We had a nice turnout for this month’s 30 x 30 challenge, based on the number people who commented that they were interested in joining. Now’s the time to report in: How did it go? Were you able to spend 30 minutes a day for 30 days on your genealogy? (Or did you meet a different goal that you set?)
I have to admit I didn’t make progress in digitizing my paper genealogy files. My extra time this month was focused on managing my iPhone’s photos, which is no small project. But my box of genealogy papers is really getting on my nerves and I hope to get to it soon.
Please let us know in the comments how your month was. I’d love to hear whether the challenge was helpful, even if you didn’t manage to get in 15 hours!
Well I got my files on the external hard drive. And in Dropbox, and I read and listened to a few podcasts, but I did not get a true 30 by 30. Next time!
You gave your genealogy some love and that’s awesome!
Jannine, Thanks so much for offering this 30 x 30 challenge. I made progress with processing documents and then switched my time to the RLP 14-day Challenge. Today was day 11 0f 14. I will have a short rresearch report completed in 3 days. I plan to continue a personal 30 x 30 challenge through February.
PS I averaged 2 hours per day — need to keep up the momentum.
What a productive January, Gwen! Two hours per day average! Good luck with your personal 30 x 30 in February.
Overall I made my 30 minutes a day. I finished my 1810 census and I am working on the 1800 census. For a few of my ancestors who lived in KY and VA, I had to rely on the 1800 tax records. I hope to complete the 1800 and 1790 census in February. I did unexpectedly had a great find, thanks to Family Search. I knew my grandparents had divorced in the 1920’s and I had that as a to do item. Family Search informed me that some new documents were available concerning my grandparents and they had the divorce document on line. This was a little sad from a family standpoint, but a great find for genealogy purposes. Thanks for having the 30 day challenge.
Jerry, congrats on your diligence this month! And congrats on the divorce document! Those can be gold mines of information. I remember finding divorce records for my second great grandfather referenced online and was able to send away for copies of the originals. I was so happy! I blogged about that here https://organizeyourfamilyhistory.com/go-ahead-contact-courthouse/.
Thanks for showing the blog.
I was able to average about 30 minutes a day. I worked with another member of our DAR chapter to finish entering and double checking data documenting a local historic cemetery. Rather tedious but glad this portion is almost finished!
Nice, Zenda! Getting those tedious but important tasks finished is a great use of small chunks of time. Bravo!
Thanks, Zenda! A lot of crucial data in my own family tree came from records that DAR chapters around the country and its Genealogical Records Committee had assembled, starting in 1913. Many of the gravestones they recorded had become illegible by the time that I looked for them, but the DAR members like you were there ahead of me. Ditto for family Bible records. Your work really matters!
I didn’t get done as much as I hoped. I only got the equivalent of 13 out of 30 (or 31) days done. I will say for about half-a-week I didn’t do any because I had a growing concern over the Palisades fire coming my way. In the end, I preemptively evacuated (it was never ordered for my area) and ironically, after a few days of being in a safe place, that is when I got a lot of the genealogy research that I got done in January. Anyway, here’s hoping for more soon!
(P.S. – Don’t worry, my house and neighborhood are safe and still standing.)