This week I am still trying to decide what I will use to collate all the
Information
I will be gathering about my ancestors.
- Will I use Evernote or OneNote?
- Will I use a checklist associated with a timeline?
- What is the easiest way to keep track of all this information?
Previous to this genealogy do over with Thomas MacEntee, this is what I used to do:
At archives or library
- Decide on surname to research – check microfilms, microfiche, newspapers
- Write info on paper with some basic source – I could find again but perhaps not another relative
- Go home and add the info to the database on my computer software programme
- Before the next visit, print out family group sheets to add the new information on there, instead of scraps of paper
But now I am researching more online, how can I make use of my time more effectively and efficiently?
I am thinking of buying a MacBook Air that is light to carry, download Microsoft Office 2016 on it – that means OneNote, keep the Macbook just for genealogy, learn how to use OneNote so I have a notebook per family and pages per family member with a checklist and timeline per person on their page. Hopefully clip and add to their pages. ALso have my genealogy software on this Macbook.
Readers: Please leave a comment about my post or something beginning with I that relates to your family history or your research.
Ipswich. The place where I grew up and my father emigrated to.
I is for Ion (apparently Welsh for John) however records show his name as Ion, Jon or John and surname as Williams or Edge- Williams. Hence the brickwalls we stumbled into trying to find him. Thankfully he initiated the break through when I discovered in Trove a letter he wrote to the editor confirming his arriving o the Royal Dane. He was listed as John Williams.
I is for idiot when first starting out and not sourcing where all my information was found and having to find it again.
I is for inventory – knowing what information or records I have for the individuals in my trees.
Just buying birth, death and some marriage certificate for my great grandmother Smedley’s children I have found the word ‘Illegitimate” written in the column for father’s details.
I use google docs and Evernote for information gathering, both accessible on all devices and offline too. I value the search capabilities of both Evernote and Google’s search for and within docs, spreadsheets etc. The scan to Evernote is also invaluable and the search work for words in images too. Google’s integration through Chrome also highlights related items saved in Evernote. I think I’ve identified the ideal items for information (for me) .:))
I = Index
Something every family history should have to make referral for all family members easy. In fact, all reference type of books should have one.
I as in me.
If ‘I’ don’t make the effort to leave my story for my family, who will? We owe it to our descendants and they can have their WOW moments sometime down the track!
I is for intriguing discoveries.
I for being inquisitive.
I is for interesting bits and pieces.
I is for informative data and records.
I is for -I am the keeper of the family history.
I can’t believe it 4 brothers and possibly ggrandfather All with a son called Charles or with Charlie in his name. I need Charlies angels to help!
It is quite easy if they are born between 1829 & 1916 in Qld. But now I am onto the next generation of Charlies’
found in trove or on Name Search WW1&2; only some of their records have been made accessible. It is like one of those frustrating Logic puzzles that I actually buy (pay money for) so someone can torment my powers of deduction, persistence and patience. Need to move to Individual Index of Info to sort this out – good point and I am thinking that a dateline may also help. I will prevail!
I is for Inspiration.
Coming from a family that never mentioned their history and showed no interest, I was a late starter. My inspiration came when my husband’s nephew handed him a copy of their family history. I was amazed and excited by all the discoveries made and shared.
I started on my own journey about 20 yrs ago, but this was put way up on the shelf due to my husband’s long illness and subsequent passing.
I took up my research again about 5 yrs ago, partly as a distraction, and have become absorbed into it, and inspired by many stories of other family historians. These same people who are so supportive and encouraging of each other.
I is for IVY
Ivy was my grandmother. She was born Ivy Norma Scott in 1892 in Fitzroy, Victoria, the eldest child to William George Scott and Adelaide Culley. She married William D’Alton in December 1914 and had her first child two weeks later!
I is to investigate…..to ” thoroughly examine systematically in order to discover the truth”……keep knocking down those brick walls!
I is for Information.
The thrill of finding some new information at 11 o’clock at night, which of course keeps you going into the wee small hours of the morning!