Roberts Roots & Branches

The discussion continues regarding the use and need for a personal software program verses an online tree or pedigree chart.   I for one vote not only yes--- but definitely YES! Maintaining a personal software program allows the user to have control over what information is “freely” made available.   This is not only for living individuals, but also for current and on-going research as it develops and until it is well documented and proven.   It is through the documentation and sourcing process that facts are either proven or disproven.   If the tentative information is entered into a public tree, and it is later disproven, you cannot contact everyone who now has used that information in their research—because you don’t know who has the flawed information.   Once the information is given out, you cannot logically request it back. Family history research is not a one way street—it goes both directions backward (ancestors) and forward (descen...

The first time I watched the videos at Puzzilla.org, I was impressed with the ability of a computer program to do what I had learned to do years ago, in my head.   It was amazing and surreal to see a computer program formulate a visual of the calculations that go on inside my mind while I am researching and analyzing information.  I can see how this is will be a very valuable tool for new or inexperienced researchers.   Puzzilla is a genealogy program that is a descendant viewer and was recently introduced during the keynote at RootsTech 2014.  Puzzilla allows users to research see collateral line patterns in their Family Tree in Family Search.   Puzzilla is best used when using the search engine Chrome. From Puzzilla:  "Looking for new relatives? Is your pedigree picked over? Is there really no work left for you and your family to do? The Puzzilla.org Descendants Viewer lets you see hundreds of descendants from an aerial...

Charts and forms help organize your research and your family history data.   Forms help keep track of details making research quicker and easier.   Specific forms allow researchers to see specific information from different views, see gaps in information, or see what step to take next.   In addition, forms are used to transcribe information from direct sources, into a readable chart.   In this digital age, forms may be used digitally in spreadsheets, such as Excel, or saved in PDF form.   Some researchers will even create their own, digital or paper forms or charts, to help aid in research or record various information from sources.   Personal software programs will allow you to print out forms with your database information included and personal software programs will allow the printing of blank forms.    Here is the link to the page of Charts and Forms

While I am adding information from my flash drives into my history, I realize that I could open a new file to add my notes and articles about family history research.   I gather many articles from newspapers, blogs, and classes I attend about family history work.   I have never really organized them because it seems like such a big task and I have files and notes everywhere: on my flash drives, my laptop, my desk top, and IPad.     I opened a new file and title it:   Genealogy.   I begin to copy, cut and paste these notes and articles.   As I am doing this I realize the value of not having to have folders and sub folders and to not have to open each document individually to view each article!   After I am done I do a trial print to make sure this is going to work, and behold, I am very happy!   The print feature formats the articles according to subject and then I can save it to a PDF, which will then enable me to open it on my IPad ...

Just thinking about this project has been overwhelming to me!   I have 50+ years of my own history to write and 43 years of my husband’s history—that is 93 years total!    The thought that has kept going through my mind has been:   the longer you wait the more you are going to have to catch up !  New Year’s day, I got started by gathering and collecting information.   First I went through my documents that I already had on my lap top and copied and pasted them into Personal Historian—very quick and easy.   Next, I began gathering my flash drives and copied and pasted the information from them into Personal Historian.   Finally, I began gathering papers, letters, etc.   I only bring a few at a time to my work area so I don’t get too overwhelmed at the pile I have.   Since I can input the information in any order, I grab whatever looks interesting to me that day.   The software will automatically organize my topics and ch...