We meet at Clayton State University Library

We meet every other month starting in February, at Clayton State University in the University Center room 265.
We start at 3pm and end around 5pm. Everyone age 16 or older is welcome, from beginners to experts.

Park in the "G" area and walk to the University Center "12" on the map. Go to the entrance on the East Side. Once inside, look for our classroom across from the entrance to the Library.

ourgenealogygroup@gmail.com

PLEASE COME AND BRING A FRIEND!



November 7 2010 Meeting

TREE STUMPS! The following questions are "stumps" that other group members are having. We will be putting our minds together to root the problem out! We look forward to seeing you there. If you have any resources that would be helpful to the stumped, please bring them to the next meeting.

Directions:
Please print out these questions at home.
Leave yourself room between the questions for your thoughts and Nov. 7 meeting notes.
Please bring your suggestions to our CSU meeting, L200, November 7, 2010, 3-5p.m.
Each question will be discussed in order for 6 minutes. These topics may lead into future meetings or contacts with individuals for future assistance.
Questions:
1.Please suggest your favorite website for surname research.
2.Is a printed copy of the digital Federal Census considered direct evidence?
3.How/where do I begin researching Native Americans?
4.Where do I begin looking for Immigration Records for someone who immigrated in 1905?
5.What office supply and/or book is a must for genealogists?
6.What does the phrase, "At Springfield they were greeted with the firing of anvils" mean?
7.How/where do I begin to map a cemetery?
8.Please suggest your favorite website for ethnic research
9.How do I preserve documents and other materials, both original and derivative?
10.How do I verify, by original records, that Joseph Shaw the first senator from Coweta County, Georgia, is connected to my family? I have looked in county public library and the internet. I have a photo of his grave and a photo of him.
11.Please suggest your website for Georgia research
12.What is a genealogical must take item when leaving home?
13.Where do I find genealogies of famous people and/or royalty?
14.What is the purpose of source citations? How do you format the sources or resources to learn how to cite the sources according to genealogical practice?
15.How do you cite the census and/or the extracted index from sources such as from Ancestry.com?
16.Where are downloadable genealogical forms to type and print?
17.How do I research the migration pattern from Rome, Oneida County, New York in 1856/1857 to LaSalle County, Illinois, 1857?
18.What original WWII records are available at NARA Southeast and how do I go about accessing them?

Mark your calendar!

Mark your calendar for CSU workshop on organization, Jan. 8-9, 2011, at CSU
library, L200.
Questions to help plan the workshop.

Please respond to Selma by email, thank you.

What computer genealogical software do you use? Please, rate your skill use as
beginner, intermediate, or expert.

Do you have a scanner? Please rate your skill use as beginner, intermediate, or
expert.

The workshop will be for you to work on your files. More information to follow.

The following article fits into our January 8, 2011, workshop and January 9,
2011, meeting.
The following is from Roots Web Review, 13 October 2010, vol. 13, no. 10.


Genealogy Tip
By Mary Harrell-Sesniak
“Genealogy is not just a pastime; it's a passion.”
Tips for Organizing Genealogy
As our research grows, so do our documents – and rather than become mired in
duplication of records, choose a filing system that is effective.

Some family historians group by document type (e.g., wills in one file, birth
certificates in another) and others try other methods, such as surname or
location sorting. But whichever method you choose, there is certain to be a
dilemma. For example,
Should documents for women be stored with parents or spouses?
Should sibling records be grouped with direct ancestors or
separately?
Should vital record copies be kept separately?
In selecting an organizational system, let your goals guide you. For instance,
If joining a lineage society, consider sorting files by generation.
For projects, such as a transcription records, try sorting by
location and surname.
Family groupings may work well for surname studies.
And if authoring a book on ancestors or descendants, then sort
accordingly.
In all probability, you'll choose a hybrid system, which can differ for
computer and paper copies. And within your system, remember to add summary
reports, so information is easily cross-referenced.
Perhaps my organizational methods will assist in developing your own system.
Paper Files
Paperwork is stored in a variety of boxes, 3-ring binders, files and plastic
tubs.
* Color-coding is used for ancestral groups (for example, green for Dad's
and red for Mom's ancestry)
* 3-ring binders are used for surname documents with dividers marking
each generation
* Portable / accordion files contain current projects, such as lineage
society applications
* Tubs help for larger projects and ancestors with voluminous quantities of
material
* Archival boxes store original documents, with copies filed elsewhere
* Archival quality sleeves protect documents, with notations added as to
whether a scan has been made
* Pedigree and / or family group sheets are added for cross-referencing
* TODO lists are placed prominently with check lists of what has been scanned
Computer Files
* Directories are created for major surnames
* Subdirectories (or subfolders) are established showing the names of
each couple
* A third level may be added for children or type of document (for
example, military files)
* So that I don't have to consult a genealogy program, numbering
indicates the descent from an ancestor (in the example, one can see that
I am 15-generations in descent from Nicholas Wilder)
* Files are backed up to external hard drives and copies shared with family
members
* GEDCOMS are uploaded to WorldConnect, so they can be shared with
others – but equally important, is they serve as backups in case of
computer issues
In developing your own organizational methods, we recommend reading these ideas
found on RootsWeb.
How to Organize Your Paper Files- Pierre-Fort Pierre Genealogical Society
Genealogical Record Keeping or "Now that I've found it, what do I do with
it?"- by William Dollarhide and reprinted on Wendy Loveless Waldron's page
Some tips on organizing your genealogy research - The Gene Pool