Twitter Coaching Available in 2014

I am so excited about the crowdsourcing that is available on Twitter, I will be offering FREE "how to" sessions via Google Hangouts in 2014!  These will not be HOA's, so they will not be streamed on YouTube, and they will not be recorded. They are private, intimate sessions for you to ask any question you want. We can work through the process together, learn my best "tricks" on Twitter, and in an hour or less, get everyone comfortable enough with the platform to be able to participate in #genchat . Each session will be limited to ten people - including me! - so I'm asking you to RSVP either by posting to this message or by emailing me at ancestralbreezes at gmail dot com. There is no fee. There never will be. I just want all of my geneabuddies to understand the impact that Twitter can make on their research. The next session will be held on Wednesday, April 23 at 9:30am Mountain. I will add more hangouts to the schedule very soon, and will try to accommodate all the time zones. If you need a special time to fit with YOUR schedule, please contact me, and we can work together to set something up. Join me in learning all about Twitter and what it can do for you, your research and your genealogy education! Connect with me on G+: google.com/+JenBaldwin 9:30am Mountain 8:30am Pacific 10:30am Central 11:30am Eastern

Twitter 101: A Genealogists' How To

A quick diversion from my series on fraternal societies to announce....

I am so excited about the crowdsourcing that is available on Twitter, I will be offering FREE "how to" sessions via Google Hangouts starting in November! These will not be HOA's, so they will not be streamed on YouTube, and they will not be recorded. They are private, intimate sessions for you to ask any question you want. We can work through the process together, learn my best "tricks" on Twitter, and in an hour or less, get everyone comfortable enough with the platform to be able to participate in #genchat . Each session will be limited to ten people - including me! - so I'm asking you to RSVP either by posting to this message or by emailing me at ancestralbreezes at gmail dot com. There is no fee. There never will be. I just want all of my geneabuddies to understand the impact that Twitter can make on their research. The first session will be held on Thursday, November 14 at 9:30am Mountain. I will add more hangouts to the schedule very soon, and will try to accommodate all the time zones. If you need a special time to fit with YOUR schedule, please contact me, and we can work together to set something up. Join me in learning all about Twitter and what it can do for you, your research and your genealogy education! Connect with me on G+: google.com/+JenBaldwin 9:30am Mountain is.... 8:30am Pacific 10:30am Central 11:30am Eastern

More Gifts! Cemetery Santa, Part Two

Last week, I wrote about my “Cemetery Santa.” I knew that I would have the opportunity to work with him further, but I had no idea just what he had in his bag of gifts!

I discovered him, and his assistant, working one the headstone of Jennie Carter. They were already into the process, but I was able to watch, learn and ask questions of them both as they went about their work.

Jennie’s marker had started to lean, and was sitting about 11 degrees off, towards the grave. Simply put, the earth and gravity work together to apply force to the stone, which then of course, makes it move. The task of the day was to give the marker enough of its own stability so that it could sit upright once again – plumb. (This is where that handy Bubble Level app I mentioned last time comes in. Download it now. Really.)

Some of the photos I took during the next three hours tell the story better than I could, so I will share a few of them here. When I joined the party, they had already dug out the earth from in front of the marker enough to accomplish the task. They were inserting pieces of stone underneath the marker (very carefully, I might add) so that it was level in all directions. As they worked through that process, they measured and calculated, and determined that this marker and base combined were probably around 800 pounds. They quizzed me and at some point must have made the determination that I was worthy of more education, so eventually, I was asked to come back.



Above: This is where I walked into the process. They are lifting the approximately 800 pound stone marker and base with a central fulcrum point, just a little at a time. As Cemetery Santa (he looks like Santa, doesn't he?) lifts, his assistant cleans out underneath the grave any loose debris and inserts carefully shaped pieces of stone, to build a platform for the marker to sit on top of.



Above: After the inserted the correct amount of stones to bring the marker back to plumb, they filled in some of the dirt and loose sand. Once the sand had been poured in, they added water, so that it would filter down underneath the marker and around the new platform. It works its way into the small gaps and other places, providing an even more stable base. After this picture, they also used a soft brush to clean the front of the base – the part that had worked its way underground during the last 100 years or so. This area would now be visible, so they made sure it was as clean as the rest of the area. Note the difference in the pictures below.




Above: They had carefully removed the sod from around the front of the stone before I arrived, and had done so in a particular order, placing everything on the tarp. Once the loose dirt was back in, they moved the tarp close and put those sod blocks back, in the same order. The objective was to leave as little disturbance as possible, it was very clear they wanted it to look like they had never even been there when they were done.



After putting all the dirt and sod back in, this is what the disturbed area looked like.



Above: A bit more work to get it just right. We stripped old branches of dead pine needles to add the duff back to the grave site.



Above: The project is complete! The headstone is standing erect, and you can hardly tell any work was done at all. It’s been a couple of days since this work has happened, so I’m sure it looks even more natural now. I think Jennie would be very happy with it.


I am excited to say that I will be joining them once again this coming week, and will be much more actively involved in what Cemetery Santa called, “easy re-setting.” I’m very much looking forward to getting a hands-on lesson in preserving the cemetery I care so much about. The opportunity really has been incredible.
I hope you are enjoying my journey as well! Please comment or ask questions here on the blog, I can perhaps get an answer!

A Challenge Awaits

In order to improve my skills, I know I must challenge myself. No one else will do it for me.

For that very reason, I have decided to take on the challenge of the ProGen Study Group, and will be a member of ProGen 20. This is something that I have wanted to do for some time, and finally the pieces have come together and it is my turn.

For those of you unfamiliar, ProGen is a program based on the text Professional Genealogy by Elizabeth Shown Mills, (Genealogical Publishing Company, 2001), a respected leader in the genealogy industry. This work has long been considered the standard for most professionals, and the study group was formed and designed to dig deep into the information provided in the text.

The sixteen month program takes students through a variety of topics, each with their associated assignment. Participants critique each other’s contributions and meet to virtually discuss the monthly chapter.
I have several peers that are either currently participating or have participated, and I know that the program is tough, demanding and incredibly rewarding. I am very much looking forward to learning from those in my group as well as our mentor and coordinator. I do see this as a step towards eventual certification, or at least a much better understanding of that that process may be like. I have not yet decided to pursue the BCG or the AG (both are appealing in their own way), but am fairly certain that one of those two processes lies in my future. Then of course, there is the newly developed study group based on Mastering Genealogical Proof by Thomas W. Jones (National Genealogical Society, 2013), which is also a text I intend to absorb as best I can.

One clear benefit is that I get to meet several of my group members as well as the program coordinator, Angela McGhie, at the quickly approaching NGS 2013 Family History Conference in Las Vegas; as most of us will be participating in the ProGen breakfast on Thursday morning. I think it will be great to have a mutual experience in the conference to get some of us going on our learning journey together!

If you are considering making the “transition” or “going pro” anytime in your near future, I strongly recommend you consider the ProGen program. I’ll be honest, I’ve read the entire book already, cover to cover, and I’ve learned a lot. But I know there is so much waiting for me as I turn the corner into ProGen 20.

One Worth Watching

Copyright Ancestral
Journeys, 2012-2013

My continuing education is incredibly important to me. I value the gift I am giving to myself to further my knowledge base and allowing my imagination to expand within the confines of real world research challenges. I believe it to be one of the best activities to engage in that will truly add depth and meaning to the idea of professional genealogist.


In 2013, I have committed to a goal of two genealogy webinars, four FamilySearch lessons and at least one business related webinar each month. That averages to five hours a month. That is obtainable, and I was able to meet that goal in January. I chose the FamilySearch platform for the year because they have so many options, varying in depth, scope and length. Generally speaking, I have enjoyed them.

This was different.

On the 28th of January, I watched “Thinking Creatively About Research Problems”, while doing the dishes. Multi-tasking at its best, right? I’ll be honest. I was floored. The 39 minute lesson is presented by  Apryl Cox, AG; and was first put online 4 May 2010. It is essentially a case study, and Mrs. Cox describes how she gets around some very difficult obstacles to find a member of her own family. The lesson is listed as intermediate level.

I was fascinated. Honestly, it was one of the best sessions I have ever listened to. Period.

So much so, that I watched it a second time later that evening, when I could really focus. So good that I looked her up in the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) Directory and sent her an email with my compliments. I was happy to receive her reply, in which she indicated that she presents this as a live session, as well.

It wasn't that Mrs. Cox offered me my own brick wall ancestor (Oscar) on a silver platter; it was the way she spoke. Naturally, fluidly, comfortably. And it made all the difference. We've all said it, and I’m sure we will say it again: there is nothing worse than having someone “present” by reading their presentation slides like a script. This lesson was filled with entertaining – and real – stories, of a real person; with real life problems. Her challenges included getting around her ancestor’s own lies, and then having to admit to herself that he lied.

I nearly lost a plate.

Creative Commons

When my "lightbulb" went off, I was up to my elbows in bubbly dish water, with a dinner plate mid-scour. It almost hit the floor. Oh my! What if Oscar didn't want his father to be identified?? I have five theories as to who Oscar's father was. Did he hide the truth, did he give a different name, different story, different identity on every record to distance himself from his actual Dad? 

Every record that I have been able to identify that Oscar would have had some influence on - his marriage license, his political campaign in the local newspaper, the information given to family members used in his obituary - all contain a different name for his father. I have always assumed (there's that nasty word again!) that I was making a mistake in my research; that I was "not seeing" something. Human error on the part of the clerk. The father's first and middle names were used interchangeably. 

I had not once before considered the idea that this could be an intentionally hidden truth.

The questions only continued to expand from there. Was he ashamed of his father, or some other member of his family? Was he, Oscar, in fact the "black sheep?" Was he adopted or illegitimate? I know that one of his sisters, Mary (Brown) Collins, was said to have been "crazy" when she died. Was there more stigma attached to the family that Oscar was running away from? 

The simple truth is that when the research becomes so personal, when the challenge drives you to search through record sets until dawn; admitting that the ancestor you seek may have not shared your own values is difficult at best, if not impossible. That is one of the greatest lessons of Mrs. Cox's lesson: you must distance yourself emotionally and think "creatively" to find the answer. I will leave the rest of the lesson for you to discover from the source; as she says it far better than I ever could. 

If you watch any webinar or session in the near future (excluding perhaps the live stream of RootsTech 2013, which I’ll be glued to); watch this one. You can bet that if I ever have the chance to see Apryl Cox speak live, I'll be first in line. I hope you'll be there with me. 

#GENCHAT is coming! #GENCHAT is coming!

 

Are you ready? This is going to be good, you do not want to miss out!

The theme for the first #GENCHAT is “Starting your 2013 research in the right way.” Are you ready to learn via the awesome power of Twitter? Here are a few simple steps to make sure you are “good to go.”

1. If you do not already have a Twitter account, you will need one. It is free, and you can sign up at www.twitter.com. Learn the basics of the system before 25 Jan. There are many great tutorials and other tools to help you. If you can’t figure it out, drop me an email, and I can help you.
2. Decide if you are going to use a site like TweetDeck, HootSuite, TwitterFall or TweetGrid to follow and participate in the chat. Get into that a couple days in advance, so you can see how to use it before #genchat actually starts.
3. On the appropriate day and time, log into your preferred site (see #2) and follow the hashtag #genchat. We’ll be there!
4. Follow the hosts: @cornandcotton, @ancestryjourney and/or @tracingmyfamily.

A few other tips…

• It’s great to let other folks know you will be participating, even the hosts! We would love to hear from you before hand.
• Re-tweeting during the chat is a great way to show your agreement with a statement, or reinforce an idea that has been expressed.
• With many participants, Twitter chats can be lively and fast! Don’t worry if you miss something, we will be putting out summaries and other tools in the days that follow. You can also search for #genchat on Twitter, and get all of the posts using that hashtag.

#GENCHAT is a community event, and we are hoping for interaction from around the globe. If you have something to contribute to the conversation, please do so, but keep in mind that the central idea here is collaboration. We are hoping to learn from each other. We are hoping that although a few prompts may be necessary, the conversation will naturally flow and the chat will turn into a helpful event for all participants.
To put it simply, come ready to learn AND to teach. We can all help each other.

If you have any questions, please email me or comment below.

The full schedule for 2013 is available exclusively on the Conference Keeper website. You can also download a badge to use on your own website or blog and help spread the word about #genchat!

My three focus words for 2013 are Clarification, Collaboration and Courage. #GENCHAT is one way in which I can collaborate with genealogists and family historians around the world, and I'm excited for it to begin. Join us! 

Learn, Over and Over

Image Copyright
Ancestral Journeys, 2012

As genealogists, as researchers  and simply as human beings, one of the most wonderful gifts we can give to ourselves is that of continued learning. The mantra is simple, "don't stop."  Whatever form it comes in, there is always opportunity to learn, learn again and learn some more.

I find myself reading - constantly - on a wide array of topics. My personal library skips through what you would expect: genealogy, history, military references; and then races on with music history, loved children's literature from years past, business and marketing texts, and so much more.


There is something I struggle with though, and that is making time for online education. I do my fair share of reading through blogs, news articles, and other mentions from our friends in social media. However, I'm constantly struggling with making time for webinar's, YouTube video's, Podcast's and tutorials. I know they can help me, and when I do make the time, I always learn something.

I actually really enjoy watching or listening to them. The topics list are varied and for the most part, the presenter's are engaging and entertaining. My to-do list is just sooooo long that I have a hard time convincing myself to stop trying to multi-task and focus on what is being discussed.

As part of my newly developed set of goals, I plan on taking advantage of two of these educational opportunities each month. Starting today.

So, here I'm going to remind you of the incredible set of videos that were made available just a few months ago, from RootsTech 2012. I've seen them all, but many are worth watching again. Take out your notes from this past March, and watch with me. While you're on the site, check out the schedule for next year.

Let me know what you learn today! 

Go Beyond Records

As genealogists, we are all interested in social history. Well, we should be at least. I recently came across an older blog post, written by Shelley Bishop, on her A Sense of Family site. Her piece, entitled Social History Resources for Genealogists certainly exposed me to some new and great websites to use in my research. Over the years, I have come across a few of my own ideas, and wanted to share some of those, as well. Not necessarily specific resources, but outlets for information.

Did your grandparents
take dancing lessons?

I would say the vast majority of us know the importance of collecting vital information, and for many, the genealogy hunt starts with numbers. It's kinda' like teenagers with Facebook... how many friends do you have? Except our question is, "how big is your file?"  As you mature in your research, the opportunities for social history seem to explode in your face. So, have you thought about...

• Specialized education or training?  Was your ancestor educated outside of public schools or colleges? 
• State licenses? I found my great uncle's fishing license from when he was 25 years old. Cool, huh? 
• Sporting societies?  There was a large Czech population in Colfax County, Nebraska, and their culture brought an emphasis on organized athletics. They had membership papers.
• Olympic Athlete? Maybe your ancestor went a lot farther than local clubs... check out the UK's National Archives; they've just released theirs for the first time online.
• Social clubs, hobbies. Sewing groups, book clubs, you get the idea. Nearly all of these organized groups had membership lists. 
• Occupations, of course, and unions. 
• Military veteran groups. Not just through the government or Veterans of Foregin Affairs (VFA), but groups like the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, Inc. 
• Car clubs!
• Youth groups. What did their children do? Were the parents volunteers? My father and his siblings were very active in the local 4-H Club, and my grandparents were both leaders at one time. I have a considerable collection of club records left over from my grandmother's estate. (Yes, I am trying to get these back to the 4-H where they belong.) You can also search for newspaper records that include these organizations. They may not list your specific ancestor, but if you know already they were members at that time, it can help you put their day to day life together.
• Continuing Education... this is one I think for more recent generations... cooking classes, second languages, etc. 
• Alumni Organizations
• Financial donations... were your ancestors particular active in local or national politics? Did they have a "cause" they worked towards? Were they influential in their religion? Did they have a few dollars to spare? Then you may find them here, in form of a receipt or acknowledgement from the organization.
• Animals... I found a record indicating that my great-great grandfather owned a registered French Draft Horse. I didn't even know there was such a thing before that. 

This list is by no means all inclusive. There are thousands of ways to learn more about their lives and how they spent their time. What motivated them? What were they passionate about?


Think about how they lived, what was happening during their lifetime. My great grandfather grew up in Nebraska, but the oral family history tells us that he "bought a train ticket and went as far west as he could". He ended up getting off the train in Washington State, and settled in a small community. We know already that he ran the local livery stable for some time, he worked on the roads commission, he joined the volunteer fire department and ran the "school bus" for local children. Only later in life, during the recession, did he start working as a farmer again. He lived in town, not out in the country.  That tells you something: he did everything he could to avoid farming.  Those are all clues that would indicate where you could look for records.

I would love to hear what you have discovered, what sources you have used, what stories you have learned. Feel free to leave a comment or a link to your own blog post!