Roberts Roots & Branches

The childhood story of Hansel and Gretel tells the story of how two lost children were able to escape out of the woods by following the bread crumbs they had left when they first went into the forest.   The same is true for citing sources. Leave bread crumbs.   Leave enough bread crumbs that someone else would be able to follow your trail to your documents.   Leaving a good trail is a good source citing. Labels:   Citing sources, research   Leaving Bread Crumbs             In the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel a trail of bread crumbs is left to mark their descent into the forest.   Leaving a physical and tangible trail in family history work is just as important as doing the research itself.   Citing sources is similar to leaving a map to the depository of source information.   A map to the original source is useful to the finder of the information, other genealogists, and to ...

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if, for every person in our genealogy database, we had the following documents: 1.      birth certificate or christening record 2.      marriage certificate 3.      death certificate 4.      census records for their entire life span An added bonus would be if we had the various accompanying documents: ·        passenger records for those who immigrated ·        naturalization certificates for those who became citizens ·        military records for veterans ·        probate records for everyone who owned land ·        and a will for everyone who died In the land of genealogy-make-believe all of these documents would not only be available, but there would be a copy online, or at the very least, a copy available ...

You can't see the forest for the trees Check each tree...cite your sources!!!

When my son was born I went into the hospital on the 7 th and yet he was born on the 8 th .   To this day, I have to focus and calculate when his birthday is! Have you ever been to the store and gotten everything on your list, but you are absolutely certain that you are forgetting something? These two situations, although not unique to me, are why when I was questioning a person about his source for a date and he replied, “My aunt is my source” I cringed!   Nope, “your aunt” is not really a reliable source, no matter how reliable you may think she is!!!!

Genealogy software. What a wonderful time-saving tool that allows researchers to organize and utilize family data. I use RootsMagic and I love it.  I am able to create reports, find errors, and SOURCE my information!

The 33 documents I found in Iowa in the spring  have exploded to a  grand total of 135! (I am now finished counting as I have done a through search and I will only find a single document here or there along the way in my research journey!) So that means that for each document found in Iowa  I was able to locate four more. It also means that each of the 33 documents cost me about $33 a piece!*  (Hotel, food, and gas!) *(Which is why I get a little irritated when others "steal" my research work!)

Just a reminder to the family historians out there! 1+1=4 on FamilySearch 1+1=4 on Ancestry.com 1+1=4 on private web site 1+1=4 published in a book Just because information is repeated, doesn't mean it is correct! Is the information regurgitated? Is the information documented by a reliable source? Is the information traceable? Is the information logical? Is the information supported by other information? Is the information reasonable?

I had been doing genealogy for several years when my husband passed away. Many expected things have changed because of this major life event, but I am surprised about the unexpected way that his death has affected my genealogy research. I remember lost in grief and shock and the funeral director asking questions.  My answers were a mumbled I wasn't sure, but "to the best of my knowledge".   I finally asked him why he needed the information.   He explained it was for the death certificate. Being a genealogist, I snapped into reality and really concentrated on my answers...this was very important. This WAS a source! Later, the obituary was written by a friend. Funny, I figured I would just write up the obituary, because I wanted it to be a detailed one; I had read so many I felt like I kind of knew how a good obituary should read. But, I couldn't write it. I was in too much shock. So my friend wrote the obit, while I was making arran...

I have not been able to locate all of the Roberts family members in the 1940 census.  So, while I was trying to locate some addresses of the Jones family in Iowa, I located a 1935 Des Moines directory. It was very interesting!  These old directories, usually give the husband's name, the wife, and the husband's occupation in addition to their address.  If the entry was a widow, the deceased name is also included! While looking at the 5 page list of Jones names, I was able to discern one family member because of her name and occupation!  Ironic, offhandedly a letter sent to me lists this person's occupation!  Match!  You just never know when a simple and single slice of information is the piece that will confirm a correct relation! Here are two pages of the 1935 Des Moines, Polk, Iowa directory: Happy reading!

 This is a valuable site, that honestly, I don't visit often enough!  (Which means I probably should sign up for the free newsletter).  There are valuable articles about technology and genealogy. From the site it states:  "Dick Eastman has been involved in genealogy for more than 30 years. He has worked in the computer industry for more than 40 years in hardware, software, and managerial positions...  Mr. Eastman began with a weekly newsletter that is now a daily online publication." Quoted from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter, under the tab, "About Dick Eastman", http://blog.eogn.com/about.html There is information on Mr. Eastman's site regarding the latest in family history, technology, upcoming events (which list conferences and conventions), chat room, a free standard newsletter (as well as paid subscriptions), and  an "Encyclopedia of Genealogy". The "Encyclopedia of Genealogy" is described from his site as: "....

This is a personal story where I learned a valuable lesson. I had been doing genealogy for several years when my husband passed away.  Many expected things have changed because of Joe's death, but I am surprised about the unexpected way his death has affected my genealogy research. The after day my husband was killed I vaguely remember sitting in the funeral home; I was lost in grief and shock as the funeral director began asking questions.  After seveal questions I mumbled I wasn't sure then I asked him why he needed the information.  He kindly explained it was for the death certificate.  The genealogist in me snapped to attention and really concentrated on giving correct answers. . .after all, this was very important source documentation!   Funny, I  first figured I would just write up the obit, because I wanted it to be a tribute and a good source of information; after all I had read many, so I felt like I kind of knew what a good obit should ...

picture from here The above picture of zoo animals look so cute, however, the "zoo" I wish to expound on is not cute little animals!  It is an "animal" of sorts:  It is my loft.  --my genealogy stuff!  It includes my office/desk/copy machine/tables/credenza. My desktop/laptop/IPad/scanner/printer.  I have pictures/papers/documents/sources/correspondence. I have to do's: urgent to-do/soon to-do/someday to-do/to-do lists/to-do items/and what to-do with? I have books/files/magazines/notes/handouts/syllabus. I have CD’s/flash drives/even floppies. I have program software/clip-art/database collections. I have newspapers/copies of newspapers/newspaper clippings. I have journals/keepsakes/binders. I am so blessed to have a "genealogy space" in my house where no one touches or moves anything; however, I have exploited the blessing and have let it get blown out of control!  (Don't call Hoarders, or I'll be in the back of that dumpster ...

picture from here Here are my research questions: 1. Who was Maggie on the immigration record of Hugh (1) & Margaret (2)? 2. Who was Hugh’s mother? 3. Who was Hugh’s father? 4. Where is Samuel Caulton’s (5) family in Derbyshire? 5. What is Hannah P. (357) Samuel’s first wife’s maiden name? 6. Which Welsh parish was Margaret’s family in? 7. Which Welsh parish was Hugh’s family in? 8. Why did Isaac (10) Roberts return to County Durham? 9. Where is the emigration record of Isaac’s (10) return to England? 10. Where is Hugh (1) buried in Pennsylvania? 11. What is Hugh’s (1) correct death date? 12. Where are the missing descendants of Joseph Jones (19) & Sarah Roberts (11)? 13. Who did Magie E. Jones(240), daughter of Joseph Jones & Sarah Roberts marry? 14. What happened to the children of Robert Roberts:  Margaret Roberts (460), daughter  and son Hugh (463)? 15. What happened to LD. Smith (37), first husband of Letitia Roberts (35)? 16. Where exactl...

Several times while researching or watching other’s research, I see things that are soooooooooo close they must be related; or this must be what I am looking for; or this must be the family/person/son/daughter that I am looking for. Not so fast. Obliviously is not necessarily fact. Things might “LOOK” like they fit the puzzle, but “obliviously” doesn’t prove anything! For example: 1881 England Census name                         relation                          age        occupation Hugh Roberts           head married                  49     ...

I am like a kid waiting for Christmas when I wait for certificates from England.  I find myself checking my mailbox everyday (usually I check it once a week, checking the post office box in rural Utah was my husband's job and I just don't think about it.  I also don't think about checking the gas, tires, etc.) When I open the certificates I have a bi-polar reaction:  I am either elated with new and wonderful information, or I am in the dumps with the wrong certificate or nothing I can connect to! When I received what I believe was Hugh & Margaret's marriage certificate I was hoping that I would be able to jump on FamilySearch or Ancestry.com and link up to a line that had done research further back. Nope, nada,  nothing. How frustrated I was.  Oh, well so goes the Roberts family history research!

The test of a good critic is whether he knows when and how to believe on insufficient evidence.                                                                                                      - Samuel Butler