#genchat : geography the Southwest States

Today will be the second ever #genchat : geography, and our topic is the Southwest! 

What you need to know :

Join the fun on Twitter by following the #genchat hashtag. We will start the chat promptly at 10:30am Central. For purposes of this discussion, we will "define" the southwest states as: Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, California and Nevada. 



A rather broad range, I realize, but in order to have a dynamic conversation, somewhat necessary.

Here are a few helpful links to have in general, but certainly for the chat as well.

Arizona

• FamilySearch Wiki: https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Arizona_Introduction
• Arizona Geographic Alliance (Arizona State University): http://geoalliance.asu.edu/azga/
• Geography of Arizona (WorldAtlas): http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/usstates/azland.htm
• "The Historical Geography of Arizona" by Rufus Kay Wyllys, JSTOR: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3634811
• Archaeology & Geography, Arizona State Tourism: http://www.arizonaguide.com/arizona-travel-info/learn-about-arizona/archaeology-geography

California

• FamilySearch Wiki: https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/California_Introduction
• Geography of California, Princeton: http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Geography_of_California.html
• California Geographical Society: http://www.csun.edu/~calgeosoc/
• The Name and the Geography: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cbhtml/cbgeog.html
• Historical Geography of California: http://www.sjsu.edu/geography/resources/Cal_geog/Historical/

Nevada

• FamilySearch Wiki: https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Nevada_Introduction
• University of Nevada Department of Geography: http://www.unr.edu/geography/
• Sierra Nevada Geography: http://www.sierranevadaphotos.com/geography/
• Nevada Geographic Information Society: http://www.ngis.org/
• Historical Myth A Month: Nevada Names and Geography: http://nsla.nevadaculture.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=686&Itemid=418 (From the State Archives website; a true gem in Nevada history!)
• 1895 U.S. Atlas, Nevada: http://www.livgenmi.com/1895/NV/

New Mexico

• FamilySearch Wiki: https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/New_Mexico_Genealogy
• New Mexico Guide on National Geographic: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/united-states/new-mexico-guide/
• NMSU Department of Geography: http://geography.nmsu.edu/
• New Mexico Museum of Art, "New Mexico Art Tells New Mexico History" : http://online.nmartmuseum.org/nmhistory/people-places-and-politics/new-mexicos-geography/history-geography.html
• New Mexico Roots, ltd. 11 volumes of demographic data: http://repository.unm.edu/handle/1928/14546

Oklahoma

• FamilySearch Wiki: https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Oklahoma_Introduction
• OSU Department of Geography: http://geog.okstate.edu/
• Oklahoma Alliance for Geographic Education: http://alliances.nationalgeographic.com/detail/oklahoma-alliance-for-geographic-education-okage/edn6CA6FF7969E62D31D
• Oklahoma Atlas Institute: http://www.okatlas.org/
• Historical Maps of Oklahoma (at Alabamamaps.ua.edu): http://alabamamaps.ua.edu/historicalmaps/us_states/oklahoma/

Texas

• FamilySearch Wiki: https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Texas_Introduction
• Texas Guide from National Geographic: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/united-states/texas-guide/
• Texas Geographic Information Council: http://www.dir.texas.gov/sponsored/tgic/Pages/overview.aspx
• Geography: Cities of Texas Games! http://www.geography-map-games.com/geography-games-Geography-Cities-of-Texas-_pageid98.html  Test your knowledge and have a little fun! 
• Dallas Public Library Databases (if you have access): http://dallaslibrary2.org/genealogy/databases.php
• Texas State Historical Association, The Handbook of Texas Online: http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online

Explosion!

Photo Credit: stock.xchng.com

After an amazing week in Las Vegas at the NGS 2013 Family History Conference, I'm back at  home and settling into my usual routine. Right? 

Um, no. 

As it happens, during the conference, D. Joshua Taylor sent out this tweet: 

Little did I know (or him for that matter!) the level of excitement this idea would generate. 

Thankfully, we certainly were not the only people thinking about doing something like this. The wonderful Kassie Nelson had already started a Facebook group for the very same thing. However, as a full time student and Mom, it was tough getting things moving for her. We banded together, and I am extremely excited that The NextGen Genealogy Network (NGGN) now has over 120 members! 

Just another Facebook group? Hardly. 

The organization is doing just that: organizing. We have filed incorporation papers and while we wait for that process to be completed, we are working on creating our structure, finding volunteers to fill those necessary roles to make everything click, and generating ideas for projects, goals and other objectives. 

What exactly is NGGN? 

Well, our mission statement should give you a pretty good explanation: 

"The NextGen Genealogy Network exists to foster the next generation’s interest in family history and engagement in our community through digital channels which virtually connect members throughout the world."

Yes, virtually. Our meetings, conversations, educational programs... everything will be online. We are truly hoping to reach those genealogists and family historians that do not carry a typical schedule because soccer games and scout meetings get in the way. Those folks that are interested, but are trying to get to their Biology 101 class on time. The people that cannot necessarily afford to join their local society, or feel out of place in that environment.

If that sounds intriguing to you, I invite you to do any one of the following three things:


Join our group on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Fill out this Membership form to let us know you want in! 


As we continue to collaborate, we'll keep everyone posted on our progress. We do anticipate officially taking members sometime around the first week of July. Hope to see you online!

All of this is certainly keeping me busy, but it's such a good busy. I'm loving every moment of it. I am a proud, almost-card-carrying member ('cause we still have to make some cards!) of this organization, and I cannot wait to see what happens tomorrow!

Packing My Bags

Hello. My name is Jen, and I'm a blogger. 

In exactly one month from today, I'll be heading slightly southwest to Las Vegas, Nevada for the National Genealogical Society 2013 Family History Conference! I am excited for a whole bunch of reasons, and I simply cannot wait to get there! 

During the conference, I will be blogging away as an Official Blogger... but not here. Nope! I'll be over on The In-Depth Genealogist blog, collaborating with fellow pirate women, Stephanie Pitcher Fishman and Terri O'Connell, who are also attending. Together, we will represent the team at IDG, missing only 1/4 of our leadership; Jennifer Alford (but, she'll be at home helping us out!)

Another piece of the week I am super excited about? The three of us will also be hosting #genchat from the conference! The twitter based collaboration for genealogists will occur on Friday, May 10 LIVE from Vegas! We will be releasing the details as we get closer to departure date, but you can bet that a true social media event will be taking place that evening, and we are certainly hoping that many of our fellow conference attendees will join us in the fun! 

(If you haven't yet experienced #genchat, read all about it on Conference Keeper and come learn with us on April 12, as we discuss the FamilySearch Wiki!)

Over the next four weeks, I'll be posting more and more - on all the accounts I have! - about the conference. I love conferences. I love social media. It's all coming together for me in May! Posts will be here, on IDG and on the Conference Keeper blog: CK Updates! 

I am going to issue an invitation, too, to you. If you blog, if you blog about genealogy, if you are going to or will be blogging about the NGS Conference this year, please join our little group over on Facebook. IDG has created a group just for Genealogy Bloggers at NGS 2013; and we're using it as a platform for geneabloggers to communicate, make plans, share ideas and little tidbits we pick up about Vegas itself. All sorts of preparation for the conference. During the actual event, we'll be using it to share posts and arrange meet ups. Come be a part of the community! We'd love to have you. 

#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! 

The Grand Unexpected

Today, I received a great surprise from fellow geneablogger, Jana Last, author of Jana’s Genealogy and Family History Blog. I have learned to appreciate Jana’s blog a great deal, and enjoy reading it on a regular basis.

On 9 January 2013, she posted an article entitled, “Three Blog Awards, Kindly Given,” in which she stated that she had been nominated for three different awards at the close of 2012, and my only thought was that this was so well deserved.

As I continued to read, I was humbled and honored to see that she had chosen my blog, Ancestral Breezes, as one of her nominations for the “Blog of the Year 2012” Award.





It may seem like a simple gesture, but truly, I consider it great praise when another blogger and genealogist compliments my work. As a “transitioning” genealogist professional, I have spent countless hours in the past twelve months trying to find ways in which to turn my passion into a career path; I am truly astounded at the pride such an action invokes.

Part of this process is selecting my own nominations for ‘Blog of the Year 2012’. Thankfully, I am not limited in any way, so here are a couple of my favorites. These are people from whom I have learned, who have had an influence or impact on my professional world, or simply those that have conveyed true emotion and the spirit of collaboration in their blogs.

• Dan Curtis, “Professional Personal Historian”
• Lynn Palermo, “The Armchair Genealogist”
• The In-Depth Genealogist Blog (full disclosure, I am a contributor to this blog. The other authors, and the editors, have taught me a great deal, so this nomination goes to the collaboration effort as a whole.)
• Stephanie Pitcher Fishman “Corn & Cotton Genealogy Blog”
• Mariann Regan "Into the Briar Patch"

My thanks go out to all geneabloggers. What an incredible year it has been! I have learned much, laughed a great deal, and even cried some at the stories you tell, the personalities you bring forth in your writing. 

Raise a glass, friends, 2013 is going to be amazing. We will make it that way together.

Here’s the skinny on this Award:
1 Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award
2 Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.
3 Please include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award – http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/ and include these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!)
4 Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them
5 You can now also join our Facebook group – click ‘like’ on this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook group and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience
6 As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…

My Three Words for 2013: C x 3

2013: Exploring new, fresh territory.
© Ancestral Journeys, 2012-2013

I follow many people and all sorts of businesses on Twitter, Facebook, etc. One of the best discoveries I made in 2012 on social media was Chris Brogan, and his community, Human Business Works. He is well known, but new to me, and I have learned quite a bit from his blog, etc.

On 1 Jan 2013, he posted “My 3 Words for 2013”. This is a reoccurring post for him,  but it’s my first time. As I have spent a great deal of time in the last week reading about 2013 goals from other geneabloggers, and debating what my take on that would be, I found this concept to be very refreshing, meaningful and most importantly, manageable for me.

So, inspired, here are my three words.

Clarification: In my business plan. In my writing. In establishing myself, and my role, in my field. In my overall goals, not just in business, but as a person.

Collaboration: 2013 has started with the launch of a new project, a genealogy Twitter chat: #genchat,  that I am co-hosting with the amazing Stephanie Pitcher Fishman and Terri O’Connell. I continue to write a monthly series for The In-Depth Genealogist, which is one big collaboration in and of itself. I would like to find ways to continue this trend of working with others. Conference Keeper continues to expand and grow, with contributions from genealogists around the world. I would love to find more of these kinds of projects, perhaps guest blog some, and create new and interesting ways to incorporate my own research with the mission’s of the local societies'.

Courage: To reach out and grab what I want from life; to stand up to other’s that look down upon me; to yell out to the world, “I'm good at this!”. Courage. It goes hand in hand with confidence, and all that is growing inside me, it needs a little more attention to fully blossom. After my first year in the professional world, it's time for me to stop "getting my feet wet" and start making a difference, an impact. 

I am incredibly excited for the opportunities coming to me in 2013. I feel absolutely blessed to be in this field, to be able to turn a passion into a business, to share that passion with others. I am determined to reach out and grab what I want, instead of letting life take me where it will.

If you wish to collaborate on any projects stirring in your imagination, send me an email, huh? I would love to hear from you.

All my best for an amazing 2013,
~Jen

Tanner, my office buddy, an I are ready for an amazing 2013!
All rested and ready to go!
© Ancestral Journeys 2012

Working with your Peers

Breckenridge, Colorado. That's home. We love it here, and aren't planning on going anywhere else, anytime soon. But living in a small community (population hovers right around 3,000 people year round) has its drawbacks. For example, we don't have a genealogy society or club.

Sure, we have a couple history groups.

It's just not the same.

I've managed to identify and acquaint myself with a handful of people in the community that are interested in the various aspects of genealogy, but no one really wants to sit around a cup of coffee hashing out my brick wall problems, and theirs. I miss that. I miss the collaboration, the camaraderie. I miss knowing that I can walk into a group of people with a new find, share it with them, and all of us being jumping for joy that "we" finally did it!

I get a little from my online folks, but it's not quite the same.

mommyposh.com

So when a friend of a friend stated on Facebook that she wanted to start a Peer Group aimed at supporting stay at home Mom's that also happen to be small business owners - "Mompreneur's" she called us - I was all in. (Oh, and apparently, that term has already made it to Wikipedia, and a magazine, so I guess I'm behind.)

We had our first meeting last week, and even though there were only four of us, I was so happy to be there and be participating in this group of like-minded women, I could have danced my way through the entire 90 minutes.

We got to know each other a little, we talked about goals, what we wanted from the group. We're lucky to have a "life planner" in the group, and she's good at keeping us on task. We talked about our businesses, we talked social media, blogging platforms, and even compared notes on a few business and motivation books.

It's not exactly a genealogy group. They don't appear to be overly excited about what my great great grandmother was doing during the Civil War. But, its obvious they are interested in my success, their success, and our success as a group. I walked away with several new ideas, and a few new goals.

So, maybe they don't spend their extra time in the cemetery. That's ok. 'Cause now, I have a group.

This is my way of saying, get out there. Find a group. Any group. Become involved and start talking. See what happens!

Lastly. One of my monthly goals with this group is to grow my blog audience by ten people. So, spread the word, will 'ya? I'm at 74 as I write this. I need to be at 84 by the time November 8th rolls around. If you like what you're reading, please help me out. I'd appreciate it. If you leave a comment with your blog, I'll be sure to follow you as well. Thanks!

http://momtrepreneur.blog.com/2012/05/28/working-mom-burnout/

Tweets from 2012 Jamboree: Day 3

The last and final installment of my favorite tweets coming out of the SCGS Jamboree, 2012. Please make sure to look over Day 1 and Day 2, as well!

• @ironhide781: "So sad to leave Jamboree, it's the best genealogy conference I've ever attended." [Figured we'd start with a nice compliment.]
• @terrifraser: "Takeaways: Blogger summit 2 #scgs12 Thomas MacEntee always moderates comments. Anonymous uses Microsoft Live Writer to compose blog posts."
• @baysideresearch: "Decided on What's New with RootsMagic 5 for my first #scgs12 session of the day."
• @demascot54321: "Genealogy research and Trip planning."
• @FamilyStories: "Will be attending Warren Bittner's Complex Evidence ~ Will be streamed. Who's joining me?"
• @AuntJill: "Best mindmapping tool I've seen yet is bubbl.us. Thanks to Ancestral Breezes for @scgs12 tweets." [You are most welcome. This has become a "thing" for me. It allows me to follow the conference from home, and also keeps everything in one place. If I'm going to make the list anyway, I might as well share.]
• @ACoffin: "Attending 'Mapping Madness' with @ronarons. I'm a sucker for anything maps."
• @terrifraser: "Attending 'Using the 1880 DDD Census' at #scgs12 with Jana Sloan Broiling CG."

(I included the above tweets so you would know which session the information was coming from. The twitter stream was very active Sunday morning, and it could be easy to get lost.)

• @toniasroots: "According to @megansmolenyak there are things in newspapers other than obituaries. Who knew?"
• @ACoffin: "Some free map sites: NYPL, David Rumsey, LOC, Perry Casteneda at UTexas."
• @ACoffin: "Don't forget Cyndi's List map page."
• @toniasroots: "All newspaper sites have some content everyone has and some content no one else has."
• @ACoffin: "Arons: search Google Images for maps, too. #scgs12 Use place name."
• @a3Genealogy: "@toniasroots LOL... This is a hard concept for some researchers. Slow down, take your time, and peruse the whole newspaper!"
• @ACoffin: "Arons showing different results between Google Maps and Bing Maps. He uses both. So do I."
• @toniasroots: "GenealogyBank has a great collection for people with New England and New York colonial roots."
• @toniasroots: "NewsLibrary.com can be used a la carte - no subscription necessary. Contemporary content, not historical."
• @ACoffin: "Bing maps:can only save 10 places in your collection. We all know Google lets you save more on your map."
• @toniasroots: "Newspaper search tip. Put in surname and keyword 'died'." [Also, death, buried, burial, grave, ceremony, etc.]
• @toniasroots: "Archives.com limits you to 10 newspaper searches per day."
• @FamilyStories: "This is EXACTLY why I wish census occupations were indexed. Bonus Points to the company who does that. @findmypastUS"
• @baysideresearch: "The CountyCheck feature in RM5 is great!"
• @rjseaver: "I like sequence of Bittner's slides. Document, discussion, source type, info type, evidence type, source citation. Logical."
• @toniasroots: "Elsewhere Around the World - a curated site with links to international newspaper sites."
• @rjseaver: "Bittner finally get to the evidence conflict stage-two direct pieces from original sources don't match. Indirect evidence proves."

ilovecoffeebook.com

• @rjseaver: "Bittner's talk is excellent tutorial on doing research in New York City."
• @toniasroots: "Major papers, like ATL Constitution, LA Times, etc. look for PQ in menu - this is their historical archives done with ProQuest."
• @ACoffin: "Arons: see if  your library has ProQuest Sanborn Maps Geo Edition."
• @toniasroots: "Ancestry.com obituary collection crawls sites of lots of smaller newspapers."
• @toniasroots: "Obitsarchive.com another a la carte site. Has contemporary obits."
• @rjseaver: "Bittner says software wants conclusions and limits evidence analysis. People lead complex lives."
• @ACoffin: "Hmmm.... LinkedIn Maps. Interesting." [Care to elaborate here?]
• @ACoffin: "Maps aren't just about places. Arons is discussing mind maps now."
• @baysideresearch: "RM reader for iPad/iPhone later this summer!"
• @amycrow: "Not correct. Limit is 10 views, not 10 searches RT @toniasroots Archives.com limit 10 newspaper searches/day @megansmolenyak" [Thanks for the clarification.]
• @baysideresearch: "Looks like @geneabloggers may have a full room for his Illinois session!"
• @rjseaver: "#scgs12 Lisa has her 10 Golden Rules of Genealogy on her website for free gotgenealogy.com."
• @ACoffin: "Take away from Hovorka's session: we need to allow new genealogists to be new." [Amen.]
• @toniasroots: "Be committed to ANALYZING your data."
• @amycrow: "That's the key: 'If I look at your citation, can I get back to the original?' - C Witcher (The comma doesn't matter! <g>)"
• @rjseaver: "Jana says to look for court cases associated with land deeds. Federal land records are largest pre 1900 set of records."
• @ACoffin: "Bertillon cards= predecessor to fingerprints. Incl. photos, measurements, etc of the subject."
• @rjseaver: "really need to check American State Papers for cases concerning my ancestors. Jana rocks!"
• @toniasroots: "Create timelines whenever you can."
• @baysideresearch: "It's expensive inheriting stuff from people. How to preserve?" [Ain't that the truth.]
• @baysideresearch: "Resolve to DO NO HARM to your inherited items. @familycurator"
• @susankitchens: "Frugal curation. Because we don't have budget n staff."
• @baysideresearch: "Archival cardboard storage boxes are acid-free, etc. #scgs12 they are layered to help protect docs, etc."
• @susankitchens: "First, do no harm. Temp swings not good. Moisture, pests, human handling, oils."
• @baysideresearch: "Newsprint is so inherently acidic it will break down."
• @baysideresearch: "Look for lignin-free boxes."
• @baysideresearch: "@familycurator showing damage to doll stored in china cabinet."
• @susankitchens: "Layered protection. The idea of the day for #stuff #preservation"
• @baysideresearch: "@familycurator has a curator's first aid kit w/tissue paper, sheet, tape, etc. all acid free!"
• @baysideresearch: "Make-it-yourself 4-flap-enclosure = most useful archival tool."
• @toniasroots: "Make your own archival container to fit any size item. @familycurator is showing us how." [Jealous.]
• @baysideresearch: "More DIY: custom cotton bag for multiple items."
• @ACoffin: "If you're into frugal curating, @familycurator has a book coming out about it in a few months."
• @baysideresearch: "Wash purchased muslin to remove all the sizing chemicals. No fabric softener!"
• @susankitchens: "Reversible is key for whatever you use to encapsulate it. Plastic is good for the foto to hand around @ family reunion. #preservation"
• @baysideresearch: "Put buffered paper behind newspaper to prevent acid build-up."
• @susankitchens: "Buffered paper - acid free, lignin free next to, say newspaper, in archival sleeve."
• @baysideresearch: "Avery sheet protectors are good option."
• @baysideresearch: "Also, funnily enough, ziplock sandwich bags are fine too!"
• @susankitchens: "Ziplock bags. GLAD are polypropylene. (good) @familycurator researched. Passed light test. #preservation"
• @susankitchens: "Who knew? Zip loc bags. Used by archaeologists, n for Police evidence bags."
• @baysideresearch: "Encapsulation not the best option for photos - image may stick to the plastic if you remove."
• @susankitchens: "Time capsule. Purpose, plan. AWESOME. Mama's got a milestone bay coming up."
• @baysideresearch: "Use a pretzel container. Seriously!"
• @susankitchens: "This presentation TOTALLY needs to go into #Maker magazine."
• @baysideresearch: "'just say no' to anything that will require a player 50 years from now. No good."
• @susankitchens: "Register your time capsule: International Time Capsule society, Oglethorpe Univ, Atlanta, GA"
• @baysideresearch: "@familycurator's book How to Archive Family Keepsakes coming out in August!" [You can pre-order on Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/How-Archive-Family-Keepsakes-Memorabilia/dp/1440322236/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=11ED8PIUYXZ2E&coliid=I30W1VQPVAQ2VA]
• @familycurator: "Caugt @acivory showing how to make genealogy Mac Dashboard #scgs12 - my take-away #1"
• @JanetHovorka: "What I learned at #scgs12 RT @susankitchens: XLNT question-how can we build more mentoring it's all about respect. Be it, act it. U got it."
• @JanetHovorka: "Nailed it. RT @susankitchens: The FEAR of doing it wrong gets in the way. Yes. You MUST make mistakes. Gatekeeping comes frm fear."

yogainthedragonsden.blogspot.com

And with that, it all comes to an end. I love the last two: 

Mentoring is all about respect.

You must make mistakes.

Well said, everyone, well said. 

Tweets from 2012 Jamboree: Day 2

Welcome to the world of tweets! As mentioned yesterday, follow the SCGS Jamboree event online using #scgs12.

Enjoy today's selections!

• @Toniasroots: "Pass judgement on each piece of family lore: true, false, exaggerated - all are possible."
• @a3Genealogy: "Mark Schaeffer says optimize social media apps/tools to improve Return On Influence. Ok!"
• @Ghyxion: "Only an hour until Genealogy Idol is streamed to the comfort of my recliner." [Yes! Enjoying from home thanks to the power of social media and streaming sessions.]
• @FamilyStories: all of the following...  
• "There is no correct way to organize your research. ~ @GenealogistEyls"
• "There is no magic pill  to become organized. It's a process that needs to be executed repeatedly. @GenealoigstElys"
• "And? @GenealogistElys is a NATURAL at this. Seriously. You should BE HERE listening & watching. #rockingit"
• "Tagging photos is suggested for photo organization. Picasa is gr8 for this. ~ @GenealogistElys"
• @toniasroots: "How do you think categorize your ancestors in  your mind? By surname, by couple, etc? Use that style for your organization system."
• @toniasroots: "Use consistent file naming, so that when you see the file name, you instantly know what the file contains. @GenealogistElys"
• @KinfoLit: "'Read broadly' to understand your ancestors' value system and priorities. -- Warren Bittner"
• @littlebyteslife: "Daughters of 1812 database of ancestors online - check it out!"
• @baysideresearch: "Unsubscribe from the email lists and newsletters you don't read."
• @KinfoLit: "Bittner recommends Laurel Thatcher Ulrich's A Midwife's Tail: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812."
• @baysideresearch: "Schedule time every 6 mos or so to organize your bookmarks." [Love this.]
• @toniasroots: "Every so often, go through your website "Favorites" and delete broken links."
• @Kimmyvon: "Elyse D. Tames the digital monster at #SCGS12 she's teaching what all these new fangeled things are."
• @baysideresearch: "@genealogistelys is demoing OneNote."
• @toniasroots: "Create a list of books/resources you want to access in your favorite note-taking software."

Random picture. Wild "high mountain" flowers in my back yard.
Copyright Jen Baldwin, Breckenridge, CO 2012.

• @KinfoLit: "Reading history is essential for 'understanding the way life was lived for the common man.' -- Warren Bittner at #scgs12"
• @FamilyStories: "Elyse has knocked it outta the park. Excellent. @GenealogyElys" [Love the support for this presentor from the audience.]
• @Kimmyvon: "Elyse Doerflinger recommends 'Remember the Milk' for your to do list."
• @toniasroots: Lists the following... 
• "Curt Witcher asks: Are you a genealogy researcher or an ancestor collector?"
• "Familiarty with how the military operates will ensure finding & effectively using the widest collection of resources. #Witcher"
• "Look for more than basic BMD info. What were they doing, where? Creates context. #Witcher"
• "Use secondary information (published records). They'll lead you to the primary. #Witcher"
• "Go to any college library or online to look for printed govermnet docs on Service Records. Wealth of information. #Witcher"
• "State archives are good sources of military records. #Witcher"
• "Pension records are golden for genealogists. Proof of service, eligibility & testimony from FANs. #Witcher"
• Confederate pension files are usually found in state archives, rather than NARA, but have some of the best information. #Witcher"
• Documenting the American South. Website with amazing military history information. #Witcher"
• Here's the link. docsouth.unc.edu"
• "Civil War Soldiers & Sailors database lets you download a spreadsheet of search results. Awesome. #Witcher"
• @baysideresearch: "@lisaalso: post -1892 passenger lists much more rich in info. Darn! All my ancestors arrived before that..."
• @baysideresearch: "Who was traveling w/your ancestor? Circumstances? Look for the clues. @lisaalzo."
• @baysideresearch: "Check all versions of ships' lists. Copies were made. Differences?  @lisaalso."
• @baysideresearch: "@lisaalzo: read the instructions for any new-to-you database!"
• @walkingyourtree: "Stunned by CWSS free website w/tons of great Civil War resources #CurtWitcher"
• @susankitchens: "EBay for heirlooms. Use to make shadowbox. Things are in other people's attics. Sve teh search in eBay. - @LisaCooke"
• @KinfoLit: "@SLuxenberg says genealogists are better researchers than historians and journalists. Really?!"
• @KinfoLit: "'We don't live in the times we're researching.' A challenge to overcome, says @SLuxenberg at #scgs12"
• @susankitchens: "SteveLux - we don't live in teh time we're researching. We got to think like the time period we're researching."
• @sooznebr: "Put emotions aside and think about what the document tells you #scgs12 Steve Luxenberg"
• @storybookgen: "My 2 cents: LOOK at the census record - don't just accept the indexed archives. They're incomplete and sometimes wrong."
• @storybookgen: "Memory is falliable, even when photos tells a different story."
• @storybookgen: "Steve Luxenberg welcomes emails asking for advice. Find him at steveluxenberg.com"
• @FamilyStories: From Megan Smolenyak's presentation... 
• "Why Reverse Genealogy? Find kin, heirlooms, etc. @megansmolenyak"
• "Hello?!? Had no idea @megansmolenyak does the heirloom rescue thing. Another reason to LOVE her!"
• "2 approaches to Reverse Genealogy: broadcast & seeking."
• "@megansmolenyak prefers the location-based message boards vs. surname to catch neighbors & family."
• "Zig zagging backwards and forwards thru time gets you to the finish line quicker."
• I love Heritage Quest, personally." [As do I!]
• @rjsearver: tweeting from the Blogger Panel
• "At Blogger Panel, Melissa says blog community is a network of knowledge and very helpful to beginners."
• "Denise says geneablogging has resulted in many cousins contacting her. Cousin bait works!"
• "Melissa says geneablogging is a great marketing tool for the GenealogyCenter at Fort Wayne Library."
• "Thomas talked quite a bit about affiliate programs on geneablogs. Made up to $200 in one month."
• "Ancestry Insider says to write geneablogs for yourself. Ought to use images in every post."
• "Thomas says Wikimedia Commons has copyright free images available for use on blogs."

Random photo #2. This the fox that has marked our yard as his territory.
Copyright Jen Baldwin, Breckenridge, CO 2012.

• @baysideresearch: "Add city directories to @megansmolenyak's list of best reverse #genealogy resources. Helped me unlock the Friends Album's past."
• @FamilyStories: "On genealogybank.com historical & contemporary collections sometimes overlap. Check both. @megansmolenyak"
• @FamilyStories: "Library of Congress website getting more useful. Info availability depends on each state. Keep checking back."
• @KinfoLit: "Explanatory notes at beginning of a compiled #genealogy often contains lots of useful info, so read them! -- @DJoshuaTaylor"
• @KinfoLit: "'Genealogy is a lifelong pursuit, not a five-minute hobby.' -- @DJoshuaTaylor"
• @FamilyStories: "Compiled genealogies are excellent secondary sources to gather clues for further research. @DJoshuaTaylor"
• @FamilyStories: "Sometimes, folks, we may never find anything that proves or disproves compiled genealogies. [hard to accept, no?] @DJoshuaTaylor"
• @toniasroots: "Always pull a hardcopy of compiled genealogies when you visit other libraries. Sometimes ppl WRITE in corrections."
• @FamilyStories: "Basically, u know all that stuff we get told 2 NOT EVEN look at cuz it's NOT 'pure'? Use it w/logic. They're clues. @DJoshuaTaylor"
• @FamilyStories: "Read the FOOTNOTES in published histories. Lots of clues."
• @FamilyStories: "Read peer reviews of comp. genealogies cuz genealogists love to point out corrections to other genealogists. *snort* @DJoshuaTaylor"
• @toniasroots: "Type author's name in Google Books. You may find revisions & corrections of compiled genealogies. @DJoshuaTaylor"
• @amycrow: "What?! A genealogist compiling info and not publishing it?! Say it isn't so! <g> @DJoshuaTaylor."
• @toniasroots: "Contact family associations. They may have a file of corrections to the compiled genealogy."
• @toniasroots: "Family-Association.com -> basic site that lists family associations."
• @KinfoLit: "The author of a compiled #genealogy may have donated research materials to an archive. -- @DJoshuaTaylor."
• @FamilyStories: "'Compiled genealogies - don't know if it's accurate but don't know if it's inaccurate."
• @Kimmyvon: "#SCGS12 I love the idea of giving back or paying it forward... maybe we could pool our money and get on this Grand band wagon."
• @Kimmyvon: "Seton Shields Genealogy Grants Program... pass the word."

More to come tomorrow! Have a great 24 hours! 

Favorite Tweets from the NGS 2012 Conference

Warning! This is a very long post!

If you would like to link to this post, please email me.

Over the week of 9-12 May, I anxiously anticipated news and updates from participants at the 2012 NGS Conference in Ohio. Watching Twitter, reading blogs, checking on Facebook updates. All of this has allowed me to accumulate a few "gems". Here are my favorites from Twitter. (All of these were captured from using #ngs2012.)

FYI, they are all in one post mostly for my own use. However, Accessible Archives made it easy on all of us and put all the tweets into a downloadable spreadsheet. Check it out.

Image: factfriday.com

9 May:

• @amandaea129 "Bloom: After you write the proof argument, think of ways others will pick it apart, then go do that research"

10 May:

• @accessarchives "Bettag: 'Negative findings are valuable... but do not constitute proof'"
• @amandaea129 "Mills. Research is a gourmet meal, and we pay a lot for that meal."
• @lfmccauley "An index is not the record. Finding Paris on a map is not the same as going there. ESM" (ESM meaning a quote from Elizabeth Shown Mills)
• @lfmccauley "Substitute vowels when searching indexes. Looking for Allison, also look for Ellison. ESM"
• @a3genealogy "Elizabeth Shown Mills mentioned she wildcards all vowels when possible."
• @amandaea129 "ESM: Treat ethnicity as a surname: German, Gypsy, Negro, etc."
• @amandaea129 "ESM: We have to learn to to read with our ears, as well as our eyes."
• @geneditor "make sure to look @ church duplicates because they may offer more. Don't stop with your German ancestors, look for siblings."
• @CarmelObserver "Get your RSS feeds in Google Reader and avoid cluttering your email says Geni Ninja @tmacentee"
• @downeastdigger "If you want your blog post to be seen in best time for Thomas' geneablogger blog roll-up, schedule post at 9:00 am Eastern"
• @PaulaStewartWarr "As usual, a genealogy conference is like a family reunion."
• @amandaea129 "Bittner: 'A vow as simple as "let us marry," or as vague as "I am yours" was a binding marriage' in Germany at one time."
• @ArchivalBiz "'Make no assumptions, trust no single source in isolation.' More pearls from Tom Jones.
• @downeastdigger "LOVE Tom Jones. 'Eleanors not a biblical name. I know. I googled the Bible.' *room erupts in laughter*"

Random Image to break up all this text.

11 May 

• @cataplin "'In case you didn't know, compiled genealogies aren't always accurate.' - D Joshua Taylor"
• @ArchivalBiz "'A find is not just a find, it should lead us somewhere else.' ESM"
• @accessarchives "One of the most satisfying parts about genealogy is the community of genealogists." (Read the related blog post here:  http://genealogycertification.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/the-community-of-genealogists/)
• @familytreegirl "Barbara says you must research the whole family, all collateral relationships if looking at chancery records"
• @lfmccauley "On PA Tax Lists, inmate=married w/o property, freeman=single w/o property. Freilich"
• @RachelPopma "Elissa Scalise Powell: Don't stop at the will book. Make sure to see the probate packet."
• @skhowOH "Google search for online chancery case records for your state."
• @ArchivalBiz "'Source citations are also reminders to us as genealogists of what we've looked at.' Tom Jones"
• @cataplin "'When should we document? When we want to be believed.' Tom Jones"
• @indepthgen "Is your military research organized? Don't forget to organize the data and analysis as well as the documents."
• @ArchivalBiz "'1) Get it right. 2) Get it right in a way those who come behind us know its right.' Documentation. Tom Jones"
• @indepthgen (All from "In Search of your Civil War Ancestry" presented by Stephen J. Buffat.)
• Don't forget to research county histories, hometown newspapers, etc of both Union and Confederate, especially in border states.
• Check the 1890 Veterans sched for Confederates. Look for crossed off names as it was intended for Union veterans.
• Don't just gather your facts. Social history, baby! Know how they lived (and died) during the war.
• Do you know the history of the draft order for CW? Look it up. Might have just gotten a lead to chase one of my guys.
• Don't have CW ancestors? Maybe you should check draft records to see if he was rejected or exempted. NARA record grp 110
• Union medical records are at NARA while confederate medical records are on the state level.
• @skhowOH "'compare land records with those in will who are left property.' may or may not be land  registration records"
• @cataplin "'A citation is not a fill in the blank formula. You have to think about why you are doing this.' Tom Jones"
• @downeastdigger "TerraGo=free download which embeds within Adobe as map tool usgs.gov"
• @skhowOH "records were mandated to be kept since council of Trent (1560-1580)" [Referring to Chancery records]
• @skhowOH "Marriages most often occurred in brides parish but were recorded with baptism records  of both bride and groom in respect parish"
• @JLowe615 "@DigiGenie says 'Twitter is the great aggregator'"
• @JLowe615 "@DigiGenie 'Keep your followers engaged' (Twitter)"
• @skhowOH "may times the diocese has copies of parish records"
• @BretPetersen "@m_kcreations Keep your eye out here for the recordings in the next week or so.  http://www.jamb-inc.com/genealogy " [Link is to purchase recordings of the various sessions; an important resource, especially for those of us who were unable to attend.]
• @skhowOH "The Assoc of Catholic Diocesan Archivists has a website listing all archivists."

There's more? Is she for real? 

12 May

• @Indepthgen: 
• "You learn to research based on the tools that you use. Make sure you establish your identities and start on a good foundation."
• "Find independent sources. Key word = independent." 
• "Want to avoid (or break) a brickwall? Plan. Research. Analyze everything to the smallest detail, name listed, etc."
• "Done w a problem? Write it out. Look for holes. Did you miss anything or was it thorough?"
• "Look for your siblings and associates to help confirm the identity of your people. Groups are easier to locate than individuals."
• @JLowe615 "Michael Hait. Beware of census enum when all ages end in 5."
• @genaortega "Weisberger: if you are told there is no death certificate & you have the obit, send them obit, ask for them to look 4 certificate again"
• @amandaea129 "Stamm: Railroad papers are not always located where you think they would be. Look everywhere."
• @Indepthgen "Don't discount negative info. Lack of information IS information."
• @geneditor "follow the county histories backward to see if you may locate an ancestor's bio in a mug book. Look for siblings, even cousins."
• @Indepthgen "YES --> 'You can't assume anything. Ever.' Michael Hait"
• @skhowOH "Many reasons for migration: economics, politics, religion, family dynamics, race, geography, class, etc."
• @gensearchdeb "Treat yourself as a client when creating research reports on your own family. - Stuart-Warren"
• @geneditor "Springpad is well designed to create to-do lists, research notes, etc. Has a clean design. And it's free."
• @heftisearch "Just saw the best sideburns of the conference. Think early Ohio presidents." (HA! Right in the middle of all these serious topics, great tidbits coming in, and then this. Boom. Love it!)
• @amandaea129 "ESM presentation has so much great info. If you aren't at #NGS2012, get the CD!"
• @lfmccauley "Every research project should have The Research Report & Individual Research Notes. ESM"
• @KAMChapman "ESM Research is an analytical process not just looking up names."
• @Darris "Michael Hait says digitized records require less time to locate and more time for evaluating the evidence."

Another random image.
Oh yea, I did that.
Breckenridge Resort, Colorado.

• @skhowOH: (Tweeting about the session, "Using Excel to Compare Name Lists of Family Associates and Neighbors", presented by David Ouimette, CG.)
• "1. Trace immigrant origins with maps."
• "2. Build a village migration chain."
• "3. Index a parish register."
• "4. Reconstruct families in a parish."
• "5. Create a family timeline."
• "6. Research close acquaintances."
• "7. Leverage name variants."
• "8. Estimate birth year from censuses."
• @lfmccauley "Use Excel to index records or estimate birth year from census records. Unlimited uses in genealogy research. Ouimette."
• @cataplin "'I love my wife. She has resisted the urge to take a match and lighter fluid to my study.' Rev. David McDonald."
• @skhowOH: (Tweeting about the session, "10 Top Tips to Concluding Effective Research", presented by David McDonald.)
• "1. Be actively engaged in analysis throughout the research phase of a project."
• "2. Do not be afraid of indirect evidence."
• "3. When you realize others are quoting your research to vouch for their conclusions..."
• "4. You have conducted a reasonable exhaustive search."
• "5. The client has asked for report."
• "6.  Conclusions are becoming clear."
• "7. Ongoing analysis and drafts have been shared w/other trusted, competent colleagues."
• "8. The reliability and utility of resources consulted can be explained & shared w/client or other researchers."
• "9. The target individual or family can be identified in their community & context."
• "10. Further research would require an unreasonable expenditure of time, talent or treasure in pursuit of minimal return."
• @cataplin: "'Mug books were created in the Victorian Era. What do we know about the Victorian Era? They were uptight and they lied.' D. McDonald"

And now you ask the big question: how in the world did I manage to save all these tweets? Well, that was the easy part. As people were attending sessions, I would try to read along. When something interesting, intriguing, or just funny popped up, I put it on my "favorite" list in Twitter. At the end of each day, I went back to that list and collected them into this post. This way, I get to maintain the "conversation" during the day, I have them for future reference and can spend more time later on "intentional thought". I can also go back and ask the sender for more info, and see what they can remember. It's a handy tool, that little star.

Month In Review: My last 30 days

Way back in February I posted a monthly goals agenda. Ironically, one of those goals was to write a monthly goal list for every month. Don’t bother to look for March – it’s not there. As you can see, I didn’t get very far in that endeavor.

I have decided to change the objective. Certainly a list of goals to work towards during the course of a month is a nice thing to have, but I already have a lot of lists. My husband calls me, “the lister”. It’s a kind of illness, actually. So, I’m not sure that I really need another list. What I need is obtainable goals that are fluid, because you have to be able to adapt in this world. Change happens fast.

This then, is my first “month in review.” I do think that one of these roughly every thirty days would be beneficial, but I’m not going to choke on it. If it doesn’t get done, then it doesn’t get done. It’s my blog; I can do what I want, right?

Here’s what happened in late April and early May. It was actually a very exciting month for me, certainly the best I’ve had as an aspiring genealogist and personal historian. Really, it was a very busy last ten days or so. Either way, it was a great month for me, and for Ancestral Journeys.

On the 23^rd, it was officially announced by the editors at The In-Depth Genealogist, a new and exciting digi-mag, that I would be a regular contributor. I will be authoring a monthly column, entitled Family Atlas, along with two guest blog posts each month. My first column will appear in the June 2012 issue. Family Atlas will be focusing on research opportunities on a state-by-state basis, highlighting resources and the “unknown” genea-bloggers. Alongside this endeavor, I will also maintain the Featured Genealogist column, which will coincide geographically. 


(If you have a resource or genealogist you would like me to feature, please feel free to comment or email me.)

http://www.indepthgenealogist.com/

I started writing as the Breckenridge Genealogy Examiner, and my first article went up on the 26^th. Writing about anything history or genealogy related in, around, near, or related to Summit County, Colorado. This might be challenging as time goes on, but I’m game.

For the first time, I was invited to be a guest blogger on someone else’s site, and my first post on Michelle Nahom’s The Power of Photos, entitled “Telling Your Family Story” went up on 1 May.  Michelle is a training specialist for the Association of Personal Photo Organizers, or APPO. We met on Twitter, and she has been incredibly interesting to get to know. Please make sure to visit her blog. She also posted a guest blog for me, Making A Case For Printing Your Photos was published on 10 May.

My second chance at a guest blog happened the next day, when The In-Depth Genealogist published my Quick Source: JSTOR. A review of the amazing research opportunities available through the JSTOR site, much of which you can access for free. Apparently, it was one of the top blog posts of the week for them. *Insert pat on the back here.*

I got a job. Yep, a real life, out of the house, paying me a check job. I’m really very excited about it, though. Over the summer, I will be working for the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance, and for the first time I feel like the work I will be doing will actually be contributing something to society. I will be helping to expose others to the vast history of the Town of Breckenridge. There is also excitement for me in that this may lead to other opportunities with the organization, which would be wonderful. Be sure to check out their website, and if you decide to visit Summit County, Colorado any time of year, make sure you save yourself time for a walking tour, historic snowshoe hike, or the one I'm hoping to lead: the cemetery tour.

To top it all off, this was the last month of “The Puzzle of Your Past”, a family history research project I have been leading with the Leadville Brownie and Junior Girl Scouts of troop 840. (You can read about this project throughout my blog, as I have posted updates along the way, but also here.) It has been a wonderful year of discovery, and the girls are just putting the finishing touches on their projects for their May 20 “Court of Awards” annual ceremony. In the next few days, I will be working on finishing my end of the project, conducting as much research as possible in the time allowed and presenting a pedigree chart and CD-ROM to each participant for them to take home to their families. I hope they have enjoyed it as much as I have.(By the way, its the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouting this year. You should check it out. No cookies without Girl Scouts!)

Along the way, I have been mentioned, retweeted, and linked by numerous “Big Names” in the genealogy field. That is always such a great moment for me; to have someone I respect so much recognize my work as useful and valuable enough to promote. It’s really mind blowing. I have never thought of myself as a writer, and yet, here I sit, eagerly committing to a steady stream of writing projects. It’s quite a surprise. Oh, and my blog? Yes. I am now up to 42 followers, so thank you so very much for supporting me. I greatly appreciate you as an audience, and value your feedback and commentary.

I’m so looking forward to seeing what the coming 30 days has to offer me, though I cannot imagine it will bring the changes and deadlines that the last 30 did. I guess we’ll find out soon. 


Hopefully it will be less snowy and filled with more lovely wild mountain flowers. 

Photo copyright Jen Baldwin,
Ancestral Journeys, 2011.

1940 Census: Can't Get Enough?

We've all seen them. Any of us that are on Twitter or Facebook, we've seen them. An entirely new series of comics, humor, all designed around the addiction that is the 1940 Census. There is the "1940 Census Whisperer", sites such as Ancestry.com and MyHeritage.com, and others; all helping us learn and develop our skills as we go through this process together.

But, it all started with the 1940 US Census Project.

The hype. The media attention. The energy behind the project.

You've probably seen the page. You may have even visited it. Filled with valuable information and helpful hints. Did you know they have a blog? That's right, the 1940 US Census Project has a blog. It's as if the census itself was talking to us. With contributing authors such as Josh Taylor of findmypast.com and Thomas MacEntee of Geneabloggers, the posts have been interesting at the least and incredibly entertaining.

There is still so much to learn! Every day, genealogists from around the world have been sharing their results with the rest of us. Every day, more pages are indexed; hand writing deciphered, confusing households made to be not quite so confusing. I encourage all of you to retain the excitement, keep up the hype. This endeavor of tracing the past through the individual or family unit is full of twists and turns, and so is the 1940 US Census.

Learn more by viewing the blog (see link above) and keeping up to date by following Twitter #1940Census.

1940 Census: Use the Hype to Talk to Your Family

Two days ago, I was pleased to learn about my grandfather and his parents, aunts and uncles using new clues provided through the 1940 Census. I did not know that Grandpa was a hired hand on a neighboring ranch in Nebraska as a young man, I did not know that Great-Grandpa and Grandma rented their ranch, rather than owning it outright. Interesting little tidbits for my research. Nothing that was overwhelmingly surprising, just new small facts that could lead me down different roads in the future.

Naturally, I sent a quick email to my Mom and her siblings outlining the basics of what I had found. I knew they would have heard about the census release through the news, but also knew that none of them would stop to look it up for themselves. I'm the family genealogist; that's my job, and one I enjoy.

This morning, I received a reply from one of my Aunt's, who lives in Alabama. She informed me for the first time that our cousins have a family Bible, that Grandpa also worked on his uncle's ranch at some point, and a few other little pieces that I had never heard before. How could I possibly have been doing this for over a decade and not known there was a family Bible out there?  Even more, it's about a two hour drive from my house to the cousins who own it. Oh, my.

Lesson learned. It had just never come up. I have talked to this side of the family before about our ancestry, but it was years ago. What can I learn if I bring up the conversation again, asking new questions?

So, use the census. Look up your images, find your folks. And then share. Tell your family what you are doing, what you are finding. See if it will open up new doors for you, too.

There Is A Line: The Difference Between Collaboration and Cheating

Recently, I had a message sent to me on my www.ancestry.com account. Here is a person asking for access to my private tree, so she can "use" my information. I have several concerns about this. Let me state now, before I get going on my rant, that I am in no way affiliated with Ancestry.com, except for the fact that I purchase access to their system.

I actually have several tree's on ancestry. All the projects I work on eventually end up there. I think of them as rough drafts, and that is the primary reason why I keep them private. I do not want anyone using me as a resource when the original is about as far from polished as you can get. The tree's are like a working theory; as I find clues or names that may (or may not) help me, I add them in to see what will happen. It allows me the creative freedom to prove or disprove a theory or assumption. Sometimes, I can delete that new idea immediately - it's obviously not a match to who I'm looking for. There are other times when an idea becomes its own tree, so I can continue to progress in my work at a later date and time. (See, I have this thing called a toddler. She's not exactly willing to let Mommy sit at the computer all day.) Life interrupts, so I have to save it all and come back to it again and again. Not everything on my tree's are correctly cited, not everything has been judged against the Genealogical Proof Standard. Therefore, it is private.

As much as I value the resources that Ancestry.com provides to me, it is not the end all and be all of genealogical research. There is so much more out there to investigate. The vast majority of that work goes into a much different database on my hard drive, and never gets posted to an individual's online profile.

When I send a message on ancestry, it goes something like this...

"Hello, I'm looking for information on So-And-So and his wife, Mrs. So-And-So. Here is what I know about them already: he was born... she was born... they married on this day, year... they lived here... they had these children... they are buried... Thank you so much for your time and consideration in sharing any new information you may have."


Etc., etc., etc.

I include as many details as I think I can without losing the interest of the reader. I do this to show that I am willing to share as much as I give, I am genuine, and I care about the ancestor in question. I care about the researcher's credibility and the ancestor's "online image" so to speak. I can recite that last line verbatim, because that is how I have been ending my messages and emails for collaboration requests for as long as I can remember. This is personal stuff. It doesn't get any more personal than your family. People out there in the genealogical community generally recognize this fact, and strive to ensure that the trust and respect from one researcher to another is displayed upon first contact; and continues to be present and obvious as long as the collaboration continues. It is displayed in comments and credits given to each researcher.

Please, don't be a cheater. Collaborate with the world, but don't cheat. Take credit for your individual work, and give credit where credit is due. It's very important, and unfortunately, its rampant in amateur and hobbyist genealogy.

The Diary

Last year I was entrusted with a family collection of photos, letters, documents... even one reproduction Civil War medal. You know how this works. You get a huge box of unidentified memorabilia, some of which is garbage, some of which you already have (somewhere) and some of which are pure gold. As in, "this should really be in a museum but I'm probably going to keep it for a while anyway" gold.

The Diary is one of those pieces of gold.

The "Carlyle Collection" as I have named it all came to me from my great grandfather's sister's family. Carrie Brown, daughter of Oscar and Frankie (previously mentioned in several other posts) married Adam Carlyle, and Carrie was good at saving things. So were her daughters. I have certainly gained the honor of becoming the family curator, and eventually the collection ended up in my lap. A title I will gladly carry through to the end. The collection had been organized, to my great delight, to a certain degree by a member of the Carlyle family more recently. He even labelled some of those unknowns for me, which is nearly unheard of.

But no one told me about The Diary.

I had spent days documenting, digitizing and doing my best to filter through the collection. It came contained in seven binders and several other collection devices: boxes, plastic bags, loose pieces. The process had been long and tedious - and I still had to go through and translate all those letters, find where all those pieces belonged. I was really just beginning, but the cataloging was dragging on and on, until I was just done. Done.

Then I found The Diary.

In a very plain looking brown bag. On the front was written, "Diary of Carrie E. Reid 1895 Given to Lizzie Christie (1),  Jean Mouat (2), Helen DeVries (3)." In the top left corner a address label was placed for William DeVries of Bellingham, Wash. (Can you say 1940 US Census?) The back of the bag had a printed label for "PayLess: We're Your Mall in One... We've Got It All Together." Obviously, a modern addition to The Diary. The handwriting on front I recognized from some of the photos I had seen in days previous. Even the pen used was the same. One of the names, Helen DeVries, was familiar, but other than that, I had nothing.

Carrie E. Reid wrote The Diary.

Inside the bag was a dictation notebook, similar to the commonly used white and black notebooks seen across colleges everywhere. The front cover, brown with black and gold embossed lettering, reads "Cyclopedia Book, Exercise and Dictation". The back and inside covers are littered with helpful information, such as "How To Tell the Age of Any Person", in chart form, the "Strength of Ice" and "Origin of the Dollar". Held together with a piece of blue tape along the spine, obviously an attempt made several decades ago. The first page entry is dated Tuesday, Jan 1, 1895, by C.E. Reid, "Diary".

               "This being the 22nd Anniversary of Mother's and Father's wedding we 

                  wished to have some enjoyment so we decided on having a little party."

I was immediately obsessed.

Inside were a few items, other than the script of Carrie Reid. She appears to be writing from somewhere in Canada, so a program from the Grand Opera House in Ottawa (Canada), for Tuesday, February 18th, highlighting Madame Albani in performance, made sense. A color print, on thin paper, slightly torn in the corners, of "The Doctor", published by J.A. Austen & Co., Chicago. A small scrap of paper, written in pencil, "July 4th, 1896, Saturday night..." along with a very fragile sample of hand crocheted lace, folded several times over. The last entry is from Jan. 1st, 1896, "Leap Year".

I hope to find out who Carrie E. Reid was, and where her family ended up. How is she related to me? How did this diary, this very precious item, end up in my hands? The trust my family places in me... wow.

Some of the entries are long, involved stories. Some are very simple, one sentence, maybe two. The transcription will hopefully be completed this year, and the storage of this item for preservation carefully considered. It is a treasure, a family heirloom, yes. But more than that, it is a historic artifact. One for the museum, perhaps.

The Diary.