RootsTech 2023 is over. I tried to cram in as many live sessions as I could so I could have the feel of being there. Now I have a whole slate of sessions to watch in my spare time. So, let’s get on with the wrap up.
I sat in on these genetic genealogy sessions…
How Third Party Tools Can Help You With Your Family History Research with Jonny Perl
There’s more to analyzing your DNA than what’s available on DNA websites. This session gave an overview of the various tools and utilities you can use to figure our your matches.
There was a lot covered here. This is probably one I’m going to have to watch again as I haven’t heard of most of the tools mentioned.
This was a look at some of the things Family Tree DNA is working on including their Y DNA Haplotree project, the tree of mankind They’ll be doing the same for mtDNA, which they’re calling the tree of womankind. No big announcements were made about to autosomal testing.
I sat in on these genealogy sessions…
Reconstruct Your Ancestors Lives with Google with Lisa Louise Cooke
Think you know Google? Think again! There are a whole lot of things you can do with Google besides search.
This session covers building your ancestor’s story using search, books, YouTube, Google Earth Pro, and more. I’m a big fan of Google Books. I’ve found little bits and pieces of my French relatives in books in the collection. Just last week I used it to find more about a violin maker, Antonio Carreiro Braga.
The tool I’m most excited about is Google Earth Pro. I use Google Maps, but haven’t used Google Earth in several years. I like how it can be used to show where our ancestors lived with maps and photos.. I hope to play with that more soon.
Follow The Money! Records of the Money Makers with Judy G. Russell
Judy Russell is one of my favorite genealogy presenters. I swear I could listen to her read the phone book…if they still made phone books. In this session, she showed us how to find people who create records in the communities where our ancestors lived. Then, use those records to flesh out more about our ancestors.
One data set I was very familiar with was mortuary records. When I first start researching, I found a mortuary in the area my ancestors died in and they were kind enough to find the 20-30 records I needed in their dusty archives.
Not only does this cover record types, but also how to find them in various archives around the country. This may open some new avenues of research for genealogists.
This is a brief overview into the new features you’ll find in the latest update of RootsMagic.
Six Popular Ports of Entry to the United States with the International Association of Jewish Societies
Not everyone came through Ellis Island and some didn’t come by ship! This is a short summary of the most popular ports that immigrants entered through.
I have a ton of videos on my playlist to watch. If you haven’t set yours up, make sure you’re logged into the RootsTech website. In the On Demand Library, click on the + sign of any video you’d like to add later. Then, when you are ready, under Menu in the upper right hand corner, click on My Playlist.
My Relatives at RootsTech Update
I’m finishing the conference with 553 relatives. I have saved a few I’d like to go over and review. I ended up with another 5th cousin on the my Portuguese lines which makes 2.
If you’re registered for RootsTech and would like to see if we’re cousins, check out this link.
And, now I need some rest. Watching videos is hard work.
Did you participate in RootsTech? Tell us about your experience in the comments.
