30 November 2012

WHY?!?!?! The Photo Edition

Before we get to the WHY?!!? part of the post (after the jump) I thought I'd share some of the creative ways people have come up with to mark their trees.
On family trees we all know that the photo area is not limited to pictures of people. We might have photos of gravestones and scans of any paperwork regarding our ancestors: vital records, newspaper articles, wills, pension records... The list is endless. Looking through other trees to see if someone else has found that record we're missing or a photo of the great-grandparent we've never seen before there is sometimes a photo that seems a bit random. Here are a few I've found that are unusual but useful.
Items in bold are quoted directly from the person who originally submitted the image.
My apologies if the formatting is jumbled because of all the photos. It looks great in Firefox on a Mac. No idea what it will look like to everyone else.


Name of photo:   Confusing or Questionable Data
Description:   STOP: Significant Unresolved Questions! The documentation for this individual reflect significant unresolved questions that challenge the validity (accuracy) of some of the information contained within. Further research is deemed necessary for some items.

It should come as no surprise that I would like this automatically added to every profile on a clickophile's tree.





The number of tree images is endless. Most of the time they're used to designate the direct line of the home person.









 Whether our ancestors immigrated to North America or Australia we always want to find the first.






Photo Title: End of the line
Used to mark the spouse of a relative or anyone on your tree whose line you don't intend to research further. I may need to use this, or something similar, considering how many messages I get saying, "I have more on [name] if you're interested." Sometimes the messages are long and detailed and I feel bad that the person wasted their time. Maybe adding something like this could save their time and mine.





This could be used as
an "end of the line" photo
or for a brick wall.








Or for those who prefer a literal take:


While I like some of these I hope that they are uploaded to a tree only once with multiple profiles attached. Uploading the photo to each appropriate profile adds to the space your (free) tree takes up. In fact it's a good idea with all your photos. Have a group photo from a past reunion? Don't upload the photo 50 times, attach everyone to the same photo. Please have some consideration for the entire Ancestry.com community. Next time there's a site slow down think about how much space that one flag photo that you uploaded 100 times is taking. Some people may think, "No one would do that!" Well, I looked through countless media galleries preparing this post and can say, "Yes people do that." All the photos had the same title and usually no description at all.
I can also tell you that if you find a lot of flags or COAs, especially the latter, on a tree there's a much higher probability that it is a fantasy tree (Roman emperors, Adam & Eve, etc.) and most likely has no reliable sources. I did find some potential posts in those but after the jump you'll find no flags or family crests. Most are posted with no comment because my only comment would be WHY?!!?

26 November 2012

Fixing What's Not Broken

About every other week the Ancestry.com Facebook fan page will post a "How are we doing?" thread. There's a link to a survey to respond but of course a number of people ignore the link and just comment on the thread. The comments seem to fall into a few categories.
  • Complaints about the price.
  • Requests to fix the search engine. 
  • Suggestions for a feature that already exists.
  • Suggestions for something only newbies want.
  • Good ideas that Ancestry should consider.
The first two could be entire posts unto themselves. This post will address the others. For the last, hopefully the people commenting with good ideas will submit them through the survey link as well as commenting on the thread. If you see a good idea on one of those threads or have one of your own I encourage you to submit it through the survey or on the Ancestry website. The best idea submitted by one person may fall through the cracks but if it's submitted by 100 different people it will get noticed.
A mixture of answers and snark after the jump. I've split some of the comments up when they cover different topics but other than that they are unedited.

23 November 2012

Gathering Moss

Comments after the jump.

 NATHANIEL MOSS (1730-1807) and NANCY ANN COCKRELL (1732-1807)
 Married 1757 in Loudoun, Virginia

 CHILDREN

 Aquilla  B: 1751 - D: 1756
 Daniel  B: 1751 - D: 1756
 Mary  B: 1751 - D: 1756
 Sarah  B: 1751 - D: 1756
 Stephen  B: 1751 - D: 1756
 Vincent  B: 1751 - D: 1756
 John  B: 1753
 Zeally  B: 6 Mar 1755
 Nathaniel  B: 1757
 Moses  B: 24 May 1758
 John B.  B: Aug 1762
 Zealey  B: 6 Mar 1765
 Elijah B.  B: 1765
 Vincent  B: 1770
 Steven  B: 1773
 Sarah  B: 1774
 Mary  B: 1777
 Sarah  B: 1777
 Vincent  B: 1782  Mother is 50 years old.
 Aquilla  B: 1794   Mother is 62 years old.

19 November 2012

Learning New Tricks

Updated 27 Apr 2013

Ancestry.com has been putting out really informative tutorials on the regular basis. Unfortunately their YouTube channel is a bit of a maze if you're trying to find a past one. If you can remember a word in the title you can just use their channel's search box but if you can't, well...
I've created a YouTube channel and organized playlists so we can easily find what we need. Another reason I did this is because Ancestry.com's videos are not the only genealogy videos on YouTube. I'm adding others as I find them. Playlist topics are:
 ✿ African-American Genealogy
 ✿ American Indian Genealogy
 ✿ Apps & Technology for Genealogy
 ✿ Archives, Libraries & Museums
 ✿ Becoming a Genealogist
 ✿ BMD: Birth & Baptism
 ✿ BMD: Marriage & Divorce
 ✿ BMD: Death & Burial
 ✿ Brick Wall Busters
 ✿ Census: U.S.
 ✿ Census: Non-U.S.
 ✿ Countries: Australia & New Zealand
 ✿ Countries Canada
 ✿ Countries: Central & South America
 ✿ Countries: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden
 ✿ Countries: Eastern Europe
 ✿ Countries: Great Britain
 ✿ Countries: Ireland
 ✿ Countries: Western Europe
 ✿ Countries: Other
 ✿ Digitization and Indexing
 ✿ DNA
 ✿ FamilySearch
 ✿ Genealogy 101
 ✿ Genealogical Societies & Conferences
 ✿ Google for Genealogy
 ✿ Immigration, Naturalization & Travel
 ✿ Interviews & Interviewing
 ✿ Jewish Genealogy
 ✿ Land Records, Maps and Location Research
 ✿ Military: Personnel - U.S.
 ✿ Military: Personnel - Other
 ✿ Military: Revolutionary War
 ✿ Military: American Civil War
 ✿ Military: Spanish-American War
 ✿ Military: World War I
 ✿ Military: World War II
 ✿ Military: Other Wars & Conflicts
 ✿ Miscellaneous
 ✿ Names (maiden, common, ethnic, etc.)
 ✿ News and Newspapers
 ✿ Organizing Your Genealogy Research
 ✿ Photos, Photography & Preservation
 ✿ Search Tips for Genealogy
 ✿ Software for Genealogy: Family Tree Maker 2012
 ✿ Software for Genealogy: Other
 ✿ States: Midwest
 ✿ States: Northeast
 ✿ States: Southeast
 ✿ States: Southwest
 ✿ States: West
 ✿ Websites other than Ancestry
 ✿ WDYTYA? and Other Fun Stuff
FamilySearch has a few tutorials but most of theirs are slideshows that are only available through their website's Learning Center. The wonderful thing about the FamilySearch tutorials is the number of countries, languages, and subjects they cover. Everything from lessons in Spanish about German research to learning how to read Scandinavian Gothic handwritten records. You can find tutorials by country, language, skill level, subject or format (audio, video, interactive slides or video and slides). There are some 5 minute tutorials on their YouTube channel as well as some short videos about different archives around the country. I've added some of those to the playlists.
The company that sells Legacy Family Tree software also provides video lectures. Their videos on YouTube are usually just 15 minute previews of videos that are available to purchase. Most Legacy Family Tree webinars are free for 10 days after the live event. I've included some of the previews for more popular topics in the playlists. Details about purchasing are below the video. Even if you don't purchase the video the preview can be helpful in other ways. It can help you decide between speakers at an upcoming conference or you may want to sign up for the next Legacy event that includes that speaker.
These are just a few of the channels represented in my playlists:
If you come across a channel I haven't found yet please post a link to one of their videos in the comments. Thanks!

Bookmark this page for the BUWTBlog channel playlists:
http://www.youtube.com/user/BUWTBlog/videos?flow=grid&view=1


PREVIOUS POST: WHY?!?!?! Part 2
NEXT POST: Gathering Moss

16 November 2012

WHY?!?!?! Part 2

For the original WHY?!?!?! post click here
All but two sources on this profile are entered manually, not attached from Ancestry.com records. The two that do link to Ancestry records are in italics and do look to be correct.
Comments after the jump.

 JAMES MATARESE
 B: APR 1892 in Fontana, Avellino, Campania, Italy
 D: ABT 1965

 24 Source Citations
 Census; Birth info; Residence info
 1850 US Census; abt 1847 New Jersey; East Windsor, Mercer, New Jersey
 1870 US Census; abt 1864 Oregon; Silverton, Marion, Oregon
 1880 US Census; abt 1864 Oregon; Whitman, Washington
 1900 US Census; Dec 1851 New Jersey; Moon, Allegheny, Pennsylvania
 1910 US Census; abt 1846 New Jersey; Florence, Burlington, New Jersey
 1920 US Census; abt 1875 New Jersey; Florence, Burlington, New Jersey
 1930 US Census; ????; Burlington, Burlington, New Jersey
 1930 US Census; abt 1896; Brooklyn, Kings, New York
 1930 US Census; abt 1892 Italy; Burlington, Burlington, New Jersey
   Note: 14 residence events for 1930 the timeline
 US Public Records Index, Volume 2; n/a; Burlington, New Jersey
 US WWII Draft Card; 5 Apr 1892 Italy; Burlington, New Jersey
 US WWII Draft Card; 5 Apr 1892 Italy; Burlington, New Jersey
 US WWII Draft Card; no info
 US WWII Draft Card; 5 Apr 1892 Fontana, Italy; Burlington, New Jersey
 Washington State Census; abt 1874 Oregon; 1883 Whitman, Washington
 Washington State Census; abt 1875 Oregon; 1887 Stevens, Washington
 8 Ancestry Family Trees

12 November 2012

DNA Will Solve Everything - Part 2

I didn't think I would be doing a Part 2 to DNA Will Solve Everything so quickly. Even more shocking is that all of the comments after the jump come from a single thread! Ancestry.com has been offering a chance to win their new DNA test about once a month. No matter how much information they release people still have unrealistic expectations about what this test will reveal. This thread began with the prompt, "Just tell us what you’re hoping to find about your origins for a chance to win." Of course you're then supposed to click a link to take you to the contest. I wonder, how many of those who commented on the thread actually entered the contest?
As always, I have not edited the comments for spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. and my comments are in red.

09 November 2012

One Wrong Move

Comments after the jump. 

 TREE #1
 CHARLES WIGGINS FOSTER
 B: 28 Nov 1883 in St. Louis, MO
 Parents
 William Livingston Foster, B: 1850
 Mary M Wiggins (1856-????)
 Spouse
 Married in 1919 to Annie B. [Last name unknown] (1899-????)

 TREE #2
 CHARLES WIGGINS FOSTER
 B: 28 Nov 1883 in St. Louis, MO
 D: 29 Sep 1962 in Bexar, TX
 Parents
 Turner Saunders Foster, Jr. (1849-1886)
 Mary Wiggins (1858-1886)
 Spouses
 Married in 1918 to Anne Belle Bradley (1898-1989)
 Married to Mollie Pearl Foster (1890-????)

05 November 2012

My Two Dads

Comments after the jump.

 TOKANNE MARY CROW
 Birth: 1789 in Kaposia, Minnesota
 Marriage: 12 Jun 1829 in Prairie Du Chien, Illinois to Joseph Renville
 Marriage: 12 Jun 1829 in Prairie Du Chien, Illinois to Joseph Renville
 Death: 16 Feb 1840 in Lac qui Parle, Lac qui Parle, Minnesota

 PARENTS
 Little Crow Corbeau (1758-1830)
 Sister Wakoyantanke (1720-????)

 SPOUSES AND CHILDREN

 Joseph Renville (1804-1856)
 Francois Joseph Renville, B: 1807
 Antoine Renville, B: 1810
 Angelique Renville, B: 1815
 Michael Renville, B: 1822
 Rosalie Renville, B: 1823
 Gabriel Renville, B: 1825
 Marguerite Hail RENVILLE, B: 1825
 John Baptiste Renville, B: 1831

 Joseph Renville (1779-1846)
 Francois Joseph Renville, B: 1807
 Antoine Renville, B: 1810
 Angelique Renville, B: 1815
 Michael Renville, B: 1822
 Rosalie Renville, B: 1823
 Mary Madeleine Renville, B: 1824
 Gabriel Renville, B: 1825
 Marguerite Hail RENVILLE, B: 1825
 Mary Madeleine RENVILLE, B: 1825
 John Baptiste Renville, B: 1831

02 November 2012

Thunder and Lightning

Comments after the jump.

 BIG THUNDER
 B: 1610, Delaware
 D: 1846, Maine

 PARENTS
 Cetanwakanmani (1763-1825)
 Indian Maidan (1595-????)

 SPOUSES & CHILDREN

 Wife Three (1605-????)
 Her Black Tasinasapawin (????-1890)
 Little Dog Sunkacistinna (????-1862)
 Moses Wakeman (????-1896)
 Passing Daylight Anpahiyaye (????-1896)
 Sunkacistinna Little Dog (????-1862)
 Tasinasapawin Her Shawl (????-1890)
 Bright Lightning (1635-1703)
 Bright Lightning (1635-1703)
 Sarah Little Fawn (1740-1810)
 Miniyue (1760-1840)
 Miniyue Rainville (1760-1840)
 Little Crow Taoyateduta His Nation (1811-????)

 Wikusauwin (????-1890)
 Her Black Tasinasapawin (????-1890)
 Little Dog (????-1870)
 Little Dog Sunkacistinna (????-1862)
 Moses Wakeman (????-1896)
 Passing Daylight Anpahiyaye (????-1896)
 Sunkacistinna Little Dog (????-1862)
 Tasinasapawin Her Shawl (????-1890)
 Bright Lightning (1635-1703)
 Bright Lightning (1635-1703)
 Sarah Little Fawn (1740-1810)
 Sarah Little Fawn (1740-1810)
 White Spider Unktomiska (1831-1902)

 Unknown Spouse
 Little Crow Taoyateduta His Nation (1811-????)