The California State Census taken in 1852 just went live on Ancestry.com .  So, of course, I had to see if there were any Greeks listed. There were 14 people listed with Greece as their place of birth.  This was during the Gold Rush in California, not suprising, 10 of the 14 people were men listed as Miner's in Calaveras and Placer Counties in California (hotspots of the Gold Rush).  There were also 2 females listed in San Francisco, 1 in Sacramento and 1 in Shasta, California. Name - County - Approx Birth Date - Occupation Nichls - Calaveras - 1822 - Miner M. Reese - Calaveras - 1808 - Miner Richard Webb - Calaveras - 1818 - Miner Coralmabe - Placer - 1830 - Miner John Brobins - Placer - 1812 - Miner John Casteline - Placer - 1810 - Miner John Cecil - Placer - 1830 - Miner Bootool Jeards - Placer - 1822 - Miner George Nichols - Placer - 1820 - Miner George Williams - Placer - 1828 - Miner Isabella Benn - San Francisco - 1812 - No occ...

47 New Links for Western Macedonia - Prefectures Florina, Kastoria, Kozani, Grevena.  They will be added to the HellenicGenealogyGeek.com main website in the next week or so when I publish the revised and easier to navigate site.  In the meantime, you can view these additional links right here. As always, I invite you to recommend additions to this list that you think would be helpful to those researching their Greek family history.   Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com Florina - Diocese of Forina, Prespes & Eordea Florina - Prefectural Administration of Florina Florina - Municipality of Filotas Florina - Municipality of Prespes Florina - Municipality of Perasma Florina - Municipality of Meliti Florina - Municipality of Kato Klines Florina - Municipality of Amydeon Grevena - Diocese of Grevena Grevena - Prefectural Administration of Grevena Grevena - Municipality of Chassia Grevena - Municipality of Agios Kosmas Gre...

"Memories of the old country" published September 12, 2010 in the Cyprus Mail.   "EVERY Sunday, somewhere in the republic, there is a church service in memory of an innocent youth lost forever during the 1974 invasion - tears and recriminations heaped upon a framed photograph."  ..... "Cyprus is in reality so small that Greek-speaking Cypriots all know each other directly or through a mutual acquaintance.  In the old days there was no need for an ID card, we simply asked anyone where he was from and whether he know or was related to so and so - not only did we quickly establish a common link but occasionally uncovered the whereabouts of a lost relative.  I recently learnt that my 4th back-down-the-line-great grandfather, Hadjisavvas was a first cousin of Archbishop Kyprianos, both from the then small village of Stovolos and slaughtered during the 1821 massacre." "Most pre-1950's Stavolots are blood related no matter its consistency.  'St...

I found this article in the PERSI Index - "Cheyenne's Greek Community" article published in the Annals of Wyoming:  the Wyoming History Journal, Cheyenne, WY; Summer 2006, Vol. 78, Issue 3 If you are interested in ordering a copy of this article see my previous posting "Texas - Greek Immigrant Articles" for more details on PERSI and how to order. Good luck with your Greek family history research. Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com    

The Library and Archives Canada (LAC) offers an online database titled "Canadian Naturalization 1915-1932" .  It includes over 200,000 individuals who applied for and received status as naturalized Canadians from 1915 to 1932.  This database is one of the few Canadian genealogical resources specifically designed to benefit those researchers with roots outside of the British Commonwealth.  References located in the database can be used to request copies of the actual naturalization records, which are held by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. I did a database search with Greece as the country of origin and had 2,699 results.  If you have ancestors that migrated to Canada, this may be a great resource for you. Good luck with your Greek family history research. Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com

Here are 3 articles on Greeks in Georgia from the PERSI Index.  See previous posting "Texas - Greek Immigrant Articles" for more details on PERSI and how to order copies of the following articles. "St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church History, 1907+, brief" published in Bonaventure Historical Society, Savannah, GA, Jan 2007, Vol. 13, Issue 1 "Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church" published in Richmond County History, Augusta, GA, 1987, Vol. 19 "Greek Community in Atlanta, 1900-23" published in Georgia Historical Quarterly, Savannah, GA, Winter 1974, Vol. 58, Issue 4 Good luck with your Greek family history research. Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com

Here are 10 articles on Greeks in Utah from the PERSI Index.  See previous posting "Texas - Greek Immigrant Articles" for more details on PERSI and how to order copies of the following articles. "Greek Orthodox Homes, Home Alters" published in Utah Historical Quarterly, Salt Lake City, UT, Fall 1997, Vol. 65, Issue 4 "Greek Immigrant Source" by Mary Voultsos published in Everton's Genealogical Helper, Logan, UT, July 1995, Vol. 49, Issue 4 "Greek Immigrant Funeral Customs in UT" published in the Utah Historical Quarterly, Salt Lake City, UT, Winter 1984, Vol. 52, Issue 1 "Greek Sheepmen of Utah" published in Beehive History, Salt Lake City, UT, Spring 1976, Vol. 2 "Castle Gate Mine Explosion, 1924:  Greek Miners" published in Utah Historical Quarterly, Salt Lake City, UT, Spring 1970, Vol. 38, Issue 2 "Greek Experience ('My Country 'tis of Thee')" published in Utah Historical...

The Queens Gazette, September 8, 2010, published the article "Remembering Smyrna:  The Asia Minor Catastrophe"   by Catherine Tsounis.   The article describes a recent 45 minute lecture given by Christos Papoutsy that was followed by questions and a book signing of "Ships of Mercy". Read more   Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com

Here are 5 articles on Greeks in California from the PERSI Index.  See previous posting "Texas - Greek Immigrant Articles" for more details on PERSI and how to order copies of the following articles. "Greek Orthodox Church Annunciation, 1957" published by Stanislaus Stepping Stones, Modesto, CA, Mar 2004, Vol. 28, Issue 2 "Greek Community in County, 1900s"   published by Stanislaus Stepping Stones, Modesto, CA, Jan 2004, Vol. 28, Issue 1 "St. Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church, 1915-1865" published by Valley Journal, San Bernardino, CA, Winter 2003, Vol 40 "Greek Orthodox Memorial Park Notes" published in SMCGS Newsletter, San Mateo, CA, Jun 2000, Vol 18, Issue 6 "San Francisco's Greek Colony" published in California History, San Francisco, CA, Summer 1981, Vol 60, Issue 2 Good luck with your Greek family history research. Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.c...

Many of you may already know this, but it is worth repeating.  If you live in the United States, chances are that your local library has a subscription to HeritageQuest Online (maybe even allowing you access online from home).  From there you can search PERSI  (The Periodical Source Index) at the Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne, IN.  You can print a form online and order a copy of any article listed in the PERSI Index. Here are three articles pertinent to Greek immigrants in Texas : "Early Greek Settlers in Central Texas" - published in Heart of Texas Records, Waco, TX, Spring 2007, Vol. 50, Issue 1 "Lorie Benrubi bio., Greek immigrant, TX" - published in Dallas Jewish Historical Society Journal, Dallas, TX, Spring 2001, Vol. 13, Issue 2 "Greek and Serbian Cemetery" - published in Our Heritage, San Antonio, TX, Apr 1975, Vol. 16, Issue 3 Good luck with your Greek family history research. Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos...

Over 30 oral histories by Greek immigrants can be heard on Ancestry.com Ancestry is promoting their " Life Stories of Ellis Island Immigrants " Now Available Online for the First Time.  I did a search inserting Greece in the "Origin location" field and there were 32 results.   These are 30 minutes interviews where the person remembers their life in Greece, the boat trip to the United States, the Ellis Island experience, first impressions and their life in America.  I have only had the time to listen to a few so far, but I really enjoyed them.  I could pick out things from each story that I am sure were similar to my own yiayia's and papouli's experiences.  Oh, how I wish I had tapes of them speaking about their memories. I plan on listening to all of them over the next few weeks.  Take the time to listen to them yourself if you can. Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com

Ancestry.com is offering FREE access to their Immigration Collection through September 6th. This is a great opportunity - take advantage of it. Good luck with your Greek family history research. Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com

Cultural Treasures of the Church of Greece - Digital collection has 25,000 exhibits and documents.   Through the use of the Interactive Cultural Map, the visitor may look at architectural monuments, museums, heirlooms and cultural assets connected with ecclesiastic structures and organizations. Showing an image of Greece divided in districts, the Digital Map offers the possibility for the user to select a particular geographical district and be informed about the ecclesiastical cultural data of that area, in both photography or audio material. Thanks to the MGSA-L Modern Greek Studies Mailing List for originally introducing me to this website. Enjoy. Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com

Town of Distomo (Central Greece) -  "This year marks the 66th anniversary of atrocities that cost the lives of 228 people, 117 women, and 111 men, including 53 children under the age of 16." - GreekNewsAgenda.com Watch the Greek TV show online "The New Files":   The Distomo massacre   -- "65 years after a wild massacre, "The New Files: return to the village that was almost wiped out in one day to find out that wounds still remain open." ---------- Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com

"A genealogy treasure trove:  Translating an Italian midwife's records gives birth to history in Tampa" is the title of an article printed in the St Petersburg Times on August 1, 2010.   "Angelo Lorenzo spread out 62 small notebooks, rubber-banded in packs, untouched for decades, freshly unearthed from a clothes closet. • Lorenzo wore white cotton gloves. He flipped the brittle pages with a letter opener. Each one recorded a birth in Tampa. Page one was Maria Ficarotta, born May 10, 1907. • He translated the page — handwritten in Sicilian a century ago by a Tampa midwife. The baby's parents were Antonio and Guiseppina, the midwife wrote in pencil. She was 23, he was 25. They lived on Main Street in West Tampa. • The translator had another 6,733 births to go. The prolific midwife had birthed up to six babies a day from 1907 to 1939. On each page, she documented who the parents were, where they came from, how many other children they had, where they li...

I recently read   Genealogy Guide to Google Country Search Engines   in the blog "Genealogy in Time".   They state that Google has country specific domains to deal with local regulations, etc.  and that genealogists can use it to our advantage when looking for country specific information and archives.   I agree.  I did a few searches on the http://Google.gr search engine and the results were more closely related to what I was looking for.  When I do a search on the Google.com search engine I receive a million results and have to cull through page after page to try and find what I am looking for, many times giving up with no worthwhile results. Try it.  Also, take the time to follow the link above and read the entire article "Genealogy Guide to Google Country Search Engines".  You will also find links to local search engines for 132 countries and translations. Good luck with your Greek family history research. Georgia Keilman nee...

ΚΙΣ - Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece   This website resource contains the following information: Jewish Organizations in Greece - History and Administration of Communities in Athens, Thessaloniki, Larisa, Volos, Corfu, Chalkis, Ioannina, Trikala, Rhodes  Pre-War Communities - Alexandroupoli, Arta, Veroia, Didimoticho, Drama, Zakynthos, Kavala, Karditsa, Kastoria, Komothnh, Kos, Nea Orestiada, Xanthi, Patra, Preveza, Serres, Florina, Chania Institutions - Jewish Museum of Greece, Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki, Nursing Home "Restion", Synagogue of Chania, Jewish Museum of Rhodes Plus information on World Jewry, the Holocaust, and Israel. Good luck with your Greek family history research. Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com

This video is from an exhibition titled "Refugee Treasures" that ran at the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens last year.  It highlights the evacuation of Asia Minor during 1922 and the "treasures" that were taken from Triglia and other areas in Asia Minor. Watch the video  - (scroll down on the page to access the video) Enjoy. Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com

NATIONAL HELLENIC MUSEUM - THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND IN THE U.S. CELEBRATING GREEK HISTORY, ART AND CULTURE - TO OPEN IN LATE FALL 2011 Article published August 27, 2010 online at pitchengine.com -   read entire article

64 New Links for Eastern Macedonia & Thrace - Prefectures Drama, Evros, Kavala, Rodopi, Xanthi.   They will be added to the  HellenicGenealogyGeek.com   main website in the next week or so when I publish the revised and easier to navigate site.  In the meantime, you can view these additional links right here. As always, I invite you to recommend additions to this list that you think would be helpful to those researching their Greek family history. Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos)       http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com Drama - Prefectural Administration of Drama Drama - Municipality of Prossotsani Drama - Municipality of Paranestion Drama - Municipality of Nikiforos Drama - Municipality of Kalambakion Drama - Municipality of Doxaton Drama - Municipality of Drama Drama - Daily Press - Echo Evros - Diocese of Alexandroupolis Evros - Diocese of Didymoticho & Orestiada   Evros - Prefectural Administration of Evros Evros - Mun...