To the new members joining us (and other who wonder about this stuff): This Azores Genealogy Google Group ([email protected]) is part of Google Groups. It is a technically a Listserv. No, I didn't misspell that. That's the proper name for a mailing list. So this is really a mailing list. Because it's at Google Groups though, you can read old messages in the archives (or web board or forum).
The Azores group list currently has about 1450 members. So when a message is sent out, it goes to all 1450 people. Double check your messages! You may *think* you are writing to Aunt Annie and inadvertently clicked on the Azores instead of Aunt. So all that personal stuff you said to Aunt Annie went out to 1450 people. I can't retrieve it. I can only remove it from the archives (and that is not instant and sometimes it can be a few hours of work). Please be careful. To make a post, open an email and address it to [email protected]. For a subject, I suggest putting surname(s), freguesia & island (there are about 5 Riberinhas in the Azores, so saying Riberinhas isn't enough), and date or range. If you want help on your Jose da Silva born 1881, 82, or 83 from Sao Miguel island, then put: Jose da Silva born 1880s, Sao Miguel. In the body, write what you know and what research you have done (if you are finding he was born in 1881, 82, or 83, then you probably have a variety of sources for that birth date). Even if you are working with the online records, I suggest more in the subject than "Help me" or "Translate this." Suggestion: Marriage from Horta, Faial, Jose da Silva & Maria de Jesus. Many list members are not retired and are still working. When the list is busy, they scan the subject line for their surnames or freguesias. If it doesn't catch their eye, they delete your post. If you want to make connections and find long lost cousins, then state the freguesia in your subject line. A word about translations: Many places charge for translations. The people on this list do it freely. Please don't burn out the translators. This is what I mean by that. This is a "do-it-yourself" list. Don't send 10 links to your documents and ask for all of them to be translated at the same time. Please try to do some of it yourself. Let us know what you can pick out and what you need help with. The names are usually the first things people understand. The numbers (written in long hand as in 1885 - is one thousand eight hundred eighty and five) are usually last to be understood. Not all of us are native speakers. Many people who "translate" on this list start out where you are today! They really did! You can do it too! The Azores GenWeb is a resource that I refer many people to. It is a web site. There are many articles there and even information on paleography (that's the term for reading old handwriting). There are maps, how to, articles on names, and more. http://goo.gl/94HEPG The Tombo.pt is another resource that is a web site as well. ( http://goo.gl/gQwL8x) It is a portal to the CCA site (the Azorean government site where the vital records are held). You can also use the Azores GenWeb site too (under maps - links are provided, but some navigation is required on your part). Hope this information helps those who are new to the world of Listservs or Portuguese genealogy! Cheri Mello Listowner, Azores-Gen Researching: Vila Franca, Ponta Garca, Ribeira Quente, Ribeira das Tainhas, Achada -- For options, such as changing to List, Digest, Abridged, or No Mail (vacation) mode, log into your Google account and visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Azores. Click in the blue area on the right that says "Join this group" and it will take you to "Edit my membership." --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Azores Genealogy" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/azores.
