Rocky mountains in the distance as seen from my living room window

I can’t go ANYWHERE without getting into a conversation about genealogy.  Case in point:  I was getting my black  ink cartridge refilled and was discussing the merits of laser printing, since I do so much black printing.  Then I mentioned why I used so much and………..and hour later I had some printed profile pages from Ancestry.com and names, dates, and places, and a business card and the kiosk dealer had my email address.

Now I have a Word document with url’s, gravesite screenshots, and ideas for further research.

Why do I DO this to myself?  The dyed-in-the-wool genealogist out there will know what I’m talking about.  There is a passion in our work.  We are 24-hour genealogists.  And we are a patient bunch.

People like to talk about their families – about their roots, their bloodline; in other words, themselves.  And mixed in with all that verbiage is a tidbit of valuable information – a clue – the one you have been waiting for with pen poised above paper.  Hurry, get it down before he goes on to something else and a new clue pops up.  Ya gotta be ready!!!!

Finally, you get to ask a question or two and off you go, forgetting all about what it was you came to the mall for besides getting your black ink cartridge filled.

INDEXING and Other Oddities

Anybody want to learn how to do indexing?  Want to index your childhood province or state?  What about the country where you grew up?  FamilySearch has batches and batches for people to index and, when they are finished, they will be available to view online.  Free!  In perpetuity!!! 

Right now there is a big hooforah about the US 1940 Census, which will be ready to index April 2.  Both Ancestry.com and FamilySearch have put out a call for indexers to help.  Ancestry's results will be available for free for one year (that's the scoop, anyway) and FamilySearch's will be available online free, as with the rest of their indexed records.

Indexing is easy, once you get the hang of it.  I talked to a woman today who did her very first batch and needed help with one button to click on.  She was very proud and, I suspect, will become just as addicted as the rest of us.  There is a satisfaction in completing a record that you know will be seen by someone looking for and ancestor that they couldn't find before.  Their "aha" moment will be thanks to you!!

While being accurate is of prime importance, don't shy away from indexing because you fear making a mistake.  A batch is indexed by two people - independent of each other - and then, if there are different entries for the same thing (the name of a place, for instance), the arbitrator will look at the original image and the project information and decide which indexer is right (Key A and Key B is used, not indexers' names) or if there is a third option that neither indexer knew about.  As soon as the batch is arbitrated, it will go with the rest in that collection and get put online.

Presently, I am arbitrating Ontario, Canada marriages in the early 1900's.  I grew up there and I'm familiar with the county and town names, as well as many last names and the popular first names of the day. No, I wasn't alive then, but grandparents hand down stories from their parents.  For instance, did you know that, in certain areas/families, a daughter-in-law was taken in and treated as a daughter; therefore, when the census-taker came around, she was listed as a daughter, not a daughter-in-law.

Besides arbitrating batches of indexed records, what am I doing these days that keeps me away from my blog?  Clicking on those little green leaves in Ancestry.com and checking out the results and documentation.  Downloading the gedcom that results from weeks of work, and putting the gedcom into Rootsmagic, where I check for duplicates (an automatic process in Rootsmagic) and merging duplicate records.  Then I check everything with my tree on FamilySearch and put it there.  Now I have a database on my computer, one on Ancestry, and one on FamilySearch.  I am also updating my wall chart for my hallway.  Makes for a good conversation piece as guests walk in the door....my hallway is long and narrow and there is room for many generations.  Oh - and I just bought the upgrade from version 4 to version 5 of Rootsmagic and am attending classes for the public at our local Family History Center.  Every day I learn more new things about programs I've been using for a few years.  Oh yes - and I've taken up stamp collecting.  It is intriguing to see how boundaries of countries have changed, which affects genealogy searches and that history is told in the stamps of those countries.

What do I do for fun?   You just read about it. 

There is a fairly new blog out there:  The McCaws of the World Clan

There are many Mccaws and many questions about origins.  A lot of genealogy work and a lot of great discoveries, from both past and present.

And don't forget to check out our blog:  McCaws Come to Life

I have learned that when genealogists, or people doing just their own genealogy say:  "Have you got a minute?"  I need to look at the clock and see if I have an hour or so.  We love to tell stories.  Stories about our family history, about unusual happenings with people we have helped, about the exciting new technological inventions that will make it easier for us.  I love stories.  I love to tell them.  I love to be told them.  People tell me stories about their ancesotrs - about people I don't know, never knew, and never cared about - until now.   My contact with people - both living and dead - through doing genealogy has made me realize that these are, and have been, real people with personality quirks and wonderful stories to tell.  They lived in the material world with "things" just like us, only in some cases, different things.  I've come to realize that these people and their things that make up their stories are important, not just to the people telling them, but to all of us.  We are connected by genealogy work.  And by our humanity.

I thought you might like to see a prairie sunset.
The Rootstech conference was incredible!  I think you can still download the syllibi from their website www.rootstech.org  Some great stuff that I need time to try - but try I will - already checking out Goggle + using Google Chrome.  Integration is a great thing.
 I have heard from the editor of Internet Genealogy magazine and he says the articles Stewart and I wrote will be in the March/april issue.  We thought it was going to be in the Jan/Feb one, but was disappointed when I didn't see it, so I emailed him and he was prompt and apologetic.  Nice man. 

I had the opportunity lately to read a "Life Book" of a young man who went through much uncertainty and pain in his younger years and everything has worked out so well for him.  That book is not for publication - for family only, but I hope they keep it for their children and on down the line.  Journals, blogs, whatever, are so important.  Birth, marriage, etc. certificates are wonderful finds, but personal stories - well, those are the real treasures in genealogy searches.  With that said, happy researching!

Rootstech Live Stream

Today, tomorrow, and Saturday  is the annual Rootstech Conference.  If you are into genealogy and aren't anywhere near Utah and can't get there, you can listen and watch to live streaming all weekend.  Go to their page and check out the times and titles..  You can learn how to use WikiTree to collaborate with you non-genealogist family Members, how to minimize security threats, and how to mine newspaper archives - and that's just this morning!!!
Check it out!

I have been so busy doing, that I haven't set writing as a priority.  Seems there is a rather urgent need for indexers to help with the US Census 1940.  FamilySearch has recruited those of us in the Historical Records department to call County Genealogical Societies to get them involved and, for the most part, response has been enthusiastic.  Getting indexers from the area they will be indexing will ensure more accurate transcriptions; for instance, place-names won't be misread or misspelled, not to mention people names and occupations.  Exciting times!  Some of these people are still alive - the "greatest" generation - have lived through the great Depression, the Second World War, and the rise of technology.  Those actually born in 1940 would be in their 70's today and can help in the setting down of correct records.

If you would like to get involved helping index this census, go to

https://www.familysearch.org/1940census

I have also been arbitrating indexed records - mainly from the UK and Wales  1871 census.....and the usual answering phones a couple of days a week and answering emails - maybe two per day.  I love the variation in the work...and the best part...it is all volunteer and flexible.  With the help of technology, I can attend training meetings online with many others.

That friend in my apartment building I was helping is getting along quite nicely in her genealogy and is attending free Apple computer classes AND iPad classes! - the secret to being an interesting person:  get interested!!

Thank you for your patience and waiting .