A Cup of Christmas Tea with Best-Selling Author Tom Hegg
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“A Cup of Christmas Tea” New York Timesbest-selling author Tom Hegg joins me for an inspiring conversation about this story of the importance of touching base with our fellow man. It’s a message we can benefit from any time of year. It’s also a wonderful reminder of the importance of family and how our older family members hold a piece of our own history in them.
In this special audio version of the interview, listen to Tom recite this wonderful story A Cup of Christmas Tea set to beautiful music. You’ll also hear him recite the children’s classic Peef the Christmas Bear. To Listen click the media player below (AUDIO ONLY):
Watch the Original Video
This audio comes from my YouTube video series Elevenses with Lisa. You can watch the video interview at the Elevenses with Lisaepisode 38 show notes page.
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Music: FairyTale Waltz by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100232 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ We Wish You a Merry Christmas by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/
Three new WWI U.S. records collections are available online now for free at FamilySearch! You’ll find census records for nurses in Connecticut, as well as Delaware servicemen records and navy card rosters for Florida. Also new this week are military and census...
Two listeners shares an exciting find using Lisa’s research strategies
Lisa provides next steps on German research in response to a listener question
Your Master Family Tree, and Sharing Branches Online Explained
The unusual history of one of the earliest forms of the World Wide Web
NEWS:
Lisa Louise Cooke is back in the studio after two weeks on the road speaking at the Ohio Genealogical Society (OGS) Conference and the National Genealogical Society (NGS) Conference.
Each conference was great and had its own unique feel, and there were many new genealogists in attendance.
Genealogy Gems listener Carol stopped by and enthusiastically shared with how the eBay search strategies for family history that Lisa discussed in episode 140 paid off in a big way!
MAILBOX:
Robin wrote in to share how Sydney Orton’s song with her grandpa in Genealogy Gems Podcast episode 228 brought her to tears in a toll plaza while driving!
Rylee says she’s grateful to have found the podcast and she shares a story of genealogical discovery that she hopes will inspire others. Rylee asks “How do I find sources for these people? I have searched all over ancestry and Family Search and have had no luck again. I really want to believe that the people I have as Adam’s parents and siblings all the way through his 2nd great-grandparents (paternal) are truly his family but I need to get more information. Where can I go for help with German records and where can I continue my search?”
Lisa’s comments: You’re absolutely right, what you found are just hints. It sounds like it’s time for you to move on from the “Genealogy Giants” (Ancestry, FamilySearch, etc.) and into German records websites, libraries, and archives to find real sources that nail down the family tree.
Lisa recommends the Genealogy Giants quick reference comparison guide.
We have several articles and episodes at Genealogy Gems that can help you do this:
Protech Your Master Family Tree Lisa uses Backblaze to back up her master family tree and computer. Visit www.backblaze.com/lisa
(Using this link also helps keep this free podcast free. Thank you!)
In a way, today marks the 175th birthday of the World Wide Web. Only it was electro-mechanical, not digital. On this date in 1844, Samuel F.B. Morse activated the first telegraph line, sending a dots-and-dashes code message from the U.S. Capitol building to a receiver in Baltimore.
By the late 1850s, the first telegraph cable had been laid across the Atlantic Ocean, and in 1861, the telegraph spanned the continental United States. Over the ensuing decades, the wires wrapped around the world.
From the 1844 demonstration, telecommunications today has grown into a half-trillion dollar a year industry, and employs more than 1 million workers in over 59,000 industry establishments.
You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at www.census.gov.
Sources:
Joseph Nathan Kane, Kane’s Famous First Facts, Fifth Edition, H.W. Wilson Co., New York, NY, 1997, #7692.
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Genealogists from all over the world – get ready to have some fun! MyHeritage has just announced the second annual MyHeritage Live! Conference. A brand new location, new speakers, and the hottest topics on all things family history makes this a...
Learn how to get dual Italian citizenship using genealogical information with my guest professional genealogist Sarah Gutmann of Legacy Tree Genealogists.
Video Player (Live) – Watch video premiere at the appointed time in the video player above.
On YouTube (Live) – Click the Watch on YouTube button to watch the YouTube premiere with Live Chat at the appointed time above at the Genealogy Gems YouTube channel. Log into YouTube with your free Google account to participate in the live chat.
Video Player above (Replay) – Available immediately after the live premiere and chat.
Show Notes
My special guest is Sarah Gutmann. Sarah began her obsession with family history when she was 13-years-old. She now has almost three decades of experience helping others climb their family tree. She is a professional genealogist with Legacy Tree Genealogists where she specializes in United States and Italian research. As a veteran classroom teacher, Sarah enjoys teaching various genealogy programs to libraries, historical societies, and lineage organizations across America.
Obtaining Italian Dual Citizenship Overview:
Who can become a citizen?
Finding out when your ancestor naturalized and obtaining those documents
Identifying your ancestor’s specific commune (village)
Using the Italian archives site
Requesting vital records from Italy
Obtaining long form vital records with an Apostille (American records)
Who can apply for dual Italian citizenship?
The following list refers to examples of some categories of eligible persons:
Direct Descent: from an Italian-citizen parent (if maternal side, after January 1 st, 1948) born in Italy and they were still Italian citizens at the time of the Applicant’s birth. The Applicant and their parents must have never renounced their Italian citizenship. Naturalizations occurred prior to August 15th, 1992 constituted renouncing ones’ Italian citizenship.
Through Descent: from an ancestor born in Italy who was an Italian citizen at the time of the birth of their child. The Italian citizenship would pass through the generations up until the Applicant (the maternal branch could pass on Italian citizenship to children born after January 1, 1948), provided that none of the descendants in the straight line lost/renounced their Italian citizenship, such as through naturalization prior to August 15th, 1992.
From an Italian-citizen mother to a child born before January 1st, 1948: applicants who fall into this category will have to appeal to an Italian civil court to obtain the recognition of citizenship.
Italian dual citizenship process chart (Source: Dual U.S. Italian Citizenship Facebook Group)
How Do I Know When My Ancestor Naturalized?
Using Census Records:
Take note of the year of immigration
Look for passenger records
Naturalization
AL- Alien
NA- naturalized
PA- have submitted the first papers to become naturalized
Provide as much information you know about the immigrant
Name
Addresses in America
Birthdate and place
Household members
Year of immigration
Order Record Request with Request Case ID.
Did Your Immigrant Ancestor Naturalize AFTER Their Child Was Born?
Start Gathering Vital Records!
Vital Records Issued by Italian Authorities
Here are the Italian vital records for events which took place in Italy:
In Line Relatives:
Birth Certificate: Original Extended Certified Copy Issued by the Comune, with names of parents
Marriage Certificate: Original Extended Certified Copy Issued by the Comune, with names of parents, and any annotations of divorces
Death Certificate: Original Extended Certified Copy Issued by the Comune, with names of parents
Out of Line Relatives if born in Italy:
Spouse’s Birth Certificate: Photocopy of Certificate Issued by Comune in Italy
Spouse’s Death Certificate: Photocopy of Certificate Issued by Comune in Italy
Finding the Italian Village of Origin
Here are some of the records that may include your ancestor’s village of origin:
Naturalization Record
Ship Manifest
Draft Record
Vital Records (Birth, Marriage, Death)
Obituary
If you don’t have success with your ancestor’s records, try searching your Ancestor’s FAN CLUB (Friends, Associates, Neighbors). These are the people who may have come from the same village. Search for their records as listed above.
This website provides Information and statistics on municipalities, provinces and regions in Italy. You’ll find links to official websites, zip code, number of inhabitants, banks, schools, pharmacies, maps, weather forecast, and other useful links.
Website: http://www.comuni-italiani.it/
Here’s an example of the official Italian document you are trying to obtain:
The goal
This is your golden ticket to the Italian consulate and getting that coveted citizenship.
Vital Records Issued by Non-Italian Authorities (American Records)
In Line Relatives ORDER NEW DOCUMENTS
Long Form Original Legalized by the Apostille & Translation of Document Only
Birth Certificate
Marriage
Divorce
Death Certificate
Out of Line Relatives
Photocopy of birth and death
What is an Apostille?
An Apostille (pronounced “ah-po-steel”) is a French word meaning certification. An Apostille is a specialized certificate, issued by the Secretary of State. The Apostille is attached to your original document to verify that it is legitimate and authentic.