NGS-L Archives

From: "" <>
Subject: [UpFront: NGS] Vol. 2. No. 2, 15 January 2003
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 01:08:49 -0800

UpFront with NGS
The Online Newsletter of the National Genealogical Society
Volume 2, Number 2 -- 15 January 2003
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Co-editors: Dennis and Carla Ridenour

To view the HTML version of UpFront visit:
http://www.NGSgenealogy.org/UpFront/011503/web

To view the PDF version of UpFront visit:
http://www.NGSgenealogy.org/UpFront/011503/011503.pdf

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Quote of the Day -- 15 January 2003
"Clear. I have been at home, we Bakt Bread, Pudings, meat & mins Pies.
mrs Farewell Calld here at dusk. mr Ballard is gone to run a line for
mr Whipple west Side this river." --Martha Ballard, 15 January 1803,
from Martha Ballard's Online Diary located at:
http://www.dohistory.org/diary/1803/01/18030115_txt.html?d=18030115

For additional information see "A Web Site Worth Visiting" in today's
UpFront.

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Today In UpFront
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A Page from the Editor's Journal
--Where's Dennis?
--A Very Informal Survey
NGS Events
--Executive Director Hosts Tea
NGS Fund Raiser
--Attention all Garrigan Descendents!
News From The Federal Register
--Historic Places Nominated for National Register
A Web Site Worth Visiting
--DoHistory.org
Research Tools and Techniques
--Create A Family History Presentation: A Discussion of Multimedia
Applications and Tips for Planning Your Presentation
News Items, Announcements, and Press Releases
--Owsley Family Historical Society: English Heritage Tour
--Owsley Family Historical Society Annual Meeting
--Capture a Memory with Tapis and Associates, Inc.
--Two New Scholarships for NIGR
Previous Issues of UpFront with NGS
Family Reunion Calendar
How to Submit Items for Publication in UpFront with NGS
How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe
NGS Contact Information

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The National Genealogical Society is the indispensable resource for
genealogists seeking excellence in publications, education offerings,
research materials, and peer interaction with others that share the
common bond of interest in the field of genealogy.

The opinions, articles, and statements expressed herein are solely for
the use of our readers. Neither the reviews nor the reports may be
used in advertising or for any commercial purpose. NGS and the
authors disclaim any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise
that is or may be incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly,
of the use and applications of any of the products, techniques, and
technologies mentioned herein. NGS does not imply endorsement of any
outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this electronic
newsletter.

To learn more about the goals, publications, conferences, services and
members benefits of the National Genealogical Society, visit the NGS
Website:
http://www.NGSgenealogy.org

© 2003 National Genealogical Society

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A Page from the Editor's Journal
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Where's Dennis?

In the years before our nest became empty, one of my many "jobs" was
to write excuse notes explaining why one of the kids was absent from
class, unable to attend a school function, or didn't get his homework
done. This week my "job" is to write an excuse for Dennis, explaining
why his "Digital Imaging for Genealogists" column is absent from
UpFront. My first impulse is to claim the dog ate it. After all, we
have a new puppy and he's eaten everything else, but the truth is
Dennis has been having an adverse reaction to one of his many diabetes
medications. The problem of course is figuring out which one.
Fortunately, Dennis and his doctor think they've finally identified
the culprit. Although nothing in life is guaranteed, we expect him to
be back taking photos and sitting at his keyboard in time for our next
issue. Until then, Dennis has asked me to encourage his readers to
"think digitally."

A Very Informal Survey

As usual, Dennis and I are constantly looking for ways to improve
UpFront's content. One of our main concerns is that we're
concentrating too much on our own interests and ignoring yours. As a
result, we'd like to invite you to participate in a very informal
survey by answering one or more of the following questions. Please cut
and paste the Survey section to a new e-mail message, add your
response and send to with the word "Survey" in the
subject line. The .PDF version of the Survey response form can be
accessed from our HTML version at
http://www.NGSgenealogy.org/UpFront/011503/web or downloaded from
http://www.NGSGenealogy.org/UpFront/011503/survey.pdf if you prefer.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to participate! -Carla

Survey Questions

1. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the value of the following
regular columns?

____Digital Imaging for Genealogists

____Create a Family History Presentation

____Web Sites Worth Visiting

____Family Reunion Calendar

2. Do you feel it would be a good idea to alternate any or all of the
above columns so that you only receive them once a month, instead of
with every issue? If your answer is Yes, please list the column
name(s) you would like to see alternated.

____Yes

____No

3. What other column or article topics would you like to see included
in UpFront? For example, would you like to see more press releases,
reviews of genealogy related software, how-to articles, research tips,
user opinions, community news, Q & A articles, etc?

4. Would you be willing to write an occasional article or regular
column for UpFront? If so on what topic?

___Yes

___No

___Topic

5. Are you happy with UpFront's format and arrangement of articles?

___Yes

___No


6. How do you feel about UpFront's length and file size. For example,
we try to keep the file size of each issue between 40 to 45 kb,
however, this sometimes requires us to hold an article back for a
future issue or trim existing articles to fit.

____Longer

____Shorter

____Just Right

7. Do you have any additional comments or suggestions?

8. Would you like for your survey response message to remain private
or may I have your permission to forward it to other members of the
UpFront staff and/or include selected quotes in the survey result?

_____Keep my entire message private

_____You have my permission to forward my message or quote passages
from it in your survey results.

_____You have my permission to quote parts of my message but please
don't use my name or forward my message.

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NGS Events
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Executive Director Hosts Tea

The bad weather held off in Arlington, Virginia on January 8, 2003 for
the "Meet the Executive Director Tea" at the Glebe Headquarters of
NGS. National Genealogical Society supporters from all over the
country that were in town stopped by for the opportunity to see the
offices and meet the new Executive Director, Wendy W. Herr. One of
the participants said, "It was so nice to have a chance to network
with other people that share the love of genealogy and to enjoy the
company of others on such a rare, warm sunny day in January."

Other events at the Glebe Headquarters are in the planning stage and
will be announced soon.

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NGS Fund Raiser
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Attention all Garrigan Descendents!

NGS has a very special document to place on eBay this week to raise
funds for the Second Century Endowment Fund. The item is a lovingly
treasured, double-glass framed Civil War discharge certificate, dated
22 June 1862. The item also includes a paid bounty stamp and embossed
paymaster seal from 4 December 1867. It has been digitized for
permanent inclusion in the NGS archives, along with our growing
collection of digital family papers and Bible records. This authentic
historic document was for Corporal Thomas GARRIGAN, of Captain Fergus
WALKER's Company F, 38th Regiment of the New York State Volunteers.
Other names on the document include Walter SCOTT, Henry L. KING, and
Capt. WALKER.

The framed document measures approx. 11 inches by 13 inches. The item
number is 3200865962. At press time, a picture of the document was
being added to the auction listing. See:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3200865962

Grab this treasure for your own!

Contributed by Wendy Herr,

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News From the Federal Register
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Historic Places Nominated for National Register

The National Park Service is soliciting comments on nominations
received for properties to be placed on the National Register. The
notice appeared in the January 13, 2003 Federal Register. Written or
faxed comments should be submitted by January 28, 2003. Comments can
be sent to:

National Register of Historic Places
National Park Service
1849 C St., NW.
2280
Washington, DC 20240
The fax number for submitting comments is (202) 343-1836.

Pending nominations include sites in Arizona, California, Connecticut,
Guam, Idaho, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Utah,
Wisconsin, and New York State. The full notice can be viewed online
at:
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20020800/edocket.access.g
po.gov/2003/03-587.htm

Contributed by Wendy Herr,

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A Web Site Worth Visiting
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DoHistory.org

Exactly two hundred years have passed since Martha Moore Ballard, a
New England midwife, entered the words chosen for UpFront's "Quote of
the Day" in a small hand-sewn booklet. She began her diary booklets on
01 January 1785 while living with her husband Ephraim on the Kennebec
River near the present day towns of Hollowell and Augusta, Main.
Martha continued to record the events of her everyday life for more
than twenty-seven years (9,965 days). Her last entry was made on 07
May 1812, not long before her death.

In 1884, the diary was given to Mary Hobart, Martha's great-great
granddaughter, as a graduation gift after finishing medical school.
Mary organized and bound the pages of Martha's hand-sewn booklets into
two large volumes. These volumes were donated to the Maine State
Library, Augusta, Maine in 1930 and eventually photographed (1,400
images) in 1982 by E. Wheaton of the Maine State Archive and made into
a microfilm. That same year, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, a University of
New Hampshire history professor, discovered the diary and began
working on "A Midwife's Tale." Published in 1990, Ulrich's book was
awarded the Pulitzer, the Bancroft, and several other prizes.

Shortly after the book was published, film producer Laurie
Kahn-Leavitt teamed up with director Richard Rogers to produce a PBS
film that would interweave the story of Martha Ballard's life with
Laurel Ulrich's process of piecing it together.

The popularity of the book and film inspired the Film Study Center at
Harvard University to develop and maintain the DoHistory Web site.
Using Martha Ballard's life and diary as an example, the DoHistory
site illustrates how to "piece together the past from the fragments
that have survived."

Highlights of the DoHistory Web site include:

1. A searchable text version of Martha Ballard's diary transcribed by
husband-and-wife team, Robert R. McCausland and Cynthia MacAlman
McCausland from which our "Quote of the Day" was taken. Note: A
printed copy of the transcription is also available from Picton Press
of Camden, Maine, #1335:$65.00. Visit:
http://www.pictonpress.com/catalog/

2. Digitally enhanced copies of E. Wheaton's 1,400 diary photos, plus
a short description of the editing process and the software used to
retouch the images. The images are searchable by word or topic and are
available in two resolutions; one is for onscreen viewing and the
other is print-ready.

3. A digitized archive of primary documents and historical letters
from the same time period as Martha's diary.

4. A collection of maps and pictures from Martha's world, plus
historical timelines and "A Walking Tour of Hallowell, Main" in
portable document format (.PDF).

5. "The Process of Making an Historical Film" a behind-the-scenes tour
written by Laurie Kahn-Leavitt telling how the film, "A Midwife's
Tale" was made.

6. Quick time video clips from the PBS video, "A Midwife's Tale."

8. A History Toolkit and special instructional sections for those
interested in genealogy or other topics. Among the items included in
the History Toolkit are: a step-by-step guide to oral history; how-to
articles on searching deeds, reading probate records, graveyards or
18th century writing; making timelines; and using primary sources.

9. Suggestions and activities for using the Web site and its materials
as a teaching tool.

The DoHistory Web site is located at:
http://www.dohistory.org/home.html

DoHistory.org is a large and fascinating Web site with lots of
informational nooks and crannies. Perhaps the best way to discover
all its treasures is to begin with the site map at:
http://www.dohistory.org/sitemap.html

Editor's Note: the link for ordering the video from the PBS store
doesn't appear to be working, however the video and the book are both
available at Amazon.com.

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Research Tools and Techniques
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Create A Family History Presentation: A Discussion of Multimedia
Applications and Tips for Planning Your Presentation

Multimedia is an overworked term that has many different meanings for
many different people. For our kids and grandkids it means arcade
style games, talking encyclopedias, or a computerized journey across
the Oregon Trail. For us it means the ability to create an interactive
family history that is both entertaining and informative.

In the world of computers and software, multimedia applications are
those that allow you to use more than one method of communication.
Under this definition, any desktop published document that integrates
text and pictures could be called a multimedia document and the
software that created it a multimedia program. However, in recent
years, the definition of multimedia has expanded to include stereo
sounds, voice narrations, interactive links and motion in the form of
video clips, morphs, or animation.

Kids recognize multimedia programs as pure entertainment, without ever
realizing how effectively they can be used to enhance their learning
experience. In fact, some educators claim that we remember only 10% of
what we read, 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, and 70% of what
we see and hear. This makes multimedia an excellent tool for showing
our friends and family members the many reasons whey we find genealogy
so fascinating, educational and entertaining, and at the same time
help them to learn more about our family trees and past history.

*Slide Shows*

A computerized family slide show displayed on a laptop or notebook
computer or running from a videotape or DVD player makes a unique
centerpiece for family gatherings. Using a computer or TV screen to
continuously display family pictures reduces wear and tear on the
original photographs and enables several people to view and comment on
one picture at the same time. Youngsters are especially fascinated by
computer-generated slide shows and as a result may develop an eager
and early interest in family history.

The majority of genealogy programs now include slide show features, as
do many image-editing and photo management programs. There are also
many free or moderately priced electronic photo album applications
that allow you to catalog your digitized family photographs and
combine them into a slide show for automatic display. In addition to a
variety of other features, many of these programs include a free
viewer and/or the ability to create a self-executing slide show or
HTML document. This means you can share the final output with your
friends and family members on a CD, floppy or other type of removable
media, by e-mail, or on a Web site without worrying about violating
commercial software licensing agreements.

*Authoring Tools*

Many different kinds of programs are marketed as multimedia. You are
probably already familiar with such resources as Encarta (Microsoft's
Multimedia Encyclopedia), the National Geographic 109 Years
Collection, or some of the Civil War and Us Histories that are
available on CD-Rom. These products were created with specialty
programs that are categorized as Multimedia Authoring Tools.

Authoring tools are powerful and complex programs. Many of them use a
scripting language that requires the user to have some programming
skills. Authoring tools appeal to people who actually work in the
software industry and earn their livelihood developing or authoring
multimedia products. The main attraction of these programs for
genealogists is that they can be used to create fantastic family
histories or to communicate other types of genealogical information.
Their main drawback is that they usually carry a high price tag and
have an exceptionally long learning curve.

*Presentation Programs*

Presentation programs fit into another category of multimedia
software. While their functions and features are closely related to
authoring tools, their main target is the business market and their
goal is to enable the user to communicate an informative,
entertaining, and professional looking message-and to create this
message as quickly as possible. As a result, programs in this category
are packed full of tutorials and templates and are designed to provide
immediate results. Presentation programs support the full range of
multimedia elements and provide other features that make it possible
for you to create an interactive family history or "mini-movie" that
can be displayed "as is" with a computer, transferred to videotape or
converted for display with a PDA, digital camera or dedicated
presentation device.

Presentation software can be expensive. Although the market has
matured and is not as competitive as it was several years ago, if you
watch for special ads and promotions, you can usually find a package
that will do what you want at a price you're willing to pay.

Most presentation programs have similar features, but finding one that
does exactly what you want is not always an easy task. Like a
genealogy program, simply having a specific set of features is not
always enough---sometimes it depends on how each feature is
implemented. Test drive trial versions whenever possible so that you
can get an idea of the features that are most useful for what you want
to do and carefully research the feature lists and capabilities of
each program before making your final selection.

*A Multimedia Family History Can Be Passive or Interactive*

Movies and television programs or commercials combine multimedia
elements such as pictures, sounds (voice narration and background
music), text, transitions, and motion to tell a story or communicate a
message. They can be described as a passive and linear form of
multimedia---they start at the beginning and continue straight through
to the end. The only action required by the audience is to watch the
screen, and the only meaningful interaction is when the audience turns
the TV dial to another channel or walks out of the movie theater. On
the other hand, computerized multimedia presentations can respond to
the commands and interest of the audience. You can start at the
beginning of an interactive presentation and immediately jump to
somewhere in the middle or straight to the end. This form of movement
is called branching and is done through the use of interactive
elements. The elements can be defined as hot-keys, hot spots,
hyperlinks or launching buttons. Selecting an interactive element with
either your mouse or keyboard while displaying the presentation will
cause some sort of action to occur. The action can be a slide jump,
program launch, or the playing of a sound file, animation, video clip
or morph.

*First Things First*

"When you begin work on a project, first think of what you want to
communicate (rather than how you want to communicate it). Letting the
material lead the way and concentrating on your program's content will
invariably result in an engaging work; or, it will supply the first
warning signs of your project's weak spots. If your subject matter is
weak, no amount of crafty editing or visuals can save it..."---Michael
Hanttula, 1999

*Brainstorming Sessions and Swipe Files*

The old saying "There's more than one way to skin a cat" and the newer
one advising creative thinkers to "Color outside the box" take on
special meaning when it comes to creating a family history
presentation. The guidelines and rules established for successful
business presentations don't always apply to the family historian and
the master templates and wizards provided with presentation software
aren't always useful. Spend several days just thinking about your
content, the message you wish to convey, and the best way to present
it. Keep a notepad handy and jot down as many ideas as possible. Even
the ideas that seem impossible at first may prove to be useful later.

Swipe ideas from the experts by carefully watching the nightly news
and TV documentaries, especially those with an historical theme. TV
commercials also provide a wealth of ideas. Pay special attention to
the narrator's delivery style and make a note of effective screen
transitions, color schemes, background music, text styles and image
displays. Watch how zooming techniques, pans and transitions are used
to add interest and movement to still images. Listen to what the
narrator says, but also for what is not said. Notice how graphics and
photos music are used to convey the unspoken words and emotions and
how background music and color schemes are used to enforce the moods
invoked by the images. Write down what works. Store your notes in a
"swipe file" and think of ways you can adapt the techniques for your
own presentation and equipment.

Experiment with your existing software or download a few trial copies
of presentation and/or slide show applications to see if the
techniques stored in your "swipe file" and the ideas gathered during
brainstorming sessions will work. (Editor's Note: See next issue for a
listing of software suggestions.)

*Prepare a Storyboard*

The storyboard (a.k.a. outline, playlist, timeline) serves as a road
map or itinerary for your presentation. It lists the presentation
contents from beginning to end and can be used to help organize your
text and multimedia elements. Starting out with a storyboard also
helps you to determine the family photographs, stories, sights and
sounds you have on hand and those you still need to gather and prepare
before beginning the presentation. A hardcopy (printed) storyboard is
especially useful when preparing an interactive presentation and will
keep you from getting lost in a maze of menus, slides and hyperlinks.

A storyboard can be verbal or visual. It can be created in your word
processor, sketched out using pencil and paper, or prepared directly
on the actual presentation slides using placeholders and notes to
yourself that will eventually be replaced with you final images and
text (my favorite method). Use whichever method works best for you.

Printable sample storyboards stored as Adobe Acrobat files or MS Word
9.0 files and are available at:
http://www.NGSgenealogy.org/upfront/011503/storyboard1.pdf
http://www.NGSgenealogy.org/upfront/011503/storyboard2.pdf
http://www.NGSgenealogy.org/upfront/011503/storyboard.doc

Keep in mind that a storyboard is not carved in stone and can be
revised at any time. Be flexible and remember that once started a
family history presentation sometimes has a way of determining its own
scope and direction, almost as if a long ago ancestor is controlling
the keyboard.

*Planning Your Presentation: A Pre-Presentation Checklist*

You can avoid false starts and wasted time by answering the following
questions before you begin to create your family history presentation.

1. Who is Your Audience and What is the Expected Size? The number of
people attending your presentation and the size of the room will
influence the style of the presentation, the equipment needed to
display it, as well as your choice of sound equipment (see display
options below).

a. Yourself

b. Immediate family members

c. Family reunion participants

d. Members of the genealogical community

e. School kids

2. Who or What will be The Major Topic of Your Presentation? Every
family history presentation is unique. Don't try to cover too much
ground. Keep the interests of your audience in mind as you define your
major topic, time period and content. Following are a few examples:

a. Autobiographical sketch

b. Life and times of a common ancestor prepared for a family reunion

c. Celebration of a special event such as a birthday, wedding
anniversary, specific holiday, graduation or retirement

d. Memorial tribute or celebration of life of a recently deceased
family member

e. Every day life and times of a present day family member or group
prepared for a family history time capsule or memory album

f. History of your hometown community or the hometown of an ancestor

g. Family migration patterns

h. Historical events of a specific era that influenced your family

i. Story behind a special family tradition or custom

j. Oral history and photo memories of a family elder

k. Photo journal displaying highlights of a recent research trip,
family holiday or family reunion

l. Discussion of how to research and record a family history or other
how-to presentations prepared for members of the genealogical
community or computer/genealogy group.

3. What's Your Goal?

a. To inform and instruct

b. To entertain

c. Both. The most meaningful presentations inform, instruct and
entertain. Adding a touch of appropriate humor or occasional element
of surprise will keep your audience watching. One of the added
benefits of creating a family history presentation is that it often
inspires members of your audience to share the stories and photographs
they have tucked away.

4. What's Your Style?

a. Linear---A linear presentation follows a straight path from
beginning to end. The slide timing/advancement can be automatic or
manual (mouse click or Enter key). The audience is passive.

b. Interactive---An interactive presentation allows audience
participation and offers choices in the form of branching menus and
hyperlinks. The slide timing is usually manual; however there may be
some automatic sequences. Genealogy programs and other applications
can be launched from within the presentation if it is to be displayed
directly from the computer on which it was created. The branching
ability of an interactive presentation is ideal for displaying the
different branches of a family tree.

c. Music Video---This type of family history presentation combines
background music (vocal) from a CD with images and automatic timing
that corresponds to the words of the song. The typical length of a
music video is normally three to five minutes. Music videos are mainly
fluff but are a great way to grab the audience's attention and can be
used to introduce and/or end a more "serious" style presentation.
(Editor's Note: A selection of CD vocal tracks with a family history
theme will be included in a future issue of Upfront.)

5. How Will the Presentation be Presented or Shared? Deciding ahead of
time how the presentation will be distributed and/or displayed will
help determine how the presentation is put together and will reduce
the number of last minute changes you need to make. Here are some of
your options:

a. Computer display with presenter in control-displayed directly from
the computer screen, TV monitor or projection system.

b. Kiosk style presentation-self-running (linear) or viewer-paced
(interactive) displayed directly from the computer screen. The person
who prepared the presentation does not need to be present.

c. Attached to an e-mail message with runtime viewer or as a
self-executing file

d. Placed on a web site-HTML or as a portable document (Envoy or
Acrobat)

e. Written to floppy, Zip disk, or CD-runtime, execute file, HTML, or
portable document

f. Written to DVD for display on a television, personal DVD player or
projected on a large screen

g. Exported to a digital camera---usually linear, limited to text and
photos. Some cameras will allow you to add voice narration to each
slide after it is imported into the camera. The digital camera will
also need to have a video output in order to display the presentation
on TV or through a projection system.

h. Formatted as 35mm slides by service bureau or overheads printed to
transparency film (linear only with no sound, video, or animation).
All sounds are external.

i. "Printed" to videotape-linear, can include sounds, video clips and
other animations

j. Synced with a PDA-Pocket PC with Pocket Power Point or Palm OS
running Documents to Go or Margi Presenter to Go. Some Palm OS devices
such as the Handspring Prism are compatible with the Margi Presenter
to Go hardware and can be displayed on a TV or screen with projection
device.

6. Do You Plan to Use Handouts and Other Visual Displays?

a. Handouts can take the form of an outline or prints of the slides
used in your presentation.

b. Consider including charts and reports from your genealogy program
as part of your handouts.

c. Decorating the presentation room with visual displays such as wall
charts, printed booklets, family photograph collections and/or a
printed family history can add interest to your presentation.

d. Consider making additional CDs of your family photos, or your
presentation or slide show for members of the audience who request
them. Also think about include a GEDCOM file and/or .PDF files of
reports and word processing documents.

7. How Much Time and Money are You Willing to Spend?

a. Preparation Time-set a realistic deadline date, determine how many
slides you'll need to prepare in order to present your materials as
well as the time needed to prepare your handouts and visual displays.
Add extra time for exploring the features of the software and learning
how to use new programs.

b. Hardware/Software Expenses-prepare a realistic budget and stick to
it. Investigate the possibility of renting or borrowing expensive
equipment from another presenter, workplace, school or community
college, local genealogical society/library or PC user group. Stores
that sell projectors are sometimes willing to provide a loaner in
exchange for small deposit and a promise of mentioning their business
during your presentation.

Contributed by Carla Ridenour,

Editor's Note: This column is based on handouts prepared for computer
labs at the NGS Conference in the States, Houston, 1994 and Richmond,
1999.

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News Item
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Owsley Family Historical Society: English Heritage Tour
September 15 to 24, 2003

Plans are now complete for the 2003 tour to England and North Wales.
We are going to a more northerly part of the country to see an
entirely different group of sites than the 2001 tour, with three
exceptions. We will once again visit Glooston church and village and

Acton Court and church. One other difference this time is the visit
to North Wales historic Caernarvon Castle built by Edward I.

You do not have to be a Society member to attend. For information,
please contact Bill Gann at or visit the Web site
at http://www.owsleyfamily.com/heritagetour2003.html

Contributed by Milancie H. Adams, Publications Director OFHS

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News Item
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Owsley Family Historical Society Annual Meeting
June 26-28, 2003

The next annual meeting of the Owsley Family Historical Society will
be held in Charlottesville, Virginia. Charlottesville was home to
Thomas Jefferson, Edgar Allan Poe, Dr. Walter Reed, the "conqueror of
yellow fever," and Anastasia Manahan, pretender to the last Russian
royal family. Other notables who have walked its streets are Daniel
Boone, Meriwether Lewis, James Monroe, George Armstrong Custer,
well-known artist Georgia O'Keeffe, and novelist William Faulkner. It
was also home to the child of a very well known Owsley Cousin! Come
to the meeting to find out who!

You do not have to be a Society member to attend. For more
information, please contact Ronny Bodine at or
Connie Howard at or visit the Web site at
http://www.owsleyfamily.com/

Contributed by Milancie H. Adams, Publications Director OFHS

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News Item
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Capture a Memory Storytelling Tools by Tapis and Associates, Inc.

Holly T. Hansen and Jennifer Hunt Johnson have joined forces to share
the excitement of family history through storytelling with their new
corporation Tapis and Associates, Inc. This dynamic team has the
energy and enthusiasm of a racehorse. Holly and Jennifer have been
trained by the industry's finest. They have years of experience
interviewing family members, performing research, feasting on
genealogy courses, vacationing at genealogy conferences and workshops,
presenting at events at home and abroad, and reading, writing and
producing books and magazines intended for the research enthusiast.
This duo has come up with a sure hit.

Holly and Jennifer desire to see the tools necessary for beginning
family research in every home where the faintest spark of interest
glows. When asked why, they respond, "Because families are so
important!" And, "If we don't, who will?" What are those tools?
Strategic organization methods, step-by-step storytelling workbooks,
and fun, innovative help from a friend. Organization is the secret to
success in any endeavor.

Storytelling, also called oral history, is the most common way of
passing family traditions and folklore from one generation to another.
Sharing these activities with a friend combines pleasure with action.
A day with Holly and Jennifer is like watching the tapestry of a
family rising with the morning sun on a weaver's loom. It is truly a
remarkable experience, one you will not soon forget.

Build your family tapestry with the best tools, start in the right
place, share the experience with friends, and you will be on the road
and down the track into the winner's circle faster than you thought
possible.

For more information on Tapis and Associates, Inc., and the Capture a
Memory workbook series, visit http://www.tapisinc.com

Contributed by Cyndi Howells,

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News Item
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Two New Scholarships for NIGR

Two new scholarships will be offered to attendees of the National
Institute on Genealogical Research held annually in July at the
National Archives in Washington, D.C. This is to clarify that the
awards are offered by The BCG Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) tax exempt
organization. The awards will be for $500 each to help defray tuition
and other expenses associated with attending the Institute. Additional
information and an application form will soon be available on the NIGR
Website, where there is also information about two other scholarships
for the program: http://natgeninst.genealogy.org

Contributed by Claire Bettag,

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Previous Issues of UpFront with NGS
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Did you miss an issue of UpFront with NGS? Previous issues are located
at http://www.NGSgenealogy.org/upfront/archives/

Searchable issues of UpFront with NGS are on Roots:
http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl?list=NGS

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Family Reunion Calendar
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To add your family reunion to this calendar, please send an
announcement to

To view a complete list of other coming events visit
http://www.NGSgenealogy.org/newscoming.htm

Additional reunion news, archived reunion announcements, and a list of
reunion conferences, workshops and seminars are available at the
Reunions Magazine Web site: http://www.reunionsmag.com

For more reunion references see http://www.CyndisList.com/reunions.htm

March 21-23, 2003
13th Annual African American Family Reunion Conference & Expo 2003
Columbia Sheraton, Columbia, MD
Presented by The Family Reunion Institute of Temple University and
Pathfinders Travel Magazine. Contact: Dr Ione Vargus, 215-204-6244;
;
http://www.pathfinderstravel.com

June 12-14, 2003
The BUNKER Family Association will hold its 90th annual meeting and
reunion in Portsmouth, NH on June 12-14, 2003. All Bunkers and
persons related to Bunkers are welcome. There will be visits to old
Bunker burial grounds and the Bunker Garrison House site built by
James Bunker c. 1660. Many Bunker artifacts, books and pictures will
be on display. For more information, contact Gil Bunker at
, 9 Sommerset Rd., Turnersville, NJ 08012-2122 or
check the website at http://www.bunkerfamilyassn.org

June 13-15, 2003
The descendants of Samuel SLADE will gather evening of June 13th, full
day on 14th, and those interested in staying for church on Sunday
June 15th, 2003. This event will be held at Fincher United Methodist
Church, Meansville, Pike County, Georgia. We are seeking names and
addresses of interested parties. For further information please
contact Barbara Slade Dayhuff,

June 21, 2003
The PINEGAR Family will be holding the annual PINEGAR family reunion
in the Des Moines, IA area on 21 June 2003. We are seeking names and
addresses of all relatives so we can contact each and every one
possible. We are planning a fun filled day for all and hoping to
exchange family pictures along with family history.
For further info contact :

June 28, 2003
Armand Allard DUPLANTIER: A Family Reunion and Celebration of Armand
Duplantier's 250th birthday will be held Saturday, June 28, 2003, at
Magnolia Mound Plantation in Baton Rouge, LA. All descendants of
Armand Duplantier are invited to attend. If you are a descendant of
Armand Duplantier, please mail or e-mail your name, address, phone
number and e-mail address to Margo Duplantier Rhinehart, 712
Carondelet St, Mandeville, LA 70448, e-mail:
We would also like to have the names and addresses of any other
descendants you might know. If possible, please let us know how you
are descended. Some of the other family names descended from Armand
are Favrot, Peniston, Reynaud, Toca, Hatkinson, Fortin, Laquier,
Aucoin, Meffre-Rouzan, Kleinpeter, Burke, Randolf, D'Armond, Hathorn,

Noland, Lamon, and others. If you think you might be a descendant but
aren't sure, let us know and we will try to help find out. We will
put you on our mailing list for this exciting event, and further
information will be sent out soon. In the meantime, please visit our
Website at http://www.duplantier.org.

July 4, 2003
The GIACOLETTI family of BISBEE, ARIZONA will be having their family
reunion on 04 July 2003 at the GIACOLETTI Ranch in Bisbee, Arizona.
If more information is needed please contact

July 11, 2003 (new)
The MORGAN family reunion will be held July 11-13 in Minneapolis, MN.
This line comes from Jacob/Mary Morgan through Albert C. Morgan.
For additional information contact .

July 18, 19, 20, 2003
"Mother Cumberland-A Harvest of Memories: Reunion 2003" will be hosted
by the Brady Family Heritage Association on July 18, 19, 20, 2003
at the Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, Cumberland County,
Pennsylvania. For more information contact Donna Cuillard at
or visit the Brady Family Heritage Association Web
site at http://bradyheritage.org/reunion2003.htm

July 26, 2003 (new)
The PURTZER/PUERTZER Family reunion will be held on 26 July 2003 at
St. John's Lutheran Church in New Boston, Spencer County, Indiana.
Contact: Marlene Polster, 1437 West 97th Ave.
Crown Point, IN. E-mail:

August 9-10, 2003
The 100th BAKER-FULLER Family Reunion (for the descendants of Robert &
Elizabeth (Conklin) BAKER and Aaron & Sarah (Kimble) FULLER) will be
held near Tunkhannock, Pa., on August 9-10, 2003. For more
information, contact Bob Baker, who is hosting the event, at 112
Saddle Lake Road, Tunkhannock, PA 18657, phone 570-836-4919 or e-mail
or check out the website at
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~lila/baker100.htm

August 13-17, 2003
The SINYKIN Family reunion is scheduled for August 13 - 17, 2003 at
the Alex Johnson Hotel, Rapid City, South Dakota. For more
information contact: Diane (Sinykin) Small at

August 23, 2003 The 100th BAGLEY-LANE Reunion (for the descendants of
Thomas and Abiah (LANE) BAGLEY) will be held at the historic Dimock
Camp-Meeting Ground, west of Dimock, Pa., on August 23, 2003. For
more info, contact Bob Baker, who is Bagley-Lane family historian, at
112 Saddle Lake Road, Tunkhannock, PA 18657, phone 570-836-4919 or
e-mail or check out the website at
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~lila/blreun.htm

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How to Submit Items for Publication in UpFront
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To submit an article, a helpful tip or news for publication,
please send e-mail to: Co-Editors: Carla and Dennis Ridenour,
or or

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For technical help regarding the list, including how
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NGS Contact Information
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National Genealogical Society
4527 17th Street North
Arlington, Virginia 22207-2399
Phone: (703) 525-0050 or (800) 473-0060
Fax: (703) 525-0052
E-mail:
http://www.NGSgenealogy.org

Membership

http://www.NGSgenealogy.org/member.htm

Conferences

http://www.NGSgenealogy.org/conf.htm

Learning Center

http://www.NGSgenealogy.org/edu.htm

Member Resource Center

http://www.NGSgenealogy.org/libwelcome1.htm

Volunteers


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• [UpFront: NGS] Vol. 2. No. 2, 15 January 2003 by "" <>