Monday, January 11, 2016

Monday Mailbox: Best Kept Genealogy Search Secret

The Ancestry Insider's Monday MailboxDear Readers,

In response to last week’s post, “Monday Mailbox: One Click Search of Acom, FMP, MH from Family Tree,” reader “Ann” left a comment worth repeating:

Dear Ancestry Insider,

While I use these logos for searching on FamilySearch, I also use a Chrome extension called RootsSearch, which can search, not only from FamilySearch, but also from:

* Ancestry
* BillionGraves
* FamilySearch
* Find A Grave
* findmypast
* Genealogie Online
* Open Archives
* WeRelate

The sites it will search are:

* American Ancestors
* Ancestry
* Archives
* BillionGraves
* Chronicling America
* FamilySearch
* Find A Grave
* findmypast.co.uk
* findmypast.com
* Fold3
* Genealogie Online
* Genealogy Bank
* Geneanet.org
* Genealogy Gophers
* Geni
* Google
* Mocavo
* MyHeritage
* Newspapers
* NLA Trove
* Open Archives
* USGenWeb
* WeRelate
* WikiTree
* World Vital Records

This is a best kept secret that needs to be shared!! It is not in the FamilySearch App Gallery. For more information, see https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/rootssearch/aolcffalbhpnojekmimmelebjchjmmgn?hl=en-US

Signed,
Ann

Thanks for sharing, Ann!

Signed,
---The Ancestry Insider

11 comments:

  1. Does it only work on a desktop? I accessed via my iPad. It gave me a friendly suggestion to remind myself to download to my desktop. I assume that means it will work on a laptop, but I probably shouldn't assume anything.

    ReplyDelete
  2. As far as I know, it works on Mac & Windows computers [desktops and laptops], not tablets. I don't know about Chromebooks. I understand they are working on a Firefox version.

    ReplyDelete
  3. To check it out I searched for a relative on Find-A-Grave via the RootsSearch portal. Result - NO HIT. Signed into Find-A-Grave and re-did the search. Yup, there he was.

    So, is there a difference in results if you search via the RootsSearch portal and, if so, why?

    Richard Belz

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Searching on Findagrave is an exact search. When I don't find results using RootsSearch (which is usually the case) I use the 'Refine Last Search' filter on the left of the findagrave page, edit the name, add the state and county if I know it and it works better.

      Delete
  4. Using Win XP and the latest version of Chrome, I installed the extension but when I click on it nothing happens. Right-clicked the icon in the tray and Options is grayed-out. ?????

    Thanks,
    George W. Durman
    GermannaResearch@comcast.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't know how RootsSearch works on an XP computer anymore, although a year ago it worked fine. You must be on a landing page on Ancestry, BillionGraves, FamilySearch, Find A Grave, or one of the others listed, although I do not use those others. This means you must be on a page where you see a person's name in a record or on a tree like FamilySearch Family Tree or a tree on Ancestry before the RootsSearch button will turn on. These are the types of pages I mean:
      https://familysearch.org/tree/#view=ancestor&person=KZ41-GC7

      https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MZDR-FBW

      http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=137700353

      http://person.ancestry.com/tree/73598656/person/42277304817/facts

      http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=1870usfedcen&rank=1&gsfn=Sheridan&gsln=Schuck&msbpn__ftp=Rhinebeck%2c+Dutchess%2c+New+York%2c+United+States&msdpn__ftp=Red+Hook%2c+Dutchess%2c+New+York%2c+United+States&msfng0=George&msfns0=Schuck&msmng0=Margaretha&msmns0=Ahlendorph&mssng0=Laura+Louise&msbdy=1828&msddy=1899&msgdy=1866&gss=angs-d&pcat=35&fh=0&h=30212146&recoff=&ml_rpos=1

      Delete
  5. Can someone please tell me how to get this off my computer? It caused the Luxembourg church records which I am indexing for Luxroots.com to no longer open on Internet Explorer. Google Chrome wouldn't size the windows so I could open two or three stacked. It is also too large and too bright. I don't know how to fix it, so I uninstalled Google Chrome but now Records at Family search don't open. Please help.
    Catherine

    ReplyDelete
  6. More information including a bit of history of RootsSearch can be found at http://blog.rootssearch.io/2015/09/the-past-present-and-future-of.html

    ReplyDelete
  7. Right click on the Rootsearch icon and click the option to remove the extension. There is also an option to manage extensions (on Chrome). You could disable the add-on from there.

    ReplyDelete

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