The Year Ahead – January 20

In the January/February 2024 issue of Family Tree Magazine, they have introduced The Year Ahead, 366 genealogy tips will make 2024 your best research year yet by Lisa A Alzo. Lisa mapped out a day-by-day research plan.

January 20 – Create a genealogy correspondence log in an Excel spreadsheet. List letters you send and receive alongside contact information.

In my early days of research, late 1980’s and early 1990’s, I kept a paper correspondence log. Sometimes, replies took many months, and I would have forgotten to follow up with the log.

In today’s world, you might want to keep track of Ancestry messages you send to other members. Even though Ancestry saves the messages on your account, having an easy spot to review who you sent messages to, is nice.

Also, emails you might send out to people or organizations. I can group my sent emails if I want, however the correspondence log makes the visual easier and you can create separate tabs in Excel for different types of correspondence. One for USPS (snail mail), one for emails, another for Facebook and yet another for Ancestry messages.

Lastly, be patient, I have been known to put off an email and then totally forget about it. Therefore, send out gentle reminder emails, but give them sometime between the emails.

Remember to have fun and Just Do Genealogy!