Are you ready to check “Visit my Clan Homelands” off your bucket list?

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1st in the "Are you ready to check-off “Visit my Clan Homelands” on your bucket list?" series

Hi! I’m Gwen McNeill – I have traveled to the Scotland/UK and Ireland since I became a member of CMAA and experienced my first Clan Gathering on Barra in 2006. I now go every year to year and a half for my holidays to our homelands and still haven’t been everywhere! Join me as I share useful travel tips so you can start planning your travel adventure! You can also contact me directly at any time for assistance at gwenmcn.cmaa@gmail.com Let’s get started with the 3 basics questions first.

Where you wish to go in the UK or Ireland? This sets a goal to work towards. Will you be visiting multiple cities and/or Isles such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Isle of Barra? Map it out, literally pull out a map or use Google Maps and see where you wish to visit. This will allow you to pace yourself to determine how to answer the next question below.

What is the length of your holiday? Remember to take into account that the main travel time across the “Big Pond” will be included your days. If you have decided on multiple cities and/or islands, how long will you want to stay in each location? Transportation (trains and buses or driving yourself) between each location will also have a bearing on the length of you stay. Each venue of transportation can have a different travel time. Or do you wish to combine your personal time with a tour group during your visit?

When do you want to go? Think about the time of year you plan to travel. What will the weather be like? (UK overall is known for having 4 seasons in one day, even during the summer pending where you are) When is low versus high tourist season? High tourist season usually has higher costs for flights and accommodations.

Stay tune as next blog will cover the Travel Budget portion of your trip. In the future, I will also cover areas such as Customs/Passports, Luggage/Clothing, Currency/Credit cards, and many more topics.

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Our new and refreshed website is live!

You asked for a stream-lined, modern take and we’ve delivered. The updated site includes changes to navigation by adding dropdown menus for both mobile and desktop views of the website. We’ve also improved the layout of the information, presenting it so you can read it quickly and dive in for more if you choose. One of our favorite updates is the addition of more photos of actual CMAA members throughout the site. There are a bunch of smaller but impactful changes.

Your old favorites are there – becoming a member, adding to our collective genealogy, merchandise, and clan history. Our events are now listed on our embedded Google calendar but also on the individual state page. If you can’t find something you know was there before, let us know and we’ll do our best to help!

Our Webmaster’s new favorite is the CMAA Blog which is designed to share time-sensitive information, announcements, and extend the reach of The Galley. The blog will be authored by multiple voices – look for multiple CMAA members to share articles about travel, useful websites, or even tidbits of clan history. The CMAA Blog is tightly coupled with our social media channels so you can see that information on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, or Google+.

As a CMAA member, you will also be able to sign up to access ‘member’ content – like forms, scholarship applications, and eventually our CMAA genealogy research. We are still building this section of the website so more to come in the upcoming Galley.

We hope you’ll stop by often, let us know what you like, and share your suggestions for improvements or information to add. The website is a ‘living’ site and we’re adding new stuff all the time. Let us hear from you!

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Come Visit the Ethel and Herbert MacNeal Memorial Grove

Looking for something to do in Northern California this weekend? CMAA Guest Author, Scott Gring, shown here in a tree along the Slate Creek Trail, shares his memories of his aunt and uncle through the story of the Ethel and Herbert MacNeal Memoral Grove in Portola Redwoods State Park in California. It’s a 20-acre redwood grove off the Slate Creek Trail, established in April 2008 for the enjoyment of all, but especially their Clan Macneil kin. It’s just outside Sunnyvale, CA. Visit AllTrails.com for more details about the trail itself and read the full length article in an upcoming issue of CMAA’s The Galley for more on the Ethel and Herbert MacNeal Memorial Grove.

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Submit Your Article for The Galley

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It’s that time of year again! Article submissions for the Fall/Winter 2018 Galley are due September 15th. Please send your stories and photos about Scottish games and events, family history and reunions, major accomplishments, births/deaths/graduations, travels (particularly to Scotland/Ireland), poetry/dance/art, and just fascinating tidbits that remind us of the joy of being alive and connected! Your Galley Editor, Vicki Corporon, is waiting with an anticipatory smile and a lilt in her walk on the way to the mailbox (at the road or on the computer) to see what you've sent! Contact info and submission guidelines are in the most recent issue of The Galley.

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How to Get Started Tracing Your Roots

Start With You

When building your genealogy, start with yourself and your immediate family. Be sure to capture full names, birth dates and places, marriage dates and places, and death dates and places.. Once you have this information, gather documented proof for each fact.

It's also a good idea to talk to older family members while you still have the opportunity. Gather any family stories and photographs they may have. Additionally, you can use online genealogy websites like Ancestry.com or FamilySearch.org to help you find additional records. Online resource can also connect you with other people researching the same ancestors.

Family Traditions

Do not accept family traditions as fact! They are tradition, often combining fact with some fiction. Keep in mind these traditions and stories have likely changed over time since written record keeping is fairly new in the scheme of things. These passed down stories may not align with the true historical events. It's not uncommon with any culture but we know that before the coming of Christianity, Celtic record keeping was done orally.

However, you also shouldn't just discard a tradition either. Instead, attach a note stating that it is family tradition. They can be a great source of information about the customs, culture and beliefs of your ancestors and the time period they lived in. Traditions can contain valuable clues or leads that can help you to find additional information and records.

Confirm any information obtained through family traditions. Typically, you will use primary sources such as census records, birth certificates, and other official documents to validate these stories.

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Genealogy Records to Help You

Records and Sources

Once you've gathered as much information as possible from living family members, it's time to gather the evidence. With the basic info in hand, expand your research by looking for records such as census records, marriage licenses, and death certificates to verify and add to the information you already have. These records may also provide information that helps you get back to the 'next' generation.

Records on the Internet

FamilySearch.org

An excellent place to start researching on the Internet is the FamilySearch web site. This site is maintained by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It is a direct link into the Family History Library — the largest genealogical library in the world — in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Research has also been made easier with all the church records of Scotland having been placed on CD-ROM.

Ancestry.com

Ancestry.com is one of the most popular genealogy websites. It is not affiliated with any specific library, but it does have partnerships with several libraries and archives around the world. These partnerships allow Ancestry.com to digitize and make available online a wide range of historical records that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to access. Some of the archives and libraries that Ancestry.com has partnered with include the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the U.S. Census Bureau, the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, the British Library, and many others.

Online Records

Both sites, and many others, offer a variety of features and tools for researching genealogy. These include access to census records, vital records, immigration records, military records, and more. These records are sourced from archives and libraries around the world and are searchable by name, date, location, and other criteria.

As much as we love the conviences and ease of use that the internet provides, we do want to remind you to be careful using data from web sites. It's a good place for starting a map, but it is often inaccurate if you're looking an index. The first rule is always to check all data - go to the original source if possible.

Census Records

U.S. Census

Census records are a valuable resource for genealogy research as they can provide a wealth of information about your ancestors, including their names, ages, birthplaces, occupation, and family relationships. The United States census began in 1790 and is conducted every 10 years. The information recorded in the census has varied over time, with more detailed information being recorded in more recent censuses. For example, from 1790–1840, only the head of household was listed. Currently, the 1950 census is the most recent census that is publicly available due to the 72-year rule. For more information, check out the US Census Bureau website.

Scotland Census

The first national census in Scotland was taken in 1801. Since then, censuses have been taken every 10 years, with the exception of 1941. The most recent census available for Scotland is the 1911 census. The census records for Scotland are held by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) and are available for viewing at the NRS reading rooms in Edinburgh and at local archives throughout Scotland. Some census records have been digitized and are available online through resources such as Scotland's People. Scotland's People is a website run by the NRS and allows access to a wide range of genealogy records including census records, birth, marriage, and death records, wills, and military records.

Physical Visits

Visiting either the National Archives or the Family History Library gives you the opportunity to view some of the original, physical documents. Seeing the real document provides a sense of authenticity and connection to one's ancestors that can't be replicated online. Another bonus to visiting is the knowledgeable staff who can help with research or provide guidance on how to navigate the collections. If you ever have the chance, we certainly recommend visiting!

Family History Library (FHL)

The FHL is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is the largest genealogy library in the world. It is operated by the Family History Department of the LDS Church, and is open to the public free of charge. The FHL has an extensive collection of genealogy records, including census records, vital records, immigration records, military records, and more. The collection includes records from all over the world, but with a focus on the United States and Europe. The FHL also has a large collection of microfilmed and digitized records, including records that are not available online or in other libraries.

In addition to the FHL, the LDS Church also operates more than 4,900 Family History Centers around the world. These sites provide access to the FHL's microfilm and digital collections, as well as assistance from trained staff and volunteers. They are open to the public free of charge, though not all of them are open full-time.

The National Archives (NARA)

The United States has several locations where the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) maintains facilities and archives. The main facility is the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C., which houses the original copies of important documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

In addition to the main facility in Washington, D.C., the NARA operates several regional facilities across the country, including:

  • National Archives at Atlanta (Georgia)
  • National Archives at Boston (Massachusetts)
  • National Archives at Chicago (Illinois)
  • National Archives at Denver (Colorado)
  • National Archives at Fort Worth (Texas)
  • National Archives at Kansas City (Missouri)
  • National Archives at New York City (New York)
  • National Archives at Philadelphia (Pennsylvania)
  • National Archives at Riverside (California)
  • National Archives at San Francisco (California)
  • National Archives at Seattle (Washington)

These regional facilities hold records from federal agencies and courts in the regions. They serve, and provide research and reference services to the public. Some also have exhibitions, educational programs, and other public events.

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Reminder: Show Off Your Scottish Photo Contest!

Calling all CMAA photographers! As announced in The Galley, we are excited to be running our first ever Clan Macneil Association of America (CMAA) photography contest! The theme is #ShowOffYourScottish.  There are already some terrific entries - have you sent yours in?  The 8/17 deadline is approaching!

The contest is open to all CMAA members and the details for how to submit your entry are in the most recent issue of The Galley.  Can't find your copy and have the best pic ever to submit?  Send us an email at CMAASocialMediaDirector@gmail.com with the subject line “Show Off Your Scottish” and we'll be happy to help!

Winning images will be featured in the next issue of The Galley and recognized via our website, clanmacneilusa.us, this blog, and our social media channels. Winners will be notified by email on or around September 20, 2018.

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Commissioner’s Blog introduction

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Commissioner’s blog
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I am a Macneil via my paternal grandmother, who was Anna Loretta McNeil. (Never ever call her Anna- my goodness she hated that name!) My name is Jamie Ryan. I am a brand-new commissioner and a new member of the Clan Macneil. Maybe that makes me a complete “nube”, but it also gives me a view of being a commissioner that comes from nothing. My perspectives and ideas might seem ridiculous to me once I have some experience under my belt, but right now, my ideas aren’t tainted by reasons why they won’t work.

My membership in the clan Macneil came about after my boyfriend broke up with me and it would have been awkward to continue helping run his clan tent. I researched the clan Macneil on the internet and saw that there was no current commissioner for Colorado so at the same time as joining the clan I volunteered to be Colorado commissioner. I started from scratch in creating a tent, not because resources weren’t available to me, but I was too inexperienced to even know the people to ask or the even the right questions. (You don’t know what you don’t know.)

One of the first things I did was to create a Clan Macneil of Colorado Facebook page. (@clanmacneilofcolorado) It’s free (how can you go wrong with free??) and fairly user friendly/intuitive to set up. I post on the page every single day. Whether it’s a bit of Scottish history on this day, information about upcoming events and activities, or my “Did ye ken” section (which is generally a Scottish tidbit about history, traditions, etc.), it only takes me ten minutes a day. I am hoping that likes on the page will continue to grow and it will become a resource for clan members to be in touch.

My dreams for participating in the clan include growing the presence of Clan Macneil in Colorado and being a part of a closer-knit national community. It would be fun for me to participate in non-festival gatherings, like a Hogmanay party, progressive dinners, game nights, or maybe even music nights. I want to help create a close community through a state facebook page, meet-ups and maybe an online newsletter (for which there are several free options! See above
I like free!).

It would be awesome if this blog became a resource for officers and state commissioners; a place to share war stories, resources, documents, ideas, and fellowship. I can’t wait to get to know other members of the clan and learn from you all!

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DNA Results and Your Privacy

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Hello Everyone! Alissa, Clan Macneil USA Genealogist, here.

In light of the recent news that DNA led to the capture of the Golden State Killer, many have asked if that means their DNA results have been used or compromised. I'm posting to shed light on DNA results.

If you don't already know, if you test with companies such as Ancestry.com, 23andMe, or FamilyTreeDNA, your DNA is subject to privacy rights. These companies' terms of service dictate that they will not be used or sold unless a Court of Law issues a direct warrant to use a very specific DNA result.

This is NOT what happened in the case of the Golden State Killer (GSK).

Instead, police uploaded the GSK's DNA sequence to GEDmatch in the hopes of a match to someone else. GEDmatch is a voluntary service where an individual CHOOSES to upload his or her own DNA results to allow for more matches than any one company can provide. GEDmatch is designed to allow anyone from anywhere testing with any company to share and compare results. It's considered a free and public service. The terms of service to use GEDmatch warns that because it's free and public that anyone might use what's there for other-than-genealogical purposes.

If you feel that this is something you cannot support, GEDmatch recommends you remove your DNA file from their site. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reply here or email me, Alissa, at clanmacneilusagenealogy@gmail.com.

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