The Genlighten Blog

Featured Provider: celeste-d-r

2012-12-17T15:43:32Z

A native of rural Saskatchewan, a Certified Saskatchewan Researcher, and a life-time member of the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society, celeste-d-r has over 30 years of experience researching family history. She can access most Saskatchewan records. Her individual offerings on Genlighten cover newspaper, court, homestead, and teacher records but she also offers a comprehensive search of basic province records.

How did you get started doing genealogy research?

I think I’ve always been interested in finding out more about my family. When I was about 10 years old I used to listen to my aunts talking about their memories of the “old days” when they came to visit my parents. Then, when my children were very young, I was helping to prepare for my husband’s grandparents’ 50th Wedding Anniversary. I was at the archives looking school district records for information about them. I decided to also check the school district records for the area where my grandparents lived to see what I might find about my own family. A few pages into the file I saw my grandfather’s signature. What emotions I felt, as he had died many years before I was born. I felt such a powerful connection to him – to know that he had held the very paper I was holding and to see his signature. I was hooked on genealogy from that day forward!

How have you developed your research skills?

I believe that one can never have too much education. I try to stay up-to-date on developments in genealogical research by attending seminars and conferences, listening to online webinars, and reading several genealogical periodicals and newsletters.

I have successfully completed three of the four certification courses offered by the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society: Certified Saskatchewan Record Searcher, Certified Saskatchewan Instructor, and Certified Saskatchewan Researcher courses. I am presently working on the Certified Aboriginal Researcher course.

I have a membership in the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), the College of Certified Saskatchewan Genealogists, the Friends of the Saskatchewan Archives, and have a lifetime membership in the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society. I actively volunteer in the three Saskatchewan-based organizations.

Tell us a favorite story about one of your ancestors.

My great grandmother, Caroline Elizabeth (nee McLaren) DeClare packed a lot of living into her few years of life. She was born in 1861, was married at the age of 18, and by the time she was 35 years old, she had eight children. Ten years later, at the age of 45, she succumbed to throat cancer.

She made a button charm, also known as a memory string or a friendship string, that was 10 feet long. These were popular during the 1860s up to about 1900. No two buttons on the string are the same. It was believed that if a young woman could collect 999 different buttons, the 1,000th button would be given to her by her true love. I treasure this family heirloom.

What’s the most unique record source that you access for research?

The Inactive Teachers Register 1912-1938 are on 59 reels of microfilm. These records contain a goldmine of information and are well worth searching if you suspect that one of your ancestors may have taught school in Saskatchewan. The sheets for each teacher list the name (including the maiden name for women), date of birth and place, birth certificate number, teacher training in Saskatchewan and elsewhere, soldier’s discharge information, and the names of schools and the years the person taught in each.

What tools do you use to create the reports/images you provide to clients?

I have Legacy and Family Tree Maker genealogy software. However, I prefer to prepare reports using a word processing program and provide the report as a pdf file. I can save files in almost any format a client would prefer.

Images of documents from microfilm or scanned from original documents are saved as tiff or jpeg files and may be provided to clients in a pdf file. Digital camera copies may also be provided. Reports are detailed, giving proper source citations, including sources checked where the outcome was unsuccessful.

What advice would you give to someone trying to break through a  brick wall?

Brick walls – although frustrating – can usually be broken down. My motto is “Your ancestors will make themselves know to you when they are ready to be found.” I truly believe in serindipity and following your instincts.

Sometimes you will need to leave the search for a period of time and focus on something else. Searching collateral lines will sometimes provide the clues you need to break through your brick wall.

What hobbies do you pursue when you’re not doing research?

Genealogy, genealogy and more genealogy. That is my main interest next to my family, of course! I also enjoy camping, going for walks, motorhome vacations, and motorcycling.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I am a huge believer in “giving back” through volunteerism. A lot of what I have used to create my family history is because of other genealogists and family historians who volunteered their time to create record indexes, databases, cemtery transcriptions and more. Volunteering is my way of saying thank you and of ensuring research tools and information is available for present and future genealogists.

Featured Provider: Family History Hound (familyhistoryhound)

2012-10-15T11:10:22Z

Family History Hound (familyhistoryhound) says, “Genealogy is my passion, something that I’ve been doing for over ten years.” Located in Edmonton, she can visit major repositories including the Alberta Archives, Alberta Genealogical Society, City of Edmonton Archives, Edmonton Public School Archives and Alberta Land Titles.

1) How did you get started?

I started doing family history research about 10 years ago. For some, like me, this isn’t just a hobby. It’s a passion. Two years ago I started my website Family History Hound. I love to help people with their research.

2) Do you have a genealogy superpower?

I guess that would be my sleuthing skills. I have an expansive list of resources that I can access either locally or on the Internet.

3) Describe a challenging research problem you’re particularly proud of having solved.

One of my friends found out that her father had been married previously and that she might have siblings. I found a phone number for her half-brother and she was in touch with him and another brother within hours of my starting the research.

4) Tell us a favorite story about one of your ancestors.

Wow that’s a tough one as I believe that everyone has a story. See one below in question 5.

5) What’s the most interesting record source or repository you’ve utilized in your area?

I live in Edmonton so the Alberta Archives is only blocks away from my home. They have vital stats indexes, homestead records, church records and many more. One record that I found led to a brand new family story.

The record is call “Returning Soldier” collection. It was for documents pertaining to soldiers in World War I. I had three great grandfathers who fought in the war so I checked the index for their names. One ggrandfather was listed. The record was of a request by my ggrandmother for her husband to return after she and her children were in a train accident. Ultimately, the government agency denied my grandmother’s request. However, with the dates mentioned in the letters I was able to go to a newspaper account that was about the first train disaster in Alberta’s history and to an article about my ggrandmother and her 3 children (one being my grandfather). I was amazed as this was not a family story passed down.

6) What advice would you give to someone who is trying to break through a  brick wall?

Never give up. You are a detective and you have to think of what other angle will offer you a new path to search.

7) What hobbies do you pursue when you’re not at the archives doing research?

There are other hobbies????

The Path to Genlighten

2008-06-23T21:40:00Z

It’s been exactly one year today since we registered the domain name www.genlighten.com. At that point, the choice was a rushed attempt to find a name that seemed halfway meaningful, had some personality, and was available as a domain. Unfortunately, we forgot the part about “rolls off the tongue easily”…

The site’s now far enough along and we’ve connected with enough potential users that’s it’s way past time to open a dialog with the online genealogy community — thus the rationale for the launch of this blog. We’re thrilled for the chance to hear from you regarding your hopes for Genlighten and how you’d like it to evolve. And we hope to engage a wider audience by relating our own experiences with family history research, its joys and frustrations. For now, though, thanks for making it all worthwhile by taking an interest in our modest venture.

Massachusetts National Guard Museum and Archives

2012-12-15T17:11:41Z

Photo courtesy of rankenbauer

If you have an ancestor who served in the military from Massachusetts, the Massachusetts National Guard Museum and Archives might hold records that would be of interest to you.

According to their website, their mission is to “preserve, and to provide access to the material culture of the Massachusetts National Guard and Militia from its inception in 1636 to the present.”

The archive holdings are too numerous to list here, but a summary can be found on the Museum’s collections page.

Examples include

Service records for wartime soldiers and sailors, 1775 – 1940
Photographs, 1860s – present
Correspondence
Early court martial records
Civil War draft registrations

Website: http://states.ng.mil/sites/MA/resources/museum/default.aspx

Address: 44 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA 01609

Telephone: (508) 797-0334

Email: museum@ng.army.mil

Comments: Call at least one day prior to visiting

This museum came to my attention when New England provider rankenbauer asked me to add it to Genlighten’s repository database. If you have a suggestion for something we should include, please email it to cynthia@genlighten.com. Thanks!

Cynthia
Genlighten Co-founder

Featured Provider: ancestrysisters

2012-12-06T03:01:57Z

Cemetery in Ardmore, County Waterford, Ireland

Ellen and Elizabeth, ancestrysisters, are sisters “stumbled into a deep passion for family history” while researching their own family tree. Their research specialties include United States, Canada, Ireland, England, Germany, Bohemia, Mayflower Passengers, Adoption Searches, Roman Catholics, DNA Testing, Brick Walls, and more and this is reflected in their many offerings on Genlighten.

How did you get started doing genealogy research?

My sister, brother and I were doing our annual walk thru Mount Carmel Cemetery in Chicago looking for our ancestor’s graves. One of the headstones was for my Great Grandmother Ellen, who I was named after. It dawned on me that I didn’t know anything about her. That afternoon, I went home and began researching my family online. Right out of the gate, I found a census record for my Great Grandfather who worked at the Cracker Jack Factory in Chicago in the 1920’s. I was hooked. 3 months later, I dragged my sister to Connecticut so we could find out more about where Great Grandma Ellen came from. We drove from town to town for a week, going thru all the records we could find. She was hooked.

How have you developed your research skills?

We have spent tireless hours investigating our own family trees and that knowledge has given us a desire to help others. Ancestry Sisters believes in good ole fashioned leg work. While online research has made genealogy so much more fruitful, we still will go thru microfilm from various repositories, visit the local courthouses, scroll thru newspapers, and walk thru cemeteries for our clients. I have a philosophy that I want to try to do one of everything for my own family research. Recent discoveries include conducting family DNA testing, pulling records from the NARA, and visiting foreign country repositories.

Do you have a genealogy superpower? If so, what is it?

We are very tenacious about our research. We don’t give up.

Describe a challenging research problem you’re proud of having solved.

Our Bohemian grandmother was born in the year 1900 in Chicago and given up for adoption. It was one of the last family searches I attempted to work on because of the daunting nature of the challenge. Over a period of 9 months, I scoured every record I could think of, including working with the Catholic Archdiocese for orphanages, and scrolling thru microfilm at the Daley Center looking for a divorce record for the birth mother. Eventually I struck gold with the divorce, which led to a sister of the birth mother who was a witness in the divorce case. I was able to figure out the birth mother and her family, where she was born, and where she died in Idaho in 1942. Fast forward to this month, we just got exciting news about the birth father. I located a 3rd cousin of the suspected birth father. She took a DNA test along with my brother, and it came back with a match. It was a beautiful moment.

Tell us a favorite story about one of your ancestors.

My Great Great Grandmother Eliza died in a small town in Southern Illinois in 1872. I could never figure out what happened to her mother Martha who was living with her in the 1870 census. I searched for Martha for over a year. I chased her other children, grandchildren, a suspected brother, and a potential father. Finally, it was the death certificate of her son Valentine that made me raise my eyebrows. He died 40+ years later in the same small town of his sister, even though he lived all of his life in Missouri. I knew there was more to the story because his death certificate said there was a coroner’s inquest. Sure enough, I uncovered an article in the paper due to the odd nature of his death. Valentine was visiting his mother’s grave and had a stroke. He fell onto a pile of rocks and wasn’t found for 24 hours. While the story is sad, his death was the reason why a record was kept that would eventually confirm what happened to his mother Martha.

What’s the most unique records that you’ve found in your research?

Sadly, one of our Irish GG Grandmother’s spent many years in a hospital in Connecticut. I found records that told me what hospital she was at, and it is still in business today. So I worked with the administration that was kind enough to humor me. They found her medical records from 1873. It was a fascinating read.

What’s the one must-visit repository for research in your area?

Never forget the value of cemetery records. Some cemeteries can pull cards on the deceased that may have new information related to your ancestor. And there are many cemeteries where the families buried up to 8 people in a grave. I bet I visited the Calvary Cemetery in Evanston, IL about 25 times. I pulled every card on every relative I could think of and struck gold more than once, including finding a GGG Grandfather who I had thought died in Canada.

What advice would you give to someone trying to break through a brick wall?

Never give up. I was stuck on my Irish ancestors for a long time until I began to research the baptism records for all the children born to my GG Grandparents. After putting together a spreadsheet of all the sponsors, I began to form ideas for additional research.

Sure enough, one of the baptism sponsors for their daughter had a son that eventually married her. That could not be a coincidence, especially when it came to the Irish. So I began to investigate the sponsor, and almost immediately found his marriage record in a Massachusetts town where I would eventually find my GG Grandfather John living before he got married. This led to John’s 5 siblings, and a brother’s marriage record in MA that had the parish name in Ireland where he was born. Knowing how difficult Irish records are to find, that was a huge win.

We made our first pilgrimage to the homeland as I like to call it (Ireland) in August, and at the National Library of Ireland, we found the marriage record for John’s parents, along with his baptism record from Killavullen, Cork, Ireland at the parish of Annakissy. I love that name Annakissy !!

What hobbies do you pursue when you’re not doing research?

There is nothing we love to do more than travel. Our ancestors have now given us a great list for future destinations – next up is Humpolec, Czech Republic.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Another story is that while in Ireland, we visited the town of Leap, Cork, where our Father’s line of Irish ancestors came from. Inside the church of St. Mary’s were recycled bottles of Holy Water with a sign that said “take one”. There isn’t any other memento that means more to us than this free bottle of Holy Water from the church that our ancestors used to pray at in the 1840’s.

Locality Pages: What Are They All About?

2012-12-04T00:33:20Z

Today I put a little slip of paper for every state in a bowl so I could randomly choose the next locality pages to work on. And the focus for the next day or so will be — New Jersey!

A few years back, I created a page with links to the most useful online resources for Chicago and Cook County research. It was meant for patrons at the Wilmette Illinois Family History Center but I shared the link with others and the reaction was positive. People liked it. I liked it. In fact, I still use it frequently.

That success is the inspiration for the new locality pages on Genlighten. We want to offer the genealogy community easy access to the most helpful online research tools for every state, county, and large city in the United States.

We want the pages to be …

… simple. Sure, you can probably Google to find the resources we’re cataloging but we want to make it even easier than that. One click from our pages and you’ll be there.

… educational. It’s hard to know what’s out there. In fact, there are probably some unique and valuable resources that you wouldn’t even think to Google. We want to make sure you can find them.

… fun. Okay, maybe that’s stretching it a bit, but maybe not. We want our pages to be visually appealing and satisfying to use.

Sometimes I sit at my computer thinking, “Wow. This project is huge.” Well, it is. And ultimately, we’re likely to open it up to community members to help. But in the meantime, you can contribute by sending links my way. Let me know the best resources for research in your area. Help us build something really useful.

Cynthia
Genlighten Co-founder

Featured Provider: cornandcotton

2012-11-26T16:53:35Z

Stephanie Pitcher Fishman (cornandcotton) is a freelance editor, writer, and genealogical researcher who specializes in Midwestern and Southeastern United States family history with an emphasis on Ohio and Georgia research. A member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors, her offerings on Genlighten include document retrieval and full-service research.

How did you get started doing genealogy research?
My journey into family history started when I was looking for an activity to do with my maternal grandmother. Little did I know that she was in the beginning stages of dementia. It not only created memories that I would cherish, but it saved names and places that we may have lost with her a few years later. The project that started as a time killer in 1999 grew into a life’s passion.

How have you developed your research skills?
I’m currently completing two long-term genealogical education projects. I’m a member of the ProGen 15 study group. I am also a student of the National Institute for Genealogical Studies. I’ll be completing both ProGen 15 and my Certificate in Genealogical Studies – American Records in 2013. Additionally, I love attending online webinars, local and national conferences, and talk about genealogy with peers and colleagues any chance I can get!

Do you have a genealogy superpower? If so, what is it?
I’d like to think that I’m an Ohio story whisperer. I love finding out the little tidbits about our ancestors’ daily lives, and Ohio’s history just fascinates me. My favorite was discovering that three generations of women in my family were present during a major Temperance Movement march in their home county. It’s the social history and stories that make our ancestors come back to life!

Describe a challenging research problem you’re proud of having solved.
I have a case of an illegitimate child that is my major brick wall in my family. Unfortunately, I can’t claim that it is solved, but I can say that I will be proud when it is! I have been working on this brickwall for several years, and my great-aunt has worked on it for several decades! We are determined to locate the father one day.

Tell us a favorite story about one of your ancestors.
Picking a favorite story is like picking a favorite child! I am blessed with a heritage of interesting family stories, and I look forward to discovering more. My maternal line is rooted in the South while my paternal line is rooted in the North. Interestingly enough, many times when I discover one Confederate Soldier I find a counterpart from my paternal line that fought for the Union in the same battle. One Georgia ancestor ended up being buried in the Camp Chase Union prison camp cemetery only minutes from my home in Ohio. This discovery was one of my favorites.

What’s the most unique record source that you access for research?
Ohio has a rich religious history. I enjoy looking into our Quaker record collections at various repositories. Reading meeting minutes may seem tedious to some, but I love the glimpse it gives us into their lives.

What’s a must-visit repository for visitors doing research in your area?
The Ohio Historical Society Archives and Library is not to be missed. It holds a majority of the State Library of Ohio collection now as well as materials ranging from city directories to military records (and everything in between!) Their microfilm collection is fantastic, and the archivists have such a passion for not only local/state history but family history as well. Just don’t forget to pack light because there are restrictions on what you can bring into the archives. Be sure to check the website for information before your visit.

What tools do you use to create reports and images for clients?
I love using various software programs and apps to create digital images and reports so that access isn’t hindered by mail transport. By working digitally I am also able to help my clients keep their costs down when possible.

 What advice would you give for breaking through a  brick wall?
Create a timeline! Place your family in time and space via timeline. There are many hidden clues that can pop out to us when we realize that they resided in an area during a major event or could have been present when another relative was active in a community. Timeline analysis can help us see clues that we might miss in our regular reading of our collected information.

What hobbies do you pursue when you’re not doing research?
I’m a homeschool mom, so my hobbies these days revolve around anything that interests my family! We love to geocache, craft, and sew. Winters in Ohio can be pretty gloomy, so I retreat into handicrafts such as sewing, knitting, crochet, and quilting. I love fabric as much as I love family stories!

Anything else you’d like to share?
A Russian proverb states, “You live as long as you are remembered.” Through researching our family history we are putting memories to names and allowing our ancestors to live on. Never stop hunting your family’s stories!

How to Create an Effective Provider Profile Page

2012-11-24T21:49:31Z

Your provider profile page is a client’s first introduction to the research services you offer. It pays to make it a good one! Here are some tips:

Choose a crisp photo and crop it square before you upload it.
Proofread your “About Me” paragraph to catch errors in grammar and/or spelling.
Use keywords to summarize your research services under “Research Specialties.”
Take the time to add societies, repositories, and localities.
So, once you’ve built a professional-looking profile page, what can you do to help people find it?

Some clients will browse offerings. Create at least one offering for every locality you serve.

Others will browse providers. Use the first sentence under “Research Specialities” to summarize your services. The initial 10-15 words will appear under your provider name on the locality pages.

Some people will be looking for someone to visit a specific repository. List the repositories you can visit on your profile page. If you don’t see them in our database, just ask us to add them.

And finally, some site visitors will search the site for keywords. Make sure you include relevant keywords in your “About Me” and “Research Specialties” paragraphs and in your offering titles and descriptions.

Want even more exposure? Create a new offering with a descriptive title. It will appear on the home page until other new offerings take its place. Or, click on “Discover Local Resources,” navigate to the pages for the areas you serve, and post a helpful tip in the Forum Discussions.

This post originally appeared in our November 2012 newsletter.

Featured Provider: tennessee-gal

2012-11-19T19:43:00Z

Tennessee-gal is the author of The Fetherling Boys, a family history based on information she gathered while researching her mother’s ancestral line. A member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the National Genealogical Society, her research specialties include Tennessee and the surrounding states of Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabaa, Georgia, and North Carolina. Tennessee-gal offers both fixed-fee document retrieval and hourly research through Genlighten.

How did you get started doing genealogy research?

My mother-in-law inspired me to learn more about my family in the early 1990s. She and her cousin Katrina had many tales to tell about their research years of pouring over census records before they were readily available by an indexed program. The stories they told made me yearn to know about my family. My mother gave me the few know facts and said she wanted to know more about her mother who died when she (my mother) was four years of age. From there the rest is “history.”

How have you developed your research skills?

Some of the skills I naturally brought with me. I love to read and research any topic so I came into genealogy with a good set of skills. Mentoring from my mother-in-law was invaluable. Taking courses, reading genealogy publications such as APG Quarterly and NGS Quarterly, joining focus groups, attending meetings when I can, and talking to other genealogists have all aided me in developing my skills.

Do you have a genealogy superpower? If so, what is it?

If perseverance could be a superpower, that would be mine. I don’t give up easily and continue to search until I’ve reached a logical conclusion or found the obscure document needed to develop an ancestor’s history.

Tell us a favorite story about one of your ancestors.

My great-grandfather was a chameleon! His young background describes him as having poor parents and being self-educated. In the medical research, I found him described as having light complexion, light hair, and blue eyes. He had many occupations in his lifetime from school teacher to Civil War soldier, to hardware store owner and solicitor. At age 19 he was in charge of a school district in Twin Township, Preble County, Ohio.

There are colorful stories of his escapades in the where he sold potatoes from the Army supply to a civilian and was busted from a sergeant to a private but later regained his rank. My second cousin found his picture wearing his Civil War attire at an auction but the winning bid went to a museum—where it should be.

After the war he served as a principal teacher (sometimes called superintendent) and had full control and authority of superintendent in Washington Township, Preble County, Ohio. Additionally, he ran a general store in the shoe and boot business and carried a line of groceries which later morphed into a hardware store.

In 1887 he served as a Senatorial Delegate representing Lemon Township in Ohio to the Republican Party. I believe that I inherited his entrepreneurial genes and you would agree if you read my history.

What’s the most unique record source that you access for research?

I purchased two original Ohio county histories from the late 1800s—A History and Biographical Cyclopedia of Butler County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Sketches of its Representative Men and Pioneers and History of Preble County, Ohio with Illustrations—in which I found a wealth of information about my great grandfather whom I described earlier. These are wonderful books and well worth the price I paid for them. Reproductions have been printed but there is nothing like the originals of these jewels.

What’s the one must-visit repository for out-of-town visitors doing research in your area?

The local library, Obion Public Library, has an excellent genealogy room titled “Tennessee Room.” The genealogy librarian there is excellent as is her assistant. They have a wealth of knowledge and have built an excellent collection of West Tennessee history. I can’t stop at one! Another must-visit would be the University of Tennessee-Martin about 20 miles north of Union City. This library is strong in North Tennessee resources.

What advice would you give to someone trying to break through a brick wall?

Think outside of the box, bounce your research off someone else’s noggin, and take a break. I compare it to finding an answer in a jigsaw puzzle. One sits staring at the puzzle knowing they should know the answer but can’t fit the pieces together. They get up for a beverage, walk around, come back to the puzzle, and see the missing piece.

What hobbies do you pursue when you’re not at the archives doing research?

I love to read, sew, cross stitch, and walk my dog. Because I love old stuff, I have a web store where I scour the auctions, yard sales, and attics for items to sell to other people. You’d be surprised at what I find for my genealogy through my hobby.

Anything else you’d like to share?

If you don’t know from whence you came, how do you know where you are going? We, in America, have a wonderful country in which to live and riches beyond measure because our ancestors worked had to leave us a legacy. If we don’t understand why they came to America to flee oppression, poverty, or starvation, we are missing out on an appreciation from whence we came and the ambition to keep America great.

Featured Provider: familymatters2u

2012-10-22T15:56:39Z

Genlighten provider familymatters2u has done client research since 1995. He is a genealogy guide at the National Archives and his research specialties include military service and pension research, and German translation. His most popular Genlighten offerings are Civil War Pension Files and Civil War Widows’ Pensions.

1. How did you get started doing genealogy research?

In my college days, a great-aunt gave me a dozen family group sheets. I was fascinated to discover that our Pennsylvania-German family stretched back so far and sprang from so many surnames. When I moved to Washington to start a diplomatic career, I spent spare time in the National Archives cranking through census microfilms. I was hooked.

2. How have you developed your research skills?

Returning from overseas assignments, I took a genealogy course offered in the community education program. I also enrolled in some NGS courses. The NGS Home Study course built a solid foundation for further research.

3. Do you have a genealogy superpower? If so, what is it?

That’s easy: it’s my address! Living in the Washington, DC area, I have access to the National Archives, the Library of Congress, DAR, Bureau of Land Management, etc. Even better, I meet and work with nationally-recognized experts who are generous in sharing their advice and expertise.

4. Describe a challenging research problem you’re proud of having solved.

A client was looking for Civil War records of an ancestor. But except for a brief Compiled Military Service Record covering a few months, I could find very little. Pensions? Nothing. Bounty land? Nothing. Gravestone application? Nothing. At last I found him: he was included in the Registers of Court Martial Cases, 1800 – 1890.” He was found guilty of desertion.

5. Tell us a favorite story about one of your ancestors.

My wife and I joined a tour of Switzerland for descendants of Mennonites who were persecuted there and emigrated to Pennsylvania. We came to the village of Hirzel where my 8G Grandfather, Hans Heinrich Landis, had lived. We visited the village church where he had worshipped. I was invited to read a passage from the German Bible. I felt strong connections to my ancestors: same village, same church, same language, and same faith. (see photo above)

6. What’s the most unique record source that you access for research?

The richest source of genealogical information, which is not available online, is the National Archive’s vast collection of military pension records, including those of the Civil War. The Widows’ Pension files, especially, often hold 50-200 documents that tell of a soldier’s birth, his enlistment, his marriage, his military service, his wounds or illnesses, his widow and their children.

7. What’s the one must-visit repository for out-of-town visitors doing research in your area?

Visitors should plan to visit the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). There are two facilities: Archives I in Washington and Archives II in Greenbelt, MD. Genealogists will probably want to start with the microfilmed and original records at Archives I. (And don’t forget the Library of Congress and DAR.)

8. What tools do you use to create the reports/images that you provide to clients?

For reports, I keep a copy on hand of Elizabeth Shown Mills’ Evidence Explained. For images I use a high-resolution digital camera and attach the images to the reports sent via Genlighten.

9. What advice would you give to someone who is trying to break through a brick wall?

Ask. Ask a local librarian or court clerk. Ask your friends and colleagues. Ask mailing lists and genealogy forums online. Ask a professional. Ask Genlighten.

10. What hobbies do you pursue when you’re not at the archives doing research?

Choral singing. Nothing clears the mind like making or listening to great music.

11. Anything else you’d like to share?

Remember: One source yields a fact. Two sources yield a confirmed fact. Three sources yield contradictory facts.

Featured Provider: Roma Miller (romamiller)

2012-07-14T19:20:38Z

Salt Lake City researcher Roma Miller has been working on her own family history since 2000. She says, “I’m always learning new ways of researching and constantly taking education courses or attending seminars.” She is past board member of the San Luis Obispo Genealogical Society and a member of the National Genealogical Society. She has ProGen Certificate of Completion.

1) How did you get started doing genealogy research?

Originally, I came across a simple fill in the blank family tree book. Since I did not know
much about my family and didn’t know how to start, I never finished writing in the book.
Not long after that, I came across an old version of Family Tree Maker at a discount
store. The store offered a refund on their software programs if I was not satisfied. From
there I started working on my tree. The internet research was still in its infancy so
researching how to get started in genealogy was rough. Eventually, I stopped working on
my family for awhile.

A few years later, I picked up the researching again. This time I was able to find someone
else who had posted a lot of information about one side of my family. Eventually, I
decided to locate a genealogy society to see what else I could learn about genealogy.
Since 2006, I have been working on increasing my genealogy education by attending
classes, seminars, and completing professional courses.

2) Do you have a genealogy superpower? If so, what is it?

None that I can think of.

3) Describe a tricky research problem you’re particularly proud of having solved.

Finding my great grandmother’s ship records. Originally, I had been told that there was a
time span of ship records that were not indexed. Of course my great grandmother arrived
during that time span! I started working with the information from Sweden’s records
showing when my great grandmother left Sweden. Eventually, I found the passenger
list for her leaving Malmo, Sweden. On this it told me which ship line she was traveling
on. Researching a two week time frame for her arrival to the United States, I would
eventually see which ships under that ship line would arrive into New York’s Castle
Garden after being at sea for two weeks. At last I found all the missing pieces including
the ship list for her arrival into New York!

4) What’s the most interesting record source or repository you’ve utilized in your area?

From my first visit to Salt Lake City, I have always been fascinated with the Family
History Library. In the summer of 2011, I decided that I would make the move to Utah
in order to provide document retrieval and research requests for clients.

5) What technical tools do you use to produce the digital images you provide to clients?

The Family History Library uses a computer with a scanning feature that allows patrons
to scan the microfilm. The patron can either scan it to their removable disk or print out
the document. To save time, I scan to my disk and then email out that copy to my clients.

6) Any new lookups you’re considering offering?
Any document retrieval from the Family History Library microfilms

7) What advice would you give to someone who is trying to break through a
brick wall?
Write down everything you know about a person; use a timeline format. Question
yourself on how you know that information? What document(s) support that knowledge?
Really study the documents you have obtained. What information is it telling you and
what have you missed? There is a reason for everything listed on that document. If
someone is listed on a document that is not the person you are researching, why are
they listed on that document? Are they related or a friend of the family? Always answer
the questions Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? Why was this document
created? Why did this person do X,Y, and Z? How does this affect my ancestor?

If you still get stuck, put the information down for awhile and come back to it days later.
You may see something you may have missed originally.

Write your narrative about the individual. What are you missing to make the person’s
story come alive? Fill in the gaps of that missing information.

8) What other passions do you pursue when you’re not at the archives doing lookups?
Knitting, sewing, educating myself about various genealogy topics, and exploring
my new surroundings

9) Anything else you’d like to share?
I’m VERY passionate about genealogy. I look forward to helping others become
passionate too!

Featured Provider: Cynthia Richardson (chicagogenealogy)

2012-07-08T02:52:53Z

Cynthia, a Genlighten co-founder, launched a website for Chicago research in 2003 and since that time she has helped hundreds of researchers locate Cook County records. Her offerings include Chicago death certificates, 1923-1947 and naturalization, probate, and divorce lookups at the Cook County Circuit Court Archives. A former Family History Center director, she enjoys sharing her passion for research with others. She provides site-user support for Genlighten.com and spends her free time playing old-time fiddle music.

1) How did you get started doing genealogy research?

Back in 1979, I enrolled in a beginning genealogy class in college and started gathering family records. I remember quizzing my grandmother on ancestors’ names and dates and jotting the information down on old-school pedigree charts and family group records. Luckily, I married someone who shares my interest in doing research and we’ve been visiting cemeteries and vacationing at archives ever since.

2) Do you have a genealogy “superpower”? If so, what is it?

I am good at brainstorming lots of different approaches to solving problems and that works well with my patient, optimistic, I’m-not-going-to-give-up-easily sort of approach to tough research questions.

3) Describe a tricky research problem you’re particularly proud of having solved?

A researcher was searching for a Chicago death certificate for her ancestor. She had an approximate death year and a cause of death but she didn’t know the surname because the woman had remarried. She knew there was a stone not too far from the woman’s son’s grave and I offered to drive to the cemetery to help solve the mystery. I spent hours carefully reading stones but had no luck finding the right one. The cemetery shared a list of burials with me and I began checking possible matches with death certificates. Eventually I found the right certificate—it had an unexpected given name—and I returned to the cemetery to photograph the stone only to find that it had toppled face down into the mud. That was the reason I hadn’t been successful on my first visit. The researcher had the stone reset and I returned a third time to take pictures.

But it doesn’t end there. Some time later, a patron at the local Family History Center was looking for a woman with a similar story—remarried with an unknown surname. As the story unfolded, I realized that the person she was looking for was buried in the same small cemetery as the first woman and because I still had the list of burials, I was able to help the patron locate the correct death record in just a few minutes.

What were the chances of the two of us being at the same Family History Center on the same day at the same time? I can’t say that I’m proud of that experience, but I am thrilled and humbled to have been able to help that day.

4) What are the ideal elements you like to see in a well-formulated research request?

I specialize in document retrieval, but I still like to know what information the client is hoping to find. Why? Because unless clients are very familiar with Chicago records, they might be requesting a record that won’t answer the question they’re asking. For example, people will often ask for a marriage license hoping to find parent names but early Cook County licenses don’t provide that information. In some cases, early Polish Catholic records, for example, a church record would be a better source of information.

5) What’s the most interesting record source or repository you’ve utilized in your area?

I’ve found that the local Family History Center has a number of very accessible, little-known resources for Chicago research. My favorites are the Chicago Lying-In Hospital Birth Records and the Coroner’s Death Certificates.

6) What technical tools do you use to produce the digital images you provide to clients?

I use a CanoScan LiDE 200 portable flatbed scanner and then tweak images, as needed, using Picasa and GIMP. I usually provide 200 dpi jpgs for single documents and jpgs and a pdf for files with multiple pages (divorce and probate) but I’m happy to meet clients’ needs for other file sizes and formats.

7) Any new research offerings you’re considering?

I’m thinking of adding the Chicago History Museum to the list of repositories that I visit on a regular basis.

8 ) What advice would you give to someone who wants to get started as a genealogy research provider?

Learn all you can about the records that are key to research in your local area. Know how to find them and know what information they provide. Then you’ll be ready to draw on that information to help others.

9) What other passions do you pursue when you’re not at the archives doing research?

I love old-time string band music and if I’m not working, I’m probably playing the fiddle. I started lessons in 2008 and it’s a very happy part of my life.

Featured Provider: Robert Ankenbauer (rankenbauer)

2012-08-10T22:55:52Z

New England researcher Robert Ankenbauer’s (rankenbauer) 23 years in the military give him an edge in working with military records. His research specialities include Civil War research and finding information on veterans despite the loss of records in the 1973 National Personnel Records Center fire. He makes weekly trips to NARA Boston, the Massachusetts Archives, and the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records. If you need research help in New England, the Midwest, or Ireland, feel free to contact him about a possible project.

1. How did you get started doing genealogy research?

I became interested in genealogy research after the death of my father in 1997. After he died I realized that beyond his immediate family, I really knew nothing more about my family. Most of my research at that point was done by collecting family information from my mother and other members of my family. My research began in earnest in 2003 when I started using the Internet to research.

2. Do you have a genealogy superpower? If so, what is it?

My superpower is breaking genealogy brickwalls. I am especially good at solving mysteries that pertain to military records and then specifically the War of 1812 and the Civil War.

3. Describe a challenging research problem you’re particularly proud of having solved.

It was related to my own family. My Great-Grandfather Edward Ankenbauer died in an accident in 1919. That was all we knew about his death. After digging in and spending several months of research, I finally found out that he was a firefighter in Indianapolis and was killed in an accident responding to a fire alarm. Sadly, another firefighter was also killed and eight others were injured.

4. Tell us a favorite story about one of your ancestors.

That would have to be about my Great-Great-Grandfather Jefferson Franklin Trenary. He was in the Civil War in G Company, 149th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (100 days soldiers, aka Ohio National Guard). His brother Samuel A. Trenary and their cousin Samuel G. Trenary also served in the same unit. Three other cousins also served in the war. During the Battle of Monocacy (near Fredrick, Maryland) in July 1864, his unit, and many others were supposed to delay the Confederate General Jubal Early’s advance on Washington, D.C. The misssion was a success, but Jefferson was captured and spent time in the Confederate Danville Prison.

5. What’s the most interesting record source or repository you’ve utilized in your area?

The Massachusetts Archives. They have records dating back to the 1600s and it is truly amazing to see some of them on microfilm. It can be hard to relate to them since they are so old. Some of the information contained within those records affords us a peek into a world that no longer exists.

6. What tools to you use to create the reports/images that you provide to clients?

My tools of the trade are very simple: a very good Canon digital camera and an HP printer/scanner combo. My most important technology is my BlackBerry smartphone. I can use it to take notes, take pictures, send and receive emails, and make phone calls. It lets me respond in a very timely manner to my customers. I can take a digital picture of a document and upload to the client in minutes.

7. What advice would you give to someone who is trying to break through a  brick wall?

First and foremost, don’t give up. Step back and look at it from a different angle. Discuss the issue with other genealogists. Some of these walls can be very difficult to solve and it may take years to solve the problem. Sometimes a simple timeline can help you find the holes in your brickwall. It also might just be that you need to hire the right genealogist to work with you on the brickwall!

8. What other passions do you pursue when you’re not at the archives doing research?

I spend time with my family. My wife and I are animal lovers and our current dog, Bumpie, is blind. We like help less fortunate animals. I also play golf weekly and I work on my own genealogy in my spare time.

9. Anything else you’d like to share?

Genealogy education is very important. There are some very good organizations offering very helpful training and webinars. Most of it is offered at a very low cost and even free. You can never be too well educated!

Featured Provider: Rebecca R. Laurent (gulfcoastgenerations)

2012-08-13T16:28:08Z

Professional genealogist Rebecca R. Laurent (gulfcoastgenerations) is the owner of Gulf Coast Generations Family and Historical Research. She frequents the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research in Houston and is proficient in Creole de Colour research in southern Alabama. Her Biography + Photo = Unique Gift offering on Genlighten turns research into art.

1. How did you get started doing genealogy research?

This is an interesting question. I actually started when I was about 10 years old, giving my first genealogical interview to my grandparents. Though, I didn’t get far and since then the records have been lost. I would have to say I started in earnest in 2000 when I was pregnant with my first child. I realized then I did not know much of my husband’s family history. So, I started digging. Soon I found out he is a descendant of the Creole de Colour of Mobile. I’ve been working on that history ever since.

2. Do you have a genealogy superpower? If so, what is it?

Superpower? Well I don’t fly or anything like that. I guess I would have to say it’s perseverance. I LOVE the challenges that genealogy presents. I persist in finding the information needed, even if it’s not in typical ways. I don’t give up in finding out the answers to my questions.

3. Describe a challenging research problem you’re particularly proud of having solved.

Well I have one research problem that is just as persistent as I am. Bertélemi Lauren is the patriarch to my husband’s family line. It’s is almost as if this man did not exist. He is not found in birth records of the area, he is not in any census, and any records of his death are missing as well. So with Bertélemi, I had to find him through references to him. Through others’ land transactions, and baptisms, along with delinquent tax records I have been able to piece together the life of this elusive man. An intriguing life it was.

4. Tell us a favorite story about one of your ancestors.

Favorite story? Wow. I have so many—from surviving a hurricane tied to a Model T to a Confederate turncoat. There’re even rumors I’m a descended from the Welsh God Gwydyon (though I have not verified that one.) But, I would have to say my favorite story is of Justine Laurent. She was a Creole who had a long-time relationship with a white man named Daniel Juzan. After Daniel’s death she has to fight Daniel’s son-in law, a prominent citizen of Mobile, for her children’s willed inheritance. This is at a time when women, and colored women at that, we not seen nor heard. She had courage!

5. What’s the most interesting record source or repository you’ve utilized in your area?

I love the Clayton Library in Houston, TX. It is just 45 minutes from my house. From there I can receive LDS microfilms, research through their massive holdings, or use their many Internet sources. I also have a great library system here in Brazoria County. When I need items like books or even microfilm the librarians bend over backwards to get what is needed through the inter-library loans system.

6. What tools do you use to create the reports/images that you provide to clients?

I use the program Family Tree Maker to maintain my research and documents in one location. As for reports I convert basic data provided from this program to a document file giving me the ability to customize fully-sourced reports. But with that said, I have several sources to create many different types of projects whether it is providing the typical genealogical report, an online tree for the client to watch grow, or preparing photographic images. I have the resources and know how to complete many different aspects of the genealogy field.  

7. What advice would you give to someone who is trying to break through a brick wall?

This is such a wide open question. A brick wall can occur for many reasons, whether it is the lack of the data needed, or a lack of knowledge in the subject. But I would have to say, “Don’t give up!” Data is found and generated into usable sources everyday. Knowledge can be acquired, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. A second opinion or different view point can bust a case wide open.

8. What other passions do you pursue when you’re not at the archives doing research?

Passions? I don’t know that I would say all these are passions but first and foremost I am a wife and mother. That is why my genealogy career fits so well in my life. I am able to work around my husband’s schedule and I work from home giving me the ability to home-school our two children (not to mention dragging them to different locations from time to time). Other interests are my study of herbs as needed for the family and participating in the local chapter of Toastmasters (a public speaking club).

9. Anything else you’d like to share? I’m looking forward to the tremendous possibilities your site provides. Thank you.

Featured Provider: ancestorhound

2012-10-05T20:46:11Z

Ancestorhound specializes in research in the Midwest including the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. She says, “I was first bitten by the genealogy bug eight years ago after my first son, Sullivan, was born. Since then I have been actively researching my children’s family lines, which has allowed me to explore records throughout the US, Canada, England, Germany and Poland.” She’s a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the National Genealogical Society and is a graduate of the Boston University Professional Genealogy Certificate Program.

1. How did you get started doing genealogy research?

I started researching my own family shortly after my first son was born 8 years ago. I wanted to know more about the family that he had become a part of. I’ve always been interested in historical and true-life stories, like the Little House on the Prairie series, because of the way the authors can transport me to a different time and place. Genealogy does the same thing for me—for every ancestor I try to find out details about their life so I can understand what it was like to live in their time and place.

2. Do you have a genealogy superpower? If so, what is it?

Ummm, not really. I have a record source that I think is a superstar —city directories. I am constantly amazed at the interesting things I find in them, from siblings and relatives I didn’t know existed, to interesting advertisements that enrich my understanding of the people living at that time.

3. Describe a challenging research problem you’re particularly proud of having solved.

All of them! Seriously though, I am very proud of all the research I have done, especially when locating a particularly obscure document that holds the key to a research question. I don’t give up easily, and I think my tenacity in trying to find just one more record is the key to my research success.

4. Tell us a favorite story about one of your ancestors.

One of my great-great grandmothers had an interesting, although probably very sad, life. Her husband came back from the Civil War a broken man, and ended up killing himself shortly after the war. She remarried not once, not twice, but three times after that—and divorced the first two husbands! For a woman to have divorced at all in Michigan in the late 1800s is unusual, but twice is practically unheard of. I also suspect she was separated from the fourth husband, as they were living several counties away from each other at the time of her death in 1900. But in all of her divorce paperwork she seemed to have a legitimate complaints against her husbands, usually that they were drinking or gambling or unable to make a living. I’m proud of her for not putting up with men who didn’t treat her well.

5. What’s the most interesting record source or repository you’ve utilized in your area?

The Library of Michigan is an amazing genealogy resource. I particularly enjoy their collection of newspapers on microfilm for nearly every county in Michigan.

6. What tools to you use to create the reports/images that you provide to clients?

I use Word for my client reports and Picasa or Photoshop for my images, depending on how much image enhancement is needed. I’m experimenting with Scrivener right now to see if it helps me organize my research better while writing reports.

7. What advice would you give to someone who is trying to break through a brick wall?

Hire a professional! Oftentimes we can’t see the obvious, and having a professional look through your research and create a research plan will be the push you need to get through the brick wall. It will be money well spent.

8. What hobbies do you pursue when you’re not at the archives doing research?

With two young boys, most of my free time is spent playing with them or watching them play sports. But when I want to get away, curling up with a good book or watching Food Network are my guilty pleasures.

Featured Provider: Michael Hait (michaelhait)

2012-07-06T17:27:47Z

Michael (michaelhait) is a professional genealogical researcher, author of numerous genealogy-related publications, and an APG Chapter Vice President. He specializes in Maryland research, African-American genealogy, and Civil War records. His research offerings include Maryland vital records, probate records, wills, and land patents. He can also retrieve Civil War Pension files (Union) from the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

1) How did you get started doing genealogy research?

When I was about eight or nine years old, my grandmother showed me a “family tree” that her sister, an LDS convert, had compiled. This immediately intrigued me, and my grandmother and I began our own “research.” When I was about twenty, I really jumped into research vigorously, going to the National Archives in Washington DC every Saturday, writing letters to ancestral hometown historical and genealogical societies, etc., and discovered the Rootsweb mailing lists (no message boards yet). I have been researching ever since then.

2) Do you have a genealogy “superpower”? If so, what is it?

I would say that my “superpower” is my ability to locate evidence in records outside of the everyday record groups.

3) Describe a tricky research problem you’re particularly proud of having solved?

I have researched many tricky problems in five years as a professional genealogist. I am proud of them all, because each of them helps a family understand their heritage more. But I guess that I would choose a recent case involving an enslaved family, where the official records only offered indirect evidence and confusion ca. 1824. Then I located a family history book that reproduced pages from a family Bible containing all of the slaves’ births!

4) What are the ideal elements you like to see in a well-formulated research request?

The most important is to read every word of the offer. Sometimes there are outside factors that affect a particular project, such as years missing in the records due to fire, etc. If there are special instructions, etc., then there is also probably a reason for them. But overall, I feel that a well-formulated request should be very specific — it should include an exact name, relatively narrow date range, and specific location.

5) What’s the most interesting record source or repository you’ve utilized in your area?

One of my specialties is African-American, particularly slave, genealogy, so any record group that provides information specific to individual enslaved people or families is of great interest to me. One of the most interesting record groups I located were registers of claims submitted to the Slave Claims Commissions during and following the Civil War. These Commissions were established to compensate loyal slave owners in the border states whose slaves joined the Union Army.

Each register includes the name and location of the slave owner, and the FULL name (given and surname) of each slave, as well as in some cases other details like the regiment and company in which the slave served. I am currently in the process of transcribing and publishing these registers. I have already published the short register of claims of the Delaware Slave Claims Commission, and am finishing up the much larger Kentucky register.

6) What technical tools do you use to produce the digital images you provide to clients?

I have a scanner with a top-load feeder so that I can scan many pages at once. I use the free Photoshop alternative GIMP to edit photos, and the free version of PrimoPDF to compile PDF reports.

7) Any new research offerings you’re considering?

I am thinking of offering several record groups available at the National Archives in Washington, DC.

8 ) What advice would you give to someone who wants to get started as a genealogy research provider?

Knowledge of the records is key to being able to efficiently and effectively search records. Before offering to perform research, be sure to have a lot of experience with the relevant record groups.

9) What other passions do you pursue when you’re not at the archives doing research?

I am full-time genealogical researcher, so most of my time is spent conducting research, and writing. When I do have spare time for other activities, I usually spend it with my family, including my beautiful 4-year-old daughter, Mary.

Email Delivery: It's More Complicated than You Might Think

2012-10-11T17:36:41Z

Recently I used Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation to send an important document to a client who lives less than 25 miles away. A week later, my client called to tell me that he was still waiting for the document and two weeks later the only thing we’d been able to find out is that the envelope was checked in at a local sort facility the day after I mailed it.

That doesn’t happen with email, right? Unfortunately, it does. Just Google “email deliverability” and you’ll see that it’s an important consideration for websites like Genlighten that depend on email messages being received in a timely way.

So how do we improve our chances of Genlighten mail successfully reaching your inbox? And how do we know when it doesn’t? All email generated by our site is sent through a company called SendGrid. It allows us to keep a close eye on what happens to our emails—all 62,000 of them and counting.

Fortunately, nearly all of our site-generated email reaches its destination with no problem. But, if an email goes undelivered, it usually falls into one of three categories—bounces, blocks, and spam reports.

Bounces
Messages will bounce if an email address isn’t valid. Sometimes it’s a simple matter of a typo. We just fix those, if they’re obvious. Sometimes it’s because the address is no longer in use. If that’s the case, there’s not much we can do if we don’t have an alternate way to contact you. If you’re a provider and we can’t reach you, we’ll put your account on vacation, hoping that you’ll visit the site, discover the problem, and contact us for help in fixing it. We don’t want lack of communication to disappoint potential clients.

Blocks
Blocks happen when an email provider isn’t accepting messages from the IP address that we use to send email. Why would that be? Well, we’re a small company and we share an IP address with others sending email through SendGrid. If another user does something that looks spammy then email from everyone using the IP can get blocked.

If we’re blocked from sending you site messages, we’ll send a quick note using gmail (which should have no problem getting through) to work out a solution together.

Spam Reports
We don’t spam you. Every message generated by the site is related to a transaction—a new project request or a message from another site user, for example. But, occasionally, someone will mark one of our messages as spam. It’s like telling SendGrid, “DO NOT send me any more Genlighten messages” and that doesn’t work because if you’re using the site, we need to be able to contact you.

It also has another consequence that you might not realize. We have email reputation to uphold and that helps our email deliverability! Currently (2:44 pm on Wednesday, October 10, 2012) Genlighten’s reputation score is 99.78%. Spam complaints affect that in a negative way. So, please be kind. If you don’t want to hear from us, just reply to the message, let us know, and we’ll do our best not to bother you again.

In case you’re curious (we would be), our September stats are below. SendGrid is helping us do a good job making sure that our mail gets delivered to you.

Bounces – 2
Blocks – 1
Spam Reports – None

How can you help us keep our email deliverability rate high? Simple. Keep your email address on the site current, work with us if your email provider blocks our emails, and let us know directly if you’d rather not hear from us anymore.

Cynthia
Genlighten Co-founder

Genlighten Update: 19 Oct 2012

2012-10-19T17:02:37Z

This week we added Forum Discussion to the locality pages. This feature lets you ask questions and share your knowledge and expertise with other site users.

To see an example, visit the Chicago page.

Feel free to use the locality forums for things like

—Mentioning a repository or society that we should add to Genlighten’s database
—Introducing helpful research tools
—Sharing links to online databases
—Offering tips from a local researcher’s perspective
—Asking a question about resources available

If you’re looking for research help in the locality, it’s best to use a Public Research Request rather than a forum post. If you need to report site problems, just message genlighten-support.

Additional Site Updates

—Added a start date to the top of the project pages
—Began adding photos and repositories to locality pages for Ireland, England, and Scotland
—Added a way for clients to cancel public requests

New Research Offerings

Provider: alannacarroll

Obituaries from Kentucky’s Montgomery and Powell Counties

Provider: banaifeldstein

Record Scanning from the FHL

Provider: genquery

Genealogy research in Library of Congress, DAR Library, or National Archives

Onsite research in Virginia courthouses, archives, or libraries

Single document retrieval from Library of Congress, DAR Library, or National Archives

Provider: house488

Louisiana & Texas Families Research up to 5 Generations

Provider: lgs4u

Custom International Genealogy Project

NJ State Archives Record Retrieval

NY Archives Record Search

Provider: genealogiewerks

Hourly-based Research and Documentation in Hamilton County (Cincinnati) Ohio

Managing Your Inbox: Using the Genlighten Messaging System

2012-09-21T15:46:38Z

Need to ask a provider a question? Want to send your client a quick note? Genlighten’s messaging system is the way to go. This post will explain how to use the message center to communicate through the site.

Starting a Message Thread
You can start a message thread using a simple form that asks for three things: the recipient’s user name, a message title, and a message. How do you get to that form?

First time sending a message to the user: go to a user’s profile page and click on the “Send Message” link.

Sending a message when you know the user name: click on “Messages” at the top of the screen and click on “Compose New.”

Sending a message to someone you’ve messaged with before: click on “Messages” at the top of the screen, click on “Contacts,” find the user name, and then click on the “Compose New” link there.

Messaging from Project Tracking Pages
You can also start a message thread using the “Conversation” box found at the bottom of every tracking page. If you do this, the message thread will take the title of the project request and it will appear on the tracking page and in your message center. This is the best way to discuss the details of a project.

Email Notification
You will receive email every time a site user sends you a message. Click the link in the email to add your reply to the message thread.

If you reply to the email instead of going back to the site to post, your note will be sent to system@genlighten.com. We can forward it for you but we can’t post it in the thread and that can be confusing to the recipient.

You can opt out of email notification for messages by clicking on “Email Preferences” from your dashboard page, but we strongly suggest you leave that box checked, unless you visit the Genlighten site frequently.

Attachments to Messages
At the moment, it isn’t possible to send attachments (documents or image files) through the message center but we plan to add that capability. If you need to send a site user a file, just email it to cynthia@genlighten.com and I’ll forward it on for you. (This doesn’t pertain to files associated with project reports. Those should be uploaded to the report page on the site.)

Deleting Message Threads
Messages can’t be deleted but they can be removed from your inbox. Click the boxes next to the threads you want to hide and then click on the “Archive” button. The threads will reappear in your inbox if a site user sends a reply and you can retrieve and view them by clicking on “Archived” in the message center navigation box.

Searching Messages
You can easily search threads (active and archived) from the message center. Just use the search box at the top of the page. (Make sure that “Messages” is selected from the drop-down search menu before you begin.)

Viewing Message from a Specific User
To view all message threads between you and a specific user, click on “Contacts” in the message center navigation box, and then click on “View Messages.”

If you have any questions about using the messaging system or if you have suggestions for ways that we can improve it, let us know! Just send a note to genlighten-support.

Cynthia
Genlighten Co-founder

How to Receive Notification of New Public Research Requests

2012-09-20T03:48:56Z

Interested in quoting on public research requests in your areas of expertise? You can receive instant notification when new ads are posted. Here’s how:

Step 1

Favorite the locations where you can offer research. It’s easy. Just click on “Discover Local Resources” and navigate to a locality page. Once you’re there, click on “Add to Favorites.”

Step 2

Click on “Your Genlighten” to go to your provider dashboard. Click on “Email Preferences” and put a check in front of “A new custom research request is posted for one of my favorite localities.”

That’s all there is to it. Let us know if you have any questions!

Format Your Genlighten Messages, Offerings, Quotes, and Reports

2012-09-09T00:09:52Z

Oh, no! The lengthy quote that you just submitted to a client has run together into one big hard-to-read paragraph.

Not anymore! We’ve updated the site code so that you can now format messages, offerings, quotes and reports with paragraphs, bold, italics, and more.

Want paragraphs? Just hit return twice and the site will take care of the rest.

Want something in bold? Just type * to begin and finish off with * to end.

And what about italics? Type _ to begin and finish off with _ to end.

Important: Don’t put a space between the * or _ and the first letter of the first word. Likewise, don’t put a space between the * or _ and the last letter of the last word.

You

can

even

do

bullet

lists.

How? Just put * in front of each item.

Important: Put a space between the * and the first word in the item.

That’s all there is to it. Give it a try and if you have any questions, just send me a quick note.

Cynthia
Genlighten Co-founder
cynthia@genlighten.com

Public Research Requests: Posting Help Wanted Ads for Genealogy Research

2012-09-06T03:22:15Z

“Oh, help!”

I think most of us have had that feeling at least once as we’ve worked to fill in gaps in our research. The next time you find yourself wishing for a little bit of assistance, Genlighten’s Public Research Request feature might be just what you need.

How to Post a Public Request

Any registered site user can post a public research request—think of it as a genealogy help-wanted ad—with a few clicks of the mouse. It’s quick, easy, and there’s no listing fee.

Log in and you’ll be taken to “Your Genlighten Dashboard.” (If you’re registered as a provider, you’ll need to click the “Client Dashboard” link from “Your Provider Dashboard” to get to access the client-side tools.)

Scroll down to the bottom of the left-hand navigation bar and click on “Post New” under “Public Requests.” (They’re called “Public Requests” because they’re not aimed at a specific researcher; any registered provider can submit a quote.)

Give your request a title and briefly describe the research that you need. Let providers know your budget and click “Post Public Request.”

Posts are moderated (we don’t want site users bothered by spam) but the turnaround time is quick because site administrators receive email notification when new requests are submitted.

That’s all there is to it. Providers will message you with questions and submit quotes if they think they can help. It’s up to you to consider the proposals carefully. Ask questions if you don’t understand what a provider is offering to do. Make sure there’s a meeting of the minds before you accept a quote. And, if none of the quotes meet your needs, feel free to politely decline them all.

Public requests with no quotes will expire in a week and disappear from the list. (You’re welcome to resubmit.) Public requests with quotes will be extended and a reminder email will be sent to give clients time to follow up on the proposals.

What Happens if You Accept a Quote?

If you accept a quote, your public research request will disappear and an hourly research tracking page will be created for the project. From that point forward, the request is handled like any other project. If you have more than one quote pending response when you accept, the site will automatically notify those providers that another quote has been accepted.

How to Craft Your Posts to Maximize Success

1. Give your request a specific title. Sure, providers will probably look at a post called “Probate Record” but you if you need someone in a specific place, let people know. “Montgomery County, PA Probate Record,” has a much better chance of catching the attention of someone who can help.

2. Be specific in your description but don’t clutter it with unnecessary details. If you need a divorce record, chances are two names, a place, and an approximate year of divorce are all providers will need to know if they can help. Birth dates, children’s names, addresses for the family will just make it difficult for busy providers to figure out what it is you really want. If they need more information, they’ll ask.

3. Set a realistic budget. Think about what you would charge to do the same research and set your budget accordingly. If you set your budget too low you may not get any quotes. If you set your budget too high, you may get quotes from providers who aren’t in the best position to help.

4. Do your homework. Try a quick Internet search or make a quick phone call before posting to try to determine if the information you need can be found in records that are available for public searching. If not, it’s unlikely that a provider could help.

When a provider sends you a research proposal and a quote, check it out. Does it seem likely that the answers you’re looking for can be found in the suggested way?

The best public requests are those that ask a researcher to do what you would do if you had access to the records—to perform a specific task at a specific repository within a known set of records. The next-best requests are those that tell providers what information is needed and invite them to suggest ways of finding it.

Check Out the Current List of Public Research Requests

If you’d like to view the current list of Public Research Requests, go to “Your Genlighten Dashboard” and click on “All” under “Public Requests.”

The larger the Genlighten community grows, the more chance there’ll be of researchers responding to Public Research Requests when we post them. (Do I use the site for my own research needs? You bet.) With that in mind, feel free to pass the word along to anyone you know who might be interested in Genlighten.

Thanks!

Cynthia
Genlighten Co-founder

Becoming a Provider: Quick Answers to Some Common Questions

2012-09-01T18:13:06Z

If you’re thinking about becoming a Genlighten provider, you probably have a lot of questions. We’re eager answer them. If you don’t find what you’re looking for below, just email cynthia@genlighten.com. We’re always happy to help.

What qualifications do I need?
We welcome serious amateurs, transitional genealogists, and professionals to the site and the expectation for everyone is the same: if you’re offering research services through Genlighten, you need to be good at what you do!

If you decide to retrieve documents from local repositories, you need to know enough about the records that you can think outside the box if the search doesn’t go as expected. If you If you decide to offer hourly research and take on complex research projects, you need to be able to come through for your clients in a professional way.

But, we’re looking for more than research skills. We want providers who are friendly and reliable—providers who adhere to ethical standards and are truly committed to helping the clients they serve.

How much does it cost to be a provider on Genlighten?
Short answer—10% of whatever you earn through the site. There are no fees to sign up, create a store, or list research offerings. We charge a 10% commission on the fees you charge your clients.

Can I offer research through other websites if I’m a Genlighten provider?
Sure! Many of our providers have their own websites and some offer service on competing sites. Our rules are simple: 1) Don’t link to your pages on competitive sites from Genlighten. 2) If a client finds you through Genlighten, don’t refer that person to one of your other sites. 3) Don’t share an email address with Genlighten clients so they can contact you off-site.

Is it hard to learn to use the site?
The answer to that really depends on you. If you’re comfortable with the basics of using a computer — navigating websites, working with digital images, managing email — then the learning curve should be pretty quick. We’re working on tutorials that will walk you through the most common site tasks like setting up a profile page and creating a store. If you struggle to use a computer, you’ll probably have a hard time learning to use Genlighten’s project management tools. The good news is we’re very happy to offer as much guidance as you need to get comfortable using the site. Just email cynthia@genlighten.com with your questions.

What if I find that being a provider on Genlighten isn’t for me?
No problem! We understand. One click of a button will put an offering on inactive status and if you decide you don’t want your profile visible to site users you can email us and we’ll make your account inactive immediately. No hassle. Promise.

Exploring New Repositories to Add to Your Profile Page

2012-09-01T18:18:07Z

Genlighten offers you a chance to list the repositories that you can visit on your provider profile page. If you’re actively involved in client or personal research, it’s likely that you know some libraries and archives inside and out. Listing those is a no-brainer.

But what if you’re thinking about adding a repository that’s not as familiar? How can you decide whether or not to include it on your list?

Check Out the Repository Website
First, check to see if the repository has a website. If so, it might answer many important questions.

1) What are the hours? Do they fit with your schedule?

2) How far away is the repository? If you drive, how much will parking cost? If you take public transportation, how easy can you get there?

3) Can you make copies at the repository? Can you take digital photos? Can you use a scanner? How much do copies cost?

4) What genealogical resources are available at the repository that aren’t available on the Internet? What are the major collections of interest to distant researchers? Is there an online catalog?

Visit the Repository in Person
If it looks like it would be practical for you to visit the repository for client research, then it’s time to check it out in person. While you’re there, explore the resources, ask questions, and take notes on the records that might be of interest to potential clients. Be on the lookout for unique resources rich in genealogical information.

Add the Repository to your Profile Page
Look good? Then it’s time to add the repository on your profile page. If it’s not in our database, just email cynthia@genlighten.com to have it entered. If you have the website URL, please include it. And, if you happen to have a photo that you’ve taken that you’d like to share, please send it along so we can include it on the repository page.

Consider Creating an Hourly Research Offering for the Repository
Also consider adding an hourly research offering for that repository. Why? Because that will allow you to mention the key resources that can be searched during a visit. Think of it as a way to educate potential clients. You might have access to records that could solve a family mystery but a researcher won’t ask for your help if they don’t realize what you can search.

Welcome to Genlighten 2.0: Hard Hats Optional

2012-08-10T03:27:55Z

The new site is live. As of last night, Genlighten 2.0 is officially in beta and we want you to know right up front—the site is still under construction. The basic structure is there and the utilities have been brought in, but the finish work is far from complete.

So, you might be wondering why we would invite people stop by for a site walk-through while the crew is still hard at work?

Here’s our thinking:

1) The new Genlighten offers useful features like search, messaging, and invoicing flexibility that the old site doesn’t have. We’ve been maneuvering around the old site’s limitations long enough. It seems like it’s better to make the new features available to community members sooner rather than later.

2) It’s inefficient for two people to try to catch every little thing that needs fixing on a large and complex site. We think it makes more sense to have clients and providers put Genlighten 2.0 to the test. The feedback gleaned from real users will give us a much better chance of having a polished version of Genlighten 2.0 ready to go by the end of August.

So, if you’re reading this post, you’ve found the new version of our site. If you’re a patient sort who loves to dive in and try new things, someone who would enjoy looking at the site with a critical eye, well then please do. And send us a quick email to let us know what you think. And if you’re not that adventurous, no problem! Just wait a few weeks for the dust to settle and then stop back by!

We’ve been live about 24 hours and already we’ve had a number of emails with helpful suggestions and feedback. Please keep them coming.

And, if you run into problems using the site, please call or email us so that we can help. We can’t promise that there won’t be any glitches but we can promise that we’ll respond to them quickly.