USING A LDS FAMILY HISTORY CENTER #10 MEDIEVAL RECORDS ID UNIT revised Sept 1997 So you say you can trace you ancestry back to Charlemagne? Or better yet, Adam and Eve? Well, if that is the case, you will need to become aware of the activities of a small, select group of individuals working in the MEDIEVAL RECORDS ID Unit, a part of the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Experienced researchers are aware that there are no reliable records before the systematic reporting of church activities in parish records or Bishop's transcripts for areas such as England, Western Europe, and the Americas. The MEDIEVAL RECORDS ID UNIT formerly called the Royalty ID Unit, evaluates records from the pre1500 AD time period. We know these records are spotty at best, and contain many errors, due to purposeful human error, and illegability from years of wear and tear. Salt Lake does not permit the submission of names in this time period, as the MRIU is working these lines as completely as possible with their expert training. What do I mean by purposeful human error? Well, many early genealogy type records were based on an individuals desire to be related to land holding gentry. So reports to the authorities were willfully misrepresented. You can access the completed work of the Medieval Records ID Unit using the ANCESTRAL FILE (tm) on FamilySearch (tm) equipped computer systems. All this adds mystery and intrigue. Just remember that if you can push EACH line back to the 1500's, we'll sign you off, and you can QUIT researching! The Medieval Records ID Unit will take it from there for you! Additional Reading: 1. Everton's Publishing offers a concise explanation of the medieval time period: <A HREF="http://www.everton.com/oe1-15/gen-med.htm">http://www.everton.com/oe1 -15/gen-med.htm</A> 2. There is a newsgroup on the internet devoted entirely to the genealogy of the medieval time period. Its known as: soc.genealogy.medieval Reported to us by John Fuller , [email protected] GEN-MEDIEVAL. Gatewayed with the soc.genealogy.medieval newsgroup for genealogy and family history discussion among people researching individuals living during medieval times (loosely defined as the period from the breakup of the (Western) Roman Empire until the time public records relating to the general population began to be kept and extending roughly from AD 500 to AD 1600). Mailing address for postings is [email protected] To subscribe send "subscribe" (without the quotes) as the only text in the body of a message to: [email protected] (mail mode), [email protected] (digest mode), or [email protected] (index mode). 3. Check out Cyndi's List of Medieval Genealogy Sites on the Internet at: <A HREF="http://www.oz.net/~cyndihow/medieval.htm">http://www.oz.net/~cyndihow /medieval.htm</A>

October Organization Checklist DearREADERS, Well, here we are in our 10th month of our new lives as organized genealogists! (No giggling now!) Harold has a really great idea, so I'll get right to the list! Week One: Before the weather gets too bad, take great-grandma's old rocker outside and take a picture of it! The same goes for quilts, baby cradles, pickle crocks, canning jars and other artifacts. Photo-documentation is a valuable tool for family historians. I remember visiting the Conrad Weiser Homestead in Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania. How I thrilled to see the walking stick and silver spoon actually used by my ancestor in the 1720's! I was also very touched to see the effort the restoration committee took to use period stoneware and other appointments to decorate his home. Without careful attention to these matters, visiting a restored home would not put is in the other century. More than just years separate us. Customs, life style and technology change throughout the decades and centuries. So, use those cameras to capture the images of the past. Photos make delightful and informative additions to our family history books! Week Two: Scan the photos for easy insertion as graphics in your family newsletter, or upcoming book. (You ARE planning to publish SOMEDAY!!) You can send the film of your artifacts to Seattle FilmWorks, or scan them in yourself, if you have the equipment. Thanks to my friend Barb, I have been learning about MSPicture Publisher which is a software program for scanning and editing photos. I also use PaintShop Pro (32bit) available for download in AOL's <A H REF="aol://4344:431.page_pgr.1369532.516864034">Graphic Arts Forum</A> . Week Three: By now, the original documents you sent for last month are beginning to arrive. Remember to put them in top-loading sheet protectors, and file them this week with the appropriate family group sheets in your notebooks or files for each family! Week Four: Plan an old-fashioned harvest party for family members, instead of the usual Halloween trick-or-treating! (That's getting too dangerous now!) How about a nostalgic hayride, and bonfire with marshmellows? Even a good old-fashioned square dance or simple songs by the campfire with a budding guitarist to accompany! Round out the activities with a few simple games like bobbing for apples, ring toss (on old fashioned coke bottles), and a cake walk! In the early part of the 20th century before radio and TV, people entertained eachother by singing and playing together, even as adults!

USING A LDS FAMILY HISTORY CENTER #10 MEDIEVAL RECORDS ID UNIT revised Sept 1997 So you say you can trace you ancestry back to Charlemagne? Or better yet, Adam and Eve? Well, if that is the case, you will need to become aware of the activities of a small, select group of individuals working in the MEDIEVAL RECORDS ID Unit, a part of the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Experienced researchers are aware that there are no reliable records before the systematic reporting of church activities in parish records or Bishop's transcripts for areas such as England, Western Europe, and the Americas. The MEDIEVAL RECORDS ID UNIT formerly called the Royalty ID Unit, evaluates records from the pre1500 AD time period. We know these records are spotty at best, and contain many errors, due to purposeful human error, and illegability from years of wear and tear. Salt Lake does not permit the submission of names in this time period, as the MRIU is working these lines as completely as possible with their expert training. What do I mean by purposeful human error? Well, many early genealogy type records were based on an individuals desire to be related to land holding gentry. So reports to the authorities were willfully misrepresented. You can access the completed work of the Medieval Records ID Unit using the ANCESTRAL FILE (tm) on FamilySearch (tm) equipped computer systems. All this adds mystery and intrigue. Just remember that if you can push EACH line back to the 1500's, we'll sign you off, and you can QUIT researching! The Medieval Records ID Unit will take it from there for you! Additional Reading: 1. Everton's Publishing offers a concise explanation of the medieval time period: <A HREF="http://www.everton.com/oe1-15/gen-med.htm">http://www.everton.com/oe1 -15/gen-med.htm</A> 2. There is a newsgroup on the internet devoted entirely to the genealogy of the medieval time period. Its known as: soc.genealogy.medieval Reported to us by John Fuller , [email protected] GEN-MEDIEVAL. Gatewayed with the soc.genealogy.medieval newsgroup for genealogy and family history discussion among people researching individuals living during medieval times (loosely defined as the period from the breakup of the (Western) Roman Empire until the time public records relating to the general population began to be kept and extending roughly from AD 500 to AD 1600). Mailing address for postings is [email protected] To subscribe send "subscribe" (without the quotes) as the only text in the body of a message to: [email protected] (mail mode), [email protected] (digest mode), or [email protected] (index mode). 3. Check out Cyndi's List of Medieval Genealogy Sites on the Internet at: <A HREF="http://www.oz.net/~cyndihow/medieval.htm">http://www.oz.net/~cyndihow /medieval.htm</A>

Beginning Lesson #10 County Boundry Changes Date: 97-02-26 21:13:52 EST From: Lon2000 DearMYRTLE One of my ancestors died in Hopewell, Hunterdon County, New Jersey in 1806. Then in 1838 the boundaries changed and Hopewell is now located in Mercer County, New Jersey. For my records do I list the place as Hopewell, Hunterdon or Hopewell, Mercer or both? DearLON2000, Your question is well founded, and something to address in this series of Beginning Genealogy Lessons. Record the place or locality as it was at the time of the event. This will direct you to the correct courthouse which may hold documentary evidence of your ancestor's activities. Now, lets play with the practical application of this information. Its possible that if your ancestor lived and died in the home which had been in the family three generations before him and three generations following his demise, some interesting conclusions could be drawn. We know your ancestor died in 1806 Hopewell, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Unless you actually know his age at death, you might have to jump to a conclusion that he was about 50-60 years of age when he died. (Typical for the time period.) This would mean he was probably born in 1746-56, and that her perhaps married circa 1766-1776. Consider the US Revolutionary War may have had an impact on the marriage date. This means you also need to look for military service in the New Jersey State Militia or the Continental Army. Consult Daughters of American Revolution (DAR) indexes. (Harold says I digress...) Your first step is to try to locate probate records, since you know the exact date. The Secretary of State in Trenton hold the originals, but county courthouses in New Jersey maintain copies of wills and administrations of estates beginning (luckily) in 1804. At the time of his death the county was Hunterdon, and should be listed as such in your genealogy management program. You may be able to draw conclusions as to his age from the will, especially if his wife has only one or two young children. (We're not considering second wives, but that is also a possibility.) If his sons are inheriting property without guardianship then you can assume they are 18-21, also serving to support our estimated birth year. Since Hunterdon County was created in 1714, we'll find several earlier generations of ancestor's probate/wills. The wills are indexed from 1682-1805. Ronald Vern Jackson edited an Index to New Jersey Wills, 1689-1890, the Testators. (AIS, 1979) If there are many individuals by that surname in the records, and the relationships are not readily apparent, you must turn to other records to verify lineage. Another important clue is that the family held the property for a total of seven generations. Armed with this information you can find records of deeds at the local county clerk's office after the 1785 land act. Earlier records are part of the New Jersey Archives XXI 1664-1790 maintained at the Secretary of State's Office. The REDBOOK (Ancestry) reports that these are indexed in C olonial Conveyances: Provinces East & West New Jersey 1664-1794, 2 Vols. (Crestview Lawyers Service) As you trace the recording of deeds as each generation inherited the property, you'll note: Name of the former owner, (so you'll know who died) Date of land transaction (so you'll also know what probate record to obtain) Consider that the Hunterdon County Clerk in Flemington has the marriage records from 1795-1875. (per The HandyBook for Genealogists, Everton Publishers.) This means you will need to search Hunterdon County for a marriage entry for your known ancestor (we guessed circa 1766-1776), and each gentleman you discover in reviewing the land and probate records. I have not seen New Jersey marriage records for that time period, so I do not know if parents of the bride & groom will be mentioned. Let me add, that if you had an ancestor who resided in the family home prior to 1714, the parent county of Hunterdon County was Burlington. However, something must have happened since Burlington County (although an original county created in 1683 from the Western New Jersey provincial government) only reports having divorce records from 1966, probate & land records from 1785 and civil court records from 1880. For those generations of individuals who lived in the family home after the 1838 county boundry change, you would be reviewing the records in Mercer County. We haven't discussed naturalization, newspaper records, county histories, federal & state census records, etc., but I think you have enough to keep you busy for a while!

mine are, (surnames) sanders lake perrine huston gibson gipson halse wiley this is all i can think of at the moment. thanks, shannon

Beginning Lesson #9 What to Do With Conflicting Information DearREADERS, How surprised that in the past week there has been an interesting thread of messages on the newsgroup soc.genealogy.methods on the very subject of this week's beginning genealogy lesson - "What to do with conflicting information." You will need to document every source and the dates stated or implied by that source. Read on: 97-02-25 09:31:11 EST From: [email protected] (Jim Royer) Bob Mittelstadt <[email protected]> wrote: >How do we rate our sources? The software I use suggests using a scale >of 0 to 3, with 3 being primary sources and 0 being unreliable sources. >This leaves a lot of room for interpretation, and I, for one, could use >a bit of help determining how various sources would be placed on that >scale. Is there a resource on the Net which explores this subject >quantitatively? Is it silly to even consider treating source >reliability quantitatively? >How would you rate the following? (Feel free to add to the list) >US Census records >State census records >Newspaper obituaries and marriage notices >Cemetery indexes commonly found in libraries >Tombstone information, visual inspection >Relative's recollections >Pension records >Military records >Ancestry File data >Vital records at the county clerk's office >Social Security Death Index >Captions on the back of family photos >Church records, seeing them yourself >Church records, someone else's transcription of them >Internet Web site genealogies >etc. >Bob Mittelstadt >(Who feels better finding two or three sources that agree on any given event.) I don't consider anything solid until I can find at least two seperate sources that list the same date (without depending on each other). I just ran into this tonight. A great-grand uncle is listed in both the 1850 and 1860 census for Wisconsin. Both list his age that would correlate to him having been born sometime between September 1840 and June 1841. I have his death certificate which indicates that he was born on Sept 17, 1841. Depending on which source I had access to I could be off by up to a year. The ages on the census were given by his parents where the death certificate info was given by a friend who had known him for 25 years. As it turns out I also have a copy of an application for a Veteren's Pension (he was in the civil war) where HE listed his date of birth as Sept 17, 1840. Now I have 4 sources with varying dates. Two of them (the census) give a broad range which happens to encompass that data the individual wrote and signed to himself. The 1841 date is given only by a freind. I accept the year 1840 as accurate.... I also can pretty much swallow the Sept 17 date since both the friend and the individual himself give it. I have to guess that the friend was one year off in her date.... The real boneheaded thing is that all four sources only list his place of birth as New York.... No stinkin' town on any of them! ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!! I consider Web Pages, Ancestry Files (IGI etc), relative recollections and family photos as finding aids only. Anything else above BY ITSELF I would rate a 1. If I found 3 or more sources with the same data then I would move my probablity of being correct up to the 3 rating (and I would quote all the sources). Headstone data is usually accurate for the date of death but I would give the DOB a 5. My $.02 worth. Jim Royer [email protected] Date: 97-02-25 09:34:03 EST From: [email protected] (Charles Oliver) It is interesting that you bring this up. I am putting together a book on the descendants of a John Kuhn who came here circa 1852 from Prussia. He had a daughter named Carrie (Caroline). Seems that very few sources agreed on her year of birth. I have the following: Family Bible (hers, from when she married) 4 July 1855. Death certificate: 4 July 1855. November 1878 Marriage certificate: 22 years old [1856] 1880 Census: 22 years old [1858] 1887 Newspaper article detailing divorce: 32 years old [1855] 1910 Census: 48 [1862] 1920 Census: 60 [1860] Notice we have three sources that agree on 1855, two of them "good" sources. However, there is also the following: 1860 Census: 6 years old [1854] 1870 Census: 17 years old [1853] Now, remembering that her *date* of birth is listed as 4 July (which I would expect to be true; after all, people *do* celebrate birthdays). The dates when the information was gathered for the 1860 and 1870 Census fell in June. Therefore, the one year discrepancy between the two dates essentially disappears. She *was* six, soon to be seven, in 1860; she was nearly 17 in 1870, and that was the age that was given. Further, the information on the 1860 and 1870 Censuses was given by her *parents*, not by her. Therefore, I conclude that her date of birth was 4 July 1853. The problem is not one of heirarchy; you have to get *all* of the information, regardless of reliability, and look at the whole picture. READERS, Be careful to note all instances of dates and their sources in the notes option of your genealogy management program. This leaves a big audit trail. If new evidence comes along, it must be compared with existing information to form a preponderance of evidence.

USING A LDS FAMILY HISTORY CENTER #9 FamilySearch (tm) Computer Databases revised Sept 1997 There are over 2,500 branches of the main Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City. Each branch has a core collection, and access to microfilm and fiche through a rental program. Each center is different, varying in size and staff experience. To locate a FHC in your area, look in the white pages under Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. If there is no special FHC listing, call the church on Sunday mornings to inquire about the nearest Family History Center. Those FHCs that are equipped with computers have a program called FamilySearch(tm) which is used to view the following CD-ROM databases. Ancestral File Pedigree linked data, searchable by given name and surname. Save information to disk or print out a hard copy. GEDCOM compatible. This means you can import the GEDCOM file directly into your genealogy program without having to type each entry individually. Using Ancestral File I was able to save (on my own floppy disk) the genealogy compiled by our Cousin Rolland, a recognized competent genealogist. In a matter of four minutes I had 360 individuals and some 47 marriages, all linked together in family relationships. It took me another four minutes to transfer this data from the floppy disk to the genealogy program on my home computer. All I had to do then was link the duplicated individual and I was set! Without this process using Ancestral File, I would have had to request photocopies of all the family group sheets from Cousin Rolland and then painstakingly type everything into my computer. Why duplicate effort? My time is better spent researching obscure "brick walls" on the pedigree chart than retyping known info! IGI (International Genealogical Index) Individual or Parent Index. This collection comprises all names submitted for temple work from 1969 to the present. Search this collection first by locality (US/Canada, foreign county), then by given name and surname. Modify the search with a birth year if desired. Be sure to also check the Addendum. Save information to disk or print out a hard copy. GEDCOM compatible. Its easier to use this CD-ROM than the microfiche version, though I recommend checking both just to be sure your ancestor wasn't left out of the CD-ROM collection by mistake. Military Death Index Review this CD-ROM to locate information on soldiers whose deaths occurred during the Korean War and the Viet Nam conflict (including those in Laos and Cambodia.) Search by given name and surname. The index lists the branch of the service so it is easier to locate the military service records through other channels. Save information to disk or print out a hard copy. GEDCOM compatible. Social Security Death Index Search by surname and given name to see if the death was reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Once you've found Social Security Number you can ask the SSA for a copy of the SS-5 original application (for the number not benefits). Remember this process took a bit of work to prove that an individual was indeed a resident. The SS-5 lists parents, birth date and birth place, thereby providing proof of parentage and adding another locality to research! Save information to disk or print out a hard copy. GEDCOM compatible. FHLC - Family History Library Catalog This is the computer version of the microfiche catalog to the complete collection of genealogical materials of the LDS Family History Library. Unlike the fiche version, the CD-ROM searches are limited to LOCALITY or SURNAME Searches. Additionally, experienced users may look up microfilms by computer ID number. Save to disk or print out a hard copy. This is my favorite part of the FamilySearch CD-ROM collection! I use the computerized version of the FHLC to prepare for a research trip to Salt Lake City. It is best to look at all available records for the localities where my ancestors once lived. Then you can order the microfilm for the time periods in question -- land records, probate files, city directories and the like. I print out everything that looks interesting, one item per page. When visiting the FHLibrary, I know to look first at the books and non-circulating microfilms before beginning my regular microfilm research. I make notes right on the print-out, and staple photocopies from the microfilm to it. When I get home, I will need to enter the source for the document when typing the new information into my genealogy program. The stapler also saves time writing the exact film number and title, author, etc.. Scottish Church Records An index of names listed in the Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) parish registers and similar records, also including records from a few other denominations. Time period: late 1500s through about 1854. Save to disk or print out a hard copy. NOTE: Though the OPR (Old Parochial Registers) are available on microfiche, several researchers at our local LDS FHCenter have noticed not all entries appear in each collection. So be sure to check both! PAF - Personal Ancestral File 2.31 or 3.0 Organize the names/dates/localities and family stories you have found by using this popular DOS-based genealogy management program. Try it here before deciding to buy it for your home computer. Ask the FHC volunteer about the availability of local PAF Users Groups for further assistance. Additional Reading: There are individual resource outlines on each of the CD-ROM collections listed above which provide step-by-step directions in the use of the computer. Ask the volunteer at the FHCenter for a copy. I keep mine in my left hand while I type away with my right hand! Well, just when you thought you had a handle on this genealogy research thing, they throw in things like this to help you even more! Have a great week researching at your local FHC using the CD-ROMs in FamilySearch!

SEPTEMBER ORGANIZATION CHECKLIST DearREADERS, Well, the kids are in school, most of us have finished our traveling and sleuthing (not necessarily in that order), and its time to settle down for a long winter's nap! NOT! Here's the lineup of this month's assignments! WRITE BACK and let me know how you are doing on these projects! Your comments keep Harold and me in stitches! Week One: At the family gathering on Labor Day, be sure to take LOTS of pictures, tape record interviews and post your descendant charts so people can SEE their name in print. Perhaps this will entice them to fill in the blanks for their birth and marriage dates, etc!!! Week Two: Transcribe taped interviews ASAP to NOTES in PAF (Personal Ancestral File) or whatever genealogy program you are using. Do this right away, while the conversations are still fresh in your mind! Describe the time of day, what your interviewee was wearing, etc; doing all you can as a reporter to describe the setting. You'll want your readers to be able to imagine they are right there experiencing this interview first hand. If your interviewee stumbles for words, or skips words use ... or (mumble) to deliniate. Do NOT fill in the gaps with your own words. If you MUST, add your editorial notes at the end, clearly labeling them as your own, and not the words of the interviewee. Week Three: Remember all that great stuff you gathered at the family reunions, summer picnics and such?!!! Well, this is the week to enter that information into your computer genealogy program. This may take a bit of doing, but do it NOW! Systematically, page by page, until like the Ragu Spaghetti Sauce, "ITS IN THERE!" Week Four: Write for copies of birth, marriage and death certificates on all this newly collected information. Sending a friendly, newsy letter to your extended family members requesting these will serve to strengthen the bonds you developed over the summer at your family gatherings. Send a photo or two! Gi ve, don't just ask! I realize this is a LOT to do in one month! But then this is the first chance after the hustle and bustle of the summer to get things really organized again! You'll feel a sense of accomplishment, and I'll certainly be proud of ya, too!

Name: Anne Taylor-Czaplewski Ward/Branch: Ellington Branch/Hartford,CT Stake Surnames: Czaplewski, Laedtke, Blaese, Taylor, Sawyer, Stock, Matysik, Pawlus, Landoch, Dziechciowski, Kopyszka, Krause, and Wines At present, I'm the assistant director of the Stake FHC in Bloomfield (Hartford), Connecticut. I'm interested in New England & Midwest research--plus the German, Polish, and English lines in Europe.

Mine are: Greer Harrod Harder Flock Thanks Lynne Norris

USING A LDS FAMILY HISTORY CENTER #8 FAMILY GROUP RECORD COLLECTION revised Sept 1997 People often write to ask how they can access family group sheets they heard a great aunt "submitted to Salt Lake" sometime in the 1950's. Even in those days, thousands of family group sheets were submitted by LDS Church members and non-members alike. All were placed in those old-fashioned oblong genealogy binders, filed under the husband's surname only. There are no cross-references to the wife's name nor is the collection indexed. This huge collection is commonly referred to as the Family Group Record Collection There are several sub-sets of this collection which are gradually being computerized into the IGI (International Genealogical Index.) These include: Family Group Records Collection (also known as the Family Group Records Archives) Patron's Section (the 4 generation program of the LDS Church 1964-1974) Old Patron's Section (1924-1962) Oldest Patron's Section (1924-1950 submissions) Although my father's stake extraction assignment on FGRC is completed, a call today to the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake (Family Name Extraction) confirmed that not all of the estimated 600,000 family group sheets have been computerized. Even before the process is completed, researchers may access those older family group sheets without traveling to Salt Lake to visit them in person the Family History Library Annex in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. You may visit your local LDS Family History Center and view them on microfilm. Be aware that when the microfilming crew completed its task, it found about 10 percent of the family group sheets had been forcibly removed (!) from the binders!!! Additionally, some heavily damaged pages were removed by library staff. How to order the microfilm: There is a listing in the FHLCatalog with the name of the husband on the first family group sheet on each microfilm reel. You'll just have to figure where your male ancestor's name would appear alphabetically to order the correct microfilm. If you need help with a woman's maiden name, you will have to wait for the computerization. Once the film arrives from the main FHLibrary, be sure as with any compiled genealogy to check the sources listed on each pertinent group sheet. When I lived in Salt Lake as a young woman, I visited the old family history department and photocopied many pages from these grand old binders. In 1988, during my training at the Washington DC Temple Family History Center, the center purchased the entire Family Group Records Collection in 16mm format. It fills a half-height microfilm cabinet. I was amazed how many non-LDS individuals found this collection useful. Perhaps that is because many of the early members of the LDS Church had roots in New England, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Once again I am reminded how closely our families are intertwined, if you go back far enough on the pedigree charts!

AUGUST ORGANIZATION CHECKLIST - WHAT YOU DID FOR SUMMER VACATION Remember how in the olden days, our elementary school teachers asked us to write papers by that last title? Yes, those ol' school days... I used to walk through seven foot drifts of snow uphill (both ways) to get to a school room with a pot belly stove in the back! As a bridge between the laxy days of summer, and knuckling down to reading, writing and arithmetic, they'd have us do the usual summer vacation essays. Well, among the items on this months checklist are a few new fangled twists on that theme! 1. While traveling about, take your video cameras and tape recorders with you! Record what things look like! Tell how you feel about visiting that old homestead, or the cemetery hidden in the backwoods. 2. When visiting relatives who have possession of the precious family bible, ask if you can take it to the local photocopy shop. Invite them with you for lumch, if necessary. Just get COPIES of the original, don't trust yourself to transcribe the information perfectly. Remember there are 24 hour places like Kinkos to help you out! 3. As grandchildren visit, be sure to do a yearly interview with them on tape! As you splice together 10-15 years of video clips they'll be amazed at their changes and growth. And what a record for posterity! THEIR children will be able to see their parents as babies, and the the wonderful interaction with you, the great-grandparents! That is a window to the past I would certainly cherish! 4. As an extension of this activity, those of you with grandchildren could begin "grandchildren books." This consists of a personalized three-ring binder. Then, every week, compose an interesting letter on your computer and send copies to all grandchildren through the mail. They'll love getting something special addressed to them. You'll be able to share anecdotes from your childhood, old family stories, the lives of their parents, or little quote or stories you run across in the course of the week. Following these guidelines, you'll be able to accomplish your goals to finalluy make progress on the PERSONAL HISTORY side of family history research. Think how thrilled we are when we run across an original document which our ancestor held! Well, you are literally making memories and documenting lives in the process!

Beginning Lesson #8 Previously Compiled Genealogies As you work through the resources at libraries you will run across printed family histories, compiled indexes and CDs of genealogy data. As you browse the online file libraries, visit WEB sites on your surnames, join surname newsgroups, etc. you are also tapping into the vast wealth of information in previously compiled genealogies. As valuable as these sources appear to be, you must take them with a grain of salt. It is incumbent upon serious family historians to get to the root of the matter. Consider what documentary evidence supports the assumptions of lineage. I am currently working on my DUTTON line in England. For years, we had thought the father of our John Dutton 1693 was John. We received this information from a book on the Dutton family. However, there were no footnotes stating the source of this information. I have diligently searched the records for John Dutton's christening records in the local parish which fortunately are available on microfilm. I have not yet located his christening entry. The real kicker is the total lack of references to any Duttons in the parish registers for the place where the family was reputed to live for three generations. In fact, a review of extant church records for the entire shire indicate that Duttons are only found in one parish about 50 miles east of the area in question. Getting back to the concept of evaluating previously compiled genealogies... Its possible to use them to find good clues. Better still are those which cite the sources of information for each point. Your job is to verify each source mentioned. (You would want a copy of the wills, census, marriage and christening records anyway, wouldn't you?!) See if you arrive at the same conclusions of relationship as the original researcher. You may have additional information which was not available at the time of publication. Don't be afraid to rock the boat.

LESSON 7 Well, we're into the 7th month of our "FINALLY GET ORGANIZED!" campaign. We are more than halfway there! Close to independence! Ha......I just got back from a huge research trip in MAY and I haven't done a thing with all my photocopies and pictures! <giggle> I guess I'd "better get crackin' " as they say down south! I realize this month marks the beginning of travel for many of us, so our genealogy activities are then changed from the usual home front to "on the road" activities. This month's ideas revolve around that theme. WEEK ONE: FIND OUT HOW TO SIGN ON TO YOUR COMPUTER SERVICE WHILE ON THE ROAD. Most of my readers are on AOL, but many other services also provide some variety of out-of-town access numbers. The ones that don't include local internet service providers. However, if your service is national in scope, you'll have options much the same as we do here on America Online. To my AOL readers, here are the easy guidelines to follow before signing on under your usual screen name in a new town: -click the down arrow by your screen name -choose NEW NUMBER from the list -click SIGN ON -your computer will then sign on to an 800# -enter the NEW area code when prompted -choose the closest city on the list by clicking on it -make your second choice for access from the list when prompted -your computer will ask if you want to save or swap these phone numbers before saving those choices -you will then be automatically signed off the 800# phone access inquiry number once you click OK (Your computer now has only the numbers for the new locality in its memory. Go through this procedure for each town you visit, and of course, one more time when you return home!) Neat! WEEK TWO: 1. PLAN TO TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES ON THE ROAD... pictures of important family sights including the old homes, schools, churches, and pictures of old pictures. Keep a steno pad on hand & number each exposure and describe WHAT you have taken a picture of. This is important for several reasons. First, if the picture fails to develop, you KNOW what you'll have to go back for! Secondly, you'll need to identify EVERYONE in the picture, so have each sign the steno pad in order of their appearance in the photo. With pictures of old pictures, ask everyone to play WHO'S WHO to identify the images! Be more specific than "great-grandma Dolly" Get the full name, including the maiden such as: Dolly (Yockey) Weiser The maiden name is in parenthesis. 2. USE YOUR HAND-HELD TAPE RECORDER. My readers will remember that my generous husband Harold bought me a GREAT hand-held tape recorder before our trip south last fall. Luckily it takes the regular size cassette tapes, so they are easy and cheap to find. Anyway, I find that during photo shoots, and WHO'S WHO, people share little bits and pieces of anecdotal history....and it helps just to pick 'em up on tape. 3. WRITE YOUR IMPRESSIONS ON YOUR STENO PAD. Seeing the old homestead, and walking through church cemeteries seems to get my memories flowing. When Harold takes his turn driving, I use this travel time to jot down my recollections. Someday I can transcribe them, but if I died tomorrow, these little notations provide little glimpses of the past not found in my current family history notebooks. WEEK THREE: PREPARE FOR THE FAMILY REUNION WITH COMPUTER PRINTOUTS. One fantastic new genealogy product I saw at the NGS Conference in May was a program called GENMATE (and PAFMATE) which can take GEDCOM files (or PAF FILES) and make huge pedigree charts with SIBLINGS listed. This would be great for your next family reunion! That way everyone can see their name on the pedigree chart! There is a service to have a wall sized chart printed commercially by this same firm. WEEK FOUR: TRANSCRIBE YOU TRIP NOTES TO COMPUTER. You'll want these ready to insert as notes in your genealogy program, or as entire chapters in your future family history book. If you handwriting is anything like my dad's, you and you alone can decipher them. You might even find that the process of transcription will trigger even more recollections. Use the lazy days of summer to computerize these anecdotes bit by bit. No pressure, no worries. Just ENJOY!

Hi Everyone, I am forwarding this to the group because we can't compare surnames if we don't see them. Happy Hunting. Dianne --------------------- Forwarded message: From: [email protected] (v. j. reddin) To: [email protected] Date: 97-09-29 03:12:00 EDT I am looking for the surname HOPPER. My maiden name is Hopper and I looking for the Hopper's that moved from North Carolina to the great state of Tennessee. My three times great grandpa Joseph Hopper had 15 kids so I know I must have a few cousins out there. Joseph was born in ??? North Carolina around 1800. I found him in Hardin County TN census records for the years 1850 and 1860. His wife was listed as Sarah in 1850 he was age 50 and she was 30. Their children are as follows Thomas,Eli, Charles, David Crocket, 2 unknown, Nancy, Christopher, William, Zachariah L. Winfield Scott , Elizabeth Malinda,Amanda A. , Mary Emaline and Millard F. My great great grandpa was Christopher Hopper his children were Anna J. ,Joseph Henry (my great grandpa), Zachariah Taylor, Scott, and Tillman. My great grandpa Joseph Henry Hopper married Georgia Anne Gardener and they had Perry, William, Leathie and my grandpa Jodis Chessie. My Grandpa married my grandma Mattie Idella Ganus and they raised 8 kids my father Jodis Chessie Hopper Junior is the oldest, and living in Tennessee. thanks for your help. Vicki in Mesa AZ [email protected] com

Beginning Lesson #7 Public Library Resources You have written inquiring about public library resources, and oddly enough that is this week's scheduled topic for the Beginning Genealogy Lesson. Of course the since the size and scope of collections vary from one public library ot another, you'll have to investigate the holdings at libraries in your region of the state. Tyically public libraries with some interest in genealogy will have: passenger list indexes census indexes military records indexes printed family histories local histories how-to books on genealogy genealogy periodicals microfiche/microfilm (though limited) Ours has the complete 1850 census on microfilm because the local genealogy society purchased it for them. The Orlando Public Library has ALL census microfilms, many book indexes, but no Soundex microfilms. A public library may elect to belong to: <A HREF="aol://4344:167.gfn96120.1415596.533875663">AGLL - American Genealogic al Lending Library</A> <A HREF="aol://4344:167.my960427.1396337.514841940"> National Archives Microfilm Lending Program</A> Interlibrary loan - OCLC allows you to find books for genealogy, regimental histories and manuscripts through OCLC First Search, using their World Catalog. This is available at local public library, and through LUIS terminals at university libraries. You can fins where a book on a desired topic is held, and determine if that library will loan through interlibrary loan. You copy the information, and ask the reference librarian at your public library how to use the services of this program. Some participating libraries will lend books to your local library, but not permit you to remove the book from the library. I had a friend locate a priceless book published in the mid 1800's in Scotland. He was able to view it in person, without having to travel to Glascow for the honor. Most local genealogy societies act as volunteers at their local public library. They may publish a special catalog of genealogy holdings, maintain an obit index for the local newspaper at the library, volunteer to reshelve books or assist patrons in the genealogy section of the library, etc. Well organized reference librarians will have a handout describing the scope of the genealogy materials available. Society members tend to know which libraries in the county or adjoining county will have additional resources of interest to family historians. Other than that, you'll just have to dive in and investigate!

USING A LDS FAMILY HISTORY CENTER #7 THE FAMILY REGISTRY revised Aug 1997 This is the 7th in a series lessons on USING A LDS FAMILY HISTORY CENTER (FHC) , found on AOL at keyword: DearMYRTLE and on the web at Ancestry'sHomeTown: <A HREF="http://www.ancestry.com/home/MYRTLE/fhccheklist.htm">http://www.ancestr y.com/home/MYRTLE/fhccheklist.htm</A> There are over 2,500 branches of the main Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City. Each branch has a core collection and access to microfilm and fiche through a rental program. Each center is different, varying in size and staff experience. Today's lesson describes the Family Registry, which is an index to 286,000 individuals and family organizations who are interested in sharing family history information on common ancestors. These living people were so motivatedto share genealogical information that they completed a questionnaire and submitted it to the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Subsequently, the Family Registrydatabase was created. How do I access the Family Registry? This database is available at all local LDS FHCenters in microfiche format. Look through the fiche, alphabetically by your ancestor's surname and given name. You'll find such references as: WEISER FAMILY ORGANIZATION GIST, Christopher of MD 1679 Both entries also include the name, address and phone number of the individual willing to act as coordinator of research. The first entry describes a family organization. The second entry describes a coordinator for all descendants of the individual mentioned. What do I do when I find an entry for my ancestor? Make note of the entry and write an letter to the genealogist listed. Provide copies of family group sheets and other documents proving your known relationship to the individual. Ask the researcher if he has more information on your common ancestry. Offer to pay for photocopy expenses, and be sure to provide a business size stamped envelope, self-addressed, of course! The future of the Family Registry It is rumored that the Family Registry will eventually be replaced by the Ance stral Fileon CD-ROM available at FHCenters equipped with FamilySearch computer systems. Certainly this makes sense for the future as more genealogists are becoming computer literate. If an individual submits his entire database on floppy disk to the Ancestral File, then this cuts out the need for researchers to write as many letters back and forth. Information sharing is immediate if you find a submission in the Ancestral File! Even if you find records in the computer at your local LDS FHCenter, don't overlook the Family Registryas a coordinated listing of like-minded researchers!

My E-H surnames are: EVERETT HALL HANSEN HOACH/HOCH HILL looking for any and all information anyone is willing to share on these names. I've had a neat experiance with geneology this last week. Any one who would like to hear my little story please email me privately and I'll share.- Thanks Pam

My E-H surname list is quite small, but here it is: Hull Gearhardt (or Gearhart, Gearheart) Thanks Sandy

My E-H surnames are Gardner Goff Thanks, Albert