Appreciating what our ancestors might have experienced

This relative of mine was age 82 at death; what was his quality of life?

No doubt about it: living a "sheltered" existence is a challenge to us in this modern day.  When I saw this post at the CDC site, I felt humbled at the challenges our ancestors may have encountered!

What other events or circumstances may have played a part in determining how, when, and where our ancestors experienced difficulties, other than disease?  Please add your thoughts! 
 My list includes:

1. Weather or environmental challenges?
2. War, or other calamities?
3. Availability of learning and literacy concerns?
4. Economic ups and downs?
5. How would creating a timeline for the life of your ancestor help you to know more about his story? (Both Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org have a time line feature; explore and let me know how helpful that is for your research!  Oh, and I think that Billion Graves also has something similar!
6. Where, online, can you post notes that will give a better insight into your ancestor's life?  How about findagrave.com?  At familysearch?  At wikitree.com?  On the site at WeRelate.org?
7. Finally, what kind of impact does a photograph of your ancestor have in learning more about their lives?  What type of forensic investigation does a photo invite?

 

My Great Granduncle: Lewis Winters and his family

My bio-paternal line: Winters.  In 1880, Lewis Winters and his family were living in Cole Township, Sebastian County, Arkansas. 
I may have been through Arkansas circa 1960, when I was traveling as a fourteen year old with some friends of the family on a long and circuitous trip from Florida to Utah.  Otherwise, I know not a whole lot about that state and have no significant memory of any special "awareness" as we made our way.  Every U.S. Census only tells us a part of a story, as well.

Fortunately there are many resources that we can tap to enlarge our perceptions of people, places, and history.  So besides Google Maps, I can also consult Wikipedia.  This website gives quite a bit of information, such as neighboring counties and in fact the township "Cole" is now known as "Hackett". 

What other tools can you access to learn more about this family and where would you look?  

Websites Hopefully Helpful to You!

Web Sites for Genealogists Who Want to Grow Their Family Tree!  I have many more sites but will work on that for the next session of the CLL!  
Will work on a more Sleek Table, Also!

Name of Website	URL	Remarks
(Legacy) Family Tree Webinars	https://familytreewebinars.com/	To view a webinar is free. You can take notes because only members (paid) get to download the syllabus. Otherwise, great resource for free education and referrals and resources
Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter	https://blog.eogn.com/	There is a free version of this newsletter and a “plus”/paid version; however, the paid version is very reasonably priced. The site features news and happenings as well as referrals to databases, etc.
FamilySearch.org	https://www.familysearch.org/en/	To get the biggest bang for your buck (haha), sign up for a free account.
FamilySearch Helps for Beginners	https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Family_History_for_Beginners	It will take a few minutes to go through the options found here, but you are always on solid ground with FamilySearch.org
Ancestral Findings	https://ancestralfindings.com/hire-professional-genealogist/	When to Hire a Professional Genealogist article/video.
Museums, State Parks, Libraries, Etc.	http://bakerblockmuseum.org/clouds/intheclouds/index-a.html	A multitude of resources like this one often have a list or a link so that you can search them for resources.
Cemetery & Burial Info	https://billiongraves.com	One of two outstanding sources of this type. (Findagrave.com)
	Web Sites for Genealogists Who Want to Grow Their Family Tree! Page 2
Genealogy Guys	http://blog.genealogyguys.com/	This duo is also available via Facebook group of the same name; experienced genealogists and published authors live here.
Page #2 Calendar of Genealogy Events By State	http://eogn.wikidot.com/	This isn’t comprehensive, but still might be worth looking at every now and then.
Evernote Tool/Utility	https://evernote.com/	Wonderful place to store your discoveries!
Z0TERO	https://www.zotero.org/	Research Assistant & Keeper
University of West Florida Archives (Where you can put your own story and papers)	https://libguides.uwf.edu/universityarchives	Similar sites for your area of interest are out there! Find them online, then visit them in person or digitally.
Obituaries (1)	https://obits.nwfdailynews.com/obituaries/nwfdailynews/obituary.aspx?n=roy-rosario-ourso&pid=195593415	Find a site like this one to view obituaries.
We Relate	https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Main_Page	Free place to put your research and more
American Ancestors: New England Historic Genealogical Society	https://www.americanancestors.org/index.aspx	For this site, you just need to look at what resources they have access to!
Genealogy Blogger and More, Amy Crow	https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/	Just one of many newsletters and a fount of information.
Ancestry.com	https://www.ancestry.com/ https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/catalog/#	Access their site for 90 days or whatever; it will be well worth your time. So many great things about Ancestry.com! For example their “Card Catalog”
Random Genealogy Sites	http://www.bay-genealogy-mi.com/ Web Sites for Genealogists Who Want to Grow Their Family Tree! (Page 3)	Does Your Genealogical Society have a web site? Or a society whose location could hold very interesting information for your surname?
Center for Disease Control	https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/index.htm	Where To Write for Vital Records
You are citing in Chicago Manual of Style	https://www.citationmachine.net/chicago/	Citation Machine for those who understand the importance of Citing Their Sources!
CyndisList	https://www.cyndislist.com/	A + Wonderful Portal for Genealogists
Family Tree DNA Lab/Company/Site	https://www.familytreedna.com/	A dependable lab for DNA testing!
Family Tree Magazine (hard copy or digital)	https://www.familytreemagazine.com/	At least the last I heard they were still printing a paper copy of this magazine. The articles are amazingly on point and helpful. You can depend on getting educational and up to date info, but IT DOES COST MONEY!
FindaGrave is the name and Burials are its thing.	https://www.findagrave.com/	My Personal Favorite! I can’t say enough good things about all these people whose volunteerism compiled this database. Doesn’t cost money but if you sign in you can contribute memorials, and more.
Genetic Genealogy Standards	https://www.thegeneticgenealogist.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Genetic-Genealogy-Standards.pdf#page=1&zoom=auto,-73,792	PDF Document you can download or printing If you are doing the DNA thing, you should read this!
Genea Musings	https://www.geneamusings.com	One of the Best Bloggers for Family History Researchers!
Gaming for Genealogy	https://www.deseret.com/2014/2/10/20534906/gaming-for-genealogy-helping-bring-genealogy-to-a-digital-generation	An article to read and think about or discuss.
Family History Fanatics	https://www.familyhistoryfanatics.com/	These folks have it together. Their site offers webinars and much much more!
How to Create a Gedcom File	https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-create-a-gedcom-file-1421892	This article is written by Kimberly Powell; she is an excellent writer and genealogist and as sound as they come!
Rootsweb	https://home.rootsweb.com/	Search family trees at World Connect. Search Mailing Lists. Message Boards, Web Sites, USGENWEB stuff, Read the Wiki, use “Support for Rootsweb” tool. If you have not visited this site since 2018 or 2019, you may have to open an new account. Hosted by Ancestry but sofar as I know, no charge for accessing this wonderful tool from the past.
Geni.com	https://www.geni.com/	This database has been around for a while! When you can’t find your ancestor elsewhere, check here. Don’t know at what point they start charging $, but some things are still free. Be sure to document anything that isn’t an historical record and even then…
Genealogical Society of Okaloosa County	https://sites.rootsweb.com/~flocgs/index-that-was-main-index.html	Societies like this one offer publications and digital records as well. For example, even though (throughout our 44 years), we have dedicated “natives” and non-natives who have contributed to seeking out and sorting out individuals in Marriage Records, Burial Records, and more.

Ten Ways to Grow Your Family Tree: Introduction

Are there really just ten ways to grow your family tree?!! Not likely.  In fact, if you want to grow your family tree. there are a few very simple approaches you might want to review!  

• What about the whole task of organizing your genealogy?!!  Just reviewing your system for filing documents might remind you that there are sources you always meant to track down.  We are fortunate to live and research in an age when it is easier than ever before, to go online and find that marriage record, or the burial site for your ancestor.

• Understood, but rarely ever mentioned as a tool for growing a healthier family tree is: Do More Research!  Keep swimming.  

• We know and understand that BMD info is essential, but do we realize that there are other records we should keep an eye out for?  For example, Funeral Home Records!  Birth Announcements (newspaper or actual relic).  What about searching int D.A.R. for Bible records?  Finding a family member in a Yearbook (school) might give you a confirmation that this person lived in a particular location and/or at a particular time/year.   
  

•  Find, label, and scan your photographs. 

•  Hold a Family Reunion and ask everyone to fill out a family group sheet.

•  Schedule a "cousins" luncheon and share family stories. 

• Finally, think about setting some "family history" goals.  To be effective goals should be 
• Meaningful:  Visit a cemetery or the old home place.
• Manageable: "How do you eat an elephant"?
• Measurable: If you only spend 2 hours a week on researching the Hall family line, that is better than doing nothing or trying to take that family back four generations in one afternoon.
•   Search blogs online.  Create a blog for your family.  Yes, you can make it private to a few people if you like.

Exercise 1:

Name two ways to grow your family tree:
a.______________________________________
b.______________________________________

Exercise 2:
Fill in the Blanks
a. Use Descendancy Research to:

• Expand the ______________
• Identify new _____________
• And Connect with _________ 

Question:  How many generations should you go back to begin with "Descendancy Research"? 1 generation, 2 generations, 4 generations, or 5 generations.

Reference: FamilySearch (Search Google this topic or Click on Link): Easy Steps to Descendancy Research



 

Are you having trouble with your cousins' relationships?  What does it all mean?!  

Here is a link that will help:  https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/cousin-chart/?cid=lihp-ftc-8051

My mother was an only child.  If she had had brothers or sisters or both, those would be my aunts and/or uncles, right?  If those (non-existing) brothers and sisters had had children, those children would be my cousins, right?  They would be my first cousins?  Her siblings' children would be her niece's and nephews and they would all be my first cousins.  How do I determine who is a second, third, or whatever cousin?  What is a cousin once removed?  Bring a chart to class on Friday and let's identify our relatives! 

My mother had an uncle named Trammel.  Trammel would be my great uncle?  Yes or No?  The answer is "no".  Relationships are a weird thing to learn about for some of us!  See this article:  https://www.familytreemagazine.com/names/aunts-and-uncles-grand-not-great/

We were talking cousins at the CLL: And here's a link!

New today, for me, at familysearch.org: https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/cousin-chart/?cid=lihp-ftc-8051

Thanks, FamilySearch!  

What is "low-hanging fruit" in Genealogy Research? And other important issues.

Link:  https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Gather_Low-Hanging-Fruit_Sources

You will see this terminology used by many genealogy speakers, or in articles in genealogical literature. Presented in different terminology, we are talking about:
 
What about "Easily Accessible" or "Readily Accessible" or something less catchy but more easily understood by someone for whom English is a second language?!   

At one website, you also see this message: "At some point, all of the low-hanging fruit on your family tree is going to be gone. So where can you turn to look for more obscure relatives?"

Other important "things"?  The Genealogical Proof Standard 
and how about:

Genealogy Help for Beginners?

Finally, I give you this suggestion, not just for educational help when researching your ancestors, but for your enjoyment:

• Discover Pinterest!  (As in "pin" topics that are of interest to you!)...you can also do a search of places, events, and genealogy topics!  

 

Are You Using FAN in your research, Plus Other Fun

F A N?!  = a research method.  It stands for family members, associates, and neighbors!  "One of the best ways to shed more light on an ancestor’s story or to get past what seems to be a brick wall is to delve into their “FAN club”, as Elizabeth Shown Mills aptly named it.^1" 

FAN Club research, also called cluster research, is researching the people that cluster around your ancestor: friends, associates, and neighbors.

Check out some of the links below, to see what I'm talking about:

•  https://www.collectingcousins.com/fan-club-friends-associates-neighbors/
•  https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Research_a_Family_in_Community_Context 
• Video at YouTube: https://genealogytv.org/2019/10/18/how-to-add-friends-associates-neighbors-to-a-family-tree-on-ancestry-com/

Attention CLL Students: A Thing or Two

One of the members of my class mentioned WikiTree.com last week.  One of the things you can do to spur interest in a particular family is to utilize this feature at WikiTree.  You can post the pedigree chart (this image, only your tree/not mine)!  to Facebook and various other places, if I remember correctly.  I have a few trees at this website but have gotten away from using it recently.  

Remember the stuff that I've been hinting at about re-freshing your family history data, your approach to genealogy, etc?  One of the things in my handouts has made a reference to "gamifying" your family history.  How is family history research like a game?  Well, here is one example of something I've learned over time:  the more you "play" with your data and view it in different ways, the more likely you are to notice something different or significant, something "special".  I invite you to try wikitree and other free programs/websites.  Having created a gedcom is basic to being able to do this, to test my theory (well, I'm sure that I'm not the first person to have discovered this trick (viewing your data in lots of different ways)!  

Your website tip for today is http://www.linkpendium.com/.  

This has nothing to do with the above information.

It's just for fun and hopefully will net you some clues!

 

Links and Helps online: 10 Ways to Grow Your Family Tree Class

Where, online, to find stuff that will help you research your family history and is relative (no pun intended) to Genealogical Stuff!

 I found this photo in my Grandmother's collection after both she and my dad were dead.  My dad's paternal line was the "Hill" family.  His mom's line was the Tucker family.  I suspect that this photo was from the Tucker family as my grandmother had a number of siblings.  I keep hoping that some day I will learn the names for these little boys!

So, what help can you expect to find, online, for the purpose of growing your family tree?

• Historical record images:   
• At familysearch.org, https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/list/
• Joe Beine:  https://genrootsblog.blogspot.com/2019/02/online-indexes-for-death-records.html
• ancestry.com:  https://www.ancestry.com/search/
•  https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS15307
•  Search by place at www.familysearch.org/wiki 
•  Search  museums, vital records by state, country, etc.; caution-do not pay for the search!  County courthouses is usually where you go for marriage records.  Search also libraries, archives, etc.
• I was once fortunate enough to find some images of marriages, etc. that someone had put online!  So use your search engine!
• Don't forget to check the attic or basement of recently deceased folks for historical records.
• Where to write for records? This is a government website (the Center for Disease Control); you will find it very handy!
•  https://www.archives.gov/research
• The Family Bible!  
• Burial Records: Findagrave.com

Another Link for you!

https://www.facebook.com/thefamilycurator

 Best of all this site will feature referrals to other related sites!

A Link for You

Gene Genealogy

https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/2020/01/findmypast-adds-ww1-uk-soldiers-medical.html

Today is January 31st, 2020! C.L.L. "Growing Your Family Tree"

Websites for today's Lesson Plan (and then some)?

Exercise Your Genealogical Research Every Day!

1.  Rootstech?  What, Where, When (online sessions)

2.  Sharing Your Family Tree 

3.  Genealogy Software 

4.  What is a "Gedcom"?  And why do you need it?  

5.  Where can I find historical records and documents? 

6.  What is a Family History Center and Where Can I find one? 

7.  Family History Fair will happen at the FWB Church of Jesus Christ of LDS on March 7th, 2020.  Fliers next week!

8.  Search Facebook for Genealogy!

9.  Search Google for Genealogy (there's a book about this; was at FWB Library, last time I check or check at Amazon.

10.  ReadOkaloosa.org 

11.  WorldCat.org 

12.  Google Books 

13.  Digitized books (other) (Maybe) Use search engine to find your own links for this topic.

14.  Archive Grid 

15.  Library of Congress 

 

 

The Research Cycle: More help online in understanding and utilizing this tool!

You can ignore or forget some principles of family history research.  You can even try to re-invent the wheel.  But some of these websites will show you that some "rules" are indeed golden!  Before you try to re-invent the wheel, try exploring and testing what has helped the research and discovery process in the past.

What is the research cycle?   Where can you find information, documents, resources?
1.  Begin with yourself.  Write down or record what you know about the ancestor (family), already.  Use charts, forms, software or grab a notebook!
2.  Interview a relative.   For some of us, it is a little late in the game, as we don't have a lot of living relatives left to interview!  However, you can still connect with cousins.  You'd be surprised at what they might know or have on hand.  And if you think you don't have any cousins, get your dna test and see what happens!  Of course, it may be true---that you don't have any cousins, but did your father or your mother have siblings who had children and/or cousins?  If so, then they may only be once removed.  If your grandparents had cousins, they are twice removed.  You might not find living relatives, but explore and research these folks AND their descendants! 

Givens Reunion 2015  !Cousins!

3.  Gather and/or pursue documents.  Are they in a box, somewhere?  Graduation certificates, birth announcements, marriage invitations, Christmas Cards?
4.  Where can you send for birth, marriage, and death certificates (United States)?

 

Growing Your Family Tree presentation

I just created a "Slideshare"/power point presentation.  Here is the link:

 https://www.slideshare.net/margaretmharris/honey-bee-research-cycle-and-more

A spot of news!

This link will take you to an all purpose site RE: charts.  Now, you know what you can give for Christmas gifts NEXT YEAR! 

Just attended a wonderful webinar!

1.  Our local genealogical society sponsored a webinar for our monthly meeting and it was sooooo helpful!

I'm not in on the technical "how did they do that?" but we watched it, then were able to submit questions, afterward.   When I got home, I got the tail-end of another webinar!

2.  Webinars aren't always "free", but if you come across something you really want/need to watch, (me in the second instance), you can pay for it and oftentimes, watch it more than once over a period of time.

The particular webinar in the first instance, at the genealogical society meeting:  It was given by Michael L. Strauss of Spanish Fork, Utah.  His credentials are at this PAGE.  You can also watch his webinars at Legacy.  Not sure if you have to subscribe for that or not.  However, if you choose to be notified when there is an upcoming webinar, go to that Legacy site and register.  Non-members can watch for free and instead of getting a syllabus, they can just take notes!  Of course, you can always ask for a subscription as a Christmas present, also!


The topic for our webinar at the Genealogical Society for Okaloosa County, Florida:  DESCENDANCY RESEARCH: ANOTHER PATHWAY TO GENEALOGY.

This is a topic that I've been interested in and read about in the past.  It is basically and hopefully, one way to find living people that are descendants of your ancestors.  There is of course, more to it than that.  The information I received from Michael was beyond helpful and I now foresee that it might net me some old photographs that I can't locate elsewhere--if I come out of my shell and touch bases with these descendants!  

This is "little" Benny Kenter whose forebearers immigrated from Russia.  He was my dad's cousin.

 

Timeline Help

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_18th_century

 https://americasbesthistory.com/abhtimeline.html

 https://www.thoughtco.com/genealogy-research-timelines-1422730

 https://familyhistorydaily.com/genealogy-help-and-how-to/ancestor-timeline/

 https://ancestralfindings.com/timelines-and-your-family-tree/




 

A note to my CLL class

Dear CLL student,  How do you want your hand-outs for class?  a) via email  OR b) online at this blog  OR, c) hard copy in class?

Please e-mail me with your decision or write it down in class and give it to me.

• genealogy poetry:  https://www.poetrysoup.com/poems/short/genealogy
• more genealogy poetry:  https://www.scrapbook.com/poems/cat/263.html
•  https://www.pinterest.com/alookthrutime/family-history-poems/
•  The Chosen Ones, a Genealogy Poem