Mark Locations of Cemeteries
I have read a lot of tips and columns in this newsletter on how to take photos of headstones–all which have proved most helpful. I’ve taken photos of the general area in which my family is interned; however, another thought crossed my mind.
 
I live in Montana; my children were all born and reared here but my hometown is in Southern Indiana. One night a thought occurred to me–none of the photos show where or how to locate the cemetery. If sometime in the future they want to visit their grandparents’ gravesite, they wouldn’t know the name or where it is located.

I went to Google maps; found each cemetery and printed a picture of it, making sure a street or road name was visible. Then I marked the area where their ancestors are buried. This will be included in a family history I’m writing for them.
 
Nancy L. Garcia
Superior, Montana

New Use for Old Buffet
A few weeks back, Sally talked about repurposing an old entertainment center.
I took an old buffet and used the bottom for storage. Taking the doors off gave me room for binders and wicker baskets (large) which made attractive files for folders. (I was already using the entertainment center for books on genealogy.) It really helps to have everything in one location and neat.

This newsletter is a great spot for learning what others are doing!

Bev Shepherd

Organization Tip
I have read online or had contact with numerous people who say, “I have it in a box and will have to wade through it.” They probably never will get around to going through the box as it grows deeper with wonderful facts and information—all of which may end up being ignored. As it becomes a more daunting task, they may just put it off forever. Needless to say I never receive any of their information.

I suggest it is okay to put all information in a box when you do not have time to type it into the family tree or in some case do not know just where it belong in the tree. It is how you put it in the box that counts. Don’t just throw it in a box, put it in a folder in the box.

There are boxes that one can put the hanging folders in and label so that all your “jottings, findings, and unsure where they go bits” can be put into labeled folders so they may easily be located in minutes and you do not have to spend hours “wading” through the entire box to find one item.

I started out with two boxes, one is for all the information I collected and do not know how to connect it to the family. The other box holds files that are labeled with family names.  I file away those papers I have finished copying from the first box and any documents I want to keep. I put red stick-on dots on any papers I have finished copying and on documents I want to keep so I do not have to spend time rechecking if those have been copied into the Family Tree. 

As an individual’s file grows too cumbersome I divided that one into sub-files and label them Census, Obituaries, Marriage Records, etc. This has helped me tremendously to get back to “The Box” and use the information. I have also, been able to help others more quickly with what I have found.

Evadean Osborne

If you have a suggestion you would like to share with other researchers, send it to: mailto:[email protected] . Thanks to all of this week’s contributors!

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