Tuesday's Tip - Something For Everyone

I was going through all the things I haven't had time to read and found Tim Forsythe's blog post titled, 'The Drive-By Genealogist's Lament'. I started to write a comment, then realized it'd be way too long. And I've really been itching to address this issue for a number of important reasons. I believe, if you bear with me and read on, there will be something for everyone. That's my goal: something for everyone.

If you didn't want to take the time to read Tim's excellent post, here's how I started my response: 

Well, now that you've called 95% of the family history/genealogy community lazy, I have to comment. I don't know if I'd slap the word 'lazy' umbrella-style over every person who found a relative in an online tree, downloaded the file and got jazzed by the fact they just found 1,000 new relatives. I did it when I first started in 1996. I was elated! 

Then I got hammered by a Professional Genealogist who told me (paraphrasing) that I was full of crap and didn't know crap and I better learn something if I'm going to do this (genealogy). *fakes cowering* So I did. Learn something...on my own. Poorly. And I posted a tree out there using Family Tree Maker software and created my little family page and was so happy. 

At this point I realized I was going to probably end up writing more than Tim's original post, and didn't think that was appropriate or professional. So, here's the rest of my story:

I took a break. A long break. Oh, I looked at my genealogy stuff a couple of times a year, but between the loss of family members, friends and a bunch of other life stuff, it wasn't a priority. Then I came back. I was an Archivist now. My research skills were sharply honed in college and I wanted to get back to Genealogy. I started to think about it as a profession. So, I got online, started a blog about my experience as a family historian and future professional, and started to read the blogs of Professional Genealogists. And what they said about source citations made sense, even though I didn't want it to. I looked back at my old research and online tree and saw that it was like Swiss cheese without the cheese. All holes. I had propagated incorrect information. Well shoot.

Then, about that same time, someone posted somewhere on Social Media that ALL trees MUST be cited or they have no place on the Internet. *Said in my best Genealogy Police voice* My first thought was, "wow, that's harsh...I wouldn't have posted that old tree if..."  *face palm*  Oh, OK. I guess I can *see* that point. I might not like it or agree with it, but I can understand that side of the argument. I propagated incorrect information via an on-line tree. That information will be out there in perpetuity and a researcher may copy it and use it and so on and so on.

Just a few weeks later, my study group was learning about Source Citations. Talk about brutal. Someone could write a book about all the iterations...oh. Heh. There IS a book. And a website (now). But it's a bit like giving the current Tax Code to a third grader and expecting him/her to understand it. After much discussion, we determined the real key is that the citation should be clear enough for the person using it to FIND the source of the evidence that's being cited, which makes sense from a researcher's standpoint. You want to get as close to the primary source as you can and, if someone else has already done that, and they explain (cite) where that was (source), you've found what you were looking for (evidence)! And you're happy. 

Then I had a brilliant idea and I posted it on Social Media. I said that companies like Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org and every site that holds family trees should filter the trees into different buckets. BAM!! I got slammed to the ground by several people saying I was being divisive and non-inclusive and a hater of beginning genealogists. Really?! I was shocked and taken by surprise that they hadn't taken the time to even read my complete suggestion which is this: that family history sites have the technological ability to filter trees by the number of entries which have sources. That with that ability, they could create two places where trees reside: a place for trees without sources and a place for trees with sources. There's no exclusion of information; it's still all there. If you want to pull 10,000 people into your beginning tree and post it, go right ahead. If you don't want to put a single bit of data into your tree without using the Genealogical Proof Standard, that's fine too. And EVERYONE in between those two extremes is welcome to post whatever they want in whatever unsourced/sourced state they choose because the site will determine which bucket it goes in, automatically. 

A RESEARCHER can then choose whether or not they want to look at sourced and cited trees or those without sources and citations. That's the root of what we do as family historians and/or genealogists of any stripe. We research. We don't sit passively and wait for the information to come to us, we go get it. And we all have different levels of ability with regard to that research and different reasons for doing the research in the first place. This solution excludes no one and provides more efficient access for the researcher, be they the lazy *tongue in cheek* professional who is seeking sourced material or the beginner who has yet to learn the difference between evidence and a source and just wants to pull 1,000 people into a database and go through it piece by piece to uncover whether that information is accurate. 

It's a suggested solution, rather than simply a comment. We were all beginners once. We should openly welcome people who are simply hoping to find out where their grandfather was born, or if their 2nd great grandfather really went to Brazil. And if they get the bug and want to take the step of learning how the Genealogical profession works and what its standards are, there are lots of resources for them to do that and plenty of us out here willing to share. To find solutions to problems. Because there really can be something for everyone.

Thankful Thursday - Thanksgiving Redux

A slightly edited version of my post from last Thanksgiving. Indeed, the possibilities were endless, and I do have a sense that I'm heading in the right direction...just not quite there yet. I'll be sharing tonight with a small part of my husband's family. On Saturday, I'll be with my two cousins (my mom's oldest sister's boys) and their families, happily indulging in all the 'traditional' Thanksgiving foods. And I'm very appreciative of the fact that you're sharing this with me.  Thank you.

So what does this have to do with my Thankful Thursday Thanksgiving? Well, this is only the third time in my life, entire life, that I am not with my family on Thanksgiving. It has always been the ONE holiday we spent together. It's not by choice, this separation. My parents moved out in May and are now very happily settled in Prescott, Arizona. And while being without them in and of itself could elicit a lot of emotion, the fact that this is my new 'normal' has me feeling very sad. My first reaction was to retreat; I really didn't want to bring my uncertain emotional state to someone else's celebration. So, I'm going to be alone for my first holiday. Ever. 

At the same time, it's my choice to be alone, and I'm thankful to have the time to reflect on what this holiday means. It got me to thinking about all the people out there who spend not just this holiday, but many holidays, alone. Some do so by choice, but I think many don't. The reality is that there are lots of options out there, events and places to go, to fill the day. 

I like the fact that I'll have a year to figure out what my new holiday tradition will be. Because it can be anything. I can spend the day with those who aren't as fortunate as me, by serving at any number of local shelters and food pantries. I could invite friends who are in similar circumstances and cook up a storm. I could buy a ticket and spend the holiday doing genealogical research in Europe!! The possibilities are truly endless. 

So, today I'm thankful for the lovely house I live in, the job I have, and for the continued good health of my family, friends and me. I'm thankful for four wonderful feline friends who may make me crazy, but bring me endless joy. I'm thankful that I have been given an incredible circle of people whose hearts continue to astound me; from friends I've had since grammar school, to high school, to my new neighborhood, to Social Media. You are a blessing to me. 

Most importantly, I'm thankful for life's potential, because while I may be on my own today I am far from alone, and anything is possible.

Sentimental Sunday - A Shared Profession Leads to Shared Resource

Good Sunday morning, everyone!

This post, which will be quick (promise), is coming to you only because I was finally able to spend a little time this morning on my favorite social media platform: Twitter. For those of you who are now rolling your eyes and saying to yourself, 'I am NOT going there...', here's real proof that it can link you with people, resources and information you might not get otherwise (or certainly might not find as easily). 

I was looking at Twitter using Tweetdeck, and I have lists to filter groups of tweeps together. It helps me to focus on specific things like genealogy, archives, fitness, etc. I saw a tweet from @GenealogyCircle, Cindy Freed, with a link to her latest blog post. (Which in and of itself is great). But, what caught my eye were the words 'mail carrier' in the title of a prior post. So, I clicked through to read it (I'm painfully behind on blog reading and social media...apologies to anyone I've missed.). Cindy wrote a post about her gggrandfather and his work as postal carrier.

Well, I have to say, after reading that she had gotten some great information from the USPS historian, but nothing on her ancestor, I couldn't type fast enough!  My great grandfather, George Jeffrey, was a mail carrier from 1903 - 1923 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In 1998, when I did some initial research, I found out that the US Postal Service maintained records on their employees which are still in existence! I couldn't believe it. So I wrote to the address listed, and in a matter of a few weeks I received a letter from them. While they didn't have his specific record, they were able to confirm for me where and when he worked with the Postal Service, some great evidence!

Anyway, today, the USPS has a pamphlet with the resources available on the Postal Service and it's employees. You can find it HERE.

And, once I'd tweeted out the link, another of my tweeps, @Ghyxion, said her great Aunt had been a Post Master (or, rather, Mistress, as she later pointed out) and that the resource will hopefully help her get some more information too!

So, apparently, there are lots of us family historians and genealogists with Postal workers in our trees. Hopefully someone else will find this information helpful! 

And, we're keeping up the family tradition of delivering information...just in a very different format! :-)