For Immediate Release 31 August 2020 FamilySearch Announces RootsTech Connect 2021: A Free Global Virtual Event FamilySearch is thrilled to announce that the RootsTech 2021conference previously planned for February 3–6, 2021, in Salt Lake City, Utah, will now be held on February 25–27, 2021, as a free, virtual event online. RootsTech Connect 2021 will enable attendees to participate from around the world and will feature inspiring keynote speakers, dozens of classes in multiple languages, and a virtual marketplace. Reserve your place today for free at RootsTech.org. “The pandemic is giving us the opportunity to bring RootsTech to a broader audience worldwide,” said Steve Rockwood, FamilySearch International CEO. “A virtual event also allows us to expand our planning to truly make this a global celebration of family and connection.”  RootsTech Connect 2021 will be global in scope while offering many experiences that attendees have come to know and love from RootsTech events—including inspirational keynote speakers, dozens of classes to choose from, and an expo hall.   <Watch RootsTech Connect 2021 Promotional Video>  Throughout the three-day online event, attendees will have the ability to interact with presenters, exhibitors, and other attendees through live chat and question and answer sessions.  “Classes will be taught in many languages, and presenters will teach from a number of international locations,” said Rockwood. “We will celebrate cultures and traditions from around the world, with activities that the audience can participate in from home—such as homeland cooking demonstrations, storytelling, and music performances. This is one virtual event you won’t want to miss.”  RootsTech Connect 2021 will offer a combination of both livestream and on-demand content to accommodate differences in time zone for participants. In addition, sessions will be available to view on-demand after the event concludes.  Rockwood says that FamilySearch is looking forward to the opportunity to deliver the signature RootsTech experience and helping tens of thousands of participants worldwide to discover, gather, and connect their family story.   RootsTech hopes to gather in-person again in the future but anticipates the RootsTech Connect virtual opportunity will become a regular addition to the event.  Register for free at rootstech.org.  Find and share this announcement from the FamilySearch Newsroom.  About RootsTech RootsTech, hosted by FamilySearch, is a global conference celebrating families across generations, where people of all ages are inspired to discover and share their memories and connections. This annual event has become the largest of its kind in the world, attracting tens of thousands of participants worldwide.

Press Release Heritage Storybooks

FindMyPast Press Release: Findmypast’s archive is the fastest growing on the market

Findmypast’s collections have grown by over 1.5 billion names in the last year
Totalling over 13 billion records, Findmypast is now home to the fastest growing archive on the market

More records added over the past 12 months than all competitors combined

Millions of new and exclusive records bought online for the very first time Findmypast continues to publish millions of new records from Britain, Ireland, North America and beyond each and every month, providing users across the globe with new opportunities for discovery.

The world leaders in British & Irish family history are now adding an average of 4.3 million searchable names a day, making them the second largest publisher on the family history market and the fastest growing archive online. 2019 has seen Findmypast’s collections expand significantly, with over 1.5 billion names added to the site over the past 12 months alone.

By bringing more data to market than any other family history website, Findmypast is plugging essential gaps in previously difficult to research regions through improved access to a wide variety of family history resources, many of which cannot be found anywhere else online.

Recent progress in Scotland where a range of new material has been published in association with society and archive partners across the country, marks just the latest step in Findmypast’s continued efforts to help users knock down brick walls and discover ancestors on both sides of the Atlantic.

All recent and future updates build on Findmypast’s existing digitization projects, including:

• The Catholic Heritage Archive - a groundbreaking initiative to digitize the historic records of the Catholic Church in the U.S., Britain, and Ireland that has resulted in the online publication of more than 27 million records since February 2017. Recent additions include millions of new Sacramental marriage records from the Archdiocese of New York with more U.S. records yet to come. 
• The 1921 census of England and Wales - In the most anticipated family history development since the online publication of the 1939 Register, Findmypast has been selected as The National Archives’ commercial partner to make the 1921 Census of England & Wales available online.
• The British Newspaper Archive - Findmypast’s exclusive partnership with the British Library that has already resulted in the online publication of more than 36 million pages. New editions and titles are added every week with a variety of Commonwealth titles from Canada, the Caribbean and beyond to be added in the coming months - also available on Findmypast. 

Tamsin Todd, CEO of Findmypast, said: “I am proud of Findmypast’s heritage of working with wonderful organisations across the globe to digitise and share extraordinary record collections. We hear from our customers all the time how learning about their ancestors’ lives changed their understanding of their own lives. As we accelerate the growth of Findmypast’s collections, we will help ever more people feel the thrill of going on a journey to discover family stories that have the power to change the future.”



For more information, to request images or to discuss feature opportunities, please contact Niall Cullen: ncullen@findmypast or Alex Cox: acox@findmypast.com, +44 7464 946769 

Findmypast (previously DC Thomson Family History) is the British-owned world leader in online family history millions of registered users across its family of brands, which include Findmypast, Genes Reunited, Findmypast DNA, the British Newspaper Archive and Twile. Its lead brand, also called Findmypast, is the home of the world’s most comprehensive online collection of British and Irish records, including: 

• The largest online collection of UK parish records 
• Twice the number of Irish records available on any other site 
• The British Library’s vast collection of historical newspapers 
• Military service records for all three branches of the British Armed Forces 
• The official home of the 1939 Register, in partnership with The National Archives 

Findmypast is committed to making discoveries in the British Isles easier than ever before. It combines the best of British and Irish data with the knowledge of inhouse experts to provide a unique family history experience that guides researchers through every step of their journey. For more information on how Findmypast is enhancing the experiences of family historians worldwide, visit: www.findmypast.co.uk

Award-winning filmmaker, Scott Wilhite, to introduce HeirloomStories.tv at RootsTech 2020

On Saturday, February 29, 2020 ShotBox will host Scott Wilhite, an award-winning writer, producer, and director and founder of the high net worth family preservation service, bacstory.com. Wilhite will be introducing HeirloomStories.tv, which brings focused family storytelling to a broader audience with an easily attainable price point.

History has shown that 70% of the wealth of high net worth families is lost by the time it hits the grandchildren. The family wealth is gone because the family is gone. The relationships simply fall apart. 

After working with high net worth families since 2001, Wilhite recognized a similar need with families everywhere. “Youth today are struggling. They’ve got high levels of anxiety, depression, and self-destructive behaviors and addictions. They’ve got an identity crisis,” says Wilhite. “They need to know who and whose they are.”

HeirloomStories is a platform for Generation One parents and grandparents to share the life lessons, insights, beliefs, and values that have guided them throughout their lives. The done-for-you service handles all the details from storycoaching, to recording, to distribution on a custom family webpage.

The connection between grandchildren and their grandparents has been severed. Children source wisdom from YouTubers and Instagram Influencers instead of their grandparents. Wilhite points out, “We don’t ask Aunt Kris for a recipe anymore, we Google it; we don’t ask Grandpa for help fixing the mower, we go to YouTube. There’s an opportunity to restore the grandparent connection through the family narrative.

About ShotBox

ShotBox is an innovative portable light box that allows individuals to quickly digitize their most precious journals, scrapbooks, photos, and heirlooms.

For more information, visit ShotBox.me. (link http://www.ShotBox.me/)

About Scott Wilhite and HeirloomStories.tv 

Scott Wilhite is an award winning commercial filmmaker, best-selling author, speaker, and app maker. His focus is on helping preserve family relationships through clarifying their family narrative.

FileShadow Family Vault Press Release

 

FileShadow Family Vault™ Archives and Protects Family Documents, Photos and Digital Assets

Individuals, families and family history buffs now have a secure way to collect, curate, share, categorize and publish precious documents, photos and digital assets within a real-time, dynamic family archive

 

Feb. 26, 2020—RootsTech, Salt Lake City—FileShadow, Inc. today announces the FileShadow Family Vault™—supporting family history buffs, genealogists, individuals and families in collecting, curating, storing and preserving precious family documents. The new service collects content in real-time, storing it in a dynamic family archive.

Connect multiple clouds and sources into one family vault
FileShadow collects all of your files into one cloud-based repository from sources such as iCloud, Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe’s Lightroom solutions, Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive and OneDrive for Business; local storage (macOS, Windows Desktops, Windows Virtual Desktops); and network and direct-attached storage (NAS/DAS) devices.

Collect and search all of your digital assets
All types of physical documents (“not born digital”) can be scanned and gathered into the FileShadow system such as family portraits, family reunion and wedding photos, journals, legal or official documents, contracts and government records. Once scanned and in PDF form, FileShadow’s Optical Character Recognition (OCR) searches even these old documents as if they were “born digital.”

“FileShadow Family Vault brings together all of your digital and non-digital family and historical records,” said Tyrone Pike, president and CEO of FileShadow. “Users create their own vault that allows them to categorize, curate, protect and share different collections with anyone they choose. FileShadow is the best and easiest way to protect your most important documents in the Cloud.”

Categorize files through AI and machine learning
Once in the FileShadow vault, an AI and machine learning process analyzes the content to create metadata tags, including location (GPS), OCR of PDFs and machine learning (ML)-generated tags for images. For example, FileShadow will automatically identify terms in a document such as “marriage” and “certificate” for a marriage certificate, even if those terms are not in the file name but are in the document text, making it simple to search for and find Great Grandma and Grandpa’s marriage certificate. Users can also apply custom tags such as “marriage certificate” and “Great Grandma.” With automated and custom meta tags, users can create collections quickly and easily without endless hours of searching and viewing documents.

Share files with anyone, even those without FileShadow accounts
FileShadow allows users to publish collections of family files from their FileShadow Family Vault by generating shareable links. The FileShadow Publish feature is a simple and secure way for families to curate, store and share important photos from family reunions, birth certificates, naturalization papers, letters and more. With FileShadow, every family member can access important family memories and files, regardless of whether or not they are FileShadow users. These links can also be used as source links in popular genealogy programs and services, such as Ancestry and FamilySearch, among others.

For a free 30-day trial of FileShadow, visit www.fileshadow.com.

About FileShadow
FileShadow is a service that aggregates files from multiple cloud sources, Windows Virtual Desktops, Windows PC and macOS desktops, Drobo and other network and direct-attached storage (NAS/DAS) devices into one secure, reliable and searchable cloud vault. Compatible with Amazon WorkSpaces, Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, HVE ConneXions VDI Solutions, IOXO Workspace Technology, Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop and VMware Horizon, FileShadow for Windows Virtual Desktop delivers thin-provisioned access to the user’s vault.

Using machine learning, FileShadow provides superior indexing and searching capabilities. With FileShadow, users can quickly find any file with advanced search features such as file content, OCR of PDFs, GPS location and image searches. FileShadow is hosted on Google Cloud and IBM Cloud with storage on IBM Cloud Object Storage (COS) and Wasabi’s Hot Cloud Storage, providing “11 nines” of durability for optimal file protection. FileShadow supports multiple cloud storage sources, including Windows PC and macOS desktops (including iCloud Drive files and iCloud Photos), Drobo and other NAS/DAS devices, Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe’s Lightroom solutions, Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive and OneDrive for Business. Visit FileShadow.com for more information.

Collectionaire Press Release

Collectionaire

Collectionaire Links Family Photo and Video Collections

to Ancestors’ Records and Memories in FamilySearch and other Genealogy Sites

Family tree is a “hub” to complete digital family archive

                                        

San Diego, Calif. – Feb. 24, 2020 – Collectionaire today announced it will be demonstrating this week at RootsTech 2020 how its cloud-based digital family archive app, used to build an online “best memories” family collection, can seamlessly link to ancestor memories and records in FamilySearch, Ancestry.com and other on-line genealogy sites. 

Collectionaire’s web app allows families to organize, preserve and share their most cherished photos, videos and digital keepsake memories. Unlike other photo and memento archiving solutions, users do not move photos and videos to the Collectionaire site. Instead, the app is a hub, connecting users via share links and hyperlinks to their photo, video and document collections stored in other cloud sites such as Google Photos, Apple Photos, Flickr, SmugMug, YouTube, Vimeo, and dozens more.

Thanks to its innovative linking approach, users can also connect a person on their Collectionaire family tree to memories and records found on genealogy apps like FamilySearch, Ancestry.com and MyHeritage. 

Collections can include digital photos, digitized photo albums, home movies, audio recordings, news articles, awards, stories, mementos and the like – basically anything memorable that can be digitized for future viewings. With Collectionaire, users own their own family tree that serves as the hub to milestones and memories for each person and each family, that will now never be lost or forgotten, and share these with family and friends on any connected platform.

“Just a few years ago, photo cloud sites were used primarily for backup for computer-stored collections,” said Stan Kinsey, founder and CEO of Collectionaire. “Now, computers and hard drives serve as the backup, and the cloud has become the place to view and share photo collections, with facial and smart search capabilities, easy sharing, and access via any connected platform.” 

As personal photo collections grow by massive numbers each year, Collectionaire brings simplicity and peace of mind to never losing one’s best memories, even as digital storage options continue to evolve.

Collectionaire will be exhibiting in Booth #1553 at the upcoming RootsTech 2020, Salt Lake City, Utah, Feb. 26 -29, 2020, where it will demonstrate its product features.

Users can log in to the Collectionaire site and start building their family tree and adding collections for free at www.collectionaire.com. Building out one’s family tree (GEDCOM import coming soon) and adding up to 20 linked memories is free.  Basic subscriptions up to 300 linked memories are just $2.99 per month when paid annually.

Supporting resources

Collectionaire Intro Video - Preserve Your Best Memories

About Collectionaire

Collectionaire, a California-based technology company, provides an easy way to organize, preserve and share the best of your family’s memories and mementos. Through digital advancements, Collectionaire brings an innovative approach to archiving these keepsake treasures. Unlike other photo organizing solutions, Collectionaire acts as a hub, linking users to their photo and video collections stored in other cloud sites.

          

Press Release: SLC RootsTech 2020 Keynote Speakers

January

21,

2020

RootsTech 2020 Announces Lineup of Keynote Speakers and Entertainment

From football fans to photography buffs, everyone will cheer at the dynamic lineup of keynote speakers and entertainment at the 10^th year of RootsTech 2020, the world’s largest family history conference. Speakers include Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys, Leigh Anne Tuohy of The Blind Side, and Pulitzer Prize winner and White House photographer, David Hume Kennerly, and comedian Ryan Hamilton. RootsTech will be held on February 26-29, 2020, at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The RootsTech 2020 theme is "The Story of You." The conference offers classes for all ability levels—from newbies to serious researchers—to help individuals make personal and family discoveries and connections. Classes include subjects such as DNA, helpful tools for organization and discovery, best practices for protecting and preserving photos and the latest technology for collecting and sharing family stories.

General Session, Wednesday, February 26, 4:30 p.m. MDT

This opening session will celebrate 10 years of the RootsTech conference and the great strides made within the industry. Steve Rockwood, CEO of FamilySearch International, is the featured speaker. He will highlight the great innovations and developments in the industry, and the exciting future of family discovery anticipated in the next decade.

Keynote Speaker, Thursday, February 27, 11:00 a.m. MDT

Leigh Anne Tuohy will be the featured RootsTech keynote speaker on Thursday. Touhy’s inspirational story was popularized by the book and film, “The Blind Side”. The story depicts the life-changing experience of the Tuohy family when they adopted teen Michael Oher—homeless and hopeless—and witnessed him complete his education and rise to become a first round NFL draft pick, All-American, and Super Bowl champion.

“Her story captured hearts across the country, and it demonstrates the type of person she is. She has a powerful understanding of the meaning of family, inclusion, and supporting one another. Her message is perfect for the RootsTech stage,” said Jen Allen, event director.

Keynote Speaker, Friday, February 28, 11:00 a.m. MDT 

David Hume Kennerly will be the Friday keynote speaker. At age 25 he won the Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for Feature Photography. His photos have appeared on more than 50 major magazine covers and range in subject from 10 United States presidents and 12 presidential campaigns to documenting history in over a hundred countries. In 2015, Politico published his introspective photo essay, “I Want to Be with the Circus”, covering 50 years of campaign photography. It became one of the most widely viewed stories in the site’s history. Today, he maintains a busy publishing and lecturing schedule.

Evening Event Friday, February 28 at 8:00 p.m. MDT

Stand-up comedian, Ryan Hamilton, will perform on Friday evening. Known for his clean, endearing humor, he pokes fun at his flaws and tells relatable stories of growing up in rural Idaho before moving to New York. Hamilton is popular on the New York City Comedy circuit and late-night TV. He recently launched a Netflix special, “Happy Face.”

Keynote Speaker, Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. MDT

Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher and the only running back to win a Super Bowl championship, the NFL MVP award, the NFL rushing crown, and the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award in the same season, will be the keynote speaker on Saturday morning.

“Emmitt is a passionate individual and one of the best examples of determination and grit—two traits that are often found in many of our ancestral stories, including Emmitt’s,” said Allen.

Today Smith supports his charities for underserved youth and is a successful entrepreneur with interests in real estate, construction and technology.

RootsTech 2020 SLC Classes

With 300+ breakout sessions and classes and 200 exhibitor booths in the 200,000 square foot Expo Hall, there’s something for everyone. Select classes will be broadcast live. RootsTech also offers a virtual pass, which provides access to additional online recorded sessions from the conference.

New this year is a Power Hour (smaller classes split into three 15-minute segments), Lunch and Learn (featuring a speaker and a yummy boxed lunch), and two new learning forums.

Register today! One day passes are only $99, and 4 day passes just $189. And don't forget to follow us on social media for upcoming announcements. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About RootsTech

RootsTech, hosted by FamilySearch, is a global conference celebrating families across generations, where people of all ages are inspired to discover and share their memories and connections. This annual event has become the largest of its kind in the world, attracting tens of thousands of participants.

Press Release: The Federation of Genealogical Societies and the National Park Service announce the launch of the U.S.-Mexican War Soldier & Sailor database

Historical print of the Battle of Palo Alto
By Adolphe Jean-Baptiste Bayot, Carlos Nebel

Released: January 14, 2020

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) and the National Park Service’s Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park (NPS) announces the launch of the U.S.-Mexican War Soldier & Sailor database.


This online, searchable database contains information for over 85,000 U.S. and Mexican veterans who served in this war. Many records include personal details, such as hair color and occupation.

The database allows descendants of these soldiers and sailors to connect to their personal history and helps Palo Alto commemorate and tell the stories of those who served. This invaluable research tool benefits genealogists, historians, as well as people who may have never known they are related to a U.S.-Mexican War veteran. This project started in 2007. Progress was extremely slow until 2015 when FGS joined forces with the NPS. FGS offered their expertise and numerous volunteers.

Patricia Rand, the FGS contact, recruited and trained volunteers who spent over 17,000 hours doing the tedious task of inputting data. Their dedication makes it possible for future generations to learn about those who served in the U.S.-Mexican War. 


Join us for the virtual launch of the U.S.-Mexican War Soldier & Sailor Database on Monday, January 27 at 3 pm Central. You can join us in-person at the Palo Alto Visitor Center or live from your computer. Check the Palo Alto website or Facebook for details about the live stream connection.


About the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) was founded in 1976 and empowers the genealogical and family history community, especially its societies and organizations, by advocating for the preservation and access of records and providing resources that enable genealogical organizations to succeed in pursuing their missions. FGS helps genealogical societies and family history enthusiasts alike to strengthen and grow through online resources, FGS FORUM magazine, and through its annual national
conference which provides four days of excellent learning opportunities for both societies and family history enthusiasts. FGS launched the Preserve the Pensions project in 2010 to raise more than $3 million to digitize and make freely available the pension files from the War of 1812. Fundraising was completed for that project in 2016 and digitization continues. FGS was also the driving force behind the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors project alongside the National Parks Service. To learn more visit fgs.org. 

Press Release: The Washington House Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony George Washington's Ferry Farm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: September 26, 2017

The Washington House Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony George Washington's Ferry Farm Saturday: October 7, 12:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.; Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony at 1:30 p.m. Celebrate the construction of the Washington house at a special Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony – beginning at 1:30 p.m. – featuring decorated speakers discussing George Washington’s upbringing at Ferry Farm as preparation for his important role as the first Commander-in-Chief. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION highlighting the speakers is forthcoming at facebook.com/FerryFarmAndKenmore/. Leaders from the Fredericksburg Masonic Lodge No. 4 – who count among their early members George Washington and Fielding Lewis – will present a historical ceremony in acknowledgement of the construction of the Washington house. After the Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony, for the first time, guests are invited to view the Washington house! Hear from archaeologists and artisans about the period trades involved in building George’s house. Walk the historical landscape and talk with educators about new programs at George Washington's boyhood home. Ferry Farm opens to visitors at noon on Saturday, October 7. PLEASE NOTE: PARKING for the event is off site at the VRE Fredericksburg Park and Ride Lot G at the corner of Prince Edward Street and Frederick Street. Buses will transport guests to and from Ferry Farm—traveling from the VRE lot to Ferry Farm on a regular schedule from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Bus transportation will pause during the Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony. The last bus will depart Ferry Farm at 5:15 p.m. Limited handicap parking is available at Ferry Farm. A map with event parking information is available at kenmore.org/events.html. The Washington House Ribbon-Cutting Celebration is a free event and RSVPs are not required. No pets, please. Learn more about this comprehensive project at kenmore.org/washingtonhouseconstruction.html and on the Lives & Legacies blog.    The Foundation is charging forward with its multi-year venture to physically develop George Washington’s Ferry Farm into an outdoor living museum. The first phase of the project includes building an interpretive replica of the Washington house on its archaeological footprint, reconstructing the kitchen and outbuildings, and recreating the period landscape. Moreover, the Foundation is establishing a new entrance to the museum property, erecting a maintenance facility, and completing necessary infrastructure. Employing building methods of the period, artisan masons laid the foundation for the Washington house using hand-cut Aquia sandstone in an oyster-shell mortar. Next, timber framers joined massive wood beams to create the frame of the home. Carpenters covered the roof with traditional, hand-prepared wood shingles and installed skillfully-crafted exterior doors and window sashes, as well as beaded weatherboard siding painted a traditional, deep red “Spanish brown” color. The masons are completing the brickwork for the three chimneys, each set in an English bond interspersed with glazed headers, while the carpenters are fitting paneled doors with hand-wrought iron hardware and fabricating interior features such as an elaborate staircase in the center passage. Accomplished plasterers are currently installing a traditional lime plaster, strengthened with animal hair, on wood lath across the walls of the Washington house. Noted cabinetmakers are crafting furniture for the home, following a plan conceived by The George Washington Foundation’s Collections Committee and curators. A corner cabinet produced by Colonial Williamsburg’s joiners shop, was installed in the parlor in February. Additionally, a “scrutoire” – or desk with bookcase – is on view in the Ferry Farm visitor center until it will be placed in the hall of the Washington house. Constructing the Washington house and the first phase of improvements at Ferry Farm is a funding priority for the Foundation as part of The Future of Our Past Campaign—a $40 million dollar comprehensive fundraising initiative in support of efforts across its two National Historic Landmark sites: Historic Kenmore and George Washington’s Ferry Farm. George Washington moved to Ferry Farm in 1738 with his parents, Mary and Augustine, his sister Betty, and their siblings, purchasing the site from William Strother III, a prominent colonial Virginian. Young George lived at the farm from age 6 to 22. Referred to as the Washington home farm in George’s day, the property is later known as Ferry Farm—a historic ferry adjacent to the Washingtons' house once linked it to the city of Fredericksburg via the Rappahannock River. The site was the setting of some of the best-known stories related to his youth, including tales of the cherry tree and throwing a stone across the Rappahannock River. George was eleven when his father died in 1743. Augustine left Ferry Farm to George, for him to inherit when he reached majority. Mary Washington continued to live at Ferry Farm until 1772, when she moved to Fredericksburg to live closer to Kenmore and Fielding and Betty Washington Lewis. In 1996, Ferry Farm was saved from commercial development through the hard work and determination of the Regents and Trustees of The George Washington Foundation (known then as the Kenmore Association), a long list of individuals, and several organizations. The Foundation announced on July 2, 2008 that its archaeologists had located and excavated the remains of the long-sought house where Washington was raised. To date, over 750,000 artifacts have been unearthed at Ferry Farm. Ongoing research suggests that George’s experiences at Ferry Farm were influential in shaping the man that he would become.  On Saturday, April 25, 2015, the Foundation broke ground on the Washington house and the first phase of construction at Ferry Farm, forever preserving this remarkable landscape and providing a powerful stage to tell the story of young George and his family. Doris Kearns Goodwin, renowned presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, was the keynote speaker for the Groundbreaking Ceremony.   The George Washington Foundation is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. The Foundation's mission is to enhance the public understanding and appreciation of the lives, values, and legacies of George Washington, Fielding and Betty Washington Lewis, and their families. Please visit ferryfarm.org and kenmore.org for more information on its two National Historic Landmark sites, George Washington's Ferry Farm and Historic Kenmore. Ferry Farm is located at 268 King's Highway, Stafford County, Virginia Kenmore is located at 1201 Washington Avenue, Fredericksburg, Virginia Visitors to Ferry Farm talk with educators about the Washington house, view archaeologists at work, see the artifact conservation laboratory, tour the Visitor Center with a new exhibit, The Science of History at Ferry Farm, and enjoy the self-guided iPad tour—Uncovering George Washington’s Youth. Kenmore guests experience the restored house with its recently refurnished interior, walk through the gardens, and tour the orientation exhibit, The Patriots Lewis: What Would You Give. George Washington’s Ferry Farm and Historic Kenmore are open most days, March – December—learn more at kenmore.org/visiting. View a 2017 calendar of special events and education programs at kenmore.org/events_2017.

Bill Bennett, VP Marketing from FindMyPast, spoke on Friday morning at RootsTech and unveiled their new project: Catholic Heritage Archive.  This amazing record set was previewed on stage, and you can find the full press release below. 

They are working with various archdiocese in the United Sates and the UK to digitize and preserve the records of the Catholic church which most times are locked in a parish hall.  Access can be hard, if near impossible and for those who have Catholic Roots there is hope for those elusive records to show lineage and relationships to our past. 

In my Interview later that day with Bill he said they are starting with larger dioceses and then moving into smaller parishes.  Most exciting is that you will be able to browse images free online through FindMyPast.  You will only have to use credits if you want to use the index.  I also loved hearing that the churches and diocese who let them digitize records will also have full access to their own collections.  This will be a boon to researchers who can travel to their family churches.

Also touched on during the morning session was that thanks to their association with the Pennsylvania Historical Society there are now over 3 million PA records online.  This large project is nearly concluded with hundreds of thousands of vital records and unusual manuscript collections digitized.  Births, marriages, deaths, congregational records, military records, and more are now available to search.

Finally the US marriage record collection is wrapping up.  As Bill stated in our interview they were saving the best for last.  The records which are being uploaded in this final push are the most unique of all.  Oh, and only found on FindMyPast!  We will have to check them out.

FindMyPast Official Press Release: 

FindMyPast announces plans to create the most comprehensive collection of Roman Catholic sacramental registers for the United States, Britain and Ireland

When complete, this exclusive collection will contain over 100 million records spanning 300 years of Catholic history

Millions of exclusive Catholic records published online with more coming soon

Findmypast also announces new additions to the ambitious United States Marriages project

Release marks significant expansion of Findmypast's US data collection

Leading family history website, Findmypast, today announced the creation of the Roman Catholic Heritage Archive, a ground breaking initiative that aims to digitize the historic records of the Catholic Church in the United States, Britain and Ireland.

Findmypast is today releasing over 3 million exclusive records including sacramental registers for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia from 1757 to 1916 as well as for the British Archdioceses of Westminster and Birmingham from 1657 onwards. This builds on last year's publication of more than 10 million Irish Catholic parish registers.

The Catholic Church holds some of the oldest and best preserved genealogical records ever created. However, as many of these documents memorialize important religious sacraments such as baptism, marriage and burial, their privacy has long been protected and access to original copies has traditionally been hard to come by.

In collaboration with various Archdioceses of the Catholic Church, Findmypast is helping to bring these records online in one unified collection for the first time ever. Exclusively available on Findmypast, images of original documents will be completely free to view in many cases. Fully searchable transcripts will also be included, providing family historians from the around the world with easy access to these once closely guarded records.

The next phase of the Catholic Heritage Archive will include records from the archdioceses of New York and Baltimore as well as additional records from Philadelphia. There are over 30 million records in just these three dioceses. The digitization of the whole archive is a monumental undertaking and, when complete, will contain hundreds of millions of records for the USA alone.

Brian Donovan, Licensing Manager at Findmypast said; “The Roman Catholic Church is the largest Christian denomination in the world. Despite the popular perception that it had few adherents in Britain, or was not that important in American settlement, it has always been a significant component (up to 25%) of the population. The Catholic Heritage Archive will uncover the history of millions of Irish, Italian, German, Polish and many other nationalities as they made a new home in the USA.”

Kate Feighery, archivist at the Archdiocese of New York said; “The Archdiocese of New York is delighted to begin the process of opening their sacramental records for historical research.  As one of the major immigration hubs in the country, and the second largest diocese in the United States, many Catholic Americans can trace their ancestors back to New York. The Catholic Heritage Archive will allow interested amateur and professional historians to more easily find out more about their family’s roots in Catholic New York.”

Cait Kokolus, Director of the Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Records Center said; “ The digitization of parish records is a great gift to the Catholics in the Archdiocese. Now they will be able to find where their grandmother was baptized, or when their great-grandparents married. In such a quickly changing society, many people are discovering that knowing their family history gives a sense of identity and stability.”

10 million new US marriage Records

Findmypast has also just released a further 10 million United States Marriage records in association with Family Search International. The new additions cover 45 states, over 1,800 counties and date from the early 17^th century up to the present day. Over 65 million records are currently available to search within the collection.

Covering 360 years of marriages from 1650-2010, when complete this landmark collection will form the single largest online archive of U.S. marriages in history and will only be found in its entirety exclusively on Findmypast.

The launch of these new US records is central to Findmypast's growth strategy in the U.S. They will complement Findmypast’s massive collection of British and Irish data, providing many more connections and a more comprehensive experience to family historians in the US and all over the world.