This weekend I visited my mom's 82-year old cousin, and he gave me a treasure. It's a typed narrative, one he has been working on for years, of our family history, going back two centuries to my great, great, great, great-grandparents. (I think I've got the number of greats right). He even has the nicknames and some stories he's heard about them (some even a bit shocking ).
The problem is that his narrative is difficult to follow. These were huge families and many of the names are the same. Also, there is a bit of dialect interspersed in both the names and the stories. I'm finding it difficult to follow, and I don't know how to begin to organize this. Do any of you have suggestions?
Where do I go from Here?
Re: Where do I go from Here?
Hi!
Lucky you... and please give your mom's cousin a huge hug for me...
Get yourself a wide roll of paper (craft store)... and start charting out your tree on paper... use those sticky notes (little memo pads with the glue at the top... maybe use different colours for different families...)
Write out specific people info on these little sheets (including their nicknames) and start putting them into place on this wide sheet of paper... these sheets can be rolled up at the end of a research session... (but roll em up carefully... )
In some craft stores, you can still purchase a wax roller... (where you can wax the backs of paper - like glue) ... or purchase those smelly cans of spray glue... but not the permanent hold spray glue...
You don't want to permanently glue this notes down.. as you will find that errors will be made... and you will be moving notes everywhere...
Once you have everyone in place... then get yourself genea software and start inputting your info in...
I've done this myself...
Please do show your Mom's cousin if you chart it out.... it will mean so much to him too...
Don't be scared to go back and ask him to help you with area's you don't understand... I'm sure he'll appreciate you interest in all this...
My own cousin and I had the best time ever researching together, and I grew to respect and understand him...
Some relatives couldn't understand why genealogy was so important to him... and I - at one time was one of those relatives...
Maria
Oh ya.. one more thing... eventually you will have to research these family groups by either researching from family history film, boat records, census records... just like the way we do here... family says one thing... records show another....
Lucky you... and please give your mom's cousin a huge hug for me...
Get yourself a wide roll of paper (craft store)... and start charting out your tree on paper... use those sticky notes (little memo pads with the glue at the top... maybe use different colours for different families...)
Write out specific people info on these little sheets (including their nicknames) and start putting them into place on this wide sheet of paper... these sheets can be rolled up at the end of a research session... (but roll em up carefully... )
In some craft stores, you can still purchase a wax roller... (where you can wax the backs of paper - like glue) ... or purchase those smelly cans of spray glue... but not the permanent hold spray glue...
You don't want to permanently glue this notes down.. as you will find that errors will be made... and you will be moving notes everywhere...
Once you have everyone in place... then get yourself genea software and start inputting your info in...
I've done this myself...
Please do show your Mom's cousin if you chart it out.... it will mean so much to him too...
Don't be scared to go back and ask him to help you with area's you don't understand... I'm sure he'll appreciate you interest in all this...
My own cousin and I had the best time ever researching together, and I grew to respect and understand him...
Some relatives couldn't understand why genealogy was so important to him... and I - at one time was one of those relatives...
Maria
Oh ya.. one more thing... eventually you will have to research these family groups by either researching from family history film, boat records, census records... just like the way we do here... family says one thing... records show another....
Re: Where do I go from Here?
Thank you so much for your suggestion Maria. I was trying to create a tree on paper, but it's soooo complicated. I've already used five sheets and I've scarsely begun. I love the idea of the sticky notes, because already I can see how easy it is to make mistakes. I want very much to put this together and somehow send it to my mom's cousin as a Christmas surprise. I hope it's possible.
I've developed a new appreciation of the complexity of genealogy research. This is just my mom's mother's side of the family. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to do her dad's side and my father's family. My kids would have to take it even further and include my husband's information. One thing is sure, when I'm finally retired, I'll never have to say I have nothing to do.
I've developed a new appreciation of the complexity of genealogy research. This is just my mom's mother's side of the family. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to do her dad's side and my father's family. My kids would have to take it even further and include my husband's information. One thing is sure, when I'm finally retired, I'll never have to say I have nothing to do.
Re: Where do I go from Here?
Well .. what about using genea software?
I did a genea file of my entire ancestral town... luckily both my parents were born from the same place... unfortunately, I discovered they were related... tho they didn't know it... and yes my genetic makeup is such a mess....
That's the beauty about software.... it really makes a difference... a must have...
Me personally... I need to see a tree in print... on paper.. and on the monitor...
Do you have a printer at home?
That would make a great Christmas surprise for your Mom's cousin...
Maria
I did a genea file of my entire ancestral town... luckily both my parents were born from the same place... unfortunately, I discovered they were related... tho they didn't know it... and yes my genetic makeup is such a mess....
That's the beauty about software.... it really makes a difference... a must have...
Me personally... I need to see a tree in print... on paper.. and on the monitor...
Do you have a printer at home?
That would make a great Christmas surprise for your Mom's cousin...
Maria
Re: Where do I go from Here?
The Lds provides a free software program called personal ancestral file,
it is what I used in the beginning and is quite good.......
http://www.ldscatalog.com/webapp/wcs/st ... &cg4=&cg5=
wldspirit
it is what I used in the beginning and is quite good.......
http://www.ldscatalog.com/webapp/wcs/st ... &cg4=&cg5=
wldspirit
Re: Where do I go from Here?
Maria,
I love your idea of the chart and sticky notes...guess what I'll be doing this weekend?
wldspirit, I like the lds program..its basic and fairly easy to use. Great beginner program and good for most people.
mler, Just want to mention that I really enjoy your posts. So much great info to share with all of us. I hope you will continue to post more often...we all learn so much from each other.
nuccia
I love your idea of the chart and sticky notes...guess what I'll be doing this weekend?
wldspirit, I like the lds program..its basic and fairly easy to use. Great beginner program and good for most people.
mler, Just want to mention that I really enjoy your posts. So much great info to share with all of us. I hope you will continue to post more often...we all learn so much from each other.
nuccia
Re: Where do I go from Here?
Hello Everyone,
Your suggestions are Great..
I too am trying to put all of my information into a tree.. It is more difficult than I thought it would be.
so many names from so many places.. and everyone had at least 4 kids!
Just wanted to let you guys know that your replies have helped me also I am going to go the LDS link now and start using the program you mentioned..
Thank you again to all the great researchers for helping me and many others.
Kristina
Your suggestions are Great..
I too am trying to put all of my information into a tree.. It is more difficult than I thought it would be.
so many names from so many places.. and everyone had at least 4 kids!
Just wanted to let you guys know that your replies have helped me also I am going to go the LDS link now and start using the program you mentioned..
Thank you again to all the great researchers for helping me and many others.
Kristina
Re: Where do I go from Here?
Thank you for your kind words, Nuccia, and thank you all for your wonderful suggestions. I'm going to follow Kristina to the LDS link and also look into some genealogy software.
Darn, it's already August 17, and school begins in two weeks. Too bad I didn't get this stuff in June.
Maria, I think there was a whole lot of inbreeding in these small Italian towns. My mom's cousin insists that everyone in his town is related to everyone else. How scary is that? Oh well, at least no one in my family has been born with three heads--not that I know of anyway.
Darn, it's already August 17, and school begins in two weeks. Too bad I didn't get this stuff in June.
Maria, I think there was a whole lot of inbreeding in these small Italian towns. My mom's cousin insists that everyone in his town is related to everyone else. How scary is that? Oh well, at least no one in my family has been born with three heads--not that I know of anyway.