Santa Fe County Genealogical Society

05/14/2025

🌟 UPDATE FOR ALL MEMBERS! 🌟

We’re back on our original page!

Please follow and like our main and now active page here:

https://www.facebook.com/santafegenealogy

We’ll be posting updates, events, and fun genealogy finds there moving forward.

See you over on the old-new page!

— Santa Fe County Genealogical Society

04/18/2025

🕯️ TWO LIGHTS FOR TOMORROW 🕯️
Friday, April 18, 2025 marks the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s legendary ride—and the two lanterns that lit the path to revolution.

On the night of April 18, 1775, two lights were placed in the steeple of Boston’s Old North Church to signal that British troops were advancing by sea.
“One if by land, two if by sea.”

This Friday evening, join a national commemoration by placing two lights in your window, on your porch, portal, or in your yard.
Let them shine as symbols of remembrance, unity, and the enduring spirit of liberty.

📜 The moment was forever captured in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous poem:

Listen, my children, and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-Five:
Hardly a man is now alive…

Read more about the poem and its legacy:
https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/paul-reveres-ride.htm

🔗 Learn how to take part in the Two Lights initiative:
Virginia 250: https://va250.org/two-lights/
Massachusetts 250: https://massachusetts250.org/lighting-the-way-to-250-a-call-for-massachusetts-towns-to-honor-our-revolutionary-roots/

04/15/2025

📣 UPCOMING MEETING – Wednesday, April 16 – 1:30 PM

Join us this Wednesday, April 16 at 1:30 PM at the LDS Church in Santa Fe for a fascinating case study presented by two of our members.

They’ll share their journey diving into early American and French colonial records to prove that one ancestor was an American patriot. Along the way, they uncovered lesser-known aspects of the American Revolution—including the role of French territories in the broader fight for independence.

Whether you’re a seasoned researcher or just starting out, this is sure to spark ideas for your own genealogical pursuits!

Image created using AI with DALL·E by OpenAI.

04/04/2025

🕵️‍♀️ X-Ray Vision for Genealogists? Yes, Please.
Ever wish you could see through courthouse records and spot your ancestor’s name buried deep inside? Now you can.
If you’ve ever sat in a courthouse or library, flipping through brittle deed books, squinting at microfilm, or hunting through 300 pages just to spot a surname—you’re going to love this.

FamilySearch’s new Full-Text Search tool lets you do the equivalent of running your finger down every page of a dusty old ledger—but from home, and in seconds.

🛠️ What It Is:

Full-Text Search uses artificial intelligence to “read” digitized historical documents. It doesn’t rely on name indexes. Instead, it searches the entire page, picking up everything from names to occupations, land disputes, debts, and even neighbors or witnesses.

📚 How to Use It:
1. Visit FamilySearch Full Text
2. Type a name, date, location, or keyword—like “sawmill” or “executor”
3. Click through the results and view exactly where your search term appears on the document
4. Explore further—context often reveals new clues

🕵️‍♀️ Why It’s a Game-Changer:

As FamilySearch’s blog explains, this feature uses handwriting recognition and machine learning to transcribe thousands of pages of handwritten text.

These records often go unindexed—meaning this tool can help uncover ancestors and events that traditional searches miss entirely.

🧭 Tips for Better Results:
• Try spelling variants and wildcards (e.g., John* or B*son)
• Search by place names or roles (“guardian,” “widow,” “Chemung”)
• Use date ranges or county names to narrow results
• Read the surrounding pages for fuller context
🔦 Still stuck?
The Santa Fe County Genealogical Society is always happy to help members and fellow researchers learn new tools and break through brick walls.

📖 Learn more about Full-Text Search here:

https://familytreemagazine.com/websites/familysearch/full-text-search/

https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/full-text-search

🗂️ Dive into the tool directly:
https://www.familysearch.org/search/full-text

Discover new records! An innovative tool from FamilySearch makes it easy to search once-unindexed records.

03/28/2025

🐶 FUN FRIDAY: DOGS IN GENEALOGY & HISTORY🐾

From butter churning to battlefield bravery, dogs have left their mark on history—and their stories offer a surprising lens into the past.

For your Friday, here are five fun links for dog lovers and history buffs alike:

🐾 THE DOG WHO SERVED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
One brave pup went from British to American service—and back again.
🔗 https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-dog-who-served-on-both-sides-of-the-american-revolution-180982781/

🐕 1940 CENSUS TAKER VS. 3 VICIOUS DOGS
A legendary genealogical anecdote—and a reminder that family history work isn’t always easy!
🔗 https://blog.genealogybank.com/1940-census-taker-doesnt-let-3-vicious-dogs-50-stitches-stop-her.html

🪖 DOGS OF THE AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD
Loyal, brave, and sometimes even soldiers. Learn how dogs served in wars throughout American history.
🔗 https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/american-dogs

🏡 AMELIA ELIZABETH WHITE
An influential Santa Fe figure—and devoted dog lover—whose legacy lives on.
🔗 https://www.nmhistoricwomen.org/new-mexico-historic-women/amelia-elizabeth-white

🎠 WORKING AND PLAYING LIKE A DOG
A charming exhibit at the Taber Museum in Williamsport, PA. The dog-powered butter churn is a standout, but there’s much more to explore. I’ve been there!
🔗 https://tabermuseum.org/explore-museum/Taber-treasurers/Working-and-Playing-Like-a-Dog

💬 Have you come across any fascinating dog stories in your family history research? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Image generated by ChatGPT (DALL·E), March 27, 2025. Sepia-toned, vintage-style photo of a dog.

03/24/2025

🧬 Exploring DNA Matches with the Shared cM Project 🧬

In our March meeting, we touched on how DNA can support genealogy—especially when it comes to interpreting centimorgans (cM) and understanding your DNA match relationships.

The Shared cM Project is a free tool that helps estimate how you might be related to a DNA match based on the amount of DNA you share. It uses real data submitted by thousands of people to provide a range of relationship possibilities—each with a probability based on actual user reports.

AncestryDNA provides algorithm-based relationship predictions using your shared DNA along with factors like self-reported age and gender. In contrast, the Shared cM Project shows a full range of possibilities, each with a likelihood grounded in real-world match data.

Here’s how to use it:
🔹 Enter the unweighted cM value you share with a match
🔹 View a visual chart of likely relationships and their probabilities
🔹 Use it as a framework to guide deeper research and narrow down possibilities

👉 Try it here: https://dnapainter.com/tools/sharedcmv4

💬 Have you used this tool? Curious to try it? Let us know in the comments!
❓ Have questions? Drop them in the comments—we’re happy to help.

An interactive version of the shared cM data with probabilities showing the most likely relationships

03/24/2025

🌱 Spring is here—and so are fresh genealogy posts!
We’re excited to share new content about family history, research tips, and local connections.

✨ At our March meeting, Eileen Rhine gave a great presentation on “Introduction to Understanding DNA and How It Assists Genealogy,” which focused on using AncestryDNA for family history research. Stay tuned for a follow-up post on the Shared cM Project—an awesome tool for making sense of DNA matches.

📌 On the horizon:
• Helpful tips to dig deeper into your research
• Fun historical tidbits and quirky finds
• News and notes from our monthly meetings
• Local events worth marking your calendar for
• And anything else we think you’ll love!

💬 Have a topic you’d love to see us cover? Drop a comment!

📣 Know someone who loves genealogy? Send them our way!