Sourcing Your Genealogy

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Comment by Kate Steere on August 13, 2009 at 7:31am

I started seriously when my inlaws came to 'visit' long story(you don't want me going there, LOL...)

I originally started when my grandmother, now almost 84, asked me to research her great grandfather, a one armed Confederate Vet from Louisiana-

then my dad saw I was doing my maternal side, so he wanted to know about his German grandmother...

then my inlaws came to visit and they wanted help with William. For 30 years they had searched, but didn't have the right first name! Oy...so I've done all of my work on the computer and at the FHL when I was able to get there.

Comment by JudithE.Davis on August 13, 2009 at 7:18am

Good morning everyone, yes I do remember the by gone days of paper and pen, I did it too. And I started out at home with one of those older computers which I can't remember what it was called now but everything looked like greek. and now times have changed and sometimesit still looks like greek to me but my son or brother help me and then we carry on..LOL But way back when I used to take my sons downtown to the Public library when they were small and we'd do Genealogy on the weekends. Now they are grown and could care less. Oh well. I love doing this and want to complete at least one side of our tree before the sun sets..I do have three of four sides done up to the 1700s but nothing is truely documented. And now I would like to tackle my daughter in laws family, it has crossed my mind some.

Comment by CaryAnn Turner Hess on August 12, 2009 at 11:55pm

When I started doing this addictive hobby, there wasn’t a thing called home computers. We did everything by hand. Writing letters to various states - birth/death/marriage/wills. Writing people in phone books with the right last name in the right location (always enclosing a SASE with a paper asking if they were related, if so how). Endless hours at the local National Archive, using Soundex to find families on the census. I know some of you remember these times. Lots of time just trying to find the right place to write.

I have hoards of paperwork, but it’s mainly storage now. In fact I just looked at my big file cabinet that houses my original work. I’ll never get rid of it, but I don’t use it much anymore. For me the computer is where I put everything, as well as flash drives, external drives, and backup disks.

If anyone tried to find a paper in my file, good luck. It wasn’t until the computer that I was able to organize everything. My cousin uses reams of paper to keep her genealogy straight. Each of us have different ways of doing the same thing, finding lost ancestors and giving them a home with others.

Comment by Debra Egbert-Foster on August 12, 2009 at 10:35pm

I remember the days, when I would count the days until school started. My daughter and 9 month old grandson lives with me. So, I do most of my research before he get's up or after he go's to bed. Because he like's to help grandma. I also have 3 ring binders and notebooks.

Comment by Kate Steere on August 12, 2009 at 9:07pm

yup, I'm counting the days til my 5 year old starts school! ;)

Comment by JudithE.Davis on August 12, 2009 at 9:07pm

Kate, I already do have a number of 3 ring binders set up as I agree it is easier to see your stuff in front of you while you work Thanks...

Comment by JudithE.Davis on August 12, 2009 at 9:05pm

yeah I'm laughing right along wit ya,sister.. My son and his family live with me and my 5yr old grdaughter loves me to death so how much do you think I get done too?? Well thank g-- for KINDERGARTEN stats the 24th!!! Maybe I'll get something accomplished this year..LOLAnd good luck to you too.

Comment by Kate Steere on August 12, 2009 at 8:43pm

hi Judith-

You might want to try putting census records in one 3 ring binder, miltary in another, etc. etc. Or do it by family. I have the family history that I was sent by a distant cousin in a 3 ring binder that is easy for me to refer to.

If you have a place where you keep photos on your computer, thats a good place to keep images of your records too. Mine are a mess, but I can find them(uhmmm, usually, LOL) Some day I will make folders on my desktop, but that will be a day when my 5 year old cleans his room and my 1 year old daughter takes a nap all at the same time...right....LOL

Comment by JudithE.Davis on August 12, 2009 at 8:33pm

thank you CaryAnn and Kate, I keep saying I'll do better with the paper work for instance but my personal problems (moving ) too many time since I retired and have a couple of boxes of info that I just can't seem to get in order. As far as the computer I'm doing ok with it but I don't know how to save into files and am fraid I'll loose so thats why I still do paper.I'm not really that bad just afraidy cat on some things. LOL

Comment by Kate Steere on August 12, 2009 at 8:14pm

I keep all my records in my email account or saved to my hard drive with back up. :) I will print out papers for my grandmother who is computerphobic and send her items about her family. But I also have a journal of my basic from scratch research, when I started out. So I can see where I've been and where I can check next. :)

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