Author Topic: How do you organise your family history research?  (Read 52428 times)

Offline Glenpenny

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Re: How do you organise your family history research?
« Reply #27 on: Wednesday 21 December 05 17:54 GMT (UK) »
I use Roots Magic 2, which I think is great, having tried first Family Tree Maker and Personal Ancestral File.  I especially like the fact that you can have separate data bases but can see two or more on the screen at the same time for comparison, so if someone sends me a ged.com I can check it out thoroughly before combining them.  I also like the "To Do" feature as it reminds me what I need to check out.

So far as organising goes, I have four large lever arch files, one for each of our grandfather's names, using the acid free pockets to keep photographs, memoriam cards, newspaper cuttings etc., and another foolscap binder, again with acid free pockets, for storing certificates and Will copies.

I also have more lever arch files to keep information downloaded from the web, contacts from other people (e-mails etc), all sorted into alphabetical surnames.  If I get too much on one name, I put a marker in the alphabetical stuff telling me to refer to a separate ring binder. 

Works for me except I'm a bit lazy about printing the e-mails off and lost a load one time when the pc crashed. If anyone knows how to back up your "In box" please let me know.

Each to his own method though, whatever works for you.......

Glenys
Clifton - Kirkham, Garstang, Lancs
Benson - Greenhalgh, Lancs
Hankinson - Freckleton, Lancs
Roobottom - Barnsley, W.Yorks
Drelincourt - Ireland
McLintock - Barnsley, w.Yorks
Catlow - Colne, Newchurch-in-Pendle, Lancs
Bowker - Newchurch-in-Pendle, Lancs
Bambridge - Stebbing, Essex
Lagden - Thaxted, Stebbing, Essex
Perry - Stebbing, Essex
Wileber - Farcet, Huntingdon
Census Information is Crown copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline runner

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Re: How do you organise your family history research?
« Reply #28 on: Thursday 22 December 05 00:30 GMT (UK) »
Hi May

Like you we gathered a huge range uf bits & pieces.  Now we keep it in a big lever arcg file with dividers labelled for each family group. Several times that certificate from 6 months ago has turned out to be the one we were looking for all the time  - but why did they change a child's name or give wrong ages on the census???

The ones which have no direct links we put all together at the back and trust to memory to find them later.

If, eventually you decide they are no longer relevant you could post them on ther appropriate thread elsewhere on the site. They may be just what someone else is looking for but doesn't have credits to download!

Russell
1941-2016
Oman in Caithness, Reside in Renfrewshire,
Roan or Rowan Kirkcudbrightshire/Ayrshire
Watsons in Kilrenny and Mortons in Edinburgh.

Offline JAP

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Re: How do you organise your family history research?
« Reply #29 on: Thursday 22 December 05 00:58 GMT (UK) »
Rachel,

Apologies to all but I can't believe that, in this day and age, anyone is not using one of the excellent genealogical computer programs which are available.  Using Word, or Excel, or Access seems to me like re-inventing the wheel.  Most genie programs are good, their developers have run across and tried to solve all the problems that you will surely run across yourself if you try to start from scratch, and the choice depends on what suits you (just as if you were buying a car).  They range from free to various prices, and from very simple (i.e. fairly inflexible) to quite complex (i.e. very flexible and allowing you to choose your own way of doing things).  Use a smallish sample of your people to try out some of the free ones, and to try out trial demos of others - you will soon see what you like, what you don't like, and what features you really want to have.

And back up, back up, back up your computer records ...  (That is - do as I say, not as I do).

But it won't be a paperless office.  You'll still have heaps of folders and piles of papers.  And you'll probably change the way you organise them several times along the way.

And, even so, there will still be the situation where you just KNOW you have something relevant but can't put your hands on it!

JAP


Offline MarieC

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Re: How do you organise your family history research?
« Reply #30 on: Thursday 22 December 05 02:48 GMT (UK) »
Works for me except I'm a bit lazy about printing the e-mails off and lost a load one time when the pc crashed. If anyone knows how to back up your "In box" please let me know.

Each to his own method though, whatever works for you.......

Glenys

Glenys,

As people have said on other threads - subscribe to a web-based email service like google mail (gmail) which is free, and forward all the emails you want to keep to that site.  Then if your computer crashes, they will all be there, sitting on the remote server!

Trouble is, it takes a long time.  I'm about half way through mine!

I'm planning to shout myself Reunion 8 for Macs in the new year.  Trying to get some organisation into my disorganised family history records!

MarieC
Census information is Crown copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Martins in London and Wales, Lockwoods in Yorkshire, Hartleys in London, Lichfield and Brighton, Hubands and Smiths in Ireland, Bentleys in London and Yorkshire, Denhams in Somerset, Scoles in London, Meyers in London, Cooks in Northumberland


Offline Geoff

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Re: How do you organise your family history research?
« Reply #31 on: Thursday 22 December 05 04:16 GMT (UK) »
Hi Glenys :)

This is a link to a free program that will allow you to back up all your Outlook Express Folders, Inbox included and your address book.

 www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx -

It backs them up to My Documents then when you back up your My Documents you also have all your mail stuff.

I use it all the time and twice it's saved me a lot of worry.

Merry Christmas
Cheers
Geoff ;D
** Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk **
Martlock, Pilton, Doubting & Frome:
MASTERS, PORCH, BOULTON, HACKETT,
Combe Hay, HINTON, WEEKS,
Perthshire: CRICHTON, TAYLOR, MOON, IRONS, KIDD
Durham, FENWICK, PUNSHON, EDDY, HENRY aka LAVERICK
Northumberland, BUCHANAN, HODGSON, HALL,
Lincoln: MASKEY,BIRD,FISHER,HARLEY,
Cambridgeshire, CROSS, FOREMAN, FREEMAN, ONG,
FEAST, MOXON
Gloucestershire, HILL, COX, NEWELL
Sussex, CHAPMAN, NEVE, DOWNER
Surrey, NEWELL, WEBB,

Offline Glenpenny

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Re: How do you organise your family history research?
« Reply #32 on: Thursday 22 December 05 08:39 GMT (UK) »
Hi Geoff, 

Many thanks for the free programme link.  I've downloaded but can't get it to open properly.  Any suggestions?  It tells me to select a back up file before proceeding but won't let me do this. 

Glenys

Clifton - Kirkham, Garstang, Lancs
Benson - Greenhalgh, Lancs
Hankinson - Freckleton, Lancs
Roobottom - Barnsley, W.Yorks
Drelincourt - Ireland
McLintock - Barnsley, w.Yorks
Catlow - Colne, Newchurch-in-Pendle, Lancs
Bowker - Newchurch-in-Pendle, Lancs
Bambridge - Stebbing, Essex
Lagden - Thaxted, Stebbing, Essex
Perry - Stebbing, Essex
Wileber - Farcet, Huntingdon
Census Information is Crown copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Sylviaann

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Re: How do you organise your family history research?
« Reply #33 on: Thursday 22 December 05 13:23 GMT (UK) »
I started mine in Word 15 years ago when I wanted to send info out to rellies and there weren't many programmes about.  I did put everything into Brothers Keeper but found the printouts especially the trees took up too many pages.  I can control what goes on a page with word and it is all the basis for a book.

Each to his own.  I'm not putting everything into a database now.

 :) :)

Sylviaann

Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Norfolk: Gooch, Loveday, Lake, Betts
Suffolk: Gooch, Crosby, Turner
Hampshire: Laws, Burrows
Kent: Beer
Jersey: Barette, de Gruchy
East London: Middleton, Gower, O'Farrell, Smith, Weston

Offline wellie

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Re: How do you organise your family history research?
« Reply #34 on: Thursday 22 December 05 19:21 GMT (UK) »
Hi Jap
I myself collect just one the name.
some do not belong in my family tree but will do in the long run. do you or anyone knows of a family tree program that can store these names until I can connect them too the family.
Many thanks

Wellie
Wellavize- Wellavise- Willavize - Willavise - willavoys all area's

Offline runner

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Re: How do you organise your family history research?
« Reply #35 on: Thursday 22 December 05 19:32 GMT (UK) »
Hello Wellie

I have done a couple of regional one name studies and found that the only system which would keep them in any kind of order was an Excel spreadsheet. You can make them as long and/or as wide as you wish yet its easy to pick out the info you want.
If you would like to see what I have done PM me with your e-mail address and I'll mail one back to you. The content would be no use to you its just the layout that matters.

Russell
1941-2016
Oman in Caithness, Reside in Renfrewshire,
Roan or Rowan Kirkcudbrightshire/Ayrshire
Watsons in Kilrenny and Mortons in Edinburgh.