Happy New Year to 2017

Happy New Year to you, my readers! Our family has entered 2017 with several wonderful things happening! The first I can share – our oldest daughter and her husband moved closer to us! Instead of 9-11 hours away, they are now only 90 minutes away! I will wait awhile to share with you our other exciting news.

This past year was a very good one in terms of research. I took the AncestryDNA test and connected with several close and distant cousins. I also uploaded my DNA to FamilyTreeDNA, GedMatch, MyHeritage, Geni.com and DNA Land. Then via documents and DNA I knocked down a couple of brick walls. I completed all the forms and gathered the documentation in order to join my local tent for Daughters of Union Veterans, 1861-1865! The highlight of 2016 was my two week genealogy road trip (which I blogged about previously).

Do you make goals or resolutions as the New Year begins? I think I stopped making resolutions when I was a teenager. As a genealogist, I do make goals related to my family history research. This year, I want to focus on making sure I have clear documentation for information entered into my Family Tree database. I also want to list my sources so I’ll know exactly where the information came from.

 

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An Update

Hopefully tonight or tomorrow I will add some photos to some previous posts.  I will list the permalink in my post so you won’t have to scroll to find the updated info and photos.  I spent four hours this morning scanning in old photos – which was part of my genealogy goals.  Unfortunately, I also have a head cold and a low grade fever so I’m not much use to anyone right now – let alone myself!  Stay tuned . . .

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Genealogy Goals

I wanted to share the goals I have in my family history search and be able to report on each item once I’ve actually accomplished it.

1. Enter all “loose” data into my Family Tree Maker program.  I have lots of newspaper clippings, genealogical letters and other documents that need to be organized and transcribed.
2. Scan all the old photos, slides, documents, and letters in my possession. 
3. Copy said scans on a flash drive or CD and keep separately from my other items (just in case!)
4. File and organize all the genealogy files I have so I can find things quicker.
5. Realize what I can keep and what I can’t keep and purge as needed (are those old printouts more up to date then when I printed them 10 years ago?).
6. Check sources for accuracy.

Mainly I need to get more organized this year.  What are your genealogy goals?  Perhaps visit cemeteries, court houses, the Local Family History Center or Library, go on a genealogy “tour”, go through all the old photo albums, take down some oral histories? 

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