Effectively, I’ve determined to make the leap and take part in Thomas MacEntee’s Genealogy Do-Over. What’s the Family tree Do-Over? For me, it is a dedication to have a look at my household tree with a contemporary set of eyes and re-evaluate the way in which I’ve been doing analysis for the previous 20 or so years.
As I’ve posted beforehand on this weblog, I began my analysis again in 1993 or 1994 with my paternal grandmother. Though everybody I met on the genealogical library advised me I ought to cite my sources, I didn’t hear. Typical teenager.
After I was in my early twenties, I made a decision to lastly begin citing these sources. I did my very own Do-Over again in 2007 or so. I began a model new household tree file in Legacy Household Tree. I had been utilizing FTM and began to do supply citations in there, however then determined I might somewhat use Legacy. After I switched, I made a decision simply to begin over, since most information weren’t sourced in FTM. In order that was truly my first do-over.
Then in 2010, I went on a cruise with RootsMagic and determined I appreciated their supply templates higher than Legacy’s. RootsMagic had the flexibility to create supply templates. In Legacy, I might solely override every quotation. There was not solution to change an current template or create a brand new template. At that time, I transferred all my knowledge from Legacy to RootsMagic, as an alternative of beginning over once more, because it was all sourced. Nonetheless, the issue was that the coding between the 2 packages didn’t create fairly supply citations upon switch. I took that chance to go-over (somewhat than do-over) my earlier analysis and proper the supply citations. That took fairly awhile. And within the meantime, a number of new file units got here out there on-line at FamilySearch, so I additionally added new supply citations as I mounted my outdated ones in RootsMagic. I lastly completed the go-over in 2013.
As soon as I completed that challenge, I made a decision to as soon as once more do one other go-over. I made a decision to begin with myself and assessment the analysis I had already achieved. For instance, I made positive I had entered supply citations for all of the paperwork I had on myself (start certificates, baptismal certificates, and so forth). Then I moved onto my dad and mom, grandparents, and so forth. after I completed with myself and did the identical factor. Additionally on this go-over, I made a decision to totally analysis the siblings and different collateral kin of my ancestors. Beforehand, I had principally researched my direct ancestors. My third aim on this go-over was to get extra organized with each digital and paper information.
Even with this third do-over/go-over, I spotted that I nonetheless didn’t like one thing about the way in which I used to be researching. It appeared too rushed and didn’t really feel like I used to be actually maintaining a very good log of my analysis. I used to be doing nice with supply citations, increasing my analysis to incorporate non-direct and collateral kin, and organizing my digital and paper information. However I nonetheless felt there was room for enchancment. I had made it to my second set of 2x-great-grandparents on my paternal grandmother’s aspect when Thomas got here out with the Family tree Do-Over challenge. I made a decision that I’d want to begin over once more. Effectively…possibly not fully begin over, however undoubtedly go-over my analysis strategies once more. Nonetheless, it might be one other yr or two earlier than I might truly purchase the Genealogy Do-Over Workbook and suppose severely about doing one other go-over or do-over. I used to be making an attempt to get to a very good stopping level in my present go-over, and my 2x-great-grandparents had 7 kids, in order that took awhile.
I bought the workbook final August at the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2016 Nationwide Convention in Springfield, Illinois. That being mentioned, I nonetheless didn’t begin getting severe about it till final month. I’ve been off work for the previous 6 weeks as a consequence of my husband’s medical situation, so I figured I might have loads of time to get the do-over began. I figured it was now or by no means.
In my subsequent submit, I’ll weblog about what I’ve been doing to this point in my Family tree Do-Over, significantly because it pertains to Thomas’ Month One Goals. Keep tuned!
#Family tree #DoOver #Plunge
