Try some new, and old, research methods in 2012
If you are reading this column, then no matter what else you are doing, you are taking a positive step toward making your search easier and possibly more fun. That’s not ego talking, it’s just that the best way to improve or reinforce your skills is to keep learning.
Family Searcher
By Nina Brawn
There are many ways to do this, my personal favorite is to attend conferences, but this can be difficult either because of time or money. Another great choice is to read genealogy articles or surf Internet resources.
It almost doesn’t matter where you look for information, as long as you look — and keep looking. I have been researching my family history for 30 years and I still find some little tidbit every time I look for research hints. For example, I use Ancestry.com’s census records all the time. They make it easy to add whole families to your online tree using census records from 1880-1930.
Relationships weren’t questioned in earlier censuses, so you could only add individuals, not families, this way. But recently I was playing around on the website and learned that Ancestry has added a way to add anyone in a household to your online tree. So don’t let familiarity breed contempt for your usual research venues, continue to explore for changes.
One place your Internet experimenting could really pay off is in playing with www.google.com. Google is continually adding new features which add to either your research, or in “packaging” your family history when you decide to make it available to others. To get started exploring Google, just click on the “more” and “even more” tabs on the home pages and see what they are offering. Much of it may not be useful, but every time you do this you are increasing the chances of finding something to add to your repertoire.
I also discovered a useful website for people who are just starting to use computers for family history work. The website is www.svpafug.org. It is the home site of the Silicon Valley Computer Genealogy Group. You may remember that Silicon Valley, California is the birthplace of computing. This group formed to support each other as they explored using the LDS church’s PAF genealogy program and computers in general. They have grown into a huge support website and have great hints and tips that anyone using computers for genealogy will find very helpful.
Other useful tools will always be, of course, books and magazines. I just received a bounty of years-old “Genealogy” magazines at a recent historical society meeting. I have already found reminders of some tips I used when first researching, but had forgotten over the years.
Information doesn’t have to be new to be useful. In terms of new information, last year a friend introduced me to Family Tree Magazine, and I was impressed with the wide range of information and articles. I think both beginners and more seasoned researchers will find this magazine a helpful read.
I am a serious creature of habit, so trying new things doesn’t often occur to me, but it always pays off, I think you will find it helpful as well.
Editor’s note: Nina G. Brawn has lived in the Dover-Foxcroft area for over 50 years and currently lives there with her husband Fred. Nina was the last of 10 children, has three children of her own and nine grandchildren. She can be reached online at ninagbrawn@gmail.com.
