President’s Message Directors I am sitting at the computer watching the falling rain President Vice President and the blowing trees—it is October 14th, and when Jean Martyn Isidore V. they said expect some storms I believe them, well it is the fall after all. Every little noise outside and the Secretary Treasurer dogs react like there is an intruder, keeps one on Helena R. Anni B. their toes. I do expect the power to fail at any time as I live in that part of our region where it happens on Director Library a frequent basis---we really do rely on electricity. Linda V. Linda V. I am looking forward to assessing the ability of * * * * * creating a website for our group. Just possibly it will attract future members and a wide viewing audience. Meetings are held: Plus there is the excitement of doing something new. Usually the 3rd Monday of each month at 1:00pm In January, February, March, April, May Jean Martyn September, October and November I trace my family history so I will know who to blame. Please contact our email address [email protected] Every family tree has some sap in it. -unknown to confirm place and time WEBSITES OF INTEREST AHSGR http://www.ahsgr.org/ Sobey – (Thrifty Foods) American Historical Society of Germans from Russia The Smile Card Program has made it possible for us to purchase many books, journals, DVDs, CDs, etc. for EEGS http://www.eegsociety.org/ our library. Please continue to shop at Thrifty Foods. East European Genealogical Society * * * * * SGGEE http://www.sggee.org Sobey’s/Thrifty Foods Flyer Society for German Genealogy in Eastern Europe Check out their flyer online and see their daily specials. http://www.thriftyfoods.com/EN/minor/flyer.html 1 3 Tips for Using Google for Genealogy 2. Use Quotation Marks and Minus Signs to June 16, 2016 By Tyler S. Stahle Narrow Search Results It’s likely that we’ve all turned to Google at some One of the best ways to get relevant results from a point in our genealogical research. After all, simply Google search is to use quotation marks in your typing in our search topic, hitting “Enter,” and hoping search query. Quotation marks tell Google to display for the best is one of easiest ways to be led to heaps only an exact keyword or phrase in all results. of helpful (and sometimes not-so-helpful) sources. “If I’m doing newspaper research in the San Francisco But there’s a better way to use Google for family area, I put ‘newspapers’ in quotes and also ‘San history research says Lisa Louise Cooke, host of The Francisco.’ I’m telling Google something very specific Genealogy Gems Podcast. about—it’s got to have ‘newspapers,’ and it’s got to “I’ve discovered that there actually is a methodology have ‘San Francisco,’” said Cooke. to using Google for genealogy,” said Cooke in To further refine search results, you can also use the her presentation at Roots Tech 2016. “There really is minus sign (-) to get rid of keywords that you know a science to it.” have nothing to do with your family. While there are many ways you can use Google to aid your research, here are three of the most beneficial: 3. Set-Up Google Alerts 1. Formulate Specific Queries After you’ve flushed out the perfect search query for your ancestors, turn to Google Alerts. Google Alerts The first and most important step to using Google will take the keywords or phrase you’ve developed successfully is identifying what you want to find. That and will run it across the internet every hour of every may sound simple, says Cooke, but many people will day until you tell it to stop. simply pull up Google and search “Johnson.” “Setting up Google Alerts is like getting your own Instantly, the searcher will be overwhelmed with genealogy personal assistant, somebody who’s going results that likely aren’t relevant due to the to do this for you in the background,” says Cooke. commonality of the name “Johnson.” To create a customized Google Alert, go “We’ve been a little too global in what we’re to www.google.com/alerts. In the search bar near the requesting,” says Cooke. “So don’t throw your top of the page, insert your query or the keyword you genealogy brain out the window just because it’s want to search. In the box below that, type the email going to Google.com. Structure a question about address you wish to have results sent to, and click what you want in really specific terms. Are you “Create Alert.” looking for a particular record collection? Are you Your customized Google Alert will then send you links looking for a particular ancestor in a family? Are you to web pages that match your query. just trying to figure out how to upload your family tree?” After you set up the alert, Google will email you updates on new and updated web pages. Cooke also Cooke says it’s a good idea to formulate your said, “You can have up to a thousand [alerts]. You’re question to Google just as you would to a reference going to sign in, make one query after another, and in librarian. “How would I describe it to a reference your sleep, Google will be searching and finding librarian? Ask yourself that. That will help you in ancestors. And you will wake up, and it’s just like doing this.” Christmas every day. I love it 2 A BRIEF HISTORY OF ROMANIA Then during the 15th century a new threat came from By Tim Lambert south of Romania - the Turks. Both Wallachia and Moldavia fought the Turks and the notorious Vlad the Early Romania Impaler lived at that time. The earliest inhabitants of Romania were Stone Age In the 16th century Transylvania became part of the hunters who lived about 8,000 BC. In time the people Turkish Empire (although it was still allowed some of Romania learned to farm and then they learned to autonomy). However for a time Wallachia and make bronze tools. Eventually they learned to use Moldavia managed to remain independent of Turkey. iron. From about 600 BC the ancient Greeks traded with the people they called Getae. They founded In 1593 Michael the Brave became ruler of Wallachia. settlements on the coast of Romania. In 1595 he fought and defeated the Turks. In 1599 he defeated the Transylvanians and became prince of The Romans called the people of Romania Dacians. In Transylvania. In 1600 he conquered Moldavia and 101-102 AD the Roman Emperor Trajan led a made himself its prince. However Michael was killed campaign against the Dacians. A further campaign in 1601 and the union ended. was fought in 105-106 AD and the Romans crushed the Dacians at the battle of Sarmizegetusa. In the 17th century Wallachia and Moldavia came to Afterwards Dacia became a Roman province. Settlers be dominated by the Turkish Empire. In the 18th from other parts of the Roman Empire were brought century they had puppet rulers under Turkish control. in and the local people became 'Romanized'. They began to speak Latin. However Roman rule was short In 1683 the Turks were defeated at Vienna and in lived. In the 3rd century the cost of defending Dacia 1687 the Hapsburgs (rulers of Austria) took from 'barbarians' became too great. In 271 Emperor Transylvania. Although some of its people were Aurelian withdrew the Roman Empire south of the Magyars or Germans most were Romanian peasants. Danube. Their harsh treatment led to a rebellion headed by three serfs called Horea, Cloxa and Crisan. The Waves of migrants then came to Romania. In the 5th rebellion failed but in 1785 the Hapsburg Emperor century came the Huns. In the 6th century they were abolished serfdom in Transylvania. followed by the Avars and in the 7th century Slavs. Romania then gradually settled down and a feudal During the early 19th century Turkey continued to order was emerged. dominate Wallachia and Moldavia. However Turkish power was weakening. In 1859 the two principalities Meanwhile in the 10th century a fierce people called were united under a single prince called Alexander the Magyars (ancestors of modern Hungarians) Ioan Cuza. In 1862 the new state was named arrived in Transylvania. By the 13th century the Romania. Finally in 1877 Romania declared its Hungarians ruled Transylvania although it was independence from Turkey. allowed some autonomy and the Hungarian kings persuaded Germans to go and live there. However Cuza carried out reforms in Romania including although of the inhabitants of Transylvania were abolishing serfdom. However he was unpopular with Magyars or Germans most of the population were conservatives and in 1866 he was overthrown. Prince Romanian peasants. Carol replaced him. In 1881 Romania became a kingdom with Carol I its king. Then in the 14th century Radu Negru (1310-1352) united some Romanians and formed the first Romanian principality, Wallachia. Later in the 14th century another principality, Moldavia was formed. Modern Romania Most of the peasants became serfs (halfway between slaves and freemen). They were ruled over by In 1916 Romania joined Britain and France and Russia aristocrats called boyars. against Germany and Austria-Hungary. In 1918 3 Romania took Transylvania from Hungary. Bessarabia, totalitarian regime was introduced in Romania. which was taken by the Russians in 1812 became part Industry was nationalized. of Romania again. As a result Romania increased greatly in size and its population increased from Meanwhile Antonescu was shot as a war criminal in about 7.5 million to about 12 million.