Genealogy Research and Organizing Your Records

Do you like the researching part of Genealogy but not the recording all the citations and putting the data into your family genealogy system (computer software or paper files, or etc.)?

I don’t know anybody that doesn’t enjoy solving the mysteries with research and doing a happy dance once in a while. And I bet most of you are like myself and enjoy looking up things and cannot wait to get back home and see how much of the family puzzle is solved. But when it comes to putting where we received our information the excitement falls short and we drop the ball. Or maybe we are brand new to the genealogy game and we don’t even know we have to document everything so not only we will know where the information can be found but other people will also know. 

 Here are a few reasons to Document everything:

•          You may want to write your family story and even better publish it.
•          Join a lineage Society.
•          Prove or disprove a person with little or no records belongs to your family.   
• ·                 Save TIME and EFFORT by not needing to research the same information over and over  again.
• ·                So when you go back to your work in after a lapse of time (2 weeks, 10 years, etc.) you will  know where you obtained the information.

TREADWAY FAMILY REUNION

First of all I would like to apologize for not keeping up with this blog, but life seems to have a way of getting in my way. I promise I will try to do better in the future.

Treadway Reunion 2016 Crown Point, New York permission for use by Renate Treadway Girard

On July 16, 2016 my daughter Lisa and I traveled to Crown Point, Essex County, New York for our first Treadway Family Union. My thoughts before preparing to go was “jitters”, anxiety, and excitement all rolled into one.

First, if my mother was alive would she approve or not approve of me touching base with her biological father’s family.

Second, would I be an outcast.

Third, excitement to finally meet Marcia & David Treadway (my 1^st cousin once removed) that I only had corresponded with via telephone and e-mail, since our DNA test had connected us.

Lisa and I arrived at home of Cyril & Gerri Treadway at around 2 PM and were greeted by Bonnie that said we looked a lot like a Treadway. She introduced us around to some of the other Treadway’s and we felt like “family” right away. It was quite exciting being the new people because it appeared everyone wanted to get to meet us.

Marcia & David arrived along with Kathie Sutherland, and David Glenn and his wife Lynne, cousins who I had corresponded with when we were all trying to become DAR (me) and SAR (David & David) members through Jonathan’s son William Darwin Treadway. The bottom line is we all succeeded in our membership quest.

I really enjoyed talking to everyone but it was hard to keep them all straight.

Cornelia M. Sarell

TRYING TO GET MY FAMILY HISTORY ORGANIZED

This year there are so many blogs pertaining to getting organized, which I'm sure all of us Genealogist's would love to accomplish. But where to start. I started with Thomas MacEntee with "The Genealogy Do Over" in thirteen weeks. I attempted this program (in 2015) which was really great but definitely moved to fast for me. In all fairness to Thomas he did the 13 weeks over and over, but life got in my way. In 2016 Thomas produced a "The Genealogy Do Over Workbook" available on Amazon Kindle. He also has his program available on his blog at GeneaBloggers at www.geneabloggers.com/tag/genealogy-do-over/
This is a program that stretches the 13 week program to 12 months. Much easier for me to work with. Thank you Thomas MacEntee for helping me become more organized at a slower pace. Hopefully I can do you proud. I should mention the hard copy (print) of this book/program "The Genealogy Do Over Workbook") is available on Amazon.com.

Next for me enters Dear Myrtle at http://blog.dearmyrtle.com/

In all fairness Dear Myrtle has done this program before. This is a new revised program (2016) with weekly assignments, which she states most assignments can be completed weekly.

Between the 2 programs I am trying very hard to get all my genealogy that I have been working on for the last 20 years or so organized, and I am starting to make a huge dent in this project that once seemed overwhelming and overpowering. My analysis is that not all programs are perfect for me but I need to take the most important tools that can help me from each program and develop my own way of organizing my genealogy. That they jump started me into action is invaluable. Thanks to all you bloggers that are giving me the tools to reorganize my Genealogy.

Why Join a Lineage Society

When I first started doing genealogy 15-20 years ago, I never dreamed or wanted to join the DAR or Mayflower Society. I just didn’t get the concept of what was the big deal about having ancestors that came over on the Mayflower or fought for America’s freedom from the British in the Revolutionary War.

I guess that and the fact that my mom couldn’t understand why I wanted to dig into the lives of her family, especially since they had spent lots of time and effort hiding the family secrets. Out of respect to my mom, the most wonderful person in my universe I did very little digging into her family. My Mom died 4 years ago this last February. At first when I started researching the biological side of my mother’s father I was guilt stricken every time I found something. Then I opened an e-mail from Marcia & David Treadway stating that I was either a 1st or 2nd cousin to him, from the FTDNA testing. As we started sharing family history back and forth the guilt started getting less and less.

David really wanted to become a SAR (Sons of the American Revolution) member and kept reminding me that neither one of us was getting any younger. That is when I decided to look into becoming a DAR member and what the organization was really about. So I contacted Ginger Carter, and found out that she is the Registrar for the Worcester Chapter of DAR. I knew Ginger through our affiliation in MSOG (Massachusetts Society of Genealogists, Inc.) the Worcester Chapter. Ginger is a wonderful advocate for the DAR.

I found that it appeared that I had gotten the wrong impression of what it really meant to become a DAR member. It is an organization that forms lifelong bonds with other members that network together to honor their revolutionary ancestors, and promote the preservation of American history, education and patriotism in our community.

 

Genevieve R Vaundell DeHaan receiving my DAR pin from Ginger Carter, Registrar,  Linda Munroe, Regent looking on

     Photo by Jennifer Willson, Curator

These are all the reasons why I had become a genealogist and family historian in the first place. I’m PROUD to be an AMERICAN and be able to honor my ancestors who were so instrumental in ensuring that we would have all the freedoms we enjoy today.

That is why I am proud to say I’m a DAR member. I also believe that my mom would be alright with it.