More than 132 million names from the 1940 United State Census are now searchable on the Internet. According to Annette Pimentel of Ada, director of the Family History Center, this new information is very informative for persons looking into their own family history.

She said that a free family history seminar will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 13, at 1195 Brower Road, Lima, for Icon viewers interested in more information.

According to Pimentel, “The work placing the material on the Internet was supposed to take a year. It was completed in just four months thanks to the successful partnership between a consortium of national genealogical organizations, FamillySearch.org and more than 163,000 volunteers.”

Locally, over 230 people in northwest Ohio from ages 8 to 80 participated. The Ohio group indexed more than 250,000 records.

The efficiency of the cooperative effort led David Ferriero, archivist of the United States, to praise the project as “a perfect example of crowdsourcing.”

The volunteer project continues. Currently volunteers are indexing Ohio Marriage Records (1750-1950) as well as other records.

Two free Family History Seminars will include classes to learn how to research your own family and how to participate as an at-home volunteer in this project. Pre-registration for the seminars, set for Saturday, Oct. 13, in Lima, and Saturday, Oc5. 27, in Perrysburg, is available at www.familyhistoryseminar.com.

The seminars and the Center are sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Three attachments at the bottom of this story provide more information about the project and the seminars.

Pimentel, 549 N. Gilbert St., Ada, can be contacted for additional information at 904-716-5782 or [email protected].