Category: organizing genealogical research
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Library Lock-In
I was today years old when I went to my first library lock-in. What a fun experience! Hosted by the Grand Rapids History Center and the Western Michigan Genealogical Society (WMGS), the Grand Rapids Public Library was open from 6-10pm last Friday evening exclusively to those of us who had…
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Tweaking the System
I talked about my genealogy binder re-do here thinking I had all my ducks in a row. For the first couple binders, everything was quacking about nicely. Then I hit a few snags. So I made some corrections: Previously I thought this was fine: Then those pesky patronymic names came…
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Family History Filing
Something wonderful is in the air ~ spring cleaning! Having recently left my 40-hour-workweek behind, I’m all about pulling, purging and perfecting my environment. My digital environment hasn’t escaped the virtual feather duster either; I’m on a mission to bring my genealogy files to a state of organization they haven’t…
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Genealogy Binder Re-Do
In preparation for my first WMGS DNA special interest group meeting, Johanna Christina Carlson’s binder was a good place to start my binder organizational re-do. This is a first step in determining if Johanna’s father is Karl Johan Andersson Molin (1854-1895). Johanna is my maternal grandfather’s mother. Currently the spine…
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Distraction-Free Zone
I blame myself. Two pieces of paper were left alone overnight and suddenly my desk was awash in clutter. Despite my ‘design for success’ plan, I hadn’t considered the genealogical documents that cannot be addressed immediately. Where do those random various-surname documents go? Certificates and notes started to collect on…
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Delayed Gratification
This morning I put a second coat of paint on a small shelf and a mailing tube. The shelf had been in our garage for years. The mailing tube contained a Swedish family history chart dating back to 1620, a gift from my cousin, another Tolf descendant. In its new…
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A Place for Everything
Over the next few months, I will drastically reduce my work-away-from-home hours. Knowing I’ll have more time to delve into family history research, sewing projects, and the next great novel, I started seeing my home office with new eyes. My family history research is in binders labeled with my ancestors’…
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Alfred Was Born Wasn’t He?
For my last Timeline Tuesday post, I was able to document the source of my 2nd great-grandparents’ marriage in November of 1874. Early in my research of this branch of my family tree, I surmised that Elizabeth SCHMITT had been married before she married Jacob MUELLER. My supposition was based…
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Documenting a Source that Isn’t
Last week I mentioned a sourcing “opportunity” I had. It could complicate citing the marriage of my great-grandfather Alfred Jacob Mueller’s parents on the timeline I am preparing about his life. While drafting this post and attempting to document the aforementioned marriage, I relived the steps I took long ago…
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Applying Advanced Genealogy Research Techniques
It’s time to get serious about my family history research. Particularly when it comes to breaking down a brick wall that is preventing me from getting across the pond. Toward that end, for the past few weeks I’ve been devouring reading George G. Morgan and Drew Smith’s book Advanced Genealogy Research…
where2look4ancestors 