Spared & Shared - Civil War Letters

 Brian at Civil War Records.com shared information about this website and facebook page. 

Billy Yank & Johnny Reb Letters contains thousands of Civil War-era letters and diaries transcribed by Will Griffing, both Union and Confederate. The site is free. There is also a Facebook page Spared & Shared, where he shares new letters that are noteworthy. 

Here is a link to the List of Letters by state. 

If you have any Civil War or Antebellus Letters that you are willing to share, he will transcribe them and include them in the collection. There is a link to contact him on the List of Letters page. 

 

Civil Right Cold Case Records Collection Reauthorization Act of 2026 - Take Action!

From the Chicago Genealogical Society

Action Alert! 

H.R. 3087 

Support H.R. 3087, titled the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Reauthorization Act of 2026

Established by the bipartisan Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act of 2018, the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board is a nonpartisan panel charged with expediting the review and public release of federal records concerning unresolved civil rights-era cases occurring between 1940 and 1979. Working with federal agencies, the Board applies new disclosure standards to make these records more accessible to victims’ families, legal organizations, journalists, scholars, and the public. By bringing these long-hidden investigative records to light, the Board seeks both to provide greater clarity and closure to victims’ relatives and to promote a more complete understanding of this important and troubled chapter in American history. See https://www.coldcaserecords.gov/ for more information on the board. 

 H.R. 3087, titled the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Reauthorization Act of 2026, extends the operations of the Civil Rights Cold Case Review Board through January 8, 2030. 

Key Provisions:

• Extends the Review Board deadline to January 8, 2030. 
• Directs state and local governments to send cold case files to the Archivist. 
• Allow the Board to pay state and local groups for copy and mail costs. 
• Permits public release of select personnel or medical files tied to cold cases from on or before January 1, 1990. 
• Establishes a clear rule that federal and local civil rights cold case files should have a goal of fast public disclosure. 

H.R. 3087 is important to genealogists because it would extend the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board and expand access to records from unresolved civil-rights cases dating from 1940–1979. These records may contain names, photographs, addresses, correspondence, witness information, and other details not found in traditional genealogical sources, helping descendants uncover family and community histories. Genealogists should support the bill’s reauthorization, the removal of the state and local government exemption, and continued funding for the preservation, digitization, indexing, and public accessibility of these records. Please contact your members of Congress to support this legislation at Congress.gov. 

 Any questions can be directed to advocacy@chicagogenealogy.org

Federal Record Access Issue - Federal Civilian Official Personnel Files - Take Action! It Just Takes a Minute

 From the National Genealogical Society

The National Archives and Records Administration recently published a notice in the Federal Register of its intent to adjust the records schedule for federal civilian employees. The public comment period is open, and the agency must receive responses by 24 August 2026, at 11:59 PM EDT. Genealogy Issue Federal civilian Official Personnel Folders (OPFs) can contain valuable genealogical information about a person’s government employment. Today, many OPFs for employees who left federal service before 1952 are archived at NARA. Later files generally remain under OPM control and are much harder to access. The 1952 cutoff was created for administrative filing purposes, not because the records on either side of that date have different historical value. In 2025, NARA proposed making OPFs for employees separated through 31 December 1973 permanent records, but this schedule has apparently not yet been approved. The National Genealogical Society and the Records Preservation and Access Coalition (RPAC) support that proposal and call on NARA to sign that record schedule. This new proposal, however, would allow OPFs for employees separated on or after 1 January 1974 to be destroyed after 65 years (right now, all post-1951 OPFs have a 129-year retention). RPAC seeks to: Preserve pre-1974 OPFs permanently. Make all employment years consistent with pre-1974 policy. Replace the arbitrary 1952 access cutoff with a rolling transfer of older civilian personnel files to NARA. This is simple: federal civilian personnel files should become more accessible as they age—not disappear. To submit your comments on the proposal, go to https://www.regulations.gov/document/NARA-26-0331-0008.

Submit Comments to NARA

Volunteer Opportunities: Support Genealogy Friends

Genealogy Friends is an all-volunteer organization. To keep the organization functioning, we need your help. 

Flexible & Remote Positions

Roles are 100% remote; you can contribute from home using tools like a word processor, spreadsheets, Weebly, Adobe Express, and Email Octopus. Training & support provided for all the tech tools. Most positions can be co-chaired by two people; these roles are ideal for people with limited availability. Email newsletter@genealogyfriends.org if you can help out. 

Updates at Ancestry

 Ancestry has updated their relationship predictions for close relationships. According to Diahan Southard, "They are now better at distinguishing your grandparent from your niece.... For the first time they aren't just using cMs and age to try to decide how people are related. They are taking into account the total number of segments, as well as how the matches relate to each other, so the shared matches of matches. This is really the first step in creating a genetic family tree." Here is a link to an Ancestry article about the change. 

There was also an update to the ThruLines tool. There are options for different views. 

August All-Day Virtual Seminar: Strategies for Genealogical Discoveries

 

Join Genealogy Friends on Saturday, August 15, 2026 from 9 to 3 CDT for Strategies for Genealogical Discoveries by J. Mark Lowe. 

Are you ready to tackle persistent challenges and uncover new family connections? Deepen your research skills and find new pathways to family stories in these four sessions:

• Making Those Early Census Records Talk to You
• Early Migration and Settlement Patterns
• Following a Civil Case Through Documents Filed in Court
• Using That Brick Wall as a Foundation

Register https://www.genealogyfriends.org/all-day-seminars.html 

If you are busy and can't attend in person, recordings will be available to watch later. 

Focus on Photographs of Family & Friends

 What challenges do you have with photographs that you use in your family history?

Photo Organization and Cataloging

Do you have an overflowing pile of physical photos/albums along with digital photos/videos on various devices?

Photo Preservation

Do you struggle with how to store and digitize fragile photos that may be 50-100 years old?

Photo Identification

Do you have some nagging photos that you're still trying to identify?

Photo Sharing 

Do you wonder how you can share your photos (and their related stories) via your family trees and social media?

Take a few minutes before our July monthly program to think about where you want to focus.

My goal is to do better at routine scanning of either one photo album or one archival box containing loose photos/slides - just one small step at a time. Yes, I'm also still researching the family photo shown above in this post.

Genealogy 101: Where to Start?

 

Historic Mesquite is offering a moderated panel discussion on how to get started with your family history. 

Thursday July 23, 2026 Doors Open at 6:30

$20 per person, proceeds go towards preserving Mesquite history. 

Need Help With Your Research? Join us at Haggard Library

 

When: Saturday, July 11, 2026 10:15 to 1 CT

Where: W.O. Haggard Library, 2501 Coit Rd, Plano, TX

Program: 10:15-11:15 "The Other Census - U.S. State and Territorial Censuses," by Thomas MacEntee.  Handout is available for members. 

Frequently genealogists focus strictly on U.S. Census records and forget that many of the U.S. states and territories conducted their own census at some point. Learn which states and territories have these amazing records, how to access them, and how to incorporate them into your genealogy research. Participants will learn how to determine if a specific state or territory conducted their own census and when. In addition, we'll cover how to access these records both online and in-person at various repositories. Finally, we'll review how to take state and territorial census data and incorporate it into your current genealogy research. 

Research Help 11:15 -1:00 Experienced Researchers will be on hand to help. Here's just a few ideas:

• Getting Started on Family History Research - bring what you know about your family. Create a free account on the National Genealogical Society website and download the free Pedigree Chart and Family Group Sheet. Fill in what you know and bring them to the library. https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/free-resources/charts/
• Brick Wall - bring your research question and research log/report. 
• Start a New Research Project - bring what you know about the research subject. We'll help you develop a research question, provide tips on researching the location, and starting your research. 
• Research in Restricted Records on FamilySearch.org. The Plano Libraries are Affiliate Libraries so you can access records you can't see from home. 
  
  

Beginning DNA Class Cancelled

The instructor, Kathy Bartera, has a family issue so there will be no Beginning DNA class on July 7th. Please keep Kathy and her family in your thoughts and prayers. 

Banyan Update

BayanDna is a software tool for building, visualizing, and analyzing complex genealogies. 

They released a new update:

• Import DNA match data into your project
• Export Calculation results to CSV files

Release Notes

Newspapers - A Great Source for "4th of July" News

 Historic and Current Newspapers are a gold mine!  Think of key years and locations, and start searching.

Old Newspapers (such as 1820 and 1876)

(1) Using nyshistoricnewspapers.org as an example, I filtered on Otsego County and searched on "Revolutionary War Pension".  I filtered on the year 1820.

The result?  I found a front-page article in The Otsego Herald on 03 April 1820 about the House of Representatives discussing a military pension bill .  

Try it.  Then, adapt your search to your ancestors and locations, along with relevant newspapers.

(2) Again, using nyshistoricnewspapers.org as an example, I filtered on Ontario County and searched on "Centennial Sketches". I filtered on the year 1876.

The result?  I found The Geneva Daily Gazette from 21 April 1876 with one in a series of sketches from 1776 (Revolutionary War).  

Current Newpapers

For this example, I did a Google search using the name of a newspaper (Finger Lakes Times) and "Bicentennial 1976".

The result?  I found relevant articles dated both in 1976 and 2026 ("looking back").

Enjoy your searches!  Don't forget to keep track of your search terms, sources, and downloads.

Germanology Unlocked Webinar - Archion Unlocked: Find More Ancestors, Faster

 

Webinar Link: Archion Unlocked: Find More Ancestors, Faster Dates: July 7, 8, or 9 Description:  200,000 German church books. Thousands of records with your ancestors' information. But do you know how to find YOUR family's records? Archion is an amazing online database for German church records, but that website can be confusing! If you get overwhelmed trying to use it - or have never tried before - this is the webinar for you. In this free training, learn from internationally-known genealogy expert Katherine Schober how to use Archion to discover your German ancestors. Discover how to: Navigate the website with confidence Find the records you need - even with no index  Identify key information within handwritten church books Avoid common mistakes that can waste hours of research time Whether you're brand new to Archion or are ready for more expert-level secrets, you'll leave with a clear roadmap for finding more records and making meaningful discoveries in your family tree. Sign up to save your spot now! Save your spot here! Save my Spot for Archion Unlocked!

July Saturday Seminar - "Organizing and Identifying Photograph Collections" by Ari Wilkins

 Join Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries in person at Haggard Library, 2501 Coit Road, Plano, TX or via Zoom for our next free Saturday Seminar. Email newsletter@genealogyfriends.org to join our email list for Zoom information. 

Organizing and Identifying Photograph Collections by Ari Wilkins

We all have mounds of old unidentified family photos sitting in boxes. This lecture will offer step-by-step direction in organizing, preserving, and cataloging these precious collections for future generations. Learn how to identify, digitize, and share collections using family trees and social media. 

Ari Wilkins is a graduate of Louisiana State University. Ms. Wilkins has been actively researching family history since 1998, specializing in African American research. She speaks nationally and locally. She has had the honor to speak at the National Genealogical Society, Federation of Genealogical Societies, Texas State Genealogical Society, Ohio Genealogical Society, Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research, Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, American Library Association, RootsTech, and a multitude of local societies. 

Library Doors open at 10:00 am, Zoom Room opens at 10:15 am. (All Times are CDT) 

Networking and Goodies are served from 10:15-10:40 am.

Welcome and Announcements 10:40 am

Lecture Begins 10:45 am

Library of Virginia Virtual Reading Room

 If you have ancestors in Virginia - check this out https://www.lva.virginia.gov/services/research/vrr

They offer remote access to select undigitized archival materials. This service allows you to view materials remotely through a scheduled Zoom appointment. 

DAR - One Week Countdown to the 4th of July!

 

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR or "DAR") are wrapping up their annual Continental Congress in Washington, DC.

The evening sessions focus on:

• Opening Ceremony
• Focus on Education
• Defense Night

See this video link for the Opening Ceremony.  This is available to the public for viewing.

What you'll see - flags procession, patriotic music, and a bald Eagle in flight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCFQ3yfRiMo&list=PLuKbN0pt1xvNC33zzUZfIYpS6Imn7FdC7&index=3

Defense Night is on Saturday June 27. If interested in livestream, check this link around 6 pm Central time. It also will be available as replay later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDCHMEa8NCo&list=PLuKbN0pt1xvNC33zzUZfIYpS6Imn7FdC7

DID YOU KNOW?  See labels on the right hand side of this Genfriends blog. 

Click on DAR Label to see a March 17, 2026 blog post about DAR website research tips.

National Archives to Close Three Branches

 The National Archives is closing three branches to cut costs and reduce their real estate portfolio. The Chicago and San Francisco branches will be closed. The Seattle branch will remain until a suitable replacement facility is found. 

Here is the internal memo that was sent to employees:

To: All Employees

The purpose of this message is to announce upcoming changes to NARA facilities. Over the next few years, NARA will close the National Archives at Chicago/Chicago Federal Records Center (FRC), National Archives at San Francisco/San Bruno FRC, and move all temporary records from the Seattle Federal Records Center.

Research Services will relocate the accessioned records in archival bays at the National Archives at Chicago and San Bruno to other Research Services archival locations. Archival and permanent holdings in Seattle will remain until a suitable replacement facility is identified. The Federal Records Centers Program will relocate the temporary records at the Chicago FRC, San Bruno FRC, and the Seattle FRC to other FRC locations. We expect the moves to begin within the next few months.

I recognize that this news may be unsettling to employees across the agency. This decision was not made lightly, and we know this will be challenging for our employees in the affected facilities. NARA will continue to support the staff at affected locations to the extent possible.

This decision is an opportunity for NARA to maintain our core mission and functions while improving efficiency and effectiveness. These facility changes support the long-term financial health and viability of the Federal Records Centers Program’s revolving fund, reduce expenses for the Operating Expense (OE) fund, and reduce our real estate portfolio in alignment with the administration’s priorities. We will move forward with care for our colleagues, our records, and our programs in a way that strengthens our agency for the work to come.

JAY TRAINER
Chief Operating Officer

FOLD3 - One Week Countdown to the 4th of July!

 

Looks for Fireworks image for posts over the next week.

FOLD3 - Yes! Many of us use this at home and/or at our public libraries.  Share with others that some of their collections have free access in honor of America250.

For more information, go to https://www.fold3.com/go/free-access

There is not one Revolutionary War collection but several such as:

• Revolutionary War Pension Files
• Revolutionary War Rolls
• Numbered Record Books
• Final Payment Vouchers for Military Pensions
• Revolutionary War Prize - Captured Vessels
• Service Records

While taking a break from the heat and holiday barbecues, encourage younger family members to surf for five minutes - they might get hooked. Don't worry about the handwriting... FOLD3 has transcriptions (not perfect but helpful).

Family Search Labs

Family Search Labs is where the team posts what they are working on. These experiments are available for us to try out and provide feedback on. 

https://www.familysearch.org/en/labs/ 

On the main page scroll down, look for FamilySearch Labs on the right side and click View Experiments. 

A list of experiments will be displayed. 

Click Try It to enable the experiment. 

Here are a few that are available now:

Search All Family Trees on FamilySearch - there are other trees besides the family tree on FamilySearch. This allows you to search all the trees from one place. Sources include Guild of One-Name Studies, MyTrees.com, Pedigree Resource File, International Genealogical Index, User Trees, and the FamilySearch Family Tree. 

Simple Search - A new way to search Full-Text Search documents. Type what you want to know, just like you would for a Google search.  I searched for an ancestor using text, and the results included more items than when I put their name in the Keyword field of the existing search. I'm definitely going to keep using this one. 

Improved Change Person Log - improved notes to see what changes have been made to a person's records. This will be helpful if you have an ancestor whom someone else has made a change to, or a record that was merged.

Experiments have a Feedback button; use it to let them know if you like the change or have any issues.  

Link to YouTube Video about the Experiments. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoIDc7KrTzg 

Intro to Records of the National Archives by Rebecca Whitman Koford, GC

 Utah Genealogical Society Free Webinar - June 18, 2026 at 8 pm CDT. 

Rebecca is the Director of the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) and has unique insights to the records preserved by the National Archives (NARA). This lecture will introduce a little of the history and explain how records are organized. Where major genealogically-rich collections are located and a peek into the NARA Catalog will round out the presentation. 

Register at https://ugagenealogy.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GDgSg6NwQaqtoJOPk-InOg#/registration