Elevenses with Lisa is our little slice of heaven where friends get together for tea and talk about the thing that never fails to put a smile on our face: Genealogy!
Are you ready for a year of successful genealogy? Learn how to develop an effective research plan, and preserve and protect your genealogy. Keep reading for the show notes that accompany this video.
10 Questions to Rate Your Readiness for Genealogy Success
1. Have you selected a place to start?
I started learning how to play the guitar in 2020. I began with an online course to learn the basics, and I picked one song that I really wanted to learn how to play.
For three months I worked my way through the course and played that song over and over every day. This resulted in two things: I learned how to play the song, and my husband took a blow torch to my guitar! (Just kidding.)
At the end of those three months I had several weeks where I just didn’t feel I was making any progress at all. I practiced every day, but I wasn’t getting anywhere.
It turns out that I had reached my initial goals – I knew the most popular chords, had memorized the Pentatonic Scale and could play the song Crazy On You for a captive audience in my home. However, I had not stopped to identify my next set of goals. Therefore, stagnation set in.
In an effort to restart my learning and success trajectory, I spent an evening looking through my record collection and I made a list of 6 of my favorite songs. Then I put them in the order I wanted to learn to play them. Most importantly, I identified which one was my top priority to learn. Once I did that, I knew exactly how I was going to spend my practice time.
It sounds simple, but finding and deciding on the place to start (or restart) is really easy to miss. When it comes to genealogy there’s always a bright shiny object online ready to gobble up a few precious minutes, or hours, or days! Having a predetermined project goal in mind will help you get down to business faster and keep you from wandering aimlessly.
2. Have you developed a project research question?
Once you know what your project will be, it is time to formulate the general question. In other words, what is the question you are trying to answer?
In this episode I shared the family story that had been handed down the McClelland family about their ancestor Washington McClelland. The story went like this: “He immigrated to the U.S. from England. He was working on the railroad when he met a girl in Idaho. She became pregnant. They married. He converted to the LDS church. They raised a family together.”
The general research question was “is this story true?” That’s a big question, and one that we’ll break down further in question #3.
Genealogy Gems Premium Members can learn more about formulating research questions by watching the segment HowAlice the Genealogist Avoids the Rabbit Hole Part 1 in Elevenses with Lisa Episode 2. It’s available in the Premium Videos area of the Genealogy Gems website. Don’t miss the downloadable handout! You’ll find the link under the video. (Learn more about becoming a Premium Member here.)
3. Do you have a Research Plan for your genealogy project?
The general project question can usually be broken down into several bite-sized actionable questions. In the example of “Is the story about Washington McClelland true?” we can break that question down into several questions:
Where exactly was Washington from in England?
When did he come to the United States?
Why/how did he end up out West?
Did he work on the railroad?
When and where did he marry?
When was their oldest child born?
Did he join the LDS church?
And many of these questions can likely be broken down further. These more focused question help provide the framework for the project’s research plan. They can then be re-sorted so that they follow a logical progression of answers.
The next step will then be to identify and prioritize the sources (records) that are likely to provide the necessary relevant evidence. Then determine the order in which you will locate each identified record. Finally, add where you think you can find the records to the plan.
4. Do you have the research forms you need?
There are many different types of genealogy research forms: research logs, blank record forms, checklists, just to name a few.
Research logs are great for keeping track of your research plan progress. Blank record forms (such a blank 1900 U.S. Federal Census form) are very handy for transcribing the pertinent information for analysis. And checklists (such as a list of all types of death records) help ensure that you don’t miss and records, and you don’t look for the same record twice!
Free Genealogy Forms at Family Tree Magazine
Family Tree Magazine offers a plethora of free genealogy forms. You’ll need to register for a free website account to download the forms.
Having an organizational system in place takes the guesswork out of where things should be filed, making it much more likely they will actually get filed. It also ensures that you’ll be able to put your hands on your records whenever you need them.
Here’s a secret: There is no one perfect filing system. The most important thing is that it makes sense to you and that you are consistent in how you use it.
In Elevenses with LisaEpisode 6 (available to Premium Members) I cover step-by-step the system I developed and have used for over 15 years. I’m happy to report I’ve never lost an item. (Whew, what a relief!)
As you work on your genealogy research you’ll find there are two important tasks you will be doing often:
Storing items that you have not had a chance to work on yet (I refer to these pending items as “to be processed.”)
Storing items that need to be filed. (Let’s face it, we rarely want to stop in the middle of an exciting search to file a document.)
Not having a way to store these two types of items leads to clutter and piles on your desk. Here’s my simple solution:
Place a “to be filed” basket next to your desk.
Create a “Pending” tab in each surname 3-ring notebook (if you use my system.) The beauty of the surname notebook Pending section is you have a place to put documents (out of sight) that are associated with a specific family. When you’re ready to work on that family line, grab the notebook and jump to the Pending section to start processing and analyzing the previously found records.
7. Do you have the supplies you need on hand?
Make sure that you have a small quantity of all of the supplies you need for the filing and organization system you are using.
Here’s what my shopping list looks like:
3” 3-Ring View Binders
(allow you to customize covers & spines)
1” 3-Ring View Binder
1 box of Acid-Free Sheet Protectors
3-Ring Binder Tab Dividers
8. Have you settled on a file naming scheme?
How to name digital genealogy files is something we all struggle with. Good intentions don’t make the job any easier. Take a few moments to nail down the basic naming scheme you will commit to follow. I say basic, because there will be times when you’ll need to modify it to suit the file. That’s OK. But always start with the basic format.
Here’s what my basic file naming format looks like:
Year (will force chronological order)
First Name (filed in surname folder)
Location
Example: 1920_robert_m_springfield_oh
Notice in my format I don’t usually include the surname. That’s because I file in surname folders. Notice that I said “usually.” That’s because we are always free to add on additional information like a surname if we think it will prove helpful. For example, if I anticipate that I will have a need to share individual files with other researchers or family members (rather than the entire folder) then I will add the surname so that the person receiving the file has the pertinent information.
8. Are you prepared to make copies?
Protecting and preserving our genealogy for generations to come is a top priority for most genealogists. All of us at some time have worried about what would happen if a website that we upload our content to goes out of business or sells out to another company. Now there is a new reason to take a few extra steps to ensure you don’t lose access to your genealogy data.
Recently, According to Buzz Feed, on Jan. 9 the largest cloud-hosting service notified a large social media network with millions of users that it would be cutting it off from its cloud hosting service. According to the Wall Street Journal, “other tech partners also acted, crippling operators.”
Now we must add to the list of concerns the possibility that a genealogy website we use might be cut off from web hosting. How might this type of action impact our personal family history that we share on websites? Many companies that provide access to millions of historical records and likely house a copy of your family tree and your DNA test results use the same cloud hosting service. In fact, it’s hard to find a company out there that isn’t tethered to it in some way.
My research showed that both Ancestry and FamilySearch have been featured on their website in case studies and blog articles:
The bottom line is that our family history is our responsibility to preserve and protect. While we can benefit from sharing copies of it online, putting all our genealogy eggs in only the online basket puts it at risk because we don’t have control.
While I love the idea of going paperless and I’ve been striving to do that in recent years, I’m changing my tune on this. For several years I’ve been strongly recommending that you get your own genealogy software on your own computer and use it as your master database. All online family trees are simply copies. Many people, particularly those who rely solely on FamilySearch often wondered why I was so concerned. The events of this week make my point and put an exclamation point on the end of it.
Making digital and paper copies of your data is a simple strategy you can put in place today. This means regular print outs of your tree, family group sheets, and the most important genealogical documents. I keep mine in a portable fireproof safe.
We can also make digital copies as well. For example, last year I had all my old home movies transferred to digital and they are stored on my computer. I went the extra step to get copies on DVD and I also copied the digital files onto a terabyte hard drive that is in the fireproof safe.
Remember, your computer is connected to the Internet. If you’ve ever woken up to a Windows update, then you know that tech companies can make changes to your computer. Having your own paper and digital copies are just extra insurance that certainly can’t hurt.
Here’s a checklist of things you can put in place today:
a good printer
extra ink
a stock of paper
a portable terabyte hard drive
Ideas for saving paper and ink:
Print only the most important documents that might be more difficult to replace.
Focus your printing on direct ancestors.
Print in draft mode (depending on the document) and / or black and white to save ink.
Make double-sided copies.
When possible, add two documents to each side of the paper so that one piece of paper holds 4 documents.
9. Is your computer backed up to the Cloud?
I use and recommend Backblazefor computer cloud backup. They have their own storage facility. Here’s what their storage pods look like:
Image courtesy of Backblaze.
I am also an affiliate of Backblaze so I appreciate when you use my link if you decided to make a purchase. I will be compensated at no additional cost to you, and that supports this free show. https://www.backblaze.com/landing/podcast-lisa.html
Learn more: Premium Members can watch the Premium video Your Guide to Cloud Backup and download the PDF handout. You’ll get answers to questions like:
What is cloud backup?
Why should I use cloud backup?
How does cloud backup work?
Is cloud backup safe?
What should I look for when selecting a cloud backup service?
My personal cloud backup choice
10. Have you scheduled ongoing education time?
Pick one area you want to improve your genealogy skills and knowledge and make time each week to learn something new about it.
Thank you for making Elevenses with Lisaand Genealogy Gems one of your places for genealogy learning, laughing and getting refilled!
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Recap:10 Questions to Rate Your Readiness for Genealogy Success
Have you selected a place to start?
Have you developed a project research question?
Do you have a Research Plan for your genealogy project?
Do you have the research forms you need?
Have you established Your Filing System?
Do you have the supplies you need on hand?
Have you settled on a file naming scheme?
Are you prepared to make copies?
Is your computer backed up to the Cloud?
Have you scheduled ongoing education time?
Elevenses with Lisa Archive
Premium Member have exclusive access to all of the archived episodes and downloadable handouts. Visit theElevenses with Lisa Archive.
Let us know if you found this video and article helpful. I’d also like to hear from you about the topics you would like to learn more about in future episodes. Thanks!
The Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode #212 with Lisa Louise Cooke
In this episode, Lisa Louise Cooke speaks with Contributing Editor Sunny Morton about turning our fleeting scraps of recollections into meaningful memories.Also:
Genealogist Margaret Linford tells us how she got started in family history. Like many of our best stories, it’s not just about her, but someone who inspired her.
2017 could be called “the year of DNA.” Diahan Southard looks back with a special DNA news digest.
Finding missing ancestors: tips and success stories from Genealogy Gems fans
Learn more about using individual v. global/community family trees on Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, Findmypast.com and MyHeritage.com in Sunny Morton’s quick reference guide, Genealogy Giants: Comparing the 4 Major Websites.
As evidence of its now proven usefulness in genealogy research, the genetic genealogy industry is growing at a fast pace. Ancestry.com has amassed the largest database, now boasting over 6 million people tested, and is growing at breakneck speeds, having doubled the size of its database in 2017. As the databases grow larger and our genealogy finds become more frequent, we can’t ignore that this kind of data, the correlated genetic and genealogical data, amassed by these companies, has great value.
In November, MyHeritageannounced an effort by their scientific team to “study the relationship between genetics and behavior, personal characteristics, and culture.” These studies are not new, as 23andMeis in open hot pursuit of the connections between genetics and our health, and always has been.
All of our genetic genealogy companies are involved in research on one level or another and every person who swabs or spits has the opportunity to participate in other research projects (clickhereto read up on the consent policies at each company). At the time of testing, you have the option to opt in or out of this research, and the ability to alter that decision at any time after you test, by accessing your settings. According to an article in FastCompany, it seems we as a community are very interested in helping with research: 23andMe reports an over 80% opt-in-to-research rate among their customers. And I’ve got some breaking news for you: Family Tree DNA just started a consumer awareness campaign to reinforce the message that they will never sell your genetic data. That’s another important topic worth talking about in a future episode, so stay tuned!
All our genetic genealogy companies realize that you might want to do more with your data than just look for your ancestors. This year FamilyTree DNAhas partnered with Vitagene in an effort to provide insight into your health via your genetic genealogy test results. Of course 23andMeis the leader in health testing when we look at our top genetic genealogy companies. This year 23andMefinally succeeded in passing several of their health tests through the FDA, a huge leap forward in their efforts to provide health testing directly to consumers.
While health testing has certainly seen an explosion of interest this year, it is not the only way that our companies are using the data they have amassed. AncestryDNA took the DNA and pedigree charts of two million customers who consented to research and, using some really fancy science, were able to provide amazing insight into our recent ancestral past with the creation of their genetic communities. These genetic communities enhance our understanding of our heritage by showing us where our ancestors may have been between 1750 and 1850, the genealogical “sweet spot” that most of us are trying to fill in.
LivingDNA, a relative newcomer to the genetic genealogy arena, announced in October of 2017 their intention to use their database to help create a One World Family Tree. To do so, they are collecting DNA samples from all over the world, specifically those who four grandparents lived in close proximity to each other. Along with this announcement, Living DNA is allowing individuals who have results from other companies and want to help with this project, to transfer into their database.
So it seems that with growing databases come growing options, whether to opt-in to research, to pursue health information from your DNA test results, or to help build global databases for health or genealogy purposes. Recognizing the growing appeal to non-genealogists as well, AncestryDNAadded to their list of options the ability to opt-out of the match page, and there are rumors that Living DNA will soon be adding the option to opt-in to matching (they do not currently have a cousin-matching feature as part of their offering). It can be tricky to keep up with all that goes on, but be sure we at Genealogy Gems are doing our best to keep you up-to-date with any news that might help you make better decisions about your genealogy, and ultimately better equipped to find your ancestors.
If you’re listening through the Genealogy Gems app, your bonus content for this episode a reading of an excerpt of theBook of Christmas: Descriptive of the Customs, Ceremonies, Traditionsby Thomas Kibble Hervey (The chapter Signs of the Season) published in 1845 ? available for free in Google Books.
Keep your family history research, photos, tree software files, videos and all other computer files safely backed up with Backblaze, the official cloud-based computer backup system for Lisa Louise Cooke’s Genealogy Gems. Learn more at https://www.backblaze.com/Lisa.
Click here to read Margaret’s memories and see her pictures of Grandma Overbay
Start creating fabulous, irresistible videos about your family history with Animoto.com. You don’t need special video-editing skills: just drag and drop your photos and videos, pick a layout and music, add a little text and voila! You’ve got an awesome video! Try this out for yourself at Animoto.com.
INTERVIEW: TURN MEMORY FRAGMENTS INTO MEANINGFUL STORIES
Sunny Morton is a Contributing Editor at Genealogy Gems and presenter of the new Premium Video, “Share Your Own Life Stories More Meaningfully” (click here to watch a quick preview). She is also author of Story of My Life: A Workbook for Preserving Your Legacy (use coupon code GEMS17 for an extra 10% off by December 31, 2017).
Gather together even the smallest fragments of your memories together by writing them down.
Think about what missing details you could research by finding pictures, books, chronologies, maps and other resources (both online and offline).
Look for common patterns or recurring themes in groups of memory fragments. (For example, Sunny shared memories of swimming in this episode.) What kind of story do these memories tell over time about your personality, circumstances, relationships or other aspects of your life?
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Lisa Louise Cooke, Host and Producer
Sunny Morton, Editor
Diahan Southard, Your DNA Guide, Content Contributor
Hannah Fullerton, Audio Editor
Lacey Cooke, Service Manager
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links and Genealogy Gems will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on these links (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for supporting this free podcast and blog!
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Personal Data collected: Cookies and Usage Data.
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Legal information
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Among the types of Personal Data that this Application collects, by itself or through third parties, there are: Cookies, Usage Data and email address.
Complete details on each type of Personal Data collected are provided in the dedicated sections of this privacy policy or by specific explanation texts displayed prior to the Data collection.
Personal Data may be freely provided by the User, or, in case of Usage Data, collected automatically when using this Application.
Unless specified otherwise, all Data requested by this Application is mandatory and failure to provide this Data may make it impossible for this Application to provide its services. In cases where this Application specifically states that some Data is not mandatory, Users are free not to communicate this Data without consequences to the availability or the functioning of the Service.
Users who are uncertain about which Personal Data is mandatory are welcome to contact the Owner.
Any use of Cookies – or of other tracking tools – by this Application or by the owners of third-party services used by this Application serves the purpose of providing the Service required by the User, in addition to any other purposes described in the present document and in the Cookie Policy, if available.
Users are responsible for any third-party Personal Data obtained, published or shared through this Application and confirm that they have the third party’s consent to provide the Data to the Owner.
Mode and place of processing the Data
Methods of processing
The Owner takes appropriate security measures to prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, modification, or unauthorized destruction of the Data.
The Data processing is carried out using computers and/or IT enabled tools, following organizational procedures and modes strictly related to the purposes indicated. In addition to the Owner, in some cases, the Data may be accessible to certain types of persons in charge, involved with the operation of this Application (administration, sales, marketing, legal, system administration) or external parties (such as third-party technical service providers, mail carriers, hosting providers, IT companies, communications agencies) appointed, if necessary, as Data Processors by the Owner. The updated list of these parties may be requested from the Owner at any time.
Legal basis of processing
The Owner may process Personal Data relating to Users if one of the following applies:
Users have given their consent for one or more specific purposes. Note: Under some legislations the Owner may be allowed to process Personal Data until the User objects to such processing (“opt-out”), without having to rely on consent or any other of the following legal bases. This, however, does not apply, whenever the processing of Personal Data is subject to European data protection law;
provision of Data is necessary for the performance of an agreement with the User and/or for any pre-contractual obligations thereof;
processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the Owner is subject;
processing is related to a task that is carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the Owner;
processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the Owner or by a third party.
In any case, the Owner will gladly help to clarify the specific legal basis that applies to the processing, and in particular whether the provision of Personal Data is a statutory or contractual requirement, or a requirement necessary to enter into a contract.
Place
The Data is processed at the Owner’s operating offices and in any other places where the parties involved in the processing are located.
Depending on the User’s location, data transfers may involve transferring the User’s Data to a country other than their own. To find out more about the place of processing of such transferred Data, Users can check the section containing details about the processing of Personal Data.
Users are also entitled to learn about the legal basis of Data transfers to a country outside the European Union or to any international organization governed by public international law or set up by two or more countries, such as the UN, and about the security measures taken by the Owner to safeguard their Data.
If any such transfer takes place, Users can find out more by checking the relevant sections of this document or inquire with the Owner using the information provided in the contact section.
Retention time
Personal Data shall be processed and stored for as long as required by the purpose they have been collected for.
Therefore:
Personal Data collected for purposes related to the performance of a contract between the Owner and the User shall be retained until such contract has been fully performed.
Personal Data collected for the purposes of the Owner’s legitimate interests shall be retained as long as needed to fulfill such purposes. Users may find specific information regarding the legitimate interests pursued by the Owner within the relevant sections of this document or by contacting the Owner.
The Owner may be allowed to retain Personal Data for a longer period whenever the User has given consent to such processing, as long as such consent is not withdrawn. Furthermore, the Owner may be obliged to retain Personal Data for a longer period whenever required to do so for the performance of a legal obligation or upon order of an authority.
Once the retention period expires, Personal Data shall be deleted. Therefore, the right to access, the right to erasure, the right to rectification and the right to data portability cannot be enforced after expiration of the retention period.
The purposes of processing
The Data concerning the User is collected to allow the Owner to provide its Services, as well as for the following purposes: Interaction with external social networks and platforms, Analytics and Managing contacts and sending messages.
Users can find further detailed information about such purposes of processing and about the specific Personal Data used for each purpose in the respective sections of this document.
Detailed information on the processing of Personal Data
Personal Data is collected for the following purposes and using the following services:
Analytics
The services contained in this section enable the Owner to monitor and analyze web traffic and can be used to keep track of User behavior.
Google Analytics (Google Inc.)
Google Analytics is a web analysis service provided by Google Inc. (“Google”). Google utilizes the Data collected to track and examine the use of this Application, to prepare reports on its activities and share them with other Google services.
Google may use the Data collected to contextualize and personalize the ads of its own advertising network.
Personal Data collected: Cookies and Usage Data.
Place of processing: United States – Privacy Policy – Opt Out. Privacy Shield participant.
Interaction with external social networks and platforms
This type of service allows interaction with social networks or other external platforms directly from the pages of this Application.
The interaction and information obtained through this Application are always subject to the User’s privacy settings for each social network.
This type of service might still collect traffic data for the pages where the service is installed, even when Users do not use it.
Facebook Like button and social widgets (Facebook, Inc.)
The Facebook Like button and social widgets are services allowing interaction with the Facebook social network provided by Facebook, Inc.
Personal Data collected: Cookies and Usage Data.
Place of processing: United States – Privacy Policy. Privacy Shield participant.
Pinterest “Pin it” button and social widgets (Pinterest)
The Pinterest “Pin it” button and social widgets are services allowing interaction with the Pinterest platform provided by Pinterest Inc.
This type of service makes it possible to manage a database of email contacts, phone contacts or any other contact information to communicate with the User.
These services may also collect data concerning the date and time when the message was viewed by the User, as well as when the User interacted with it, such as by clicking on links included in the message.
Constant Contact (Constant Contact, Inc.)
Constant Contact is an email address management and message sending service provided by Constant Contact, Inc.
This type of service allows you to view content hosted on external platforms directly from the pages of this Application and interact with them.
This type of service might still collect web traffic data for the pages where the service is installed, even when Users do not use it.
YouTube video widget (Google Inc.)
YouTube is a video content visualization service provided by Google Inc. that allows this Application to incorporate content of this kind on its pages.
Personal Data collected: Cookies and Usage Data.
Place of processing: United States – Privacy Policy. Privacy Shield participant.
Vimeo video (Vimeo, LLC)
Vimeo is a video content visualization service provided by Vimeo, LLC that allows this Application to incorporate content of this kind on its pages.
Users may exercise certain rights regarding their Data processed by the Owner.
In particular, Users have the right to do the following:
Withdraw their consent at any time.Users have the right to withdraw consent where they have previously given their consent to the processing of their Personal Data.
Object to processing of their Data.Users have the right to object to the processing of their Data if the processing is carried out on a legal basis other than consent. Further details are provided in the dedicated section below.
Access their Data.Users have the right to learn if Data is being processed by the Owner, obtain disclosure regarding certain aspects of the processing and obtain a copy of the Data undergoing processing.
Verify and seek rectification.Users have the right to verify the accuracy of their Data and ask for it to be updated or corrected.
Restrict the processing of their Data.Users have the right, under certain circumstances, to restrict the processing of their Data. In this case, the Owner will not process their Data for any purpose other than storing it.
Have their Personal Data deleted or otherwise removed.Users have the right, under certain circumstances, to obtain the erasure of their Data from the Owner.
Receive their Data and have it transferred to another controller.Users have the right to receive their Data in a structured, commonly used and machine readable format and, if technically feasible, to have it transmitted to another controller without any hindrance. This provision is applicable provided that the Data is processed by automated means and that the processing is based on the User’s consent, on a contract which the User is part of or on pre-contractual obligations thereof.
Lodge a complaint.Users have the right to bring a claim before their competent data protection authority.
Details about the right to object to processing
Where Personal Data is processed for a public interest, in the exercise of an official authority vested in the Owner or for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the Owner, Users may object to such processing by providing a ground related to their particular situation to justify the objection.
Users must know that, however, should their Personal Data be processed for direct marketing purposes, they can object to that processing at any time without providing any justification. To learn, whether the Owner is processing Personal Data for direct marketing purposes, Users may refer to the relevant sections of this document.
How to exercise these rights
Any requests to exercise User rights can be directed to the Owner through the contact details provided in this document. These requests can be exercised free of charge and will be addressed by the Owner as early as possible and always within one month.
Additional information about Data collection and processing
Legal action
The User’s Personal Data may be used for legal purposes by the Owner in Court or in the stages leading to possible legal action arising from improper use of this Application or the related Services.
The User declares to be aware that the Owner may be required to reveal personal data upon request of public authorities.
Additional information about User’s Personal Data
In addition to the information contained in this privacy policy, this Application may provide the User with additional and contextual information concerning particular Services or the collection and processing of Personal Data upon request.
System logs and maintenance
For operation and maintenance purposes, this Application and any third-party services may collect files that record interaction with this Application (System logs) use other Personal Data (such as the IP Address) for this purpose.
Information not contained in this policy
More details concerning the collection or processing of Personal Data may be requested from the Owner at any time. Please see the contact information at the beginning of this document.
How “Do Not Track” requests are handled
This Application does not support “Do Not Track” requests.
To determine whether any of the third-party services it uses honor the “Do Not Track” requests, please read their privacy policies.
Changes to this privacy policy
The Owner reserves the right to make changes to this privacy policy at any time by giving notice to its Users on this page and possibly within this Application and/or – as far as technically and legally feasible – sending a notice to Users via any contact information available to the Owner. It is strongly recommended to check this page often, referring to the date of the last modification listed at the bottom.
Should the changes affect processing activities performed on the basis of the User’s consent, the Owner shall collect new consent from the User, where required.
Definitions and legal references
Personal Data (or Data)
Any information that directly, indirectly, or in connection with other information — including a personal identification number — allows for the identification or identifiability of a natural person.
Usage Data
Information collected automatically through this Application (or third-party services employed in this Application), which can include: the IP addresses or domain names of the computers utilized by the Users who use this Application, the URI addresses (Uniform Resource Identifier), the time of the request, the method utilized to submit the request to the server, the size of the file received in response, the numerical code indicating the status of the server’s answer (successful outcome, error, etc.), the country of origin, the features of the browser and the operating system utilized by the User, the various time details per visit (e.g., the time spent on each page within the Application) and the details about the path followed within the Application with special reference to the sequence of pages visited, and other parameters about the device operating system and/or the User’s IT environment.
User
The individual using this Application who, unless otherwise specified, coincides with the Data Subject.
Data Subject
The natural person to whom the Personal Data refers.
Data Processor (or Data Supervisor)
The natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which processes Personal Data on behalf of the Controller, as described in this privacy policy.
Data Controller (or Owner)
The natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of Personal Data, including the security measures concerning the operation and use of this Application. The Data Controller, unless otherwise specified, is the Owner of this Application.
This Application
The means by which the Personal Data of the User is collected and processed.
Service
The service provided by this Application as described in the relative terms (if available) and on this site/application.
European Union (or EU)
Unless otherwise specified, all references made within this document to the European Union include all current member states to the European Union and the European Economic Area.
Cookies
Small sets of data stored in the User’s device.
Legal information
This privacy statement has been prepared based on provisions of multiple legislations, including Art. 13/14 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation).
This privacy policy relates solely to this Application, if not stated otherwise within this document.
PREMIUM: Elevenses with Lisa Episode 41 Show Notes
Welcome to Elevenses with Lisa, our weekly little slice of heaven where friends get together for tea and talk about the thing that never fails to put a smile on our face: Genealogy!
As you know, birth, marriage and death records are essential to genealogy. We call them vital records, and there are two types: civil and church. Each records unique information. To get the full picture, you need both when available.
In this week’s Elevenses with Lisa show, my special guest wrote the book on finding U.S. Church Records. Sunny Morton is the author of How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records. She’s going to help us discover the important and very unique role that church records play in genealogy.
Even though Sunny’s book is focused on how to find records in the U.S., everyone can benefit from seeing how church records can be effectively used to solve genealogical challenges.
GET THE BOOK:
Sunny Morton’s book is available atAmazon (Affiliate link – we will be compensated when you use our link which helps support this show. Thank you!)
Church Records in Genealogy
In this episode Sunny provided three case studies testifying to the value of using church records on common genealogy brick-wall topics:
finding an overseas birthplace,
finding unknown parents’ names,
and finding unique insights that turn boring names and dates into compelling stories and ancestral identities.
Using Church Records to Find an Immigrant Ancestor’s Birthplace
She was looking for an overseas birthplace for Carolina O’Hotnicky, an immigrant who lived much of her life in Olyphant, PA, and died there in 1937. Sunny searched for and found many common genealogical records: census records, Carolina’s husband’s naturalization records, and her death certificate. None of these records revealed her birthplace. Church records offered new hope.
Carolina gave birth to several children whose baptisms were recorded at Holy Ghost Catholic parish. Sunny contacted the church, and they sent her transcribed certificates that listed an overseas birthplace for the children in what is now Slovakia. This didn’t quite make sense since the children were baptized just a day or two after the date of their birth in Pennsylvania, U.S.A.!
Sunny inquired about the discrepancy and the original confidential church register was rechecked. As can often happen, a slight error was made. The country listed (Slovakia) was actually the birthplace of both of the parents. Subsequent research into these overseas locations confirmed that to be the case.
As in this case, Catholic baptismal records can be an especially wonderful resource for finding an ancestor’s parents’ overseas birthplace. Access to original registers can vary by church, so it’s possible you may not be allowed to see them in person.
This is not an isolated case of church records providing important information about ancestral hometowns. In fact, a study from 2013 showed that the US source most likely to reveal an immigrant’s ancestral hometown was church records!
U.S. Records most likely to reveal the hometown of a German immigrants:
Local church vital records 65-76%
Military muster and pension records 20-30%
County genealogies 20-25%
State death certificates 20-25%
Passenger arrivals, obituaries, county histories, state censuses 15-25%
Church records are often a source of ancestral hometown information
When you find a record transcription, go the extra mile and try to obtain a copy of the original for review and comparison.
When in doubt or when information doesn’t quite add up, go back and carefully revisit the source.
Using Church Records to Find an Ancestor’s Parents’ Names
Sunny shared the case of Henry Fox who was born in Colorado in 1890. He died in Colorado in 1961. Sunny found the Henry’s civil marriage record at the Colorado State Archives. Unfortunately, it didn’t mention the couple’s parents’ names. As was the case with Carolina O’Hotnicky, other typical genealogical records did not provide the answer.
A close inspection of the civil marriage record did provide a very valuable clue. The document was signed at the bottom by the officiant “G. Raeber, Pastor”, indicating that a church marriage record would also have been created. But which church? The first line of the document provides the extra nugget of required information: “a Catholic priest.”
Sunny used the strategies from my book The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox and located a Catholic Directory from 1889 in Google Books. This is a great example of church related records and sources that fall outside of birth, marriage, and death records. (Learn More: Discover more surprising genealogical sources that can be found in Google Books in Elevenses with Lisaepisode 30.)
Using strategies laid out in her book, Sunny tracked down Father Raeber’s assigned parish for that year, St. Ann’s. She learned that the parish is closed, but she was able to find the records at the Archdiocese of Denver archives.
As is often the case, the archives would only send her excerpts – a copy of the single line from the marriage register book – but it was enough. These snippets told her the ages and birthplaces of Henry Fox’s parents. And it provided THEIR parents’ names! “Hallelujah!”
Church Records Search Strategies Recap:
Carefully inspect civil records for clues such as the officiant.
Use Google search, and specifically Google Books to search for supporting historical information.
Take the time to track down where records are archived today and make inquiries.
Unique Insights Provided by Church Records
While reviewing the obituary for Oglesby Johnson found in an old newspaper, Sunny discovered a bit of information that could provide leads to tracking down the church he may have attended. Listed in the obituary was the name of the church where the funeral was held (New Hope Church) and the names of several Reverends.
Sunny set out to try to find the church on a map from the time period. She found success at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. There among the many unique historical maps in their collection, Sunny found a hand-drawn map of the Hartwell, Georgia area. On it was drawn the church and several residences.
Next, she turned to Google Earth to try and find the location today. Google Earth provided a wonderful aerial view as well as an up-close view of the church and cemetery today thanks to Street View. (Learn More: Watch episode 12 of Elevenses with Lisa to learn more using Google Earth for Genealogy. You can also find step-by-step instructions for many genealogical projects in Google Earth in the book The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox.)
Armed with information about the cemetery associated with the church she turned to the Find a Grave website. There she found a plethora of Johnson burials. Continued research dug up the book History of Reed Creek by Hugh Gray Jr. (Hartwell, GA: Gray’s Printing, 2002) which provided an insider’s view of community life in the church.
As is sometimes the case, Sunny was unable to locate records from church. However, she did discover there was a predecessor church. The New Hope Church was created when some existing members withdrew from the Reed Creek Baptist Church. She turned to PERSI, the PERiodical Source Index to look for old church records that may have been transcribed in an item like a journal or newsletter. In this case the records were transcribed and published in the Savannah River Valley Genealogical Society Newsletter! She found it on the shelf at the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. (Learn more about the Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Elevenses with Lisaepisode 31 with Librarian Allison Singleton.)
She found that the Reed Creek Baptist Minute Book transcription showed Oglesby’s parents and the enslaving family. Sunny turned to a local area research who was able to track down the original records. These records had even more information than was provided in the transcription.
Church Records Search Strategies Recap:
Clue to church records can be found in historical newspaper articles such as obituaries.
The Family History Library in Salt Lake City has a vast collection of unique historical maps and gazetteers.
Google Earth is an excellent free software program for finding geographic locations.
Search for cemeteries and ancestors for free at the Find A Grave website.
Search PERSI to find old journals and newsletters for organizations such as genealogy societies. Read my articlePERSI for Genealogy: the Periodical Source Index to learn how to search the index and how to gain access to the records.
Turn to local area researchers as needed to gain access to hard to access records.
Recap: Genealogy Found in Church Records
Names, vital events, relationships
Overseas birthplaces and other places
Info on hard-to-find ancestors
Contemporary accounts
Unique stories
Sunny Says: “In many places, churches kept records of members’ names, locations, vital events, and family members’ names long before comparable government or other community records did the same. Better yet, church records weren’t generally kept at a courthouse, so if some of those important government records were destroyed by fire or other disasters, local church records from the same time period may not have been affected. Church records were often created at the time of an event, making them a relatively reliable source of information.”
Get Sunny Morton’s Book
Records created by U.S. churches are an often-overlooked resource for genealogists. But they can be a fantastic brick-wall buster, helping you find your immigrant ancestors’ overseas birthplaces, learn more about elusive ancestors (especially women and children and ethnic minorities), and flesh out their life stories. In How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records by Sunny Morton and Harold Henderson, you’ll learn to identify where a family may have worshipped, find any surviving records and put them to use for your family history.
Get 20% off your purchase of How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records with coupon code LLC20 when you shop at Genealogical.com. (Expires 2/5/21)
One of the advantages of tuning into the live broadcast of each Elevenses with Lisa show is participating in the Live Chat and asking your questions.
From Bill: Loved your church records w/ Sunny. I found Roman Catholic sacramental records for all US military in NY. Here is the link: Catholic sacramental records of US Military members are all kept at the Archdiocese for Military Services USA, Office of Sacramental Records and can be obtained for a fee. See:https://www.milarch.org/sacramental-records
From Diane L.: I can’t wait for this! was going to order death cert for Gr Gpts, Is there certain guidelines to ordering death cert. to get them? Can I get one for GGP or a great aunt?
Linda J @Diane L. depends on the State as each is different. Go on State website, click until you find how to order Death Records. Some states are pretty easy, others not.
Sunny: Thanks for all the great questions! Remember, you can get 20% off How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records with promocode LLC20 at Genealogical.com. The promocode is good through February 5, 2021.
From GeneBuds: What was your initial cold call question? Sunny: When I cold-called the relatives back in the hometown, I just asked something like, “If you’re related to the O’Hotnicky family that worked at the fire station in Olyphant, I’d love to hear from you.” I think I mentioned I learned some tips from Lisa Louise Cooke’s free Family History: Genealogy Made Easy Podcast, episodes 14 and 15.
RelatedQuestions on Pennsylvania church records: Question: My brick wall ends (starts?) in SW Pennsylvania. Her 1st child is born in SW Pennsylvania. How do I find church records for this area between 1790 to 1820? From Robin J.: How to find birth or marriage records for eastern PA for Lutherans in 1750’s+ – my brick wall I’ve tried all the major site a and even on a research trip to the area. Robin J.: Is there a Lutheran/German resource for church records in eastern PA for late 1700’s Sunny: Finding church records in general can get harder the further back in time you go, and this time period begins to be more challenging. That said, the process of tracking down church records depends entirely on the denomination and sometimes on the individual church. Pennsylvania especially had a lot of religious diversity, and the various churches can be hard to tease apart. That said, there are some fantastic repositories in Pennsylvania that may hold the records you want. Learn more in my book!
From Carolyn S.: Lutherans and Catholics have good records for the most part. What about Baptist, Methodist or ?? Sunny: Methodist records tend to be pretty genealogically good, almost as good as Catholic or Lutheran. Unfortunately, Baptist records tend not to be as easy to come by, and when you can, they’re often not as genealogically helpful. Of course, there are exceptions to every generalization!
From Barbara D.: In the USA are there central places for specific religion records of certain States – ie – in Ontario we have Presbyterian Archives, Wesleyan Methodist Archive etc. Sunny: Yes, each denomination has its own way of archiving records, whether to regional archives (Catholic diocesan or Methodist conference) or central archives (Latter-day Saints), or to specific archives such as the Presbyterian Historical Society or Congregational Library. That said, sometimes records were archived before a denominational library/archive was established, or there may not be one, in which case you’d have to look to regional archives, including Special Collections at universities that themselves are/were affiliated with a faith tradition. One of the reasons I wrote separate chapters for each of the major historical denominations was to be able to identify the various archives.
From K M: Catholic nuns change name. Is there a paper trail to find her family? Sunny: Great question! Yes. Each order of nuns has its own motherhouse, which would have an archive. The archive should have files on each woman who was part of that order, which included her original name and her next-of-kin. Once, I was looking for a nun and all I had was the name she later assumed (Sister Mary Bertilla) and a time/place where she was serving. The diocesan archivist for that area put me in touch with motherhouse archivists for all the orders that existed in that time/place. They were very kind/prompt about checking their files for her name.
From Linda J.: Sunny, would Evangelical Lutheran be included with “Lutheran”? Sunny: Yes!
From KT: Would the church hold records on deconesses, Sunday schools, organizations of the church the women participated in? want to find out gals . Sunny: Great goal, KT! Yes, churches that had auxiliaries generally created records of their activities. I have especially seen these for Methodist churches. They would often have been archived wherever the church membership records ended up. A tip: sometimes the membership records end up online, or transcribed in a book, etc., but the auxiliary records don’t. Follow the source citation for the membership records back to the original archive and see whether their collection for that church has additional records.
Barbara C.: How to find Universalist records from 1800s Vermont? Sunny: I do not specifically cover Universalist/Unitarian records in my book, so I’ll point you toward their official repository for any further questions.
From Sheryl T.: If your relative IS the minister, what kind of records in the church should I ask for? Sunny: Great question. Some denominational archives have created ministerial files with biographical and career information in them; I would definitely check the denominational chapter in my book to see if such is the case for them. Many faiths kept ministerial directories and/or had annual meetings of ministers where their names/congregational assignments might be listed (the latter might also have information about their ordinations, salaries, disciplinary action, or committee work). The actual church records may have been personally maintained by your relative or at least will likely mention him in the course of performing weddings, baptisms, etc. He may also have maintained personal ministerial logs or journals, which may or may not have ended up with a church archive.
From Gayle P.: What are suggestions for searching Quaker Records in Pennsylvania? Sunny: My book has an entire chapter on Quaker records. I’ll just say two things here: first, Quaker records are often incredibly rich in genealogical detail. Second, I’d start first with an enormous collection of Quaker records on Ancestry.com, if you’re a subscriber. It does include several record sets from Pennsylvania.
From Mary D.: How can you access PERSI without getting a subscription? Sunny: PERSI, the Periodical Source Index, is exclusively searchable on Findmypast. You don’t need a subscription to search PERSI. Your searches will bring up a list of results with “teaser” information in them, which at times itself may be sufficient to lead you to an article of interest. Otherwise, if you’re not ready to subscribe, consider purchasing PayAsYouGo credits to get a la carte access to just the search results you’re interested in. Learn more about PERSI from Lisa Louise Cooke.
Linda B.: I have United Brethren minister who rode the circuit from KY to Canada, any ideas of where to start? He lived in Auglaize Co, Ohio Sunny: My book has a section on the United Brethren church in the “German Churches: Reformed and Sectarian” chapter. You’ll want to determine when he was a minister. There was a big split in the church in 1889, which means the record trail splits, too. My relative who was United Brethren stayed in the group that eventually joined with what is now the United Methodist church, and I found records about him in a United Methodist conference archive in Pennsylvania. Consult the chapter in my book about the various archives, depending on which church your minister was part of. It’s complicated—it took me a while to tease it apart myself (but this eventually helped me write this section of the book, so it won’t be as complicated for others!).
Sunny: Don’t forget your promocode: 20% off How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records using LLC20 at Genealogical.com through February 5, 2021.
From Lynnette B.: Can I transfer old home movies directly from a DVD to YouTube or do I need to have the information in mp4 form before transferring to YouTube? From Lisa: YouTube accepts the following file formats:
.MOV
.MPEG4
.MP4
.AVI
.WMV
.MPEGPS
From Debbi W.; Searching for criminal records in California between 1906 – 1914, not prison but likely county jail and county court systems. any suggestions on where to start? From Lisa: Check out the California Correctional Institutions page.
Resources
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