Ancestrally Challenged

Treasure Chest Thursday: Home From War

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:52:00 +0000

As I mentioned the other day, I recently received all my grandmother's pictures when she passed. I thought I'd share some of them here.

The man on the left is my great grandfather Charles William Radcliff. The man on the right is Argial (Agg) Messenger. These two men have two connections that I'm aware of. First, Argial's aunt Isabelle Blanche Messenger was married to Charles' uncle Edward Henson Radcliff. Second, Charles' wife, my great grandmother, was a great granddaughter of Jasper D Messenger, who was Argial's grandfather.

The photo is labeled World War II 1942. It's unclear whether this picture was taken before or after these two men went to war, but given that my great grandfather was 27 and Argial was 31 at the time the picture was taken, I'm assuming this was taken after they got home since they would have most likely went to war at younger ages.

I actually met my great grandfather a couple times when I was a child, but the memories are kind of vague. While I have saw a few pictures of him in his later years, this is the first picture I've saw with him as young man. I was surprised to see that my grandfather looked like him. I see some of him in my dad as well, although to a slighter extent.

Some Genealogy Treasures Come at a Price

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 13:05:00 +0000

A couple years ago I had asked my paternal grandmother about her pictures. She had shown me a few pictures here and there over the years, but I had a feeling she had more. I wanted a chance to go through her pictures with her.

In April we found out she had been diagnosed with cancer. It was a scary diagnosis, but she had already beat cancer twice and the doctors were optimistic that she could beat it again this time. Everything was going okay until a little over a week ago when they found that the cancer had spread. Suddenly things weren't so optimistic.

Last Thursday, I got a call. My dad had talked to the doctor and they were saying she was down to just a few days. I left the next day. We drove all night to get there. Once we got to town, we visited with other family members who had already came in. We were heading out the door to see my grandmother when the call came. Despite all my efforts to get down there to see her one last time and say my goodbyes, it was too late.

The next day we went to her house to find her insurance papers and start the huge project of going through the house. My dad got the few things that were important to him and then told us we could take whatever we wanted. We were surprised to find that my grandmother had already boxed up and set aside things that she knew was important to us grandchildren.

One sister had asked about my grandmother's Aunt Jemima collection in the past. We found them already boxed up with her name on it. Another sister had asked about the family Bible and a set of Legos we had played with as children. Those were also set aside for her. We also unearthed three Uno decks. Some of our favorite memories of childhood is playing Uno with our grandparents when we were staying with them so it was nice to find three decks, one for each of us girls to treasure.

As for me, I guess Grandma remembered me asking about the pictures and being interested in our family history. She had already gathered all of them from the various rooms, taking them off the walls in some cases, and packed them away so I didn't have to hunt for them. We found a large plastic bin and two cardboard boxes about half the size of the bin. There was also a plastic shoebox full of obituaries, funeral cards and newspaper articles about various family members.

Since we needed some pictures for the funeral slideshow, we dragged everything out in the living room and my dad, my sister and I started going through them. To my surprise, I found that she had also taken the time to label many of them. They were sorted into the paper envelopes that they come back from the photo developing shops in and she had written on the envelopes the date and what was going on when the pictures were taken. For instance, one is labeled as being from my second trip to West Virginia and had the dates of our trip.

I also found pictures that my great grandmother had had, which had been passed down to my grandmother when she passed away. I haven't saw everything in the bins yet since there was three of us going through them, but it's definitely a genealogy goldmine. So far I've found:

A picture of my great grandmother as a baby with her dad when he returned home from war
A picture of my great grandparents as young adults (I suspect it's their wedding picture)
Pictures of my grandmother and her siblings as children
A picture of my grandparents from when they were dating
A copy of a page from another family Bible (judging from the names I suspect it's the Carson family Bible)
My dad's baby book
Artwork my dad had done in 4th grade and won a ribbon for
My grandfather's high school yearbook (which also has my grandmother and her siblings in it)
Letters I had written my grandmother over the years

There's no telling what else might be in the bins since it's going to take me quite a while to go through all of them. Even with three of us doing a quick sort through them to find pictures for the slide-show, it still took several hours.

These are an amazing find from a genealogy standpoint, but they come at a high price. Losing my grandmother, one of the family members I was closest to, has knocked me to my knees. It's especially hard coming on the heels of losing four other family members, including my two grandfathers, in less than two years.

But I'd like to think she's smiling down on me from Heaven, secure in the belief that I will treasure these pictures and other items as much as she did. And that I will use them to ensure future generations will know their heritage.

1940 Census: Grandfather Found

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 01:17:00 +0000

I've been so busy looking for family in the census I forgot to post about what I was finding. It's addictive! One of my recent finds was my grandfather Charles Leo Radcliff. It was a bittersweet find because just passed away a year ago and I'm still dealing with that.

Anyway, in the census he appears as Leo Radcliff. I found this interesting because while I knew it was his middle name, as far as I knew, he had always went by Charles, Charlie or his nickname Tucker. The same could be said for his sister, who appears as Mabel, which is her middle name.

Household of Charles Radcliff, 1940 US Census,Glenville, Gilmer County, West Virginia, ED 11-10, Sheet 9A

My grandfather was just 2 years old at his first enumeration; his sister was 2 months old. They were living with their parents (and my great grandparents) Charles and Emma Radcliff. My great grandmother was the one to answer the enumerator's questions.

The family was living on a rented farm on Chestnut Bottom Run and had been living there 5 years previously (the adults anyway). My great grandfather had a 7th grade education and worked as a farmer on his own account, working 40 hours the previous week. He had worked the entire year before.

My great grandmother had made it a little further in school, going through 8th grade. She was not employed and was a homemaker. With two young kids, not to mention the era, it's not surprising.

1940 Census: On The Trail of Some Neals

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:40:00 +0000

Riley and Aulda (Messenger) Neal were my paternal 2nd great grandparents. I knew they had been living in Glenville, West Virginia in the 1930 census and just outside Glenville in Linn, WV when Riley registered for the WWII draft. I decided to start my search there. As it turns out, there are six enumeration districts for that area. Wouldn't you know they were in the last one I checked.

Household of Riley Neal, Source 1940 US Census, Glenville, Gilmer County, West Virginia, ED 11-10, Page 10A

When the enumerator came around on 29 April 1940, Riley was the one to respond to the enumerator's questions. The family was living on a rented farm on Butchers Fork on the outskirts of Glenville. Riley is listed as having a 6th grade education and working as a laborer for the WPA. I'm not sure if it's a mistake or a quirk of the census but he is noted as having been unemployed for 26 weeks, but had worked 52 weeks the previous year. His salary is listed as $272. The family was living in the same house they were in in 1935.

Next in the household was his wife Aulda, a homemaker, who had achieved a 7th grade education. Children Charles, Herley, Ella, Leo, Lester and Roy were also in the household. Charles was the only one employed. He had worked 40 hours the previous week as a offbearer in a sawmill. He had 13 weeks of employment in 1939 and made $185.

In the household enumerated before my 2nd great grandparents, you find Riley's brother Oliver. Like his brother, he was living on a rented farm, the same place he'd been 5 years previously. He had worked 40 hours the previous week as a farmer. He had been employed all of the previous year and made $462.

His wife Dortha (Frashure) was the one who answered the enumerator's questions. As luck would have it, her name fell on line 14, making her a supplemental. In the supplementary questions, you can see that both of her parents were born in West Virginia. This was her first marriage, which she had entered at age 19, and she had gave birth to three children. These would be the three daughters-Goldie, Mable and Ethel-who are listed with the couple in the census.

1940 Census: The Jackpot Find

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:53:00 +0000

When I was figuring out EDs to check for family members, I figured I'd have some family in the same area. Yesterday, though, I hit the jackpot. The funny thing is that after I shared my find with family members on our Facebook group, they helped me realize that my jackpot find was even bigger than I initially thought.

1940 US Census, Nashville, Berrien County, GA; ED 10-8, page 9B

Starting at line 51 is my great grandfather Clifford Eugene Sweat. Also in the household is my great grandmother Alice Isabel (Hayes) Sweat, my 2nd great grandmother Addie Mae (Deen) Sweat and cousins Louise Lee, GW Lee, Bessie Lee and Nadine Lee. The mother of the Lee children is Nellie Mae (Sweat) Lee, a sister of my great grandfather. A hired hand, Edgar Griffin, also lives in the household. It's possible this is also a relative because my great grandmother's aunt and my great grandfather's brother both married Griffins.

In the household that directly follows starting on line 59, is a brother of my great grandfather, Osborn Touchton Sweat. As in the household is his wife Evelyn (Griffin) Sweat and their daughter Dorothy.

The next household, which begins on line 62, is also family. J Isom Davis married my great grandfather's sister Gladys (Sweat) Davis. Their son J Isom Davis Jr is also in the household.

Two households down on line 69 is the Steve Spells family. Steve also married a sister of my great grandfather, Stella Mae (Sweat) Spells. Their children Alma, Doris, JW, Gene and Dwayne share the household.

On line 76 begins another household that may have family connections. I'll have to do a little digging to be sure but I suspect that Rena Mae Wilson is in fact Rena Mae Sweat, the oldest daughter of the couple in the previous household.

Last, but not least, on line 78 we find Tom Hayes. This is my 2nd great grandfather, father of Alice Isabel (Hayes) Sweat, who appeared with her husband in the first household I pointed out.

1940 Census: The Very First Find

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:47:00 +0000

Since NARA hasn't worked for me all morning, I switched to Ancestry in the hopes that they would have released a state that one of my ancestors were in. As luck would have it, they had Indiana, which is where my Bollings and Vanzandts lived in 1940.

I struck out on the Bollings. Despite being fairly certain about where they were living, I didn't see them. Maybe I overlooked them in my excitement. Rather than get frustrated, I marked them down for a second look and moved on to the next family on my list, the Vanzandts.

I was hoping to find my great grandfather Clyde Thomas Vanzandt, who was most likely living with his parents William Walter Vanzandt and Martha Elizabeth (Davis) Vanzandt. Instead, I stumbled across Henry Vanzandt, his brother.

Household of Henry Vanzandt; Source: 1940 US Census, Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, ED 93-3, Page 20B, Line 62; Images, Ancestry (ancestry.com)

Henry was living in Knight Township of Evansville, Indiana with his wife Margaret and two boys, Henry and Donald. The family lived at 1311 Henning Avenue. A quick peek at Google maps shows it to be a small house.

View Larger Map

Henry worked as a mechanic in the auto sales and service industry. He had worked 48 hours the week of March 24th through the 30th and had worked 52 weeks in the previous year. For his efforts, he received $600 in pay. Margaret was a homemaker.

When I checked my genealogy software, I was surprised to see that I didn't have a son named Henry for the couple, but I did have one named Donald. After taking a closer look in my software, I realized that the father Henry was actually Walter Henry M Vanzandt, which meant that the son I had listed as Walter M Vanzandt was my missing Henry.

Since I'm pretty sure that my great grandfather and his parents were in the same township, I should come across them soon.

April Genealogy Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Since the 1940 census is going to be released tomorrow morning, my goals for this month are simple-find as many people as possible. I've prepared by getting the EDs for the locations I know or believe the people to be in.

Some areas will yield multiple families. For instance my maternal great grandparents and three of the four 2nd great grandparents on that side should all be living the same town. On the paternal side, I have six different families that are most likely in the same area.

This will be the first census appearance of my paternal grandparents and my father-in-law (gotta love the quirks of marrying someone older than you). It will also be the last census appearance of some others in my tree.

To start, I will be looking primarily at direct-line ancestors. However, if I come across collateral relatives in the process, I'll definitely note them down as well. Once I have located all my direct-line ancestors, I'll move on to my husband's side and then collaterals.

As I come across each person or family on my list, I'll be writing a post about them. As always, if a name seems familiar, let me know. I'm always happy to share research and photos (if I have them)

I had planned to be sitting at my computer ready to start searching when the census was released, but unfortunately my husband threw a kink in that plan. Not realizing the importance of that day (selective listening must have kicked in while I was talking about it), he scheduled an appointment that both of us have to go to. By the time I found out it on Friday evening, it was too late to change it so I'm stuck with going to it instead of being home searching for ancestors as planned.

March Genealogy Goals Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 17:03:00 +0000

What a month this has been. If anything could go wrong this month, it did.

We started out with a hot water heater that sprung a leak. Thankfully I was in the kitchen cooking supper and noticed it before it flooded everything in the kitchen and moved into other rooms. Even so, it had to be replaced. Of course, it happened on a Sunday evening just after Lowes closed. It wasn't until the next evening after work that my husband was able to get a new one.

Since we live in an older house, it had an under the counter one, which made it an ordeal to change. We ended up having to remove a cabinet, the stove and part of the countertop just to get to it. Three days after it first sprung a leak, I finally had my kitchen and hot water back.

Since I didn't have access to a stove for three days, I had to get creative with cooking. Thankfully, we have a grill so it allowed me to make some tasty meals in the meantime. P.S.-If you're looking for an awesome grilled chicken recipe, you've got to try these Spicy Lime and Honey Wings. I didn't have the adobo sauce it calls for, but even without it, these are great. Even the munchkin loved them and she's a picky eater.

The next disaster was my husband's truck tearing up. If he had a normal job, this wouldn't be a problem. But my husband installs satellite for a living and there was no way his ladder would fit in our spare car, a Honda Accord. Since he can't work, he's been home. With me. For 2 weeks.

I love my husband but I'm used to having the house to myself during the day while he's working and the munchkin is at school. Even though he's stayed busy working on stuff that needed to be done while he hasn't been working, he's still messed with my routine. I can't tell you how many times I've started to do something only to have him call that he needs something-a tool to be fetched, a flashlight to be held, something looked up, you get the picture.

Then came the family health problems with an aunt in the hospital, a grandma that fell and a great uncle that passed away. Needless to say, this hasn't been my month.

Goal-wise, March was nearly a complete bust. I did get signed up to help index the 1940 census, have narrowed my choices on my family history book down to just two families (I decided to focus on ones that didn't already have a book) and the genea-cave reorganization project is about half-way done.

I'm just glad that I started prepping for the 1940 census a couple months in advance. The way this month went, if I had waited, I'd be either be blindly searching for people or have to hold off on searching until I was done prepping.

This month did have some good news though. I was contacted by a cousin on Ancestry about my Neal line. After a few emails back and forth, she mentioned the magic word-pictures. She's sent me several already and identified the people in them that she was able to. She also mentioned an upcoming family reunion for a family allied to the Neals (therefore they might have info on them). She's finding out more details and is supposed to let me know so I can try to make it. We have tentative plans to meet while I'm in WV next month as well.

My sister found out she's pregnant so I get to be an aunt again and one of my cousins just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.

March Genealogy Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 01:38:00 +0000

Wow, I can't believe it's already March. It's almost time for the 1940 census and I can't wait. I've got my list ready and I'm chomping at the bit to get started. Let's just hope that noone decided to move on me. I know the Sweats were especially bad about moving, seems like they were somewhere new every census.

Research

Develop research plan for Wetzel County, West Virginia. I'm going heavy on the research plans for WV counties because I'll be traveling there next month and I want to make sure I'm ready.
Finish list of microfilms to request from Family History Center.

Writing

Eight blog posts per month. Two here will be catchup posts from last month-a book review and a research plan.
Start narrowing down the family I want to write a family history book on. This is going to be a tough one because there are so many I want to write about.

Education

Do March's assignment for the US Records Study Group.
Read one genealogy book.
Watch one webinar.

Volunteer

Revisit local library and make a list of lookups I can offer. (continued from January)
Volunteer to index 1940 census.

Other

Finish rearranging genea-cave and get pictures up.

February Genealogy Goals Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 23:14:00 +0000

Research

Finish list of people to check in 1940 census. Done.
Develop research plan for Lewis County, West Virginia. I've did the research needed to put together the plan, but haven't sat down to write it yet. Look for it in the coming week.

Writing

Finish outline for budget genealogy book. Done.
Review one genealogy book. It should be up within a couple days.

Education

Finish January's assignments for US Records Study Group and do February assignments. January is done and I'm working on February's assignments, which should be ready in a day or two.
Read one genealogy book. I'm almost finished with Tracing Your Civil War Ancestor by Bertram Hawthorne Greene. Look for a review in the coming month.

Other

Get new laptop set up. Due to our tax refund being delayed, I ended up not getting my laptop until yesterday afternoon. Since we've also been dealing with replacing the hot water heater (a major pain since it's in the corner of the kitchen surrounded by cabinets), I haven't got to spend as much time as I would have liked with the new laptop. It will probably be a few more days before I get everything fully loaded. Then I get to tackle rearranging the room which serves as my genea-cave, personal library and shared computer room to make it more functional because the current arrangement isn't working for us.
Join NGS. Done.

It's Here-The New Laptop Has Finally Arrived!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 21:24:00 +0000

My new laptop arrived today. I can't wait to get all my genealogy stuff loaded so I can get back to work. Since my old computer crashed several weeks ago, I've been making do with an older system we had. It hasn't been fun, especially since it was a lot less functional.

After shopping around, I finally settled on a HP Pavilion dm4-2180us from Staples. With the sale price and a rebate, it came to $479.99 plus tax. It has an Intel Core i5-2430m processor (2.4 GHz), 6 GB memory and 640 GB hard drive. It's lightweight, less than 5 pounds, and even comes with a fingerprint scanner for security. The battery is good for up to 8 hours, which will be nice when traveling with it.

With the new computer, I'm doing a redesign of the room where I have my genea-cave. Even though it hasn't been that long since we set the room up, it's not working for us. Since I have to share space with my home library and my husband and daughter's computers, we need the room to be functional. Once we get it set back up, I'll finally take the pictures I was planning to post after we moved.

Sharing Memories: Week 8

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:35:00 +0000

I haven't participated yet in the Sharing Memories series, but this week's prompt spoke to me. As you could probably tell from some of my earlier posts, I'm a bibliophile. So when I saw this week's prompt was about books, I had to jump in.

This week's prompt is what kind of books did you read as a kid.

I've always been an avid reader, even as a child. My mom read a lot and passed it on to me. I've continued the tradition by instilling a love of books in my daughter. Even though she's only five, she has quite a collection of books-some early readers that she can read on her own and others that my husband or I read to her.

I attended a small combination elementary and middle school as a child with one librarian covering the entire school. We were limited to choosing only books deemed appropriate for our age range and only able to check out two per week. As someone who could easily go through a book a day (still can if I have the free time), this frustrated me.

Thankfully, the librarian was an amazing woman who realized this. She raised both limits for me, allowing me access to all the books in the library and letting me take out more than two books per week. She also recommended books that I might not have chosen on my own, opening my eyes to a wide variety of books. She must have alerted the high school librarian of my love for reading because I had an increased check out limit when I got there as well.

I will read about anything I can get my hands on, but my favorite has always been mysteries. There's nothing like curling up with a good mystery, gleaning all the clues from the pages and trying to solve it before the answer is revealed at the end of the book.

Being a mystery lover, it's no surprise that it's that genre of books that stands out most clearly in my mind when I think of childhood reading.

Nancy Drew

I loved Nancy Drew and have read most of them. What wasn't to love about a girl that defied stereotypes, had all kind of adventures, drove around in a convertible and had great friends like Bess and George? I didn't just like the series; I wanted to be Nancy.

I still have a few that have followed me to adulthood. They're a little advanced for my daughter, but I hope one day she'll love the series as much as I did as a child.

Hardy Boys

The Hardy Boys series was another frequently read one in my childhood. I loved reading about their adventures. They did a lot and had fun. I'm sure I'm not the only girl that had a crush on the boys either.

As with the Nancy Drew books, I still have a few that I've put up for my daughter.

The Three Investigators

While it took me a bit to remember the title, I distinctly remembered the series. Three boys running a detective agency out of an old trailer buried in a junkyard just fascinated me. The fact that they were younger than Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys was neat too. Nothing like chasing down clues and suspects on a bicycle.

The Boxcar Children
I adored the Boxcar Children series. Unfortunately, neither the school library or local public library had many of the series so I didn't get to read the entire series. They still stand out in my memory though. Once my daughter is a little older, I'll probably try to see if I can get the books for her to read.

Little House on the Prairie

While not a mystery, the Little House series was a childhood favorite. My parents bought me the boxed set for Christmas when I was seven and they have been well-read over the years. I still have them (are you noticing a theme?) and will give them to my daughter when she's older.

Does Decor Bring Back Memories for You?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:58:00 +0000

I have a confession. I'm addicted to chef decor. It started out innocently. My sister and I were shopping and we came across a clock with a chef on it. It was cute so I bought it for my kitchen. A few weeks later, I was at a flea market and came across a chef napkin holder. I walked around three or four times before I finally bought it. That was the beginning of my obsession.

The chef clock that started it all. It hangs above my sink mounted on the soffit that tops my cabinets.

For Christmas, my sister got me a couple of the figurines and hooks with the chef decor. Since then, I've added dishcloths, potholders, oven mitts, kitchen towels, miniature collector's dishes, a couple wall plaques and a tablecloth.

For a while, my addiction seemed tamed. Then I went to a store one day and was confronted with a large display of more chef decor items. I had to have them. Before I could stop myself, I had four canvases, a sink sponge holder and a spoon rest in the buggy.

I can't help but wonder if since my daughter is growing up around this obsession, if she's not going to immediately associate any chef decor she comes across with me. It's not that strange of a thought.

You see, my paternal grandmother collects Aunt Jemima dolls. She started her collection before I was born and has added to it over the years. A few pieces I've even bought for her. To this day, whenever I come across one, it immediately brings her to mind.

My maternal grandmother collected Barbies, not the cheap ones, but the limited edition ones. They were never taken out of the box. One entire wall of her bedroom was filled with shelves of Barbies. Every time I see a Barbie in a store, I think of her.

What decor brings back memories of family for you?

February Genealogy Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:23:00 +0000

February is shaping up to be a busy month already so genealogy time and goals are going to be limited. I have to do our taxes, always a dreaded chore since both my husband and I are self-employed. My new laptop should be arriving in a couple weeks so I need to devote some time to setting it up and loading everything on it.

Also on the schedule is a parent-teacher conference, a visit from my mom, a visit from my sister and niece, and a girl's night out (we're going to see the Chippendales!). Last but not least, I will be participating in the 29 Day Organizational Challenge at OrgJunkie. An organized house means less time dealing with household chores and more time for genealogy.

Research

Finish list of people to check in 1940 census.
Develop research plan for Lewis County, West Virginia.

Writing

Finish outline for budget genealogy book.
Review one genealogy book.

Education

Finish January's assignments for US Records Study Group and do February assignments.
Read one genealogy book.

Other

Get new laptop set up.
Join NGS.

January Genealogy Goals Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:04:00 +0000

January was a bit of a rocky month thanks to a computer crash. I'm making do with an older one until I can get a new laptop next month. Unfortunately, the combination of the computer crash and having to work on an older (read: a lot less functional) computer, set me back quite a bit on my goals. Hopefully next month will be better.

Research

Make list of microfilms to request in advance of trip to Family History Center. List has been started, but I need to finish it.
Start list of names to check when the 1940 census is released. Well I started it anyway. I really need to get moving on this project because April will be here before I know it. Next month I plan to finish my list and start pinpointing the areas I need to check for each person.
Research Gilmer County, West Virginia and develop research plan. Done, you can read it here.

Writing

Write 8 posts for each of my blogs. I didn't make it on either blog.
Come up with post ideas for my upcoming blog to document my husband's side of the family. Done. I have started pre-writing posts and hope to launch in another month or so.
Begin working on outline for book on doing genealogy on a budget. I didn't get as far as I had hoped. My plan was to get an outline done this month so I could start researching and writing next month. I'm still working on the outline.
Review one genealogy book. Done, I reviewed West Virginia Genealogy Sources and Resources. You can read it here.

Education

Read one genealogy book. Done. I finished West Virginia Genealogy Sources and Resources and have started The Family Tree Problem Solver. Look for a review in February.
Get back into gear with US Records Study Group. I've started this month's assignments, but haven't completed them yet.
Watch one genealogy webinar. Didn't get to it this month.

Volunteer

Revisit local library and make a list of lookups I can offer based on the holdings of the genealogy room. Didn't get to it this month.

The Importance of Backups

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:42:00 +0000

You may have noticed I've been a bit scarce lately. Unfortunately, this was due to a computer crash, my second since starting my genealogy addiction.

Thankfully, the first crash taught me a valuable lesson. Computers aren't infallible. They crash. Stuff gets accidentally deleted. If you haven't had an issue with your computer, it's coming. It's an inevitable fact of technology.

After my first computer crash, I became a little OCD about backing up my important files. I use a combination of methods to ensure I am able to restore everything in the event of my computer failing.

Automatic Backups

I have two automatic backup programs that run nightly, Dropbox and IDrive. I use Dropbox for my genealogy files and IDrive for my pictures. Both offer free backup space. Just download the program, tell it what files you want it to monitor and it does its thing.

Both backup options give you a way to get more space if you need it. You can pay to upgrade or refer others to get additional space. Note both links used here are referral links. If you sign up via them, I get more space.

Manual Backups

I also have Windows Live SkyDrive. It's not an automatic backup service. You have to remember to do your backups. Since it offers more space than the automatic backup services at the same price (free!), I backup both my genealogy and pictures files to it.

The important thing with SkyDrive is that you need to do it regularly for it to be an effective method. Set aside a day every week or month to do it. If you're concerned about forgetting to do it, write it on your calendar, set a reminder on your computer or phone, or make it part of your regular maintenance regimen (virus scan, spyware check, defrag, etc).

External Backups

I have two methods of external backup. The first is the 640GB portable external hard drive my husband bought me a couple months ago. I backup all my important files to it so if my computer goes down, I have it in reserve. All I have to do is plug it in to my new computer and I'm set. It has the added bonus of being small enough I can drop it in my purse when I leave the house so if something unfortunately befalls my home, I'm protected.

My second method is one I've been using for a while. Every few months, I burn a copy of all of my pictures and genealogy files to a disc and distribute them to family members. I make sure to label the disc with the date I burned it. In the event all other backups fail, I can simply go to family members to get the most recent disc. While it may not be as recent as what I had on my computer, it's still a lot better than starting over from scratch or losing irreplaceable pictures.

Paper Backup

There is a trend these days to go completely paperless. While I've made efforts to digitize all my paper files, I haven't destroyed them after the digitization. There's just something about holding the piece of paper that stirs something in me more than viewing it on a computer screen ever will. So even though it requires more space. I keep both paper and digital files.

Rebuilding your genealogy database from paper files isn't an easy process. However, it could be more effective in the long run because it gives you an opportunity to reevaluate everything you've found to date. In the process, you may realize that your initial interpretation of a record was in error or that you missed something on first glance at a record.

How do you protect yourself from unexpected computer crashes? What backup methods do you use?

Book Review: West Virginia Genealogy Sources & Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:45:00 +0000

Today's book review is of West Virginia Genealogy Sources & Resources by Carol McGinnis. As you may remember, my paternal line is from West Virginia, which is what led me to buy the book. It will make a good edition to the section of my personal genealogy library that is devoted to state-specific research.

While the copy I own is new, the book was actually published in 1988. Don't let that scare you away out of fear it is outdated, though. Some the prices may have went up since the book was published, but the majority of the information in the book is still of us.

In writing the book, the author sent questionnaires/surveys to all county clerks, at least one library in each county and all known genealogical and historical societies in the state. County clerks were asked to provide information on their records, restrictions to records, whether they handle research requests and what they charge if they do.

Libraries were asked for information about the library (hours, contact information, etc), the size of their genealogical holdings, and whether they have restrictions on access or answer research requests. Societies were asked to provide information on their group (size, start date, dues, etc); whether they answered queries, whether they operated a library, archives or museum; their holdings and whether they offered publications for sale.

All the information garnered from these questionnaires was included in the book. For ones that didn't respond, the author attempted to provide the information from other sources.

The book consists of an introduction, six chapters, three appendices and an index. The first chapter is quite brief and offers a quick overview of the state of West Virginia. To give you an idea of how brief, the entire chapter is covered in 2 pages.

The second chapter gets into vital and county records. It starts by giving an overview of record-keeping and requesting records. Then it gets to the meaty stuff with the details on what each county courthouse has. Each county will have a short paragraph about the county including its formation, then lists what years are covered in the records, and information on in-person research and written queries. Some counties have more information than others because not all clerks responded to the questionnaire.

Chapters three and four get into other types of records. These include family Bibles, newspapers, land records and naturalization, just to name a few.

In chapter five, we learn about genealogical collections. The first part of the chapter covers larger collections at the state level. The rest of the chapter is broken down alphabetically by county.. The library surveys are used to fill it in.

Chapter six covers genealogical and historical societies. Again, it is organized alphabetically by county. This is not a comprehensive list because I know of at least one society that wasn't included. The way it handles non-county specific societies such as the state genealogical society is a little disappointing. I actually missed it at first because it's buried in a county listing, I would have preferred to have it in a separate section.

Appendix A is a bibliography of genealogy sources. It is broken down by topic (military, newspapers, etc) and then by county. Appendix B is an inventory to the Historical Records Survey Archives, which are available on microfilm at the West Virginia University Library. It gives a brief description of what is on each of the 299 reels.

Last but not least, Appendix C is a list of West Virginians who filed Civil War damage claims with the Southern Claims Commission. It gives the individual's name, county and file number.

Even accounting for the possibility that some of the information in the book may be out of date, I would still recommend the book to others researching West Virginia ancestors. While it doesn't cover every available source in the state (I don't think any book does), it is jam-packed with information that can be used in your research.

Research Plan: Gilmer County, West Virginia

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:51:00 +0000

For my next location research plan, I chose Gilmer County, West Virginia. This is where much of my paternal line comes from. Unlike some of the other locations I will be profiling this year, Gilmer County is a definite visit. I plan to visit in just a few months, and will be staying at the Carson homeplace (still owned by family) and visiting my great grandmother in neighboring Lewis County.

Background

Gilmer County was formed in 1845 from portions of Kanawha and Lewis Counties. As best as I can tell, the part my ancestors settled in was from the portion that came from Lewis County. The county seat is Glenville.

As with all West Virginia counties, it was once part of Virginia. The county was named for a former governor, Thomas Walker Gilmer, who served from 1840 to 1841. Gilmer later served in Congress and as Secretary of the Navy under President Tyler.

Gilmer County is definitely what some would call country. Unless something has changed in the last year, there is only one traffic light in the entire county. The county enjoyed a short population boom in the early 1900s thanks to commercial riverboat traffic, but it declined after the 1930s.

Courthouses

There have been three courthouses in Gilmer County. The first was built in 1850. The second was built in 1872. The third and current courthouse dates to 1923. Most records date back to the county's formation in 1845.

Historical Sites

There are a couple historic bridges that my ancestors most likely traversed. The first is the cable suspension bridge at Duck Run built in 1922. The Stouts Mill bridge is a rare example of camelback Baltimore truss design. It is no longer open to traffic, but can still be seen. Finally, there is the Glenville truss bridge, open to pedestrian traffic only and located just off Main Street in Glenville.

A Civil War era church, Job's Temple, is also located in Gilmer County and still in use today. For a return to yesteryear education, the Cedarville School was built in 1923 and still has many of its original features including the schoolbell.

I definitely want to stop in at the Little Kanawha Valley Bank. It was built ca 1900 and it's not unlikely that my ancestors used its services. I also want to see the Poor Farm Infirmary. Prior to the Social Security Act, these buildings were how the community cared for the sick who were unable to pay for their own care. The building dates back to 1845.

Last but not least are the museums. First is the Ruddell General Store, which now serves as the County Store Museum. It still has the original decorative tin ceiling. It is said to be an example of late 19th century commercial design. The second is the Holt House History Century. Built in 1903 as a residence, the Holt House is now owned by the Gilmer County Historical Society.

Since both my grandmother and great grandmother are still living, I plan to ask them if they recognize any of these places. I may end up getting some stories.

Libraries

There are two libraries in Gilmer County. The public library has around 100 volumes in its genealogy collection, including local and family histories. The second library, the Robert F Kidd Library, is located at Glenville State College. It houses a little over 1400 volumes and includes newspapers dating to the early 1900s.

Kirkpatrick Cemetery

The Carson homeplace was once the Kirkpatrick homeplace. My great grandparents bought it in the 1940s. On the property is the Kirkpatrick cemetery. My great grandparents, Argial Waitman Carson and Evelyn Edna King Carson, are buried there. As you may recall, my great grandmother's passing shortly after my daughter's birth is what spurred me to begin researching my family history in earnest. I will be staying at the homeplace, now owned by my great aunt and great uncle, during my visit and will be walking up the hill to visit with my great grandparents while there.

Boilon Cemetery

Many of my Radcliff ancestors are buried at Boilon Cemetery. These include my great grandfather, two of his children, my 2nd great grandparents and my 3rd great grandparents.

Messenger Cemetery

As the name implies, there's Messengers buried here. These include my 3rd and 4th great grandfathers. My 3rd great grandfather on my Neal line, Riley Neal, is also buried here.

Hiney Hill

This cemetery includes several of my ancestors, including Carsons and Messengers. There are also some related Radcliffs here as well.

Other Cemeteries

Other cemeteries I would like to visit during my trip include the IOOF Cemetery, the Otterbein Cemetery and Stalnaker Cemetery. A few have familiar names, others have some of my surnames even though I don't recognize the person. As I said in my Hancock County research plan, I intend to photograph all tombstones with familiar surnames in the hopes of connecting them to my family at some point.

To Cite or Not to Cite, That Is The Question

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:33:00 +0000

It seems that the citation debate, among others, is making the rounds again. As with the other debates that make the rounds in the genealogy community, there seems to be a lot of opinions on the issue.

Why I Cite

You probably have noticed that some of my posts here at Ancestrally Challenged have source citations. I don't do it because it's expected. Nor do I do it so I can lord over all the non-citing bloggers. I do it for myself.

When I first started researching my family history, I made a newbie mistake. Who hasn't? Mine was entering information without citing where I found it. As a result, I've found myself backtracking and trying to relocate my sources. For the most part, I've been able to. In a few cases, though, the source is no longer available or I can't find it.

Now that I understand the importance of citing my sources, I've been trying to make it a habit. To that end, I decided to include source citations in all of my writing, regardless of whether it's for my personal files or here. My theory is that the more I do it, the more ingrained the habit will become.

Just because it works for me doesn't mean it's necessarily the right way, just the right way for me to instill a habit.

Why I Don't Care if You Cite or Not

I love reading other genealogy blogs. Even though in most cases I'm not related, I still feel an impact on some level. I may be excited about your discovery, share your frustration with a tough brick wall or get a laugh about one of your crazy ancestors (we all have at least one). I don't need a source list to get that.

If I think we have a connection and want to know your sources, I'll ask you. After all, don't we all on some level blog because we're hoping a connection will find us? If I contact you, it's a win-win. I get to find out the sources and you get contacted by a possible connection. We may each be holding the pieces the other needs. What's not to like about that?

When it comes down to it, your blog is yours to do with what you wish. Whether you cite your sources or not is completely up to you. To be honest, I was probably too caught up in reading your story to even notice whether they were there or not.

Final Thoughts

What drew you to genealogy as a hobby/obsession/addiction/career? Was it the yearning to know more about your heritage? The need to share your family's stories before they're lost?

I bet it wasn't the desire to write everything down and get a pat on the head for doing it the "right" way.

One of the things that I love about the genealogy blogging community is that it encompasses all levels of expertise from the newbie beginner to more experienced professionals. I read blogs that cover the entire spectrum and I have got something-a tip, a new tool or sometimes just a smile- from every one.

Just because someone is doing something a different way doesn't mean their way is wrong. It's just different. Instead of focusing on what someone is or isn't doing right on their blog, why not do what we came here for? Share your stories and enjoy the stories shared by others.

If a fellow blogger asks for help, feel free to offer your advice, but don't feel like you have to correct them because they are doing something differently than you. Remember, we were all newbies once and even among experienced professionals, there are differences.

New Feature: My Genealogy Library

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:34:00 +0000

As I've mentioned before, I love books. I read just about everything. Recently I've been working on expanding my personal genealogy library. I've added traditional and digital books on everything from how to do genealogy to local histories and genealogies.

Some books were based on recommendations from other genealogists. Others were stumbled across in the course of researching. A few were found by searching for books on a specific area or family. All are helpful to my research and to my goal of becoming a professional genealogist.

Some of the books currently in my library. The big blue binder on the left side is my education binder and the black box on the right side is my index file

I have put together a list of all the genealogy books currently in my library and shared it here. Just click the "My Genealogy Library" tab just under the header to get to it. The books are divided by topic area for easier finding. Since one of my goals for this year is to read at least one genealogy book and review it every month, you will notice that some books have links to a review. As I review each book, I'll add a link to it.

It is my hope that this list will be helpful for others building their genealogy library. If you need a lookup in one of the books, just let me know.

January Genealogy Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:27:00 +0000

Research

Make list of microfilms to request in advance of trip to Family History Center.
Start list of names to check when the 1940 census is released.
Research Gilmer County, West Virginia and develop research plan.

Writing

Write 8 posts for each of my blogs.
Come up with post ideas for my upcoming blog to document my husband's side of the family.
Begin working on outline for book on doing genealogy on a budget.
Review one genealogy book.

Education

Read one genealogy book.
Get back into gear with US Records Study Group
Watch one genealogy webinar.

Volunteer

Revisit local library and make a list of lookups I can offer based on the holdings of the genealogy room.

2012 Genealogy Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:33:00 +0000

It's that time again. A while back, I read a blog post about using the requirements of a group or organization you want to join as a basis for setting goals. It's been bouncing around in head ever since I read it. So if some of this year's genealogy goals sound familiar, keep in mind that I'm interested in taking the ProGen Study Group, and getting accredited and/or certified through ICAPGEN and the BCG.

Research

Research in at least one archive. This will most likely be the Georgia Archives because I have a long list of other things I would like to check there. Since it's close to the National Archives Southeast Division, I may end up stopping there while I'm in the area. Next on the list is probably the South Carolina Archives. A lot of my Georgia surnames were in South Carolina before they came to Georgia.
Visit a Family History Center. I'm embarrassed to say that I have not yet visited one. Both of the ones closest to me require around a 45 minute drive one way. They also both have weird hours that are hard to work around my schedule. However, there is one in the town where my mom lives that is open twice a week with more reasonable hours so I'm hoping to squeeze in a visit while I'm in town to see her. You can now request microfilms over the internet so I'll need to put together a list of items to request in advance of my visit.
Continue with transcription project for my West Virginia surnames. This project is nearing completion.
Start new transcription project for my Georgia surnames using records available from Georgia's Virtual Vault. I actually jumped ahead of myself and this has been started in a small way as I have begun compiling Sweat marriages in south Georgia for the family wiki I set up.
Set up wiki for another of my surnames. I'm still debating which one to pick, but it will probably be one of my paternal lines.
Research one location per month and develop research plan.

Organization

Work on consistently using my digital filing system for documents and photographs. I actually started this last year, but got away from it. I recently set up a new system using my an external drive and I want to stick with it this time.
Look into ways to take my genealogy files with me. Since I will be doing more genealogy travel this year, I would like to find an app that will allow me to have my files with me no matter where I am. I know there are several available so I'll be exploring my options to find the one that works best for me.

Writing

Write a minimum of eight blogs posts per month for each of my blogs.
Begin working on book about doing genealogy on a budget. This is something I've been considering doing for a while. There is an astonishing amount of genealogical information available online for free if you just know where to look. This is what led me to start my Free Genealogy Resources blog.
Start planning family history book. This is also something I've been thinking about for a while. There are a couple surnames that already have books, but they are out of date and I know at least one of them isn't documented.
Query at least one genealogy-related publication (print or online).
Review one genealogy-related book per month.
Launch third genealogy blog to document research on husband's lines.

Education

Attend at least one genealogy conference. I've attended the last two Georgia Family History Expos. I would love to attend one of the bigger conference like NGS.
Take a genealogy class/webinar every month. This is double last year's goal, but I really want to focus on ramping up my education this year.
Read one genealogy-related book per month. This goes along with one of my writing goals. As I complete each book, I will be reviewing it. Since I've bought 16 books on various aspects of genealogy in the last six weeks, I already have the books on hand.
Continue with US Records Study Group.

Volunteer

Continue indexing for FamilySearch and Restore the Ancestors.
Continue working with Unclaimed Persons.
Continue taking volunteer photographs for FindAGrave.
Sign up as a lookup volunteer with USGenWeb.

Other

Look into setting up a family association. I have a couple surnames in mind for this project. As far as I know, none of them currently have a family association set up, even though there are a decent number of people researching that particular surname and family. I'd like to set up a central location where we can share our research (properly documented of course), photographs and family heirlooms with each other and the rest of the family.

2011 Genealogy Goals Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:30:00 +0000

When I set my goals for 2011, I was feeling quite ambitious. Rather than pick a few goals, I went all out and had a bunch of genealogy goals for the year. Despite some setbacks (having to take a break from genealogy after my grandfather passed, financial issues and moving), I still accomplished a lot. Look for my goals for 2012 tomorrow.

Research

Determine who the parents of my great great grandfather James Thomas Hayes are and where he is buried.
I came up with a research plan back in February to work on this goal. When I wrote the post, I had planned to order his death certificate, but life and finances got in the way so I still don't have it. I've done further research since that post and I suspect he is the son of Joseph L Hayes and Mary Ann Brantley. At the moment, I am exploring this theory in a separate tree so if I'm wrong, I don't have to go back and strip out the information. If I'm right, I will merge it into my proven tree.

Determine exactly when my great great grandmother Minnie L Rice Hayes passed and where she is buried.
A cousin recently confirmed that she is buried at Brushy Creek Cemetery, which is where my grandfather had told me. The cousin also gave me a different year of death than I had been told so I'm working on finding a record to back that up.

Determine if Bonnie Lee Radcliff and Lenia Pearl Radcliff were actually twins or if there was an error in the birth records.
After doing some research, which I wrote about here, I'm nearly positive that these girls are the same person and the error lies in the record. I asked around with family members and couldn't find anyone that recognized Bonnie's name.

Determine who the parents of Thomas Vanzandt were as well as his exactly date of death.
It appears that Thomas Vanzandt passed away 2 Feb 1911 and is buried in Evansville, Indiana. This is consistent with his disappearance from records after the 1910 census and where his children lived. I'm still working on his parents, but I did find a couple promising census records that lead me to suspect his father may have been James Vanzandt.

Determine parents of husband's great great grandparents Joseph Koch Sr and Therese Ospelt Koch.
When I started Ancestrally Challenged, I planned to share all of my research, which includes my husband's side of the family as well. However, after thinking about it, I've decided to use this blog for only my side of the family. I have a blog to cover his side of the family in the planning stages now.

If you're curious about the progress of this goal, it still remains open. I found a lookup volunteer in the area of Pennsylvania where they passed and sent a request for their obituaries. She did respond to tell me she had located Therese's obituary and ask if I wanted a copy. I said yes (of course), but that's the last I heard from the volunteer. I even sent a followup email in case the first was lost, but received no response.

Continue transcription project of all vital records for my WV surnames.
Still going.

Look into ordering death certificates for those individuals in my tree that I do not have a date of death or am missing information on parents.
I have compiled a list, but have not ordered any certificates yet.

Look into alternative record sources instead of only census, immigration, military and vital records.
Done. I have explored pension files, probate and wills, and land records.

Visit at least one archive or genealogy library.
I didn't really get to check off this goal. I did, however, explore the genealogy room at the local library. Hopefully, I will be able to make it to an archive or genealogy library in the coming year.

Visit local libraries to see what they have to offer that may be helpful in my genealogy research.
I visited the local public library. The local college also has a library that's open to the community, but after looking through their online catalog, I chose not to visit since they had very little related to genealogy in their collections.

Organization

Continue with project to rebuild family tree from scratch adding only those people that I have sources to back up their addition.
Still going. This probably would have been done or at lot closer to being done, but I have shiny object syndrome.

Make sure I have copies of all sources with citations.
Still in progress, but the majority of this is complete.

Make sure all sources I already have copies of have citations.
Done.

See if there is a way to do a timeline for the entire family tree with one of my family tree programs. If not, begin compiling one.
I wasn't able to figure out a way to print a timeline for all individuals in my family tree so I'm going through my tree person by person to make one. I know some of the paid versions of genealogy software have this option so I may end up upgrading.

Get all photographs scanned in and labeled.
All photographs that I have in my possession are scanned and labeled. I've also scanned pictures in the possession of my grandmother, mom and mother-in-law. Most of the ones from my grandmother and mom are labeled. I'm still working on labeling the ones I scanned at my mother-in-law's house.

Consistently use my research logs to avoid repeating searches.
This took a while to kick in, but as of September, I am now using my research logs nearly every time I sit down to research.

Writing

Write at least three blog posts a week for both of my blogs. One of the three posts here at Ancestrally Challenged can be a daily blogging theme.
This goal was more miss than hit. A few months into the year, I ended up dropping my goal down to 8 posts per month for each blog, or an average of 2 posts per week. There were some months I did manage 12 or more posts, including November when I posted every day.

Participate in a genealogy blog carnival.
Done. I participated in the January Carnival of Genealogy.

Education

Attend at least one genealogy conference.
I attended the Georgia Family History Expo. I wrote about Day 1, Day 2 and the exhibitors.

Take at least six family history-related classes or webinars.
I took Finding Your Ancestors; Google for Genealogists; Timelines, Lifelines; Organizing for Success; and Add to Your Arsenal of Georgia Genealogy Resources. I also joined the US Records Study Group, a 15 month program of study that explores The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy and The Source. If you've been following the blog the last few months, you've probably saw my assignments.

Look into joining a genealogy society.
I compiled a list of all potential genealogy and/or historical societies that I might be interested in. These included the National Genealogy Society, state societies, regional societies, county societies and a few family societies. I eventually decided to join NGS because while the other societies can be helpful in specific areas, NGS can help me in all areas. In the coming year, I will probably add some of the smaller genealogy societies.

Look into professional certification.
I researched the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) and the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGEN). After reviewing their application processes, I don't think I'm quite ready for either one. For the time being, I'm going to focus on improving my skills through education and getting more experience under my belt, especially for those areas I have little or no experience.

December Genealogy Goals Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:44:00 +0000

Research

Send out letters to members of my paternal line asking for information, documents and pictures. Done. Keep your fingers crossed that they will be fruitful.
Continue work on family wiki. Done.

Organization

Now that my paper files are in order, it's time to start organizing my digital files. Thanks to my husband fighting the Black Friday crowd, I now have a 640 GB portable hard drive. I'll be setting up a digital filing system on it and moving all my genealogy and picture files to it. Done. You can read about it here.
Set up a location for filing in progress research. I have a wall file organizer that should work for this. It will allow me to keep in progress files within reach without having to dig them out of my main files every time I go to work on them. Done. My husband mounted the wall file organizer to the cabinet beside my desk.

Writing

Since National Blog Posting Month has shown I can do daily posts (on one blog at least), I've decided there's no excuse for only two posts per week. While I can do daily posts, I found that I spent more time writing than researching. I decided on 15 posts for the month or one every other day. I'm not setting the same goal for my other blog, but I should have several guest posts going live there this month. Done, I ended up with 16 posts here and only a handful of post on my other blog. If you missed it, my first guest poster at Free Genealogy Resources was Michael Hait who shared some free resources for Maryland land records.
Develop research plan for family of paternal 3rd great grandfather James William Radcliff. Done. You can read it here. Suggestions are always welcome.

Education

Update education binder. I've been so focused on getting my genealogy files in order that I neglected to keep my education binder up to date. I need to get in the syllabi and notes from the Georgia Family History Expo, notes from a couple webinars I've watched and printouts of some great blog posts I've read recently. Done.
Stalk mailman for special handouts from Arlene Eakle due to arrive sometime this month. Between waiting for the handouts and all the books I ordered, he has been thoroughly stalked this month.

Other

Finish filling out 38 generation pedigree chart so I can get it framed and up on the wall. Done.
Get pictures of ancestors printed and framed so I can hang them with my pedigree chart. Partially done. While I have the pictures printed, I'm still in search of all the frames I need. I know I could just go to the dollar store and pick up some cheap frames, but I don't want plain ones. I want antique-looking frames with character. I've found a few already by haunting local thrift stores..
Added during the month. Set up research plan for one location I want to visit. Done, I chose Hancock County, Kentucky, which you can read about here.

Book Review: Genealogical Proof Standard

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:45:00 +0000

As I mentioned previously, I bought a stack of new genealogy books as a Christmas present for myself and would be reviewing each book as I completed them. I just finished Genealogical Proof Standard: Building a Solid Case by Christine Rose.

The book is quite short, less than 100 pages. I actually read the entire book in one sitting. The book includes an introduction, five chapters, epilogue, suggested sources and an index. As the title implies, the book is about applying the genealogical proof standard (GPS) to your work in order to build a solid case..

The first chapter is all about the GPS. The various components are explored. It also gives a good explanation of original vs derivative sources, primary vs secondary information and direct vs indirect evidence.

The second chapter goes into building a solid case. It includes when to use the GPS, the whos and whys, cautions and how to reach a sound conclusion when problems are present.

In the third chapter, we learn about evaluating records. A few common record types are explored and classified. I found it interesting that some records could fall within more than one classification or have varying degrees of credibility depending on the individual record.

Two case studies are found in the fourth chapter. The first is a hypothetical case and the second a real-life one. The hypothetical case is fairly clear-cut. The real-life one is explored showing the various records available, the conclusions that can be drawn from them individually and then the conclusion reached when combining everything using the GPS.

The last chapter talks about proof arguments and summaries. It gives a good breakdown of what needs to go in these. Interspersed through the book are various examples and images to illustrate the points. The suggested source list is brief, but offers several options for further research into the GPS.

While brief, I felt the book covered a lot of ground in an easy-to-understand format.I also like the small size since it can be easily taken along with me if I'm researching away from home and want a refresher.