Organize Your Family History

Stay focused and happy while exploring your roots

Raise your hand if you’re going to RootsTech!

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RootsTech 2018 is a little later than usual (February 28 to March 2) and I’ve just today started to focus on it. I deleted last year’s app on my so that I could download this year’s version. Turns out, if I’d read this blog post, titled 7 Ways the Mobile App Will Enhance Your RootsTech Experience I would have realized that all had to do was open the 2017 app, tap Exit to Show List, and select RootsTech 2018.

The app really is robust, allowing you to access information about conference sessions, exhibitors, schedules and more in a variety of ways. I’m going to make sure I budget some time in advance of the conference to go through it and put sessions on the app’s schedule so I’m not feeling stressed while at the conference.

Apparently 15,000 attendees are expected at this year’s conference to learn from their choice of 300 sessions and 200 exhibitors. I can’t believe I can attend a conference of that scope and not feel completely overwhelmed. It really is very well organized. One thing I’ve learned is to schedule down time and give myself permission to skip a conference session if I’m feeling exhausted. (I find that being around so many people can be draining.) If you’re attending for the first time you might want to check out this RootsTech blog post, A Survival Guide to RootsTech.

In years past I’ve had a great time meeting readers of this blog at RootsTech. If you’re going and you’d like to say hi in person, just leave a note in the comments and we’ll figure that out. I hope to meet some of you in person this year!

Do you have unread resources on your hard drive?

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Earlier today, I was entering my PayPal transactions into my financial software and I saw that I had purchased a document from Sassy Jane Genealogy last month that I had not read and don’t even remember purchasing. So I looked in my Mac’s Finder to see what I’d downloaded from that website and saw that it was a pdf called Ten Skills Every Genealogist Needs. That sounds fantastic! I can’t wait to read it.

I knew there were doubtless other forgotten documents on my hard drive, so I created a notebook in Evernote called Downloaded items to read/watch NOW and put it in my genealogy stack. Then I went on a hunt for other unread or underutilized resources hanging around on my computer. I bought them with the best of intentions and then moved on to the next shiny object.

I found digital copies of Family Tree Magazine. At least one webinar I haven’t watched. A research guide to Kentucky research. Another Sassy Jane Genealogy guide. And I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface!

In these next couple of low-key weeks, I’m going to try to actually read or watch these valuable resources. And I vow to do a better job of keeping track of what I buy/download. Evernote should be my friend with this.

How about you? Do you have any learning resources you’ve downloaded but forgotten about? Happy hunting!

 

Research your military ancestors this Veteran’s Day

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Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day and Find My Past is making it easier to dig deeper into your ancestors’ military service. The website is offering free access to their military databases through November 12.

This offer seems particularly helpful if you have ancestors from Great Britain. Find My Past’s military databases include British Army Service Records, Prisoners of War, 1715-1945; British Royal Navy and Royal Marines Service and Pension Records; Napoleonic War Records; British Army Casualty Lists, 1939-1945; WWI Ships Lost at Sea, 1914-1919. The databases aren’t limited to the UK, though. I did a quick search when I was writing this post on an ancestor who lived in the United States and was able to quickly find his 1903 Army enlistment record.

To get started, search for an ancestor at the Military Access Page. When you click on a search result, it will ask you to sign up for a free account. During this free promotion period, you’ll be able to access (and download or print) the documents you find.

If you’re not sure what wars your ancestors might have fought in, check out this Family Search Wiki page on Ages of Serviceman in Wars. Also check out this blog post I wrote about creating a spreadsheet to help you identify your military ancestors easily.