Roberts Roots & Branches

When the word Excel or spreadsheets is mentioned, I have a less than enthusiastic attitude, based on my previous experience in my college computer class.   I took a RootsTech 2013 class about being a better blogger.   During the class, the instructor suggested using Microsoft Excel or other spreadsheet applications to track blog posting and content.     So I tried it.   I fell in love!   Since using the spreadsheet for my blog postings, I have now converted my location research logs to spreadsheets and I plan to implement spread sheets for other areas of research! Excel is a spreadsheet application developed by Microsoft and features calculation and graphing tools.   I have been tracking my blog posting and content since the second week of April 2013 and I have loved using the program and the benefits.   In fact, I have my 2014 calendar ready to go with over a dozen posts already written!   By using the spreadsheet I have been a...

"Listening to people reminds them that their lives matter." (4) In the United States, the Friday after Thanksgiving is National Day of Listening.   Americans are encouraged to set aside time talking and recording the stories of their families, friends, and local communities.   The National Day of Listening occurs the day after Thanksgiving, when families are more likely to spend time together.   According to Amelia Rachel Hokule’a Borofsky, “The idea is simple: on the day after Thanksgiving family and friends often still gather together. The goal is to sit down for ten to twenty minutes with a loved one and really listen to their story.”(4)   Lisa McBride says, “ During this time of year when we spend so much time with our families, consider setting aside part of one day and celebrate a Day of Listening.  Record or write down living memory and preserve your family stories for generations to come.”(1)   In 2008 tens of thousands of American  ...

Average Age of Death...   ...for Hugh & Margaret and their children: 74.5 years Hugh Roberts (1) age at death unknown* Margaret Roberts (2) lived to be 87 years old John Richard Roberts (8) lived to be 79 years old Hugh Thomas Roberts (12) lived to be 84 years old Sarah Ann Roberts (11) lived to be 84 years old Letitia Roberts (9) lived to be 23 years old Margaret Roberts (13) lived to be 7 years old+ Jane Roberts (15) lived to be 74 years old Mary Elizabeth Roberts (14) lived to be 89 years old Isaac Roberts (10) lived to be 76 years old Robert Owen Roberts (7) age at death unknown* =576 years old  divided by 8 =74.5 years old *did not calculate unknown ages +did not calculate 7 year old Margaret because her death was the result of an accident

Average Age of Death...  ...for Hugh & Margaret and their children: 74.5 years Hugh Roberts (1) age at death unknown* Margaret Roberts (2) lived to be 87 years old John Richard Roberts (8) lived to be 79 years old Hugh Thomas Roberts (12) lived to be 84 years old Sarah Ann Roberts (11) lived to be 84 years old Letitia Roberts (9) lived to be 23 years old Margaret Roberts (13) lived to be 7 years old+ Jane Roberts (15) lived to be 74 years old Mary Elizabeth Roberts (14) lived to be 89 years old Isaac Roberts (10) lived to be 76 years old Robert Owen Roberts (7) age at death unknown* =576 years old  divided by 8 =74.5 years old *did not calculate unknown ages +did not calculate 7 year old Margaret because her death was the result of an accident

The best kept secret in research is FamilySearch’s Research Wiki, a free online guide to family history research.   Genealogy research is location and time-period specific with many variables in between confusing and confounding even the best researcher.   The Research Wiki links to available information, but it also gives foundational information for the researcher.   Steve Anderson on the Family Search   blog states“…the idea that should grab our attention and make us go WOW is the fact that such a large community of genealogists and family historians have worked together to pool their collective knowledge into a single web based library and made it all available to the public—for FREE. It’s like having a worldwide encyclopedia of knowledge for genealogists at your fingertips.” (1) The Research Wiki does not contain names and dates, but it does point you in the direction to go to find and locate those names and dates. According to the Family Search...