Saturday, December 31, 2022

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun -- Your Christmas Genea-Gifts

 Calling all Genea-Musings Fans: 

 It's Saturday Night again - 

Time for some more Genealogy Fun!!


(Photo courtesy of footnoteMaven)

Come on, everybody, join in and accept the mission and execute it with precision. 

1) Was Genea-Santa good to you?  What genealogy gifts did you receive for Christmas?

2) Tell us about them in your own blog post, in a comment on this post, or in a Facebook Status  post.  Please leave a link on this post if you write your own post.

Here's mine:

I received two genea-gifts from my descendants:

*  A T-shirt with the photo of Linda and me with all five of the grandkids (taken on my birthday on 23 October) with the slogan "Best Grandpa Ever!"  I will wear it proudly!

*  A StoryWorth subscription (see https://welcome.storyworth.com/).  My daughter emailed me on Christmas morning saying: 

 "Merry Christmas Dad/Grandpa!
I’ve gifted you a subscription to Storyworth so you can write and share your stories with me and the family. This is how your life, history, and ancestry can be passed down through the years. I hope you use it and enjoy. I look forward to reading your stories."

StoryWorth is really pretty simple - they send you story ideas (weekly), you write your stories, and they'll put them in a book at the end of the year.  You can pick who you want to read them and they send an email every time you create a story to those people.  I can use one of their prompts or I can choose my own.  I can add images to support the story.  

As my readers know, I have been telling family stories in the Saturday Night Genealogy Fun posts for 17 years, plus there are stories in my Notes on many RootsMagic profiles, and I have written my own 25-page (so far) autobiography.  I think I have enough stories for every day of the year.  So far, in the 7 days since Christmas, I have written six stories, mainly from edited SNGF posts:

*  My earliest memory.
*  What were your mom and dad like when you were young?
*  My mother's biography.
*  My father's biography.
*  My work history.
*  Elementary school memories.

Since I cannot tell a straightforward story without some background information, some of these stories will take 2-4 pages to tell.  So a hundred story book might be fairly thick!

Also, I'm considering using StoryWorth to compile the Notes from my 52Ancestors genealogical sketches into books - perhaps a book for each grandparent's ancestry through 6 or 7 generations.  

==============================================


Copyright (c) 2022, Randall J. Seaver

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Added and Updated FamilySearch Record Collections - Week of 24 to 30 December 2022

 I am keeping track of the new and updated historical record collections at FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list) every week.

As of 30 December 2022, there are 3,173 historical record collections on FamilySearch (an increase of from last week):

The new and updated collections this week from FamilySearch are:

--- Collections Added   ---

*  Germany, Lübeck, Catholic and Lutheran Church Records, 1797-1961        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4232849); 2,400 indexed records with 2,400 record images, ADDED 28-Dec-2022

*  Massachusetts, Births, 1636-1924        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2400643); 354,112 indexed records with 354,112 record images, ADDED 29-Dec-2022

--- Collections Updated ---

Argentina, Catamarca, Catholic Church Records, 1724-1971        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1974178); 137,901 indexed records with 102,718 record images (was 136,130 records with 102,718 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Argentina, Corrientes, Catholic Church Records, 1734-1977       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1974183); 429,889 indexed records with 207,943 record images (was 429,232 records with 207,943 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Argentina, Jujuy, Catholic Church Records, 1662-1975    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1974186); 116,707 indexed records with 69,981 record images (was 115,493 records with 69,981 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Argentina, Salta, Civil Registration, 1880-2000 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3006885); 605,743 indexed records with 522,169 record images (was 605,743 records with 522,169 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Argentina, San Juan, Catholic Church Records, 1655-1975 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1974194); 177,748 indexed records with 83,087 record images (was 175,643 records with 83,087 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022

Australia, Victoria, Wills, Probate and Administration Files, 1841-1926 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2207846); 48,410 indexed records with 3,998,555 record images (was 38,081 records with 3,998,555 images), UPDATED 23-Dec-2022
Bolivia Catholic Church Records, 1566-1996      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1922463); 9,225,718 indexed records with 1,649,601 record images (was 9,220,434 records with 1,649,601 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Brazil, Bahía, Catholic Church Records, 1598-2007       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2177272); 2,189,189 indexed records with 368,634 record images (was 2,188,926 records with 368,634 images), UPDATED 26-Dec-2022
Brazil, Minas Gerais, Civil Registration, 1879-1949     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3479702); 816,493 indexed records with 340,663 record images (was 815,292 records with 340,208 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Brazil, Paraná, Civil Registration, 1852-1996   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2016194); 2,649,249 indexed records with 1,689,031 record images (was 2,639,501 records with 1,689,031 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022

Brazil, Pará, Civil Registration, 1815-1995     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4473609); 31,832 indexed records with 11,013 record images (was 31,221 records with 10,686 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Civil Registration, 1860-2006        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3741255); 1,621,388 indexed records with 827,338 record images (was 1,617,990 records with 823,784 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Civil Registration, 1829-2012   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1582573); 6,652,411 indexed records with 5,100,470 record images (was 6,649,678 records with 5,100,470 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Brazil, Santa Catarina, Civil Registration, 1850-1999   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2016197); 624,281 indexed records with 1,037,638 record images (was 623,852 records with 1,037,638 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2001287); 6,496,072 indexed records with 2,841,076 record images (was 6,496,012 records with 2,841,076 images), UPDATED 27-Dec-2022

Cape Verde, Catholic Church Records, 1787-1957  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2246703); 275,186 indexed records with 105,781 record images (was 262,441 records with 105,781 images), UPDATED 23-Dec-2022
Chile, Catholic Church Records, 1633-2015       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3405096); 7,413,979 indexed records with 923,954 record images (was 7,405,141 records with 922,485 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Chile, Civil Registration, 1885-1932    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1630787); 4,596,749 indexed records with 1,623,199 record images (was 4,596,746 records with 1,623,199 images), UPDATED 27-Dec-2022
Colombia, Catholic Church Records, 1576-2018    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1726975); 25,693,049 indexed records with 12,659,776 record images (was 25,660,289 records with 12,659,776 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Costa Rica, Catholic Church Records, 1595-1992  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1460016); 4,108,504 indexed records with 962,203 record images (was 4,095,908 records with 962,203 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022

Costa Rica, Civil Registration, 1823-1975       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1925429); 6,130,537 indexed records with 404,718 record images (was 6,128,980 records with 404,718 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Czech Republic, Church Books, 1552-1981 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1804263); 5,882,910 indexed records with 4,668,489 record images (was 225,352 records with 4,668,489 images), UPDATED 25-Dec-2022
Dominican Republic, Catholic Church Records, 1590-1975  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1918910); 2,261,696 indexed records with 238,265 record images (was 2,261,693 records with 238,265 images), UPDATED 29-Dec-2022
Ecuador, Catholic Church Records, 1565-2011     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1923402); 6,027,795 indexed records with 1,454,787 record images (was 6,026,061 records with 1,454,787 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Ecuador, Cemetery Records, 1862-2019    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3755446); 719,249 indexed records with 354,939 record images (was 653,164 records with 349,594 images), UPDATED 29-Dec-2022

El Salvador Catholic Church Records, 1655-1977  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1919582); 2,254,712 indexed records with 592,191 record images (was 2,253,414 records with 592,191 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Florida Deaths, 1877-1939       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1595003); 511,497 indexed records with 482,677 record images (was 503,102 records with 471,267 images), UPDATED 29-Dec-2022
France, Calvados, Census, 1876  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4279948); 12,478 indexed records with 568 record images (was 5,880 records with 216 images), UPDATED 29-Dec-2022
Germany, Bavaria, Catholic and Lutheran Church Records, 1591-1963       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4234521); 110,785 indexed records with 97,573 record images (was 41,090 records with 38,726 images), UPDATED 29-Dec-2022
Germany, Bremen, Catholic and Lutheran Church Records, 1746-1970        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4234519); 14,862 indexed records with 32,276 record images (was 14,862 records with 30,912 images), UPDATED 28-Dec-2022

Germany, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Catholic and Lutheran Church Records, 1639-1943  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4234522); 220,773 indexed records with 52,326 record images (was 187,401 records with 43,469 images), UPDATED 29-Dec-2022
Guatemala, Alta Verapaz, Civil Registration, 1877-1994  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2102016); 1,045,029 indexed records with 17,770 record images (was 1,044,016 records with 17,770 images), UPDATED 29-Dec-2022
Guatemala, Chimaltenango, Civil Registration, 1877-1994 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2114423); 815,253 indexed records with 3,075 record images (was 813,306 records with 3,075 images), UPDATED 27-Dec-2022
Guatemala, Chiquimula, Civil Registration, 1877-2008    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2790265); 442,402 indexed records with 346,978 record images (was 436,933 records with 345,104 images), UPDATED 27-Dec-2022
Guatemala, El Progreso, Civil Registration, 1877-1994   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2451040); 244,711 indexed records with 103,502 record images (was 240,430 records with 103,502 images), UPDATED 28-Dec-2022

Guatemala, Guatemala, Civil Registration, 1877-2006     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2075150); 4,531,116 indexed records with 1,486 record images (was 4,481,691 records with 1,486 images), UPDATED 27-Dec-2022
Guatemala, Quetzaltenango, Civil Registration, 1877-1994        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2274796); 1,236,932 indexed records with 41,022 record images (was 1,226,355 records with 41,022 images), UPDATED 27-Dec-2022
Guatemala, Quiché, Civil Registration, 1877-1994        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2274794); 1,059,920 indexed records with 70,397 record images (was 1,055,889 records with 70,397 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Guatemala, Retalhuleu, Civil Registration, 1877-1994    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2422976); 446,254 indexed records with 550 record images (was 442,352 records with 550 images), UPDATED 27-Dec-2022
Guatemala, Sacatepéquez, Civil Registration, 1877-1994  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2274791); 355,478 indexed records with 63 record images (was 352,442 records with 63 images), UPDATED 27-Dec-2022

Guatemala, Santa Rosa, Civil Registration, 1877-1994    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2274788); 456,204 indexed records with 97,101 record images (was 453,565 records with 97,101 images), UPDATED 27-Dec-2022
Guatemala, Sololá, Civil Registration, 1877-1994        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2444805); 497,504 indexed records with 70,746 record images (was 491,447 records with 70,746 images), UPDATED 27-Dec-2022
Guatemala, Suchitepéquez, Civil Registration, 1877-1994 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2274785); 703,485 indexed records with 1,312 record images (was 693,649 records with 1,312 images), UPDATED 27-Dec-2022
Guatemala, Totonicapán, Civil Registration, 1930-2008   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2268582); 606,225 indexed records with 468,532 record images (was 602,575 records with 467,544 images), UPDATED 27-Dec-2022
Guatemala, Zacapa, Civil Registration, 1877-1994        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2284386); 283,693 indexed records with 18,271 record images (was 283,499 records with 18,271 images), UPDATED 27-Dec-2022

Honduras, Civil Registration, 1841-1968 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2135627); 537,905 indexed records with 337,976 record images (was 537,819 records with 337,976 images), UPDATED 29-Dec-2022
Iceland Church Census, 1744-1965        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2697871); 1,826,801 indexed records with 47,678 record images (was 1,815,974 records with 47,005 images), UPDATED 23-Dec-2022
Italy, Ravenna, Ravenna, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1929      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1947700); 12,122 indexed records with 1,759,182 record images (was 11,467 records with 1,759,182 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Italy, Sassari, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1803-1942       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4464417); 16,563 indexed records with 5,406 record images (was 16,045 records with 5,239 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Italy, Treviso, Treviso, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1871-1941      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1947831); 2,531 indexed records with 427,232 record images (was 2,154 records with 427,232 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022

Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910, 1921-1924   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1675351); Index only (1,155,574 records), no images (was 1,155,574 records with 0 images), UPDATED 28-Dec-2022
Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1920    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1928860); 10,603,856 indexed records with 742,594 record images (was 10,603,856 records with 742,594 images), UPDATED 29-Dec-2022
Mexico, Puebla, Catholic Church Records, 1545-1977      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1837906); 8,061,774 indexed records with 6,124,553 record images (was 8,032,401 records with 6,124,553 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Mexico, Querétaro, Catholic Church Records, 1590-1970   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1881200); 3,001,221 indexed records with 1,380,077 record images (was 2,955,869 records with 1,380,077 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Michigan, Saginaw County, Biographical Card File, ca. 1830-2000 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3733440); 22,357 indexed records with 21,333 record images (was 22,357 records with 21,333 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022

Minnesota, Veterans Grave Registration Reports, 1930-1975       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4489446); 71,362 indexed records with 70,000 record images (was 71,360 records with 69,998 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Nicaragua, Catholic Church Records, 1740-1960   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1494432); 822,307 indexed records with 86,119 record images (was 822,001 records with 86,119 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Norway, Oslo, Census, 1912      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4445453); 10,624 indexed records with 2,676 record images (was 10,624 records with 2,378 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Peru, Apurímac, Civil Registration, 1912-1999   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4166195); 508,006 indexed records with 501,745 record images (was 508,006 records with 501,745 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Peru, Catholic Church Records, 1603-1992        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1877097); 21,962,646 indexed records with 4,192,353 record images (was 21,955,115 records with 4,192,353 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022

Peru, Huánuco, Catholic Church Records, 1660-2020       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4439346); 54,688 indexed records with 29,889 record images (was 54,669 records with 29,881 images), UPDATED 26-Dec-2022
Peru, San Martín, Civil Registration, 1850-1999 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2306525); 468,422 indexed records with 249,700 record images (was 468,422 records with 249,700 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Portugal, Beja, Catholic Church Records, 1550-1913      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2001878); 811,991 indexed records with 684,393 record images (was 811,671 records with 684,393 images), UPDATED 26-Dec-2022
Portugal, Bragança, Catholic Church Records, 1541-1985  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1976616); 1,101,412 indexed records with 960,435 record images (was 1,100,950 records with 960,435 images), UPDATED 26-Dec-2022
Portugal, Faro, Catholic Church Records, 1587-1880      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1511408); 884,549 indexed records with 138,057 record images (was 881,544 records with 138,057 images), UPDATED 26-Dec-2022

Portugal, Guarda, Catholic Church Records, 1459-1911    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1928588); 435,415 indexed records with 815,966 record images (was 426,454 records with 815,966 images), UPDATED 26-Dec-2022
Portugal, Leiria, Catholic Church Records, 1534-1911    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1976101); 873,604 indexed records with 639,166 record images (was 873,579 records with 639,166 images), UPDATED 26-Dec-2022
Portugal, Lisbon, Catholic Church Records, 1334-1952    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4449050); 3,224,944 indexed records with 869,405 record images (was 3,224,765 records with 869,352 images), UPDATED 26-Dec-2022
Portugal, Portalegre, Catholic Church Records, 1859-1911        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2014755); 2,081,009 indexed records with 178,927 record images (was 2,080,921 records with 178,927 images), UPDATED 26-Dec-2022
Portugal, Porto, Catholic Church Records, 1535-1949     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1913408); 2,555,259 indexed records with 1,207,157 record images (was 2,554,395 records with 1,207,157 images), UPDATED 26-Dec-2022

Portugal, Setúbal, Catholic Church Records, 1555-1911   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1935451); 1,073,824 indexed records with 829,309 record images (was 1,073,155 records with 829,309 images), UPDATED 29-Dec-2022
Portugal, Viseu, Catholic Church Records, 1523-1989     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1928589); 2,299,024 indexed records with 1,034,661 record images (was 2,293,417 records with 1,034,661 images), UPDATED 26-Dec-2022
Portugal, Évora, Catholic Church Records, 1533-1912     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2043775); 982,321 indexed records with 702,397 record images (was 981,995 records with 702,397 images), UPDATED 26-Dec-2022
Puerto Rico, Catholic Church Records, 1645-1969 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1807092); 3,327,117 indexed records with 191,547 record images (was 3,326,501 records with 191,547 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
South Africa, Cape Province, Civil Records, 1840-1972   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1779109); 3,112,216 indexed records with 2,216,270 record images (was 3,112,216 records with 2,216,270 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022

Spain, Catholic Church Records, 1307-1985       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1784529); 18,560,697 indexed records with 3,008,340 record images (was 18,556,349 records with 3,008,340 images), UPDATED 26-Dec-2022
Switzerland, Ticino, Census, 1808       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3288471); 40,611 indexed records with 485 record images (was 12,475 records with 154 images), UPDATED 27-Dec-2022
Texas, County Deaths, 1860-2005 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000045); 13,153 indexed records with 4,768 record images (was 3,699 records with 942 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Texas, Gregg County, Marriage Records, 1873-2017        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4491568); 214,933 indexed records with 121,661 record images (was 144,205 records with 119,396 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Uruguay Civil Registration, 1879-1930   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1837849); Index only (544,476 records), no images (was 537,620 records with 0 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022

Venezuela Civil Registration, 1873-2003 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1823609); 975,320 indexed records with 586,312 record images (was 975,108 records with 586,312 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Venezuela, Archdiocese of Caracas, Catholic Church Records, 1638-2020   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4465438); 33,290 indexed records with 18,417 record images (was 31,379 records with 17,366 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Virginia, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Birth Records, 1853-1949  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4496127); 2,250 indexed records with 2,237 record images (was 1,376 records with 1,365 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Virginia, County Marriage Records, 1771-1989    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2134304); 795,942 indexed records with 2,733 record images (was 795,942 records with 2,733 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Virginia, Vital Records, 1715-1901      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4149585); 1,698,311 indexed records with 91,109 record images (was 1,683,245 records with 90,682 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022

Washington, County Divorce Records, 1852-1950   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1930340); 78,797 indexed records with 127,147 record images (was 78,797 records with 127,147 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022
Zimbabwe, Archdiocese of Harare, Church Records, 1897-2021      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4475014); 581,344 indexed records with 57,595 record images (was 477,725 records with 49,098 images), UPDATED 30-Dec-2022

--- Collections with new images ---

French Polynesia, Civil Registration, 1780-1999 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2549721); 72,917 indexed records with 115,383 record images (was 72,917 records with 100,832 images), last updated 18-Nov-2022
Illinois, Church Records, 1837-1995     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2787821); 16,710 indexed records with 1,183 record images (was 16,710 records with 1,116 images), last updated 13-Jan-2021
New York, Church Records, 1660-1954     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2787817); 127,105 indexed records with 6,354 record images (was 127,105 records with 1,213 images), last updated 07-Apr-2021
South Africa, Transvaal, Civil Marriages, 1870-1930     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2727134); 267,269 indexed records with 255,512 record images (was 267,269 records with 253,680 images), last updated 10-Aug-2022

--- Collections with images removed ---

Finland, Passport Registers, 1900-1920  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4139415); 79,828 indexed records with 1,563 record images (was 79,828 records with 1,796 images), last updated 21-Nov-2022
Finland, Tax Lists, 1809-1915   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2704794); 903,292 indexed records with 8,639 record images (was 903,292 records with 14,612 images), last updated 07-Dec-2022
France, Hautes-Alpes, Census, 1876      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2819930); 66,237 indexed records with 419 record images (was 66,237 records with 560 images), last updated 30-Sep-2022
Germany, Rhineland, Diocese of Trier, Catholic Church Records, 1704-1957        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2790268); 2,967,130 indexed records with 294,323 record images (was 2,967,130 records with 294,979 images), last updated 03-Nov-2020
Haiti, Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince, Catholic Church Records, 1866-2017        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4279947); 27,157 indexed records with 4,924 record images (was 27,157 records with 5,980 images), last updated 29-Nov-2022

Hawaii, Collector of Customs, Ships' Passenger Manifests, 1843-1900     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3463100); 527,525 indexed records with 222,505 record images (was 527,525 records with 224,113 images), last updated 06-Nov-2020
Paraguay, Military Records, 1870-1965   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2506770); 347,012 indexed records with 324,234 record images (was 347,012 records with 328,873 images), last updated 07-Dec-2022
Sweden, Stockholm City Archives, Index to Church Records, 1546-1927     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2057674); 1,175,420 indexed records with 60,555 record images (was 1,175,420 records with 61,860 images), last updated 07-Dec-2022
Uruguay, Passenger Lists, 1888-1980     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2691993); 3,641,119 indexed records with 137,028 record images (was 3,641,119 records with 155,438 images), last updated 19-Nov-2020

--- Collections with records removed ---

United States Public Records, 1970-2009 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2199956); Index only (875,610,159 records), no images (was 875,610,161 records with 0 images), last updated 19-Aug-2020

=======================================================

My friend and SDGS colleague, Marshall, has come up with a way to determine which collections are ADDED, DELETED or UPDATED, and to alphabetize the entries in each category.  Thanks to Marshall for helping me out here!

In order to select a specific record collection on FamilySearch, go to   https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list and use the "Filter by collection name" feature in the upper left-hand corner and use keywords (e.g. "church england") to find collections with those keywords.

Each one of the collections listed above has a Research Wiki page (use the "Learn more" link). It would be very useful if the Wiki page for each collection listed the dates for when the collection was added as a new collection and the dates for major updates also.

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The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2022/12/added-and-updated-familysearch-record_01649361991.html

Copyright (c) 2022, Randall J. Seaver

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Friday, December 30, 2022

Randy's Genealogy Activity Highlights for 2022

  Looking back over the past year, I see that I pursued these genealogy and family history related activities - it was a Zoom-y year (again!) to say the least!  And a health challenge year for me (open heart bypass surgery and COVID).

1)  Speaking

*  I made no presentations to genealogical societies this year.
*  I was asked by several societies to give a talk via Zoom, but declined.
*  I created no new presentations this year.

2)  Genealogy Society Work

*  Moderated 10 CVGS Research Group monthly meetings (in Zoom meetings) with 20 to 40 in attendance, usually providing an hour of content.
*  Moderated 10 CVGS DNA Interest Group monthly meetings (in Zoom meetings) with 15 to 40 in attendance, usually providing an hour of content.
*  Hosted 10 CVGS monthly General Meetings (in Zoom meetings) with 30 to 70 in attendance.  We are recording the program meetings and putting them on the CVGS website for our members to view for a limited time.
*  Attended the annual picnic (June) and holiday party (December) in-person and enjoyed seeing my CVGS colleagues.
*  Wrote, edited, printed, mailed and emailed 6 CVGS monthly Newsletters (10-12 pages each month) to the CVGS membership, and helped the assistant editor to learn the ropes.
*  Served on the CVGS Board for the 20th consecutive year as Research Group Chair, DNA Group Chair, and Newsletter Editor, attending monthly Board meetings and General Society program meetings (10 in Zoom).

3)  Education

*  Watched about 30 Family Tree Webinars as part of my subscriptions to the service.
*  Attended RootsTech Connect 2022 virtually over three days, and watched over 100 presentations.
*  Attended the SDGS January and September seminars, and every SDGS online program meeting and special webinars on Zoom.  
*  Attended most of the SDGS DNA Interest Group meetings on Zoom from hosted by Colin Whitney, often with speakers.
*  Attended most of the SDGS British Isles Interest Group on Zoom hosted by Colin Whitney.
*  Participated in about 20 Mondays With Myrt webinars via Zoom contributing information, commentary and opinions about events in the genea-sphere.  DearMYRTLE retired in May and Cousin Russ died in May.
*  Watched hundreds of YouTube videos about genealogy-related topics - I subscribe to about 110 YouTube channels for genealogy.
*  Read the NEHGS magazines and downloaded them to my genealogy education folders.   American Ancestors also provides digital editions of a number of periodicals for New England which I search occasionally and download articles to my genealogy folders.
*  Downloaded syllabus articles from RootsTech, Family Tree Webinars and saved them to my education folders.
*  Read thousands of genealogy-related blog posts from hundreds of geneabloggers using Feedly on a daily basis.

4)  Blogging

*  Wrote about 830 blog posts on Genea-Musings in the 17th year of the blog.  Most of my posts are about my own research (e.g., Census Sunday, Amanuensis Monday, Genealogy Pot-Pourri, Carringers in the News, Wordless Wednesday, Treasure Chest Thursday, Seavers in the News, 52 Ancestors, and Saturday Night Genealogy Fun), but some are genea-curation about the industry (e.g., New and Updated Ancestry Collections; New and Updated FamilySearch Collections; Genealogy News Bytes, Genealogy Education Bytes; and Best of the Genea-Blogs), occasional guest posts, press releases,  questions asked (e.g., Dear Randy posts), research summaries (Rabbit Holes with Randy), genealogy software, online collections, or industry issues.  See:
***  Randy's "Best Of" Genea-Musings Posts in 2022
***  Top 40 Most Viewed Posts in 2022 on Genea-Musings
*  I now have about 14.1 million page views on the Genea-Musings blog according to Google.

5)  DNA Tests and Analysis

*  I have autosomal DNA test results at AncestryDNA (test), MyHeritageDNA (upload), FamilyTreeDNA (test), 23andMe (test), and Living DNA (upload).
*  Reviewed my DNA matches on a regular basis, and made notes about the match data, including known relationships and common ancestors.  I have spreadsheets for the highest matches on AncestryDNA, 23andMe, FamilyTreeDNA, and MyHeritageDNA matches with collected information.  I occasionally download my Shared DNA segments from MyHeritageDNA, FamilyTreeDNA and 23andMe.
*  Created updated AutoCluster groups for MyHeritage, FamilyTreeDNA and 23andMe  using the Genetic Affairs program.  
*  Did not add much to my DNA Painter chromosome mapping based on known common ancestors on MyHeritageDNA, FamilyTreeDNA, and 23andMe.

6)  Genealogy Research and Family Trees

*  Used RootsMagic as my "master" family tree program on my desktop and laptop computers.  See RootsMagic Genealogy Database Statistics Update - 1 January 2023 for my progress on my family tree.  
*  Continued to research, find, source and enter information on my ancestors and descendants of my 5th great-grandparents to help find common ancestors with DNA matches.
*  Used the WebHints for Ancestry, MyHeritage, Findmypast, and FamilySearch to add content (names, relationships, events, dates, places, notes and source citations) for records found that apply to each profile.  
*  Searched for more records for selected profiles on all of the sites, adding content and source citations for records found that apply to each person profile.  
*  Mined selected record collections on Ancestry (using the specific database tool for Ancestry Member Tree profiles), on MyHeritage (finding Record Matches for a specific collection for my MyHeritage tree profiles), on Findmypast (Record Hints on Findmypast tree profiles), and on FamilySearch Record Hints for FamilySearch Family Tree profiles.
*  TreeShared each week the changes to the RootsMagic tree to my latest Ancestry Member Tree, which generates more Record Hints for those profiles.  Updated my MyHeritage tree using GEDCOM in early 2022.
*  Matched my RootsMagic profiles with FamilySearch Family Tree profiles on a regular basis using the FamilySearch tools in RootsMagic, and added or edited Family Tree profiles and/or RootsMagic profiles to add content, notes and source citations.
*  Put on hold the General Society of Mayflower Descendants membership process after submitting the preliminary form ,and I was working on the application form and supporting documentation.  Suspended due to Linda's fall and hospitalization and my health issues.

7)  Digital Data Maintenance

*  Added digital images of genealogy records, including downloaded books or articles, to my ancestral education, surname and family files on a regular "as found" basis.
*  Added other genealogy-related documents (e.g., CVGS Newsletters, presentation slides and handouts, etc.) to my Genealogy file folder.  
*  Backed up the digital image files to Google Drive and iDrive in the cloud daily, and some files to Dropbox for transfer to the laptop on an as-needed basis.  

8)  Summary

*  I do this almost every day for 5 to 11 hours a day seemingly chained to my computer; plus eat and sleep, but I usually take a mid-day nap to recharge. A lot of my reading of email, blogs and social media are done on my phone now.  I worked about 2,000 hours on genealogy-related activities in 2022.  Didn't make any money.  I think I'm my own boss.  I made some discoveries and had a lot of genea-fun.  
*  The year saw significant health problems for me - lots of tests, and then open heart bypass surgery in May, recovery from that and anemia all summer, then a mild COVID sickness in December.
*   I still find some time for family activities (a few visits with the daughters and grandkids - some on Facetime and Duo), and church (some on Zoom).  I visit Linda in her skilled nursing and memory care facility almost every day for an hour.  I watched Padres baseball on TV, Chargers football on TV, and Aztecs football/basketball on TV, and read fiction books (especially Nathan Goodwin, Steve Robinson and MJ Lee genealogy books) while watching TV.  Then there's household chores (cooking, laundry and cleaning, but I'm lax).  I check Facebook and Twitter daily, and read or watch local news and political news/events online, on my phone, and on TV. 

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Copyright (c) 2022, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

52 Ancestors - Week 461: #732 John Pray (a1653-1733) of Providence and Smithfield, Rhode Island

John Pray (a1653-1733) is #732 on my Ahnentafel List, my 7th great-grandfather, who married #733  Sarah Brown (1662-a1733) in 1678 in Providence, Rhode Island.

I am descended through:

*  their son, #366 Richard Pray (1683-1755), who married Rachel --?-- (a1685-b1755) in 1723.
*  their daughter, #183 Sarah Pray (1734-1820), who married #182 Nathaniel Horton (1730-1819) in 1753.
*  their daughter,  #91 Phebe Horton (1772-a1820), who married #90 Simon Wade (1767-1857) in about 1790.
*  their daughter #45 Miranda Wade (1804-1850), who married #44 Jonathan White (1803-1850) in 1824.
*  their son #22 Henry Arnold White (1824-1885) who married #23 Amy Oatley (1826-1864) in 1844.
*  their daughter #11 Julia E. White (1848-1913) who married #10 Thomas Richmond (1848-1917) in 1868.
*  their daughter #5 Alma Bessie Richmond (1882-1962) who married #4 Frederick Walton Seaver (1876-1942) in 1900.
*  their son #2 Frederick Walton Seaver (1911-1983) who married #3 Betty Virginia Carringer (1919-2002) in 1942.
*  their son #1 Randall Jeffrey Seaver (1943-living)

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1)  PERSON (with source citations as indicated in brackets):

*  Name:                      John Pray[1–5]

*  Sex:                          Male

*  Father:                     Richard Pray 1629-1693
*  Mother:                   Mary --?-- 1629-1686

2)  INDIVIDUAL EVENTS (with source citations as indicated in brackets):

*  Birth:                        about 1653, Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, United States[1,3]

*  Death:                       9 October 1733 (about age 80), Smithfield, Providence, Rhode Island, United States[1,3-5]

*  Probate:                    5 February 1733/4 (about age 80), will proved; Smithfield, Providence, Rhode Island, United States[1,3,5]

3)  SHARED EVENTS (with source citations as indicated in brackets):

*  Spouse 1:                   Sarah Brown 1662-1733
*  Marriage 1:                14 November 1678 (about age 25), Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, United States[1–3]
*  Child 1:                     John Pray 1679-1751
*  Child 2:                     Sarah Pray 1679-1728
*  Child 3:                     Richard Pray 1683-1755
*  Child 4:                     Mary Pray 1685-1725
*  Child 5:                     Hugh Pray 1687-1761
*  Child 6:                     Penelope Pray 1688-1752
*  Child 7:                     Katherine Pray 1689-1728
*  Child 8:                     Martha Pray 1693-1784

4)  NOTES (with source citations as indicated in brackets):    

John Pray was born in about 1653 in Providence, Rhode Island, the eldest child of Richard and Mary (--?--) Pray[1,3].

John Pray resided in Providence and Smithfield. He was one of those "who staid and went not away" during King Phillip's War[1]

He married Sarah Brown (1662-b1733) on 14 November 1678 in Providence, Rhode Island[1,3], the daughter of John and Mary (Holmes) Brown. They had eight children, but none of them were recorded in Providence town records:

*  John Pray (1679-1751), married 1713 Sarah Downing (1685-????)
*  Sarah Pray (1681-1728), married 1703 Joseph Brown (1678-1764).
*  Richard Pray (1683-1755), married 1723 Rachel --?-- (a1685-b1755).
*  Mary Pray (1685-1725), married 1705 Richard Brown (1676-1774).
*  Hugh Pray (1687-1761), married 1716 Abigail Blake (1698-1775).
*  Penelope Pray (1688-1752), married 1710 John Aldrich (1688-1750).
*  Katherine Pray (1689-1728), married 1706 Hazadiah Comstock (1682-1764).
*  Martha Pray (1693-1784), married 1713 Joseph Wilkinson (1683-1740). 

On 23 July 1717 he deeded his farm and homestead, which was probably in what is now Smithfield (formed in 1731 from Providence), half of it at signing and half at the decease of himself and wife, to his son Richard Pray[1].

John Pray died 9 October 1733, in Smithfield, Rhode Island, testate at age 80[1,3-5]. There is no apparent burial place or record.  He wrote his will on 29 April 1726, which was proved 5 February 1733/4 in Smithfield Town Council[5]. The will reads (a clerk's copy):
"In the name of God amen, the twenty ninth day of april annoque Domini one thousand Seven Hundred and twenty six I John Pray husbandman of the town of providence in the Colony of Rhod Island and providence platation In New England being an aged man and Growing weakly, but of a perfect mind and Memory thanks be Given unto God, therfore Calling unto mind the Mortality of my Body and Knowing it is appointed for all men once to Dye do make and ordain this my Last will and Testament, that is to say principally, and first of all I Recommand my soul unto the hands of god, that it and my Body I Recommand to the Earth to be ???? In Decent Christian Buriel att the Decreshion of my Executors and as touching such worldly Estate where it Hath pleased God to Bless me with in this Life I give Demise and Dispose of the same in the following Mannar and form.

"Imprimus - I give and bequeath to sarah My Dearly Beloved wife the one half of my home stad Farm all my Cattle Dwelling house and House hold goods During her Lifetime to be ???? and Clearly Enjoynedly her During the term of her ???? provided she Remain my widow but In Case she marries again than my son Richard his heirs or assigns shall ??? furtherworth Enter unto the possession of said half of my home sted all my Cattle household Goods and ???

"Item  I give and Bequeath to my beloved son John his heirs Executors admrs or assigns the sum of five Shillings Currant Money, of New England to be Raised and Reived of my Estate.

"Item  I give and Bequeath to my Beloved son Hugh his heirs Executors admrs assigns the sum of five shillings Currant Money of New England to be Raised and Reived out of my Estate.

"Item I give I give and bequeath to my beloved son Richard his heirs Execrs and assigns for Ever In the following Mannar, viz. all my homested farm with with all the Lands any ways belonging to me Joyning to said home stead and all my Cattle Dwelling house, and orchards that is to say the half of my home stead farm att my Descease whereon I now Live situate Lying and being In the Town of providence aforsd In the Notherin part of said township and the other half of homstead with all my Cattle Dwelling house and orchards att the Desease of my wife and In Case she Marries then he is to Enter In Possesion of the said home stead and particulars above bequeathed to my sd wife as his and their proper Estate of Inheritance In fee simple.

"Item to my well belovd Daughter Mary Brown I give and bequeath the sum of five shillings Curant Money of New England to be Raised and Reived out of My Estate.

"Item I give and bequeath to my belovd Daugr Cathrin Comstock the sum of five shilling Currant Money of New England to be Raised and Raired out of my Estate

"Item I give and bequeath to my belovd Daughter Sarah Brown five shillings Currant Money New England to be Raised and Raired out of my Estate.

"Item I give and bequeath to my belovd Daught Penalopy Alderich the sum of five shilling Currant Money of New England to be Raised and Raired out of my Estate.

"Item I give and bequeath to my belovd Daughter Martha Willkinson the sum of five shillings Currant Money New England to be Rased and Leved out of my Estate.

"Item I Constitute appoint and ordain my sd son Richd sole Executor of this my Last will and Testament and I do, utterly Dissalow Revoke and Disannul all and Every other formar testaments wills Legaces and bequeaths and Executors by me in any wise before named wills ???? bequeathed Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my Last will and Testament In wittness and Confirmation whereof I the sd John pray have hereunto sett my hand and seal the day and Year above written.

"Signed Sealed published                                the mark of John X Pray
Pronounced and Declared by
the said John Pray as his Last
will and Testament In the prence
of the subscribers
William Hopkins Carpr
Jeremiah Hopkins
Robert Douglass"
"At a town Council in Smithfield february the 1 1733/4 John Prays will being laid before the Council and this Council having advised with Sarah Pray widow and Relick to John Pray and she desiring to have said will proved, Wherefore it is voted that the said John Prays will be accepted to be a perfect will and Testament and ordered to be Received.

"Recorded March the 22 A.D. 1733/4 by me Daniel Jenkes Town Clerk."

"A true Inventory of all and Singular the Goods and Chattels & ???? of John Pray of Smithfield yeoman pres. att Smithfield the 29 Day of octo^r Anno Domini 1733 who Departed this Life octob^r the 9th Anno Domini 1733.
The inventory was taken by Edward Smith, Job Whipple and Daniel Jenkes on 29 October 1733 in Smithfield.  It totaled 61 pounds in personal estate.
"Where as John Pray of Smithfield in the County of Providence and Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New England yeoman who departed this Life October the 9th A.D. 1733 who did in and by his last will and Testament Constitute and appoint his son Richard Pray his sole Executor to his said will and also ordered his said son Richard Pray to pay Sundrey Legacies and the said will being Laid before the Town Council of Smithfield which will was by said Town Council approved to be a perfect will and the said Richard Pray was by said council ordered Executor to said will according to the Contents thereof.

"These are therefore to order and full Impower you the said Richard Pray to take into your possession Care and Custody all and Singular the movable Estate Goods and Chattel that belonged to your father the as named John Pray at the time of his death and the debts due to said Estate and on the same full to administer in order to discharge his debts and for the maintenance of your mother and paying Legacies an to ??? and Doe all things Relating the Demises as the Law Impowereth an Executor to doe and Render an account of your Proceedings herein unto the said Town Council or to their Sucessors in said office when Legally Called thereunto.  Given att a Town Council held at Smithfield above said the first day of february A.D. 1733/4 and in the seventh year of his majesties Reign George the Second by the Grace of God King of Grate Brittain.

{seal}  Signed and sealed by order of the Council and on their behalf per me Danl Jenkes Clerk of the Council. Recorded per me Daniel Jenkes Clerk of the Council."

John Pray bequeathed all of his farm and homestead to his second son, Richard Pray.  It is likely that the other children of John Pray received their portion of the estate before he died, perhaps in land or money.. 

5.  SOURCES

1. Harold Leonard Pray, The Pray Family of Braintree, Quincy and Weymouth, Massachusetts, Including Later Generations Through the United States, 1643-2006 (Santa Maria, Calif.: Harold Pray, 2006), page 11, John and Sarah (Brown) Pray family sketch.

2. "New England Marriages to 1700," online database with digital images, AmericanAncestors.org (New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008), page 600, John Pray and Sarah Brown marriage entry, 14 November 1678.

3. William Bradford Browne, "Chad Browne of Providence, R.I. and Four Generations of His Descendants," in Genealogies of Rhode Island families, Volume I, Alden-Mowry (Baltimore, Md. : Genealogical Publishing Company, 1989), pages 64-94, page 65, marriage of Sarah Brown and John Pray.

4. James N. Arnold, Vital Record of Rhode Island, 1636-1850, First Series, Births, Marriages and Deaths : a Family Register for the People (Providence, R.I.: Narragansett Historical Publishing Co., 1891-1912), Volume 03: Providence County, Births, Marriages, Deaths, Smithfield Births and Deaths, page 111, John Pray death entry, 9 October 1733.

5. "Probate Records, 1733-1917 (Lincoln, Rhode Island)," on 14 FHL US/CAN microfilm reels, Volume 1 (1733-1754), pages 1-5, John Pray estate records, on FHL Microfilm US/CAN 0.959,528.

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NOTE:  Amy Johnson Crow suggested a weekly blog theme of "52 Ancestors" in her blog post 
 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks on the No Story Too Small blog in 2014.  I have extended this theme in 2022 to 468 Ancestors in 468 Weeks.


Copyright (c) 2022, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.