe has snapped up Hoopers (G B Hooper & Son Limited), an established genealogical research business.

The acquisition is part of Edwin Coe’s strategy of developing a multi-disciplinary practice with barristers, chartered tax advisers and trade mark attorneys among its staff. The firm said the deal also reflects the trend amongst some law firms to have independent businesses owned alongside the legal practice.

Colombian Senator and presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe, who was shot in the head at a campaign event two months ago, died in the early hours of Monday, his family and the hospital treating him said. He was 39.

Uribe, from the right-wing opposition, was shot in Bogota on June 7 as he was giving a speech at a rally, in an attack that shocked the nation.

His wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, announced his death on social media. “I ask God to show me the way to learn to live without you,” she wrote. “Rest in peace, love of my life, I will take care of our children.”

The capital’s Santa Fe Foundation hospital – where supporters held regular vigils during his treatment – said over the weekend his condition had worsened because of a hemorrhage in his central nervous system.

Former President Alvaro Uribe, the leader of the senator’s Democratic Center party and no relation to the deceased Colombian Senator, wrote on X that “evil destroys everything; they killed hope”.

“May Miguel’s fight be a light that illuminates Colombia’s right path,” added the former president, who was sentenced by a judge earlier this month to 12 years of house arrest for abuse of process and bribery of a public official.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X he was deeply saddened by the news. “The United States stands in solidarity with his family, the Colombian people, both in mourning and demanding justice for those responsible.”

Six people are under arrest over the Colombian Senator shooting, including two men that the attorney general’s office says met in Medellin to plan the assassination.

A 15-year-old accused of carrying out the shooting was arrested within hours of the crime, but police have said they are pursuing the “intellectual authors” of the attack.

In a video of the boy’s June arrest, independently verified by Reuters, he can be heard shouting that he had been hired by a local drug dealer.

FRAUGHT FAMILY HISTORY

There is reward of up to 3 billion pesos (about $740,000) for information leading to the identification and capture of those responsible, the defense minister has said. The United States, Britain and the United Arab Emirates are helping with the investigation.

The death of Senator Miguel Uribe, a father and stepfather, adds further tragedy to his family’s fraught history.

His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was killed in 1991 during a botched rescue mission after she was kidnapped by the Medellin Cartel, headed by drug lord Pablo Escobar.

Miguel Uribe himself enjoyed a rapid political rise, becoming a recognized lawmaker for the right-wing Democratic Center party and presidential hopeful known for his sharp criticism of leftist President Gustavo Petro’s administration.

At 25, he was elected to Bogota’s city council, where he was a prominent opponent of Petro, then the capital’s mayor, criticizing his handling of waste management and social programs.

In the 2022 legislative elections, Uribe led the Senate slate for the Democratic Center party with the slogan “Colombia First,” winning a seat in the chamber.

His maternal grandfather, Julio Cesar Turbay, was Colombia’s president from 1978 to 1982, while his paternal grandfather, Rodrigo Uribe Echavarria, headed the Liberal Party and supported Virgilio Barco’s successful 1986 presidential campaign.

Besides his wife, son and stepdaughters, Miguel Uribe is also survived by his father and sister.