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One of our Family Tree
readers sent in a great idea to help your older relatives answer
genealogical questions - without too much stress.
The reader suggested that
you type up all the family questions you would like to have answered, cut
those questions into strips so that each piece of paper has just one
question...and then place all the strips into a box or jar and give it,
along with a bound notebook and pens to the family member you think might
be able to answer the questions.
Ask your relative to write
the answer to the questions in the notebook over a period of time. This
way, it's not such an overwhelming task. When all of the questions are
answered, you will have a notebook of family memories, handwritten by a
family member.
You might also ask the
person to include a photograph of himself or herself. What a treasure for
future generations.
Another reader sent in what
I think is a marvelous idea for grandparents. Come to think of it, it's
also a great idea for aunts and uncles and even brothers and sisters!
Our reader said that he had
published a newsletter for his grandchildren - all six of them! They live
all over the country and seldom get to meet in person. His newsletter
features news of what they all are doing in school and with their hobbies
and have articles and stories about the family complete with photographs.
Since it is such a small "press run of six" he has family snapshots copied
in color for each little paper.
He said that one of the
most fun things he does is have a Question of the Day about the family. He
asks the grandchildren to answer the question...and then, at Christmas,
the child who had the correct answer gets a special gift! (Sometimes, he
writes, he has to have six special gifts as all of the children
participate in his quiz.)
You might like to know the
most common mistakes genealogists make. You need not be embarrassed about
making mistakes as most of us have made all of these and have invented a
few of our own!
So, here are some ideas about what NOT to do that will save you time and
energy.
* You scribble your
genealogical data on the backs of envelopes and brown bags (Please use
family group sheets and pedigree charts - available here at The Odom
Library.)
* You have never found time to contact your living relatives (Oh, my
goodness! Your grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and even kissin'
kin know things that it will take you years, if ever, to discover!)
* You assume that you and you alone are working on your family! (Somebody,
somewhere is working on your family! Write and publish queries in as many
places as you can find!)
* You never use maps of the areas your ancestors lived that are of the
same time as your ancestors lived there! (Remember, even Colquitt County
was once in Thomas County! You simply must know the history of the places
your folks lived.)
* You never think about the history of the area in which your folks lived!
(They gave away free land in Alabama about 1816. If you have folks that
disappeared from other places about then...check Alabama!) Do just a
little reading about various areas. It will save you time and much effort.
* You always accept everything you read in books and on the Internet as
"gospel." (You must beware of undocumented information. If you only go
astray once...everything past that you uncover will be incorrect!)
* You try to copy and retain ALL the information about your surname.
Unless you have a very uncommon surname, this will confuse you and fill up
your closets.
We'll do just a little more
of this next week.
Remember to let me know
about family reunions, queries relevant to the Colquitt County area and
anything else genealogical or historical you'd like to see here in this
column. Write me, PO Box 2693, Moultrie, GA 31776-2693. |
