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Cover Story: 'Historic step' as Web site promises great boon to family history research

It's official: the Church's new FamilySearch Internet Genealogy Service www.familysearch.org was launched May 24 at a news conference linked by satellite between the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and the National Press Club in Washington D.C.

It would hardly be overstating matters to say the new Web site promises to be the greatest boon to family history research since the invention of microfilm.

So significant was the announcement that President Gordon B.Hinckley was present with President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, and President Jame E. Faust, second counselor in the First Presidency, along with other General Authorities.

"This is a very significant day," declared President Hinckley in remarks to news media representatives. "Today we are taking an historic step as we officially launch 'familysearch.org.' I hope you understand that this is far from just a new Web site."

President Hinckley put it in historic perspective, saying that from the very beginning of the Church, its members have been under religious obligation to identify their ancestors. Thus, it began in 1894 to gather significant records, and with the adoption of microfilm technology in 1938, it became possible to film records all over the world.

"The vast collection of this library is due in part to this painstaking process of microfilming over many decades," he said, adding that microfilm copies of most of the records can now be examined by anyone who wishes to see them at satellite libraries through the United States and in many nations.

In recent years, he noted, computer technology has enabled the transfer of genealogical records to large databases and to publish the information on compact disc.

"Today, however, we take the long-awaited step of allowing home access via the Internet to some of the most significant materials in our Family History Library," he said. "We began testing this Web site on April 1, and the response has been overwhelming. Users are profuse in expressing thanks. Since then, without any promotion or requested publicity, the site has had more than 200 million 'hits,' making it one of the most sought-after sites on the Internet, even before its formal launch."

President Hinckley emphasized that the Church did not get involved in the undertaking for monetary reward of any kind. "In fact, it has cost us a very great deal. Our motives are to help members of the Church and others find their roots. The doctrine of the eternal nature of the family is one of the most important and sacred of our teachings. . . . Seeking to understand our family history can change lives. It helps bring unity and cohesion to families. There is something about understanding the past that helps give our young people something to live up to, a legacy to respect if you please."

President Hinckley then pushed a computer button to carry out a "virtual ribbon cutting" as it was characterized by Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Presidency of the Seventy. As he did so, a "ribbon" on a projected computer screen parted to reveal the opening screen of the Internet Service for demonstration to the reporters.

In introductory remarks, Elder Christofferson, executive director of the Family History Department, noted that just that morning, the "hits" on the new web site were coming at a pace of 30 million a day, just from word that had gotten around prior to the announcement. (On May 25, the Deseret News reported that the system had to be taken down the previous day so it could be reconfigured to handle the traffic of 400-500 hits per second.)

"Clearly, this is something of great value to many, many people," Elder Christofferson said. He pointed out a map of the world covered with red dots showing the locations where users had already registered on the Internet service during the test period prior to its official launch. There were dots showing registrations of more than 57,000 people in more than 80 nations, including the continent of Antarctica.

"I think we have a scientist down there who is interested in his roots," Elder Christofferson said.

After President Hinckley "cut" the virtual ribbon, Randy Bryson, a project leader with the Family History Department, demonstrated the service's features. For the demonstration, he used the names of a set of third-great-grandparents provided a few days earlier by an Associated Press reporter.

"Within a matter of minutes, she was back into the early 1700s with information she did not even know about," Brother Bryson said.

"He then typed in their names and clicked a button. The search engine scoured the 400 million names and more than 3,500 web sites already accessible in the system, a count that is increasing daily. A "hit" came up from the Church's data base, Ancestral File, showing that the ancestor, Thomas Moulton, was born March 10, 1810.

The birthplace was given as the Irish Channel, which means he was born on a boat between Ireland and England, Brother Bryson said. Other information showed he immigrated to the United States and died in Idaho.

Clicking on a pedigree option brought up a pedigree chart for Thomas Moulton and his ancestors.

"Not only are we putting the data that we have on the Internet, but we're also trying to lend order to chaos that we find on the Internet," Brother Bryson noted. "In doing so, we have organized links to genealogical Web sites on the Internet in the same way we have organized our information about microfilm and books that we have in this wonderful library." He clicked the option "Browse Categories" and found information about Thomas Moulton on an Web site linked to the Church's Internet service. It showed census data that could be investigated for further information on the ancestor.

"What if we wanted to find the original birth record, however?" he asked. He entered information for a search of the Family History Library's holdings, which yielded six records for Thomas Moulton. A click on the first record from the relevant time period showed that the library has a microfilm that has the original record on it.

"Now, all we have to do is to go to the closely placed (hopefully) Family History Center in our own neighborhood and be able to order the microfilm and, in a few days, sit down in front of the original birth record." To dramatize it, he showed a projected image of the reporter's ancestor, a notation in a bishop's transcript showing that Thomas Son of William and Sarah Moulton, was born March 10, 1810, and christened Jan. 1, 1812.

"I think you can see here the power that comes from having this kind of information available in a person's home, to be able to look at this information and go to the centers and look at the data of other records," Brother Bryson said.

He also demonstrated how new-found information can be shared via e-mail with others who access the service and have a common interest in an ancestor.

"We believe this new web site truly will become the genealogical portal of the Internet for people all over the world to be able to find their own roots," he said.

Other Church leaders attending the news conference in Salt Lake City included Elders Neal A. Maxwell, M. Russell Ballard and Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve (Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve conducted the proceedings in Washington, where Richard E. Turley Jr., managing director of the Family History Department was also in attendance); Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi and Dennis B. Neuenschwander of the Seventy; and Bishop Keith B. McMullin of the Presiding Bishopric.

President Faust responded to a reporter's question, saying that he looks at the new Internet service as a beginning. "We can look back, but looking forward has much more possibilities to offer than what we're even seeing now. While it's awful hard for somebody who remembers horse-and-buggy days like me to comprehend what has happened, I believe this is a beginning!"

In response to another question, Elder Christofferson said that the Church has approximately 3,200 Family History Centers around the world, and because of a greater demand for microfilm engendered by the new Internet service, it is anticipated usage of those centers will increase. "We have many volunteers who man those centers, including members and non-members of the Church. We've had a gracious participation, I would say, on the part of people who are interested and have donated their time. We think more are willing to do it if the demand for it is there."

Concluding the news conference, Elder Christofferson said, "The social benefits that come from family history, from not just genealogical facts but histories and stories of individuals, will do a lot to establish in our youth and any others, all of us really, a sense of place, of connectedness, of responsibility and loyalty to those who've gone on before us."

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