Summer seems to be a great time to look back into your family history. I know that summer is usually the time when it is best to visit genealogy centers, historical societies and grave sites. Some people even work these side trips into their summer vacations.
What are you planning to do this summer to work on your family history project?
Friday, May 10, 2013
Friday, April 12, 2013
Interesting Find
You never know what you'll find when you simply clean out a closet. I found some extra copies of books that I had poetry published in as a kid, and one of the bookmarks was surprising. It ended up being a prayer card from my grandfather's funeral. It was interesting to see and I think I'm going to put it in a safer place with my other genealogy items.
Have you ever found something interesting tucked a way in a place you never thought it would be?
Have you ever found something interesting tucked a way in a place you never thought it would be?
Friday, January 4, 2013
Copyrights, Permissions and Other Fun Stuff
Because I'm a writer, I've been wondering about the legalities of my genealogy work. Can I publish some type of work based on research? Are family photographs fair use? These questions have actually kept me from being much more public about my research into my family history. However, I have found some great resources that can help sort all these issues out, and here are a couple:
Family History Etiquette, Ethics, Legalities (from Ancestry.com Wiki)
Copyright Fundamentals for Genealogy by Mike Goad
Friday, December 28, 2012
Venturing into the Wild West
Our ancestors came from anywhere and everywhere. Whether they came from Asia, Europe or the east coast, chances are someone took that leap and headed westward in search of something greater. If you have ancestors who traveled west, the SFGate has an interesting article on resources you can use to find those wild western adventures.
Are there any other resources that are great for finding these westward ancestors?
Friday, November 16, 2012
The Price of Family History
This article caught my attention recently:
Genealogy Hot Hobby Worth $1.6B, Not Just For Mormons - ABC News
While the article discusses the industry as a whole and how Ancestry.com is worth a ton of money right now, it got me thinking more about the individual cost of genealogy to those who are interested in finding out more about their family's past. How much does it really cost to get all the information?
Personally, I have not spent much money on the pursuit of genealogy. The only things I purchased were Family Tree Maker and access to an online archive for a single obituary. Other than that, I have managed to get what information I have for free. The reason I try not to pay for the access to information is because most of what you pay for is the convenience to not have to go to every county across the United States to gather vital records and other documents. I know that it may take the rest of my life to get the information I need, but if there is a free way to get it, I would rather do that. I do realized that some costs will be incurred, especially when it comes to processing or copying fees, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
How much money do you spend per year on your pursuit of family knowledge? Do you drop big bucks to attend conferences, or do you try to get as much free information as you can?
Genealogy Hot Hobby Worth $1.6B, Not Just For Mormons - ABC News
While the article discusses the industry as a whole and how Ancestry.com is worth a ton of money right now, it got me thinking more about the individual cost of genealogy to those who are interested in finding out more about their family's past. How much does it really cost to get all the information?
Personally, I have not spent much money on the pursuit of genealogy. The only things I purchased were Family Tree Maker and access to an online archive for a single obituary. Other than that, I have managed to get what information I have for free. The reason I try not to pay for the access to information is because most of what you pay for is the convenience to not have to go to every county across the United States to gather vital records and other documents. I know that it may take the rest of my life to get the information I need, but if there is a free way to get it, I would rather do that. I do realized that some costs will be incurred, especially when it comes to processing or copying fees, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
How much money do you spend per year on your pursuit of family knowledge? Do you drop big bucks to attend conferences, or do you try to get as much free information as you can?
Friday, October 19, 2012
What Will You Do with Your Genealogy?
Family history is an exciting thing to explore. You are learning so much about where you and your family came from. You spend countless hours gathering names, dates, locations and stories passed down through generations. Now that you have all of that, what will you do with it?
There are a variety if things you can do with your genealogy research. Many people like to put together information into books for other family members. If the story is compelling enough, it may even make for a good book to publish. You can also put together projects to help teach and inspire others to dig into their own family history.
What are you planing to do with you genealogy?
There are a variety if things you can do with your genealogy research. Many people like to put together information into books for other family members. If the story is compelling enough, it may even make for a good book to publish. You can also put together projects to help teach and inspire others to dig into their own family history.
What are you planing to do with you genealogy?
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Getting Stuck
It's inevitable. Unless you know your ancestors are royals, there is a good chance during your hunt for family history that you will hit the brick wall. It's not always permanent though--some people do find a way aroudn those brick walls with additional detective work.
When you seem stuck and can't find a way out of it, here are some tips from an article at World Vital Records that provides ways you can get around this wall and get back to adding to your family history.
When you seem stuck and can't find a way out of it, here are some tips from an article at World Vital Records that provides ways you can get around this wall and get back to adding to your family history.
Stuck Happens! 13 Things to Do When It Happens to You
And remember, you can always let us know about your adventures in the comments section!
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