HEAR YE HEAR YE Vol. 33, No.2 - Summer 2012 HEAR YE HEAR YE Vol. 33 - No. 2 Summer 2012 © 2012 Rochester Genealogical Society RootsMagic By Nancy M. Merzke hat genealogy software would you recommend? every screen. The software is highly compatible and WWhat is the proper way to document your source? portable. It can import PAF type files to and from These two questions were asked by a member during FamilySearch. In terms of portability it can run directly GenTalk at a recent RGS meeting. RGS does not endorse from a flash drive with RootsMagic To-Go. You can any particular brand of genealogy software. The fact is that also perform web searches right through the applica- each product does the basics. Some may have more bells tion without having to copy and paste names and dates; and whistles that some people find appealing yet those same features may be overwhelming to others. Each person will this software will pull the data for you. tell you that they like the program they use – at least they RootsMagic functions like a database, and it can should. After all, why use a product that you don’t like? store and organize a large volume of information and What our member did is what I think is the best ap- small details such as marriage dates, health informa- proach to use when you are deciding which genealogy tion, burial dates, occupations and religion. All in all program to buy. Ask other genealogists what they are it has 60 pre-defined fact categories, or you can add using and why. Find out what each program has to of- your own. Additionally, photographs, sound clips and fer; what do other genealogists find so attractive about video can be attached to any person, family, place, it. You will likely find selling points or draw backs source or event. that you’d not previously considered. This is what RootsMagic offers a high level of compatibility, our member did. Her ultimate choice, based on her including being FamilySearch certified. This software needs, was RootsMagic. One of the reasons she chose can import from Family Tree Maker, PAF files, Family RootsMagic is that it gave her the guidance she was Origins, Legacy and LDS programs. It also fully sup- looking for concerning the proper way to document ports GEDCOM 5.5 for exchanging data with other her sources. I took her experience as my inspiration for applications. this article. With RootsMagic genealogy software you can eas- My goal is to introduce you to some of the features ily work with more than one database of information of RootsMagic including a couple that I think separate at once. You can even drag and drop people between it from its competitors. I am in no way suggesting that databases. When new people are moved into a differ- you should change what you are using. I am also in ent database, the family links are automatically cre- no way suggesting that RGS recommends this or any ated and you can store and search by alternate names. other product. My thought is to supply you with what Searches can be performed by name, record number, date, will hopefully be useful information and new tools. place, note or other field. There is also a search and replace for quick entry changes. RootsMagic has recently been updated entirely. It is easy to use and you can quickly move through the application and add new information from just about Continued on 10 -1- HEAR YE HEAR YE Vol. 33, No.2 - Summer 2012 HEAR YE HEAR YE President’s Message Marian Henry began this President’s Message thinking about summer a will), there will be an executor (person appointed in a Iresearch trips. The internet is for cozy winter evenings by will to carry out its provisions) or executrix (female execu- the fire. Warm days, no snow on the roads, long daylight tor). In the case of sudden illness or injury the will may be hours – that’s the time to get out and find those documents nuncupative (declared orally), but will still have witnesses. that aren’t available via the internet. So, I was going to say, If the decedent died intestate (without a will), the court will let’s go visit out-of-the-way historical and genealogical appoint an administrator (person appointed to manage or societies, county courthouses, and such. Places that have divide the estate of a deceased person). Instead of writing a useful information that is not, and probably will not be new will, a testator can write a codicil (an addition modi- online anytime soon. Now, historical societies are comfort- fying a will). The testator bequeaths (transfers personal able. They can look and feel like libraries. They even have property to someone) or devises (transfers real estate to friendly staff that is there to help. Courthouses, however, are someone) his estate to his heirs (entitled by law or by terms another story. These days we have to go through security of a will to inherit property from another), who often in- just to get inside. Sometimes we can’t take our digital cam- clude his consort (spouse) and/or issue (offspring, children, era or our cell phone with us. The people who work there, descendents). kind as they might be, do not have our needs as their highest The probate packet may include the following: appoint- priority. For us shy folks, this is somewhat intimidating. Tell ment of executor or administrator to prepare and present to me again why I have to do this. Because the county court- the court an inventory of the estate; the will and testimony house is where they keep probate records and deeds. Oh, of witnesses to the will as to its validity; list of heirs; a right. Probate records and deeds. All those funny words like financial report by the executor or administrator listing col- “messuage” and “enfeoff.” I think, instead, we’ll focus on lection of debts owed to the estate, payment of debts owed the jargon to make this stuff more palatable. by the estate, and division of the remaining estate among Let’s begin with probate records. The first reality check the heirs; appointment of guardians to minor children; testi- is to make sure we’re headed for the right courthouse. Mon- mony, usually of relatives, if the will is disputed. Although roe County, for example, was created in 1821. Before that, the decedent’s occupation is not always stated, the list of ev- someone who died in what became Monroe County would erything making up the estate will also help us distinguish a be in either Genesee or Ontario County. Should we look in cordwainer (shoemaker) from a yeoman (freehold farmer). Rochester or Batavia or Canandaigua? Assuming we’re at A relict (“left behind,” archaic term for widow) had the right courthouse, and we’ve found the files of the Sur- a special status under law because of her dower rights (a rogate court (That’s for New York. If we’re in Pennsylvania, widow’s share for life of her late husband’s estate). He probate is under the jurisdiction of the Orphans’ Court. For could bequeath or devise his entire estate to his children, other states, you’re on your own.), and there is a probate but, by law, she had the use of part – traditionally one third file, what next? – of the estate during her widowhood, i.e. until she remar- The probate ried or died. Because a wife was potentially a widow, she TABLE OF CONTENTS file is identified by had a vested interest in any real estate that her husband 1940 US Census Indexing Project 11 a case number. It wanted to sell during his lifetime. She was, in effect, a par- Book Distribution Project 7 contains a summa- tial owner, and her consent was required. He could buy land Catholic Dispensations 101 4 ry of court proceed- by himself, but only the two of them could legally sell it. If CIG Programs 6 ings to process the that nicety was neglected, we sometimes find a later deed CRPC Summer 2012 3 Editor’s Note 11 estate (all property in which the widow separately transfers her dower rights, Holy Sepulcher Ramblings 5 and debts belong- in order to make the original transfer unquestionably valid. It’s Not Rocket Science 9 ing to a person) That segues tidily into deeds, usually found in the County Member Query 5 of a decedent (a Clerk’s office in the same courthouse. Membership 9 Presidents Message 2 deceased person). The deed books will undoubtedly be accompanied by a Programs 6 If the decedent is series of index books. Each transaction is listed twice – once Rochester Churches Indexing Project 4 a testator (person for grantor (the “party of the first Roots Magic 1 who has written Continued on 8 -2- HEAR YE HEAR YE Vol. 33, No.2 - Summer 2012 HEAR YE HEAR YE CRPC Summer Report he Church Records collection on the RGS website home computer was broken. It wasn’t but I will try to Tcontinues to grow. The committee has recently added explain what you may encounter and why. Consider the Mt Hope Cemetery single graves and 19 volumes of the 83 volumes in the Salem collection we are about to Salem Evangelical Reformed Church records. Kathryn add to the website. Not all will be available for privacy Heintz has completed bookmarking the remaining Salem reasons but the volumes range in size from 2 to 239 volumes (83 total) and they will be available soon.