Topics from the Timeline Social Sunday

It’s that time again. Time to share articles and posts that have caught my attention in social media and around the web. Here are some of the items I’ve found and shared recently.

The 1873 Colfax Massacre Crippled the Reconstruction Era “One of the worst incidents of racial violence after the Civil War set the stage for segregation” – There are some periods that high school history just didn’t cover well enough for me. Reconstruction is one of them.

New Research Dispels the Myth that Ancient Cultures Had Universally Short Lifespans – There is not current universally accepted method to identify the (ancient) remains of the elderly, resulting in those over 40 all being lumped into one category. One researcher hopes her method can disprove the accepted belief that short lifespans were the norm in ancient cultures. Some of my relatives lived very long lifespans—even by today’s standards—in the 18th century. Apparently the wear and tear on our teeth is the key to identifying the remains of the elderly.

Why putting a citizenship question on the census is a big deal – The census is supposed to count everyone in the United States, not just citizens. Those of us with immigrant ancestors are grateful for it. But in this age of detentions and deportations, this question will most likely make it unlikely non-citizens will be willing to answer accurately, if at all.

Snapshot of Ireland a century ago: an online photographic archive – If you have Irish ancestors an online photographic archive on Ancestry UK may be of interest to you.

Genealogists vs. Historians – Amy Johnson Crow has some thoughts on this debate. What do you think?

Time to paint – Are you using DNA Painter? The Legal Genealogist explains how to use it to “paint your chromosome.” It’s not hard and it doesn’t take a lot of time. I was impressed by just how many segments she was able to identify. I’m nowhere close to that! (Note: to use it you’ll need to have your DNA at 23 and Me, FTDNA, MyHeritage, or GEDmatch; you need segment information to paint.)

Questions You Always Wanted To Ask About Life In Colonial New England: Doctors, Medicine and the Treatment of Illness – Do you have questions about medical care in colonial New England? The Family Connection blog has some answers.

Dear Randy: Why Do You Use U.S. Census Sources from Ancestry.com Rather than FamilySearch? – On the other hand, I try to use FamilySearch for census records I share on this site. Not everyone has an Ancestry account and FamilySearch (for now at least) is free to access.

Please Upload Your DNA Results to Gedmatch.com – Jenealogy and I share the same plea. If you need instructions on how to upload to GEDmatch, you can find them in this post.

Who Owns Your Genetic Information? – The DNA Geek responded to media attention to DNA testing with an article that explains the ins-and-outs and explains each company’s terms and conditions.

The Secrets of the X Chromosome – The X chromosome does more that just determine sex.

Ohio Historical Timeline, 1614-1845 – If you have ancestors who settled in Ohio, this timeline may be of interest to you. When and where did lands “open up” for settlement?

What have you found interesting in your social media timeline or around the web?

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

• Category: Commentary
• Tag: Social Sunday