The Blog of Matt Combs

Allegany County, Maryland Tombstones

2011-04-10T21:30:00.000-04:00

Useful online generators

2010-12-21T22:52:00.002-05:00

Here's a link to some useful online generators. Pretty good tools for those who have a website.

Surname Suggestion List Version 4.0 available - New England Surnames

2010-11-02T11:22:00.002-04:00

I have just released version 4.0 of the Surname Suggestion List Software. This software is intended to assist you in determing surname variants.

In this release I have added a large number of New England surnames. I also made a fix to the matching alogrithm for STEWART/STUART and LEWIS/LOUIS.

The software can be downloaded at http://mattcombs.webs.com/sslmain.html .

Website to check for broken links on your website

2010-10-17T18:05:00.002-04:00

I found this useful link to find broken links on your website.

http://validator.w3.org/checklink/

It's a free service from the Worldwide Web Consortium (W3C).

Camp Potomac (Oldtown, MD)

2010-09-04T10:43:00.000-04:00

Name: Camp Potomac

Council: Potomac Council

Location: Oldtown, Maryland (Allegany County)

Website: http://www.bsa757.org/

Note: This is the camp where I was on staff as a teenager - Quartermaster and Camp Store.

Patches Available to Purchase: No, part of my personal collection.

Fort Coombe Area looking toward Sideling Hill Cut

2010-05-06T13:16:00.004-04:00

This picture was taken in Maryland just south of the Mason-Dixon line about 1/2 mile from Fort Coombe. The picture is of the Sideling Hill Cut (recent man-made to allow I-68 to go through the mountain).

I posted this to show how close Fort Coombe is to Allegany County, Maryland. Sideling Hill Creek divides Washington County, MD from Allegany County, MD.

Little Tonoloway Creek Area - Hancock, MD

2010-05-06T13:11:00.003-04:00

Fort Coombe Area

2010-05-03T14:12:00.003-04:00

Tonoloways Marker - Wider View

2010-05-03T14:09:00.001-04:00

Tonoloway's Marker - Fort Coombe

2010-05-03T14:06:00.002-04:00

Surname Suggestion List 3.0 now available - additional surnames added

2009-07-27T09:28:00.002-04:00

I have just released version 3.0 of the Surname Suggestion List Software. This software is intended to assist you in determing surname variants.

In this release I have added a large number of new surnames. I have found it very interesting in that I have been studying surnames for a very long time, yet there are still surnames that I come across that I think are not "real". However, when I search for details I find that they are real surnames, much to my surprise.

The software can be downloaded at http://mattcombs.webs.com/sslmain.html .

EBAY Selling Tip - auction duration tip

2009-07-24T09:59:00.003-04:00

It is fairly commonly known that you should always try to end your auction around 9PM Eastern time (if possible). That gives the majority of people in all US time zones enough time to bid on the item.

It is also preferrable that you end your auction on weekend night - Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Auction durations are generally 3, 5, or 7 days, and you must list your item with one of these durations or pay additional fees.

The tip is what duration of auction to list your item with, based upon the day of the week. Of course, Saturday night is the day/time you should shoot for, and the longer the item is listed, the more potential you have that a bidder will see your auction and bid on your item.

Monday - List for 5 days, ending auction on Saturday.
Tuesday - List for 3 or 5 days, ending auction on either Friday or Sunday.
Wednesday - List auction for 3 days, ending auction on Saturday.
Thursday - List auction for 3 days, ending auction on Sunday.
Friday - List auction for 7 days, ending on Friday.
Saturday - List auction for 7 days, ending on Saturday.
Sunday - List auction for 5 or 7 days, ending on either Friday or Sunday.

Bing Search Engine for Genealogy Research

2009-07-19T10:05:00.003-04:00

I did a little bit of testing of the Bing search engine yesterday. I tried some of my genealogy searches to see what it would give me back as results. I found out that there were some things that I can do with Google, that I cannot do with Bing. They are:

Bing does not have a Book Search capability. A lot of great genealogy information is found in the books that Google has available for searching.
Bing does not have a date range search. For example if I want to find an ancestor in the census from 1900 to 1920, I can add the date range search 1900..1920 using Google. It searches within the date range specified. Very useful.
Bing does not have a similar word search. For example, if I want to find death records, I can add a tilda to the front of the word ~death using Google. It will give me words that are synonyms for the word in the results.
Bing doesn't appear to find results when searching for surnames with foreign letters. For example, KÜRSCHNER returns correct results. Bing doesn't understand the Ü.

C&O Canal - Canal Boat Replica

2009-07-11T17:11:00.002-04:00

Matt and Melissa in front of the Canal Boat Replica. This boat used to be further down the canal, but they moved it here when they re-did the terminus area (very nicely I might add). The buiding to the rear is what remains of the Footer Dye works - once the largest and most prestigious dry-cleaners in the world. The building under construction to the right is a new Marriott brand hotel.

C&O Canal - Milemarker 184.5

2009-07-11T17:02:00.004-04:00

This is the beginning or the end of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, depending on your perspective. Milemarker 184.5 is in Cumberland, Maryland. The canal begins (or ends) in Georgetown, Washington, DC. When I was younger I rode the entire length of the canal on my bike with my scout troop. We did it in 3 long weekends. It was quite an adventure. I learned a lot during that trip. It was the first time that I ever had cheesecake - I bought it in Georgetown.

After finishing the trip, our scoutmaster Ernie Fauss took us to spend the night at Andrews AFB outside DC. We ate and slept on base. Ernie even took the whole troop out for bowling.

C&O Canal - Irish Laborers Monument

2009-07-11T16:58:00.002-04:00

C&O Canal Visit - Cumberland Maryland

2009-07-11T16:37:00.005-04:00

Awkward Family Photos - Link

2009-06-23T10:20:00.003-04:00

Here's a link to a very funny website. People have submitted copies of their awkward family photos. We all have them. Enjoy!

Awkward Family Photos

Surname Substitutions Tables - Genealogy

2009-06-21T14:15:00.004-04:00

The FamilySearch.org website has an interesting item they call "Spelling Substitution Tables for the United States and Canada".

This page is broken down into the "Commonly Misread Letters Table" and the "Phonetic Substitutes Table". Both are very useful.

The "Commonly Misread Letters Table" is useful when reviewing transcribed documents or indexes. It is very easy to misread the written letters.

The "Phonetic Substitutes Table" is useful when the original transcriber mis-heard what the person said.

The tables can be found at: http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/rg/frameset_rg.asp?Dest=G1&Guide=US_BMD_RefDoc_Spelling_Errors.asp|phonetic_substitutes_table

Guitar Hero Drums vs. Rock Band Drums

2009-06-21T11:54:00.003-04:00

Here's a photo of both Guitar Hero Drums and Rock Band Drums side by side. I like the fact that the Guitar Hero drums have the cymbals up top, more realistically representing a real set of drums. Your mileage may vary.

Pool Chemicals - Chlorinating Tabs Suggestion

2009-06-20T13:45:00.002-04:00

If you have a pool, you need to make sure it is free from bacteria and algae. What I use is Chlorinating Tabs. I try to keep 1 1/2 tablets in a floating dispenser. Mine is a large yellow duck. I have cut out all of the holes in the dispenser to allow maximum water flow over the tabs. When one tablet gets down to 1/2, I add another one. My pool is 18 foot round by 52 inches high. Your number of tablets required may vary based on the size of your pool.

I highly recommend getting a chlorine tablet which contains COPPER. The copper sulfate in the tablet is what keeps the algae from forming. It does wonders to keep the algae from growing in your pool. I use HTH Pace Dual Action 3 inch Chlorinating Tabs - Part number 76531 and Item number 41204. After switching to these tablets I have had no algae.

I also shock periodically - every two weeks or so. Use a shock which contains COPPER as well.

Hope this helps.

Most Popular Surnames

2009-06-19T12:05:00.005-04:00

Here are some links to the most popular surnames of Canada, Spain, and the UK.

Canada

Spain (website is in Spanish of course)

UK

Top 10 Tips for Finding Alternate Surname Spellings & Variations - Link

2009-06-14T23:11:00.002-04:00

Here is a link to a very informative web site concerning Surname Variations. I think it is well written and very useful. I have tried to incorporate her suggestions into my genealogy software (Surname Suggestion List).

http://genealogy.about.com/od/name_changes/tp/spellings.htm

Guitar Hero Smash Hits - Link

2009-06-14T11:44:00.005-04:00

Here is a link to the new Guitar Hero Smash Hits song list. The page includes links to videos of the songs. Pretty Cool.

We just bought Guitar Hero - World Tour and are thoroughly enjoying it. We chose it over Rock Band because we know more of the songs and it came with a more sophisticated drum set.

So far, so good.

http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2009/05/06/full-guitar-hero-smash-hits-song-list-revealed-see-the-complete-50-track-set-list-including-videos.htm

Surname Suggestion List 2.9 released - new user interface

2009-06-13T12:29:00.001-04:00

I have just released version 2.9 of the Surname Suggestion List Software. This software is intended to assist you in determing surname variants.

I have modified the user interface of the software for Windows XP and Windows Vista users. The buttons will now have the look and feel of the Windows XP or Vista buttons (more modern look). Users of other operating systems will continue to see the older user interface. The screen shot above is of the Windows Vista screen.

The software can be downloaded at http://mattcombs.webs.com/sslmain.html .

Surname Findit 1.2 released - new user interface and surname database

2009-06-13T12:15:00.003-04:00

I have just released version 1.2 of the Surname Findit Software. This software is intended to assist you in determing a full surname from only a part of the surname.

I have modified the user interface of the software for Windows XP and Windows Vista users. The buttons will now have the look and feel of the Windows XP or Vista buttons (more modern look). Users of other operating systems will continue to see the older user interface. The screen shot above is of the Windows Vista screen.

I have also included an updated surname database.

The software can be downloaded at http://mattcombs.webs.com/sfmain.html .

Matt's Smokey Bear Birthday Cake

2009-06-13T11:44:00.003-04:00

Surname Findit 1.1 available - now allows wildcard searches

2009-04-29T12:48:00.003-04:00

In response to several requests, I have modified the Surname Findit software to allow wildcard searches. I believe you will find this change to be very beneficial.

It will allow you additional flexibility when the number of indeciferable characters is unknown. This software is intended for use when you have a partial surname from a document that is hard to read or a partial surname from reading a tombstone or cemetery marker. When you put in the characters you can figure out, then click Search, the program will create a list of matching surnames. You can then search the web for information on the surnames it suggests.

The software can be downloaded at: http://mattcombs.webs.com/sfmain.html

Surname Findit version 1.0 now available

2009-04-15T10:23:00.002-04:00

I have just released version 1.0 of the Surname Findit Software. This software is intended to assist you in determing a full surname from only a part of the surname.

This software is intended for use when you have a partial surname from a document that is hard to read or a partial surname from reading a tombstone or cemetery marker. When you put in the characters you can figure out, then click Search, the program will create a list ofmatching surnames..

The software can be downloaded at http://mattcombs.webs.com/sfmain.html .

I sold my Dodge Dart.

2009-03-12T11:41:00.001-04:00

I sold my 1972 Dodge Dart to a nice 16 year old and his mother. It is his first car. I hope he enjoys driving and working on it as much as I did.

Fort Coombe Historical Marker

2009-01-17T22:51:00.001-05:00

Fort Coombe Historical Marker - where my Combs originally come from, based upon DNA analysis.

http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=833

Really Cool Newspaper Link

2009-01-17T09:08:00.005-05:00

Here's a really cool link to display Newspaper front pages from around the world. Enjoy!

Newspaper Front Pages

My Website has been moved

2008-12-28T22:04:00.002-05:00

I have moved my website to a new location.

It is now available at: http://mattcombs.webs.com/index.html

Surname Suggestion List 2.5 now available

2008-11-29T19:51:00.003-05:00

I have just released version 2.5 of the Surname Suggestion List Software. This software helps people search the internet for genealogy information about their surname and it's variants.
This version includes the following changes:

Added additional US surnames.

Added additional user-suggested surnames.

The software can be downloaded at http://mattcombs.webs.com/sslmain.html .

The FAQ can be viewed at http://mattcombs.webs.com/sslfaq.html .

New Bypass Hose for 1972 Dodge Dart

2008-11-03T21:51:00.002-05:00

On Saturday I changed the Bypass hose on the Dart. Not too bad to change. I had noticed a very small amount of coolant pooling near the hose. I decided it was best to change it before the weather gets worse.

I filled up with a tank of Premium Gas. This vehicle really does prefer Premium Gas. During the recent shortages, it was nearly impossible to find/afford Premium Gas. Now that gas prices have dropped, I put in a tank full of premium.

Salsa from Iowa? YES!

2008-10-13T18:26:00.003-04:00

My friend Iowa has been making homemade salsa for years. He has decided to share his salsa with the rest of us. It is now available for purchase. I've eaten his salsa, and it is delicious. I was one of them that asked him to bottle it and sell it. I encourage you to try it out. You will not be disappointed.

His website is http://www.iowasgourmetsalsa.com.

Interesting Prescription Drug Website

2008-10-11T09:06:00.003-04:00

A coworker pointed me to an interesting prescription drug website called Destination RX. It helps you find the drug store, pharmacy, market, etc. with the lowest cost for your prescriptions. It finds the lowest cost by zip code. Not all zip codes bring up results. I live in Lewisville, NC and we have several pharmacies here, but none showed up. Although I don't take any prescription drugs, I found the site useful and thought others might as well. It is useful to just get an idea of what others are charging, and perhaps you will find a lower priced provider.

The site is here. I hope you find it useful.

Matt in front of 1972 Dodge Dart

2008-09-22T07:30:00.004-04:00

Here's a picture of me in front of my 1972 Dodge Dart. I changed the battery cable which goes from the battery to the starter. It was quite a chore due to the location of the starter and the other items around it. I had to go buy some new wrenches to fit the location. It seems to work fine, and definitely looks better.

New Shocks for 1972 Dodge Dart

2008-09-18T21:42:00.002-04:00

Last Sunday I put 4 new shocks on the 1972 Dodge Dart. It really makes a difference in the ride quality. The front shocks were in worse shape than the back shocks. The back shocks appeared to have been more recently replaced. To make for a more even ride, I replaced all 4. It makes the car ride and handle better. It was a good investment.

1972 Dodge Dart Advertisement

2008-09-10T20:12:00.005-04:00

I found this advertisement on the web. I thought it was pretty interesting.

Other work on the 1972 Dodge Dart

2008-09-10T20:02:00.002-04:00

Just for completeness sake, I decided to list the other work I have done on the Dart. I replaced the battery, changed the spark plugs, put in a new dome light bulb (like the joke does it actually took 2 people to change it), put in a new trunk light bulb, and changed the fuse for the lighter/brake lights.

The owner's manual calls for 91 octane gas. Here in NC, I can get 87, 89, or 93 octane. I have been trying the 93 octane gas and it does seem to drive better.

I really would like to get an AM/FM radio (original) to put in it. That withstanding, I would take a modern AM/FM/HD radio with CD player and new speakers. AM alone is getting a little boring.

Vintage 1972 NC License Plate

2008-09-10T19:56:00.003-04:00

I went to the auto show at Lowes Motor Speedway in Concord, NC this past weekend. I was looking to pick up whatever parts I could find for my 1972 Dodge Dart. There were a lot of vendors there. I picked up a 1972 North Carolina plate for my car. North Carolina allows you to put a YOM or Year of Manufacture plate on your vehicle. I happened to pick one up with my initials MC.

1972 Dodge Dart - New Trunk Carpet

2008-09-10T19:48:00.003-04:00

I replaced the vinyl trunk mat in my 1972 Dodge Dart with an automotive carpet today after work. It looks pretty good. I chose a light gray to match the color of the vinyl I took out. It cost me $37.06 for the piece of carpet.

I used the old vinyl mat as a template for the carpet. It fits pretty good. I am considering getting some tan carpet for the interior. This carpet has a rubberized backing and was very easy to work with.

1972 Dodge Dart - Interior Photos

2008-09-01T18:22:00.002-04:00

Here are a couple of photos of the interior of my 1972 Dodge Dart.

1972 Dodge Dart - Engine Photos

2008-09-01T18:14:00.006-04:00

Here are a few photos of my 1972 Dodge Dart Engine compartment. It has a 318 V8. I have changed the oil and filter, gas filter, air filter, upper and lower radiator hoses, drained and filled anitfreeze, filled the power steering fluid chamber, and topped off the brake fluid.

1972 Dodge Dart - A few more Photos

2008-09-01T18:00:00.006-04:00

Here are some additional photos of my 1972 Dodge Dart. The car has a black vinyl top in excellent shape.

1972 Dodge Dart - More Photos

2008-09-01T17:43:00.005-04:00

Here are some more photos of my 1972 Dodge Dart. Notice the dual exhaust.

1972 Dodge Dart Custom - First Photos

2008-09-01T17:06:00.006-04:00

I recently purchased a 1972 Dodge Dart Custom. I am in the process of fixing it up. It is a daily driver.

The car is a 318 5.2L V8, Automatic, No Air, Drum Brakes, 68K miles when bought.

It is is pretty good shape considering the year.

Surname Suggestion List Version 2.3 Released

2008-08-17T12:50:00.005-04:00

I have just released version 2.3 of the Surname Suggestion List Software. This software helps people search the internet for genealogy information about their surname and it's variants.
This version includes the following changes:

Enhanced the Google Web Search functionality.

Added Search Type dropdown with Genealogy, Birth, Marriage, Death, Census, and Tax List options.

The software can be downloaded at http://mattcombs.webs.com/sslmain.html .

The FAQ can be viewed at http://mattcombs.webs.com/sslfaq.html .

Surname Suggestion List version 2.2 available - now with FAQ

2008-07-26T09:58:00.004-04:00

I have just released version 2.2 of the Surname Suggestion List Software. This software helps people search the internet for genealogy information about their surname and it's variants.
This version includes the following changes:

Added a large number of US surnames to the database.

Added Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section to website.

The software can be downloaded at http://mattcombs.webs.com/sslmain.html .

The FAQ can be viewed at http://mattcombs.webs.com/sslfaq.html .

Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco (Hardwick Twp, NJ)

2008-07-26T09:44:00.004-04:00

Name: Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco

Council: Northern New Jersey Council

Location: Hardwick Township,New Jersey

Website: http://nobebosco.org/

Patch Available to Purchase: YES

Camp Emerald Bay (Catalina Island, CA)

2008-07-11T22:09:00.004-04:00

Name: Camp Emerald Bay

Council: Crescent Bay Council (now Western Los Angeles County Council)

Location: Catalina Island, California (26 miles off the Southern California coast)

Website: http://www.bsa-la.org/camping/eb/emerald_bay.html

Website: http://www.emeraldbayalumni.org/index.php

Patches Available to Purchase: NO, the 50th Anniversary patch sold on 8/10/11. The others sold on 5/5/07, proceeds benefitted Emerald Bay Alumni Association.

Forsyth County, NC Dental Care - Reduced Rate

2008-07-09T23:33:00.003-04:00

From a recent mailing I received, Forsyth Technical Community College offers affordable dental care peformed by the students. See the following for more details.

Link to Dental Care Brochure

Surname Suggestion List version 2.1 - Copy Results to Clipboard functionality

2008-07-09T22:57:00.003-04:00

I have just released version 2.1 of the Surname Suggestion List Software. This software helps people search the internet for genealogy information about their surname and it's variants.
This version includes the following changes:

Added a large number of UK surnames to the database.

Added functionality to copy the results list to your clipboard. This feature is only available to registered users.

The software can be downloaded at http://mattcombs.webs.com/sslmain.html .

Surname Suggestion List software version 2.0 now available

2008-07-06T23:01:00.003-04:00

I have just released version 2.0 of the Surname Suggestion List Software. This software helps people search the internet for genealogy information about their surname and it's variants.
This version includes the following changes:

Added a large number of US and User-Suggested surnames to the database.
Added Silent "H" surname matching functionality.
Changed the way the Metaphone algorithm calculates the "DG" letter pair.
Added Extended Search functionality - searches for Metaphone matches on variants of the surnames under certain conditions.
Added Nearest Search functionality - searches for the Top 10 nearest Metaphone matches if no results were found initially.
Added Status Line.

The software can be downloaded at http://mattcombs.webs.com/sslmain.html .

Camp Siwanoy (Wingdale, NY)

2008-06-24T00:05:00.005-04:00

Name: Camp Siwanoy

Council: Westchester Putnam Council

Location: Wingdale, NY

Website: http://www.wpcbsa.org/Read/

Patches Available to Purchase: No, sold on 03/12/09.

Oasis of the Seas

2008-06-22T13:52:00.005-04:00

Royal Carribbean's newest ship - coming December 2009. A great ship and a great example of computer animation.

Oasis of the Seas Video

Classic Microsoft Photo Revisited

2008-06-22T12:13:00.001-04:00

If you are familiar with the old Microsoft corporate photo from the 1970's, you will enjoy this article.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/142636

Surname Suggestion List Software 1.14 Now Available

2008-06-05T23:27:00.003-04:00

I have just released version 1.14 of the Surname Suggestion List Software. This software helps people search the internet for genealogy information about their surname and it's variants.

This version includes the following changes:

Added Belgian, Norwegian, and Swedish surnames to the database
Reduced size of the database for faster installation and to speed up the program
Changed the way the Metaphone algorithm calculates the letter W. I made the calculation more similar to the standard W calculation used by other Metaphone algorithms.
Added special Metaphone processing for Italian surnames which contain an ending double T sound. This should help in making double T sound surnames only match with other double T sound surnames.

The software can be downloaded at http://mattcombs.webs.com/sslmain.html .

Healthcare/Dental Help for North Carolina Uninsured

2008-06-05T23:24:00.002-04:00

I heard about this website on the local NPR radio station on my way home today. I thought it might be of some help to those who live in North Carolina and don't have access to good medical or dental care. The site is http://www.nchealthcarehelp.org/ . It looks promising.

Picture of my GreatGreatGrandfather John Joseph Combs of Romney, WV

2008-06-05T23:18:00.003-04:00

I recently received this photograph of my Great, Great, Grandfather John Joseph Combs. He was born in 1814 and died in 1900. He lived much of his life in Romney, Hampshire County, WV. He was a Printer, Editor, and Newspaperman by trade. I would love to get in contact with as many of my Combs relatives as possible. I hope you enjoy his picture.

Pap Combs 81st Birthday Cake

2008-05-26T23:38:00.002-04:00

Old Jhoon Rhee Commercial

2008-05-15T21:39:00.000-04:00

Camp Toquam (Goshen, CT)

2008-05-10T11:55:00.000-04:00

Name: Camp Toquam

Council: Alfred W. Dater Council (now Connecticut Yankee Council)

Location: Goshen, Connecticut

Website: http://www.ctyankee.org/

Patch Available to Purchase: No, sold on 5/10/2008

Milwaukee Wilderness Scout Camps (Laona, WI)

2008-05-01T20:05:00.003-04:00

Name: Milwaukee Wilderness Scout Camps

Council: Milwaukee County Council

Location: Laona, Wisconsin

Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeFeber_Northwoods_Camps

Patch Available to Purchase: YES

Camp Demmer (Laona, WI)

2008-05-01T20:00:00.003-04:00

Name: Camp Demmer

Council: Milwaukee County Council

Location: Laona, Wisconsin

Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeFeber_Northwoods_Camps

Patch Available to Purchase: YES

Camp Lefeber (Laona, WI)

2008-05-01T19:55:00.002-04:00

Name: Camp Lefeber

Council: Milwaukee County Council

Location: Laona, Wisconsin

Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeFeber_Northwoods_Camps

Patch Available to Purchase: YES, I have 2 of these

Surname Suggestion List version 1.12 now available

2008-04-27T13:22:00.002-04:00

I have just released version 1.12 of the Surname Suggestion List software. This program helps you find variant spellings for surnames, then assists you in searching the web for genealogy articles relating to your surname and its variants.

Version 1.12 includes the addition of a large number of Lithuanian and Irish surnames, as well as user suggested surnames. I also enhanced the surname matching algorithm. This enhancement does secondary searches when the searched for surname does not have a large number of variants found. This additional search returns the surname variants of the variants. Because of the nature of this search, it is necessary to restrict this secondary search to surnames which tend to be larger in size. It has always been more difficult to find variations for these longer surnames, but this enhancement helps a lot in finding those larger variants.

If you would like to try it out, it is available for download at: http://mattcombs.webs.com/sslmain.html

Interesting Website - Famous Roots

2008-04-13T09:12:00.002-04:00

I stumbled across an interesting website while looking for some surname information. It shows the genealogy information of famous celebrities. It is quite interesting to browse.

Here is the link: http://www.famousroots.com/index.html

Recent visit to Melbourne Beach, Florida

2008-04-06T20:12:00.002-04:00

BellaOnline Reviews Surname Suggestion List Software

2008-01-19T14:08:00.000-05:00

A review of the Surname Suggestion List software can be found on the BellaOnline site here.

Surname Suggestion List 1.7 - now available

2008-01-15T18:32:00.001-05:00

Matt Combs announces the availability of Version 1.7 of his genealogy software program called "Surname Suggestion List". This software has been developed by Matt to make it easier to discover genealogy information about a particular surname.

The changes in the program include the following:

Enhanced Surname Matching - Added check for incremental surname differences. Surnames which are only one additional character different at the end of the surnames are considered matches. For example, SEABER will match with SEABERG and SEABERT.

More information about the program (as well as a free download of the program) can be found here.

Surname Suggestion List 1.6 Available

2008-01-10T18:46:00.000-05:00

Matt Combs announces the availability of Version 1.6 of his genealogy software program called "Surname Suggestion List". This software has been developed by Matt to make it easier to discover genealogy information about a particular surname.

The changes in the program include the following:

Enhanced Surname Matching - Tightened up matching for better results

Added a large collection of French and Swiss Surnames.

More information about the program (as well as a free download of the program) can be found here.

Surname Suggestion List 1.5 Available

2007-12-22T19:03:00.000-05:00

Matt Combs announces the availability of Version 1.5 of his genealogy software program called "Surname Suggestion List". This software has been developed by Matt to make it easier to discover genealogy information about a particular surname.

The changes in the program include the following:

Enhanced Surname Matching

modified "W" to be more loosely coupled from initial vowell matches. This allows more meaningful results when searching for "W" surnames.
made "C", "K", "Q" and "G" matching to be more loosely coupled. This reduces the often unwieldy results returned when matching on these letters.

added "PF" to "F" coupling, i.e. "PFEIFFER" matches "FIFER"
added support for Danish letter Ø.

Added a large collection of Danish Surnames.

More information about the program (as well as a free download of the program) can be found here.

Quad Metaphone vs. Double Metaphone

2007-12-01T18:28:00.000-05:00

In version 1.4 of the Surname Suggestion List software, I introduced a new concept I am calling the Quad Metaphone. The Quad Metaphone returns up to 4 variations of the word (i.e. surname) passed into the algorithm.

The Double Metaphone algorithm is a very useful algorithm, but had limitations. The Double Metaphone algorithm returned only 2 variations - the Primary Metaphone value, and the Secondary Metaphone value. The Secondary Metaphone included ALL alternate phonetic values for the word passed into the algorithm. If you had a word with multiple alternative phonetic values, you either took them all (Secondary), or no alternatives (Primary).

There are occasions when I wanted to only have some alternative phonetic values, and not all of them. The Double Metaphone algorithm would not allow this. I created the Quad Metaphone to account for partial mispronunciations or misspellings. The Quad Metaphone algorithm returns 4 variations, each with partial alternative phonetic values. This modification has greatly enhanced the results returned by the Surname Suggestion List software.

Surname Suggestion List 1.4 Available

2007-12-01T18:07:00.000-05:00

Matt Combs announces the availability of Version 1.4 of his genealogy software program called "Surname Suggestion List". This software has been developed by Matt to make it easier to discover genealogy information about a particular surname.

The changes in the program include the following:

Enhanced Surname Matching

created the Quad Metaphone which includes Surname Matches on Tertiary and Quaternary Metaphone (provides a wider range of results than the Double Metaphone)

made "B" and "P" matching to be more loosely coupled

Added a large collection of Scottish and Czech Surnames.

More information about the program (as well as a free download of the program) can be found here.

Version 1.3 of Surname Suggestion List Available

2007-11-24T17:43:00.000-05:00

Matt Combs announces the availability of Version 1.3 of his genealogy software program called "Surname Suggestion List". This software has been developed by Matt to make it easier to discover genealogy information about a particular surname.

The changes in the program include the following:

Added a large collection of US and UK Surnames.
Added support for German alphabet ezsett in Metaphone Calculation.

More information about the program (as well as a free download of the program) can be found here.

Camp Ridgewood, Glen Rock, Yaw Paw (NJ)

2007-11-10T13:43:00.001-05:00

Name: Camp Ridgewood, Camp Glen Rock, Camp Yaw Paw

Council: Northern New Jersey Council

Location: New Jersey

Website: unknown

Patch Available to Purchase: YES

New Version of Surname Suggestion List Software Available

2007-11-03T11:18:00.000-04:00

Matt Combs announces the availability of Version 1.2 of his genealogy software program called "Surname Suggestion List". This software has been developed by Matt to make it easier to discover genealogy information about a particular surname.

The changes in the program include the following:

Enhanced Surname Matching

includes Surname Matches on Secondary Metaphone

includes Surname Matches for FITZ surname prefix

includes Surname Matches for surnames without the S suffix. For example - GROVES will additionally search for matches to GROVE

Added a large collection of German Surnames

Added User-Suggested Surnames

More information about the program (as well as a free download of the program) can be found here.

Clear Lake Scout Reservation (Putnam Co, NY)

2007-11-03T10:55:00.000-04:00

Name: Clear Lake Scout Reservation

Council: Westchester-Putnam Council

Location: Putnam County, NY

Website: http://www.wpcbsa.org/ShortTermCamp/ClearLake/

Patch Available to Purchase: YES

Housatonic Scout Reservation (Goshen, CT)

2007-11-03T10:46:00.000-04:00

Name: Housatonic Scout Reservation (now Edmund D. Strang Scout Reservation)

Council: Housatonic Council

Location: Goshen, Connecticut

Website: http://www.housatonicbsa.org/

Patch Available to Purchase: YES

Cove Creek Scout Reservation (Arkansas)

2007-10-20T19:43:00.000-04:00

Name: Cove Creek Scout Reservation

Council: Quapaw Area Council

Location: Arkansas

Website: unknown

Patches Available to Purchase: YES

Legacy Family Tree Reviews Surname Suggestion List Software

2007-10-13T12:03:00.000-04:00

A review of my genealogy surname search software can be found on the Legacy News site here.

Camp Naish (Bonner Springs, KS)

2007-09-22T11:17:00.000-04:00

Name: Camp Naish

Council: Kaw Council (now Heart of America Council)

Location: Bonner Springs, Kansas

Website: http://hoac-bsa.org/Naish.cfm

Patches Available to Purchase: YES, the Naish Scout Reservation patches are available. The Kaw Council patch sold on 6/28/07.

Camp Mattatuck (Plymouth, CT)

2007-09-15T16:40:00.000-04:00

Name: Camp Mattatuck

Council: Connecticut Rivers Council

Location: Plymouth, Connecticut

Website: http://www.ctrivers.org/camps.asp?regionalID=21&campID=763

Patches Available to Purchase: YES

Treasure Valley Scout Reservation (Rutland, MA)

2007-09-08T15:32:00.001-04:00

Name: Treasure Valley Scout Reservation

Council: Mohegan Council

Location: Rutland, Massachusetts

Website: http://www.doubleknot.com/openrosters/ViewOrgPageLink.asp?LinkKey=6088&orgkey=1339

Patch Available to Purchase: YES

Ethan Allen Council Camps (Vermont)

2007-09-04T18:48:00.000-04:00

Name: Ethan Allen Council Camps

Council: Ethan Allen Council

Location: Vermont

Website: unknown

Patch Available to Purchase: YES

Camp Winton (Jackson, CA)

2007-09-03T09:56:00.001-04:00

Name: Camp Winton

Council: Golden Empire Council

Location: Jackson, California

Website: http://www.gec-bsa.org/camping/campwinton

Patches Available to Purchase: YES

Buckskin Scout Reservation (Dunmore, WV)

2007-09-02T14:03:00.000-04:00

Name: Buckskin Scout Reservation

Council: Buckskin Council

Location: Dunmore, West Virginia (Pocahontas County)

Website: http://www.buckskin.org/Council/Camps/buckskin.htm

Patch Available to Purchase: YES

Camp Hamilton (Missouri)

2007-09-01T11:42:00.000-04:00

Name: Camp Hamilton

Council: Southeast Missouri Council

Location: Missouri

Website: unknown

Patch Available to Purchase: YES

Camp Hook (Franklin, OH)

2007-08-19T19:10:00.000-04:00

Name: Camp Hook (no longer a BSA camp)

Council: Mound Builders Area Council / Dan Beard Council (now part of Twin Creek Metro Park)

Location: Franklin, Ohio (Warren County)

Website: http://www.metroparks.org/_twinCreek/maps.aspx

Patches Available to Purchase: YES

Camp Billy Rice (Idaho)

2007-08-19T18:16:00.000-04:00

Name: Camp Billy Rice

Council: ORE-IDA Council

Location: Idaho

Website: unknown

Patch Available to Purchase: YES

Greater Cleveland Council Camps (Cleveland, OH)

2007-08-12T11:20:00.000-04:00

Name: Beaumont, Clendening, Tinnerman

Council: Greater Cleveland Council

Location: Cleveland, Ohio

Website: http://www.gccbsa.org/

Patch Available to Purchase: YES

Camp Grimes (Nebo, NC)

2007-08-05T10:48:00.000-04:00

Name: Camp Grimes

Council: Mecklenburg County Council

Location: Nebo, North Carolina (McDowell County)

Website: http://www.campgrimes.org/

Patches Available to Purchase: YES

Family Tree Magazine reviews Surname Suggestion List Software

2007-08-03T22:08:00.001-04:00

A review of my recently released genealogy surname search program can be found here.

Camp Manatoc (Peninsula, OH)

2007-07-27T13:55:00.000-04:00

Name: Camp Manatoc

Council: Akron Area Council (now Great Trail Council )

Location: Peninsula, Ohio

Website: http://www.gtcbsa.org/manatoc/

Patches Available to Purchase: YES

Old Kentucky Home Council Scout Camps (Kentucky)

2007-07-21T12:23:00.001-04:00

Name: Old Kentucky Home Council Scout Camps

Council: Old Kentucky Home Council (now Lincoln Heritage Council)

Location: Kentucky

Website: http://www.lhcbsa.org/

Patch Available to Purchase: YES

Spanish Trail Scout Reservation (Defuniak Springs, FL)

2007-07-20T20:32:00.000-04:00

Name: Spanish Trail Scout Reservation

Council: Gulf Coast Council

Location: Defuniak Springs, Florida

Website: unknown

Patch Available to Purchase: YES

Camp Chickagami (Parkman, OH)

2007-07-15T12:44:00.000-04:00

Name: Camp Chickagami

Council: Western Reserve Council (now Greater Western Reserve Council)

Location: Parkman, Ohio

Website: http://www.bsa-gwrc.org/camps/

Patches Available to Purchase: YES

D bar A Scout Ranch (Metamora, MI)

2007-07-08T19:15:00.000-04:00

Name: D bar A Scout Ranch

Council: Detroit Area Council

Location: Metamora, Michigan

Website: http://www.dacbsa.org/

Patch Available to Purchase: YES