St Johns Arizona Family History Center

We are a stand alone Family History Center (not in a Chapel Building). We serve the cities of St. Johns, Concho, and surrounding areas.



Center Contacts and Hours
Location Map:


 * 50 N. 1st West St. Johns, Arizona 85936 United States
 * We are directly North of The Lawyers Title Building whose address is on Cleveland 
 * Location Map

Phone: 928-337-2543

E-mail: [mailto:AZ_StJohns@ldsmail.net AZ_StJohns@ldsmail.net]

Open Hours:


 * Tuesday: 9am - 1pm 6pm - 9pm
 * Wednesday: 9am-1pm
 * Thursday: 9am - 1pm 6pm - 9pm

Holiday Schedule:


 * We are closed the last 2 weeks of December for Christmas Break. 

Calendar and Events
We will be holding a RootsTech Family History Fair on Saturday, April 16, 2016 from 9:00am to 3:00pm at the Downtown LDS Church Building at 35 W. Cleveland St. in St. Johns, Arizona.

Register at www.lds.org/hostfair ~ down left side - Click on "Attendee Sign-Up", then "Click here to find an event" Enter your zip code. The nearest 5 locations will appear &amp; you'll click on "Register Here" under St. Johns, Arizona. Name &amp; email are required. We'll send an email with more info as we receive it. Plan now to join us. Invite a friend!

CHAPEL:

'We are pleased to announce that we have Randy & Susan Norton returning this year from Gila Valley in person to teach 3 different classes to us. These will all be held in the Chapel: '

9:45-10:45  -  '''Introduction to FamilySearch.org - '''. They'll teach how to Log in - Website overview - bridge living gap, tree, views, person page, info card for each person, search, memories, temple ordinances, watch lists, Help, Family Tree App, Find-Take-Teach 

 

11:00 -12:00 - Connecting Memories: Photos, Stories & Audio - Scanning &  Uploading photos. Demonstration of the memories app.

1:00 -2:00 - Descendancy Research on FamilySearch.org Family  Tree - descendancy view, green card, Puzzilla, Kinpoint - This will help you find names for the temple - especially if you have Pioneer Ancestry, hints to records that you can attach to your ancestor etc.

2:15-3:15 - '''A Digital Treasure: PERSI and your Family History'''    Video - Joshua Taylor

For more than twenty years the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) has created an index to thousands of genealogical and local history periodicals across the world. Now online at Findmypast, the next generation of PERSI includes links to actual digital images and more than 2.5 million indexed entries. This session will provide you with an inside look at how to make the most of your PERSI searches, including ways to find articles online and offline.

High Priest Room

9:45-10:45 - Resources for Priesthood Leaders and Ward Councils

This class is specifically for those with priesthood responsibilities over family history. Discover the resources available.

11:00 -12:00 - Family History for Beginners

Heavenly Father’s plan includes all of His children and, through temple ordinances, is offered to all. This session will help you discover where to begin your family history, gain some familiarity with FamilySearch.org, and learn how to find family names to take to the temple.

1:00 -2:00 - Become a Master Searcher on Ancestry

There are over 16 billion records on Ancestry in over 30,000 data collections. Are you finding your ancestors in all of them? Spend some time with us, and we will show you what you need to know to get the most out of Ancestry. Whether you are trying to answer a specific question or just trying to find everything you can about a specific person, we will show you how to achieve your goal.

2:15-3:15 - Best Websites and Apps for Finding Local History

They say that all history is local. To better understand our ancestors' lives, we need to understand the time and place that they lived. Developers are utilizing new technologies to bring the past to life. This session will review some of the best websites and apps for discovering local history. (Bonus: You can even learn more about the area where you live!)

Young Women's Room

 

9:45-10:45 - 5 Steps to Identify a Family Photo

Learn five basic steps to take a photo from unknown to part of your family story. Step 1: Study the clues in a picture by looking at the photographic format, the photographer, the clothing, the caption, and the clothing. Create a worksheet. Step 2: Unravel the caption. Is it correct? Family history clues to look for. Step 3: Connect to Cousins using social media (like Facebook) and reunion sites as networking tools. Step 4: Research the clues. Online fashion resources, photographer databases, and photo identification tips. Step 5: Spread the word. The best places to post pictures. Add up the facts and verify your findings!

 

11:00 -12:00 - Proven Methodology for Using Google for Genealogy

As genealogist we follow a process, so why do we Google so haphazardly? Bring method to the madness of millions of results with this tried and true methodology for using Google for your genealogy research. Google expert and author of The Genealogist's Google Toolbox, Second Edition, Lisa Louise Cooke will walk you through the process, provide you with the tools, and WOW your socks off with real-life examples of Googling success. You will leave this class inspired to revisit using Google for your online searches and armed with the latest strategies to do so successfully. Not everything is online by any stretch, but even offline sources are more efficiently discovered and accessed when you start online. And the fastest and most effective way to locate online data, whether it resides on a university website or the blog of a distant cousin you've never met, is Google!

 

1:00 -2:00 - Virtual Family Reunions 

Is your family too dispersed to gather everyone in the same place for a family reunion? It's not always easy to get all the family together. Hold a virtual family reunion to maintain and strengthen family ties. This presentation introduces several online tools to help your family meet often and hold virtual family reunions. It also suggests five ways to get family members enthusiastically involved.

 

2:15-3:15 - What's New in Family Tree for 2016 

Come and learn the plans for what we are working on in 2016. Be the first to look at ideas and concepts and be able to participate in the directions Family Tree is taking. We will talk about the latest delivered features and how to use them effectively and our roadmap for the future!

 

 

Relief Society Room

9:45-10:45 - Finding Elusive Records on FamilySearch.org      

What do you do if your ancestors' records don't come up in your initial search? A significant portion of the records on FamilySearch are not indexed and can't be searched using the form. For a number of historical, technical or genealogical reasons, an ancestor's record may be challenging to find. This session will walk through some of the common difficulties confronted by researchers and demonstrate how to use the FamilySearch systems to find that elusive record.

 

11:00 -12:00 - Homespun and Calico: Researching Our Foremothers

Half of the names on your pedigree chart belong to women. These female ancestors sometimes have little proof that they even existed. In this class, we will discover some ways to find the women in our family's history, evidence of their lives, and perhaps some different ways they may have arrived in America.

 

 

1:00 -2:00 - '''My Ancestors Are from Britain—What Do I Do Next?'''

An estimated over 72 million Americans have British roots, but we're much more than a royal family! Discover the many different kinds of records of the British Isles available to a genealogical researcher, how they differ from records found in the United States whilst learning what to be aware of when studying them. From the moment your ancestors arrived in the United States back to the medieval era, explore local traditions, historic events, and the records you can use to connect the pieces that reveal your British heritage—even if you only know their name and national origin. Examples will be given of passenger lists, wills, court records, censuses and substitutes, church records, government registers, local historic newspapers, occupational rolls, institutional and military records throughout that show not only how to use and understand these documents but the historical context behind their existence and how to use them when uncovering the stories that reveal our ancestors' lives.

 

2:15-3:15 - How to Find Names When None of Your Ancestors Are in the Family Tree

What to do when your family tree has no names on it yet, to find those names, take them to the temple, and then teach others to do the same.

 

 

Class Room #1

9:45-10:45 - Cemetery Crowdsourcing

Cemeteries are often an invaluable resource for a genealogist: they provide information that might not exist elsewhere and offer family researchers an opportunity to stumble upon new ancestors—sometimes quite literally! The important records found in cemeteries and cemetery offices have never been more readily available than they are at present and, with many community and crowdsourcing movements underway, the number of available records are growing exponentially every day, regardless of where you might live in proximity to them. The advent of the digital age has completely redefined what is possible in terms of genealogical research using cemeteries and cemetery records. Learn how to contribute to these invaluable collections—and learn how to use the most popular graveyard and cemetery websites. We'll explore BillionGraves, FindAGrave, mobile apps, programs, and strategies to further your own family history using cemetery research.

 

11:00 -12:00 - Photos—Emerging Technologies in Photography

Technology is moving at a rapid pace. Photography is evolving at a high speed. Let us slow down to observe the changes that have taken place recently, and take a look at what the future has to offer.

 

1:00 -2:00 - 7 Unique Technologies for Genealogy Discoveries

In the last decade, technology has revitalized genealogy, opening many new frontiers for research, preservation, and sharing while maintaining the thrill of the detective hunt. The important intersection of technology and genealogy is the center of this talk. We will discuss 7 of MyHeritage's key technologies, including Smart Matches, Record Matches, Record Detective, the new Instant Discoveries, and Global Name Translation. We will describe the challenges they solve and explain how you can make the most of them for your family history research.

 

2:15-3:15 - Family History in a Digital Future 

As we shift toward an increasingly digital world, relics from the past, like photo albums and vintage videos, are at risk of disappearing. We are at a pivotal point where bridging our tangible past to our pixilated present is still possible, but it's our responsibility to act now. During this session, you'll learn how to preserve the memories stored in family photo albums, letters, scrapbooks, videos, and more as a means to enrich your family legacy, using online technology and resources. Don't risk leaving future generations without all the memories that make up where they came from.

Family History Center - 50 North 1st West  - Short walk from the Downtown Building....If you need transportation a shuttle will be provided.

 

9:45-10:45  AND  11:00 -12:00

'''CLASS: Indexing - Hands on Help - with Beth Peterson ~ St. Johns Stake Indexing Director'''

If you have already registered with an LDS Account or Family Account (if you are not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), 'bring your Username and Password with you 'and you will be able to sign-in and learn how to index.

If you don't have an LDS or Family Account - please register before the Fair at "https://familysearch.org" once there: in the upper right hand side of page - click on "Sign In" then click on "Create an Account" also upper right and then fill in your information. You create your own Username and password - '''but write them down because you will need to remember them'''! They ask for a "Contact Name" this is what everyone will see if you add, edit, or reserve names, so usually your name is sufficient.

You will need to have an email account to finish out the registration process - so if you don't have an email - create one of those before trying to register on FamilySearch.org. Any questions call one of your Ward Consultants and they will be glad to help you!

After Lunch at the FHC

1:00 -2:00 - '''CLASS: How to Find Names When Some of Your Ancestors Are in the Family Tree'''

How to find names when some of your family tree has been completed but you want to find more ancestors, take their names to the temple, and teach others to do the same.

2:15-3:15 - '''CLASS: How to Find Names When Many Generations of Your Family Tree Are Complete'''

How to find names when your family tree is full of names, but you want to find more ancestors, take their names to the temple, and teach others to do the same.

''We hope you will enjoy your day at our Third Annual Family History Discovery Day! If you have any questions please contact one of your Ward Consultants, Linda Richardson 337-2165 or Elynn Badger 337-4060''

'' We hope you are as excited as we are! We will see YOU there!!!''

FHC Consultant Training Meetings held on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 6pm, except in the months of May, July and December.

Consultant Training Meetings:
Our next Consultant Meeting will be held on Wednesday - June 15, 2016 at 6:00 p.m.

Collections ===


 * FamilySearch Catalog: This center has the ability to order any of the films and fiche available through the FamilySearch Catalog.
 * We have books on Family Histories donated by local families. We have an "Arizona Collection" of books on Northern Arizona, Apache County and surrounding areas. We have a photography collection that was donated by Margaret J. Overson that has been scanned, indexed and accessed through our computers on our FHC Database program.
 * Microfilm #F9504- Primary History of the St. Johns Stake Primary History of the St. Johns 2nd Ward
 * Microfilm #F9508- Newspaper - The St. Johns Herald - 08 Oct 1885 - 22 Dec 1897 (incomplete)
 * Microfilm #F9507- Newspaper - The St. Johns Herald - 05 Jan 1888 - 31 Oct 1889 (incomplete)
 * Microfilm #F9505- Newspaper - The St. Johns Herald - 23 Oct 1890 - 24 Dec 1892
 * Microfilm #F9506- Newspaper - The St. Johns Herald - 05 Jan 1893 -28 Aug 1897 (incomplete)
 * Microfilm #F9508- Newspaper - Apache Review - 30 May 1888 - 09 Jan 1889 (incomplete)

Databases and Software

 * FHC Portal This center has access to the Family History Center Portal page which gives free access in the center to premium family history software and websites that generally charge for subscriptions.

Hardware and Equipment

 * We have a multi-purpose copier/scanner, binding machine, computers (including an older computer with the large floppy drive), printers, microfilm/fiche readers, Digital Imaging System that includes a flatbed scanner &amp; Microfilm/fiche reader so you can copy/save pages from films/fiche, books, photographs or documents.

Resources in the Local Area
"St. Johns, Arizona city website [|Link] 

St. Johns City Cemetery Link you will find Maps of the City of St. Johns Cemetery in .doc format "Old Cemetery" is the southern part of the cemetery and the "New Cemetery" is the Northern part of the cemetery. Then there is an alphabetical list of persons buried there in "Locator in excel format". They keep it up to date fairly regularly. If you have any questions or more information for them call 928-337-4517 Ext 222.

The Apache County Website Link

The Apache County Historical Society Museum website Link

The Apache County Historical Society Blog Blogspot

Arizona Birth Death Certificates - Free On-line Link

Arizona Gravestones.org Link

Apache County Library District - County Digital History. www.apachecountylibraries.com/CountyDigitalHistory.html

Links
(Include links to other websites of interest to those who visit your center such as links to the city, county and state wiki pages where your center is located.)

Arizona 1912-2012 - Posting illustrated histories of Arizona towns Link

Arizona Birth &amp; Death Certificates: Birth records from 1855-1939 and Death records from 1870-1964 genealogy.az.gov/  ''[ Birth &amp; Death Certificates Available to the Public A.R.S. § 36-351 Duties of the director; Arizona state library, archives and public records. The certificate images provided are limited to Arizona: BIRTHS that occurred at least 75 years ago &amp; DEATHS that occurred at least 50 years ago] ''

Billion Graves for St. Johns Cemetery Saint Johns Cemetery

Billion Graves for St. Johns Eastside Catholic Cemetery East Side Cemetery

Find-A-Grave for Apache County, Arizona: Find a Grave

Apache County, Arizona Research Wiki page: Apache County, Arizona

1st Battalion, Arizona Infantry Research Wiki page: 1st Battalion, Arizona Infantry (Union)

Arizona Research Wiki page: Arizona

President Edward Burgoyne's Blog on "I Can Do Family History" Blogspot

Apache County Library District Link

Arizona Digital Newspaper Program Link

Arizona Memory Project Link