Wedding Wednesday - I Got Married Today!

Newlyweds! Me and my husband, Joe Davies.
[edited to include a better picture :)]

Pennsylvania Birth and Death Indexes Now Available Online Per Act 110

Act 110, formerly known as Senate Bill 361, went into effect today. This act makes birth certificates 105 years old and death certificates at least 50 years old available to the public.

Here's how it has been implemented:

• Currently, indexes for birth certificates issued in 1906 and death certificates issued 1906-1961 are available at the PA Department of Health here. 
• The indexes are PDF documents, organized by year and then mostly alphabetically (some are indexed by the Russell system).
• You have to search through the index pages by scrolling through them. There is no searchable database online. Searching the PDF for a name has so far been unsuccessful for me. 

If you find a name, you can request a copy of the certificate in one of three ways:

• Visiting the State Archives research room.
• Sending a mail request to the State Archives for $15 if name and date are known ($25 if the request comes from outside PA) or $50 per hour if name and/or date are not know. The Archives estimates a processing time of 8-12 weeks.
• Obtain an non-certified copy from the Department of Health (with a known State File number, found via the indexes). The fee is $3. However, the processing time for copies of birth and death certificates has now increased to 16 to 18 weeks, presumably because the number of requests will increase due to Act 110.

 I am very excited to see this information online, and I hope that it becomes easier to access the index entries and certificates in the future.

Genealogy Education Opportunities

Ancestry.com Learning Center
New from Ancestry, this is a collection of Ancestry's articles. They cover mostly basic genealogy techniques, but there are tips for more experienced researchers as well. There are also tutorials on how to use the collections of Ancestry.com, and about recently released record collections.

More info: http://www.ancestry.com/cs/HelpAndAdviceUS

Federation of Genealogical Societies 2012 Conference

"Indians, Squatters, Settlers and Soldiers in the 'Old Southwest'"

August 29-September 1, 2012

Registration is now open for this year's FGS conference, hosted by the Alabama Genealogical Society. Programs for genealogists at all levels (over 175 sessions offered). In addition to  lectures and workshops, the conference features "Librarian's Day" on August 29th, and an Exhibit Hall with vendors and a special "Spotlight on Societies."

Early Registration (through 1 July 2012): Full Conference: $195, Single Day: $79

Registration (after 1 July 2012): Full Conference: $245, Single Day: $99

More info: http://www.fgs.org/2012conference

(Thanks to Adventures in Genealogy Education).

Forensic Genealogy Institute - Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy

October 25 - 27, 2012, Dallas, Texas

Twenty-four hours of hands-on instruction on forensic genealogy, designed for experienced genealogists. Limited to 25 attendees. $400 for CAFG non-members, $350 for members. Registration deadline: March 27, 2012. 

 More info: http://www.forensicgenealogists.com/forensic-genealogy-institute.html

 (Thanks to GeneaPress).

Do You Know Bill Bateman from Chicago?

At the library where I work part-time, this photo was found in a donated book. No one knows who donated it. It has quite a bit of genealogical detail on the back, so I hope that a descendant of his sees this.

 

Here's the back of the picture:

The back says:
"William Harrison Bateman (Bill)
military academy, Chicago Ill
mother of Bill - Rosie Bateman
father of Bill a buyer
for Marshall Fields Chicago

Bill's sister - "Dick" Bateman
Gamma Phi Beta (Nat. Sorority
U. of Wisconsin -
married to Luke Goetzloff) spelling?

Bill served with General Patton
So. Africa
2nd World War

visited [?] & Jo Cucknells
in Charlottesvile [?] before leaving USA
for Africa

Following war employed by
Sherwin Williams Paint Co in
Chicago"

Unfortunately, there are no years on the back of the picture, but I hope there is enough detail that a relative will recognize him.