Tag: family

How Does Ancestry Compare To ForeverⓇ?

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I realize that Ancestry allows you to add files to a Gallery for a person on your Ancestry tree.  You can store those files there.  But, the Gallery isn’t a reliable place for storage.  If something happens to your Ancestry tree, then what you have in the Gallery may be lost.

You know I’ve mentioned ForeverⓇ as part of my system to manage my genealogy research.  You may wonder if ForeverⓇ can be used to store a family tree.  First of all I want to make it clear that ForeverⓇ is not a family tree builder.  

For example, you can’t store your GEDCOM there.  But, you can convert it to a PDF format that can be uploaded and stored in a ForeverⓇ digital storage account.  Forever is all about preserving your genealogy- or family history-related digital images and documents, not building your family tree. 

Another thing about Ancestry is that access to your Ancestry account is not forever.  It’s one of those “until death do us part” situations.  As long as you pay for the account subscription, you have access to it.  

Also, video isn’t allowed for storage in your Ancestry account.  Plus, storage is limited.  Photos are compressed.  This means when they’re downloaded from Ancestry, you shouldn’t expect them to be as large in size as you anticipate.

Ancestry access dies when you do.  Access stops when payment stops.  They don’t allow video.  They have limited storage.  They compress photos to take up less space.  As a result, when you download them, photo quality and size are altered.

As for ForeverⓇ, your account is literally forever.  You can store videos in your account and download them to play later.  If you go the premium video storage route, you can play them from your account directly.  You can even share videos with anybody by giving them a link which they don’t have to download. 

As for photo storage, photos aren’t compressed.  When you download photos from your ForeverⓇ account, you can expect full resolution quality.  They’re not compressed.  The size is what you expect. 

One last important fact about ForeverⓇ is you can get 2 gigabytes of free photo storage to start out.  Depending on your photo or image file size, that’s about 400 to 800 photos. 

You can get free ForeverⓇ storage along with a $20 coupon when you open up a new ForeverⓇ account at Forever.com.

Creating Effective Location Folders for Genealogy Research

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During my brick wall research coaching project with the ForeverⓇ professional genealogist, one of the first assignments was to create location folders for the birthplaces of my ancestor and his wife.  Besides wanting to know who his parents were, I was also curious about how he met his wife.

Creating a locality research reference guide first helps to better understand what events occurred in these locations at a given time.  This also provides some idea of where ancestor families were living geographically.  

Furthermore, locality research provided guidance in finding vital records.  Defining locations and the history behind them gave direction as to where to find these records both online and offline.

I created location folders in both digital format within my Google Drive and paper format in a binder dedicated to collecting locality research findings.  I would build a research reference guide to support documents such as Google Docs and Sheets in Google Drive and printouts of important information discovered along the way.

I also began a collection of information about the language spoken in the locations researched.  The birthplaces being researched had more than one language associated with them.  Political events resulted in my ancestors becoming subjects under rule of nearby countries over time.  

Knowing the language type at a given period of time was significant.  There was a strong possibility the vital records would be in one of three kinds of languages or a combination of them. 

I added information collected about these languages in both my Google Drive and my location binder.  In Google Drive, I created subfolders for each language.  In the binder, I created separate tabs for each country, placing the language information with the correct country. 

My ForeverⓇ professional genealogist provided me with lists for both cumulative research resources and cumulative methodology resources.  These included online links to websites providing information on geographical locations, specifically in Eastern Europe, and resources for locality research, methodologies and many other topics.  

Helpful links included:

As a result, I was able to visualize the why behind my ancestor’s family’s movement in Eastern Europe over a period of time.  This also helped fill in gaps in a timeline before and up to my ancestors’ births with migration maps.  I also was able to identify where vital records could be to assist with answering a brick wall research question.  Locality research made this possible.

The Document That Helped Bust The Genealogy Brick Wall

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For years the question lingered amongst paternal cousins regarding an ancestor I shall name Henry.  Who were Heinrich’s parents?

A record from the Social Security Application and Claims Index was found that had the possible answer to that question.  But, was this record for our Henry, we wondered.  Also, how would we access this record?

When I worked with the ForeverⓇ Family Research professional genealogist who worked as my genealogy project coach, I mentioned this Social Security Application and Claims Index record to her.  The information provided by the index did match Henry’s birth date and was perhaps a match to his birth place.  The Fred and Mary listed as his parents we weren’t clear about.

As a result, the research goal discussed during this coaching session was to confirm the parents of Henry presumably from a location that was once part of Russia but now is in Ukraine.  It was recommended that I build on location information utilizing the JewishGen.org Communities database, even though Henry wasn’t Jewish.  This website also offers extensive other information about regions of Eastern Europe.  

It was also recommended that I get access to the record listed on the Social Security Index.  I learned that a copy of the record can be ordered per the United States Freedom of Information Act.  I was also provided with links for ordering it and the FamilySearch wiki about this record.

The ForeverⓇ professional genealogist told me that it may take a month before I receive the record copy.  Perhaps this is so if the photocopy of the original Social Security Card application is sent by snail mail.

I discovered that opting for electronic access instead of the snail mail option sped up the delivery time.  Within a week’s time I was able to download the photocopy.

I was delighted to see that the photocopy was worth the $30.00 I spent to order it.  The record showed the Henry it named was the Henry I was researching.  The address for where he resided at the time was a match.  

What really sealed the deal was Henry’s signature.  It was identical to his signature on other documents I found.  

This was huge!  It gave me something to work with–I had the full names of Henry’s parents!  Of course, when I shared this with my cousins, they were excited too.

To learn more about how to request a Social Security Application and Claims Index record, click here.

How I Manage Genealogy Research

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For months as I got into my genealogy research projects, I had been searching for the best, maybe even the ONLY way to organize my digital files and paper.  I purchased books and courses and viewed online articles and videos.  They had different ways of doing it with some ending up with the same result.  

This should have made making a decision about which way to do it easy, especially if the process came from a genealogy expert.  Right?

Uhh…no.  

Though one specific method or process works for some, it doesn’t for others.  If anything, all of that advice from genealogy experts can be downright overwhelming.

Ultimately, here’s how I manage my genealogy research:

Digital

  • Research logs and reference resources in the form of Google Docs and/or PDFs are kept in Google Drive.
  • Trackers for DNA matches, surnames, census data, citation logs, logs of where photos and other genealogy-related files are kept and other types of genealogy-related charts in the form of Google Sheets are kept in Google Drive.
  • Photos and other genealogy-related digital files are kept in multiple places:
    • Electronic files organized in folders and subfolders on my main genealogy laptop’s hard drive which are backed up on 
    • The Seagate Photo Drive
    • Albums created based on ancestor in my ForeverⓇ storage account.
    • Genealogy software

Paper

At the start, I found this 13-step color-coded filing system for Ancestry research to be helpful:  https://beginmystory.com/13-step-color-coded-filing-system-ancestry-research/  This system proved to be a simple way to start organizing genealogy papers.

I ended up using up some jewel-tone Pendaflex hanging folders and file folders I had lying around rather than using the red, yellow, green and blue folders suggested in the Begin My Story article.  I just adapted what I had to that system and kind of tweaked it to what worked for me.  

  • Family group sheets, pedigree charts and printed-out items of interest are kept in paper  files of different colors to distinguish families.
    • These files are kept in IRIS desktop paper file organizers by family on wire shelving units.  
    • Labels are attached to the IRIS desktop paper files front and side so that they can be easily identified at a glance.
  • My main working research project on an ancestor is kept in a binder.
    • Papers may include working family group sheets, pedigree charts and printed-out online articles and maps, email correspondence and anything else pertinent to the ancestor.  Some of these are kept in sheet protectors if they require a lot of handling.  
    • This binder is kept on my workspace desk to use during active research.  It can also be placed in one of my project desktop containers if I need to clear the workspace to work on something else.
    • Later, these can be transferred to the ancestor’s paper file upon project completion.
  • Working research projects in progress are also kept in separate binders to distinguish families.  The binder is kept in an IRIS desktop paper file organizer for that family until it becomes the main working research project.  File folders are not yet created at this point.  The paper kept in the binder includes printed out incidental findings that come via new DNA match information or delayed messages from genealogy websites.  
  • Reference material coming from online article print-outs or course hand-outs is kept in separate binders to distinguish genealogy-related topics.  Examples:
    • Reference with topics divided into sections using binder dividers with labeled tabs
    • Location/Language with locations and the languages associated with the location divided into sections
    • People – religions and ethnicities divided into sections
  • Books and magazines are kept on shelves with magazines placed in desktop magazine holders that fit the shelves.  Books used for a research project are kept separate from the rest on a different shelf.

As you can see, when information and records are coming from different places and are in different stages of a genealogy research workflow process, they require a number of storage locations.  It took me a while to figure this out through trial and error.  

I can’t tell you that my way of managing genealogy research is THE best way.  But, here is what I learned that I can pass on to you:

  • Genealogy research management depends on your own personal genealogy workflow.  Identifying your workflow process is key and the first step you should take.  Then, build your own management system based on what works for you.  
  • Once you have your management system created, be consistent with its maintenance.  Put digital and paper where they belong right away.  Back up digital files on a schedule.

How To Use Reverse Genealogy With DNA To Identify Living Descendants: Step 3

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Without making a connection with potential second cousins or their descendants, you won’t be able to get the full benefit of collateral research to have a chance at breaking through your genealogical brick wall. Instead, you’ll continue to be stuck.

Let’s Get Started

The best way to get started is to determine which of your DNA matches would be the best candidates to contact.  Remember that spreadsheet I created back in Step 2?  This is when you can really make use of it!  At a glance you can see who is related to who, who is alive and how best to make contact.  

Start with contacting your DNA match at the site where they got tested.  I discovered that Ancestry’s user profiles show when a user last accessed their account and how often they do. A match who uses Ancestry daily is more likely to see your message than one that hasn’t been online for months.  If that site is the only way to make contact, then go for it.  

Keep your message brief.  Don’t elaborate a lot about yourself.  Start out telling them it’s good to meet them there at the testing site.  Share that you have been working on learning more about a certain ancestor.  Let them know you think they could help.  

Then, just simply state you are looking for anything on a particular surname and location.  If you have a particular question, just simply ask it.

To get them to respond, just end asking them to let you know they got your note even if they don’t know the answers.  

Be sure to make note of this contact.  I enter this information on the Google sheet.  I include the testing company website name and date I sent the note.  

Sometimes, I take this one step further.  If I find that the match is on Facebook, I drop them a Facebook messenger chat note.  I only do this if I have the match’s full name and I have enough info on the match to know I have the right person.  

I’ve also reached out to a match’s child or sibling on Facebook especially if I see that the match isn’t that active on Facebook either.  I’ve been fortunate that the responses I get are positive.  

I briefly introduce myself as a DNA match from the testing company, letting them know I left a message.  You don’t have to do this.  But, it may be helpful if the match doesn’t check their testing company’s account often.  

If you don’t get a response, then know you didn’t miss an opportunity to reach out.  Sometimes, a match will respond months later.  That’s why it’s important that you don’t just settle for one match to connect with. 

In Conclusion . . .

Applying reverse genealogy to DNA using collateral research is helpful for:

  • Determining which cousins beyond first cousins can provide useful information for busting through a brick wall.
  • Figuring out how DNA matches are related.

How To Use Reverse Genealogy With DNA To Identify Living Descendants: Step 2

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After you evaluate records and sources that provide names of the ancestor in question’s relatives, the next step is to do some online research.  You may have names of relatives who may be alive.  But, you need to find out where they are in the present.  They could have moved from the location listed in an obituary, for example.  

You can try out online resources listed below.  But, do not fall for prompts on some of the people finding websites for you to purchase information.  These websites are created by data brokers who make money off of selling information.  Details from a search can give you information like a name, birth year and age, other names associated with the person, people’s names who may be family or acquaintances, addresses and phone numbers.  

Be cautious with pop-ups from websites and fill-in blanks created by BeenVerified.com on some of the websites.  Just get what you can for free and move on. 

Online Resources

  1. Google https://google.com/ 

A great place to start by typing in the person’s name in the search bar.  This may lead you to other online sites like online directory pages listed below.

  1. PeopleFinders  https://www.peoplefinders.com/

Though you can find public records from websites dedicated to genealogy, you can find them on this website if you have a name and some idea of location.  

  1. White Pages https://www.whitepages.com/

If you have a name and location, WhitePages.com is a good resource.  You may be able to find out contact information like a phone number or email address.

  1. Intelius  https://www.intelius.com/ 

This website claims that it is “your go-to resource for finding people.”  Intelius claims that it updates their “people search engine in an effort to provide you with accurate and robust information.”  

  1. FamilyTreeNow https://www.familytreenow.com/

This website is known as a free option to finding living relatives.  Their mission is “to create the best free genealogy site in the world.”  They claim to have living people records in their database.  Just click on a surname.  You can pull up records of various types including those for the living.

  1. Cyndi’s List 

Check out the Finding Living Relatives list on Cyndi’s List for telephone directories https://www.cyndislist.com/finding-people/telephone-directories/ 

  1. Facebook

This is a wonderful place to look for living relatives.  I’ve discovered that it validates I’m on the right track with who is related to whom and if I have the right person.

As you explore these online resources, be sure to record your findings.  You can do that in a research log, but I created a tool to help me visualize what I found better.  

I created a Google sheet in my Google Drive to record match information as I worked through this step.  Here is what it looks like:  

Regardless of how you record your findings, it is important that you take the time to do it.  You will need this documentation for the next step. 

In Conclusion . . .

Finding living relatives using the resources listed above takes you one step further in collateral research.  Read about the next step, making connections, in the next post.

How To Create A DNA Match Tracker

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In my post about using reverse genealogy with DNA (Step 2), I told you about a tool I created to record DNA matches discovered during online collateral research.

I will share with you how I created this tool that I call a living family tracker.  The tracker lives in my Google Drive as a Google sheet. 

Here’s How

Step 1:  Create and name a new spreadsheet

  • Open the Sheets home screen at https://sheets.google.com/ 
  • Click New +.  This will create and open your new spreadsheet.
  • At the top of the page, click Untitled spreadsheet and enter a new title.
    • Surname Living Family Tracker or 
    • Surname DNA Match Tracker

Step 2:  Create column titles on line 1.  This will serve as your header row with columns.

  • Column A:  Name
  • Column B:  Cousin Type
  • Column C:  Parent
  • Column D:  Status of D or L
  • Column E:  Contacted
  • Column F:  Resource Info

Step 3:  Freeze line 1 to keep it in the same place when you need to scroll through the spreadsheet.  On the menu bar, click View > Freeze > Up to row 1.

Step 4:  Record your descendants and/or DNA matches.

  • Name:  Name of descendant (first and last)
  • Cousin Type:
  • Parent:  The name of the descendant’s parent.
    • Example:   Name is Jean.  Her cousin type is 1C1R.  Her parent would be Erin, who is your first cousin.   
  • Status D or L:  Indicate D if person named is deceased or L if person named is living.
  • Contacted:  Indicate Yes if you contacted the person named or No if you didn’t contact the person named yet.
  • Resource Info:  Indicate where you found the person named online.  You can add other comments to it like how the person is related to someone else.
    • Example for living:  23&Me & Facebook; half sister of X X.
    • Example for deceased:  GenealogyBank obit; DNA match.

In Conclusion . . .

You can create the same spreadsheet if Excel is what you’re comfortable using.  If you prefer an offline approach, creating a chart on paper will work too.  What matters is that you have a place to record your findings as you do collateral research online.