The Genealogy Journey

Ivy, Daffodils, and Wild Onions in January (Courtesy of a 164-Year-Old Cemetery)

2007-01-15T21:12:00.000-05:00

When I was a little girl growing up in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, we frequently drove past a cemetery set against the slope of a hill off of Highway 61. My older brother and I would always hold our breath. Now I can’t remember why, what the superstition was.

In fact, today I walked all over a cemetery without holding my breath once! Neither did my older son, who is seven-and-a-half. He and his brother have never caught on to that superstition. But back to the story ...

We were there to help tear out and bag some ivy that had gotten out of hand in a neglected historic cemetery in DeKalb County, Georgia. (For more information on this hard-working organization and the stunning progress they’ve made over the past several years, visit the Historic Sylvester Cemetery Foundation on the Web.)

I had decided to volunteer today, on Martin Luther King’s Day, because for several years the Hands On Atlanta organization has orchestrated a massive volunteering day around Atlanta for MLK Day. On the spur of the moment, I volunteered myself and my son, and the Sylvester Cemetery project caught my eye because I had blogged on cemetery preservation before. It was time to put my money where my mouth is. Or is that put my muscle where my mouth is? (I also had the ulterior motive of setting an example of community service – the non-court-ordered kind, of course – for my son.)

So, for two-and-a-half hours, I pulled ivy. (My son did some pulling interspersed with heavy snacking from the bag of food I’d brought and a bit of exploring.) The 164-year-old cemetery was in great shape; more evidence of the Sylvester Cemetery Foundation’s hard work. I was amused to find daffodils in full bloom – in mid-January! – poking up between the graves. I also dug out handfuls of wild onions from under the layers of ivy. Although I hadn’t known what to expect when I volunteered for this project, just the sight of the daffodils alone was worth the trip. I only wish I had brought my camera.

Oh … my son found two snails (slugs?) and a quarter that looked 100 years old – but after cleaning proved to be only six years old. When I saw what exposure to the elements had done to that quarter, I was amazed the cemetery stones were still standing. Actually, many of them weren’t, and the Sylvester Cemetery Foundation is working on that, too. They have pictures of some of the gravestones they’ve repaired.

A Glimpse of Family Link Tracker

2006-12-29T21:49:00.000-05:00

I think it’s time to blog on what I’ve been working on the past six months. I started out thinking that it would be fun to write a genealogy ebook. But as I did research for the ebook, I realized that it was really annoying keeping track of all the links I was finding. Then I realized that since I was married to a software engineer (Aren’t you just green with jealousy?), I could solve that problem. Or rather, I could tell my husband how to solve my problem.

Thus the idea for Family Link Tracker was born. Right now we’re still in beta testing. In fact, if you want to be a beta tester, let me know. I’m looking for a few folks to install it on their computer (Windows 98 or NT only, please) and let me know what they think. You can contact me at info (at) familylinktracker.com. Of course you’ll receive a free copy of the software, not to mention the genealogy ebook and articles I’m giving away as bonuses when it’s purchased.

Here are ten reasons why I think Family Link Tracker is a great thing if you do a lot of online genealogy research:

You can save your links in one place.

You can sort your links with one mouse click.

You can categorize your links by subject matter (for example: Ireland, Database, Blogs, etc.).

You can create your own categories to organize your links.

If you come across an interesting link while doing online research, just a click of the mouse will copy and paste the link into Family Link Tracker for later research.

You can set up an alarm to remind you to revisit a Web site. This is great for those genealogical sites that are constantly adding new databases.

You can keep track of links you don’t want to revisit by rating them from 1 – 10. How annoying is it to keep revisiting lousy Web sites?

Store additional information about the link (such as a description and other comments) with the link so you’ll never wonder what it is you’re clicking on.

Keep track of the last time you visited a Web site; Family Link Tracker inserts the “Last Visit” date next to the link.

You can export your links to HTML or a .txt file to send to other researchers.

So if you’re sick of keeping track of your links with the Favorites feature in Internet Explorer or the Bookmarks feature in Mozilla Firefox, you might want to give Family Link Tracker a try.

I’ll provide more information as I get closer to the official release.

~Mary Kaye

Historic Family Papers and Photos: Store Them Right or Consider Donating Them

2006-10-22T19:27:00.000-05:00

One of the genealogy forums I belong to recently talked about storing family papers. Someone stressed that you should not keep family papers in office-quality plastic sleeves. The ink will transfer to the plastic. In addition, the cheap plastic sleeves are not ph-balanced and will cause the paper to deteriorate faster.

You’ll need to spend a little bit more for archival quality plastic sleeves, but it’s worth it in the long run.

I was curious about other methods for storing family papers and photos, so I did a little searching on the ‘net:

Links for Storing Your Family Papers and Photos

Who knows better how to archive family papers and photos better than the U.S. National Archives?

http://www.archives.gov/preservation/family-archives/

Here’s a helpful article from The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies on preserving family papers:

http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/2980/
family_papers.pdf

This link has a list of companies that supply archival material, as well as additional links of interest:

http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/resources/leaflet/03-mar2000.html

Donating Your Family Papers

You can also donate your family papers to a repository (such as an archive, historical society, or special collections library). This article discussed the benefits of doing so:

http://www.archivists.org/publications/donating-familyrecs.asp

From my online search, it looks like many states have their own archival group. To find one for your state or country, google this:

State/County donate historic family papers site:.org

...where “state/country” is the name of your state or country. The “site: .org” will only return results from non-profit groups – those most likely to store and preserve historic documents.

I hope this has been helpful!

~Mary Kaye

Saving Graves

2006-10-14T20:55:00.000-05:00

When I die, I want to be cremated, and I certainly don’t want to be put into a jar on a mantel. (Must remember to tell husband this.) I prefer the “ashes to ashes, dust to dust” route – so just scatter my remains someplace pretty. (But it must be my version of pretty. Must remember to tell husband that Las Vegas isn’t pretty.)

Although I wouldn’t like to rest in peace in a graveyard, I do find them to be interesting places. I like the variety of names and inscriptions, although there’s always a tinge of sadness to this exploration.

Graveyards are common on every street corner and church, and unfortunately we treat them that way. From what I’ve heard on genealogy forums, many historic graveyards are neglected as well. And although this is a generalization and I hate generalizations, I think the neglect is due to our transient society. The families simply aren’t there to tend the graves.

On the way to a networking event the other night, I passed through an area I haven’t seen in a couple of years and marveled at all the growth. (If you live in or around Atlanta, you know development is ever-present.) I also passed by a graveyard sandwiched between two small strips of stores. I wondered how long it would be there, and what argument would be used to relocate it since it was now on “valuable property.”

If you’re interested in preserving a graveyard, I suggest googling in your U.S. state or country and “saving graves.” Or, you can go to their main Web site at http://www.savinggraves.org. They also have an interesting-looking library at http://www.savinggraves.org/education/index.htm.

~Mary Kaye

Resources to Locate Black Sheep Ancestors

2006-10-05T19:38:00.000-05:00

Black sheep ancestors can range from those who commit basic thievery to those who commit heinous murders. My own family has a black sheep ancestor – I suspect most families do. However, it can be difficult to trace these individuals because family members don’t want to talk about them. Furthermore, you need to consider whether including detailed information on a black sheep ancestor is:

- Based on fact.
- Going to hurt family members if included.

For example, you may have proof that a black sheep ancestor was part of your family (a birth certificate, for example). This is based on fact and can be included in the family tree. But including information on any crimes the ancestor committed serves no purpose to the family tree, might hurt others in your family, and should not be included. However, you can keep the information about the black sheep ancestor in your files; just refrain from publishing them until all involved are deceased.

For resources and information on black sheep ancestors, see the following Web sites:

Blacksheep Ancestors – http://www.blacksheepasncestors.com

What It Is: Prison records, insane asylum records, articles, and biographies of famous black sheep ancestors. Also has a link to a black sheep ancestor Yahoo mailing list.

******

Cyndi’s List on Prisons, Prisoners, and Outlaws – http://www.cyndislist.com/prisons.htm

What It Is: Cyndi’s List has over 100 links, divided by country, that are related to black sheep ancestors.

******

International Black Sheep Society of Genealogists – http://blacksheep.rootsweb.com/

What It Is: A mailing list to help locate black sheep ancestors.

~Mary Kaye

Family History Writing Contests: Are You Up to the Challenge? If Not, You Can Always Take a Class!

2006-09-29T20:51:00.000-05:00

I was reading Megan Smolenyak’s blog on RootsWorld and she mentioned a writing contest for genealogists sponsored by the Southern California Genealogical Society. And no, you don’t have to be from Southern California to enter – anyone in the world can enter as long as they have a juicy story to tell. But hurry, because entries are accepted from Nov. 1 up to Dec. 31, 2006.

After checking that out, I did a search on Google for more such contests. I also found one on The National Genealogical Society (it’s only open to NGS members).

The International Society of Family History Writers and Editors (try to say that in one breath!) also has an annual contest, but the deadline has already passed for 2006. Still, it's not too early to think about entering for 2007. And yes, you do have to be a member of ISFHWE to enter.

During the contest research, I stumbled across the Education category on Cyndi’s List and realized there were classes on how to write about your family history or genealogy:

- Fundamentals of Life Stories Writing

- Biography, Memoir, and Family History Writing

If you’re more interested in just getting the family history basics down on paper (not interested in the creative aspect of it) then check out this free email course.

I’ve taken a few online classes before and enjoyed them. Online classes are convenient and can give you something to look forward to besides the mindless Web surfing. However, you do have to do the assignments on time, or you’ll get behind and want to quit the whole thing. (And if my inner fuddy-duddy nerd spoke out too loudly just there -- well, tough!)

~Mary Kaye

Label Digital Family Photos with New (Free!) FotoTagger Software

2006-09-02T13:51:00.000-05:00

Before I begin, I’d like to offer the standard "lapsed blog" apology:

I can’t believe it’s been three months! When I started this blog I thought I’d write every day. I’m really sorry. I’ll try to do better.

Now that that’s over with, I can talk about a neat little software tool for annotating (attaching text tags to) photographs. Genealogists can use this to label:

- The names of people in an old family photo. (This is a great way to share old family pictures with relations in different parts of the country or world.)

- The location of landmarks in a landscape or overhead photo.

- The scanned-in image of a source document (Source documents text isn’t always readable because of quality or handwriting. You can interpret the document by annotating each entry on it.)

Even better … it’s free! I downloaded it myself today to make sure it was all on the up and up. Furthermore, you won’t be bothered by pop-ups or ads. The software developer is interested in making this software part of the open source code community. (As I understand it – or rather, don’t understand but a part of it – open source software is a whole different animal from the typical “build software – sell for massive profit margin” business model. But I won’t pretend to know any more about it than that. Suffice to say this software didn’t destroy my laptop.)

My dad tediously scanned in all of our old family photos, so I grabbed a couple of my favorites and played with them in FotoTagger. Here’s one result (click on it to open it in its own window):

F TMy grandmother, Emma Jean Hunter, in the late 1930s.
We don\'t know who this cute guy is!

If you upload your pictures to Blogger or Flickr (a place to store and share your pictures), others can hide/show the annotations you’ve added. But if you email or upload the FotoTagger image, you have to decide if you’re going to merge the annotations into the original digital photo. In that case, others would see the annotations, but they’d permanently be part of the image and they wouldn’t be able to use the hide/show feature.

It appears that if you save the image with the FotoTagger annotations and then open the image in software program that doesn’t support FotoTagger, the annotations just don’t appear and the photo looks like the original version. However, just to be safe, I would save your original photo under a different name *before* you start experimenting. Here’s another photograph from the same time period. Doesn’t it look like they’re having a great time?

F THere\'s the mystery man again. Doesn\'t this picture seem so carefree?

Hope you have fun this Labor Day weekend. And if you end up downloading FotoTagger at http://www.fototagger.com/, make sure to share your results with your family!

~Mary Kaye

Use Local Live to Mark Family and Childhood Landmarks

2006-05-26T21:09:00.000-05:00

Genealogy just got more interactive, at least in my own mind.

I’ve been using Microsoft Windows Local Live (powered by Virtual Earth) for a few months now to help in our search for a new home. This Web site gives you aerial photographs of the addresses you enter. We use this site to screen out any homes we don’t want to look at – we have a pet peeve with huge power lines in the backyard.

Depending on the area you’re looking at, you may be able to zoom waaaaay in. I’ve read about some people being able to read the advertisements on buildings in downtown Las Vegas.

But I never thought about using Local Live to mark special family landmarks until someone posted on alt-genealogy about it.

If you sign up with Local Live (free), you can save locations with virtual “pushpins.” For each pushpin, you can add text, graphics, or a link to a Web site. You can save all of this information to what Local Live calls a “collection.” But please note: This is a beta version and anything you save here could get lost into the black hole of cyberspace. Please don’t enter any data you’d be devastated to lose.

I entered the address of one of my childhood homes in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. I was pleased to see that Local Live labeled many items, such as the nearby Pinetree Pond where we kids used to catch tadpoles. And it was fun to trace the path I walked to school. I entered the name of my elementary school and a red pushpin marked it. When I hovered over the pushpin, I could see the label “Hillside Elementary School, Cottage Grove, Minnesota.” I could also see the commands to edit the pushpin notes, delete it, add URLs, and so forth. This is a fun place to play!

Another note: You don’t need to log in just to stop by this Web site and fool around. You’ll only need to log in if you want to save your pushpin locations.

Take a break and have fun with this!

~Mary Kaye

Linkpendium Contains Vast Array of Worldwide Surname Sites (and More)

2006-05-17T14:37:00.000-05:00

Here's a genealogy resource that should be added to your list o' links (right next to Cyndi's List): Linkpendium.

According to Dr. Brian Leverich, co-owner of the site, "Linkpendium now has links to 4,659,347 sources of genealogical information. It is numerically by far the largest directory of genealogical resources on the Internet. In fact, Linkpendium is one of the largest human-edited directories of *any* kind on the Web."

In case you don't know much about the Internet, having *human-edited* links is the way to go. That way you don't end up with links to a lot to nasty pages or pages trying to sell you something. Naturally, this kind of Web site design is much more labor intensive … thanks for your hard work, Linkpendium!

The site enables you to add a link to your own genealogy-based Web site. It could be a county, state, or family name site; it doesn't matter as long as it's about genealogy!

Because of the above feature, you can arrive at the site and go directly to where you want to go. Information is organized by locality (currently just the USA) or surname (worldwide). The list of names is a site to behold! (No pun intended.)

Happy hunting!

~Mary Kaye

Too Busy to Care Goes Both Ways

2006-05-13T14:33:00.000-05:00

I’m here!

I’m so sorry for the long absence. I have a house on the market and a handful of projects, and I sometimes get overwhelmed. One of those projects is actually a genealogy product I’m developing, so I really have no excuse for being away for so long, but there it is.

Something that’s been going through my mind lately is this:

If everyone in the world were required to write down their basic information (important dates, education, homes, etc.) would genealogy even exist as a hobby? It strikes me as funny how hard we genealogists work to dig up information that would be so easy to know if only our ancestors had taken an hour to write down their pertinent facts.

But as I’ve heard over and over again, people back then didn’t think like that. My husband’s great aunt, in response to some “Why?” questions from us, replied, “I guess we all were so busy just living.”

There’s a flip side to this, as well. Not everyone is interested in family history. Even if one does have ancestor information, how many stories have you heard of family heirlooms (bibles, photographs, etc.) that have been separated from the family line through carelessness or indifference? (For a great site in finding lost family heirlooms, see http://www.pastconnect.com. Though I can’t understand why some people are charging to return these items to their rightful owners.)

I am woefully ignorant about how the Chinese worship their ancestors, but I can’t help thinking about how strange our genealogical obsession must seem. Like, “Why didn’t you just pay attention in the first place?” And that “you” pertains to our ancestors (why didn’t you write this stuff down, for God’s sake?) and ourselves (take off your headphones and listen to those old stories for once!).

~Mary Kaye

Just Call Me “Mamie”

2006-04-22T22:01:00.000-05:00

Thanks to someone on the Family Finder genealogy forum (a new Yahoo group), I found an interesting resource. The Genealogy Encyclopedia provides information “of terminology and descriptions of basic genealogy research.” One of its pages has a listing of 18th and 19th century American nicknames, with a cross-reference to the formal name. Like this:

Nickname: Jenny
Proper Name: Jane, Janet, Genevieve, Virginia

Nickname: Mamie
Proper Name: Mary

I’d imagine this could be a helpful resource if you’re looking through the American censuses. Just as you should keep a list of alternate spellings for the surnames you’re researching, start a list of possible nicknames your ancestor might have used.

Another neat reference at this site is the description of illnesses you come across in medical records, letters, and death certificates. When I was a teenager, I read historical romances and was always mystified by the term “consumption.” I learned long ago that it was really tuberculosis, but there’s hundreds more listed on the Terminology and Meanings of Various Illnesses and Diseases page.

A few more resources on this site include:

- Terminology and Meanings of Early Occupations
- Symbols on Gravestones and Their Interpretations
- Major Worldwide Epidemics

And if you’re thinking this whole post and the Web site it references is morbid … well, we are researching dead people!

~Mary Kaye

Genealogical Random Acts of Kindness

2006-04-05T20:45:00.000-05:00

I’ve been reading Megan Smolenyak’s book, "In Search of Our Ancestors," which is “101 inspiring stories of serendipity and connection in rediscovering our family history.” Apparently, these stories were collected during the filming of the PBS series Ancestors.

One of the stories that made my cry was about a World War II pilot who died when his fighter plane crashed in a field in Great Britain. In the early 1990s, when the field was being bulldozed to develop a subdivision, someone convinced the developer to name the subdivision after the pilot and then tracked down the pilot’s family to let them know about it.

I also love the stories about people who find heirlooms like family bibles and track down the descendants to return it.

That these stories exist (and I suspect there are many, many more than what’s been published in this book) has convinced me that genealogists – both amateur and professional – understand the cyclic nature of life at a very basic level. Excuse the psycho-babble here, but I think people who perform random acts of kindness in the name of genealogy truly understand why we’ve been put on this earth.

And if you don’t know what the heck I’m talking about, then you better hurry up and perform a random act of genealogical kindness for someone else – pronto!

~Mary Kaye

P.S. What are you waiting for? Go be nice to someone you’ve never met!

My Favorite Genealogy Forum and A List of Photo-Sharing Web Sites

2006-03-22T23:11:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite genealogy forums is Genealogy-101, a Yahoo forum . I’ve belonged to several different groups:

- One was for newbie amateur genealogists and all of their computer-related questions. That combination didn’t work for me. Too many "why are sparks shooting out of the back of my computer" posts. I'm not kidding.

- Another one (that I’m still subscribed to, but wishing I weren’t) is connected to a newsgroup with some argumentative individuals. I’ve deleted at least a hundred emails with the controversial topic “old tombstones and shaving cream.”

- A couple of others are so lonely and sparse that it embarrasses me just to be a part of them.

But Genealogy-101 has passed the Goldilocks test of being “just right.” Newcomers are warmly welcomed and no one (so far) has ranted about anything. It’s just a good place for asking general “how do I?” questions without wondering if others are rolling their eyes at your posts.

Recently, someone from the forum listed a boatload of Web sites for sharing family photos. Besides the value these sites offer to sharing your current family photos, think of the rewards if others in your family would scan and upload their ancestral photos:

- One location for the extended family to view their photographs
- Easily notice similar family traits
- Quickly distribute all ancestral photographs among the family -- No more begging others to make photograph copies!

http://www.ancientfaces.com
http://www.myfamily.com
http://www.tribalpages.com
http://www.afamilyconnection.com
http://www.kindredkonnections.com
http://www.kodakgallery.co.uk
http://www.skyfolder.com
http://www.Truprint.co.uk
http://www.phanfare.com/

~Mary Kaye

From Garbage Disposals to Forgetfulness to Your Family Tree Traveling Binder

2006-03-17T10:48:00.001-05:00

I love starting to become organized. My favorite store, Borders, is right next to an office supply store. Ah … the joy of accordion hanging folders, printable labels, and medium-point, rolling ball pens. (Am I the only one that thinks these stores are under-stocked and should branch out into “super” office supply stores?)

Note that I wrote “starting to become organized,” and not “being organized.” Many people in my family think I am organized, when in reality I do the minimum required to keep my life and my family’s lives running smoothly. For example, it’s not because I’m organized that I’ve labeled the switches by the kitchen sink as “Garbage Disposal” and “Light.” If that were the case, I’d have labels on all the switches in the house. No … they’re labeled because I realized life would be more difficult if I or someone else in the family ground up their hand in a moment of forgetfulness.

Speaking of forgetfulness, a recent post to a genealogy forums explained her method of staying organized when she was out and about doing family tree research. She recommends a zippered binder big enough to hold:

- Alphabetical index dividers to hold sheets of family group data.
- Lined paper or a notebook.
- Small notepad to serve as a “to do” list – Can write down where you left off researching, helpful sites to revisit, or non-helpful sites to avoid.
- A place for pens and pencils.
- A zippered pouch to store change (for making copies), a small magnifying glass, or other whatnot.
- An address book to write down names of other family members doing research or others you meet with intersecting family trees.
- Business cards with your name, address, and email, along with a short list of names you are researching. You can get inexpensive business cards from Kinkos or VistaPrint. In fact, you can get 250 VistaPrint cards FREE, as long as you don’t mind that they print their logo on the back.

I have a great method from another forum member on organizing online photographs. I suspect we could all use some help with this, whether the photos are ancestral or current.

Stay tuned for that …

~Mary Kaye

P.S. I should be commended for my graceful segue from hand-grinding to forgetfulness to genealogy organization, no?

Free Lookups at AncestralFindings.com

2006-03-06T23:08:00.000-05:00

I think we all have a soft spot in our hearts for the word “free.” Something about it always gives us pause (except when it’s free advice). So for you freebie lovers out there, here’s a good deal:

You can request two free lookups from the Ancestral Findings Web site. Once you’re there, make sure to read the Guidelines so you don't mess up a good thing.

- Birth Records
- Land Records
- State Records
- Death Records
- Military Records
- Census Records
- Marriage Records
- World Family Trees
- Passenger & Immigration Records

If a database name has “free” next to it, you’re in luck!

Here’s another word we all like: contest! At AncestralFindings.com, you can register one time to be in their perpetual drawing for a free genealogy resource (which is mailed to you). Drawings are on Sunday and Wednesday.

Happy Hunting!

~Mary Kaye

Tracing Your Family Tree When No One Cares

2006-03-03T13:50:00.000-05:00

A recent popular thread from one of the online genealogy forums I belong to had to do with tracing your family tree when no one else in the family was interested. The person who started the thread wasn’t as much complaining as she was worrying what would happen to her research when she was gone.

But others did chime in with some of their pet peeves. Maybe you’ll recognize some of them as your own:

- People not giving you info when you ask, but when you mention what you found, say, “I could have told you that.”
- People who show little interest in helping you, but ask for copies of what you’ve found.
- Relatives who have family information written down, but won’t take the time to copy and send it because “they’re too busy.”

Basically, it comes down to this: tracing your family tree is something you should do for your own satisfaction, because there is a chance your family research will be met with disinterest or even resentment (from those who don’t want the past to be revisited).

But don’t give up all hope if it seems like no one in your family line will take up the genealogy torch when you’re gone. My parents were surprised when I finally -- in my mid 30s -- expressed interest in the family tree. Some people don’t get interested until later in life. Just as patience is a virtue when researching your family tree, it’s also true when waiting for those younger (or even older) ones to show interest.

In the Meantime, Preserve Your Research

- If you have a family tree Web site, back it up to CD. Note that CDs and DVDs do not last forever. In the worst-case scenario, the data may start to degrade after 25 years.

- If you have a family tree Web site, you may want to make provisions in your will for having it maintained after you are gone. This means someone would have to make sure the Web hosting company (who has the data on their physical servers) is paid on a regular basis to keep the account open and active.

- It’s ironic that even with all of your technology, printing out a hard copy of your information is the most reliable way to preserve it. Make sure you store the paper in acid-free sleeves.

- Do a little research to discover promising places to leave a copy of your research. This could be your local historical or genealogical society, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (who have been gathering and preserving genealogical records for the past 100 years), or perhaps your state university or state archives. Don’t wait until the family tree is “done” -- just make sure they get a copy!

Note: If you do give a copy to a genealogical society or archive group, be considerate of the people still living whose information is on the family tree. Remove their information and store it in a separate place.

Tips for Getting Them Interested

For those older than you, print a family tree that deliberately includes errors. Present it to the person with pride. There’s a chance they’ll correct the information right then and there, not to mention give you even more information. Make sure you make the changes in their presence, as it may encourage them to keep talking. Immediately marking it up also prevents the mistaken family tree from getting mixed up with the correct one.

Make the information pretty, not just a black and white list of names and dates. You can create a Web site or print a booklet with photographs and captions. Include pictures of the person you’re giving the booklet too – people like to read about themselves!

~Mary Kaye

Onomastics (What Does Your Last Name Mean?)

2006-02-28T22:03:00.000-05:00

My husband and I first met at a college party my roommates and I threw. But we didn’t get to know each other until we were set up. On our first date, I didn’t believe (or didn’t want to believe) that my husband’s last name was really “Stiff.” To prove it, he pulled out his driver’s license it. I clearly remember examining the bold “STIFF” letters and thinking, “I feel sorry for whoever marries this guy.”

Yep, the joke’s on me.

I’ve been married for over a dozen years now and I’ve long gotten over the strange looks and stifled smiles that emerge when I give my last name. In fact, several years ago I asked Todd’s father where the name Stiff comes from. He didn’t know, so I did a quick Internet search to find out. It’s an English name. (I’d always thought it was German, perhaps shortened from something more difficult to pronounce.) And recently, thanks to information from one of Todd’s family members, I found out that Todd’s ancestor, George Stiff, emigrated from Gloucester, England, in 1855.

One way to dip your toe into genealogy is to research the onomastics of your last name. Onomastics is “the study of the origin, form, meaning, and use of names, especially proper names.” (source: Websters New World Dictionary) As you can see from the previous paragraph, just knowing where your last name originated can point you in the right research direction.

It can also give you some enlightenment about the society and culture of the past. This is what I found on the Internet about the name Stiff:

stiff
English: nickname from Middle English stif ‘rigid’, ‘inflexible’, hence a nickname for someone who had difficulty in bending. The term was also used in a transferred sense of character (generally in the approving sense ‘resolute’, ‘steadfast’) from the 12th century, and this use may lie behind many examples of the surname.
(source: Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press)

I found this information on the Ancestry.com site (select the Learning Center link at the top, follow the Family Facts link, and under the Facts menu, select “Name Meanings.”)

So, there you go! A long time ago, the name Stiff meant something positive and respected. I should print this on a business card and hand it out to anyone else who smirks at the Stiff name.

~Mary Kaye

2006-02-23T20:10:00.000-05:00

Someone asked when MyHeritage.com is available for use. You can go there right now!

1. Go to http://www.myheritage.com.
2. Click the Beta button. (This means they are still tweaking the software.)
3. You'll be on the Face Recognition page. Click Research to access the fields where you input your ancestor information.

If this isn't working like I say, you can get the technical support email address by selecting the Contact Us link at the bottom on the page.

~Mary Kaye

MyHeritage.com Reveals Startling Celebrity Look-Alikes!

2006-02-22T21:38:00.000-05:00

Remember MyHeritage.com? I wrote about it in this post. I never could get the face recognition feature to work, but they recently contacted me and asked me to try it again. This time it everything went smoothly:

1. Upload a digital photograph of your face, preferably a front-facing picture.
2. The celebrity database option is already selected, so just click “Run Face Recognition!” (In the future, you’ll be able to compare your photo to other family photos on their database).

Guess who I look the most like? Britney Spears!

All right!

But ... I also got a match with Julio Iglesias:

Okay, let’s forget about that one.

Actually, I’m not trying to make fun of MyHeritage.com. I can see the resemblance in the big fat smile on all of our faces.

While you’re at MyHeritage.com, make sure to select the Research link at the top of the page. This is the meat of MyHeritage. You can enter an ancestor name and receive search results from over 500 databases. It’s amazingly easy to use. You can quickly jump from MyHeritage to each Web site database where a match was found.

Very soon, the MyHeritage meta-search tool will enable you to:

- Save searches.
- Annotate searches.
- Find out who else is researching the same names as you.

And later on …

- Schedule searches to recur automatically (What a timesaver this one is!)
- Search for places

I hope you have some fabulous discoveries using this tool!

~Mary Kaye

You Are What You Write: Handwriting Analysis and Genealogy

2006-02-19T23:32:00.000-05:00

For some reason, perhaps it was a newspaper article, I remembered that I once had an interest in graphology (i.e., analyzing handwriting to determine psychological traits). However, that was back when I was a teenager, and I was really only interested in interpreting my own handwriting – self-absorbed, but also self-seeking.

Today I broke away from some mundane chores and spent two blissful hours in the library. Did I mention I love the library? (Oh, right … the last blog.) I didn’t go there for a purpose; it’s a true luxury for me to just hang out and go where my current interest takes me.

I decided to look up the available resources on graphology, and a mention of ancestry signatures took me by surprise. Of course – my interest in handwriting analysis could certainly be useful when researching my ancestors. It’s not a required skill, but think how much better you could know a person if you had their photograph and handwriting sample!

Later on, I googled the words “graphology” and “genealogy.” Cyndi’s List was the third search result. The link I found the most helpful (under Signatures and Autographs) was the Graphology Information Centre. Lots of information for anyone who wants to pursue this interest as a career or a hobby.

I’ll wrap this up by including a link that lists places where you might find your ancestors signatures or handwriting: In Their Own Hand, by Michael John Neill.

Makes you think about your own handwriting a little bit differently, doesn’t it?

Smiles …
~Mary Kaye

What Resources Does Your Library Offer?

2006-02-17T21:47:00.000-05:00

I’ve always had a deep love for libraries. Do you know how everyone carries around a set of beliefs which they use to operate in the world? Well, one of my beliefs is that the library has all the answers. And once again, the library has come through for me. I recently explored what my local library had to offer to assist with genealogical research.

Search the library catalog using “genealogy” or “family tree” as keywords. When I did this for “genealogy,” I found 150 items, such as:

- Genealogical histories for Georgia counties
- Land lottery listings
- A guide for African Americans to trace their roots
- Red Book – A reference book that lists the best genealogical resources by state
- Various books on finding your ancestors online
- A book by Denise Austin on shrinking your female fat zones (How did that get into the list? Turns out the book summary mentions the “genealogy of female fat.”)
- A guide to cemetery research
- Scrapbooking ideas for your family tree

Your library may also provide access to a wide variety of databases. When I searched these databases for “genealogy,” I found hundreds of articles, some scholarly, but some mainstream (Newsweek, Essence). And these aren’t old articles. The Newsweek article I saw mentioned the recent PBS special on tracing African American history.

When I spoke with the librarian, she said the library has microfiche readers. Using these, you can research newspapers that date back to 1868. You can also bring in your own microfiche and read it there.

I’ve saved the best for last. My helpful librarian also said that library card holders can search the Ancestry databases for free while at the library. (Ancestry.com databases are normally only available with a paid subscription, except for special promotions.) I can’t actually verify this further because it’s late and my library is closed, but I will let you know later when/if I’m able to log onto the system.

If you can’t find what you need at your library, ask about an inter-library loan or ask the library to order the item. My library allows you to request a book purchase and if it’s approved, they’ll let you be the first one to read it when it arrives!

Excuse me while I kiss my library card …

~Mary Kaye

P.S. I checked PBS.org and found out that they are showing the PBS special "African American Lives" again on February 25th. Part 1 and Part 2 are shown in one night -- I think it'll run from 8 p.m. to 12 p.m. This time, I'm going to make sure to schedule a reminder about Part 2!

Efficient Genealogical Software Still Can’t Prevent Human Error

2006-02-14T22:04:00.000-05:00

I’ve mentioned this before: my father has done a great job of documenting his side and my mother’s side of the family. So for now, I’ve decided to leave my family tree alone. With my level of inexperience, I just might muck it all up. What I think would give me the most education (and material to blog about, of course!) is to trace my husband’s family tree.

I’m embarrassed to admit this, but for all the blathering I’ve done about researching my family tree, I’ve actually done nothing but research on genealogy itself – nothing on specific families. Until today.

Today I was able to successfully install the free version of Legacy Family Tree and enter some of Todd’s family’s data. The application is easy to use and full-featured – not something I would expect from a free software application. (Check out Legacy Family Tree’s standard features here.)

As I entered information into LFT, I was struck by how much could go awry. The software may be flawless, but the humans entering it surely aren’t. For example, the compiled Stiff info I have says that Todd’s grandfather’s middle name was Lodowic, but I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it somewhere as Ludwick (or was that Ludowic?). And I don’t know Todd’s sister’s middle name.

Little things like that make me realize that when working with so much information (or so little of it), you do have to be detail-oriented, organized, and patient. If you’re not, or don’t learn to be, you might become overcome by frustration and quit.

For now, my own confusion with the genealogical process and hesitancy with the software doesn’t bother me. After all that research I’ve done the past couple of weeks – checking out Web sites and hanging out in forums – I realize that help is just a few keystrokes away.

~Mary Kaye

Check Out RSSGenealogy.com

2006-02-13T22:33:00.000-05:00

I definitely haven't been at my blogging best the past few days. And I hate to send you away when I finally have your attention, but this blog is only to show you another great genealogy link that could absorb your attention for hours:

http://www.rssgenealogy.com/

Right now I'm trying to download the free version of Legacy Family Tree and I'm waiting for them to send me a password so I can install it. Except that it's been about 15 minutes and I haven't received it yet. I'll try to get it installed tomorrow and let you know what I think. I've heard good things about it.

~Mary Kaye

P.S. I was really annoyed when I realized I had missed Part 2 of that PBS documentary on African American ancestry. Sorry about that. Maybe they'll run it again soon.

Historical Panoramic Maps and Your Town

2006-02-10T11:03:00.000-05:00

I’m not claiming to be one of those women who is actually good with maps, but I do enjoy looking at them. My interest started about ten years ago when I browsed an antique store in Conyers, Georgia. I found a basket of old prints and one of them was a map of Georgia from 1881 (shown on the right).

(Sorry about the flash reflection. A photographer I am not!)

Thanks to a tip from a member of the GEN-NEWBIE forum (http://www.rootsweb.com/~newbie), I found a treasure trove of panoramic maps from the 1847 - 1929. For those of you that don’t know, panoramic maps illustrate the streets and buildings of both small towns and large cities in intricate detail. The scale may not be right, but they’re fun to look at -- like a glimpse of your town right after your plane takes off. The cars look like ants and the houses like Chiclets:

To view these maps, go to: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/

Select the Maps link, followed by the Panoramic Maps link. (I found the areas I was interested in by selecting the “Geographical Location” link.)

As you’ll see, this Web site is a bonanza for American history buffs. And of course, where there’s history, there’s genealogy. (Or vice versa.)

~Mary Kaye

A Free Gift for Your Grandchildren

2006-02-08T06:55:00.000-05:00

Doesn’t it seem like the word “free” is overused today, especially on the ‘net? Don’t you hate it when you see the word “free” in an advertisement or headline, only for it to turn out you have to fulfill a convoluted series of steps just to get your free thing-a-ma-jig?

1. Purchase the product on a full moon in a month that includes the letter “u.”
2. Photocopy the UPC code.
3. Tattoo the UPC code to your forehead.
4. Kiss your social life good-bye.

And don’t you hate it when you’re lured to a Web site with the promise of something free, only to find out you’ve been subjected to lame, early morning humor?

Here is a refreshing antidote:

http://www.ourgrandchild.com/familystory/index.htm

This site sells products for grandparents who think that toys for kids today are junk (and they’re right). This includes stuff like wooden toys, wagons, and rocking toys. But they’ve also included a form that allows you to enter information about yourself and your life, questions like:

- What are some of your memories of your parents?
- What were your childhood hobbies?
- What were your holiday traditions?

After you fill out the form, click the “Create Story” button. Your story displays in a plain format, which you can either print or copy into a word processor.

This looks like a quick way to jot down your memories, but be careful – this isn’t a word processing program, so if your computer hiccups just as you’re typing the last sentence, you’ll lose all of your information. To avoid this, you can copy what you’re typing into Notepad or a word processor and save it as you work. (You may think this will never happen, but when it comes to computers, Murphy’s Law rules.)

Happy memory hunting!

~Mary Kaye

Two Genealogy Magazines: Family Tree and Family Chronicle

2006-02-06T21:47:00.000-05:00

A while back I told you that I had picked up two genealogy magazines from Border’s bookstore. Here are my thoughts on both:

Family Chronicle
The articles in Family Chronicle seemed a bit more focused on how history could have influenced your ancestors, such as articles on our ancestor’s migration patterns and a description of poorhouses. But it also included matter-of-fact information on DNA testing and finding your way through the revamped Ellis Island database.

One-time purchase: $6.95
Yearly subscription (6 issues): $27

You can try out Family Chronicle with a free issue. You don’t have to pay the invoice unless you want to subscribe, so there’s no risk to try it. Also, the publishers of Family Chronicle have a new magazine, Internet Genealogy magazine. If you want to keep up on the new databases that are coming online, check into this at http://www.internet-genealogy.com/. You can also download a preview issue of Internet Genealogy.

Family Tree
Family Tree had a more modern layout, at least on the cover page and table of contents. You’ll see what I mean if you view both covers online. I didn’t see any historical articles in this issue, but some appealing articles were on watching out for junky genealogy databases and the latest on upgrades to Family Tree Maker and Legacy Family Tree software.

One-time purchase: $5.99
Yearly subscription (6 issues): $24

If you subscribe to Family Tree from their Web site, you’ll get a bonus gift: Family Tree Magazine's 2006 Genealogy Guidebook. Plus, this site has a “101 Best Undiscovered Web Sites” – links to great genealogy sites you’ve probably never explored.

Each magazine has its own “personality,” so if you can afford it, get both. I wish I had an unlimited budget for all of these magazines! That’s a subject for another day … budgeting for genealogy.

~Mary Kaye

Learn How to Research Your Family Tree – Free Online Course

2006-02-05T20:28:00.000-05:00

I don’t know about you, but some of these genealogy Web sites I visit are so noisy. Cluttered with ads and graphics, it’s difficult to even read the text, so I usually click off. So it was a relief to run across this clean and simple site:

http://www.learnwebskills.com/family/intro.html

It’s hard to believe, but you can take the entire course online and … it’s free! Some of the material covered includes:

- Working with search engines and databases

- Vital records and federal census records

- Other sources that can reveal key information

- Finding information through discussion lists and message boards

It’s great to sit down with a book for the evening, and it’s fun to click around the Web for information on our ancestors, but sometimes it’s nice to have someone tell you what to do and how to do it. Because the course is designed to be interactive, you’ll be more likely to take the steps to reach your goals. There’s something about the online course format that really pushes me to try hard. (I guess it could be that I’m competitive against myself!) I’ve taken a few online courses and never regretted it.

This is one I’m definitely going to list in my links.

~Mary Kaye

Four Reasons to Avoid Using Unsupported Sources in Your Genealogy Research

2006-02-04T21:12:00.000-05:00

This blog entry is for the newbie genealogists, so you pros just lean back in that cushy desk chair and roll your eyes at my naivety.

Here’s the short lesson:

Unsupported Information (online databases, word of mouth stories, written family histories) = Bad

Supported Information (double-checking facts, documented sources) = Good

Here’s the longer lesson:

Let’s say a member of your husband’s family has graciously given you a copy of their family history. You’re all set to plug the information into Family Tree Maker, but wait! You’ve almost committed genealogical sacrilege!

Thou shall not mix supported information with unsupported information.

Why? What’s the big deal?

1. Genealogy is a science. You know, “genea” (race, family) + “logy” (science, theory, study). As you know, you can’t just go around proclaiming the world is flat or your ancestor wrote the Star-Spangled Banner without proof. So, unless you have verified all of the family tree data you gathered, your results would not hold up in a court of genealogists. Or, to be more serious, you may be able to pass it off on your family, but not serious genealogists.

2. If you do use unsupported sources without double-checking their validity, you risk incorporating information into your family tree that is just plain wrong. And if someone comes along after you (remember, part of the reason you’re tracing your roots is for your descendants) and finds out that some of the data is incorrect … well, how can they trust the rest of your research?

3. If you do this naughty unverified thing, you also risk researching the wrong ancestor or family line. I recently read that to properly research a family tree, you need to create a firm foundation. That means you can’t move up from researching one generation to the next one without being absolutely sure you’ve got the right people. Researching the wrong ancestor is just plain embarrassing (if you tell anyone you did such a silly thing) and a waste of your time.

4. Using someone else’s research without their permission or knowledge is considered plagiarism. Before you automatically dismiss this idea, read the following article: http://www.iigs.org/newsletter/9904news/ethics.htm.en. Using someone else’s research without giving them proper credit is the same as if you copied and article off the Web and claimed you wrote it.

This doesn’t mean you can’t use online databases or Uncle Bill’s self-published “Book of McGradys,” but you should use these sources as a starting point, not the final answer. If you want me to find out more information about what a “supported source” is, let me know. Remember, I’m still learning, too.

I’ve got to admit, this experience has really opened my eyes. I’m glad I ran into this issue and resolved it before I dug into researching either side of my family or my husband’s family. Who knows what kind of mistakes I would have made?

~Mary Kaye

PBS Documentary on African American Lives -- Part 1

2006-02-03T11:31:00.000-05:00

Did anyone else watch this? All I can say is: Wow. What fascinating, tumultuous stories. Families torn apart by slavery. Families struggling against all odds to hold on to their land – and the promise of freedom it guarantees. That’s exactly what I love about genealogy – the stories.

Note: You can get more information on the documentary at: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/aalives

This first part of the two-part documentary examined the lives of the ancestors back to the Civil War (or the “War Between the States,” as they call it down here). Many of the show’s guests had ancestors who were slaves that lived through the turmoil of Reconstruction.

I’m trying not to get too dramatic here, but watching this show I was struck by how little control all of us have over our own lives. Social conventions, laws, and events shape, mold, and even sometimes imprison us. If you really want to feel like you know your ancestors, you must learn about the historic period when your ancestor lived.

Whoopi Goldberg, one of the guests of the documentary, said of her ancestors:

“If they were born in this time, what would they have been?”

That’s the rub, isn’t it? No matter what we think we could have been if this or that hadn’t happened in our life, there’s absolutely nothing we can do about it. To get the most out of our life, we have to do the best we can with what we have. This seems obvious when written down, but I’m sure you know many people who still can’t accept their reality.

A saying I made up is:

“It’s not who you are or what you do; it’s what you do with who you are.”

Think about your own life. Are you denying or ignoring certain realities? Is it keeping you from reaching your goals? Remember, we still have the power to change. We may not be able to change reality, but:

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” – Henry David Thoreau

Free (For Now) Access to Some Ancestry Databases

2006-02-01T19:50:00.000-05:00

To celebrate Black History Month, Ancestry is offering free access to the 4 databases listed below. These databases will be free for the month of February 2006 with registration. Registration requires your name and e-mail address.

- 1870 US Federal Census - Index & Images
- Civil War Service Records Database
- WWI Draft Registration Cards
- African American Research Center

For more information, see http://www.researchguides.net/free.htm.

During a tedious Atlanta commute yesterday, I thought about how it appears that the number of men versus women who are researching their genealogy is about equal. (This is based on my new membership in various genealogy forums, so I could be wrong. But if I am, I’d have to chuck this whole blog, so let’s assume I’m right.)

For men, I think the appeal of genealogy has something to do with figuring out a puzzle, shining a light on origins that are shadowy. Most men don’t like vagueness; they like their world straightforward and organized.

I’m on more solid ground speculating about why women research their genealogy. I believe it’s more about connections. Whether a woman has children or not, she feels compelled to reach back in time to link the threads of ancestors with those she loves.

But for both sexes, I think tracing family roots is a matter of pride and fulfillment. One thing is for sure; as our lives become more “worldly” with the Internet, phones, and travel, many of us are determined to maintain our connections with the past. This comforts me. It demonstrates that despite our 21st century sophistication, there’s a little bit of rough-around-the-edges, fresh-off-the-boat pioneer in all of us.

~Mary Kaye

The Stiff Book of Genealogy

2006-01-31T21:38:00.000-05:00

Yesterday “The Stiff Book” arrived. No, it’s not about dead people. My husband’s last name is Stiff. His Aunt Mary sent the genealogy information after I started asking questions of his side of the family. What’s shocking to me is that my husband never even knew this material existed.

It was great to watch Todd get absorbed in the Stiff story. Since you don’t know Todd, let me explain that he’s not a big fan of books. In fact, he just recently discovered how much more tolerable Atlanta traffic is if you listen to books on tape while you commute. It’s not that he doesn’t like a good story – he just doesn’t like to sit still to read. For him to pause to read about his family – that’s important stuff; whereas I'll read the back, front, and both sides of cereal boxes.

I have a theory on the lack of knowledge about “The Stiff Book.” Todd’s parents divorced when he was ten or eleven years old and he lived with his mother until he moved out. He saw his father often, but not on a day-to-day basis. To make things more complicated, Todd’s Grandpa Stiff was divorced from his Grandma Stiff. I think that communication gaps from the divorces are to blame here. But who’s blaming anyone? Not me! We’re just happy to have it and find out where such a funny name comes from (Gloucester, England, if you’re curious).

I never would’ve thought that Todd would be interested in his ancestors. In fact, I wouldn’t have expected that of myself. But maybe it’s not so much about personality and preferences as it is about getting older, having children, and being able to look both forward to our children’s lives and backwards at our ancestors at the same time. I guess getting old does have some positive points! (If anyone knows any other ones, please let me know.)

Also ...
On February 1, Wednesday night at 9 p.m., PBS will air the first of a two-part documentary called, “African American Lives: Discovering Roots, the Promise of Freedom.” You can get more information here. And you can check your local listing here. This documentary will look into the lives of prominent African Americans (Oprah Winfrey is one, of course) and trace back their lineage. On the February 9th program, they’ll also discuss how you can trace your own lineage. Hope you can catch it.

Note: If you think you'll never remember to watch it, you can have PBS send a reminder e-mail to you. If you view your local listings for February 1 and click on African American Lives, you'll see an option to do this.

~Mary Kaye

MyHeritage.com -- A Powerful New Genealogy Tool

2006-01-30T12:25:00.000-05:00

One of the great things about a blog is that complete strangers will contact you with helpful information. (Of course, some will also contact you with lewd suggestions, but that’s why Blogger has the comment moderation feature.) The other day I received an email from Hagit Katzenelson letting me know about a new site that’s currently in its beta stage. (That's programmer speak for, "We haven't worked all the kinks out yet.") The site is:

http://www.myheritage.com/FP/Company/myHeritageSearch.php?s=1&u=g0&lang=EN&restore&category=4

Note: When the site is more open to the public, I’m sure the URL will be just http://www.myheritage.com/.

MyHeritage.com promises to be a huge timesaver because it searches across more than 400 (and growing) reliable genealogy databases worldwide. Even better, it can search for up to 10 spelling variations at one time. Other features include the ability to:

Store and annotate search results for later research.

Save your searches and schedule them to occur automatically so that you’re notified of new findings.

Some features, like the “Community” tab, aren’t running yet, but MyHeritage.com has a really cool feature that makes up for that: a face recognition search. You can upload your picture and have MyHeritage.com compare it to both family and celebrity faces.

I’ll admit I couldn’t get this feature to return any results, but once it’s bug-free I’ll try it again:

http://www.myheritage.com/FP/Company/face_recognition.php?s=1&u=g0&lang=EN&restore&category=1

(If you get this to work, leave a comment and let me know about your results!)

One thing I’m worried about is that I don’t see how MyHeritage.com plans to support their business. I didn’t see any obvious signs of advertising support, so I hope they’re not offering free access for a bit and changing to subscription mode later. Of course, other companies do this all the time and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that – I would just be disappointed if it were true.

~Mary Kaye

Genealogy Isn't Just "Back Then" ... It's Right Now

2006-01-28T16:48:00.000-05:00

Cyndi Lee, on her OM Yoga in a Box DVD, says our thoughts are always focused on what happened in the past or what could happen in the future -- rarely in the present. Someone else -- I can't remember who -- called our state of constant thinking "the monkey brain." Yet the times I’m truly enjoying life are when I’m completely immersed in what's happening now.

If you feel your enthusiasm for tracing your family tree is waning, shift your perspective. Think about genealogy as happening right now. Imagine your great-great-grandchildren sifting through your mementos, heirlooms, and yes, even your e-mail, trying to get an idea of the person you once were.

I’m not saying you have to save every scrap of paper or every e-mail (unless you have a Google gmail account!), but before it goes in the trash, decide if this item will help future generations understand you better. The garbage bill? Definitely not. But your Macy’s credit card bill? Maybe … if shopping is your passion. And that sincere thank you note from a business associate? Definitely. Our descendants aren’t as interested in the special events in our life as they are the day-to-day moments; how we lived, what we were like, and who we loved.

It’s ironic that usually it’s only the certificates recording those special events in our ancestor’s lives (marriages, births, etc.) that are left behind, when what we really care about are those little things that define the shape of a life. A diary. Love letters. Delicate baby clothes. An old watch.

Every day, do something to record your day-to-day life. Start a blog or write in a journal. Videotape your family eating breakfast. Send a letter. Help the world remember that you were here.

~Mary Kaye

Try eBay for Your Genealogy Search

2006-01-27T14:32:00.000-05:00

When you first start your genealogy search, it’s tempting to blast into the nearest bookstore and buy as many books as possible on the subject. Personally, I don’t feel “safe” trying something new unless I’ve read extensively on it. And I’m pretty sure I’m not the only person who loves to stroll the bookshelves while sipping a piping hot café mocha (“Of course I want the whipped cream!”). So I’m not going to ruin your fun by suggesting you avoid your favorite bookstore altogether. But try to limit your purchases, because you might just hit the mother lode on eBay. Here are some interesting items I discovered:

· Princess Diana’s family tree
· Native American genealogy
· Genealogical book collection from the estate of a professional genealogist

Just one search for “genealogy” (all categories) on eBay resulted in 3,020 items. You can play around with this to narrow down your search. Here are some examples:

· Irish Genealogy – 43 Items (books on family names, passenger lists to America, and a book on tracing your Irish ancestors)
· Genealogy Software – 421 Items (searchable CDs, discounted Family Tree Maker, Legacy Family Tree, and Roots Magic software)

As part of my search results on genealogy, eBay suggested I also try the following categories. Listed in parenthesis are items that I found interesting:

· Everything Else > Genealogy > Other (New Pennsylvania Dutch style family tree chart to fill in and frame)
· Everything Else > Genealogy > Births, Marriages, Deaths (a copy of “Where They’re Buried (Notable Persons”)
· Everything Else > Genealogy > Census Records

Keep in mind that not all of these items are a bargain. Some are even quite expensive, but then again, what is that particular, special piece of information worth to you? Let me know if you find anything useful on eBay!

~Mary Kaye

A Dive Into Genealogy Books and Magazines Reveals a Basic Plan

2006-01-24T21:36:00.000-05:00

Last Friday I bought “Genealogy Online for Dummies” and two genealogy magazines: Family Tree and Family Chronicles. (I haven’t read enough of the magazines to decide which one I like better – I’ll let you know later.) I thought the book was a good deal for $24.99 because it includes a CD with genealogy software (like a basic version of Family Tree Maker), but I was annoyed when I saw that Amazon had it for $16.49. Geesh. If I weren't so lazy and hadn’t already underlined the good parts in pencil, I’d be tempted to bring it back and buy the Amazon book.

Enough of the whining. What I got out of the book so far is a basic “plan of attack:”

(This first step is my own suggestion.)
1. Before you begin, think about how much time you can devote to your genealogy search and how far back you want to go. For instance, my dad has over 1,000 names in Family Tree Maker, but hasn’t traced our ancestors back over the pond to Ireland. That’s a time commitment he’s not ready to make yet. I think if you clarify the number of hours per week you will devote to this and set some boundaries (“No ancestors before the Medieval Period!”), you’ll keep yourself from burn out.

2. Write down as much of your own history as you can. Birth, schools, homes, marriages, children, and so forth.

3. Interview relatives. (No séances necessary – just the living ones.)

4. Gather together any paper records you or your relatives may have.

5. Look for censuses for additional information.

6. Start out with one relative. You can visit a site like http://www.genealogyportal.com/ to search for the best genealogy Web site to start with.

7. As you work, add information to a genealogy database (besides Family Tree Maker, some other genealogy software is: Legacy Family Tree and RootsMagic).

8. Occasionally stop to print out your family tree and locate “holes” of missing information. Keep plugging away at it using steps 6 and 7.

That’s it!

Of course, each of these steps has sub-steps of their own, but that’s the basic plan. Looking at it that way, it doesn’t seem so intimidating, does it?

~Mary Kaye

I'm a Lot Farther Ahead Than I Realized

2006-01-19T22:52:00.000-05:00

I’ve had to change some of my expectations about my genealogy search. Although I knew my father had recorded some family history, I didn’t realize how extensive his research was. He said he has over 1,000 names in Family Tree Maker.

So what’s a gal to do? I’m all fired up for the job, and I’m not going to quit. My dad says he’s hit a few dead ends. Maybe I can help with those. He also hasn’t traced back his family (McCauley) back to Ireland. Maybe some European research is called for here.

Here were my original goals when I started the blog:

· Get acquainted with the people, forums, and tools that focus on genealogy.
· Share my family’s history and memories.
· Provide helpful tips as I learn from experience.
· Bring my own extended family closer together by tracing the genealogy trail.

I don’t see any of these goals changing. As the only daughter in my family, it will probably fall to me to safe-keep the family records. I want to know what is there before I take over such a task.

Okay, onto my next subject …

Another subject that’s interesting is the final format of all this information. Right now, my family’s history is stored in an electronic file on my father’s laptop. What I would like to see is a scrapbook with the names and data from our family. Another idea would be to create a PDF (portable document format) that included the same photos and data. That would be easy to email to all of our extended family.

Now maybe some stuff like this already exists out there. I don’t want to re-invent the wheel, so over the next few days I’m going to be doing some research on genealogy tools.

I’ll report back soon.

~Mary Kaye

The First Step on My Genealogy Journey

2006-01-16T03:45:00.000-05:00

Up until I was 33 years old, I didn't care much about where I came from, much less where my family came from. (Maybe you've felt the same.) After all, I had a life to live, money to make, and dreams to fulfill. I listened politely and sometimes with interest when my parents talked about their parents or grandparents, but always in the back of my mind I thought, “I’ll deal with this later.”

So what happened? Did I wake up one morning with the space in my mind for this project? Did a relative hand me this “job?” Is this some sort of New Year’s resolution?

None of the above.

I just slowly realized that I would never find the time – I had to carve it out. If I didn’t, it would never happen.

Look, I’m not writing this blog to make you feel guilty if you haven’t started tracing your ancestry. But if I can inspire you to do so – well, more power to both of us!

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight or quit smoking, you’ve probably heard, “Don’t do it for others – do it for yourself.” But in the case of tracing your family’s roots, I don’t fully agree with this. Instead, I think you should do it for:

· The people who come after you—This means your children, your nieces and nephews, your cousins. Any information you record connects you – if not in person, then in spirit.
· The people who came before you—These people, no matter how little contact you had with them, helped shape you. Their race, culture, religion (and a hundred other factors) made you who you are. By recording their lives, you acknowledge and honor them.

Of course, all of this will benefit you. But since I’m new to the mechanics and emotions involved in this, I can’t tell you the exact rewards you will reap. I do know that if you chose to do it, you’ll never regret it.

So, even if you’re toying with the idea of tracking down your family tree, or if you’re gung-ho to get started, please stop by to observe and interact* with me as I:

· Get acquainted with the people, forums, and tools that focus on genealogy.
· Share my family’s history and memories.
· Provide helpful tips as I learn from experience.
· Bring my own extended family closer together by tracing the genealogy trail.

* When I write “interact,” I’m serious! Give me information! Point me in the right direction! In fact, if you have questions about this process, please post them here. I may not have the answer, but I’ll try to find out. And if I can’t find it out, maybe someone reading this can answer it.

BTW, feel free to chuckle at my bumbling about. I think it’s a mistake to get too serious about this. Then it’s not fun. And if it’s not fun, then I won’t do it. I suspect you won’t either (unless you’re a masochist, in which case, there’s probably a blog for that, too).

~Mary Kaye