June's Virtual Meeting is Coming Soon with DNA: Tools for Next Steps

“DNA: Tools for the Next Steps” with Nancy Trimble, PLCGS on June 2^nd at 7:30 pm

You’ve had your autosomal DNA test done, but what are your next steps? This talk will focus on the tools available to you on Ancestry, Family Tree DNA, MyHeritage and DNA Painter. We will discuss Match Lists, centiMorgans (cM), chromosome browsers, and other useful tools. You will leave with enough information that you can easily implement some next steps in utilizing your DNA matches.

Come join the Durham Region Branch on Tues. Jun 2, 2020 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) in a virtual meeting. This is open to the public. We have 100 seats, but the recorded meeting will be available afterwards on our YouTube channel.

Register in advance for this Zoom meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkdOmhqjooHNKcCdKU3oSuLVc5nvcxdoiu

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Please note that we only have 100 seats for this particular meeting. You must register, but I advise you to join about 15 minutes early & wait in the "Waiting Room" in order to assure your seat.

If you can't get in, the recording of this session will be uploaded to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiHiKL0pfzXzG-G9YARS8Sg several days afterwards. The handout will be available on our website after June 2nd.

The May meeting video is now available for re-play!

Just a note to let you know that the recording of our May Meeting featuring Bob Dawes on "Connecting English Ancestors" is now available in our YouTube Channel.

Ancestry.co.uk is Free Until Sunday May 10th

With thanks to Bob Dawes for this tip. Bob was our presenter for our first virtual meeting just this last Tues. and spoke on "Making English Connections"

"Ancestry offer free UK records ENDS SUNDAY

Although there are no parties for the 75th anniversary of VE Day, family historians can celebrate with free access to all of Ancestry's UK records (at their UK site) until Sunday 10th May. To access the records you will need to register (or log-in if you have registered previously) but you will not need to provide credit card or bank details.

Tip: if you're asked to provide payment information it’s because you’re using the wrong site, accessing records that aren't included  in the offer, or else have clicked on the Free Trial icon by mistake.

Note: this weekend's free access to UK records is only available at Ancestry's UK site, but you should be able to log into the UK site wherever you are in the world."

The article goes on to give direct links to many of the best databases recommended by Peter Calver, the owner of Lost Cousins.

You must be logged in to ancestry.co.uk to have the free access.

And if you have English ancestors and do not subscribe to the "Lost Cousins Newsletter", why not?? 

https://www.lostcousins.com/ You can set up a free account.

"The best genealogy newsletter - and it's FREE!

As a LostCousins member you will be entitled to receive our newsletter, which is full of useful tips and articles to help you knock down 'brick walls' and take your research to a new level. Here's what members say about the newsletter:

"Your letters are so informative especially for those at a brick wall and not sure where to look next."

"Thanks again for the fabulous Lost Cousins newsletters - they are crammed with invaluable information."

"Many thanks for your informative and interesting newsletters. I really look forward to them and when I spot them in the inbox they are the first thing I scroll to."

To see the latest issue click here. "

In Honour of VE Day, Findmypast Opens Photo Collection for FREE until May15th

In today's e-Weekly, Findmypast made this announcement:

I got distracted by this "Bright, Shiny Object" and started searching for photos that could represent some of my father's experiences. F/Lt. D. S. Brown RCAF served with the 10 Squadron RAF based at Melbourne, Yorkshire. He flew Wellington and Halifax Bombers over Germany 1943-1945. While these photos are not of the actual planes he flew, they are of the Handley Page Halifax Mark III type that he did fly.

I spent about 2 hours looking at all sorts of war photos at Findmypast. Enjoy this fascinating collection!

Virtual Ontario Ancestors Conference Announced Today

Kudos to Dianna Fulton and the Conference Committee for their hard work in setting up this virtual conference! As announced in the Ontario Ancestors e-Weekly. Unfortunately the links in e-Weekly don't seem to work, so I have put the corrected link below:

Visit virtual2020.ogs.on.ca 

Some of the links aren't connected yet (May 9th @ 1 pm), so once you are on the page, click on "Conference Info" since that seems to have the links all attached. "Conference Schedule" has the most information.

Ontario Ancestors opens up Some of Their Past Webinars for Free

As announced on the OGS Blog:

The link for non-members is at https://ogs.on.ca/past-webinar-recordings/

All the webinars are listed, but only those where presenters have given permission will have live links. But keep checking back, since more permissions may come and more live links will appear.

Webinars happening in the Ontario Ancestors Branches!

Webinars happening in the Ontario Ancestors Branches!

Last night at the monthly OGS Webinar, Kim showed us a list of all the Branch meetings in May that are using the OGS Zoom platform. Go to the Branch website or Facebook page to register for any that you are interested in.

By the way, don't forget to go to the OGS (Ontario Ancestors) website and sign up for the monthly webinars that they host. First Thursday of every month at 7 pm.