Day 1.5: Getting Genealogy from the Genealogists

I skipped ahead last post because, like may of you, I love to feel accomplished. This week we are going to step back and make sure we have all of our ducks in a row.

Today's Goal: Get in touch with your family

Get to it: Call or e-mail a few relatives for their genealogy files. If there are no genealogist in the family, gather information about your parents, grandparents, and great grandparents etc. This will help you start your research from the beginning.

I think you will find it a nice change from everyday life to take a little time to talk to extended family. You never know how it might brighten their day! As I fulfilled my goal today I got to speak with my great aunt who I haven't talked to in over a year. I hope our conversation will the first of many more to come. I was also able to get in touch with my husband's uncle, who does quite a bit of genealogy. He will be sending his PAF file to me in the next day or so.

Since today's task didn't take much time at all, I'd like to share the odd story of how my genealogy journey began:

The actual precipitating event was a Relief Society “Service Auction” that was held 2 weeks ago. Half way through the auction I found myself holding all the fake money I had started with. Soon thereafter, they started auctioning off “Personal Genealogy Lessons”. As the auctioneer held up the envelope he jokingly commented that it was just what I wanted. Ironically, I had just thought to myself, “Hey, it might be nice to learn from someone other than my mom.” My mom is an awesome genealogist, but her genealogy tends to throw me in deep end before I've learned to swim. To make a long story short, I bid 40 fake dollars and I won some genealogy lessons. Then I had a really good laugh when I found out the lessons were donated by our very own support employee Noelani, who also works in the local family history center.

What motivated you started your genealogy?

Day 2: Getting My Feet Wet with a Record Search

Today I decided to find a source record to fill in the virtually sourceless PAF file I received form my husbands family. Although I should have done more research to see what his family already knew, I decided to jump right in and find a record. I need the experience. Perhaps next time I will gather info from relatives.

After fiddling around on the Internet for 20 minutes I decided I better ask for help. So I called my mom so she could point me in the right direction. After the call I found myself on the pilot record search engine on FamilySearch Labs: http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html There isn't a whole lot there yet, but there are multiple US Census records that are very useful.

Day 2: Get my feet wet with a simple record search.

First:Find an ancestor who has lived anywhere from 1850-1900

Second: Go to FamilySearch Labs Record Search

Third: Type in the individual's name, place, and date range.

Fourth: Compare the records that come up with the information you already have.

Fourth: If it is the right person, add it as a source(see example).

It took me a couple of tries (15min) before I found someone I was looking for because I didn't know what years to look in. Hopefully you'll go straight to results with the steps above. Let me know how it goes!

Growing up I didn't understand the thrill my mom got from genealogy. It always seemed so boring, but I have to admit how exciting it was to find mention of an ancestor in a census. There is a certain reverence you feel when you realize who they are and what they did in their lives. They become actual people when you see their name and their family members together on that record.