Data and more data

I have spent the last 35 to 40 years working on my family history.  It is so much easier now than back then.  The internet has definitely changed researching.  I think about how many hours (and how much money) I spend looking for details and how it will be even easier for my grandkids to find information.

Years ago I kept my data on a word processing machine, then a program on the Commodore64.  I moved the data to Rbase, a relational database.  That was probably my favorite because I had so much control over the reports.  I created some nifty reports to help me with my research.  Finally, I moved to FamilyTreeMaker.  This is not my favorite program.  I do not like the reports that well, however, I do not want to move my data again.  I tried moving it into another program and there are too many problems as the data doesn't slide across without a lot of errors.  So, I'm leaving it in FTM and hoping someday the company puts some effort into the program and gives me, the genealogist, more options with my data.

I'm tired of my media documents being detached in FTM so I've stopped linking them.  I'm currently in the process of putting all of the media documents into family folders gearing up to write a narrative on the families and placing the documents into the narrative.  I've played with using Word and Scrivener.  I don't think I'm going to use Scrivener as I will have to go back and mark names for an index.  I'm doing that in Word, but I'm doing it as I place names into the narrative.  I'm also considering an index for places mentioned including cemeteries.

As I have over 64,000 names in my database, I will continue to use FTM and use the family reports as a guide to help me with the narratives.  One family has several connections. (Some have been described in previous posts.)  For example, let's use 'Beth' and her great-grandparents.  Each set of the four great-grandparents has at least one person related to the other three sets of great-grandparents.  The ones that are related are first cousins.  So one great-grandma is a first cousin to Beth's other great-grandma and they both are a first cousin to another great-grandma and the great-grandpa of the last set of great-grandparents.  Did you keep that straight?  Anyway, the family is full of connections such as this and I will need the genealogy program to help me keep it all straight.

I will be attending RootsTech in Salt Lake City in February.  I hope to get more ideas on how to handle the data and ultimately get it into a narrative form for my family.

Mind puzzle

Interesting. I just found out (get ready for this!) the husband of my 3rd cousin 3x removed on my paternal great grandfather's side of the family is the great grandson of my 4th great grand aunt (by marriage) on my paternal great grandmother's side of the family. Hope you have better luck keeping that straight than I do!

Thought I had 'wasted' my time

Nothing like spending a couple of hours researching a family only to realize that I'm collecting information on the in-law family who is not related to me. Then discover...oh yes they are related! The father-in-law of mother-in-law of my 5th cousin 1x removed is my 4th cousin 2x removed.

You just never know

I found people in my area of the state with one of the surnames of my husband's family, but could not find a connection to his family.  Today, I found it.  The family out here is his fourth cousin, 4x removed.  I wonder if they knew they were related to the other Bisbees in the area.

Another blue ribbon library

Maybe I'm easily impressed, but I spent the afternoon at the Hutchinson, Kansas public library looking up obituaries and found this to be a great place to research.  A pleasant staff and an awesome microfilm reader awaited me there.  The microfilm reader loaded and unloaded the microfilm.  I think it saved me an hour!  I was allowed to get my own microfilm and I like that.  The library staff offered to load and unload the microfilm along with getting it for me.  I don't mind doing it myself as long as they don't mind me doing it.  I had quite a list to look up.  I don't intend for this blog to turn into a library rating, but I just had to let you know what a great place the Hutch library is for research! 

$20? You have to be kidding!

I have learned to check local libraries to see what information is available.  For example, the post before this one about the Pueblo, Colorado library.   (They deserve a blue ribbon!)

I don't mind paying a fee for an obituary.  In fact, I have one on its way (I hope!) for a fee of $5.  Of course, I like it much better when the fee is a smaller amount or free.  :)

One California library doesn't look up obituaries and I can understand why, to a point.  The library has been kind enough to offer the services of a company who charges $20 per obituary.  Really?  The library has an index to their obituaries, but I cannot access it since I am not a library card holder from their library.  So, I get to pay $20 for a possible wild goose chase.  (I know the person died there, but I don't know if he/she has a published obituary.)  I will wait until I take a trip in the area to look that obituary up!  By then I will probably have a list of ones I would like to read.  This library gets no ribbons of any color from me.

Pueblo County-City Library, Pueblo Colorado

The above mentioned library is WONDERFUL!  I visited there last week and everyone was helpful and kind.  The best part was when the librarian showed me a link on their website for obituaries.  I wish every library would do this! 

They indexed the obituaries for their local paper, Pueblo Chieftain, and made that index available to the public via their website.  They will send you a copy of the obituary from the link on the index!  Free via email! 

Here is a link their website.
http://www.pueblolibrary.org/
(Click on search and at the bottom is the link to the obituary index.)

Here is a link to the obituary search.
http://www.pueblolibrary.org/obituaries-search

Well done, Pueblo Library, well done!