Video on FamilySearch Family Tree

This is an entertaining video on using Family Tree at FamilySearch. It was presented at RootTech 2013 by Ron Tanner. Entertainment and Education!

Family Group Record PDF that Can be saved from Acrobat Reader 9

I have been searching for a Family Group Record PDF file that I could e-mail to family members.  I wanted them to be able to fill it out in Acrobat Reader, save the file and e-mail it back to me.  I wanted it to be as painless a process as possible.  I would have thought this type of file would be widely available.  Well it wasn't.

There were Family Group Record PDF files that could be filled out, but the person could not save it to e-mail it back to me.  They would have had to print it and then scan it to e-mail it, or fax it, or snail mail.  I have solved the problem and I am sharing it for anyone else with the dilemma I was facing.  You can download it at the link below.  I hope it is helpful.  Let me know what you think.

Family Group Record PDF

What happened to David?

I am researching the Geist family that settled in Denver after immigrating from Walter, Russia in 1912-1913. We are descendants of John Geist and Elizabeth Klein. They had five sons, John (Johann), Jacob, David, Fred (Freidrich) and George. John (the father) died in Russia. Sometime after that his family emmigrated to the United States.

The first one to arrive in the United States was Jacob.   He was about 17 years-old when he entered through Port Huron, Michigan in August of 1912.  He was followed by John (about 20 years-old), his wife Katherine and oldest daughter Amalia in December, 1912.  They entered the U.S. at Ellis Island on the ship Grosser Kurfurst.  They sailed from Breman, Germany.  Elizabeth and the younger boys, David, Fred and George arrived with John and his family, but were turned away. David had Trachoma and therefore could not enter the United States.  He was 11 years-old, so his mother went back to Breman on the ship with him.   Fred (9 years-old) and George (7 years-old) and also went back.

In April of 1913, Elizabeth again arrived at Ellis Island from Breman, Germany on the ship George Washington.   This time she only had Fred and George with her.   They were allowed into the country this time.  I have no idea where she left David or with whom.  I would love to find out if there is a descendant of his that could fill in what happened to David.  


Please post a comment if you might have information on this.  If you do not want the comment on the blog, please let me know in the comment and I will keep it private.  Thanks!