Review: Family Tree Builder for the Mac

In January, I attended a meeting of the Greater PortlandChapter of the Maine Genealogical Society.  During the meeting, there were some questions about software to use to manage genealogical information. I had several suggestions for PC Users, but told folks there were not any free products for the Mac.  What do you know, a week later MyHeritage announced free download for Family Tree Builder (FTB) for the Mac.  I thought I’d give it a try, sort of kick the tires and check the engine for leaks.
Over the years I’ve used many products, Family Tree Maker (FTM) for Mac (Orig, 2, & 3), Heredis, Mac Family Tree, also Reunion, so I have experience with several genealogy programs.
My Heritage Logo
By myheritage.com
[CC BY-SA 2.5]
via Wikimedia Commons
I already had an account with MyHeritage so downloading and installation was easy. I would have had to register with MyHeritage if I had not already done so; registration is very easy. The installation followed typical Mac installation processes – download DMG, execute the DMG, drag the icon to your applications directory and then launch the program.
I was disappointed that the file system and the interface was very (Microsoft) Windows like.  It took me a bit to figure out how to find my GED file, which I had created earlier, in order to import it.  I am so out of practice using Microsoft Windows. Likewise, the software interface with its buttons was very Windows-like and not at all Mac-like. I finally imported the file and learned that I had quite a few errors occurred in the import process. Nothing told me how important the errors were — Oh well. 
I was unhappy with the constant and regular nagging to purchase the upgrade. It seemed like everything I tried to look at was available in the Premium package.  I learn quickly and learned how to keep away from those features.
My real shock was when I tried to edit one of the entries.  It reminded me about why I hate Microsoft Windows. The message confirmed that the program is actually a Windows program running on a Mac by using Wine and probably some enhancements by Codeweavers’ Crossover. I had several more “Program Errors” during my use of the program.  I restarted my computer, which seemed to mitigate the issues and I haven’t had as many “Program Errors” since the computer restart. 
I really liked many of the features in FTB. The data managed for living people was exceptionally good. In addition, because of MyHeritage’s Smart Matches, the program makes it very easy to contact other researchers.  The photo management also seemed very good and included a feature for adding the reverse side of a photo, something that I liked seeing.  The reports were okay but didn’t have the visual impact of some other programs I’ve used. 
Sources and citations were nice and easy to manage, however, associating them to facts in a person’s profile seemed difficult.  Maybe with time I would figure out a better way to do it but my way was difficult. I will say that few programs make the process easy and FTB isn’t alone in making it cumbersome.  What I would like to see is a method to easily enter a source and citation then from that screen create facts associated with a person and or a group of people. (Rant off.) 
MyHeritage has a really nice website creation process and includes many tools to increase genealogical awareness, including genealogy games for kids to get them interested in your family tree.  It also handles writing stories and activities really well to make it more interesting to tell your story.
23 & Me now has a relationship with MyHeritage.  23 & Me is a DNA testing company. They used to have customers enter their tree on the 23 & Me site.  They recently partnered with MyHeritage so that MyHeritage now maintains your family tree information and makes connecting with genetic cousins much easier.  That feature could be a reason to use MyHeritage and/or FTB.
The real issue with the software is that it is a marketing/sales product.  The free version of the software, like the free version of the web interface on MyHeritage is limited to 250 individuals and 250 MB of storage. You need to upgrade to Premium to expand to 2500 individuals and to Premium Plus to go above 2500 individuals.  
If you are a Windows user of MyHeritage’s Family Tree Builder and are moving to the Mac, it is definite that the Mac version will ease your migration. If you are a MyHeritage subscriber, then Family Tree Builder will make many of the tasks and research easier to use.  Its integration into MyHeritage research options is excellent.  I haven’t figured out exactly what will happen if you drop your MyHeritage subscription and have more than 250 individuals in your tree.  If you are a Mac user that really likes the Mac interface to programs, you will not like FTB.  
The bottom line is that FTB is a desktop application that improves interaction with your MyHeritage account and online trees.  If you do not have a MyHeritage subscription, you probably do not want to use Family Tree Builder.

————- DISCLAIMER ————-


newspapers.com 
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Donna in Madison, WI, at the Fuller Theater – Valentine’s Day – 14 Feb 1920

The Milwaukee Road-RosaliaAfter having played
the Grand Theatre in Eau Claire, on the 12th and the Myers Theater
in Janesville on the 13th, the “Chin-Chin” backtracked the short 40 miles to
Madison to play the Fuller Theater. The only railroad, of the time, between
Janesville and Madison appears to have been the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul
and Pacific Railroad – also known as the “Milwaukee Road.”
The Capital Times” – Via Newspapers.Com

The Capital Times
didn’t pay much attention to the show’s arriving, I suppose because it was a
return engagement. They ran the standard paid ads on the 10th and
the 11th and ran Chin-Chin provided “stories” on 11th and
13th. On Saturday, February 14th, “Chin Chin” played both
a matinee and an evening performance[i].
I couldn’t find any reviews of the show.





Fuller Opera House
Courtesy: Cinema Treasures   


Fuller Opera House

The Fuller Opera House  was a medium sized theater, seating about
1200 people on three levels—484 on the lower floor, 346 in the Balcony, 400 in
the Gallery, and 31 in boxes. The stage was a standard 35×35 ft. [ii]  Built by Morris and Edward Fuller, the Fuller
Opera House opened next door to Madison City Hall and across the street from
the state capitol on April 7, 1890. [iii]  Across the street, in 1904, a fire burned the
Capital building to the ground. [iv] The Capital was
reconstructed with construction completing in 1917.  In 1921 the Fuller Opera House was remodeled
and became the Parkway Theater. The theater was razed in 1954 to make way for a
Woolworths.

Further Research

The Julius Cahn Gus Hill Theatrical Guide 1913-1914 mentions several newspapers that should be researched for possible stories regarding “Chin Chin” playing on 14 Feb 1920 in Madison, WI. These newspapers include:

“Amerika” (Norwegian), Fri., cir., 8,000, R. B. Anderson, Ed.; 
“Cardinal,” daily ex. Sun. during col. year;
“Democrat,” A . M . ex. Mon., cit., 4.000,
“Journal,” P. M. ex. Sun., cir., 6,044, R. L. Jones[v]

————- DISCLAIMER ————-


newspapers.com
 

 
Endnotes

[i]The Capital Times” (Madison, Wisconsin) ·
Tue, Feb 10, 1920 · Page 7 (via Newspapers.com)
[ii] The Julius Cahn Gus Hill Theatrical Guide 1913-1914, Page 683, Madison. https://archive.org/details/theatricaljuliu00cahnuoft
[iv] Wikipedia
– Article: Wisconsin State Capital https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin_State_Capitol
[v] The Julius Cahn Gus Hill Theatrical Guide
1913-1914,
Page 683, Madison https://archive.org/details/theatricaljuliu00cahnuoft

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James Ashley Hobbs (1843-1920)

James Ashley Hobbs (1843-1920)

James Ashley Hobbs was probably born in October 1843.  The 1850 and 1870 Censuses indicate he was 6
and 26 at the times of the two censuses. The 1880 and 1910 censuses infer that
his was born in 1844 and the 1900 Census clearly indicates he was born October
1844. Additionally, when James enlisted in the CSA in December of 1862 he
indicated his age was 20, suggesting an 1842 birth year. Because the 1850 and
1870 censuses are closer to the event, I believe that 1843 is more likely
correct. Martin County Heritage does
suggest James Ashley Hobbs was born in 1841, however the entry includes a
question mark, does not cite sources, and is not corroborated by any other
sources. Because of that, I discount the birthdate in Martin County Heritage.

All entries are consistent with his being born in North
Carolina. In 1840, his parents were living in Beaufort County, North Carolina[1]; in
1850, he and his parents were living in Martin County, North Carolina[2]. Therefore,
it isn’t clear exactly where in North Carolina he was born.
James was the sixth child of eight children born to George
W. and M. Hobbs, although it appears that two of his older siblings died before
he was born.

Civil War Service – CSA

North Carolina Civil War Flag
James enlisted in the 41st Regiment (Cavalry) sometime
before October 1862 when he transferred to Company G[3].  In September, 1963, he transferred to the 17th
Regiment – NC Troops (2nd Organization) Company A – Roanoke Guards[4]. In
December, 1963, he was admitted to Hospital No. 4. In Wilmington, South
Carolina. He was there until 3 February 1864, when he was returned to duty in
Hamilton, Martin County, North Carolina[5]. We
also know he was issued clothing on 21 June 1864[6].
After the war, James married Annie Deborah Long on 16 May
1866 in Hamilton, Martin County, North Carolina[7]. The
young family located to Temperance, Amherst County, Virginia where their first
three children, Charles Leon, George Samuel, and Annie Elizabeth were
born.  Then about 1873 they moved back to
North Carolina and lived in Palmyra, Halifax County where James was a merchant.
While in Palmyra, daughters Mattie D. and Mary Emolyn (Emily) were born[8]
About 1878 the family moved back to Martin County and lived
in Hamilton where James was a Farmer, carpenter, & captain on a steam boat
on the Roanoke River. 1878 also saw the birth of their sixth child, Roland
Rivers Hobbs.
Sometime before 1880 they lost their second child, George.
1881, 1883, and 1885 saw the births of three more children, James Floyd, Fanny,
and Mary Lillian Hobbs.[9]

In 1890, their oldest daughter, 18 year-old Annie Elizabeth
Hobbs married Frank Alton Armstrong. Sometime before 1896 two of their
daughters, Mattie and Mary Emolyn, died. While living in Hamilton, James was a
member of the Masons and attended the Methodist Church[10].
Martin County Courthouse, Williamston, North Carolina
Photo by J. Stephen Conn
James Ashley Hobbs was Clerk of Court from 1896 until 1914
In 1896, James was elected Clerk of Court for the Superior
Court of Martin County, North Carolina and the family moved to Williamston and
rented a house on Main Street. Clerk of Court is a prestigious position and one
he held until 1914[11].
In 1903 his daughter Fannie died[12].
In 1910, his daughter Mary Lillian Hobbs married James
Dallas Howell[13].
In 1913, his wife of 47 years passed away[14].
James was said to be a quiet person, he raised a fine
garden, and kept the place in first class shape. He read to his grandchildren
the continued stories in the “Youth’s Companion” and “Comfort.”[15]
James continued living in Williamston until his death in
1920. He died while in Hobgood, Halifax County, North Carolina. Both he and his
wife are buried in the cemetery in Hamilton.[16]

Namesakes:

James Ashley Hobbs had a grandson (daughter Mary Lillian
Hobbs Howell’s) son name Ashley.

He also had a great-grandson, (Son – James Floyd Hobbs’ son
– James Floyd Hobbs’, son – James Ashley Hobbs) named after him.

Further Actions:

Find James Ashley Hobbs in the 1860 Census. (unsuccessful
in Ancestry.Com and Family Search.com)
Further research James Ashley Hobbs’s contribution
to the Civil War and the actions of his companies. (Lots of things on Fold 3 to
access.)
Find, document, and photograph James and Annie’s burial
location. (Not seeing on Find-a-Grave) 

List of Greats

1.    James Ashley
Hobbs
2.    
George W.
Hobbs

[1] 1840 Census, Ancestry.com, 1840; Washington, Beaufort, North
Carolina; Roll: 355; Page: 268; Image: 546; Family History Library Film:
0018092
[2] 1850 Census, Ancestry.com, Year: 1850; Census Place: Martin,
North Carolina; Roll: M432_636; Page: 403B; Image: 443.
[3] James H. McCallum,
Martin County during the Civil War
Including a Roster of Troups from Martin County (:  Martin County Historical Society, 1971), Page
151
[4] James H. McCallum,
Martin County during the Civil War
Including a Roster of Troups from Martin County (:  Martin County Historical Society, 1971), Page
162-163
[5] Hughes, S. J. N.,
& Martin County Historical Society (N.C.), Martin County Heritage
(Williamston, NC, Martin County Historical Society, 1980), Article # 418
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
[10]
Ibid.
[11] Francis M. Manning
and W. H. Booker, Martin County History – Vol. 1 (Williamston, N.C., Enterprise
Publishing Company, 1977), Page 188-189.
[12] Hughes, S. J. N.,
& Martin County Historical Society (N.C.), Martin County Heritage
(Williamston, NC, Martin County Historical Society, 1980), Article # 418 –
James Ashley Hobbs
[13] North Carolina,
Marriages, 1759-1979, Family Search, J. D. Howell & Mary Lillian Hobbs –
Accessed 2013-12-07. https://familysearch.org/pal:/mm9.1.1/f847-tqy.
[14] Hughes, S. J. N.,
& Martin County Historical Society (N.C.), Martin County Heritage
(Williamston, NC, Martin County Historical Society, 1980), Article # 418 –
James Ashley Hobbs
[15]
Ibid.
[16]
Ibid.

https://www.onegreatfamily.com
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Genealogical Fun – John & Charlotte Raasch

Sometimes you just need to do something fun.  I had a couple really bad days researching
the Darling/Huber (See Brick Wall) line and working on my “Adair Project” without any
successes.  A very frustrating few days
of work, so it was time to do something that would be fun. 
While doing some work previously, I had found a couple
Homestead Claims for my “Raasch Project.” Homestead claims generally have some
really great and important information that you don’t find anywhere else.  In this case, I had two people, who certainly
were related, and each had 80 acres in the same section of land.  Also, these type of documents are great to learn
and gain texture to these people’s lives. 

 

  In reviewing the documents, we learned that Charlotte was a
widow, before May of 1868 and homesteaded land in Dodge County, Nebraska.

In another document in the homestead package we learn much
more about her life in Nebraska.  Her
neighbors, one of whom I’m sure was a relative, and probably her son, swore
that Charlotte had been there for six years and had three children. 
The John Raasch homestead papers indicate that
he had built  a one-story 20×32 house
that had four doors and nine windows.  On
the other hand, the Widow Raasch (Charlotte) had built a 12×14 foot house with
one door and two windows.  Other
documents mention that she had dug a well and had a shed.  It had to have been a harsh life.  Mother and three children in a house very
much like the John Curry House photographed by Solomon D. Butcher made
available by the Nebraska State Historical Society.  I’ve seen “Nebraska Gothic” before and never thought much of it. A couple making do in the Nebraska homestead period.  Now I visualize my friend’s ancestors, widow with three kids at the same kind of house.  I can her mom asking one of the kids to go out to the well to draw
water in the cold, windy, Nebraska winter.
The John Curry house, near West Union, Custer County, Nebraska, 1886
Photo by Solomon D. Butcher. Thanks to the Nebraska State Historical Society.
Partial map of Township 19 North, of Range 7 East
Dodge County, Nebraska
Then it is fun to take an old map of the area and draw in
the plots that John and Charlotte Raasch had. They bordered each other.
Charlotte’s piece was nice, flat and desirable. 
John’s was bisected by the Elk Horn River which surely made farming
impossible on the southern third of his land.
I can tell how genealogically geeky I am because I find
visualizing how people lived and making up maps of where they lived as fun. I
know my friend, for whom I am doing the Raasch Project, appreciates the effort
I am putting in and the documents I am finding. Meanwhile, I’m just enjoying
the fun of finding cool stuff.  

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Brick Wall – Jacob Huber (bef 1860–?)

By – Don Taylor

I know that “crossing the pond” can prove frustrating in
genealogical research. Jacob Huber really brings that point home clearly to
me.  I know virtually nothing about
him.  When I first began working on my
wife’s genealogy, I was so happy to learn that her mother had some family
photos of the Hubers from the turn of the previous century (my guess) and, most
excellent, the photos included names on the back. 
“The Huber Family”
“Back of the Huber Family”
Then, when I found John Huber marriage record entry which
names his father, it clearly collaborated what the photos indicated.  I also knew from several records that John
Huber was born in Windlach, Switzerland, I assumed that Jacob lived there. 
I then began my regular process to find information
regarding Jacob.  I found nothing.  In my searching, I found another person
researching the Hubers in Windlach. 
Although his or her Hubers certainly were not the same ones I’ve been
seeking, a response to his post on Ancestry Message Boards suggested ordering
parish records for the Canton through the family history library. 
What a great idea. Maybe there is a hole in the brick wall. I
searched the Family Search catalog and found three entries for Church records in Zurich. Of course, most are in German. 
The first one appeared to cover 1600-1700, outside of my search area.
The second one related to Immigrants in 1859 — Also outside of my search area. But, the third one “Die
Pfarrbücher der Züricher Landschaft als bevölkerungsgeschichtliche und
chronikalische Quelle”– what might that be?  Thanks to Google Translate, I learned it means, “The parish registers of
Zurich’s landscape as historical population and chronical source”  Perfect.  Could it be exactly what I’ve been looking for. I then saw it is a book, not so
good, then I found a call number and then the disappointing words,
“availability: missing.” There is a link to see if the book is available
anywhere else through World Cat. Sadly, it isn’t available anywhere else. Also,
World Cat has a note saying, “The use of parish registers as a historical
source in the rural areas of Zürich, Switzerland.”  Clearly, a better translation than what
Google provides. I was afraid of that. The book isn’t the parish registers;
rather, it is a book, in German, about using parish registers.  Not of any help to me.
So the hold in the brick wall that I thought I had seen
wasn’t really a hole.  Maybe just a crack
in the mortar but it does provide a new set of angles to work on.  I’m sure I’ll find a way to see the parish
records without going to Switzerland. 
I’ve just got more to do. So, I guess I’ll suggest that when you hit a brick wall, don’t despair.  Poke around a bit and you should get some ideas. As long as you have further actions to do it isn’t really a solid brick wall. There is still a hole you can work through. 

Bio – Jacob Huber (bef. 1860 – bef. 1960)

Jacob Huber was born in Switzerland[1]
sometime before 1860. (That assumes he was at least 20 when his son John was
born).
   

He married Kath Struckland[2] sometime before
1879. (That assumes Jacob & Kath were married when their son John was conceived.)

Family oral history indicated that only John Huber left
Zurich, so it is assumed that Jacob died and was buried in the Windlach/Stadel
bei Niederglatt area.

Further Actions:

Search for
sources of vital records for Windlach/Stadel bei Niederglatt in the canton of Zürich, Switzerland.
Search for and contact people with the Huber surname in the
Windlach area of Zürich, Switzerland
Visit Windlach and Stadel bei Niederglatt, Zürich, Switzerland
(or entice another family member to visit it and do some research while there.)

List of Greats
1.    
John Huber
2.    Jacob Huber
3.    
Jak Huber

Endnotes:

[1] 1910 Census, Census Place: Elberta and Josephine, Baldwin, Alabama; Roll: T624_1; Page: 5A; Enumeration
District: 0013; FHL microfilm: 1374014.
[2] Wisconsin Marriage
Records, Johana Huber and Bertha Trunpe, 02 Mar 1905. groom’s name:  Johana Huber. 
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