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New Name and Place Standardization, Starfield Status Bar

• Improved Starfield Status Bar - When you are loading your Starfield you will notice that the status bar now will show you the progress of the upload by generation. This will provide you with an indication as to how long it will take to load the Starfield. Obviously the more generations you would like to view the longer it will take.
  
  
• New Name and Place Standardization - We have added a name standardization edit box where you can input all the information you have about first and last names and places and then it will piece it all together. When you open the "Details For" box of an individual you will notice a pencil icon next to the last name and places fields. Click this icon to bring up the name edit box. We also modified the fields so the Genealogy Browser will recognize all your data. For example, the "first name" field can now take: Title, First Name, Middle Name(s), "Nickname"

We'll be letting you know of the more Genealogy Browser changes over the next couple of months.

Starting Your Family Tree is Easy

There are three main ways that you can get started entering information into OneGreatFamily.

1. Submitting what research you have already done as a GEDCOM file

You can upload a GEDCOM containing your ancestral information. A GEDCOM is a file that stores genealogical information in a particular format, which allows researchers to share and work together on their information. We not only allow you to add your GEDCOM to the collection of others that have been submitted, but once yours has been added, it will begin to connect with others as family links are found! This allows you to save time by uploading the information that you have collected and entered using a different program and not have to start from scratch.

You can upload your GEDCOM into OneGreatFamily by selecting “Import GEDCOM File to View” from the File menu in the Genealogy Browser or by selecting the second option on the "Organize Family Trees" box that appears each time you launch the Genealogy Browser after logging in.

2. Entering your family tree directly into OneGreatFamily

If you are new to OneGreatFamily, you may not realize that you have access to a complete family tree program for free! It is called the Genealogy Browser, and you can get access to it simply by logging in to your OneGreatFamily account. On the “My Account” page, click on the link labeled “View or Edit my Family Tree”. This will start you on the process of downloading the Genealogy Browser. From there you can begin to create records for yourself, your parents, children and siblings, as well as your extended relatives. As soon as you enter the information for a person, OneGreatFamily begins to search your information against what others have entered to find matches.

3. Starting with what someone else has submitted

Because new names are constantly being added to OneGreatFamily, many members find that others have already submitted some of their ancestors. This allows members to pick up where others have left off. Do a search of our database and see which of your ancestors have already been added. If you have additional information to add, just type it right in as if you were the original submitter. The information is automatically updated! It's that easy!

To start your family tree by using an ancestor already added to OneGreatFamily, choose the third options on the "Organize Family Trees" box. Enter the ancestor's OGFN (OneGreatFamily Number) in the field. (Each person added to OneGreatFamily is given a number. On all of our search results it will list your ancestor's OGFN)

All of these techniques allow members to add information to their trees, and together, they are working to create the largest single family tree available. No matter which method you choose to upload your information, OneGreatFamily offers technology that can match and merge it with the information that has been submitted by others.

• Visit OneGreatFamily to view your family tree and see what ancestors have been added.
• Subscribe to OneGreatFamily today to see your family tree grow and expand!
  
  

Civil and Criminal Court Records

I jokingly tell my students that as genealogists we hope our ancestors were
famous or infamous and while this certainly makes them easier to find, most
of our ancestors who were neither famous nor infamous will still show up in
court records. In a twenty year period, a person shows up in court records
an average of three times. However these records are often overlooked
because searching them can be a slow process. Not all of them have been
indexed and it requires reading through the minutes to discover if your
ancestor is mentioned.

There are several levels of courts in the United States: Federal, State and
County. As researchers, your main interest will be State and County
records.

A few things to remember about these records:

• From 1700-1840 Civil and Criminal records were combined.
• When checking court records, check the defendant, plaintiff and criminal
  records. Don't shy away from early criminal records. In times past, many
  things were considered criminal - such as missing church and gossiping.
• The Family History Library of the LDS Church has most court records on
  microfilm available for interlibrary loan at any one of the branch
  libraries.
• Criminal records have two classifications - misdemeanors and felonies.
• Civil can include torts (a wrongful act for which damages may be sought),
  contract, and real property cases.

You need to learn about the court system in your county or state of
interest. If the records are indexed, lucky you!! If they are not indexed,
it will require more time and patience to search. Sometimes all you will
find is that our ancestor served on a jury etc., but other times you will be
well rewarded for your search!

• Login to OneGreatFamily to enjoy this unique genealogy service
• Subscribe to OneGreatFamily to find all your ancestors.
• Visit the OneGreatFamily Learning Center for more helpful genealogy articles by Lisa South
  
  

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