BIFHS-USA JOURNAL VOLUME XXV, NUMBER 1 Spring/Summer 2014 JOURNAL OF THE BRITISH ISLES FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY- U.S.A. BRITISH ISLES FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY- U.S.A. Board of Directors President Linda Jonas [email protected] 1st Vice President, Programs Open 2nd Vice President, Membership Dolores Andersen [email protected] Recording Secretary Open Treasurer (interim) Lydia Davis Jeffrey [email protected] Corresponding Secretary Terry Brown [email protected] Newsletter Editor Fran Smith [email protected] Journal Editor Barbara Randall [email protected] Past President Lydia Davis Jeffrey [email protected] Members at Large Sue Kaplan Linkedin.com/in/suekaplanmba/ Miriam Fitch Gerrianne Williams Nancy Ellen Carlberg [email protected] 714- 772- 2849 Mailing address: BIFHS-USA Website: www.bifhsusa.org 9854 National Blvd., #304 www.facebook.com/bifhsusa Los Angeles, CA 90034-2713 USA BIFHS-USA Journal Volume XXV, Number 1 President’s Message… Dear BIFHS-USA members, Welcome to the new PDF version of the Journal! The benefits of PDF as opposed to the old paper version are many. First, we are now able to show color images. You will see many of these in this issue. Next, you will be able to save your Journal to your computer, then read and review articles anywhere. The articles are also searchable, so you will no longer have to struggle to find information. If any article contains a website link, you will be able to click the link directly from the Journal and go right to the website. For more great news, the Society now has a Facebook page. You will find news, photos, links to online resources, and much more. The page is frequently updated, and the Study Group leaders are active in this process. Some postings may be limited-time notices of special events and sales, so you will want to check often. You can visit us at https://www.facebook.com/bifhsusa. When you visit our page, please click ‘Like!’ To keep you up-to-date and ensure that you receive all of your membership benefits, be sure to always update us with your current email address. To update, send an email to: [email protected]. In the subject line put "Current email," and in the body of the message type your name. We don't want anyone left out! Linda Jonas BIFHS-USA… The British Isles Family History Society- U.S.A. (BIFHS-USA), a 501(c)(3) tax exempt corporation established in January 1988, is a member of the Federation of Family History Societies (FFHS), the Council of Irish Genealogical Organisations (CIGO), the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS), and the National Genealogical Society (NGS). The Society’s purpose and objectives are as follows: 1. To promote and encourage interest in family history, particularly relating to British Isles ancestry. The British Isles includes England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. 2. To encourage and educate members of the organization and the general public in British Isles family history through publications, lectures, consultations, etc. 3. To facilitate the acquisition and exchange of family history research information. 4. To maintain British Isles family history materials for the use of its members and the general public. The society can provide knowledgeable conference speakers to lecture to other societies on various aspects of British and American research. BIFHS-USA Journal Volume XXV, Number 1 Table of Contents Editor’s Message/Submission Guidelines……………………………………………….……1 The Genealogy Conference Attack by Barbara Randall…………………..…...……2 A Remembrance of Hannah Palmer by Ivan C. Johnson…………………….……..…….6 Using Your DNA To Find Your British Isles Ancestors by Linda Jonas..……....…11 Researching with Jill: England and the Channel Islands by Jill Kirby..…..…….…22 Alien Enemies Must Report by Barbara Randall.……………………………..…….…….25 Tracing Your Ancestors in Birmingham by Jackie Cotterill…………………..…..….29 Society Share Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry……………………37 Alloway & Southern Ayrshire Family History Society…………………………...39 Somerset & Dorset Family History Society………………………………….………..40 British Isles Family History Society- USA Meeting Calendar……………………………………………………………………….….……42 Study Group Leaders & Surname Register……………………………………………43 Membership Application……………………………………………………………………..44 Disclaimer: The British Isles Family History Society-USA takes no responsibility for the views and opinions expressed in the articles. Copyright is retained by the author with permission granted to the BIFHS- USA Journal for publication. Articles may not be reproduced without permission. Spring/Summer 2014 BIFHS-USA Journal Volume XXV, Number 1 [1] Editor’s Message We are very proud to recreate the BIFHS Journal in its new pdf format. This format offers a cost effective format to deliver our content with links to websites embedded in the articles for quick reference. I am honored and excited to be the new editor of the journal. I would like to invite you to submit an article. The submission guidelines are below. We are open to a wide range of topics, as can be seen in this issue. We will soon include the Surname Register and include Queries. We are asking societies to share their activities and resources in our Society Share section. Please let me know what you think of the BIFHS Journal and send your suggestions. The goal is to make this journal something you enjoy reading and want to contribute to. Barbara Randall [email protected] Submission Guidelines: BIFHS- USA is accepting: Articles of any length (although no more than approximately 5,000 words is preferred) Other forms of writing may be considered (poetry or book/technology reviews, etc.). Good quality maps and/or photographs, properly cited, may accompany your article. Please submit them separately with a notation in your article of where you would like them placed. Include a cover sheet with title, author(s) name, address, phone and e-mail contact information. E-mail all submission materials to [email protected] as a doc file, docx file, or rtf file. All articles must be related to the British Isles and British Isles research. Topics may include: Ancestor stories Repositories (descriptions or how to use) Place descriptions (many researching in the US have not been to the British Isles) History as it relates to genealogical research Research strategies Records (how to find/interpret various types; transcriptions) If you are unsure if an article would be appropriate, please send an e-mail and ask. Society Share. Tell us about your society- where it is, what you do/produce, how we can access you and use your resources in our research from across the pond. What would you like us to know about you? Due Dates: May 1 for the Spring/Summer issue October 15 for the Fall/Winter issue Please make any inquiries to the journal editor, Barbara Randall, at [email protected] BIFHS-USA Journal Volume XXV, Number 1 [2] The Genealogy Conference Attack! by Barbara Randall Do you attend a conference or attack it? To get the most out of a conference you must attack! Conference attendance offers many benefits for all levels of genealogy enthusiasts. In addition to a variety of workshops on skills, strategies, and experiences, conferences offer an opportunity to peruse books and products. Major software companies bring computers and technicians to demonstrate their products, answer questions, solve problems and offer opportunities for limited research. And, how could you pass up an opportunity to talk family history with people who LIKE family history? Attacking an upcoming conference takes planning- much like making a research plan. Luckily it doesn’t take a special skill set. Developing a conference plan is something many conference attendees do not do, whether first-timers or veterans. Having a plan can prevent the “I went but didn’t get anything out of it” or “there’s nothing new” syndromes. I learned the basics of genealogy at my first conference, Southern California Genealogical Society’s Jamboree, and had a plan from the start. I have had a plan for every conference I’ve attended since, no matter how big or small the conference may be. The plan develops from two basic questions. What do I want to know? What do I want to do? Me Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree, DNA conference, 2013. BIFHS-USA Journal Volume XXV, Number 1 [3] Before the conference. Most conferences have conference schedules, session descriptions and exhibitor lists available before the conference. Check online for those resources. They may even have an app available for download to your phone, laptop or tablet in advance of the conference. There may be a syllabus available for download in advance as well. The conference plan starts with your registration. Why do you want to attend the conference? There may be speakers that you love to hear, even if they speak gibberish. There may be exhibitors who have products you want to investigate or who can answer your questions and frustrations. The topics may address gaps in your knowledge or your brick walls. You may have friends or relatives attending you wouldn’t see otherwise. These are all valid reasons to attend a conference. What are your priorities? Your most successful conferences will be the ones where your priorities match your activities. A successful conference is one you enjoy! If you want to get together with friends, don’t feel guilty for passing up workshops or the exhibit hall. You will get more by spending time with those friends. If your priorities are learning from the workshops- immerse yourself. Socialize around the sessions. If you want to explore the exhibit hall, plan lots of time so you can speak with the vendors. Whatever your priority, once that decision is made, you are ready to make your plan. What sessions are a ‘must attend’? What sessions look interesting? You may be attracted to the speaker- one you love to hear or one you’ve never heard before.