I have real issues. Seriously, if you are not laughing at that, we can't be friends. Many people believe me to be a hugely organized genealogist. For the most part, I try to be when I can keep my head in the game. Frankly though, it's tough to do that. Life is full of distractions. I'm not immune to them and as hard as I try, I just "tigger bounce" all over the place most days and forget what I've been doing from one day to the next. Shhh, don't tell my closest friends. They think I'm an organized genealogical genius. Muwhahahha! I am best when I have a specific goal and a specific deadline. Outside of that, my brain and therefore my work is pure chaos. I've tried so many things that sometimes I think my brain is just too confused on what process I'm using to stick with it. I've used Evernote for my genealogy work now for years. I think I'm finally used to how it works and I tend to use it much more now than these stacks of paper notebooks I have laying about the house with miscellaneous random notes on every page. Recently, of all places, my son's teacher recommended a calendar program to help us all keep things going and it's been a huge help so far. I'm scheduling all sorts of things for myself to do.... I'll let you know when I actually do them. I'm going to keep using Evernote for client work, because that's I how I utilize it currently. I keep track of what I'm working on and where it stands. I also keep track of my files for becoming certified in there. All in one place. It's important for clients to know what I've done and for me to be able to go back and see what I did for someone if they request something else in the future. This week, I'm giving some other organization things a try. I'm going to utilize this for my own personal tree. I'm doing this because I can see where I would get distracted while working on my own family tree by the pending items I have to do for others. I could not monetize the number of hours I actually spend on something. It would be a crazy number. So if I'm set to a time limit or budget limit, I can't just be going over that on random searching. This program I just today found out about on another Blogger's site. Golden Egg Genealogist recommends the Zotero.org program. If you also want to give it a try, make sure you go in and read the GEG's blogs about the product and how she uses it. Then come back here and let me know how you are using it and how it helps your research process! Let's give it a try together and we'll get our real issues with organization resolved in no time! I'll be out here enjoying my Adventures in Genealogy. Join me! DISCLAIMER: I am not getting paid for any clicks on the programs or blogs in this blog post. There are no per click proceeds for any of the above links. They are just items I am either using or will be using and recommend to others.
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I'm afraid to say, yes. Yes, It is yet another blog about PeopleLegacy (I will refer to it as PL) and their recent acquisition of all information from the FindAGrave (I will refer to it as FG.) website. First let me say to those out there questioning the validity of this information, that it is indeed true. It is not fake news. It is not sponsored by a spoof website for comedy. I know, because upon hearing the news, I first checked for myself before having my entire being consumed with angry company bashing thoughts. Secondly, Myself as well as most of other genealogy and history research bloggers are all also victims of this PL website. I would venture to guess that the majority of us have in one way or another contributed to the FG website at one time or another. You are not alone.
Above is my original entry on FG.
I'm not certain who the owners of PL are. But after a comprehensive read of the TOS and EUA on all parties, It is my own opinion that they are indeed in violation of Copyright. AFTER and only after I formed this opinion did I begin reading stories from other bloggers and people about the topic. There is not anyone so far who does not believe that. Please make sure you go and inform yourselves of the entire TOS on all parties, and then go ahead and read what some reputable people may have to say about them. Try Judy Russell - The Legal Genealogist and Dick Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and Thomas MacEntee's Abundant Genealogy I assure you that Ancestry (The parent company of FG) is well aware of what has happened. Their legal team are on the project for sure and there is no need to write to any of the parties involved. and actually, I'm going to advise you in an unofficial way - simply as a friend who is going through the same things, to NOT do that at all. You do not know how the information you may send through a form mail, will be used. However, I would keep abreast on what is happening by following Ancestry if you have not already. We've all been effected and I suppose in a way, violated. Though we know that the images we post are to help others, and seemingly this website also wants to help others with free information, we never consented to it being extracted and placed in areas where we did not give permission for them to be placed. Hang in there, friends. It might get a little bumpy. In the mean time, try enjoying some of your Adventures in Genealogy. A few years ago, I did a great deal of research on becoming Certified. Yes, yes, insert funny joke about my mental status here, true as that may be. But what I found out was that it sure is a lot of time, effort, experience and money to become a Certified Genealogist.
I wasn't sure I had what it would take to commit to the process of becoming a Board Certified Genealogist and if I did, if It would be worth the time and effort. I also was not sure that I had the correct kind of experience necessary to complete such a project. So I've taken some time now to evaluate where I stand. About a year ago I decided what my focus would be (U.S. South Region) and have attempted to build a repository for all my sources and items needed to become certified. Not only did I do that, but I also have taken on quite a few pro-bono projects that help with experience, I've learned about things outside my expertise such as Slavery Era research and I've even taken on some other projects that will help grown my experience even more. I'm also working on a published work of a project that has been years in the making. I'm going to teach a class in February locally, and have been expanding my knowledge of writing and helping others. A while back, I took on an archival project at our local historical society to document and help keep track of all the items our group has on hand and where they came from, as they had no system in place. Most items are cataloged, though being volunteers, it's hard to find time together to go through and fix up everything so there is a cohesiveness to the area we call our museum. So, the next step will be applying for certification, completing their requirements and paying the fees to have a certification. It's exciting, and rather daunting at times. For the time being - I'm just a genealogist. But boy how I love those adventures! How are you enjoying your Adventures In Genealogy? I know many of us have grown up with books by the great Dr. Suess. My favorite I think of all times was always "Oh the places you'll go!".
"You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?" I can't tell you how many times I've gone to a cemetery and thought of this phrase. Let me explain that a little. I quite often end up doing these cemetery journeys on my own. I suppose firstly, because it's just me when everyone else is either at work or school and then secondly, because I've just not found a comrade to share this with who completely understands the adventures and the stories in these places. This week, I had the opportunity and privileged to listen to many people remember the life of families in what was the oldest home around. This pre-statehood log building housed just four family surnames since then. The open house brought along people who remembered and people who never knew. As you can imagine, you get the chance to hear some unique perspectives from people. Each story is unique. Every memory someone shared was specific to them and had never happened to someone else. I learned quite a bit by just saying "Hello" to strangers. People want to share their stories. They enjoy remembering. That's how I feel when I'm alone, quietly in a cemetery in the middle of the woods. I almost hear the stories being told on the breeze. I read their names aloud and photograph their memorial stones that contain what sometimes is the only remaining information that they can give you. Each cemetery has a unique feeling. Some are peaceful and quiet. Some are bold and forthcoming. Others yet sit waiting patiently for someone to listen. I hope this fall leads me back to some of these sacred places. To the still untold stories of the forgotten souls. Where the streets are not marked and the windows are darked. Daring to go in. There is so much to learn and so much to gain. Enjoy your Adventures in Genealogy! Quite some time ago, I began a research project. Some of you may know what that was about. It's a local legend here in our town. So I thought I'd give you an update on where that stands, since many of you expected this project quite a long time ago now.
I was at a point in the project that I was stuck. I'm not really a great writer and have never really attempted to publish something like this on this scale. I'd been asking people for quite some time to help me out and read it, edit where I have grammatical errors or punctuation, you know - I've been out of school for quite some time and I've forgotten a good deal of information on what it true and correct. Anyway, I have been doing some work on an aspect of my family tree using what is called The Beyond Kin Project. This wonderful project extracts all the valuable information from our research, both current and previous, to include historical information on slaveholders(SHs) and the enslaved persons(EPs) in our family records in the hopes that this information can get into the hands of their own family researchers. We all need to help each other! This project was developed by Donna Cox Baker and Frazine K Taylor in 2016. Recently, Donna Cox Baker has published a book, Views of the Future State: Afterlife Beliefs in the Deep South, 1820-1865, which you can purchase by clicking on the title. She also has created this wonderful Excel Spreadsheet document, Early Federal Census Worksheet, that is about to be the greatest thing since sliced bread! I'm not even joking about that! It helps those of us comparing census records in our family trees and let me tell you, this is fabulous! Check it out! I promise you it'll be worth it! Noticing that she was publishing, I wrote to her for advice and she graciously gave a hand! I hope to work on that in the following week and get things wrapped up so that this long overdue project can come to a valid conclusion. I'm feeling confident about her advice and tips and am thrilled to be able to get this done! Look for future posts about this great local interest story that is more than 6 years in the making and has inspired many local projects by various people. Until then, Enjoy your Adventures in Genealogy! Hey Everyone! Honestly, I don't know if there really is anyone reading or not. That's fine, just if you are out there reading, give a shout out occasionally for some much needed inspiration.
No, Not the movie. I'm talking about the importance of having all the facts when you are researching and documenting your family history. We all know that to err is human. We are ALL humans. There is no point in hiding it. Though, not all families want to face their fears. And that's totally ok.
Let's talk about the family scandals and to what degree you fear facing them. Is it a criminal matter? Did your great grandparent have a child out of wedlock? Was there a nasty divorce? Perhaps your grandmother had a scandal with a foreign immigrant? Maybe it's worse than all that? Perhaps you find out through DNA that your parents aren't your parents, or that you have a sibling you didn't know you had. First you have to face the facts and that's a scary thing. So the people you know and love aren't the people you expected them to be. Does that mean you love them any less? Of Course not! Does it change things? Maybe, or probably yes. But you don't have to let it be the deal breaker in your research. Think about how you handle the information in your files. If you're digital and have a tree program, can you document the family scandal yet keep it private so only you know? (Well, you and whomever gets your research in your will.) Is it something you think other families may wish to know but are afraid to approach them? Get advice from one of the many groups that are on Facebook for a mirade of reasons - adoption, dna etc. Trust me, you are not alone in your journey and many are experiencing the same things. In the end, you decide how to handle this as it is your feelings and your family. No matter what you decide. I hope you think about how to save that information so others don't experience what you are right now. These Adventures In Genealogy aren't always roses and cupcakes. But don't let that stop you from enjoying the Adventure! ~M When it comes to making a family tree, a vast majority of people now are using online programs such as Ancestry. I have used Ancestry for years, even prior to the addition of an online social sharing feature of seeing other people's information in their Family Trees. Back then, I looked up things, printed them out on actual paper and then hand wrote the information into a paper tree or manually typed it into spreadsheets or other software. With the addition of being able to see everyone else's research, more and more people I find are taking other people's work for granted and not checking the accuracy of either their tree or the information provided for the sources. It's easy to just look at someone else's information and save it for fact. There- done! But how do you ensure you are climbing your OWN family tree and not someone else's? Let me give you this Ancestry tip of the month: Let me first say that I am assuming if you use this tip that you are familiar enough with Ancestry to understand the process of the Hint System. If you aren't, please do feel free to send me a message. I will be glad to walk you through the process. If you are not familiar, but can follow along with what I'm saying, please make sure you double check ALL the info given. So You have opened up your family tree in Ancestry and a Green Shaky Leaf appears on your 3rd Great-Grandmother and you didn't know who her father was! You are so excited! (I would be too!) You click on the hint tab and see the items.... But what do you click on? Obviously Ancestry is asking you to "REVIEW" your hint or "IGNORE" your hint right??? Well why would you do such a thing? Why ignore it? Wait!! Don't click that Review button!!! I know - that's what you want to do. That's what they want you to do. DON'T Do it! Just trust me. ; ) But what do you click on then? I would like you to get in the habit of clicking on the Title of the Record INSTEAD of the Review button. Yes, that's right. There is no real need to accept the hint from this screen. A matter of fact, I'll respect you more in the morning if you don't. Here is why: When you look at these items in the sample above, I want you to recognize that some of these things may actually be your person, while some of them might not be. Many times, clicking the title will take you to the same page as the what the Review button will..... but if you get in the habit of checking each item before you click that actual review button, you will have a much more reliably sourced tree. Once you get in the habit of clicking on THIS part of your hints, I want you to follow that trend. On the next view you should also get in the habit of clicking on the actual document page and not relying on the listed information just seen here. There are a few reasons you want to do this. But mainly, the reason is so you can ensure that ALL of the information that you need is the right information. If there is something that isn't right, you should question yourself and the document and follow through with seeing why you think it's wrong. Maybe it is just information you might not know, perhaps it's a new child you've never seen... but on the other had, it could just be the wrong family... with very similar names and ages in the same town. Trust me, this happens all the time! Don't worry, the same options of Yes, No and Ignore (Maybe) are still available! But you can then see the information first hand! and that is a good thing. Spelling might be off, user comments might be wrong, ages might be transcribed wrong making birth years inaccurate.... a whole list of what if's when you aren't all the way into the document itself. If you do this, with every document, every single time and you analyze the information, I will guarantee that you will have the most complete and rewarding tree available to you. These tools are very important. Just blindly accepting every hint that comes to you or not fully reading hte information and ignoring it if you don't think it is your person, is a mistake that we have all made - even myself when I first started. I hope that as we learn more and more in our research we also accept the fact that we all can help make the information reliable for those new to the research who will make those same mistakes. I hope that tip helps some of you with good working tree habits. Just like brushing your teeth every day is a good habit, so is Checking your Clicks! Your Adventures in Genealogy are important, just like your teeth! Enjoy them! ~ The Original ~ AGenealogyLady William Rufus DeVane King came to Alabama during the period of westward expansion in 1818. He purchased land on the Alabama River between was is now Selma and Cahaba. Though he was a Unionist, he grew his wealth with the establishment of his large cotton plantation based on slave labor called "Chestnut Hill". His family and relatives forming the largest slaveholding family in the state with upwards of over 500 slaves.
He was the first and only Alabamian elected to the Vice Presidency. He suffered from Tuberculosis. After having been elected as Vice President and failing to take the oath of office before he traveled to Cuba where he hoped his health would be restored, it was reported that he took an oath of office while in Cuba. He died shortly there after in April of 1853. At the end of March 1853, Mr. McCullough from Perry County, Alabama visited with him and reported back. Many of you know I have a few "irons in the fire". Yesterday was a very productive day for me which is rare! I am quite often distracted by BSOs (Bright Shiny Objects - code in the genealogy world for "oh look, a squirrel!").
Resources: On this AIG website under the "MORE" in the menu bar you can scroll down to General Genealogy/ Resources and find the menu item "FORMS". (I know that's a lot of pop out menus, but I have a lot of info to share) Or you can use that Search feature in the top right corner. I've added and updated the Forms with some lessor known census document samples. Sometimes we forget there are other census out there than just the Federal Census taken every 10 years. Those I've added are just a few that I have used on a regular basis to solve issues but each state had their own census taken in between the federals and several times throughout history. As well, there were Veteran Schedules taken, Indian Census, Voters Schedules taken after the civil war, and so many more. Check out these downloadable PDF files. Most of them have Source information printed on them so please make sure you don't alter them or sell them - that would be a problem. ALGW.org/Perry Many of you may already be familiar with the USGenWeb organization through the years. If you aren't, there are some valuable resources you have missed out on. Not only is this a gold mine in resources, but each state and county has their own page as well. Volunteers (like myself) adopt a page and keep the links and donations flowing with free resources shared by other volunteers and researchers. Each page has information such as bibles people have submitted, marriage records that researches have dug out of the dust piles, photos of personal collections, biographies written by researches, local resources such as churches, cemeteries, town histories and I can't even begin to tell you how valuable some of these things are when they are not anywhere else on the internet! Trust me. Check out a state/county where you research today! I am over the Perry County Alabama ALGenWeb page. You can find this at: algw.org/perry/index.html I've added some lost files of transcriptions from cemeteries using the WayBack Machine. These websites are pages that have been archived on servers and no longer remain on the world wide web. Eventually, they may disappear completely. Whenever you have a website that has a 401 File Not Found (Page Not Found) make sure to check the WayBack Machine! It can be a lifesaver! AND - if you do find what you are looking for there, make sure you save a copy to your hard drive of the information you want or need (properly noting the source and originator). This upcoming week, I hope to be able to make a few updates on other projects that I have going. I've been bouncing through the Bank Robbery Story and reviewing some things. I've also GOT to get over to the local Historical Society building. I've made a commitment to help them and I've been so busy this summer that I've yet to start this project. One thing about school resuming and fall showing up is that you have a little more time during the day to just yourself and that is one of my goals this month! Anyone who hasn't volunteered lately should get out and do so! Find your Local society or organization and do some socializing! Find a niche to fit into that works for your schedule and abilities. It's definitely key to Enjoying your Adventures in Genealogy! Make it a great one! |
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AuthorMichele is an obsessed mother of 4 residing in North Alabama. Hobbies include long walks in the woods, on the beach and in strange cemeteries and libraries. Genealogy friends need only apply. Categories
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