News and Other Stuff: Best Internet Sites

How to Search for Records at FamilySearch

• Get a free account
• On the opening page, you will see four options to the right of the little FamilySearch tree symbol:
•  Family Tree
•  Search
•  Memories
•  Indexing
• Choose the "Search"

• Click on the very first option "Records" 
• Records = Sources = Documents
• What record do you need for your ancestor?  
• Some sources may already appear on his/her profile.
• Review that information and then, identify what other sources might be helpful.
•  This is where "Search" Records comes into play!  Do you know what record types will give you the info that you need?
• Make a timeline for your relative; there are a few more events that just Birth, Marriage, and Death, although these are the major ones that you want to identify.

Timeline Events might include the following:

 

Births generate a certificate: a birth certificate!  How easy or how hard is it to locate someone's birth certificate?!!

 

 

 Marriage generates a Marriage Certificate.  Where can you find, if not the actual certificate, a record that verifies the marriage?

 

 Death generates both a death certificate and burial records.  An obituary may help you locate a cemetery, the place of burial or other information.  Findagrave.com is one of the most popular websites for searching information about this "life" event.  It is owned by Ancestry.com, but because the database info and photos was gathered by volunteers, there is no charge to access this wonderful source. 

Definitions, Correlations, "Call it what you will", Genealogy or "Family History"

Genealogy Is:

"Family History" Is: 

• Posterity:
  all future generations of people; the descendants of a person;
• ***Ancestors and Ancestral Lines: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/499125571177592714/;

  

  My Grandmother, Eunice Tucker Hill Hall

• Boring:
  
• ***All About Technology: Links at the FamilySearch Wiki
• Hard? Hard! Stumped? 
• About Stories: Archive your stories.  Tell/share your stories. 
•  Storycorps: questions

• ***Photos:  The photo to the right is, of course, of mostly grandchildren and children and various members of my family.  Did you know that FamilySearch has the capacity to load photos? 

Regarding the familysearch.org/photos topic, be sure to check out YouTube for instructions and for Genealogy topics in general.

• Family History is all about Challenges and it Being a Challenging exercise!  No pain, no gain!  Challenge Yourself.  

• Catastrophes and Calamities: 
• How they might have shaped your family's story
• Natural Disasters and Genealogy

• The Influenza Epidemic of 1918 and Your Ancestors

• Genealogy is "A record of one's ancestors":
• Become educated at the National Archives Web Site.
• Learn what a record group is: "
  Different Kinds of Record Groups
  The fact is, by including all these rooms you'll need different record groups (building materials) like those we will study in this series. Some provide evidence of glorious or sorrowful life events. Others guide you to other resources, but each major record group has a purpose in your construction plans to build an authentic family history. We need them to support our entire building. Without all of them, we have a half-finished structure.
  This next group of lessons will cover some of the major record groups genealogists use which we have not covered as fully yet. They include:
• Civil Registrations
• Census Records
• Court and Probate Records
• Periodicals and Newspapers
• Land and Property Records
• Military Records
• Finding Aids
• Biographies
• Immigration and Naturalization
• Church Records 

• ***Lists:  Family History is Cyndislist! In addition, check out the "list" of genealogy databases at Wikipedia!  
• Did you know that Facebook has Genealogy?!!?  And Katherine R. Willson has created a list for that!  Thanks, Katherine. 
  
• Geography is a Genealogical Goldmine!  It is all about

"Location, Location, Location"

• Maps: How does accessing maps help my genealogical efforts?
• How can I utilize Google Earth and Google Maps for genealogical research?
• Charts and Forms And Templates Too!  These tools will help you get organized whether you are online or want to print them out.
• Misbach Free Forms 
• Buy Software?  Some genealogy programs are free (MyHeritage.com's Family Builder)
• Software purchases for genealogy programs: Read reviews, talk to other genealogy nerds, choose wisely.  Remember, entering your family tree into a software program (as opposed to entering the information online) should offer you the capacity to create a gedcom--a mechanism that will allow you to submit your family tree to websites like WikiTree.com; Ancestry.com; MyHeritage.com and FamilySearch.org, etc.  I use RootsMagic; some folks use Family Tree Maker. Just google "genealogy software" to find out more!  Read reviews and articles.  Google "reviews genealogy software".
•  Here's a thought:  You can design your own charts, forms, reports (and is there a Facebook Group for that?  Maybe!).  You can also find templates at some Genealogy BLOGS!)  I will recommend just one of the many blogs that I follow: this Blog: https://www.geneamusings.com/
• How would you locate other blogs? 
• If you love Excel, you can keep your Excel and use it design your own unique form or chart.   
• I joined a Genealogy Templates Group on Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/groups/genedocstemplates/

 

• Family History is "Descendants"
• Video available on this topic. 
• There isn't a descendancy report option at FamilySearch, (unless I'm blind).  However, the video link above shows you how to do descendancy research at FamilySearch.org
• Use your software program (in my case, Rootsmagic); I can print a descendancy report from Rootsmagic! Why would a report like this be so helpful in this day and age of DNA?!! [Because it will help you to identify your cousins?!!]
  

 
 
 
 

• Genealogy and Timelines:
•  https://www.cyndislist.com/timelines/templates/
• Templates and Grids for Genealogy
• Article about using timelines for Genealogy
• History and Timelines 

•  Genealogy and Blueberries:  Many folks who live in NWFL aren't aware that one of the great cash crops in the history of Walton & Okaloosa County was blueberries!  After reading the NWFL Daily News article I had to clap my hands!  I had just recently learned that I am related to the Sapp family mentioned in the article.  

So, what is it about genealogy/family history that you love?  

 

•  
• Is it About Families?
• Are you having Fun?
• Lineage
• Is it about BMD's?
• Bloodlines
• Is family history your passion or just a Hobby?
• Origin
• Obituaries
• Cemeteries
• Making Choices
• Addictive
• Research
• History
• An Account and An Accounting
• A Pedigree
• A Group 

More About the Family History Fair

Best Internet Websites:

Using Your Research Principles to Guide You

in

Your Internet Search Page 1

(As adapted from the Website at FamilySearch Wiki: https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Principles_of_Family_History_Research)

Step 1: Identify What You Know

Step 2: Decide What You Want to Learn

Step 3: Select Records to Search (What kind of a record type are you looking for? What kind of Record Type do you need)?

Step 4: Obtain and Search the Records

Step 5: Evaluate and Use the Information

For in depth info, go to the FamilySearch Wiki Link, above. 

  You are wondering how this pertains to Genealogical Websites, perhaps?!!

So....tell me why I begin here with this discussion...The Internet is a Forest or maybe a Jungle!  You could get lost or worse, dismayed and disoriented...perhaps even distracted if you slough this roadmap off!  You need a compass.  You need directions, a guide.

 
A List of Websites might open your eyes; notice that the wesbsite should be directed toward types of records that genealogists are wanting to find, based on what you already have.

Lets say this is what you know/don't know/still need to find out:

1.  We know that Obediah EDGE was born some time in 1828.  We need to find out if that date is correct.  What was happening in 1828 anyway?!!  And where was he born?  Who was his mother and father?  Did he have siblings?  When, where and who did he marry?  How do we know?  How do we find out?

Answers:   
 You may be an experienced researcher, but maybe you are brand new at online research.  My suggestion is get a free account at FamilySearch.org and see if the research has already been listed there in the ONE BIG FAMILY TREE.  

The goal at FamilySearch is that each and every individual shall be represented in one file folder, so to speak.  Various people can provide parts of the story, info about sourcing, etc.  Records will be cited, marriage records will be shown (the image), and discussions will be exchanged in an effort to resolve differences of opinions.  And we all live in a perfect well.  Well, let's see how this works.  (Go to familysearch.org at this time).  Find out what is known about Obediah Edge, born in 1828. 

 

Basics of Finding Great Internet Sites

The basics of finding good genealogy websites:  

• Learn, Know, and Practice:

•  Principles of researching your family history and in

• Building a solid genealogical case. 

 The Genealogical Proof Standard can be the guide to your Internet experience when searching for websites that will yield you the best results for finding your ancestors! (also see this article) or buy yourself a book! 

 Christine Rose wrote the book!

Family History Fair is March 9th! Have you registered?

Sorry, no free streaming live sessions planned for this event!  You actually have to be there to get the goods! 

Family History Fair March 9th, 2019:  Here are some of the things you might need to know:

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