Saturday, January 28, 2012

Library Cards

Did you know that you can access census data and newspaper transcriptions online for free with a library card from your local library? I'm sure many of you have visited a library to use their computers and/or access their subscription to Ancestry.com. Many libraries allow "at home" access, too - provided you have a card. I've had some great successes using that method, especially with these sites:

Heritage Quest
NewsBank

Contact your local library for a card today - and search records you never knew you could. Happy hunting!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Unpleasant Experiences

After years of Google searches, exchanging data and posting genealogy questions online, you've suddenly had an unusual encounter with someone who seems to dislike genealogists. You were just asking whether the person you found in a Google search is actually the cousin your Gramma mentioned before she died. But, instead of being happy you "found" them, they wrote back with some nasty words about how "people like you" from "that part of the family" need to leave them alone. How did this happen?

Many genealogists share a quality of searching for the truth (the whole truth, right?). This may lead to confrontations with people who didn't want to be located or become part of the wonderful family tree you are (re)creating. It may have been possible to convince your own family that your research is harmless but there are many people in the world who have burned bridges and genuinely want to avoid interaction with parts of their extended family. Remember: the "black sheep" in the family don't just appear in old records - they still exist today.

Be considerate of the people who demand you remove references to them in the family history. You can't expect to heal all the deep wounds that were created through decades of family strife. If you are lucky, the person may be willing to tell you something about their branch - but also make it clear that they don't want to see that information online or continue communication afterwards. This is the time for paper records - keep the anecdotes and vital records they provide to yourself. Maybe someday, the breach will be healed - but don't push too hard to make it happen today.

You don't have to let unpleasant experiences dampen your enthusiasm for genealogy searches online. For every person who isn't happy you "found" them, there will be many more who are excited to know about cousins they never knew they had. Happy hunting!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Mississippi Death Index Milestone: 15,000 Names

We are still plugging away! Now there are over 15,000 names in the MS Death Certificate Index, hosted by Virtual Genealogy. Visit the site to see the progress we are making to catalog a full listing of deaths between 1912 and 1943!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Get Ready: 1940 Census is Coming!

There are some events you can set your watch by: tax deadlines, elections, etc. Maybe you didn't know it, but you can count on something else: every 10 years the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) releases another U.S. Census for genealogists to devour. And - wait for it - 2012 is such a year. We're still a few months away from the official release date (April 2nd), but I'd like to suggest that you utilize this time to get ready. First, a few details about the census itself:

Census Date: 01 April 1940

Population: 132,164,569

Data Collected: address, home owned or rented, name, relationship to head of household, gender, race, age, marital status, school attendance, educational attainment, birthplace (if foreign born, citizenship), location of residence five years ago, employment status if at work, occupation, weeks worked last year, wage and salary income last year (sample 1940 census form)

The best thing about this census is that its release is being coordinated in advance - ensuring free access for everyone. The census will also be made available in digital form from the first day of release. FamilySearch and its partners will manage the indexing process - meaning that it shouldn't be too long before you are able to search for your family.

While you are waiting (with baited breath, I'm sure) to be able to dive into this valuable resource, you may want to consider attending a lecture (some people are call them a "get ready class") on the subject. Most Family History Centers should have information about that kind of opportunity. It would also be a good idea to look around in your local area to see if there are any genealogy societies hosting similar events.

If you are interested in a more "self-directed" experience, you can browse some of these sites for more 1940 Census resources and research ideas:

Ancestry 1940 Census Substitute
Facebook
NARAtions
USGenWeb

One more important thing to remember: the 1940 Census release experience may turn out to be a little like "Black Friday" (i.e., the day after U.S. Thanksgiving). We've recently seen examples (e.g., 1901 UK Census, 1901/1911 Ireland Census) where the servers couldn't handle the traffic. So, it may take a few weeks (and a LOT of patience) for the average person to find a lot in the census. But don't give up trying! This resource is very valuable for family history research and may help you make a connection between Grandma's stories and your own life. Happy hunting!

Saturday, January 7, 2012

A Lasting Tribute

My friend, Joan, passed away late last month - she was 84. I actually never met her in person, I only interacted with her online. Still, the genealogy chats we had through email were as vivid as any I've had face-to-face. She was really something: a dedicated researcher, a stickler for documentation, a selfless volunteer. Joan lived half-way around the world from me, in a place where I've never travelled, and had done research in the in-between places. Without her contributions to my family history, I'd still be stuck at the water's edge in North America...

Folks who've worked for a life-time on a Family Tree project are often meticulous and thorough, building a bridge to the past with their sweat and tears. Precious discoveries, found only in dusty archives of war-torn Europe, could never be regained if they were lost. And, while it seems there is almost always someone in the family who takes on the task of searching for the family roots, not every one of those people have children or can identify their successor(s). As a result, there is a good chance that all the hard work could be lost forever. Some genealogists consider (though many do not) what will happen to their work when they pass away. It is an important question. What would happen to all of your genealogy data and connections if you suddenly had to stop your search?

In Joan's case, she contacted me a few years ago to ask if I could help her put her research on the Internet. We worked very hard together to get permission from living relatives and sanitize the information to avoid posting data on living people. I created a draft of the site from emailed data - 214 pages of births, deaths, marriages and residences - and told her she could add/or change as necessary. I knew the site was too big to be perfect - but she wanted it to be right. So, despite her statements that the process might take forever (and my recommendation that she not attempt it), she reviewed every page in about three months. We had several interesting back-and-forths on the names and relationships and, by the end, she seemed excited that the task was done - and that some of the research would survive her.

Her family understood her concerns - and how much she valued the connections she had made through that hobby. So, on the day after she died, I (and the rest of her genealogy email contacts) received an email from Joan's family. They kept us up to date on her funeral arrangements and (later) informed me that they were taking steps to save all of her work. The whole thing made me feel great because it showed that her concerns about the preservation of her genealogy data were actually unfounded - someone was ready and willing to pick up her mantle and carry it forward.

Genealogy researchers are a special breed, with lots of similar ideas about family and goals for that long-hoped-for reconciliation. Joan exemplified the search for knowledge and truth that many of us who love this hobby share. I'll miss her. With her in mind, I wish you all happy hunting!