A Baker's Dozen of Genealogy/Family History Books

A few from my list - you can find many of these at your local library!

Last month at this time I shared ten books (well I cheated a bit with some series books but hey, what is a bibliophile to do) that have had an impact on my life. I promised that I would be back this month and share ten books that have had an impact on my genealogy life (could not fit all that in the title - too long!). That might seem like a tall order, but I think I can handle it. So let's get sharing (if you have a book that has impacted you, please share it so we can all benefit!).

(1)  Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace by Elizabeth Shown Mills - this book is simply the best! If you want to understand how citations work and why they are important, look no further than Evidence Explained. Ms. Mills not only explains the reasoning behind various citations, she also shares examples of most every type of source citation. And if you read the beginning chapters and pay attention, you will be able to craft you own source citation for any work for which she did not provide an example. I am a huge fan of "watching/reading and learning" and Ms. Mills' writing is clear, concise, and gently nudges genealogists and family historians to reach for the next level. Every genealogist needs to own this book.

(2)  Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills - what can I say, this woman is on a roll! Whether you want to take your hobby, passion, or profession seriously and understand all the important business, financial, and ethical requirements or you simply want to understand how to make the best use of a genealogy professional, this is the book for you (put it right next to Evidence Explained). Professional Genealogy serves as the textbook for ProGen Study Groups. You will definitely wring everything out of this book if you join a ProGen group. Whether you join a ProGen group or go it alone, you need Professional Genealogy.

(3)  Destination America: The People and Cultures That Created a Nation by Chuck Wills - do you want to understand how all of the people who came to America shaped and added to our nation's rich tapestry of multiculturalism? This gorgeous book (spoiler alert - maps and lots of photos - you won't be able to put it down) was the basis of a PBS series by the same name put together by David Grubin. Destination America contains amazing stories of where immigrants came from and why they left their native lands, lovely photos and maps (oh yes maps!) and the chance to gain a better understanding of how our freedoms (freedom to worship, freedom from oppression, freedom from want, freedom from fear, and freedom to create) have been strengthened due to the efforts of all our people. Destination America introduces us to the original native Americans as well as most religious or ethnic groups that joined them here. As a country, we don't always get it right (and sometimes we get it very wrong) but we do aspire to be better. Destination America will remind you of what your own group(s) went through and help you appreciate the stories of other groups of your fellow Americans.

(4)  Our America: A Hispanic History of the United States by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto - American history is often taught through a prism of British history, but that is only a part of our story (think about the Native American population, as well as French, Russian, and Spanish interests). Our America serves as a reminder that the United States' history is just as much the story of Spanish colonization as any other group's colonization. Our America reminds us of the Southwest and West regions' rich history. Our Hispanic past is just as important as any discussion of the Pilgrims and the 13 colonies.

(5)  Geography and Genealogy: Locating Personal Pasts edited by Timothy Dallen and Jeanne Kay Guelke - this one is a bit hard to find (go to your college and university libraries) but is worth the trouble. Geography is such an important aspect in genealogy and it usually gets short shrift. I recently took several courses in cultural and physical geography and they opened my eyes to all the factors that affect people, culture, and place. Whether you want to understand the questions of why people settled where they did, how they lived, how natural and man-made barriers affected their lives, what migration patterns were and how they have changed over time, the push-pull factors of migration, and a host of other topics - the study of geography provides the answers. This book provides an introduction to the field of geography as it relates to genealogy. Combine Geography and Genealogy with a few classics like Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time by Dava Sorbel and Geography: Realms, Regions and Concepts by Harm J. De Blij and Peter O. Muller (the newest edition is available as a rental eBook!), as well as the very readable newer entries that combine history and just plain fun, including The Discoverers: A History of Man's Search to Know His World and Himself  by Daniel J. Boorstin and Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks by Ken Jennings - and you will see our world in a whole new light.

(6)  Tracing Your Irish Ancestors: the Complete Guide by John Grenham - this book is an excellent primer on Irish family history research. It is important to understand the history of a place, its physical layout and system of record-keeping and, of course, what is available (offline and online). For anyone serious about researching their Irish ancestors this is the book. Mr. Grenham has a number of other publications (in both book and CD-ROM format) that are also especially helpful - Clans and Families of Ireland, Grenham's Irish Surnames and Grenham's Irish Recordfinder. Combine Tracing Your Irish Ancestors with A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland by Brian Mitchell and Irish Records: Sources for Family and Local History by James G. Ryan, and you will have your Irish research resources covered.

(7)  Finding a Place Called Home: A Guide to African-American Genealogy and Historical Identity by Dee Parmer Woodtor - for African-Americans researching their genealogy and family history and for all those wanting to understand the family history of African-Americans in our county, this is the book. An excellent resource to find out about how slavery (and the concept of people as property) affects our research from as early as 1790. Finding a Place Called Home is not only a genealogy resource but a fascinating history of a people through time - slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, WWI, WWII, the Civil Rights movement, and migration resulting from these events. African-American history is American history and African-American genealogy is American genealogy - it touches all of us and this book is an excellent introduction.

(8)  The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy by Loretto Dennis Szucs and The Red Book: American State County & Town Sources edited by Alice Eichholz are essential genealogy reference books, so much so that Ancestry.com puts them front and center on their learning page (in front of their pay-wall - run don't walk there - okay use the magic of the internet!). If you want to figure out what records are available - whether on the Federal or local level, where those records are located in various State and County repositories, and how to get your hands (real or virtual) on them, these two books are the place to start. A note: researchers need to take the contact information and update it as more information becomes available online and datasets and office information change - but these books provide the history, the guideposts, and those all important breadcrumbs for further research. These books are at many libraries and sit happily alongside my copies of Evidence Explained and Professional Genealogy - they are that good and that useful.

(9)  Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America by David Hackett Fischer - a look at four waves of immigration to America: the Cavaliers to the Atlantic Southeast (Virginia), the Puritans to New England, the Quakers to Pennsylvania, and the Scots-Irish or Borderers to the Appalachians. This is an interesting book that speaks to English culture and its impact on populating the colonies in the 1629-1775 time-frame. I would encourage readers and researchers to take Mr. Fischer's conclusions and generalizations with a grain of salt - I don't think everything is so neat and tidy, but Albion's Seed does provide lots of information on the cultural and social history of these groups, together with references and suggestions for additional reading.

(10)  Organizing Your Family History Search: Efficient & Effective Ways to Gather and Protect Your Genealogical Research by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack - if you are anything like me you would like to know that you are on the right track and that you are approaching your genealogy and record-keeping in an efficient and effective manner. Simply put, genealogists want to know how to put all the information we gather together. Well Ms. Carmack does a fine job of helping us out in an easy to read and incorporate way. Sometimes you will nod your head (done that) and other times you will have an "aha moment." The best method of organizing our research and results is the method that we will actually use day in and day out. Check out Ms. Carmack's suggestions and get organized!

(11)  The Surnames Handbook: A Guide to Family Name Research in the 21st Century and DNA and Social Networking: A Guide to Genealogy in the Twenty-First Century both by Debbie Kennett - these areas of research are relatively new to most of us. Both DNA and Social Networking and The Surnames Handbook are well-written and contain a wealth of website links and resources to assist us in our studies. Ms. Kennett's clear and concise explanations of DNA studies (so much has changed since my university biology classes!) and social networking (how to best use all the tools at our disposal and not be overwhelmed by them) help genealogists and family historians understand how to make the best use of both. Ms. Kennett's guide to surname research is thorough and quite readable. Surname research, as a facet of family history, is expanding on a worldwide basis and Ms. Kennett's guide is an especially helpful introduction.

(12)  Seven Pillars of Wisdom - The Art of One-Name Studies edited by the Guild of One-Name Studies and Putting Your Ancestors in their Place: A Guide to One Place Studies by Janet Few - those of you who know me, know that I am working on a one-name (surname) study and a one-place (location) study. At some point I hope to encourage enough Keoughs to join the existing Keough-DNA study (but that is still a future thought). While our own family history and genealogy is interesting, I do think that putting those who share our surname or our place in context is a fascinating area of specialized family history research. The methodology and projects suggested in Seven Pillars and Putting Your Ancestors in Their Place are incredibly helpful to the family historian who wants to take her/his research further and connect it to the bigger picture or puzzle out possible connections.

(13)  A People's History of the United States: 1492-Present by Howard Zinn - what can I say - a history of the United States told from the viewpoint and in the words of the people who have made this country and who are not often heard from - the women, the Native Americans, the immigrants, the factory workers, the farmers, the laborers, and the working poor. This is not the history you learned in your unwieldy and cursory high school or college textbooks. This is not the history told by the establishment. Be sure to take Mr. Zinn's A People's History with a grain of salt, but also realize that history is written by the winners. It is important to understand our past and look at all sides of the story. Wear your critical thinking eyeglasses with this one, but it is just as important to not wear our rose-colored glasses while we read either.

(14)  And because I am a bit of a cheat (I am sure you have counted more than my baker's dozen here) EVERYTHING by Ken Burns & Company is, in my humble opinion, brilliant and shines a light on our American family history. We and our extended families exist in a time and place and our experiences affect other people and other countries as well as our own. Be sure to check out these books which serve as companions to the Ken Burns for PBS documentary films. Although the films are wonderful, these books include much more detail (no time constraints, unlike film productions), provide additional resources, and explore the American experience from a variety of events or topics, large and small. My choices include the following:

• The Civil War: An Illustrated History by Geoffrey C. Ward, Ric Burns and Ken Burns
• Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns
• The National Parks: America's Best Idea by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns
• Jazz: A History of America's Music by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns
• The War: An Intimate History, 1941-1945 by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns
• Mark Twain: An Illustrated Biography by Geoffrey C. Ward, Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan
• Not for Ourselves Alone: the Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony by Geoffrey C. Ward and Kenneth Burns
• The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God by Amy Stechler Burns and ken Burns
• Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns
• The Roosevelts: An Intimate History by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns

Books - Glorious Books! (image made with wordle.net)

Okay - there you have it! Did I miss anything that you think is a must read? You will notice that I have a bit of an American bent (hey I'm American), but I hope I have included enough varied topics and types of genealogy and family history books so that there is something you know and agree with and something that is new to you. Please share your choices of genealogy or family history books that have had an affect of you in the comments section. 

Cheers and Enjoy!

Tessa 

10 Books That Have Had An Impact On My Life

2 of my choices - put them on your reading list!

Two things - As the White Rabbit said "Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!" - and for me that would be writing for the Worldwide Genealogy Blog before my midnight deadline! Oops - this has been a crazy couple of weeks and I am completely off kilter (but slowly righting myself!). However, sometimes it is a good thing to be running late because - I saw a blogpost where one person challenged another to come up a list of 10 books that have had an impact on her life. Wow - that challenge is interesting and deep (and does not require getting doused with water!). I am a huge reader and always have been - and I mean one or two books a week, except while in graduate school (lots of reading, just not much fun stuff).

So with credit to the blogger (Judy from Australia) who wrote about the challenge, as well as a link to her list found at Jottings, Journeys and Genealogy, why not make up your list and then see if you share any books in common with her (I know I did). Perhaps you share a few books in common with me.

Here is my list:

(1) Thumbelina (Hans Christian Andersen)- the first book I got to purchase. I loved the story and the artwork - it fed into my sense of adventure and possibilities. When my mother told me I could pick out a book at the school fair, I thought I was taking it home. Sadly we purchased it for the school library - and when I did not have it checked out, I hid it so others could not find it to check it out. I was a bit naughty as a first grader in Catholic school (the story of my life). This book began my lifelong love affair with books as well as strong, smart heroines.

(2) The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills and The Last Enchantment (trilogy by Mary Stewart) - I first read these books on our family summer vacation - we might have gone to Eastern Washington, but I went back in time and was transported.

(3) Black Like Me (John  Howard Griffin) - a must read for anyone who wants to understand what life was and sometimes still is like for a minority in the USA.

(4) To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee) - I read this book in high school but did not really grasp the full importance of it until I read it (and watched the movie) for a legal ethics class. Every single one of us should aspire to live our lives with integrity and honor (when everyone is watching and more importantly, when they are not). What is not to love and admire about Atticus Finch, and didn't we all want to be friends with Scout?

(5) Gone With the Wind (Margaret Mitchell) - I immediately bonded with Scarlett in spite of all her faults and I never understood what anyone saw in Ashley. I was team Rhett from the get go. This book reminded me that so much in life is neither black nor white but various shades of grey. We need to understand an individual's background and motivations. My grandmother left me her second edition of the book (the one with all the movie photos) because I always snuck a peak whenever we visited for monthly Sunday dinner. GWTW created a bond between my grandmother and me that I will always treasure.

(6) Here Be Dragons, Falls the Shadow and The Reckoning (trilogy by Sharon Kay Penman) - I picked up this trilogy while in Glasgow and read the books while I spent a summer in the UK. Fascinating historical fiction and wonderfully written. I am throwing in The Sunne in Splendour because I picked it up with the trilogy and loved the redemption of Richard III (unfair of Shakespeare to paint him a villain).

(7) In the Garden of Beasts (Erik Larson) - one of my favorite authors, as I love how he researches and shares truth that is stranger and harsher than fiction. As the world failed to pay attention, Hitler and his bully boys rose to power. What was it about the world powers, their leaders, and foreign service personnel that they stood by while Berlin and the rest of Germany slid into such horrors? Why did the German people turn on their neighbors and turn a blind eye to what was happening to the Jews and other "minorities." Why do we not seem to learn the lesson of what happens when a people, country or political group is intolerant - why when we said "never again" do we continue to have ethnic cleansing, massacres, and religious zealots/terrorists on the world stage?

(8) The Lymond Chronicles (a six part series) and The House of Niccolo (the eight part prequel) (Dorothy Dunnett) - my all time favorite author, someone who kept me thinking throughout each book in both series and she took me on an adventure all over the world. An absolutely brilliant series of books that once you reach the end of each series, you have to go back and start all over to catch all those clues you may have missed. Her books made me delve into the history, language, literature, religion, geography, and politics of the times she wrote about - she was a wonderful author who encouraged her readers to learn more about so many subjects. When I traveled throughout Scotland, Europe and the Mediterranean, oftentimes I knew I was traveling where my favorite characters traveled.

(9) The Reason I Jump (Naoki Higashida) - if you want to understand one person's journey living with autism and rethink your response to those who are different, this book is both eye-opening and heartbreaking. Whether you know an autistic person or you simply want to be aware of what an autistic person goes through and expand your understanding of humanity, read this book.

(10) The Boys In The Boat (Daniel James Brown) - Seattle in the 1930s and 1940s, working-class American boys with a dream, the history of crew both in England and America, the hard work, dedication, and hopes of the boat builder (George Pocock), the coaches, and the crew members of the University of Washington 8-man crew, all in the context of the events that shaped history - the depression and the 1936 Berlin Olympics. I was on the edge of my seat cheering those boys on and learning life lessons from Mr. Pocock. Reading this book, you can't help but cheer for Joe Rantz (it is also a story of families - those you are born into and those you choose to join, and it made me thankful for mine).

Next month, I will share my list of 10 genealogy or family history books that have had an impact on my genealogy life.

And now - what are your selections?

Independence Day - Happy Birthday USA!

Image courtesy of  FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-10042229

This month's topic for Worldwide Genealogy was an easy choice for me since my posts appear on the 4th of each month. I am a citizen of the USA and July 4th is a big day for us - it is our birthday - the USA turns 238 today. 

We celebrate on a grand scale - it is a federal holiday and there are events all weekend at the Mall in Washington, D.C., at Liberty Hall in Philadelphia, at the Charlestown Navy Yard and Harbor in Boston, and in most major cities. The day's events often culminate with a concert and fireworks display (two of the most famous - the Boston Pops and the Capitol Fourth - are shown live on television). We celebrate on a local scale with parades, festivals, rodeos, revolutionary war-era reenactments, baseball games, classic movies, scavenger hunts, concerts, picnics, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, family reunions, political speeches and ceremonies, and local and individual fireworks displays. 

But what exactly are we celebrating? We commemorate July 4, 1776 as the date when a small band of the men finished the work of writing, arguing, persuading, rewriting, and finally encouraging each other to come to agreement on a 1,337 word document that took a stand and told their sovereign king "thanks but no thanks - we have had enough, you don't listen, you don't respect us, you don't treat us right - we don't want to work it out, we want to break up (oh, and it is you, not us!)." 

And so began the long, hard struggle for independence. Although Great Britain's heavy-handed actions (unfair taxes as well as refusing to allow real representation or self-governing) had brought matters to a political standoff between the British government and the colonists, it is one thing to complain - and quite another thing to act on it. In fact we now know that many of the colonists thought the British government would understand the seriousness of their position and finally work out more reasonable governance. However, the colonists found out that Great Britain had no intention of listening to them and no interest in walking away from their investment in land and resources, and so that final break was made. Since the winners get to write history, that little matter of treason is often forgotten. But it is important to understand what our forefathers said and wrote, what they were willing to fight and die for, and what they wanted their fellow countrymen to embrace. 

Today many focus on the Declaration as being about individuals and recall only 7 words "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" to the exclusion of the other 1,330 words. But a serious reading of the Declaration shows the larger and true meaning of this document. Today is the perfect day for Americans and those all around the world to read the expertly crafted Declaration of Independence in its entirety and put all the words in context. The Declaration has a conclusion (read the last sentence first) with supporting arguments for that conclusion (the rest of the document). The Declaration is about working together to form something bigger than ourselves and our self-interests. All Americans should put Our Declaration: A Reading of the Declaration of Independence in Defense of Equality by Danielle Allen on their summer reading list. She provides some food for thought and an opportunity to gain a better understanding of this important document. 

Our form of government has never been an easy thing. It took the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Civil War, and the Civil Rights Acts to work at getting it right. And that never-ending process continues today. The Declaration and the Constitution are blueprints for where we have been, how we see ourselves (our aspiration or ideals), and how we plan to achieve our ideals. The hard work is in embracing and living up to our ideals not only on July 4th but every day. 

Happy Birthday USA - thanks to the men and women
who have done the difficult work
throughout our history!
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-10042231

Time for a Slice of Pie - Genealogy Pie That Is!

May was an incredibly busy "volunteer" month as I did a number of projects for three groups to which I belong. Whether it was writing posts at a Google+ Community, hosting Google+ hangouts where I am either in technical or presentation mode (and sometimes both!), putting together submissions on behalf of two groups for the Southern California Genealogical Society's Jamboree 2014 mobile app, meeting and planning for 2014 and beyond with fellow regional representatives in the Guild of One-Name Studies, or putting together the quarterly newsletter for the Society for One-Place Studies, May's volunteer activities (which spilled into the first days of June) took some serious time away from my own genealogical pursuits and my real life. And that reminded me that we genealogists and family historians need to put a value on our time and effort and keep track of the time we devote to all aspects of our genealogy life.

I wrote a post about my genealogy pie in February and have given it a bit more thought and found the video that I wanted to share with you about this very topic. But first back to the pie!

I often refer to decisions about how to divide my time as similar to making a pie. Why? First, because I love to cook and bake. Second, I have found that coming up with the correct recipe for my genealogy time is very much like making a pie. If you want your pie to taste great, you need to follow a recipe, add the right number and amount of ingredients (don't overload it), and watch that pie when it is in the oven (no one enjoys an under-baked or over-baked pie - okay I take that back, my brothers will eat pretty much anything). Last, you have to be a bit creative and, once you understand your recipe, be willing to tweak it from time to time to keep things interesting.

I have seven ingredients in my genealogy pie. They are:

• education
• research
• data entry
• social media
• organization
• volunteerism, and
• sharing

Your genealogy pie might have different ingredients from mine, we might change up the order and amount of ingredients, or we might decide to add something totally new to the mix. The important thing is to make conscious decisions about how you spend your time and be willing to step back, give it some thought, and tweak your genealogy pie from time to time.  

I did a short video about this genealogy pie concept and it is linked above (you can also find it on my YouTube channel, TessaWatch). 

Have a great June (and here's hoping all those volunteer projects slow down for us and we get some time to work on our own genealogy projects - now where did I put my personal family history to-do list?)

Back in the Stream of Blogging With A Hook

Fishing for Family - You Might Have A Great Catch!
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-100165715

I am so impressed with people who seem to be able to publish blog posts about all aspects of their family history - from stories about their ancestors, reviews of the software and apps, travel to their ancestral homelands, cemetery visits, research trips and conferences, to in-depth discussions of their methodology. I even have two genealogy friends who have outlined their A-Z Challenge blog posts (thematically) for 2015!

On the other hand, I am one of those bloggers who has the best of intentions, but not the best follow-through. That is one of the reasons that I jumped on this Worldwide Genealogy blogging bandwagon. Although I am busy with a variety of genealogy/family history related projects, I did want to get back into blogging (as that is where most of my personal family history research is found). When Julie Goucher first mentioned the idea, I thought I can post once a month in 2014 and Julie knows where to find me if I don't. I also hoped that the commitment to Worldwide Genealogy would get me back on track with my own blogs (hey it is always a little bit about self-interest). So I signed on and started with baby steps.

I wrote my first four blog posts here as the spirit moved me. All it took was a bit of thought (walking is a great activity to clear your mind and get ideas for blog topics) and a bit of discipline (calendar the publish date, write up the post at least a few days early, and give myself a day to review before hitting the publish button).

Now it was time to take a look at my own blogs (oh, the horror and all those cobwebs!) and see if they could be saved. I have one blog for my paternal side The Keough Corner and one blog for my maternal side Scandia Musings. The first decision was whether to invest the time and effort in updating the layout, cleaning up (actually pruning) the pages, and committing to posting on a regular basis. I spent some time in April doing just that - reading a variety of blogs, playing with colors, fonts, sidebars and widgets - spring cleaning the layout, tweaking the content, and checking out the results. Now I needed a hook - something that would nudge me to post at least once a week.

Enter Cheri Hudson Passey who publishes her blog at least weekly using the meme of writing about her family history calendar - she uses the calendar creator/list feature in Legacy to note the birthdays and anniversaries of people in her family tree. She borrowed this meme from Linda McCauley (one of my partners in crime over at the Legacy Virtual Users' Group Community on Google+). This looked like a great plan to get me back in the blogging stream with baby steps.

Using Legacy (most of the genealogy database programs have this same feature) - I print to PDF the calendar list for any given month - in my case, one for my Murphy-Keough direct line (tag 1) and one for my Zagradisnik-Lidman direct line (tag 2). Then I go to my Legacy database and check out the family members whose names are in the upcoming week to get a bit more of their back story. The first time I did this I spent a few hours doing a bit of research to fill in some blanks. This is a great way to focus on family members you might miss otherwise - and who should not be remembered on their birthday or anniversary? It is also interesting to see who had a birthday in any given month (if you are into astrology at all  you will find those family members who share a sign - as in "oh, that explains it, he was an Aries").

If you are getting back into the blogging habit or thinking about blogging for the first time, why not try a meme (simply a hook) to get you started. And nothing could be easier or more rewarding than to focus on your own family. An added benefit - if you use the names, dates, places, and a bit of their story, you might just get a nibble on that cousin bait hook you put in the internet stream. I have already heard from two potential connections this past month.

Cousin Bait Anyone?
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-100224539

So, why not try fishing for ancestors. Do you have suggestions for topics that make blogging a bit easier and/or more fun for you? Please share them with the rest of us in the comments section. Now it's time to bait those hooks (I fish on Sundays).

Gone Fishing!
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-10028030

The Little Things Matter

Most of the time we are so focused on our specialized genealogy (one-name studies and one-place studies), our volunteer projects, or our educational pursuits (webinars, hangouts, seminars and conferences) that we forget to take a step back and focus on those living family members who can fill in the blanks, tell us the stories, or describe in detail the ancestors for whom we only have the basic facts.

Over the past year, I have had two great experiences to "chat up the living" and I suggest that you make a point to chat up the living too!

Our Family Reunion
Last summer we had our family reunion (held every five years) and being an A-type, I came up with a few games for our reunion. I should mention that we are a petty competitive bunch and we will do anything for a prize so it seemed like a good idea to get family members to interact a bit more and have some fun.

Friday evening was devoted to getting your name tag and finding your team members for the Saturday games. We separated family groups and age groups (how I love RSVPs and Excel worksheets) so there was a family elder, and a person from each generation on each team and no one was on a team with someone from their immediate family. We used containers of treats and had people guess the amount (skittles, pretzels, m&ms, goldfish) or the length (twizzlers). People had fun guessing and even more fun winning - luckily the winners shared their haul with everyone.  It helped to meet your teammates on Friday night because the games started bright and early on Saturday morning.

Warming up with the puzzles & mazes

Saturday morning, after coffee and breakfast, we started with word jumbles and an Ireland to USA maze (a children's edition and an over-10 edition). We used our teams for a scavenger hunt and a 20 questions game. The first game was to get extended relatives to work as a team and the second game was to help them learn a bit about our family history. The scavenger hunt was timed and it was amazing to see how the team members interacted and the ideas they came up with to find the items. The 20 questions game (since we are over-achievers there were 50 questions, some easy and some hard) was a four hour event and each team could get 5 minutes with an elder of their choice and one other person to "pick their brains" for the tough questions. The one caveat was that the person could lie. It was up to you to give their answers some serious consideration.

Working together on the Scavenger Hunt

We awarded a variety of prizes -  from gift cards to kitchen or home items, and chocolates to bottles of wine. We had a prize table and the winners got to select the prize they wanted. I can't tell you how thrilled I was, when with all the choices on the prize table, my 6 year old second cousin choose a Barnes & Noble gift card because he could buy some books!!

The 20 Questions game was so much fun because it was interesting to see what people knew or thought they knew and, more importantly, what they did not know. My cousins all went to my father (one of the family elders) to get him to answer questions - the only thing they didn't know was that my father was more than willing to (and did) lie because he wanted his team to win! (And they did!)

Taking names and giving away prizes - what's not to love!

Bottom line is that all the games were fun, they got family members to talk with others they might not have talked with, and did I mention prizes? Even better, some of the extended family members wanted to learn more about our family and share more about their families (I am always happy to expand that family circle). We got lots of comments - "best family reunion ever," "it was amazing to see my husband chatting with Aunt Peggy, he has never really spent time with her before, "and "let's not wait 5 years for the next reunion, let's start planning it for 2 years."

 Asking Questions & Letting Them Tell Their Stories
I have made a point of getting together with my parents on a regular basis and asking them questions. More importantly, I am trying my best to listen and let them tell their stories. It helps that I am recording our conversations on my smartphone and then listening and annotating the conversations soon after the meet-up. It helps to have some documents or photographs to share with them and nudge their memories. The journey we take during these short (30 minutes) conversations is amazing.

During one get together I showed each of them the 1940 US Census from their neighborhood. It was fun to nudge their memories of the neighbors (and then they wanted to look for extended relatives). My mother took a look at the farm community where her grandfather and aunts and uncles lived and had some great stories from her very early childhood. My father simply wanted to find his early childhood friends.

To help you get started, find a list of questions or areas you want to learn more about and then break those topics into manageable conversations. Whether you meet up in person, hangout via Google+, or get together via the telephone, chat family members up and get those recordings now. What would you give if you had recordings with the voices or images of family members who are no longer with you? Do it today, the chance might be lost to you tomorrow.

Get Everyone Talking!
image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-100203880

Spend some time with your living family members. You might be quite surprised to learn that they can be as fascinating as all those dead family members. How do you get family interested in talking about their family history and how do you preserve their stories?

Let's Have An Attitude of Gratitude

Between my catholic school education (complete with nuns) and spending quality time in the American South, I have learned that life is so much easier if you are polite, thankful, and try your darnedest to be a good sport.

Being polite means listening to hear what others have to say rather than to plan your response, asking for something with a smile and a please, receiving something with a smile and a thank you, disagreeing with someone without being disagreeable, and realizing that you don’t have to raise your voice or your blood pressure to get your point across.

Being thankful means appreciating what you have, not judging your good fortune based against others’ good fortune, taking joy in happy surprises that come your way, expressing gratitude for recognition that you receive with a simple thank you and not feeling the need to qualify it, demean it, or complain when others receive recognition.

Saying Thanks is Simple and Universal
Image made with Wordle.net - thanks

By being prepared and being respectful of those who assist me, I have always had excellent results with my research at libraries, archives, historical societies, funeral homes, cemeteries, and genealogy meetings and seminars. For the most part (whether online or offline) the genealogy community is welcoming and helpful. But everyone wants to be asked politely, thanked for their help, and acknowledged for their assistance. If someone provides genealogy services for a fee or cost, they should be treated with the same respect and courtesy that we treat our dentist, cashier, doctor, food server, teacher, lawyer, plumber, or accountant rather than harangued for charging a fee for services (it is not about the title, the degree, or the payment - it is about treating all others with respect).

By taking delight in my genealogy finds, offering to share my skills, and thanking people who have helped me, I express an attitude of gratitude. Sometimes we forget that the presentation, book, position, or award does not appear overnight (there are no genealogy fairies toiling away at night while we sleep). In order to give a presentation, that genealogist had to come up with a lecture topic and put together her presentation. In order to be the featured speaker at a conference, that genealogist had to respond to a call for papers and put together his presentation. In order to be the president or chair of an organization, that genealogist had to put in hours of volunteer time and work her way up the ladder. In order to be published either in a magazine or journal or publish a book, that genealogist had to sell his concept and then follow through with the entire writing, editing and rewriting process.

Oftentimes the genealogy world seems a bit like a school playground. The good news is that there is plenty of room on the playground for any genealogist who wants to join in, play nicely with others, and have some fun. 

Let's All Play Together and Cheer Each Other On
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-10072556

The bad news is that just like on every other playground, sometimes we won’t get picked for the team, or we might not win, or perhaps we don’t want to play the game of the day. And just like on the school playground – we are going to have to learn to get along, be kind, and encourage everyone to take a turn. Let’s not be those mean kids (the bullies on the playground) that none of us liked in school. Let’s be good sports (no matter how hard that is sometimes). I was reminded of this because of two recent events.

Many of us watched the Olympics, which dominated the news cycle in February. It is always interesting to watch the journey these athletes take – they have a real skill in a particular sport that only a few other athletes in the world can attain. Whether individually or as part of a team they do their best on a given day and hope to win. On that particular day talent, luck, persistence, and sometimes a judge’s subjective determination or the clock will be the deciding factor on whether they win, place or simply get to compete on the Olympic level. Watching the medal ceremony for women’s hockey I was a bit saddened and disappointed – I know that team USA played their hearts out and they wanted to win, but it was not their gold moment. Why? Because team Canada played just as hard and pulled it out at the end with talent, sheer determination and luck.  The majority of the team USA members accepted their silver medals with sad faces, tears and frowns – it was almost as if having not won gold, silver just did not matter. The few team USA members who smiled and had kind words in response to the medal presenter made me especially proud. Why? Because no matter how hard that moment was for them, those women exhibited good sportsmanship and were excellent role models for young athletes. It’s hard but sometimes, in sports and in everyday life, you have to suck it up and show good sportsmanship.

Last week Family Tree Magazine published an article entitled “Social Media Mavericks: 40 to Follow” which appeared online and is in their March/April 2014 print edition. I happened to see a link to the article Tuesday morning on Google+ and clicked through to see if I could find some new people to follow on the various social media platforms. The writer listed 40 feeds she considered worth following from blogs, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest. As I read through the list I made a note of two new-to-me blogs, reminded myself that I should visit Facebook more than once a month, wondered what my Pinterest password was so I could check out her picks, and then was totally surprised (thrilled, excited and proud – the very definition of "doing the happy dance") to see my YouTube Channel listed as one to check out. No false modesty here - I put time and effort into my videos and it was so very nice to have Lisa Louise Cooke acknowledge it and direct other genealogists to check out my channel.

We Will Have Many Turns to Shine
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-100143548

Fast forward 90 minutes and the article, list and various posts on social media went viral in the genealogy community with posts both from those who received and those who did not receive a mention – some sharing the news, others wondering why their favorite social media genealogist was not included, others making additions to the list or suggesting in their opinion better choices, some writing separate posts about whether having these types of lists is a good or bad thing for the genealogy community. Wow, it didn't take long to smack that hornet’s nest – and the list was not even one of those that we often see that claims to be “the best, the top choices, the rock stars, the gurus, or the gold, silver & bronze medalists” – it was simply 40 to check out and perhaps follow. Now I might be biased because this time I was named to the list, but I know that in the past I have congratulated those who have been named to any of these types of lists, especially those who appear for the first time, and I am genuinely happy for them.

So while there were many responses to the article and the list (and in the past there have been many responses to many such lists) might I suggest that the polite, thankful and good sportsmanlike response is simply “thank you so much” if you were named to the list and “good for you” or “congratulations you must be so thrilled” if you see the name of a fellow genealogist.  Let’s all play nice, have an attitude of gratitude, and just be happy for others when get their moment.

Good on You!
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-100200659

Thanks for reading - Tessa Keough

Has It Been A Month Already?

January went by in a flash and what a great time it was. This blog has taken flight and we have been introduced to genealogists and family historians from several states in the USA and several countries around the world. I don't know about you, but with the introductions now out of the way, I feel that we have made a number of new friends.

The reasons any of us started, the reasons we continue, the approaches we take, the families and countries we are researching, the programs and apps we use, the time (or lack of it) we have to devote to this passion we share - these individual threads we have all shared have been interesting to read and make a wonderful tapestry of what this is all about - Worldwide Genealogy.

This month I thought I would write a bit about how I spend my time with genealogy. Whether you have 2 hours or 20 hours a week to spend on genealogy, I do think it is important how you divide your time. We all know people who spend all their time learning but never doing anything with that knowledge. We also know people who spend all their time engaging others (social media can eat up the entire day if you let it!). We know people who spend all their time researching and keep their finds and their family stories to themselves. Others spend so much time volunteering or teaching, that they have little or no time to devote to their own genealogy. When I started (not that long ago) I spent the majority of my time researching my personal family tree and learning how to research - whether that was reading books and magazine articles on the subject, attending a seminar or conference, and trying to learn my genealogy database program. After the first few years, I offered to share what I had learned with others and became a bit more involved in the social media aspects of genealogy. I also decided it was time to "pay it forward" by volunteering my time to the genealogy community - many of us helped index the 1940 Census, some of us volunteer at local libraries or genealogy societies,and some volunteer with online societies and groups.

Last year I blogged about my genealogy pie - because I think it is important to approach genealogy from a number of avenues and not get stuck or too focused on one or two aspects. My genealogy pie has changed over time and each year I take a look at the pie and see about changing it up a bit. Last year, in addition to working on my personal genealogy -

• I met with one of my sister's friends who wanted to learn more (and answer some questions) about her family. Since she had only a few pieces of information and was completely new to genealogy, it gave me the chance to start a family fresh and use what I had learned about methodology to do my research a bit more efficiently and certainly source it better from the outset!
• I volunteered to work on a special project for the Guild of One-Name Studies - I ran the Guild competition to encourage members to submit entries for logos, taglines, stories, ideas, and photographs to use with social media and publicity. This is a project that was completely out of my skill-set and involved a variety of tasks. It proved interesting and educational.
• I helped set up a Google+ Community for a new group, the Society for One-Place Studies. It is always an education to work with others, to edit a newsletter, to set up hangouts (and hope for the best when Google either changes things or the internet decides to mess with you).
• I spent time working on my one-name study and my one-place study. I enjoy the methodology, the statistics, the figuring out how to acquire information and data, as well as what to do with it once I get it. With both of these studies I know that it will be a long-term commitment and that they will come together slowly over the years. I actually like that thought as sometimes we are in such a rush to complete something that we don't take the time to enjoy the process. 
• I attended some one day seminars and learned that local genealogy societies still do a terrific job by their members and for their members (and they need our support!). While we enjoy online communities and groups, we cannot forget that in-person activities are a great way to get to know our fellow genealogists. 

What will be different this year? Well, I will be blogging at least once a month (thanks for the kick Julie). I plan to attend at least one national conference (I believe I see Southern California Genealogy Society's Jamboree in my future). I want to help spread the word and encourage genealogists to consider either a one-name study or a one-place study as I think learning more about those who share a surname or studying a community or place through time is a great story to tell. And I am hoping to get more information about my Murphy family this year. I find that I do have to focus on a few families at a time and I plan to pay attention to those Nebraska Murphys who have patiently waited for me to pick up their story.

How about you - what does you pie look like this year? How are you going to slice up your time?

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-100211794

And now to the Pacific Northwest - Hello from the USA

No matter who is blamed for this venture (and I think it is a tie between Jill Ball and Julie Goucher), I think Worldwide Genealogy is going to be an interesting and fun addition to the blogging world! Many of the writers have blogs or websites and, while some of us are not as dedicated or prolific as others, we will all be adding something different to the mix. That said, let’s get the introductions out the way.

My name is Tessa Keough and I have been “doing” genealogy for the past eight years. The two biggest changes I have seen during the past eight years have been technology and global connections.

My interest in genealogy started after seeing a very rough draft of a pedigree chart put together by a cousin and shared at a family reunion. Being a bit of an A-type personality and noticing several blanks or questionable connections, I simply had to start reviewing the underlying database and finding those missing people. In an effort to be organized and efficient with my genealogy from the outset, I attended the Salt Lake Institute for Genealogy in January 2007. Imagine my surprise when I asked the question “can we do this paperless (because I travel a bit)” and was met with eye-rolling and much laughter. As I remember there were only two people in that course who were taking notes via laptops (I remember feeling distinctly out of place – younger than the cohort and using my laptop). I have since been to three additional SLIG conferences. Now you would be out of place if you did not use a laptop, tablet or smartphone. What a difference a few years makes, especially in technology!

In an effort to figure out my paternal line and not having the benefit of all those lovely documents, photographs and family trees that other families seem to have (and yes, I am jealous of those of you who have such a wealth of information), I found several excellent websites for learning more about my grandfather’s homeland and had the opportunity to travel to, and do some research in, Newfoundland. Still struggling to determine which individuals in the small communities we might be related to (and how), I stumbled upon the concepts of one-name studies and one-place studies. Because both the surname (Keough) and the place (Plate Cove East, Newfoundland) were small enough in terms of numbers, and the idea of combining methodical research and interacting with others doing that same type of study, I decided to work on both a one-name study and a one-place study. Because I cannot leave well enough alone and it is important that we help each other in the genealogy community, I also helped set up the Legacy Virtual Users’ Group on Google+ (a community that hosts monthly hangouts and shares tips and suggestions) for those who use Legacy Family Tree as their genealogy database.

From my studies, my attendance at conferences and seminars, and the LVUG Community as well as from being a member of the Guild of One-Name Studies and the Society for One-Place Studies, I have met (both online and in person) genealogists and family historians from around the world. With the introduction of Google+ (my preferred social media hub) and the ability to “hangout” on a one-on-one basis or in a monthly hangout (either private or on-air), I have had the opportunity to learn about so many aspects of research, analysis, writing, technology and organization. I find the ability to chat with individuals from Australia, England, Spain, Ireland, Canada and all parts of the USA – all from the comfort of my own living room with a cup (or three) of coffee – a real treat. Whether we are researching in online databases, checking the collections of libraries or archives before we visit in person, contacting someone in another country via email or a Google+ chat, listening to a genealogy podcast while walking, attending a webinar, or engaging in a genchat or a hangout-on-air – the availability and benefit of global connections in the past few years has been amazing (and oftentimes free). 

If you are just starting out in genealogy – what a great time to begin - the technology and the ability to interact on an international basis (and do so in real time) is wonderful. For those who have been at this for a few years, I am sure you will agree that we are witnessing some amazing advances.

But no matter how technology and accessibility may change (sometimes by leaps and bounds), many things remain the same. We still need to have a focus, research, cite, analyze, write, and share our family history – whether that is of our direct line families, our extended families, all those who share a selected surname, or all those who share a particular place.

It is a great time to be “doing” genealogy and I hope you will join us in this venture – either by reading and commenting on our posts, adding your name to the list of writers and sharing a bit of your genealogy knowledge with the rest of us, or by suggesting a question or topic for future blog posts here on Worldwide Genealogy. Why not join us!