RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => Topic started by: annesthreads on Thursday 21 August 14 20:25 BST (UK)
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I'm getting absorbed in family history research again after a longish break. I'm curious to know how others work as the number of names and lines increases - do you focus on one line at a time? What do you do, for example, when a marriage introduces a new surname - start looking at that as well or leave it for later? I'm finding it hard to stay focused -I get intrigued by new information, eg a rare surname, someone from a different area of the country - and go off at a tangent -then can't remember where I was up to ??? I also need to be more diligent about making notes and referencing documents immediately- there's rather too much back-tracking and re-checking at the moment. I'd be interested to hear how others deal with an increasingly complex tree and how you keep notes of material that you may want to come back to.
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Hi,
Sad to say, I echo most of what you say. I started off with certificates of those closest to me then took notes on scraps of paper of any other info. I could find - without noting the sources. I bought some software to instil some order but until I went back and sorted out the sources
, it was fairly valueless. I'm slightly better now but I'm always jealous of those with ordered minds and methods. My wife chastises me for the piles of paper I have lying around and volunteers to tidy for me - usually with a box of matches in her hand. I had so many searches going through my mind that I think I put myself off and so stopped for a while and I am struggling to pick up the threads again. The information gained so far has been a real education, much of it from this site and also from the millionaires at Scotlandspeople as well as all the topics covered when I have been side-tracked.
Brian
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I am the same. I have so many lines and threads that I nneed to start gathering together. I have notes everywhere.
Someone come to my house and sort it all out for me!
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Although I made a hesitant start many years ago on paper, I can hardly imagine working now without my PC and RootsMagic software. I generally tend to work on one family line at a time, but I did have a couple of frantic periods of grabbing anything I could find while I had active subscriptions to FindMyPast, Ancestry, etc. followed by long periods of careful cross-checking.
Once the information is recorded in the RootsMagic database it is easy to go back to it any time, and easy to link or merge people . . . or unlink them
Other genealogy software is available ;D
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You have to be mercilessly methodical in this game.
I have a Word document which is my Table of Forebears.
It lists them all by generation, starting with Generation A (my parents), generation B (my grandparents), generation C (my great grandparents) and so on.
Each has a number within the generation (B1 is my paternal grandfather, B2 my paternal grandmother, B3 my maternal grandfather, B4 my maternal grandmother).
The numbers are assigned to that particular ancestor, whether I know who they were yet or not. The numbers do not change every time I find a new ancestor.
A random entry from this table is:
G29 FF MM MF F: Robert Brothers, 1750 - 1814
So this is someone in Generation G (my great x5 grandparents), he is number 29 in the sequence of ancestors in that generation. He is my father's father's mother's mother's mother's father's father. His name was Robert Brothers, and he lived from 1750 - 1814.
I then have my family history narrative documents. A separate Word document for each generation, on which I note down everything I have discovered about each ancestor, fully footnoted with references to the source material.
Finally, I have a set of files, one for each ancestor, in which I keep all of the documents I have relating to them. A marriage certificate may be copied and appear in up to 6 different files: the files for the husband, the wife, each father, and each witness.
Updating is a constant and ongoing chore.
I have yet to produce two more documents that I believe are needed: an alphabetical directory of all the people referred to in my family history narrative, and a gazeteer of all the places noting relevant family history events that happened there and the dates on which they happened.
A lot of work? You bet ... but the outcomes are worth it.
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Very interesting to read these replies - thankyou. I'm glad I'm not the only one who struggles to keep things under control! I'm using Family Tree Maker and Ancestry to compile the tree and save references to documents. I also print out a lot of the census returns etc for future reference as I find it easier to use hard copy than squint at a screen. My difficulties lie with deciding how to tackle the job: whether to keep focused on each person in one line, or take up new information such as a wife's maiden name and start to look at that as well. I suppose it's whether to go vertically up one line of the tree, or horizontally across each generation. I suspect the former is the better approach, but I'm such a butterfly that the lure of the new and intriguing will always divert me. The keey must be adequate note keeping and I'm still figuring out how best to do that.
Hadn't heard of RootsMagic - must look at that.
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Hadn't heard of RootsMagic -
I believe you can import FTM files directly into RootsMagic. I have tried most of the family tree programs over the years and settled on RM as the one that suits me best; others will have different preferences. There is a free trial version here: http://www.rootsmagic.com/Try/RootsMagic/
I'm sure we all know and share your problem ;D In my case I have tried to concentrate on the 'vertical' line and limit side branches to one generation up or down . . . well, that's the intention . . . ::) ::) ::)
Mike.
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Although I concentrate on the "main lines" I also branch out whenever I find it interesting. After all, this is a family chronicle and anything or anybody interesting deserve to have their stories told :)
For instance, my grandfather Hans Margulies was quite well known in pre-war Vienna as journalist, author and artistic director of a cabaret, so obviously I've written a lot about him. But he had three brothers - Isador, Emil and Heinrich - who were all politically active and well-known, so I try to tell as much of their stories as possible.
Or the father of my aunt's husband - Harry Morser, or my mother's uncle - Joseph Remenyi; although not directly related, they also had interesting lives, so they get included too !
regards,
Bob
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I find it easiest to keep the stuff in folders etc - one for each type of thing. (both computer and physical folders)
So, one for certs (which blossomed into 6), one for censuses, one for Parish Regs etc. And a hardback copybook for graveyard/family headstones
Then I also have the actual family story separately.
So, if I find a reference online to the death of John o'Hara, I scribble it on a piece of paper and put that in my Newspaper folder, and make a pencil note of the date etc on the "story" printout.
All my tatty bits of paper are in the right folder (mostly!)
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This all sounds familiar.
I've been digging since the 1980s and it was lucky to have lots of certs and paperwork left by my ancestors - is there a hoarding gene ? I had a FamilyTreemaker freebie and put it on there to help and reduce my paperwork or so I thought.
As my job involves a lot of research/fact-checking and so on I am (mostly) quite methodical but I confess that a mouth watering new find does set me off like a dog after a scent and I do like to roll in it too !
I have been writing my family history since William Hague had hair, but it never gets done. I have found it best not to add too many branches of branches for each new person - if you know what I mean. Though I keep those on a separate tree as often I find what they were doing or where they lived may help in my brickwalls.
So I've made working lists of the main lines and then followed the 'direct' men or women in that. I still keep a notebook, files for each main line and box of certificates in alpha order, but must admit to scraps of paper that I can't read at my desk even now.
I intend to spend time 'housekeeping' it once a month and have it in mind that someone will want to pick this up after I'm no longer around as so the more neat it is the more likely they are not to bin it all.
Perfect !!!
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I think I need to copy jbml a little. As that was written in your post, well it sounds really organised! I prefer to use paper rather than a PC (my tree is on Ancestry and thats all). I am a fan of notebooks. I think I will get a nice large one and try the numbering method - a page for each person.
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I prefer to use paper as far as possible, but admit that in addition to a rather beautifully drawn out tree heading back up from me to the earliest references in 1580s, of my direct paternal line, that took a great deal of visual planning out, on the largest sheet of paper I've ever seen, strongly re-inforced on the reverse, I've a large, bulging loose-leaf file for each major surname, for self and other half, several box-files of related information, mini-trees for each "married in", "twigs" on other sheets for descendants from siblings of main people.... A4 sheets min-tracing each census 1841 - 1911 for each family..... and I usually know I've got the info I want to check/incorporate somewhere .... if only I can lay my hands on it.... soon.... be back to you when I've found it...
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I used to be so Methodical - but nowadays --- bloomin useless. :(
xin
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I have been writing my family history since William Hague had hair, but it never gets done. I have found it best not to add too many branches of branches for each new person - if you know what I mean. Though I keep those on a separate tree as often I find what they were doing or where they lived may help in my brickwalls.
I like the idea of the separate trees for the more remote people - thank you.
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The manual processes described by jbml can be automated by most decent family history software.
I use The Master Genealogist, for which sadly support is ending, and all those features are there.
The list of persons can be accessed by pressing F2 - and can be sorted in various ways too.
The Gazetteer can be brought up at short notice on-screen. Select an address, then click a button to list the events which took place there. These two lists are extremely useful as I try to work out who is who in my One-Name Study.
Pictures (and scans of documents) can be associated with anyone they relate to - in my tree a single picture of a church might be tied to dozens of people.
The "Table of Forebears" is the Ahnentafel report, and there are reports for just about everything else, if you feel a need for hard copy.
All in all, I think you are missing out by not going electronic. Just find a program which works in a way you can get with. Most give you a free trial period before you cough up any cash.
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I try to be methodical,keeping notes nice and tidy in a note book,but to no avail.Info seems to take over and before I know it bits of paper and notes all over the place.As the poet Rabbie Burns wrote,"The best laid schemes of mice and men gang aft astray."
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All in all, I think you are missing out by not going electronic.
I don't.
I've got a system that works in a power cut; that I will always understand; that I won't have to re-learn when they "improve" the software and stop supporting what I've got already; and that always does everything the way I want it to because I designed it.
I use electronic tools to find information.
I use traditional filing and archive skills to keep track of the information once I've got it.
My system forces me into the discipline of reviewing, checking, and cross-checking on a frequent basis, which helps keep important information to the forefront of my mind when I'm researching. It works for me. If it doesn't work for you, that's fine, too ... there's room for more than one approach.
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I record things as I go, though I tend to focus more time and effort on families and lineages that are closer to me, for example I will put more research into my maternal grandfathers family than my great, great, great, great grandfather's wife's family
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How nice to realise that I am not the only one who wanders, my filing is all done by paperwork - apart from Ancestry private tree, which keeps me organised a bit - because to be honest I don't understand all these on line ones, so have files for each direct surname and fit in others where I can. I try to keep as much as possible to direct family but must admit find side branches can be much more interesting. Any unusual name or occupation or strange death will see me chasing information and wandering away, BUT people in the past were much more family orientated and the number of times I've found lost relatives through side turnings is amazing. Everyone has there own method and the best of luck to all.
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BUT people in the past were much more family orientated and the number of times I've found lost relatives through side turnings is amazing.
This is soooooo true
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I prefer to work with pen and paper - but I do find it easier to manage stuff on my laptop, I can use Word to create my own notes, lists etc. and it's so easy to download documents from the internet - just wish I was more organised with my filing ???
I've trialled a few family history programmes but haven't found one I like, so I think I'll persevere with my own system :D I do use GR to 'map out' my tree and to make notes as I go along. By having my tree on there I've also made many useful contacts and shared information with distant rellies, so that's good.
My main problem is that I get sidetracked very easily and go off down branches of my tree that I didn't intend to! Then, of course, I don't make proper notes, thinking I'll return to it later, then when I do, I've forgotten what I was doing and where I was up to! It's all good fun though ;D
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My research looks very organised. At the moment it's divided into a binder for each of my grandparents with all of their ancestors in order behind them. Each person has a plastic wallet for any papers and also I have a kind of form to fill in for each with the basics. I'm sure this will need expanding once I get further in but it works for now. I've given each ancestor a number as well which I write on any papers relating to them (mostly because I got so confused with the number of Williams I had). I tend to generate a lot of paperwork as I print out anything I find. As much as I love my computer, my brain functions better when I can move actual hard copies around. I do keep copies of photos and documents on my laptop though and also a bullet point commentary on each ancestor.
My issue tends to be staying on track whilst researching. I often find my self not only side-tracked, but looking at something completely unrelated. A few nights ago I was surrounded by documents and papers relating to my Gran's traveller ancestors yet I'd start searching for army records for my great-grandfather in a completely different line because I'd suddenly thought of something. ::)
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Mine is all done on my laptop. I don't use specific genealogy software, I use omnigraffle (mac equivalent of microsoft visio) to document my family tree. I have documented my ancestors as far back as I can (i.e. I have all 32 great-great-great-grandparents, but only 11 of my 256 great-great-great-great-great-great-grandparents, but still they are all on the tree); however with siblings, cousins etc I have only included the generations that can be exhaustively researched, so all the descendants of my great-great-great-grandparents, i.e. as far out as my 4th-cousins. Although I have come across some fifth-cousins, they are not on my family tree as I want to give a full picture of each generation I include. I have folders for each person organised in iphoto so that if you click on the name of someone in my family tree, all documents and sources for them come up, as well as any photos of them. As well as birth, death, marriage, census etc, I also keep transcripts of conversations with relatives or emails so I know exactly where I got the information. I also keep transcriptions of info I got in parish records, dated with the date I consulted the records. I confirm any info I get by word of mouth or email through searching records, however I find it helpful to know where I originally got it.
So I guess I'm pretty methodical. At the very start (when I was 14) I wasn't at all methodical, but I realised once I hit my seventh Pat Doyle that I would need a better system and started scanning everything I had and meticulously organising everything into folders. I took a long break from the family tree and went back to it when I was 18, and transferred everything from my parents' computer to my own laptop. Since then it's been much easier because I can take all my information with me when I go to consult records. My computer is full of birth, marriage and death certs, census records, etc, and each is attached to every person named.
I do have a lot of my tree on ancestry.com, but am thinking of taking it off because people keep copying my info and photos to people with the same names who are very obviously not the same people. >:( However I owe a lot to having my tree on ancestry.com, I've found a lot of relatives that way. I think soon it might be time to take it off though.
Not using a genealogy computer programme means I can lay my tree out exactly as I want to. I've attached a photo of my layout (low quality so names etc can't be seen). Pedigree chart is in the upper centre, the columns at the side are siblings, cousins etc of ancestors, the columns underneath the pedigree chart are ancestors further back than the pedigree chart goes and under that are my grandparents' birth certs (minus my Nanny's because I stupidly gave it to her *before* scanning it, and I keep forgetting to ask her can I scan it whenever I'm in her house, however that will be going on the tree at some point soon). The photos at the top are my ancestors, at the bottom I have photos of siblings of my ancestors and above that I have wedding photos of siblings of my grandparents. The photos on either side are family group pictures and photos of places relevant to my family (i.e. the house where my mother's paternal ancestors have lived since 1606, the windmill my great-great-great-grandfather built). The tree is still very much a work in progress but there is a place for everything to go when I eventually find it...
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After a couple of false starts I got organised.
Now I print out a cover sheet for each person from the individual report in RootsMagic software.
These cover sheets go into ring binders, one for each family. The printed documents I have for each person go into the folders behind that person's cover sheet, in chronological order, and matched as far as possible with facts entered into RootsMagic; the source citations in the software and on the printout mean I can tell which document(s) the fact is supported by.
It's a bit complicated and time/space/paper consuming, but it does mean I can locate any document or fact for any individual or family pretty quickly and reliably.
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My records are kept on several Excel spreadsheets, a detailed Tree on Geni.com with 756 names, and a 57,000 word Word file that might end up being turned into a book if i ever get the time to finish it. I can definitely identify 31 out of 32 great-great-great-grandparents, with the last one debatable due to the quality of Northern Irish records in the early 1800s. I have 54 out of 64 in the generation above that, and a few further back thanks to Gaelic patronymics.
I do not share my information with randoms: if someone can be proven to have a family link I will offer to share. Sometimes people agree, sometimes they don't. Sometimes their reasons are understandable (the widow of a second cousin killed in a car crash aged 37 declined to assist), other times they are less clear (I asked another second cousin, after e-mailing each other for some weeks, for details about her great-grandmother's arrival in the USA, all kept by her on ancestry.com but not accessible in the UK, and she didn't reply).
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Hi, My family want me to have it all organised, now that I have many folders, and a full filing cabinet of "stuff". When I took over my mother's files, much of it was "on the back of the envelope". However I have managed to recreate these by using Family Tree Maker and Ancestry.com.au, where I have two trees for different large branches of the family.
Some of Mother's material I reorganised into folders, with contents pages, and indexes, so that it is easier to go back and locate the documents, if they are not fully entered into the "Tree".
It also helps to focus the mind if you have somewhere to have articles published, which I now do, so that particular topics or people can be researched as much as I can, and then a sensible story told, of interest to others.
At the moment my cousins and I are researching the soldiers in the family tree from WWI, and this provides a base for getting these parts of the Tree into shape. This will be published in November, so having a date helps to keep us on track.
Good luck everyone. Enjoy the journey !
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Although I concentrate on the "main lines" I also branch out whenever I find it interesting. After all, this is a family chronicle and anything or anybody interesting deserve to have their stories told :)
regards,
Bob
I think you're right Bob, and I mustn't get TOO methodical! I found a new, apparently very rare, surname the other day, and had a happy hour looking at that branch. Going off at tangents from time to time keeps me interested: the key for me is to make sure that I have notes of where I was up to, and keep track of sources, so that I don't have to reinvent the wheel when I come back to that bit of research later.
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Not using a genealogy computer programme means I can lay my tree out exactly as I want to. I've attached a photo of my layout (low quality so names etc can't be seen).
That's a work of art! I see we're both researching Brien, but in different parts of Ireland. The changing Brien/Breen/O'Brien in my family is driving me crazy!
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Each to their own, I suppose! ;D
Having worked in IT since I left school, I naturally opt for software!
I started with Brother's Keeper - when it was an MS-DOS program; but now use RootsMagic.
Paper filing wouldn't suit me - having moved 5 times in 4 years, I have no idea what boxes hold what!
My online database can be updated any time I set up my PC - which is every day! ;D
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Having worked in IT since I left school, I naturally opt for software!
My online database can be updated any time I set up my PC - which is every day!
Having worked in I.T. since mid-1960s, I'm quite the opposite (sort of!)
I DO keep all my photos in digital format, and plan to scan all my Certs.
I have most of my data in various Word/RTF files
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I don't have an online tree, and a lot of my stuff is on bits of paper (carefully filed).
the thing to remember is --
you can be just as disorganised digitally as you can with bits of paper - it's a matter of creating a system ...
I know someone who has about 2000 files in their directory - no sub-folders
- it takes them forever to find a piece of info - they're directly to be compared to someone who keeps all his papers in a single drawer ... insurance, house deeds, receipts, recipes!
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I still haven't quite decided how I want to display my tree, ultimately I'd like a large printout for me and my parents. I use Autocad at work so can design it pretty much as I want but its coming up with something that visually pleasing and easy to read. I love that one shown further up the thread with photos on. I may use that for inspiration if that's ok :)