Free Military Records at Ancestry.com, May 20-31, 2008

As they have done in previous years, Ancestry.com is allowing the public to view their military records for free between May 20 - 31, 2008. This is in commemoration of Memorial Day. If you are interested in viewing these databases, follow this link.

Footnote.com on Trial Basis at Special Collections Library

It was announced at the May NMGS Meeting that the Albuquerque Special Collections Library has a free trial subscription to Footnote.com. This website includes images of historical documents from the National Archives, including military records. The trial subscription is only for 3o days and may only be accessed at the Special Collections Library.

The librarians wish us to review this website and tell them what we think about it. If they receive enough positive response they will purchase an annual subscription to the database. Therefore, if you have the opportunity, please go visit the library and review the website.

In order to access the database, you must purchase a $3 smart card from the library. This card not only allow you to access this website, but other websites such as Ancestry.com Library Edition and Heritage Quest Online. You may also use this card to access the Internet at other Rio Grande Library System libraries; however, you can only find the genealogy databases for free at the Special Collection Library.

The Albuquerque Special Collections Library is at 423 Central Ave. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87102. Their phone number is (505) 848-1376. Their website is http://www.cabq.gov/library/specol.html, and you may contact them by e-mail at SpecialCollections@cabq.gov.

For more information about Footnote.com, visit their website at this link.

What You Missed at Yesterday's NMGS Program

Over 30 people attended the New Mexico Genealogical Society's May 17th workshop "How to Do Research at the Special Collections Library." The workshop took place at the Albuquerque Special Collections Library. Attendees include people just beginning their research to seasoned researchers who have hit brick walls and cannot find further information about their ancestors.

Nancy Anderson, Jeannette Gallegos and I served as workshop facilitators. We broke up into three groups. The groups searched computer and Internet databases, looked at books and microfilm, and took a tour of the library. Newcomers also took a short workshop on how to begin genealogical research. The workshop ended around 1 PM; however, many people continued doing research long afterwards. Library staff and volunteers helped them with their research.

We hope to do similar workshops in the future. If you have any ideas for workshops or programs, please send me an e-mail at abqbocat@nmia.com or post a comment to this blog.

June 2008 NMGS Traveling Program

Saturday, June 21, 2008, 10:30 A.M.

Traveling Program

at the DeLavy House
151 Edmond Rd., Bernalillo, New Mexico

NMGS Visits
The Sandoval County Historical Society

Featured Speaker: Martha Liebert

Additional Speakers
Bertile Baca: “The Baca Family of Peña Blanca”; and,
Debbie Montoya: “The Montoya Family of Peña Blanca”

Come join us in Bernalillo, New Mexico as we go visit the Sandoval County Historical Society.View a special photo display about the families from Peña Blanca.

Directions to the DeLavy House
The DeLavy House is located in Bernalillo, New Mexico, on the north side of US 550. It lies west of the Rio Grande between the Santa Ana Star Casino on the west and the road to Coronado State Monument on the east. The physical address is 151 Edmond Road, Bernalillo, New Mexico 87004.

A map to the museum may be found at the Sandoval County Historical Society website: http://www.sandovalhistory.org/.

Job posting

Help Wanted: Genealogist - $82,961.00 to $107,854.00 Per Year

The Department of the Interior is looking for a professional genealogist to work full-time researching Indian ancestry. The position is in Washington, D.C. The salary will range from $82,961.00 to 107,854.00 per year, depending on experience and qualifications.

From Richard Eastman's Online Genealogy Journal.
Read the full article: http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2008/05/help-wanted-gen.html

2008 Summer Class at UNM: Acequias y Mercedes

The University of New Mexico is presenting a Summer 2008 class called

"Acequias y Mercedes: Land, Water & Cultural Landscapes of New Mexico"

to be held on June 2 - 27, 2008, 9-12, Monday through Friday.

Weeks 1,2 & 4 will be at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM; while week 3 will be held in the Mora Valley, NM.

From the flier:

"Field Seminars: A field based survey of Acequia Culture and Landscapes of New Mexico, based on the folkways associated with traditional management of water, historic land grants, and agriculture. This overview of ecology, history, ethnography, and sustainable systems of the region is accompanied by training in digital documentary technology, interview techniques, field notes, archiving, analysis, and the ethics of cultural representation. Two weeks of fieldwork will be conducted in the middle Rio Grande Valley, Tijeras Canyon, and Cuba, plus one week in the Mora Valley of northern NM."

For more information, contact Dr. Enrique Lamadrid at (505) 269-5569, or by E-mail: lamadrid@unm.edu.

May 2008 NMGS Newsletter

New Mexico Genealogical Society
May 2008 Newsletter

Table of Contents


1. President’s Message
2. Upcoming Programs
3. NMGS Blog
4. NMGS Receives Lansing B. Bloom Award
5. NMGS Website
6. NMGS Press


1. President’s Message

This month’s program is an interactive workshop “How to Do Research at the Special Collections Library.” The workshop will be facilitated by a panel of NMGS genealogists.

NMGS received another award, the Historical Society of New Mexico’s Lansing B. Bloom Award. This is the second time that our organization has won this award.

For up to date information, check out our website at http://www.nmgs.org or our blog at http://nmgsblog.blogspot.com.

Robert Baca, President NMGS

2. Upcoming Programs

* Saturday May 17, 2008, 10:30 AM, Special Collections Library, 423 Central Ave. NE, Albuquerque, NM (NW corner of Edith and Central.)

An Interactive Workshop: “How to Do Research at the Special Collections Library”. Facilitated by a panel of NMGS genealogists - Books, microfilms, and computers: the Albuquerque Special Collections Library has much to offer. Learn how to do research at one of the best genealogy libraries in New Mexico. Experienced genealogists are encouraged to share their knowledge with the class.

* Saturday June 21, 2008, 10:30 AM, The DeLavy House, 151 Edmond Rd. , Bernalillo, NM (The DeLavy House is located in Bernalillo, New Mexico, on the north side of US 550. It lies west of the Rio Grande between the Santa Ana Star Casino on the west and the road to Coronado State Monument on the east.)

Traveling Program: “NMGS Visits the Sandoval County Historical Society” – Featured Speaker: Martha Liebert.. Other speakers include Bertile Baca who will discuss the “Baca Family of Peña Blanca”, and Debbie Montoya who will talk about “The Montoya Family of Peña Blanca”. Also, view a special photo display about the families of that area.

* Coming in July: Gloria Valencia y Valdez speaks about “Other Possible Founders of Alburquerque”!

All programs are open and free to the public. For more information about these programs, please visit our website at http://www.nmgs.org/workshop.htm.

3. NMGS Blog

As announced last month, the New Mexico Genealogical Society launched a new blog! Visit the blog at http://nmgsblog.blogspot.com to find news and information of interest to you.

Recently, we posted an article with photos about the April NMGS program, Jan Bennett’s “The Making of a Family: The Pecos Years 1916-1940.” Take a look at what you missed:
<http://nmgsblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/local-family-historian-speaks-at-april.html>.

We want to serve the entire New Mexico genealogical community. Therefore, if you know about an event, news or a website link that we should know about, please send me an E-mail at abqbobcat@nmia.com. – Robert Baca.

4. NMGS Receives Lansing B. Bloom Award

The New Mexico Genealogical Society received the Lansing B. Bloom Award on Saturday, April 25, 2008, at the annual conference of the Historical Society of New Mexico in Deming, NM. The historical society presents this award each year “for an outstanding publication by a society or organization.”

The specific publication that won the award is Aquí Se Comienza: A Genealogical History of the Founding Families of La Villa de San Felipe de Alburquerque. This book, published in 2007, contains genealogies of certain Spanish families that settled Albuquerque in 1706. It was published in commemoration of the Albuquerque Tricentennial celebration.

The book’s project director Gloria Valencia y Valdez accepted the award for the New Mexico Genealogical Society. This is the second award that the book has received; it was also honored with the 2007 New Mexico Book Award: Book on a Hispanic Subject.

For more information, please visit the Historical Society of New Mexico website: http://www.hsnm.org/

5. NMGS Website

Here are a few pages that you can find on the NMGS website:

A Cuarto Centennial History of New Mexico
http://www.nmgs.org/artcuarto.htm.

Locating Catholic Church Records in New Mexico
http://www.nmgs.org/Chrchs-intro.htm

Projects: New and Ongoing
http://www.nmgs.org/Projects.htm

6. NMGS Press

This month’s featured books:

* San Agustin de la Isleta Church Marriage and Baptisms. Marriages 1726 to 1846; Baptisms 1730 to 1776 and 1829 to 1842. Book C-4. $40.00.

* Church of San Antonio de Sandia 1771 – 1864. Book C-1. $15.00.

* Church in San Juan Pueblo 1726 – 1776, 1831-1855; and Church in Santa Clara Pueblo1726-1832. Book C-8. $25.00.

You can order these books and many, many more on the NMGS Press webpage at http://www.nmgs.org/books.htm

Controversy Over Catholic Church Records

Many of you use Catholic Church records in your research; therefore, the following article may be of concern to you. A Vatican council recently directed Catholic churches not to allow the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to microfilm or digitally record the Church's sacramental records. The Vatican's concern is that the LDS Church may use these records to posthumously baptize Catholic parishioners.

Click on the following links for further information:

* About.com article

* Catholic News Service article

May 17, 2008 NMGS Program

Saturday, May 17, 2008, 10:30 AM

Botts Hall, Albuquerque Special Collections Library
423 Edith NE, Albuquerque NM (NW Corner of Edith and Central)

An interactive workshop

“How to Do Research at the Special Collections Library”

Facilitated by a panel of NMGS genealogists

Books, microfilms, and computers: the Albuquerque Special Collections Library has much to offer. Learn how to do research at one of the best genealogy libraries in New Mexico.

Experienced genealogists are encouraged to share their knowledge with the class.

This program is free and open to the public.

For more information about our programs, please visit our website at http://www.nmgs.org/workshop.htm.