Saturday, January 17, 2015

My Genealogy "Do-Over" Plans for 2015

In case you haven't heard, there are thousands of people participating in a genealogy do-over led by Thomas MacEntee. You can read his Genealogy Do-Over blog and join the Genealogy Do-Over Facebook Group. I am also following the many posts by others on his Genealogy Do-Over website
I will be following my own modified plan, a genealogy makeover, using many of the ideas gleaned from others - no sense reinventing the wheel when others have some great ideas I can use. I. like many others, will not be boxing up my research but will be starting a fresh family tree in RootsMagic. I will access my prior research gleaning documents I have already gathered and reviewing and analyzing my research and correspondence.

I started my research nearly 40 years ago before there were computers or genealogy software. Anyone remember Commodore 64 computers? How about Family Roots, one of the first genealogy programs? It cost a mere $225. My research involved copious handwritten notes, letters, photocopies, family group sheets and census forms. Citing sources? Never heard of it back then. 

My research is in a file cabinet, binders, my laptop, and several boxes. I haven't had a genealogy research space until just recently so I would have to pack it all up into boxes and never quite got around to going through it all and filing things away. And I had a hiatus from research that lasted about ten years that covered the advent of the internet. When I took up my research again fifteen years ago I went straight to the internet and started collecting more information - also without source citations.

My genealogy goals for this year are:

  1. Create a new family tree where nothing is entered unless I have a source and a citation.
  2. Use a research log on my computer. I am starting with the wonderful one created and shared by Thomas MacEntee.
  3. Use research plans in my own research, not just when doing research for others.
  4. Renaming and organizing all my digital files.
  5. Citing all my sources in future research.
  6. Write a weekly blog post about my genealogy research, ancestors, and my genealogy makeover progress.

I will not be able to accomplish all of these goals in the 13-weeks following Thomas's Genealogy Do-Over, but I will be able to make headway and by the end of the year I will be completely organized and have loads of documented and cited information in my family tree.

I wish everyone out there great luck with their genealogy goals and research this year.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

How it began...

Sunday, January 11, 1976
I had returned home with my five month old son to live with my parents while my husband was stationed at King Salmon Air Force Base, Alaska. Considered a remote assignment, it was no place for a baby. On this particular Sunday my dad was home and catching up on the week's newspapers when he suddenly tossed me the Oregon Life section and asked if I had read the cover story on genealogy. He said he had always wanted to know more about his mother's family since she was orphaned at a young age. I had heard that her parents were dead, but had not heard that they died when she was a child. The newspaper article interviewed a local genealogist and included a pedigree chart so I thought I would see what I could learn for my dad.

Grandma had dementia, and couldn't help me out, so I found her brothers and sisters and wrote them asking for information on their parents. It took a while to hear from them, but I received the names of their parents, grandparents, and a few dates. I moved to the Oregon Coast that fall and was able to write letters and subscribed to the Genealogical Helper. Waiting weeks and months for replies was not a lot of fun for me but a toddler kept me busy.

Lillian Dell McJimsey was born 26 December 1898 in Decatur Co.Iowa. Her mother, Caroline (Newell) was born 10 April 1869 in Polk Co., IA and died 7 Dec 1905, Decatur Co., IA, shortly after the birth of her 10th child, Clarence Riley McJimsey. Caroline is buried in the Van Wert Cemetery, Decatur Co., IA. She was preceded in death by three children, one named Eldrado (the best I can make out), a male born 28 Dec 1898, and appears to be the twin brother to my grandmother. No birth record exists for Lillian Dell who was called Dell as a child, but one does exist for her twin. He died shortly after birth. The other two deceased children were gone before the 1900 census.

My grandmother Della, the name she went by my entire life, had turned 12 years old just a month before her father, William Riley McJimsey, passed away on 26 January 1911, aged 62 years, 2 mo, 19 days according to his headstone in the Van Wert Cemetery. William and his twin sister, Sarah, were born 7 Nov 1848 in Jasper Co., Indiana.

So far I have not been able to confirm who my grandmother lived with after her father's death. In May 1914 Della's oldest sister Bessie Maude McJimsey Hammond applied and was appointed her guardian.Bessie, who was living in Humboldt Co., CA, had left home at age 16 immediately after the death of their mother Caroline.

There is much more to tell about this family, but I will leave that for another day.

Notes:
Lundeen, Kay (1976, January 10). Holmes-ing in on Heritage. Eugene Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, p.1. Retrieved from http://.news.google.com.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Inspiration & Goals for 2012

Three weeks into the year and I am starting my blog. I have been inspired by the many genealogy bloggers out there telling their stories, research roadblocks and successes, and posting news and tips. I learn so much from all of them.

I decided to set genealogy goals this year instead of the usual ones that I never seem to keep. I think I'll be able to keep my genealogy goals.
  1. Find the father of my great great grandmother Elcena Record(s). Easier said than done.
  2. Sort through the boxes (yes, boxes) of notes, photocopies, print outs, pictures, and correspondence and file them in the appropriate files.
  3. Start a blog (accomplished)
  4. Maintain my blog
  5. Complete ProGen12 (9 months to go)
  6. Attend a national genealogy conference
I suppose I shouldn't have shared number 2 with you if I hope to impress readers with my experience, but it is the truth. I will keep you informed of how I am doing on these goals throughout the year and hope that I can inspire others as much as I have been inspired over the years.