Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Genealogy Do-Over Week 11~Social Media and Networking~You've Got a Friend In Me

 Just a few more weeks to go with the Genealogy Do-Over. For week 11 the topics are Reviewing Social Media Options and Buiding a Research Network.

  Reviewing Social Media Options
 In the last couple of years, I have begun using social media more for genealogy. Facebook groups for states, counties, ethnic groups and research topics of interest have provided a wealth of information. Google+ communities have helped with developing skills. Twitter has helped to get answers to questions in minutes as well as given an opportunity to talk with and learn from other genealogists in real time. My blog has helped me to reach out to family members and others interested in the genealogy process. Pinterest has helped me to see what others are doing and get great ideas for research, displaying heirlooms and much more.
  It can be so easy to get so involved with social media that no actual research is getting done and hours are spent reading and commenting. It's the classic BSO. One way I have tried to overcome the temptation to spend my day consumed with all that is happening on the various platforms is to schedule social media time into my day. Having it run in the background as suggested by Thomas MacEntee, helps to make sure an important message doesn't get missed and keeps my day from being taken over.
  Getting more involved with Linkedin will be my next step. I have a profile but haven't done much with it.

Building a Research Network
 Social Media is one of the best places to build a research network, so it always surprises me when genealogists tell me that they don't use any of the platforms. From Facebook, I have had pictures identified, from twitter questions on a difficult research problem answered and cousins found through my blog. There are people I can turn to for help with anything from DNA to research strategies.
  Not all of my network of friends come from social media. Meeting fellow genealogists at Conferences, Society and Club meetings is important too. Taking the time to share what we are working on and how we can help and support each other is a bonus of attending meetings. You never know when a "cousin" may be sitting right next to you. 
  Also important are the fellow researchers who are visiting the repositories the same day you are. Meeting people who are researching the same areas and records can give you ideas on new ways to approach your research. They can be an invaluable part of your network as can the staff of your local archives, historical societies and courthouses.
 So many of those that I have met have become go-to friends for a variety of needs. We have been able to stay in touch via social media in between those face to face meetings. 
 Continuing to attend as many local and regional conferences and meetings as time and finances will allow and making sure I go out of my comfort zone to speak to fellow attendees will help to build my genealogy network.Taking the time to get acquainted with staff and other researchers at local repositories will be just as important as looking at the records contained there.

How do you network? Do you use Social Media? If you do, I hope we have connected and are part of each other's network. If you see me at a conference or other meeting, or at a repository somewhere, please come introduce yourself.
 You've got a friend in me! 

Are we kin? Please contact me. Together we can find our people.
Thanks so much for stopping by!



     
   

Sunday, March 29, 2015

This Week On My Family History Calendar

March 29-April 4



March 30~
   My maternal Step-Grandfather, Francis "Frank" Emerson Sullivan, Jr. (1923-2004), was born 92 years ago on this day. Frank was the first and only child of Francis Emerson Sullivan, Sr. (1880-1925) and Mary Christine Williams (1896-1930). He was born at Camp Jackson, Richland, South Carolina. 

Are we kin? Please contact me. Together we can find our people.
Thanks so much for stopping by!



Friday, March 27, 2015

Genealogy Do-Over Week 10: DNA and Digital Organization




The Week 10  Genealogy Do-Over topics are DNA Testing and Digital Organization.

DNA Testing Options-
      Last year I took the plunge and began DNA testing. My first test was with 23andme. I got lucky and won the test in from a blogger's website. The results got me interested in testing family members and trying out other companies.  My parents and I have tested with AncestryDNA and FamilyTreeDNA, and I have uploaded all the data from all the tests to Gedmatch.com.
       The results showed that my ancestral heritage is mostly from the British Isles with a small amount in Western Europe. That elusive Native American ancestry spoken of by my maternal grandfather's line didn't show up in testing.
   Now that I have begun testing, my 'make-over" will be to work on understanding my results and connecting with other family members. One way that I am learning more about the process and what it means is by taking a course from the Virtual Institute of Genealogy by Blaine T. Bettinger called "(Finally) Understanding Autosomal DNA".

 Digital Organization-

   Making sure all my Digital Files are correctly named for easy finding and placed where they can be found is something that I have been working on for several months. I have also begun adding Metadata as Thomas MacEntee has suggested. Taking a few minutes during the week to check my folders has helped make the process less overwhelming.
   Backing up my computer is a very important part of my schedule. Monthly backing up to an external hard drive, and a keychain flash drive happens on the first of each month...well that's the plan anyway! I also use Dropbox to store my family files. As I add new files, they automatically go to my Dropbox account.

I would love to hear how your Do-Over is coming along. Have you done any DNA testing? How are you handling your digital records? Thanks for sharing your experiences and ideas.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Helping you clinb your family tree,





Thursday, March 26, 2015

52 Ancestors:Week 12~A Mother's Heart

   While doing some research and thinking about the Week 12 Topic "Same" for 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2105 Edition I came across the obituary for my maternal Great Great Grandmother, Frances Virginia (McRady) McManus (1856-1903).

Obituary of Frances Virginia (McRady) McManus

  Why did this obituary lead me to use Fannie as my Week 12 Ancestor? The description of her children. The blending of biological and adopted children. Like my great great Grandmother, my family is made up of biological and adopted children.
 She and I are the same.
   I wonder how Fannie would feel about this distinction between her children. If we are truly the same, she would let people know that she wouldn't place her children into biological and adopted categories. Wanting people to know that your children are forever in your heart no matter how or why they come to you.
   Fannie was born in Sumter County, South Carolina on 2 October 1856 to Thomas McCrady (1821-1896) and Mary Jane (Brown) McCrady (1821-1894). She was the third of five daughters.
  Francis Virginia McCrady married William A. McManus on 11 December 1872 in Sumter County. It was a double wedding as her sister Rosalie A. McCrady (1853-1899) married Robert J. Watson (1850-1924) on the same day.
   The first record of children comes with twins Lula McManus and Hattie Palmer McManus being born on 11 Oct. 1876. Hattie died just a little over two months later on the day after Christmas, 26 December 1876 followed two weeks later by sister Lula on 10 January 1877. William and Fannie buried their daughters in St. John's Methodist Cemetery in Spring Hill, Sumter, South Carolina.
  Son George Washington McManus (1878-1940) was born a year and a half after the death of his twin sisters and then another daughter Effie Vida (McManus) Burkett (1882-1896), joined the family. Tragedy struck the family again with Effie's death in 1896. Her story can be found here.
  My great-grandmother, Loretta (McManus) Daughrity (1894-1936) is said to be an adopted daughter of the McManus family. Still alive at the time of her mother's death, she would have been one of the "several adoptive" children mentioned in Fannie's obituary.
 Children Lula, Hattie, George, and Loretta are recorded in the Family Bible. They were the only children known at the time of a visit to Pisgah Baptist Church Cemetery where William, Fannie, Effie, George and other family members are buried. A surprise came when the headstone of another child was found. Buried not far from the parents who were raising her was the grave of Bessie McManus (1887-1892). Carved on the headstone are these words: "Adopted Daughter of W.A. and Fannie McManus".
 Were there more children taken in and raised by this family as the obituary indicates? Besides leaving George and Loretta behind, who were the others indicated as "several adopted children"? No records have been found to answer this question.
   In whatever way Fannie became a mother to each of her children, one thing remains the same throughout time.
 A mother's heart knows no difference.




Thanks so much for stopping by!
Helping you climb your family tree,







         

Sunday, March 22, 2015

This Week On My Family History Calendar

March 22-28


March 22~ 
     William Treadford Roberts (1894-1959), my maternal Great Grandfather, was born in Columbia, Richland, South Carolina 129 years ago. He was the son of George Phillip Roberts (1856-1930) and Hattie (Brazell) Roberts (1870-1927).

March 25~

  My maternal 3rd Great Grandmother, Eliza Altiza (Brazell) Roberts (1836-1890), would be celebrating her 179th birthday on this day. Born in Columbia, Richland, South Carolina. Eliza was the daughter of John Brazell (1794- __) and Martha (Parnold) Brazell (1795-1876).

Are we kin? Please contact me. Together we can find our people.

Thanks so much for stopping by!


`

Friday, March 20, 2015

Genealogy Do-Over Week 9~Cluster Research and Organizing Research Materials

 My participation in the Genealogy D0-Over has brought me to Week 9-Conducting Cluster Research and Organizing Research Materials

Conducting Cluster Research-
  Cluster or F.A.N. (Friends, Associates, and Neighbors) research is a great way to find information on a family. Especially when family records can not be found.. It took me awhile to realize the importance of researching the people that were involved with my ancestor's lives. I am finding this especially true when looking for records in areas where I have many surnames. F.A.N. Club names become intertwined in records for several generations.
 The problem for me is to find a way to keep them straight and remember where everyone fits and why a person is important to which family.


      According to his WWI Draft Card, my paternal Great Grandfather, Manning David Daughrity (1889-1931) worked for WM Folsom, Co. in Sumter, South Carolina. A picture of David and other employees in a store in Sumter may be the place he mentioned. I would like to find out more about this picture, the people in it and his employment there. Cluster research of Walter Mood Folsom and any other employees may give me some answers. Where do I put this information and keep it connected with Manning David Daughrity, Jr.?  For now, I have decided to save anything I find on the WM Folsom Co, or Walter Folsom himself in Evernote with the tags Daughrity, Folsom, FAN, and occupation. Information learned about David's employment or events that might have affected his job will be added to David's Notes section in Legacy Family Tree.

David Daughrity (in the light suit) with co-workers
Sumter, South Carolina
©Cheri Hudson Passey

Research Materials
    One of my homework assignments for my Progen Study Group, this month is to catalog all my research literature. Through the years, I have continually added books, magazines, cds, newsletters, journals and quarterly publications to help me research and learn the necessary skills to do so.

  I have file drawers full of Genealogy Society Newsletters from all over South Carolina. Years worth.  What do I do with them? Do I donate them to a local research library? Keep them "just in case"? 
   
Then there are the Genealogy Magazines, Quarterly  and Journal Publications. The same questions apply to these.

  Using the app  libib I have begun making a list of all the materials that I have. The app will allow me to scan a barcode, enter an ISBN number or manually add an item and then it will provide me to access from my computer, phone or tablet. Many times I have been at a conference or bookstore or even received  an email about a book sale and can't remember what I already have. A list I can refer to will stop me from purchasing duplicate items.
     
   Several years ago I began using Mary Hill's Color Coding System to organize my paper files and photos. Going through each family a little at a time I have been able to get my files organized and under control. Not only do I like to be able to file surnames by color but her way of organizing the folders makes sense to me. Her system works well with my software program because I can color code family lines on it as well. My plan for this part of the "Make -Over" is to be more consistent in getting those papers, documents, and pictures filed and not stacked up on my desk.
   
 How's your Genealogy Do-Over coming along? I would love to hear from you.

Are we kin? Please, contact me. Together we can find our people.
Thanks so much for stopping by.


   

Thursday, March 19, 2015

52 Ancestors Week 11: A Lucky 9% Irish

 According to my Ancestry.com DNA test, I am 9% Irish which is the topic of this week's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2015 Edition.

Ancesty.com Ethnicity Estimate

    From my maternal line, I have the Daughrity family. My Grandmother, Azile Juanita (Daughrity) Roberts Sullivan (1921-2009) once told me that the Daughrity's hailed from Ireland. Her Grandfather and his brother were said to have come to America during the Potato Famine in the mid-1800's. Searching for the family in the Sumter, South Carolina area has debunked that story. Records for her grandfather, Manning David Daughrity, Sr. (1814-1918) indicate that he was born in South Carolina as were his siblings and parents. It looks as if the Daughrity/Dorrity/Dougherty family has been in South Carolina since at least the early 1800's well before the Great Famine of 1845-1852. Did they come from Ireland? With a name like that, probably. I just need to discover when, why and just who those two brothers may have been.


   
   Teige Cantey (1621-1679), my paternal 9th Great Grandfather, was born in Ireland about 1621 and lived for some time in Barbados before coming to Charleston, South Carolina in the mid to late 1670's. Some claim that Tiege and wife Elisabeth were from County Cork. I am not aware of any documentation that proves their place of origin.

The following description of the inventory of Tiege Cantey's belongings after his death is entertaining:
  "The inventory of Teige Cantey's estate, with its bill of expenses for wine and rum in connection with a funeral, would seem plainly to indicate that the family was of Irish descent." 
Source: Six generations of the Cantey family of South Carolina (1910) Author: Ames, Joseph Sweetman, 1864-1943 Publisher: Charleston, S.C., Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co., pg.3

   Does wine and rum at your funeral mean you are Irish? Well, maybe, but a trip to Ireland may be in order to find those 
supporting documents.

Are we kin? Please, contact me. Together we can find our people.
Thanks so much for stopping by!



How Are We Related? Family Relationship Chart

    It can be hard to figure out those cousins. Who's a first or second cousin and how many times removed? 
This chart from Crestleaf is a great way to keep those relationships straight.  




       This will be handy when those DNA results or emails from cousins come and I need to figure out where people may fit into the family.

Are we third cousins twice removed? This chart will let me know!
Please, contact me. Together we can find our people.
Thanks so much for stopping by.



Sunday, March 15, 2015

This Week On My Family History Calendar

March 15-March 21




Eliza Altiza (Brazell) Roberts (1836-1890), my maternal 3rd Great Grandmother died 125 years ago on this day at the age of 53. Her death occurred in Columbia, Richland, South Carolina. Eliza is buried with other family members, enclosed by a wrought iron fence in Brown's Chapel Cemetery in Richland County.


Are we kin? Please, contact me. Together we can find our people.
Thanks so much for stopping by!



Friday, March 13, 2015

Genealogy Do-Over Week 8-Going Over Collaterals and Checking Out Offline Education

 Participating in Thomas MacEntee's Genealogy Do-Over has brought me to Week 8-Conductiong Collateral Reseach and Reviewing Offline Education Options.

Conducting Collateral Research-
 So often, when we are searching for information on our ancestors we tend to only focus on those in our direct line. We forget that valuable information can be found when researching the other family members. Birth and death records of siblings can provide us with parents names not found on our ancestors records, gathering information on Aunts, Uncles and Cousins may lead us to journals, pictures, and letters. Researching my collateral lines have brought me all this and more. My plan for going over my database will be to make sure I have all known collaterals entered in and records searched for, making sure I haven't missed anyone and any possible clues. If collateral research hasn't been part of your genealogy research, I encourage you to start doing it. Our ancestors lived in family units. Together they created records that can lead us to wonderful discoveries.

Death Certificate of Mary Dorrity
Image scanned from original 
     This death certificate of a collateral
 family member helped to answer the question
 of the mother's maiden name


Reviewing Offline Educational Opportunities-
  On of my favorite things to do is to learn about genealogy topics. From Methodology, DNA, Sharpening Skills, you name it, I want to educate myself and be the best researcher I can be. 
 There are many ways that can be accomplished by classes, conferences, and institutes both locally and nationally. 
 Local opportunities can come from college and university extended learning classes that feature genealogy-related topics. My local college has a beginning genealogy class that runs regularly. The libraries in the area offer a series of short lessons from time to time as well.  Societies and Clubs are a great resource depending on what is available in your area. I am a member of our local Grand Strand Genealogy Club. We meet once a month and have a speaker presenting on a genealogy subject. Most of the  Genealogy Societies, that I belong to are too far away to attend many meetings, but the information provided on their websites and monthly newsletters are well worth the membership fee. Local Societies are a great resource that is often overlooked. The people in these groups know the local area, history, and records.  Many times I have been able to ask a society member for help and have been told of records and local history that I had no idea about. These clues often lead to breaking down those brick walls. For my 'go over" my plan is to look into the societies in my research areas to make sure that I have joined those that could help me with my genealogy goals and that my current memberships are up to date. Supporting by attending meetings and volunteering when possible is also an important piece of this process. 
  My State Society offers a workshop once a year with two days of classes and an opportunity to research in the State Archives. Yearly attendance at this workshop and other Society activities is part of my plan.

  National and Regional Societies are among my favorites to attend. I have attended NGS and just had a great experience at my first FGS and Rootstech conference. Although expense and travel time is a factor for me when deciding to go, I would like to attend at least one each year. The learning and friendships made are invaluable.

   Genealogy Institutes are also on my To-Do list.
 1) Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburg (GRIP)
 2) Institutes of Genealogy of Historical Research (IGHR)
 3) National Institute of Genealogical Research (NIGR)
 4) Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG)
These programs feature intense study of varying genealogy topics that are taught by highly skilled researchers in the field. Getting to a point where I could attend one a year is part of my educational plan. 
   Checking the following sites keep me up to date on what is available in my area as well as around the country.
Cyndi's List-a search can be made for Education or for Societies in your area of interest.
Conference Keeper- a website providing information on upcoming conferences. 

Not only are all of these wonderful learning opportunities, but the chance to be with other genealogists, connecting with others who may be researching in the same areas or meeting a cousin or two is so much fun!  

With Thomas MacEntee
FGS/Rootstech
February 2015
What are your plans for Collateral Research and Offline Education?


Are we kin? Please, contact me. Together we can find our people.
Thanks so much for stopping by!


  
  
   


Sunday, March 8, 2015

This Week On My Family History Calendar

Mar. 8-March 14




 March 8~
   My paternal 5th Great Grandmother,  Alice (Cook) Vaughn (1774-1859), died 156 years ago at the age of 84 in Sumter County, South Carolina. She is buried in Dargan Cemetery, Sumter, South Carolina. 

March 9~ 
  Sarah Rebecca (Smith) Flemming Hudson, my paternal Great Great Grandmother, died 99 years ago. Sarah died from "La Grippe" or Influenza as we know it today at the age of 80. She is buried in Midway Presbyterian Church Cemetery in New Zion, Clarendon, South Carolina. 

March 12~
   This day marks the 85th anniversary of the death of my maternal Great Great Grandfather, George Phillip Roberts (1956-1930).  George was 73 when he died from Endocarditis. He was buried in Macedonia Church Cemetery, Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina. 


Are we kin? Please contact me. Together we can find our people.
Thanks so much for stopping by!







Friday, March 6, 2015

Genealogy Do-Over Week 7~Software and Digitization




 It's week 7 of the Genealogy Do-Over and it's time to work on:
Renewing Genealogy Database Software & Digitizing photos and documents

  Renewing Genealogy Database Software
     The software that I have used for many years is Legacy Family Tree.   It has worked well for me and so I will continue to use it. Making sure that I am using all the tools it provides will be part of my "makeover". There are some great places that provide information on how to use Legacy.  



     The Legacy Virtual Users Community on Google+ is a fantastic resource. The group, run by Tessa Keough, keeps us informed of all the ways Legacy can help keep track of our research. There are videos, Tuesday's Tips and monthly hangouts to help learn how to use the program to it's fullest. 
  Michele Simmons Lewis, an employee of Legacy Family Tree, often writes about her tips and tricks for the program in her blog Ancestoring. 
  Youtube has many Legacy Videos that can help as well. Some are produced by the company itself and others are by other Legacy users.
 Something that I have overlooked and need to access more is the actual Help section in my Legacy program. Where ever you are on the screen it's an easy click to get help with the task you are working on. 
 The legacyfamilytree.com page has links to a help section, videos and books that can help as well.
 My plan is to put a reminder on my calendar to check with the various help aids as often as I can and make sure I am not missing out on something my software can do for me.

Digitizing photos and documents

    Getting all my pictures and documents scanned, labeled, organized and filed is a struggle. Mostly, it's a time issue. 
Caroline Pointer started a Facebook group called Sunday ScanDay where anyone interested can join and chat while we work on our scanning. Sharing what we are scanning and seeing other's pictures and documents is a fun way to get through what can be a tedious chore.  On hold for FGS and Rootstech, I am hoping that the group will start back up soon. Setting this time every Sunday, at 4pmET helped me get through a large pile of scanning To Do items. 
   
   Miriam Robbins holds Scanfest once a month on her blog. She has a handy calendar that can be printed out to help remember what dates it is being held.  
    
    My plan is to schedule a time each week when I will scan, either with a group or without, primarily using my Flip-Pal scanner. Another goal? Not to scan too many things at once time, which results in a large file of scanned items that haven't been named and properly added to my family files on my computer and a large file of "to file" paper and photos that never make it to my family hanging files.
  The goal will be to scan no more than 10 items, name and save the file in the correct folder on my computer. Paper that doesn't need to be kept will be thrown away with original documents and pictures being organized by family in my filing cabinets-using archival supplies, of course!
   
Mary (Baker) Hudson (1920-2010) and Benjamin Allen Hudson (1918-1976)
  1960's
Camden, Kershaw, South Carolina

    Picture of my paternal Grandparents, scanned, named and filed correctly. Success! Now on to the rest of the box!

     The great thing about these goals for this week is that I get to engage with great communities as I learn to better use my software and get those pictures and documents organized.

Are we kin? Please contact me. Together we can find our people.
Thanks so much for stopping by!









Thursday, March 5, 2015

52 Ancestors Week 9-There's No Place Like Home


  There is something wonderful about walking where your ancestor's walked and imagining the stories that played out in their homes.
 The following pictures of where some of my ancestors lived during their life's journey are the subject of my contribution to Week 9 of the  52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2105 Challenge.



Baker Home
Sumter County, South Carolina  1930's
©Cheri Hudson Passey

Baker Home
As it is today
©Cheri Hudson Passey



Daughrity Family Land
Church St., Sumter, Sumter, South Carolina
©Cheri Hudson Passey
       From the mid 1900's to the late 1940's, this land was the home of the Daughrity family. The home burned and the land was donated to the City of Sumter and is now used as a park.




                                         
Two of the Columbia, Richland, South Carolina homes lived in the 1950's by my Dad's family.




        Springbank Plantation
 Williamsburg County, South Carolina
©Cheri Hudson Passey

Built in the late 1700's, Springbank Plantation was the home to the Epps, McElveen and Smith families until the early 1900's. The home has been rebuilt and remodeled and is now a retreat.

Unknown Family Photo
©Cheri Hudson Passey

This photo may have been taken in Clarendon County, South Carolina and be of the Hudson or Flemming family.

Eargle Cabin
Aiken, South Carolina
©Cheri Hudson Passey
The Eargle Cabin was built in 1808 near the Edisto River in Aiken County, South Carolina. It was moved in the mid 1930's and is now a historical site in the city of Aiken.


Roberts Home 1949
 Camden, Kershaw, South Carolina
©Cheri Hudson Passey
 The Roberts home is still lived in by a member of the family.

Sullivan Home
1958
Camden, Kershaw, South Carolina
©Cheri Hudson Passey
  Built by my Grandparents in the mid 1950's this was "home" for most of my life. Mom and I came home from the hospital when I was born to this house while we waited for Dad to finish Basic Training in the USAF. The year Dad spent in Viet Nam was made bearable by living in this home. Memories of vacations, holidays and birthdays were created in this special place.
 My Grandparents are now gone and the house belongs to someone else. When I visit Camden, I still drive by, take a look and remember. There's no place like home.

Are we kin? Please contact me. Together we can find our people.
Thanks so much for stopping by!




Sunday, March 1, 2015

Genealogy Do-Over Week 6



Week 6 of the Genealogy Do Over has me:

Evaluating Evidence and Reviewing Online Education Options


Evaluation Evidence
 When adding a Source to my Legacy Family Tree software program, a click of a button takes me to a Source Quality page where I can analyze the information and choose these options:
Source : Original, Derivative, or Authored
Information: Primary or Secondary
Evidence: Direct, Indirect or Negative

There is also an "I don't know" option for each if necessary.

  This is a fairly new tool in Legacy and so as I go over my sources for each ancestor,making sure to use it to analyze each source  attached has been a priority. I have found that going through the process on my computer program has helped me in the last couple of weeks as I have gathered information from Libraries and Archives. It is becoming more routine to evaluate the evidence as I find and record it.

 Reviewing Online Education Options

 There are so many ways to take advantage of online learning for Genealogy!

 Here are some of my favorites:
Webinar Wednesdays (and sometimes Fridays) from Legacy Family Tree Webinars are always free on the day they are given and for a few days afterwards. They also have a subscription that allows for access to all of their past webinars. Each new one is added after the free period. 
  These have been very helpful to learn from the best in the field as they teach on many varying topics. That's where I will continue to be every Wednesday, listening to Geoff and the speaker for that day.
  
Google Hangouts with Dear Myrtle and Cousin Russ are another free way to learn. If you are not familiar with Google Hangouts, it's easy! First set up a profile page on Google+ and then search for the Dear Myrtle community and click to join. Mondays With Myrt is held every Monday, as the name suggests, at 12ET. Topics of genealogical interest are discussed. As Myrt puts it "What ever has crossed our desks this week". Myrt and the gang also hold Wacky Wednesdays where more in depth topics are discussed by one of Myrt's "Cousins". There are also study groups to join in her community as well. There is a Beginning Genealogy class and a Genealogy and the Law class in progress. Information on each of these learning opportunities can be found in Dear Myrtle's community. The great thing about these Hangouts is that they are recorded and are available to watch anytime on Dear Myrtle's youtube channel. I love being part of the community and will participate as often as I can.

Speaking of Youtube, there are many wonderful genealogy videos to take advantage of. When I am trying to find information on a specific subject, I will often search for video tutorial.
   
There are so many more ways to learn on line! Both Ancestry and FamilySearch have classes recorded on their sites. The Family History Library offers classes that can be viewed online.


 Are you on Twitter? The fastest, most entertaining and educational hour is #Genchat hosted by Jen Baldwin of Ancestral Journeys. It's jam packed with information as Jen asks questions pertaining to our subject for the night and we all answer and learn from each other. It's really quite fun and I try not to miss it!

  Didn't get to go to Rootstech 2015 or want to view classes again or see ones you missed? They are now online for free! I will be watching them for the next several months.
  
There are also fee based online classes as well. Our friend Thomas MacEntee hosts several Boot Camps via his Hack Genealogy Page on differing subjects. These are very well done. If you are not able to attend live, you can still purchase the recordings and handouts. I just bought the Scrivener Class presented by Liza Alzo and am looking forward to completing it.

 Another online, downloadable class I am interested in taking is How to Become an Awesome Newspaper Researcher by Kenneth Marks of The Ancestor Hunt Blog.

 There are many online genealogy classes from Universities and Institutes. These are on my bucket list to take in the future. Today, I begin an 18 month journey with ProGen, an online based study group for the book Professional Genealogy.
  
With  Webinar Wednesdays, Monday's With Myrt, Boot Camps with Thomas,  #Genchat on Fridays, ProGen for the next 18months, plus all the other wonderful educational things I add as need or interest arises, will there be time to research? Ah, there's always time to research.....

Are we kin? Please contact me. Together we can find our people.
Thanks for stopping by!



This Week On My Family History Calendar

March 1-March 7



March 6~
    My maternal 4th Great Grandmother, Martha (Parnold) Brazell (1795-1876 ) died 139 years ago in Richland County, South Carolina. The original burial place for Martha Brazell was in the Macedonia Cemetery on land that is now part of  Ft. Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina. This cemetery and others were relocated in the late 1950's after the land they were on was purchased by the US Government in order to enlarge the base in the 1940's. Old Macedonia Cemetery is now located on Old Percival Road in Columbia.

Are we kin? Please contact me. Together we can find our people.
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