Genealogy Do-Over, Cycle 2 Week 3

Sorry, I am late posting for week 3, but I have had a bad case of bronchitis. Still not completely over it, but I'm back to work at least.

Week three's main focus has two parts:

• tracking research
• conducting research

I have been anxiously awaiting this week. My old tracking system (or lack of one) left many holes in my research. I would follow a shaky leaf or some other BSO, and after a brief analysis (usually on a legal pad -filed and forgotten), I would attach it to my tree and move on to the next interesting "fact" that caught my eye. I would jump around from ancestor to ancestor with no real plan or purpose in place.  Looking back over those records, I realized they pointed to other records which I either neglected to search for or ended up with a negative search. Without tracking my research, I have no idea what I did years ago.

In the last post, I had developed a tracking To-Do list, but it was complicated and it didn't feel right. So, after researching and practicing many new tracking tools, I have decided that my process will be to use:

1. A research tracking sheet I found on Genedocs. I will use a different sheet for reach family group and it is easy to add/delete/change the column headings. It is easy to determine what I still need to look for, or what doesn't apply to each individual.

2. Using the Genedocs spreadsheet, I will begin my research. I just recently ordered and received Evidentia and after watching a webinar on it, I am going to use it to document, catalogue, and analyze my research. I am even able to document negative search in this program. I have chosen to attach the document to the program, and keep it with the citations.
I LOVE how Evidentia's templates are so easy to use and provide great Evidence Explained citations. I no longer worry about if I am doing it right. The program also provides the First (Full) Reference Note citation, the Source List Entry, and Subsequent (short) Notes citations in all of its reports. The program allows the user to run numerous types of reports. I am so glad I purchased this program!

Documenting a source:

Catalogue all claims:

Another screenshot for cataloging claims:

And finally analyzing all of the evidence:

These two tools will help me to see the gaps in my research and to help me make sense of what I have found. There is still much to learn about how this program can be utilized and I look forward to learning more. Next, I need to work on how to write strong analysis conclusion statements. I know there is a correct format out there, and that will be my next area to work on.

How was your Week 3? Did you find the research tools best for you? I hope to be on track with Week 4 very soon. See you then.

Genealogy Do-Over, Cycle 2 Week 2

Week 2 of the Do-Over consists of 1) Setting Research Goals, 2) Conducting Self Interview, and 3) Conducting Family Interviews

What I did:

• I thought I had documented all the important information on myself. Boy, was I wrong! I had input the usual data into my FTM: birth, marriage, children, etc. What I never thought about doing prior to this was including ALL of the milestones in my life. I had never thought about how many years it would be before family could find me on the census records! It would 2042 before they would find me listed as a 9-year-old in the 1970 census! Since, my dad did contract work and we traveled a lot. I sat down and wrote a timeline of where I lived (in as far back as I could remember - wish I had thought to ask him about all of that before he passed!), schools I went to, clubs I joined, and colleges I attended. I learned how to cite a first hand knowledge source (i.e. my self-interview). I used this citation for all of the information I entered. I then located and scanned diplomas, transcripts, and other documentation when possible to prove these facts. One thing I realized when I started this Do-Over during Cycle 1, was that although I had recorded my birth date, I didn't even have a copy of my birth certificate. So, I ordered mine and my husband's back in January. They just recently came in, so I added them to my FTM along with the citations! Thanks, Thomas MacEntee! Without this do-over, and taking the time to slow down and start with myself, I wouldn't have even realized I was missing these important documents.

• Sadly, most of my older relatives have all passed, so I am unable to glean any more tidbits from them. I am working on an interview for my mother, but it will be a few weeks before I can make it down there to see her. She doesn't do Skype, and trying to have a conversation on the phone usually goes awry. I have been in touch with my siblings to get as much information from these as I can. I am going to continue to seek out extended family members and interview them.

Citation for self-interview using EE 3.32 Private Holdings: Interviews, p 147.

Ford-Collier, Renita. Glenn Heights, Texas. My Self-Interview by Renita Ford-Collier. 08 Apr 2015. Transcript. Privately held by Ford-Collier, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Glenn Heights, Texas. 2015. 

• Set research goals. After completing my self-interview, and gathering information from other family members, I sat upon the task of setting my research goals. I have been using my To-Do list in my research log to keep me more focused. This has been the hardest part for me - writing it all on the list. This is what it looks like. I think I will make some changes, but for now, it works.

Although I am anxious to do research, I know that this week has been very enlightening! It has taught me the importance of slowing down, setting goals, and looking at things in a different way. It was important (and fun) to touch base with other family members and learn more about them and to document their lives. 

What's In a Name?

Have you encountered some “exceptional” names in your genealogical searches? Over the years, I have seen melodic, happy names such as Christmas and Spring, and other names that leave me wondering what the parents were thinking, such as Looney and Sleepy. Each name conjures up a picture in my mind’s eye of that person; their features, personality, and characteristics.  It is helpful to keep in mind each person’s heritage, culture, and the era in which they lived. Names that sound odd to us now, may have been very popular during an earlier time, and could possibly have had different meanings than the current ones we know. For centuries, names have been generational and often have cultural significance.

For most soon-to-be parents, they carefully weigh baby names. They know that a name can hold great power or bring great woes. Your name says a lot about who you are. That name is how you will be judged. Do people hear your name and associate you with synonyms like trustworthy, dependable, and honest, or does it conjure up ill feelings? Have you ever judged someone erroneously because of their name? 

My grandmother, Ethel Wickliffe, always told me that your name “stands for something and it’s up to you to make it stand for something good.”  We may not have control over what our parents name us, but we have control over what our name stands for. How we treat our family and friends, and how we conduct ourselves when we think others are not looking, tells the world who we really are. What's in your name? Do your actions reflect positively on your name? I certainly hope my grandmother is looking down on me, and is proud that of the way I handle my name.

How to Add a Custom Fact in FTM 2012

I have had several people ask how to add the custom fact into Family Tree Maker, so I wanted to share the steps with you. I have FTM 2012, but it is probably similar in FTM 2014.

First, in the People Workspace, click on Customize View (at the bottom).

This brings up the Customize View screen. Down at the bottom click on New Custom Fact and then OK.

This gives you the Add Custom Fact screen. Under the Fact label, type in what you want: GoOver, Verified, Proved, etc. and check whether it is to be an individual fact or shared fact and what information you want to show: Date/Place, Description Only, etc. Then click OK.

This puts the new fact under Selected individual facts (or shared facts, if you chose it). Next, click OK.

It automatically adds it to your People Workspace.

I hope this helps. Thank you to all those who viewed my post.

Genealogy Do-Over Cycle 2: Week 1

Although I have been working on my family tree since the 1980s, I made many mistakes in those early years. I didn't always cite my sources, and when I did, they weren't always done correctly. I've decided to join Thomas MacEntee's Genealogy Do-Over. I won't be doing everything on his do-over list; it's more of a go-over, but it will give me the time to slow down and go over everything from the beginning.

So here goes:

Week 1 of the Genealogy Do-Over is about 1) Setting Previous Research Aside, 2) Preparing to Research, and 3) Establishing Base Practices and Guidelines.

Setting Research Aside

• Rather than setting aside all of my previous research, I have been organizing my files, both the digital and the paper. I chose an image/document naming format and began changing all images previously saved to the new format. My format is LAST NAME_First Name_What it is_Year_Place.  The majority have been converted, but I still have a few more to work on. I also purchased binders, archival quality sheet protectors (a lot of them) and tabs. I have been working on sorting through all of the old handwritten notes and putting them in a basket to look at later when the Go-Over is completed. 

• Since I am not doing a complete Do-Over, I needed a way to keep track of when I had checked all the facts for an ancestor, so I added a GoOver section in my FTM 2012. This allows me to add the date everything has been verified.

• I then created binders for each of my four grandparents lines and began putting all of the printed family group sheets and information in the appropriate binder. All of the birth, death, and marriage records that I have purchased over the years have been put into one binder for future review.

Preparing to Research 

• TIME! - Make sure I have the time needed to begin the research. This will keep me from rushing the process.
• My research spreadsheet needs to be open, so I can input any additional research that needs to be done in the future. This will keep me from getting sidetracked with all of the BSO's!
• A copy of Elizabeth Shown Mills "Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace" must be beside me, so I can make sure to cite my sources correctly.
• A copy of Thomas W. Jones' "Mastering Genealogical Proof" will be readily available. 
• Notepad and pencil

Establishing Best Practices and Guidelines

• The last thing to do this week, was to create my list of My Genealogical Best Practices and Guidelines.

What I gained from this week's assignment was that I really needed to slow down. As a teacher, I usually only have the summer to devote to extensive research, so I tried to make the most of my time during those three months. This, along with other inexperienced research methods, left my family tree in somewhat of a mess. I vow to take as much time as I need to research, track my work, and to analyze each bit of information and only add new information to my software when I am certain it belongs there. 

Easter Memories

As I reflect upon this Easter Sunday, I can't help but remember those that have gone on before me. When I was young, my grandmother used to tell me wonderful stories of her childhood. She talked about growing up in church and living a "good life." She didn't just talk the talk, she walked the walk. Oh, she made mistakes, as we all do, but she loved God and was a faithful servant to Him. Of all the people I have known, I know she is in Heaven waiting for me.

I remember a conversation I had with my grandmother, back in the '80s. I thought she grew up Pentecostal, but she told me that she nor my grandfather had grown up Pentecostal. She had been Methodist and he was Lutheran, and when they got married they couldn't decide where to attend church. They compromised and joined the Pentecostal church. They raised their children in that faith and later, her grandchildren.

My fondest memory of Easter as a child, was my grandmother making pretty Easter dresses for my two sisters and me. We were close in age, and my grandmother would always make our dresses the same, with only one little thing different; maybe a little trim around the sleeves on one, around the hem on the other, and around the collar on the third. People would say we looked like triplets. I loved my new dress each year and it made me feel special.

Another memory I recall with fondness is the Easter egg hunts we had immediately following Easter church service. All the parents brought the boiled and dyed eggs to church and the Sunday school teachers usually hid them during the Church service. It was so fun to learn about Christ and Resurrection Sunday and then find the eggs that symbolized renewal and rebirth.

As I remember the Easters of my youth, I am filled with love. Love for my family, young and old, past and present. This Easter, I got the news that I am to be a grandmother again. This will be grandchild number nine and I am tickled pink! More love to go around.

(Not so) Wordless Wednesday

I'm posting old family photographs from my collection on Wednesdays, but they won't be wordless posts like others do. 

Here is one of my favorite images from my collection:

 This picture was taken in 1994. My dad, Clay Ford, is spending time with his grandsons, Terry and Elisha. He would always sing songs and play with them like he did with my sisters and me when we were little. His favorite song to sing was "And the Green Grass Grew All Around." He would sing it until he became out of breath. The boys would always beg for that song when he came for a visit.