Cyndi's Seminar, RootsTech, DNA Announcements

Whatcom Genealogical Society has been busy planning great programs for you.  The big question is whether you have registered for their Spring Seminar.  It is not too late but you have to do it at the meeting on Monday.  While you are at it, the individual membership is only $15.

March 16 – Whatcom Genealogical Society Seminar featuring Professional Genealogist Cyndi Ingle, of “Cyndi’s List” fame.

Bring your checks to the meeting this Monday. The lunch count will be closed after Monday. 

Registration fee: $40 members / $45 non-members Information and registration form are here. http://wagenweb.org/whatcom/WGS/wgs.htm

WGS March 11 monthly meeting  – “Ins and Outs of Indexes: Keys to Unlock Probates, Deeds and More” with Mary Kircher Roddy. We will also enjoy the 50th Anniversary cake we missed out on last month!  

Be there or be square!  Uh, oh, I dated myself. 

RootsTech is over for this year unless you plan to go to RootsTech London in the fall.  Thomas McEntee has put together all the links in one place.  Go here https://mailchi.mp/abundantgenealogy/rootstech-2019-free?e=cb7c45b1c4.  All links go to free material.

Note that the first link is the RootsTech Archive which has the live-streamed video for the last few years.  In 2018 Scott Hamilton was my favorite keynoter. 

There is also a link to the 250 syllabi and the RootsTech Sessions link is to the 2019 live-streamed videos.

At our next Genies meeting on March 18 Linda Q. and I will be talking about RootsTech and our favorite sessions this year.  Let it be noted that she went in person to the actual conference and I stayed home in my bunny slippers.  We both had a great time.

RootsTech is the event where the biggest DNA and genealogy companies reveal product announcements. 

MyHeritage rolled out their Theory of Family Relativity.  It’s found under the DNA/Matches tab at MyHeritage.com.  They have created theories of how your matches are related to you using your tree, Family Search tree, Geni, and other private and public trees at MyHeritage.  They may have a clear easy-to-read tree waiting for you if your tree goes back 3-4 or more generations.  My poor Croatians didn’t get any theories here.  Oh, well.

Ancestry rolled several big changes.  They have a new CEO and I thought finally were responding to customers requests.

When I saw ThruLines I thought I had died and gone to heaven.  ThruLines are found on the DNA home page on the right where Circles used to be. They too use your DNA to find more common ancestors and show DNA matches to that ancestor all in one place.  They even mine the private searchable trees to find connections.  It’s totally amazing but off to a bumpy start.  

I have to emphasize again and again that both ThruLines and Theories are only clues.  Remember they come from other people’s trees and we don’t know if those trees are sourced or copied.  Most of the complaints so far are about Ancestry and MyHeritage suggesting ancestors that people have already proven are not theirs.  And there seem to be a lot of errors around adoptions.  Be careful and do your own research.  Beware! Beware! Beware!

Roberta Estes is always a great source for new technology.  Detailed and thorough, just look for what you need.

ThruLines here:  https://dna-explained.com/2019/03/06/archive-ancestry-dna-circles-and-new-ancestor-discoveries-now/

My Heritage Theories here: https://dna-explained.com/2019/03/07/myheritages-new-theory-of-family-relativity/

Ancestry’s Disappearing ThruLines (what to do if your ThruLines disappeared) here: https://dna-explained.com/2019/03/08/ancestrys-disappearing-thrulines-now-you-see-them-now-you-dont/ Mine disappeared and this was a lifesaver.

Ancestry also has two beta features which you can sign up for.  MyTreeTags (for your tree not DNA) and New and Improved DNA Matches (a new layout that is intended to replace Chrome extensions and is not compatible with the extensions). 

All of the Ancestry changes are described in a single post by Debbie Kennett at Cruwys News: https://cruwys.blogspot.com/2019/03/ancestry-updates-at-rootstech-thrulines.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+Cruwysnews+(Cruwys+news)

As I said, they rolled out a lot of changes and it was rocky, but the new features are truly amazing.

Northwest Genealogy Conference is coming around again.  Featuring Thomas MacEntee, Angie Bush (DNA), and Michael Strauss.  August 14-17, 2019 in Arlington, WA.  Registration is open with early bird pricing until April 15.  See http://www.nwgc.org or https://stillygen.org/cpage.php?pt=50. Links go to the same place.  You can sign up for their blog to give you a feel for what be happening.

There is a free beginners class on Wednesday, August 14 from 1:00-4:30 given by Thomas MacEntee.  A wonderful boost for beginners.  Did I say free?

You haven’t heard the last of this.  This is absolutely the closest, best conference we have.