Introduction
There is a considerable variety of material that might be considered within this heading. Family documents can either provide the framework for a pedigree, provide personal information to expand the family story or possibly contribute to both. The value of family documents is not always immediately apparent. These notes provide some indication of the possibilities and problems that they present.
Family Bible
Possibly the greatest treasure in any family is the family bible. This may date from the early 19th century or even earlier and will usually contain "genealogical" pages for the family to record births, marriages and deaths. Caution is however, needed and the following points must be watched. Firstly, it was common to enter earlier family details immediately the bible had been purchased. These might be copied from another earlier bible or from memory. There is possibility of error in either case. Note the publication date of the bible and the dates of the entries. If the entries pre-date the publication date by a lengthy period, treat them with particular caution. Also, watch out for a "run" of entries in the same ink, pen and handwriting. This may be a sign of entries transcribed from elsewhere at a single sitting. Be aware also that the birth dates of illegitimate children or children born within the first few months of a marriage may have been adjusted to "legitimise" them. Obtain certificates to confirm details in all cases.
Birth, Marriage & Death Certificates
You may be fortunate to find original certificates or later copies. This will save the need to purchase copy certificates and will speed up your early research. Original certificates are particularly valuable since it is not unknown for certificates to be lost or mis-indexed within the registration system. It is also possible on a modern copy, if it has to be transcribed from a poor quality microfilm that an error may be made. For example a birth certificate, which names the mother as Mary Ann HARMROYD, was transcribed as Mary Ann ARINROYD.
Diaries, Birthday, Address and Autograph Books
These will frequently contain names and various details of friends and family members. It may be difficult to work out which is which. Birth dates will often be noted but frequently the year will not be recorded. This can still be useful when faced with two possible birth index entries. Marriage and death dates may also be found in such books. Ages at death may also be noted. Addresses may be particularly useful when searching census records or electoral registers for the family.
Records of Military Service
These might include discharge papers, pay books, medals, citations, items of uniform (badges etc.) or other items. They will each provide some useful data but the key piece of information you will be looking for is the name of the regiment or vessel in which the ancestor served and possibly their service number. These are essential details to access the wealth of material, which can be found in military archives. Medals can usually be identified by reference to specialist textbooks and their identity may suggest further lines of investigation.
Cemetery and Undertakers' Receipts
While it can sometimes be moderately difficult to find a death certificate, it is often a much greater problem to locate a burial. Cemeteries usually issue receipts for payments for burials and these frequently note the grave number. Even if an undertaker's receipt does not name the cemetery, it will probably give the date of burial or will have been produced shortly after the burial, which makes it much easier if one has to ask the cemetery staff to search their registers, which are frequently not indexed. A receipt for a headstone may also help but note that this may frequently be erected months or even years after the burial.
Identity Cards
Systems of registration were imposed during both world wars. The cards do not contain much information but can still be of help. Firstly, they required the new address to be entered on the card when the person moved so providing a record of movement throughout the war years and some years after. Secondly during WW2, cards for children aged 16 or less noted the fact and named the parent. Date of birth is not recorded.
Photographs
While they will not often provide much help with relationships, family photographs add a considerable amount to our understanding of the family. They can show the clothes our ancestors wore, their hairstyles, where they lived, worked and holidayed and many other aspects of their lives. The principal problem is that seldom are the subjects clearly identified, if they are identified at all. It is therefore important to use the knowledge of other family members to the full. Even if names are not provided, it may be possible to identify individuals with some certainty from their presence in group photographs (particularly weddings) or their association with a known house or business premises. Some clues may be obtained if the photo can be dated and there are several books that assist with this using clothing, hairstyles, poses and photographic processes as clues.
Education and Work Records
Family records may include such items as school reports, university publications and documents relating to employment. In addition to such information as is contained in the documents themselves, they may point you to other sources, school records in local record offices, university alumni books or business records deposited at record offices or still held by the businesses concerned. For professions such as medicine and the law, there are professional registers and other sources available.
Clubs, Societies and Other Organisations - Membership Cards & Publications
These will at the very least provide some indication of the person's interests and pastimes. If the organisations are still in existence, they may still hold records, if defunct, records may have been deposited at local record offices (for example friendly societies, trades unions, charitable organisations etc.). Newsletters and other publications by the organisation may also contain information if the person was an active member. They may even contain an obituary of your ancestor. An indication that the person was a member of an organisation may be found in non-documentary form such as a badge or official regalia.
Postcards and Letters
These may contain valuable personal information that might not be found elsewhere but even the most trivial holiday postcard will link a name and address at a particular date (postmark if legible). With postcards, it is often difficult to identify the sender since they are usually signed with forename only and rarely carry the sender's home address.
The Preservation of Family Sources
If the history of your family is important to you, so must be the preservation of family documents and artefacts. Take copies whenever possible in case they are lost at a later date. Make sure the possessor is aware of your interest. They may hand them over into your care or make others aware of their value to you. If possible, encourage them to specify arrangements for their care within their will or by enclosing a note with the items with instructions concerning their disposal.
Much more info can be found by visiting:
http://familyhistory4all.co.uk
Friday 25 June 2010
Wednesday 9 June 2010
Family History Goes High Tech
It is estimated that 50 million Americans are researching their roots. They come from various walks of life, economic levels, ages, religions, races, and from many professions. For some people, it is a hobby on which they spend a few hours a month. For others, it’s an obsession. Either way, they all share a common bond of seeking information about people who came before them.
In the past few years, resources devoted to genealogy have exploded on the Internet and in the marketplace. One of the more notable products is Family Tree Legends 5.0 by Pearl Street. This commanding and highly-developed genealogy program is designed to make is easy for you to collect, display, and organize information about your family history.
In addition to capturing your notes, medical facts, pictures, and multimedia files in one easy application, the new version also:
• Lets you share CDs and DVDs of your data with friends and family. You can even distribute it with a free version of the Family Tree Legends software.
• Allows synching of GEDCOM files to your handheld device.
• Provides you with a Correspondence Tracker which can track all your correspondence with other researchers in one convenient linking manager.
• Utilizes Smart-Matching Technology which can compare the names in your files to those in a GenCircle Pedigree database. Some product reviewers boasted a 100% accuracy rating using the Smart-Matching feature.
Family Tree Legend 5.0 provides free email based-technical support and has received the Family Tree Magazine’s Five Star Rating. If that still has you straddling the fence, consider the Full 30 Day Money Back Guarantee that Pearl Street Software provides with their products.
Special offers provided from the manufacturer allow you the opportunity to purchase a standard version of the software for only $29.95. The “all-the-bells-and-whistles” premium version costs approximately $79.95. Seems like a bargain for a colorful, easy to use, well-designed program which can house your files and pictures in one convenient location.
For lots of great advice plus our popular FREE Newsletter Visit: http://familyhistory4all.co.uk/index.html
In the past few years, resources devoted to genealogy have exploded on the Internet and in the marketplace. One of the more notable products is Family Tree Legends 5.0 by Pearl Street. This commanding and highly-developed genealogy program is designed to make is easy for you to collect, display, and organize information about your family history.
In addition to capturing your notes, medical facts, pictures, and multimedia files in one easy application, the new version also:
• Lets you share CDs and DVDs of your data with friends and family. You can even distribute it with a free version of the Family Tree Legends software.
• Allows synching of GEDCOM files to your handheld device.
• Provides you with a Correspondence Tracker which can track all your correspondence with other researchers in one convenient linking manager.
• Utilizes Smart-Matching Technology which can compare the names in your files to those in a GenCircle Pedigree database. Some product reviewers boasted a 100% accuracy rating using the Smart-Matching feature.
Family Tree Legend 5.0 provides free email based-technical support and has received the Family Tree Magazine’s Five Star Rating. If that still has you straddling the fence, consider the Full 30 Day Money Back Guarantee that Pearl Street Software provides with their products.
Special offers provided from the manufacturer allow you the opportunity to purchase a standard version of the software for only $29.95. The “all-the-bells-and-whistles” premium version costs approximately $79.95. Seems like a bargain for a colorful, easy to use, well-designed program which can house your files and pictures in one convenient location.
For lots of great advice plus our popular FREE Newsletter Visit: http://familyhistory4all.co.uk/index.html
Sunday 30 May 2010
Family History and Retirement
Some time ago I met a gentleman who was waitng for a bus. As we were chatting he asked me what day it was. I replied that it was Thursday, why? He said since I retired every day seems the same.
I said "don't you have any hobbies?" and he replied "I never had time when I was working and now I'm too old to learn something new"
I told him that I was coming up for retirement soon and have the perfect hobby. I told him about my involvement in family history research.
The chap said he didn't have any family so it would be a waste of time him doing that.
I gave him a challenge 'If I can find you some family would you be interested?'
"But I don't have any family" he said. "Just answer the question" I replied.
"Well I suppose I would" he went on..."It would be nice to have someone to talk about old times to and perhaps to visit. It would give my life some purpose as I feel useless at the moment."
I encouraged my new friend to come along to the next meeting of our Family History Society which was in two days time.
I was a bit skeptical whether he would show up but at 7pm there he was. We went in and I introduced him - 'John' was his name - to some of my friends. Within five minutes John met someone who he had worked with several years ago. He chatted for a while with his old workmate, then the evenings talk started. The talk was about local historical buildings and the businesses that occupied the buildings.
"My uncle used to run a business in that shop" John whispered to me, pointing to a slide that our guest speaker was showing.
At the end of the meeting John told me that he had enjoyed his first evening out since he had retired and said he would like to join the society. I got him signed up right away.
John never misses a meeting now and has even started researching his family tree. He's even met several 'Distant Cousins' who he keeps in touch with regularly.
John thanked me for introducing him to this facinating hobby. He now has plenty to keep him occupied. John now has 'Family' again. He has a great social life and a wonderful hobby.
If you are coming up for retirement, take a tip from John. "Join your local 'Family History Society' you won't regret it."
Find YOUR local Family History Society here: http://familyhistory4all.co.uk/family_history_societies.htm
I said "don't you have any hobbies?" and he replied "I never had time when I was working and now I'm too old to learn something new"
I told him that I was coming up for retirement soon and have the perfect hobby. I told him about my involvement in family history research.
The chap said he didn't have any family so it would be a waste of time him doing that.
I gave him a challenge 'If I can find you some family would you be interested?'
"But I don't have any family" he said. "Just answer the question" I replied.
"Well I suppose I would" he went on..."It would be nice to have someone to talk about old times to and perhaps to visit. It would give my life some purpose as I feel useless at the moment."
I encouraged my new friend to come along to the next meeting of our Family History Society which was in two days time.
I was a bit skeptical whether he would show up but at 7pm there he was. We went in and I introduced him - 'John' was his name - to some of my friends. Within five minutes John met someone who he had worked with several years ago. He chatted for a while with his old workmate, then the evenings talk started. The talk was about local historical buildings and the businesses that occupied the buildings.
"My uncle used to run a business in that shop" John whispered to me, pointing to a slide that our guest speaker was showing.
At the end of the meeting John told me that he had enjoyed his first evening out since he had retired and said he would like to join the society. I got him signed up right away.
John never misses a meeting now and has even started researching his family tree. He's even met several 'Distant Cousins' who he keeps in touch with regularly.
John thanked me for introducing him to this facinating hobby. He now has plenty to keep him occupied. John now has 'Family' again. He has a great social life and a wonderful hobby.
If you are coming up for retirement, take a tip from John. "Join your local 'Family History Society' you won't regret it."
Find YOUR local Family History Society here: http://familyhistory4all.co.uk/family_history_societies.htm
Monday 17 May 2010
Browsing Old Cemeteries
Browsing Old Cemeteries
It is often assumed that family historians and their hobby is a bit of a bore!
Not a bit of it...Enjoy just ONE PAGE of several of family historians humor. More can be found at: http://familyhistory4all.co.uk/articles.htm
A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
And, one who can enjoy browsing old cemeteries...
Some fascinating things on old tombstones!
Harry Edsel Smith of Albany, New York :
Born 1903--Died 1942.
Looked up the elevator shaft to see if the
car was on the way down. It was.
=============================
In a Thurmont, Maryland , cemetery:
Here lies an Atheist, all dressed up
and no place to go.
=============================
On the grave of Ezekial Aikle in
East Dalhousie Cemetery , Nova Scotia :
Here lies Ezekial Aikle, Age 102.
Only The Good Die Young.
=============================
In a London , England cemetery:
Here lies Ann Mann, Who lived an old maid
but died an old Mann. Dec. 8, 1767
=============================
In a Ribbesford, England , cemetery:
Anna Wallace
The children of Israel wanted bread, And
the Lord sent them manna. Clark Wallace
wanted a wife, And the Devil sent him Anna.
===============================
In a Ruidoso, New Mexico , cemetery:
Here lies Johnny Yeast... Pardon him
for not rising.
===============================
In a Uniontown, Pennsylvania , cemetery:
Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake.
Stepped on the gas instead of the brake.
==============================
In a Silver City, Nevada, cemetery:
Here lays The Kid.
We planted him raw.
He was quick on the trigger
But slow on the draw.
================================
A lawyer's epitaph in England :
Sir John Strange.
Here lies an honest lawyer,
and that is Strange.
=================================
John Penny's epitaph in the Wimborne,
England , cemetery:
Reader, if cash thou art in want of any,
Dig 6 feet deep and thou wilt find a Penny.
==================================
In a cemetery in Hartscombe , England :
On the 22nd of June, Jonathan Fiddle went
out of tune.
==================================
Anna Hopewell's grave in Enosburg Falls ,
Vermont :
Here lies the body of our Anna,
Done to death by a banana.
It wasn't the fruit that laid her low,
But the skin of the thing that made her go.
==================================
On a grave from the 1880s in Nantucket ,
Massachusetts :
Under the sod and under the trees,
Lies the body of Jonathan Pease.
He is not here, there's only the pod.
Pease went to God.
==================================
In a cemetery in England :
Remember man, as you walk by,
As you are now, so once was I
As I am now, so shall you be.
Remember this and follow me.
To which someone replied by writing on the tombstone:
To follow you I'll not consent.
Until I know which way you went.
Enjoy your Family History
Jim Ackroyd: http://familyhistory4all.co.uk/articles.htm
It is often assumed that family historians and their hobby is a bit of a bore!
Not a bit of it...Enjoy just ONE PAGE of several of family historians humor. More can be found at: http://familyhistory4all.co.uk/articles.htm
A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
And, one who can enjoy browsing old cemeteries...
Some fascinating things on old tombstones!
Harry Edsel Smith of Albany, New York :
Born 1903--Died 1942.
Looked up the elevator shaft to see if the
car was on the way down. It was.
=============================
In a Thurmont, Maryland , cemetery:
Here lies an Atheist, all dressed up
and no place to go.
=============================
On the grave of Ezekial Aikle in
East Dalhousie Cemetery , Nova Scotia :
Here lies Ezekial Aikle, Age 102.
Only The Good Die Young.
=============================
In a London , England cemetery:
Here lies Ann Mann, Who lived an old maid
but died an old Mann. Dec. 8, 1767
=============================
In a Ribbesford, England , cemetery:
Anna Wallace
The children of Israel wanted bread, And
the Lord sent them manna. Clark Wallace
wanted a wife, And the Devil sent him Anna.
===============================
In a Ruidoso, New Mexico , cemetery:
Here lies Johnny Yeast... Pardon him
for not rising.
===============================
In a Uniontown, Pennsylvania , cemetery:
Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake.
Stepped on the gas instead of the brake.
==============================
In a Silver City, Nevada, cemetery:
Here lays The Kid.
We planted him raw.
He was quick on the trigger
But slow on the draw.
================================
A lawyer's epitaph in England :
Sir John Strange.
Here lies an honest lawyer,
and that is Strange.
=================================
John Penny's epitaph in the Wimborne,
England , cemetery:
Reader, if cash thou art in want of any,
Dig 6 feet deep and thou wilt find a Penny.
==================================
In a cemetery in Hartscombe , England :
On the 22nd of June, Jonathan Fiddle went
out of tune.
==================================
Anna Hopewell's grave in Enosburg Falls ,
Vermont :
Here lies the body of our Anna,
Done to death by a banana.
It wasn't the fruit that laid her low,
But the skin of the thing that made her go.
==================================
On a grave from the 1880s in Nantucket ,
Massachusetts :
Under the sod and under the trees,
Lies the body of Jonathan Pease.
He is not here, there's only the pod.
Pease went to God.
==================================
In a cemetery in England :
Remember man, as you walk by,
As you are now, so once was I
As I am now, so shall you be.
Remember this and follow me.
To which someone replied by writing on the tombstone:
To follow you I'll not consent.
Until I know which way you went.
Enjoy your Family History
Jim Ackroyd: http://familyhistory4all.co.uk/articles.htm
Monday 10 May 2010
Family History Website - Guestbook
If you have your own family history website, then you really should set up a guestbook. It's easy to set up from your control panel or you can do a Google search for free guestbooks and then link it to your site.
I have guestbooks on both my family history sites:
http://familyhistory4all.co.uk
http://ackroydancestry.co.uk
My wife also has a guestbook on her sites:
http://ackroydfamilyresearch.co.uk
http://nolanancestry.com
We both get lots of interaction with our visitors using guestbooks and we have also discovered lots of distant relatives as a bonus.
So be sure to add a guestbook to your website.
Forums and blogs such as this one are also great ways to allow your visitors to interact with you.
Good luck with your websites
Jim and Carol Ackroyd
I have guestbooks on both my family history sites:
http://familyhistory4all.co.uk
http://ackroydancestry.co.uk
My wife also has a guestbook on her sites:
http://ackroydfamilyresearch.co.uk
http://nolanancestry.com
We both get lots of interaction with our visitors using guestbooks and we have also discovered lots of distant relatives as a bonus.
So be sure to add a guestbook to your website.
Forums and blogs such as this one are also great ways to allow your visitors to interact with you.
Good luck with your websites
Jim and Carol Ackroyd
Saturday 8 May 2010
People are fascinated with their family history
People are fascinated with their family history:
Who am I? Where did my ancestors come from?
Are there any kings in my background? How about villains?
How in the world will I find out? Do I have to go to libraries?
Dig up old information and hunt through microfilm records?
Maybe I can just find it online! Then reality sets in…
I found a ton of genealogy web sites.
How do I search through each one? What information do I start looking for?
Do I really have to search for each person in my family tree individually?!
I don’t have that kind of time. I just want to know more about my family tree!
The answer is: http://familyhistory4all.co.uk
You'll find loads of advice to help you. Once you've learned the basics, it becomes fun...and addictive!
Who am I? Where did my ancestors come from?
Are there any kings in my background? How about villains?
How in the world will I find out? Do I have to go to libraries?
Dig up old information and hunt through microfilm records?
Maybe I can just find it online! Then reality sets in…
I found a ton of genealogy web sites.
How do I search through each one? What information do I start looking for?
Do I really have to search for each person in my family tree individually?!
I don’t have that kind of time. I just want to know more about my family tree!
The answer is: http://familyhistory4all.co.uk
You'll find loads of advice to help you. Once you've learned the basics, it becomes fun...and addictive!
Thursday 6 May 2010
Family History For All - Newsletter
If you are interested in researching your family history then subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
Benefits include:
Benefits include:
- New articles every month
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