Chandler Family Association Newsletter Honored

The Chandler Family Association Newsletter received the First Place, Family Newsletter award at the recent National Genealogical Society meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. The coveted award was presented April 28 in front of a large crowd of enthusiastic genealogists. Accepting the award on behalf of the Association was Charles Chandler, a resident of West Jordan, Utah, and CFA member. Editor of the award-winning newsletter is Claudia Chandler Brocato of Brandon, Mississippi, who was appointed editor of the publication in 2006. Brocato also serves as webmaster for the CFA website, which scored 84% in a recent marketing effectiveness evaluation of 2.3 million websites.

In announcing the award, C. M. Chandler, president of the Chandler Family Association, stated "We are very pleased and honored that our newsletter was judged the best family newsletter in this year's competition. Our members look forward to receiving their newsletter as each issue is packed with a variety of informative articles and documented genealogies contributed by our members. Each issue generally includes articles by members of our Executive Board, who are involved in various research projects throughout the year. The newsletter provides an excellent vehicle for updating our more than 400 members worldwide about the progress of these efforts. While our peer review board double-checks all genealogical articles for accuracy, Mrs. Brocato has full charge of the final product. We are extremely pleased with the professional appearance she has given our newsletter. This prestigious award from NGS, America's leading genealogical association, is a reaffirmation of our members' appreciation of the work Mrs. Brocato performs for our Association."

The NGS Family Newsletter competition is held annually to recognize the hard work, long hours, and creativity by editors of family newsletters, most of whom are unpaid volunteers. Newsletters entered in the competition are judged by a three-member panel and must meet certain preset criteria, such as material interest, variety and originality, writing quality, readability, and overall attractiveness of presentation. The 2010 competition is the first time the Chandler Family Association has submitted an entry, which adds to the pride the CFA membership has at large for its publication.

To view one of the award-winning issues, visit the group's website at http://www.thecfa.org/. The website also carries full details about the Chandler Family Association, membership details, and information about the group's upcoming Annual Meeting, open to all who are interested in Chandler genealogy, September 17-18 in Hampton, Virginia.

MGS Member Discount at Footnote

Maine Genealogical Society is always looking for ways to provide value to our members. We are pleased to announce that we have worked on a a special offer with Footnote.com, the premier history website featuring over 66 million records.

For a limited time (June 1st -July 31st, 2010), Footnote.com will offer Maine Genealogical Society a 50% discount off an annual Footnote.com subscription. For only $39.95 you will have full access to original images of records including:

• Military Records - Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWI, WWII, Vietnam War
• Historical Newspapers - Dating back to the 1700s
• Naturalization Records - Petitions and Declarations dating to the early 19th Century
• City Directories - From major U.S. Cities
• And more

Find the details in the upcoming issue of the MGS newsletter.

Already a Footnote All-Access Member? Add a year to your membership with this special offer.

Chandler Genealogical Database to be Released

Represents 400 Years of Chandler Family Research Data

Richard Chandler, vice-president of the Chandler Family Association, announced plans for unveiling the group's long-awaited new database. It will be presented for the first time at the group's annual meeting September 16-18 in Hampton, Virginia.

The new genealogical tool will be an easily-searchable, computer-based resource for Chandler researchers. Initially, the database comprises more than 80,000 records of Chandler individuals from around the world; it will grow as more Chandler descendants participate in the group's research efforts.

The database is the culmination of more than 20 years of data collection by founding member and past vice president James Reeves of Glen Burnie, MD. The impetus for converting these paper-based records into a computer database came about some years ago. VP Chandler along with DNA expert Dr. John Chandler and CFA's Chief Genealogist Joseph Barron Chandler, Jr. were heavily involved with the startup of the Chandler DNA Project. This project compares the DNA "fingerprints" of male Chandler participants, enabling them to be grouped into genetic families. This has helped dismantle "brick walls" encountered in traditional paper-based genealogy. It has also revealed that some of the participants previously believed to be descendants of John Chandler, who arrived in Virginia on June 10, 1610, were in fact related to other Chandler ancestors. This discovery led the three men to conceive a database containing genealogy records of Chandler descendants, whether connected to the 1610 immigrant John Chandler or to one of sixty other distinct Chandler lines currently identified.

As a starting point, Dr. Chandler converted the years of CFA print data into a format accepted by today's computer technology. Then VP Chandler took over to present the data in a uniform style and update the source information, gathered from the widespread membership of CFA.

The two-tier design involves a high-level database which will ultimately hold records of all the world's Chandlers. The second tier will consist of a separate database for each genetically distinct family, including descendants of female Chandlers in collateral lines.

VP Chandler will present the database to members of the CFA in several 45-minute sessions throughout the day of Friday, September 17. He will also answer questions on how the CFA will utilize and add to this unique resource, which uses existing genealogical software technology. It will significantly improve the CFA's ability to help Chandler researchers navigate through 400 years of family-linked history.

This will be but one of the highlights of the September meeting. Chandler descendants from throughout the United States will share their personal research and connect with new family members. All attendees will have access to the extensive CFA Library, including unpublished manuscripts, out-of-print genealogical books, and other materials.

In addition, the group's Chief Genealogist Joseph Barron Chandler, Jr. will be present to answer lineage questions. As Group Administrator of the Chandler Family DNA Project, he will field inquiries about genealogical DNA testing and the results of the project to date.

Anyone interested in Chandler genealogy is invited to attend. Thursday, September 16, is a day reserved for CFA members, who must pre-register by August 6. The Friday meeting, open to all, begins at 8:00 a.m. September 17, 2010, at the Hampton Roads Convention Center, Hampton, Virginia. There is a $15.00 fee for attendees who are not members of the CFA; however, this includes a one-year CFA membership and subscription to its award-winning newsletter.

More information about the annual meeting and the Chandler Family Association is at http://www.thecfa.org.

Overcoming Brick Walls

The Greater Portland Chapter of the Maine Genealogical Society will meet Saturday, June 5th, 29 Ocean Rd., Cape Elizabeth at the Church of Latter Day Saints. We gather at 12:30 for a social time, program begins at 1:00 p.m.

This month Phyllis Legare will tell us how to "Overcome Brick Walls" (in genealogy research).

Meetings are free and open to the public.

For more information, call Linda Aaskov at (207) 490-5709.

The Maine Genealogist - May 2010

The latest issue of The Maine Genealogist is in mailboxes now. As always, a great selection of scholarly articles. Here's a rundown on what you will find:

The Family of John Reed of Topsham, Maine by Glenn D. Nasman

Stampless Letter: Loring Plummer Family of Maine contributed by Leslie D. Sanders

Charles C. McKim: Brush'un of Portland, Maine, and Impressionist of Portland, Oregon by Elizabeth S. Oatley

Bible Record of Joseph H. Wardwell of Rumford, Maine contributed by Leslie D. Sanders

The Maxwell Family of Scotch Hill, Ogunquit, and Wells, Maine by Priscilla Eaton

Portland, Maine, Marriage Intentions, Volume 4, 1814-1837 (continued) copied by Joseph C. Anderson II

The Maine Genealogist is the quarterly publication of the Maine Genealogical Society. For more information, please visit us on the web at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~megs.