Genealogy Gift Ideas: Genealogy Entertainment
The last post in this year’s series of genealogy gift ideas is all about FUN. Laugh and cry with these great entertainment options.
Family Tree Series
Family Tree: The Complete First Season (DVD)
This series is brilliantly funny! I loved it! It pokes a bit of fun at genealogists (so get ready to smile at yourself) while capturing what’s in the family historian’s heart. Anyone who loves family history (or has a quirky family or just likes good comedy) will really enjoy this series.
This genealogy-themed TV show isn’t a research-the-celebrity format. In fact, the fiction of it makes it even more fun. Here’s a plot summary:”Written and created by Christopher Guest, Family Tree is a documentary-style comedy series conceived and produced in the manner of Guest’s feature films. The story revolves around the journey of the 30-year-old Tom Chadwick (Chris O’Dowd), an Englishman in his 30s who has few roots, little family, and a somewhat unsure sense of his purpose in life. Having recently lost his job and girlfriend, Tom inherits a mysterious box of belongings from a great-aunt he never met, triggering a passion to investigate his family lineage. As Tom’s interest in genealogy grows, his life expands and evolves in unexpected directions, as he uncovers a world of unusual stories and characters in the U.K. and the U.S., as well a growing sense of who he is and who his real family are.”
Movie: Sweet Land
Sweet Land: A Love Story (DVD)
This film has a great story of love and immigration in the early 20th century. I had the director on the podcast previously (Episode 30).
Here’s the plot summary: “Inge (Elizabeth Reaser) is a feisty German mail-order bride who has come to Minnesota to marry Olaf (Tim Guinee), a young Norwegian immigrant farmer of few words. But in a post-WWI, anti-German climate, the local minister (John Heard) openly forbids the marriage. Inge and Olaf fall in love despite the town’s disapproval. But when the town banker (Ned Beatty) attempts to foreclose on the farm of his friend Frandsen (Alan Cumming), Olaf takes a stand…and the community unites around the young couple, finally accepting Inge as one of their own.”
DVD: Family Name
Family Name (DVD)
A listener tells me this is a must-watch, and I have ordered my copy. This Sundance Film Festival award-winning documentary captures the worlds of genealogy, race relations in the Southern U.S. and a man’s search for his family identity.
Here’s the summary: “What does a name signify, exactly? Growing up in Durham, North Carolina, white filmmaker Macky Alston never questioned why all of the other Alstons at his elementary school were black. Twenty-five years later, Alston decides to unravel this perplexity in the award-winning documentary FAMILY NAME.
Alston’s quest to solve his genealogical mystery takes him from New York to Alabama and then back to North Carolina. He seeks clues at family reunions, graveyards, church services, and, eventually, the original Alston plantations. The people he meets vary markedly in race, age, class and perspective, but they all have two things in common: the family name and a compelling story to tell. The biggest question of this investigation, perhaps, is whether it will provide the Alstons with catharsis or create an even greater sense of division. As the revelations mount, FAMILY NAME unfolds an unforgettable emotional journey that transforms our conceptions of the past.”
Family Tree music by Venice
Family Tree by Venice (mp3 Song)
(from Spin Art by Venice (CD)) is a gorgeous musical tribute to family. Some people sing or play it at family reunions, funerals and other family gatherings that are about remembering and celebrating. The musicians are part of the extended Lennon family – not John Lennon but the celebrated Lennon Sisters. There’s a lovely acoustic version of the song The Family Tree you can download, too. The group were guests on the podcast (Episode 39).
Who Do You Think You Are?
Who Do You Think You Are?: Season One
and Who Do You Think You Are: Season 2
Relive (or catch what you missed of) the unforgettable first two seasons of WDYTYA? from 2010 and 2011.
Celebs discover dramas in their family histories in front of the camera, adding their own discovery process to the story. Their family stories trace larger themes in American history and culture and lead them to reflect on the events and people that made them who they are.
The Season One lineup features Lisa Kudrow (one of the show’s producers), Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Brooke Shields, Susan Sarandon, Spike Lee and Emmitt Smith.
In Season 2, you’ll meet Vanessa Williams, Tim McGraw, Rosie O’Donnell, Kim Cattrall, Lionel Richie, Steve Buscemi, Gwyneth Paltrow and Ashley Judd.
Be a Family Tree Detective
Who Do You Think You Are? Be a Family Tree Detective
by Dan Waddell offers some genealogy sleuthing fun for kids. Inspired by the show, the book helps kids tools, tips, ideas and activities “to investigate, discover, and preserve family secrets and treasures.”
It’s got kid-friendly language and plenty of colorful illustrations make this a great companion for junior genealogists.
15 Freebies for Genealogy
A ton of genealogy and family history research can be done for free. In this episode I’ll share 15 fabulous free websites and what I love about them. These are essential for everyone serious about saving money while climbing their family tree.
(Get your ad-free Show Notes Cheat Sheet at the bottom of this page in the Resources section.)
Episode 77 Show Notes
1. Genealogy records – Familysearch
Website: https://www.familysearch.org/en/
Features:
- Free account
- Download and print
- Historical records
- Digitized Books
- Browse Images
- Trees
2. Books, Magazines & Newspapers – Google Books
Website: https://books.google.com
Features:
- 10 million free digitized book
- Google’s newspaper collection
- Magazines
- Catalogs
- Almanacs
- City directories
- County histories
- Court records
- Government reports…
Tip: Use the Tools button on the results page to reveal the filter menu. Filter your results down to just full digitized and searchable books by selecting Full View.
Learn more: Elevenses with Lisa episode 30.
3. Records – Find free records at Ancestry
Website: tinyurl.com/lisaancestryfree (affiliate link)
Features:
- Use the link to zero in on only free records
- All types of genealogical records!
- Use fields to search just the free records and free indexes.
- Free Trial available
Learn more: Elevenses with Lisa episode 17.
4. Burial Records – Find a Grave
Website: https://www.findagrave.com
Features:
- over 170 million burial records.
- birth, death, and burial information
- many submissions include additional biographical details (possibly an obituary) and information about spouses, children and parents.
Search Tips:
- Name fields:
? replaces one letter. - * represents zero to many letters. g. Lars?n or Wil*
- Search for an exact birth/death year or select a range, before or after.
Select “More search options” to:
- Search for a memorial or contributor by ID.
- Include the name of a spouse, parent, child or sibling in your search.
- Use partial name search or similar name spellings to catch alternate spellings or broaden your search.
- Narrow your results to famous, Non-Cemetery Burials, memorials with or without grave photos and more.
5. Free downloadable worksheets – Family Tree Magazine
Website: https://www.familytreemagazine.com/FREEFORMS/
Features:
- 5 Generation Ancestor Chart
- Family Group Sheets
- Ancestor Research Worksheet
- Records Checklists
- Family Relationship Chart
- Online Search Tracker
- Ancestor Surname Variant Chart
- Oral History Interview Worksheet
- S. Census Checklist
- Genealogy Source Documentation Guide
6. Resources & Information – US Gen Web
Website: https://usgenweb.org/
Features:
- Free, volunteer organization for 25 years
- Organized by State then Organized by County
- Free guidance from experienced researchers in that area
- Links to free records
7. Resources & Information – FamilySearch Wiki
Website: https://www.familysearch.org/wiki
Features:
- Organized by country, state, county…
- Provides an overview
- Directs you to where known records are located
- Alerts you to pitfalls and tips from experts at the FHL
Learn more: Elevenses with Lisa episode 64.
8. Passenger Lists – Ellis island Website
Website: https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger
Features:
- Passenger lists images & transcriptions
- Photos of Ships
Search by:
- name
- the Wizard
- One page form
Snagit Clipping Tool: Here’s our link for purchasing your copy of Snagit (screen clipping tool) Thank you for using our link. Use coupon code GENEALOGY15 to get 15% off. (We will be compensated at no additional cost to you, which makes the free Elevenses with Lisa show and notes possible.)
Learn more: Elevenses with Lisa episode 34.
9. Books, Images, Videos – Internet Archive
Website: https://archive.org
Features:
- Old webpages
- Books
- Images
- Records
- Audio Recordings
- Storage
- Videos
Learn more: Elevenses with Lisa episode 43.
10. Photo Identification – Dead Fred photos
Website: https://deadfred.com
Features:
- A place to post photos for potential identification
- Reunite orphaned photos with families
- Find old family photos
11. Military Records – Soldiers and Sailors
Website: https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-database.htm
“Cooperative effort between the National Park Service and several public and private partners whose goal is to increase Americans’ understanding of this decisive era in American history by making information about it widely accessible.
Features:
- Men who served in the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War.
- Histories of Union and Confederate regiments.
- Links to descriptions of significant battles.
- Selected lists of prisoner-of-war records and cemetery records.
Learn more: Genealogy Gems Podcast episode 149.
12. Postcards & Newspapers – Old Fulton Postcards
Website: https://fultonhistory.com/
Features:
- Started as New York post cards
- Expanded into newspapers
- Now boasts “Search over 41,433,000 Historical
Newspaper Pages from the USA & Canada”
Tips:
- Take the time to visit the Help & FAQ section
- Visit the Old Fulton New York Post Cards page at the FamilySearch Wiki.
13. Newspapers – Chronicling America
Website: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov
Features:
- Newspaper Directory (1690-present)
- Digitized Newspapers (1777-1963)
- Image search with Newspaper Navigator
Learn more: Elevenses with Lisa episode 26.
14. Land Records – BLM GLO
Website: https://glorecords.blm.gov
Features:
- Land Patents
- Land Surveys
- Legal Land Descriptions
Learn more: Elevenses with Lisa episode 67
15. Video – YouTube
Website: https://www.youtube.com
Features:
- Home Movies
(search by surname,
“old home movie”, locations) - Old Newsreels
- Local TV station coverage
- Documentaries
Learn more: Elevenses with Lisa episode 58.
Resources
- Download the ad-free show notes (Premium Member log in required. Not a Premium Member? Become a Genealogy Gems Premium Member.)
- Subscribe for free to our Genealogy Gems YouTube channel so you’ll never miss another episode.
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Questions and Comments
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