Beginner Genealogy -- Biographical sketches

When conducting family history research, sometimes we find interesting facts or anecdotes that we want to share, but maybe this information does not fit into a pedigree chart or family tree. Writing a short biographical sketch about an ancestor is a good way to keep track of anecdotal or more complex or in-depth genealogical data. You can include almost anything in a biographical sketch, but some typical information to provide is: full name; birth, marriage, death location(s) and dates; names of parents, spouses, and children; residence information; stories or legends; accomplishments; occupation, career, military service, and/or education; etc. Many towns and counties will have a "History and Biography" or "Biographical Sketches" of town leaders or pioneers. These relatively brief life stories can be filled with helpful family history leads!

Below are links to a couple of examples of biographical sketches. Remember that bios do not have a particular narrative style, length, or voice. Try your hand at sketching some family history biographies!

Family History in the News -- September 2015

A couple of family history and genealogy related news stories and blog entries from this past week:

Genealogy: Published data a source to check NJ.com
One particular source type that you may want to check out as you do your genealogical research is the published genealogy. These published volumes can be very helpful if you find one that lists an ancestor of yours, but they're not without their pitfalls either.

***I would add to this article that researchers can use Worldcat.org to search through millions of cataloged books held by both public and academic libraries. It is a great place to start your published family history search. Also, ask your local librarian if your library has a subscription to Heritage Quest and use the PERSI index to search for books and articles as well.***

Genealogy Today: Immigrant ancestors' work experience Green Valley News
Do you know what your ancestors did for a living? Did they continue in the same work they did in Europe after they came to America? We sometimes assume all the early settlers were farmers, but that is not necessarily true.

And just for fun...

J.K. Rowling reveals Potter family history on new Pottermore site  Entertainment Weekly
Pottermore, the online portal containing everything Harry Potter-related, has been spruced up. The site relaunched a “newly imagined” version Tuesday with an introductory note from Rowling, and an essay from the author, explaining the Potter family’s history.

Beginner Genealogy -- Where do I start?

A common questions asked of genealogists is "where do I start?" My short answer is simple: start with what you know. Take out a sheet of paper and a pencil and jot down some family history notes.  Make a few phone calls or stop by to visit your aging relatives (if you're lucky enough to have some of those!) Don't be afraid to interview family members and write down everything.You never know when a scrap of information can present itself as a lead later on. Important pieces of information to include are: full names; names of spouses, children, and parents; dates of birth, marriage, and death; locations of birth, marriage, death, or residence;  After exhausting your own memory and those of your family members, look for written family sources. Do you have an old family bible? Photographs? Funeral cards or obituaries? Military papers? Other records? These family sources can be extremely helpful in getting started, even if they are not  properly sourced.

Good luck in getting started! This series of posts will continue with "Beginner Genealogy -- How to record basic info."

For more tips on getting started, visit the FamilySearch "Begin your genealogy quest" page. Are you more into vlogs or webinars? Try watching Ancestry.com's Back to the Basics: Genealogy 101 video on their YouTube channel.

New Name, New Mission

Tracing Your Roots is back with a new name and a new attitude! We are now called Tangled Branches Genealogy, which is also the name of our private genealogical research business. Our mission is to continue to provide access to topics of interest to genealogists at all stages of research, and to also give back to the community through volunteer work with a focus on local history and genealogy.

What have I been up to in these past months? 

In addition to conducting my own family history research, I have been busy working as a county archives assistant librarian. I have also become a volunteer for both Find-A-Grave and Illinois Ancestors, specifically the Illinois Ancestors Tombstone Project. My current project for both organizations is the Riverside Cemetery in Mahomet, Illinois. It is such a beautiful location and only about 50% of the cemetery has been transcribed and/or photographed.

I have also accepted a position as Vice President of Membership for the Champaign County Genealogical Society. As part of my service to the genealogical society, I have become an indexing volunteer, which entails indexing names from the society's quarterly publication dating from 1979 - the present! It is a huge undertaking. If you are a Champaign County local, or have Illinois research to conduct, consider joining the CCGS. If you are interested in joining your local society, visit the Federation of Genealogical Societies to learn more about societies in your area.

Tracing Your Roots on Genlighten!

Very exciting news! Tracing Your Roots now has a professional profile on Genlighten! You can view my storefront here. I offer family history and genealogy research and reporting for an hourly rate of $25.00 per hour. The fee includes PDF copies of records and documents, research time, and report writing. Send me a message or visit the storefront for details.

How popular is genealogy?

An article in Genealogy In Time Magazine seeks to answer this question. Following is an article abstract: 

At GenealogyInTime Magazine, we like to think outside the box. In this article, we tackle a fundamental issue: How popular is genealogy? The answer, it turns out, depends on the specific question being asked. We examine the evidence and take a hard look at the facts. In the process, we dispel some common myths and misunderstandings about the popularity of genealogy. 

Access the full article here.