Nov 18
Checkers is an easy to learn board game that many people played when they were children. The game has been around for longer than you might think. There have been some changes to the rules as time went on. Checkers is also called English draughts (pronounced “drafts”), American checkers, or straight checkers. There is also a French versio...
Nov 17
When trying to better understand your ancestors' lives and events that affected them, one aspect that needs to be covered are the times when an ancestor attended a friend's or family member's funeral. These were once common practice and many have been dropped over the decades. Here are a few of the traditional funeral practices: Putting flowers ...
Nov 17
Old Maid is the name of a simple card game that requires at least two players (and can include up to eight players). It is a game that families can play together. What is an old maid? The short answer is that an old maid is a woman who is unmarried. It is a derogatory phrase used to describe a woman who is considered to be “old” and who d...
Nov 16
Kick the Can is a very old children's game, and no one seems to know for certain exactly where or when it originated. What we do know is that Kick the Can was very popular during the Great Depression in the 1930s. One thing that helped make the game popular was that it could be played without requiring expensive equipment. All you need is someth...
Nov 15
As you are gathering some of the stories of your ancestors, one aspect many times overlooked or not investigated by asking relatives are the stories of coincidences. Those chance happenings that proved to be major life changes. It could about a job opportunity, a move to a new location, life-saving incident or meeting one's true love. Everyone has...
Nov 15
The MyHeritage mobile app has been updated. The app is useful for genealogists who use the MyHeritage website. The MyHeritage app allows you to share family moments, discover and edit your family history, and keep in touch with the people you love. The MyHeritage app is available for download at both the App Store and on Google Play. You can use...
Nov 14
Once in a while, a fast food restaurant will create some interesting content for their customers to enjoy. Panda Express has created something that family historians with Chinese heritage may want to see. It is called “Originality” and it focuses on Chinese American creative thought leaders. The full title of the Panda Express content is "...
Nov 13
Working on your family tree is not just a list of names and dates but rather serves as a spring board to investigating and finding more out about each individual -- a grandmother, a great uncle or great grandaunt. Each ancestor has a story to share with their descendants. The experiences, adventures, problems, hardships and celebrations helped sha...
Nov 12
Have you ever wondered what would happen to all the things you posted on social media, or into a genealogy website, after you die? It turns out that there are some steps that have been put in place to deal with accounts made by a person who has since become deceased. Let your loved ones know what you want done with your digital life. Everpla...
Nov 11
Lutheranism is the branch of Christianity that traces its interpretation of the Christian religion to the teachings of Martin Luther and the 16th-century movements that issued from his reforms. Lutheranism is one of the five major branches of Protestantism. Geni has a family tree for Martin Luther (who was born Martin Luder). He was born on ...
Nov 11
The National Archives in Washington, D. C. and its other branches across the nation are closed Friday, Nov. 11th for Veterans Day. However, when it is open, if you have not investigated what records they have you need to start. What you can find there (especially online) include statistics and data relating to the Vietnam War, the Korean War, Worl...
Nov 10
FamilySearch often adds new things to their vast resources. They also make changes to improve features that are already offered. Every month, they put together a blog post with information about what's new at FamilySearch. In October of 2016, FamilySearch made improvements to its Help Center. The new Get Help menu now contains 6 options ins...
Nov 9
Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to insight into the true nature of reality. People who are Buddhist follow a path towards enlightenment. The goal of the Buddhist spiritual life is the end of suffering. Buddhism does not include the idea of worshiping a creator god. Anyone who wants to become a Buddhist is welcom...
Nov 9
A special collection of ledger books, journals and diaries are being scanned and published as a downloadable PDF file on AncestorsAtRest website. These are original ledger books, journals and diaries from stores, schools, and individuals that have been found and saved. They can cover from 1772 to 1925. The ledger books from merchants can contain a...
Nov 8
National Family Week in the United States takes place the week of American Thanksgiving. It was first officially proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan on November 19, 1987. It is also a recognized celebration in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Having this National Family Week is fitting for the Thanksgiving holiday. It did have its real...