Exclusive offer for FamilyTreeCircles members
I sent this out yesterday in the email newsletter, but obviously we don't all read the emails. I don't want anyone to miss out.
Also, I got feedback from some people that they can't afford paid services. I understand that. It's not for everybody. That's partly why FamilyTreeCircles is here for free, and always will be. The paid services do have some incredible data, and if you can't afford it, someone else can, and will hopefully use it to help the rest of us.
For a limited time, you can get 50% off a year membership of MyHeritage.
The normal price is $238.80 USD and with this limited time offer, you’ll pay just $119.40 for a full year’s access to MyHeritage PremiumPlus AND the Data Membership. This offer expires on Wednesday, December 23.
Learn more...
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FamilyTreeCircles Reboot
This sort of a difficult update to write, like when you let a problem with a friend or loved one go on for too long, and you can't even feel like you can bring up the subject any more.
I'm Sorry
So I'll start with an apology. I'm sorry for being absent, not responding to emails, and basically leaving this website to stand on its own. I owe a great amount of gratitude to the few people who have taken ownership of this community and kept it going. I'm not all surprised that things have kept on without me being around. This is an amazing community.
I have quietly been keeping things running, but I haven't had time to do much of anything else, including responding to emails and such. That's really bad. And I'm sorry.
FamilyTreeCircles has been operating for 10 or so years now, and very little money has been made at it. Up until a few years ago, that wasn't an issue. I had other things going on that allowed me to spend a lot of time here, keeping an eye on things, and building up the website.
And then I couldn't.
I considered selling it a few times, but never found a buyer that I felt would go in a direction that I'd like. So letting it sit until I could come back seemed like a better option to me.
Fixing That Problem
So I recently took on a sponsor, MyHeritage. You've probably seen them on the website. They are good friends, they have a great service, and I've been a customer there for a long time. Having them on the website is going to allow me to spend more time here, and make improvements.
I encourage you to use their search and sign up for their service. It'll make them feel that the sponsorship is worthwhile.
What's Next?
We're going to get more active again. I say "we" because this move also allows me to get some help. It's not going to be just me running things which should help when life gets in the way.
I'm going to start doing development again, adding some new features that I think will make it an even better and easier place for people to visit, post questions and content, and get responses from other family tree researchers.
So, with that, I ask you to please welcome our sponsor. And I ask for your understanding as I pick things up again while we reboot FamilyTreeCircles.
Thank you,
Scott and the FamilyTreeCircles team
A True Princess
More than anything, we love hearing the stories of what FamilyTreeCircles users have discovered about their pasts, whether or not they used FTC to uncover the stories. What genealogist doesn't love a good story?!
We know our community has some incredible stories. Will you share it with us? We'd love to feature it on the blog. Just reply to one of our emails, or post a journal and leave a link to it in the comments. You can also send an email to ftc@familytreecircles.com
Here's one we recently received from a member of the FTC community (and not just any member, a TRUE princess!):
My grandma was the first genealogist I ever knew. She didn’t design a database or keep files on ancestors. She was a story teller. The stories were full of color and details, and never skimped on drama or heartbreak. One of my favorite stories was that I should never undervalue myself because I was an Indian (Native American) Princess.
Even as a small child, I took this story with a grain of salt. She also told me that if I pulled on the leg of a Granddaddy Longlegs spider, it would point to where my cows were. I knew I had never owned a cow in my life, so I figured that my realm was probably somewhere with the cows. I loved hearing her stories, though. She connected me with long-dead ancestors by breathing life into stories of long-ago. She gave me an identity as a strong, capable woman because those were the kind of people I came from.
A few years after my grandmother died, a relative contacted us with information from genealogies that he was compiling. I went through the data eagerly, trying to connect the stories I had heard all my life with the family tree. As I moved back through one branch, I was shocked. A number of generations back, my family traced directly to Powhatan. The tribal leader who had another daughter. Nicknamed Pocahontas. All these stories, and grandma was right. Awesome.
Turns out grandma knew what she was talking about! Do you have a story? Please share!
Abundant Genealogy Week #45: Genealogy Speakers
Sorry, playing catch up here. Got a few weeks behind, but I want to keep things in sequence.
Week 45: Genealogy Speakers. Which genealogy speaker has left the biggest impression on you? What is it about that speaker that you like the most? What is his or her general focus? Does this person speak at regional or national conferences? Share why other genealogists should attend this speaker?s sessions.
Write a journal on FamilyTreeCircles about your favorite genealogy speaker.
http://www.familytreecircles.com/ejournal.php
When you do, please put ?[52 Weeks]? in the journal title somewhere so I can be sure to see it and feature it right here in this post. (I?m switching to a standard thing to put in the title, which will make it easier).
52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy ? ?by? ? Amy Coffin ? ?is a series of weekly blogging prompts (one for each week of 2012) that invite genealogists and others to discuss resources in the genealogy community including websites, applications, libraries, archives, genealogical societies and more.
Abundant Genealogy Week #44: Genealogy Conferences
Sorry, playing catch up here. Got a few weeks behind.
Week 44: Genealogy Conferences. What was your best genealogy conference experience? Why is it so memorable in your mind? Who hosted the event? What did you learn from this experience? How does it impact your genealogy research today?
Write a journal on FamilyTreeCircles about Genealogy Conferences
http://www.familytreecircles.com/ejournal.php
When you do, please put ?[52 Weeks]? in the journal title somewhere so I can be sure to see it and feature it right here in this post. (I?m switching to a standard thing to put in the title, which will make it easier).
52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy ?by? Amy Coffin ?is a series of weekly blogging prompts (one for each week of 2012) that invite genealogists and others to discuss resources in the genealogy community including websites, applications, libraries, archives, genealogical societies and more.
Permission Required for Cemetery Photos?
While it may seem like tombstones are public things that should be free for photographing, that may not always be the case.
Apparently, in some cemeteries, photography is not permitted. It's not an issue so much of the photographs themselves, but of what you're allowed to do on private property...
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Cemetery photos: permission required?
the standard suggestion for photography in any cemetery is good advice regardless: get the rules of the road in advance ? know if you need permission, whether there?s a fee, and what the hours are so you don?t accidentally get locked inside the gates.via: www.legalgenealogist.com |
So what this comes down to is not ownership of the images of tombstones, but the photography activity on private property.
A museum may prohibit photography of artwork that they don't actually own the rights to.
The artist may own the copyrights of that image.
A live performance venue may prohibit video recording of performances.
The band owns the copyright of the performance itself.
I wonder if, from a legal standpoint, there is ever copyright ownership of the actual tombstone image itself? Is it a work of art?
Fascinating subject.
Abundant Genealogy Week #43: Memorable Genealogy Moment
Week 43: Memorable Genealogy Moment
.?Think back to when you first started researching your family history. Is there a memorable early genealogy moment that stands out in your mind? Describe this event or discovery and how it impacted your research going forward.
Write a journal on FamilyTreeCircles about your memorable genealogy moment.
http://www.familytreecircles.com/ejournal.php
When you do, please put ?[52 Weeks]? in the journal title somewhere so I can be sure to see it and feature it right here in this post. (I?m switching to a standard thing to put in the title, which will make it easier).
My Memorable Genealogy Moment
The moment that had the most impact on me, and what is probably the earliest genealogy memory that I have is from when I was a kid. My grandfather signed up my sister and me for a lifetime membership to the Massachusetts Mayflower Society.
30 years later, I’ve tried to do the same for my own children but alas, the Society has become much more strict on their application criteria, and I must fill in many blanks with primary sources, some of which I am afraid are not available.
While I do recognize the importance of sources, this saddens me because I feel this might give them the same jolt of excitement that I got so many years ago that has kept me interested in my own family history.
52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy
?by?
Amy Coffin
?is a series of weekly blogging prompts (one for each week of 2012) that invite genealogists and others to discuss resources in the genealogy community including websites, applications, libraries, archives, genealogical societies and more.
My greatest genealogy accomplishment [52 Weeks - Week 42]
I don’t think this isn’t quite what was expected for this week’s prompt, but I’ll have to go with FamilyTreeCircles as my greatest genealogy accomplishment.
Back about 10 years ago, I had no idea what would become of the small project that started out of my own interest in my family history. It has grown to nearly 100,000 members, many of whom have broken through brick walls and found distant cousins sharing the same research. There have even been long lost family members who were reunited thanks to posts in FamilyTreeCircles.
Personally, I have found many Gingras cousins who have provided me with information that I never would have found otherwise, and I’ve been able to do the same in return for more than a few.
Most importantly, I’ve made several online friends, many of you, who have participated here over the years, lent a helping hand (or several), and have made this community what it is.
It’s been an honor and privilege to build and maintain this website. Thank you!
Scott
This post is in response to the Abundant Genealogy blogging prompts. To write your own, see here for information…
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Abundant Genealogy Week #42: Biggest Genealogy Accomplishment :: FamilyTreeCircles.com Genealogy
I?m sorry we missed last week?s prompt, but let?s pick up this week with a fun one. Blow your own horn, do some crowing. What?s your biggest accomplishment in your genealogy research?via: www.familytreecircles.com |
Abundant Genealogy Week #42: Biggest Genealogy Accomplishment
I’m sorry we missed last week’s prompt, but let’s pick up this week with a fun one. Blow your own horn, do some crowing. What’s your biggest accomplishment in your genealogy research?
Write a journal on FamilyTreeCircles about your biggest genealogy accomplishment.
http://www.familytreecircles.com/ejournal.php
When you do, please put ?[52 Weeks]? in the journal title somewhere so I can be sure to see it and feature it right here in this post. (I?m switching to a standard thing to put in the title, which will make it easier).
52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy by Amy Coffin?is a series of weekly blogging prompts (one for each week of 2012) that invite genealogists and others to discuss resources in the genealogy community including websites, applications, libraries, archives, genealogical societies and more.
