I’ve never been able to figure out why spring has been designated as the season to stay in and clean house. After winters like this one, I can’t wait to get out of the house and clean up the yard. So this year I’m starting my indoor cleaning now while the weather is still crummy and I’m stuck inside. I’m starting with my family history and have started a list of tasks I want to accomplish BEFORE spring. Some of the tasks on my list include catching up on filing, making sure my electronic database is current, and backing up my data. I’m also attaching records and downloading electronic images to my Ancestry Tree to make it easier to start that MyCanvas book I’ve been wanting. What’s on your list and what’s your plan for tackling it? Share your ideas with fellow family historians in the comments section of the blog.
At this time of year, everyone in our house is going a little stir crazy. After the umpteenth “I’m bored” last weekend, I followed in my mom’s footsteps and hired my daughter for some family history chores. Back in the 70s, we were the only family on the block with a microfilm reader in the basement, and Mom used to pay my sisters and me a quarter for every family member we found as we scrolled through Brooklyn census microfilms. Now I can sit my daughter down in front of the computer and have her try her hand at searching Ancestry.com. I’m working on attaching records to my online tree so that when it comes time to create a family history book, the records are attached and download into MyCanvas seamlessly. Other “chores” I have in store include scanning family photographs, labeling current photos, and catching up on that never-ending filing.
Scrolling through microfilm all those years ago is what sparked my interest in family history. I’m hoping that the same will be true for my daughter. Perhaps there is a child you know that would be willing to help you. By enlisting them we can create another generation of family historians.
Did your spouse, father, or grandfather propose marriage in a romantic location or in a unique way? Is there a funny story of how grandpa finally won grandma’s heart? Or vice versa? How did you meet your sweetheart? These are the stories that typically can’t be found in records. Take a few moments to document them so that future generations will know the story too. Have a happy Valentine’s Day!
Ever wondered what great-grandma’s hometown in Ireland looked like? Google the town. Need to know if a historical figure has ties to your family history? Google his or her biography. Is that disease great-grandmother and her sister died of hereditary? Google the disease. Where did grandma get that crazy teapot? Google the manufacturer’s name that is on the bottom and add some descriptive keywords. In many cases, the answers to questions like these are just a few clicks away.
Have you located a record that might interest another family member? Why not take a couple of minutes to share it? You can share images you’ve found on Ancestry by clicking on the share icon on the right-hand side of the image viewer. Even if the person you are sharing it with is not a member of Ancestry, they can view the image through a link in the generated e-mail for thirty days. By keeping the lines of communication open, you are staying connected with family members who may be able to help you out with your research down the road. And who knows, they may respond with an important memory that the record prompted. Try it!
Do your loved ones know the significance of items you would like preserved for posterity? Are they aware that that bundle of yellowed letters you have stashed away are letters your grandfather wrote? Or that that those crumbly old recipes sticking out of that cookbook belonged to your great-grandmother? Do they know that the stack of postcards in the closet contain correspondence from a special uncle and that your favorite aunt made the as a wedding gift? Take the time to not only make sure these items are preserved in a safe environment, but also that their significance is noted so that it won’t end up in the trash or on the table at a yard sale some day.
O.K., a show of hands. Who took digital pictures this past holiday season? Where are those pictures? Still locked in your digital camera? This week, let’s take some time to print copies and save copies electronically (with a backup) so that they don’t get lost. Send copies to family members via e-mail or on CDs or DVDs and ask that they share some of their pictures with you. For those prints, don’t forget to label them and put them in an album. This is a project that can involve older children and keep them busy on these cold winter days.
As we look towards 2009, let’s set some goals in our family history research. Whether your goal is to finally find great-grandpa in the 1900 census, to file that stack of papers, label those photographs, or master a new skill–make a list of things you’d like to accomplish this year. Put it on your desktop where you can review it regularly. Then take each item and set up a plan to make it happen. For example, you could set aside a certain amount of time each day to browse through the census for great-grandpa, even if it’s just ten minutes over that morning cup of coffee. Keep track of where you left off for the next day. File or label photos for fifteen minutes a day. Investigate webinars, classes, or publications that can help you further your research and grow your skills. Let’s make this a great year for your family history!
During this holiday season as you’re enjoying time with family, spice up conversation with copies of records you’ve found. Check out the free historical newspaper sample pages online at Ancestry. These actual news accounts of historical events are bound to get the conversation and memories flowing. And check out the letters to Santa that appeared in newspapers from the 1920s and 30s. They are bound to stir up memories of Christmases past. Who knows? Maybe among those memories you’ll find a clue you can use in your family history quest!
This year why not send a special holiday greeting to your family and loved ones and include a piece of family history? Whether it be a biographical sketch, a copy of a census or immigration record, a copy of a photograph, or a family memory–when you send a piece of family history, you’re sure to brighten someone’s day. And who knows, you may prompt them to reciprocate!
