Celebration Sunday~Genealogy Happy Dance!

You know the dance. You know you've done it. The one every researcher does after finding something new. The one where you want to jump up and down and shout to everyone around that you found the document, contacted a cousin who has the family Bible, made a DNA connection or found a whole new branch to your tree. The one that is met with glazed stares and eye rolls.
                                                          Celebration Sunday is a place to share your discoveries. 
This is a weekly series to enable everyone to tell about their Genealogy Happy Dance moment. This can be done by scrolling down and adding your story to the comments section. You may also put a link to a blog post.

                                                                 

My Happy Dance This Week: Cleaning off my desk so that I could see it made me very happy this week! As summer ends and the kids go back to school, I am trying to get organized so that I can make the most of my research time. A clean desk? Definitely, something to celebrate!

                                                                                           Share your discovery!

                                                                                   Let the dancing commence!

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

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,

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.