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.
June 30 – You’re about halfway through the year. Update and reprioritize
your to-do-lists and review your research logs.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 29 – Turn y our research upside down and print out a descendant tree chart from your genealogical software program. Note gaps to fill in.
I use Family Tree Maker (FTM) as my genealogical software program. FTM offers several different descendant reports. The first is a descendant chart. I like the view, but not helpful to seeing gaps. Next, they offer a Descendant Report. I like this report and have been using it often in my current project of finding all the descendants of one of my 3rd great grandparents. If you get in the habit of place seven underscores for missing names (first and surnames), you can quickly see missing information.
Also, this report gives basic information such as birth, marriage and death information, thus you can see if you are missing any of those fields.
The last report that I see for descendants is the Outline Descendant Report – this gives a quick list of all the descendants of your selected primary person. This report best represents how I am going through my file, verifying, adding and modifying information about the descendants of my 3rd great grandparents. This final report lets me work through the descendants without missing anyone. I can use it as a check list and cross of each descendant once I am happy that I have exhausted my research for them. I have removed all the vital information (for privacy reasons) however, you can see how this report can be useful as a checklist.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 28 – The assassination of Austria’s Franz Ferdinand on
this day in 1914 triggered World War I. View an interactive timeline at www.theworldwar.org/interactive-wwi-timeline.
On April 6, 1917, the United States declares war on Germany.
Have you checked the World War I draft registrations for the males in your
family. Many give their birth date and place, along with someone who knows
them, which usually is their next of kin. Many times, this was their mother or
father.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 27 – For National Bingo Day, create a fun ancestral bingo
game to play at your next family gathering or reunion. See a template at www.alicechilds.com/ancestorbingo
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 26 – Use a relationship calculator or chart (you’ll
find both at http://www.searchforancestors.com/utility/cousincalculator.html
to figure out how you’re related to an internet cousin.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 25 – Share an ancestral photo to your favorite social
media site.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 24 – Add metadata to your images to describe what the
file is, when/where it was taken, and how it’s been modified. Select a few
photos to start.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 23– Use NARA’s Access to Archival Databases www.archives.gov/aad to search WWII Army
enlistments, Korean or Vietnam War deaths, and other records.
I decided to look up my father-in-law. It confirms his parents’ names and gives his birthplace location. I always thought it was Springfield, IL when it appears it might have been Melvin, Ford County, Illinois.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 22 – Check out the tips and resources at Reunion
magazine <www.reunionsmag.com> If you help plan the annual family reunion.
Tips that I have learned: Start early, give yourself at least a year or more, this way you can get a pre-notification out to people and perhaps recruit others to help. Create a timeline of important deadlines you will want to meet to stay on track.
Some other tips I found on the Reunion website: Carefully chose your location. You want a place that is convenient, fits into your budget and allows enough room for everyone. Have a backup plan, if having it at a park, what will you do if it rains? Does the park offer indoor or sheltered areas.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 21 – Smile for the camera – It’s National Selfie Day!
Take a good one and post to your favorite social media platform for future
generations.
I hate having my picture taken. I have taken a few over the
years, mostly with my hubby while on vacation. I am sharing the fun one I have
for my zoom meetings. When I have to step away, or I turn off my video feed,
this is what other’s will see.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 20 – Sanborn fire-insurance maps www.loc.gov/collections/sanborn-maps
can give you detailed descriptions of family homes.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 19 – Juneteenth commemorates emancipation in Texas.
Here are six digital record projects that will help you trace enslaved
ancestors (www.familytreemagazine.com/heritage/african-american/slave-record-projects-juneteenth>.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 18 – Examine historical maps of ancestorial locales.
Then see if you can pinpoint where relatives lived, worked and attended church.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 17 – Page through old address books for names of past
generations, friends and neighbors. Then look up their surnames in a modern
telephone book or on social media to see if you can find descendants.
My research often involves trying to find descendants. I
find an obituary and if they list the descendants and their current town, I
often use property tax records and look up their last name. Keep in mind, that
everyone doesn’t owe property, but when they do, it helpful if you want a address.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 16 – Observe Father’s Day by focusing on your paternal
lines. And don’t forget to call the dads in your life!
When my parent’s moved to Arizona, my oldest brother started
to have the Father’s Day celebration at his home. He had a huge yard. Now that
he is gone, I try to have my children over for Father’s Day. However, this
year, my husband will be helping our youngest son move into his first home in
Wyoming, and thus no Father’s Day celebration this year.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 15 – Study relatives’ hobbies, favorite hangouts, and
social clubs by examining souvenirs, trophies, ribbons, pins and related
memorabilia.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 14 – Investigate immigrant ancestors’ naturalization records in honor of Flag Day.
Use the 1900-1930 and 1950 US Census for immigration or naturalization status, see if your ancestor actually became a naturalized citizen.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 13 – Got ancestors who lived in orphanages? Start
tracking them using the links at Cyndi’s List https://www.cyndislist.com/orphans
Don’t forget about the orphan train. I believe a distant cousin married a child of the orphan train. He shows up as foster child in a household with no other children. Then he is listed as adopted son, and finally son who took on the new family name.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 12 – Tap into the (mostly) free DNA Painter www.dnapainter.com to demystify your test results with color-coded family trees, chromosome-mapping, and relationship calculators.
For example, when I had an unknown close relative who matched me at 538 cMs, I turned to DNA Painter to see the possible relationships. I could eliminate many of the relationships in the 88% group based on the age of my match. It left Half 1C and 1C1R. Looking at the 9% group, only 1C or half Niece/Nephew were left. In the 3% group, I had Half 1C1R or 2C. Now when I looked at my matches, I could tell, it had to be some sort of cousin on my father’s side of the family. I concentrated on the 1C1R and soon felt it was one of my aunt’s son’s child. After assisting the unknown relative with her matches, she gave me access, I confirmed this speculation. I could figure out who her grandparents were, but not her parents. Her mother's parent's obituaries only listed how many children each had, not who they were. She reached out to her mother’s side of the family, through a DNA match that had the same surname as her maternal grandparents and was given the name of who her mother most likely was. My newly found cousin reached out to this woman who confirmed that she was her birth mother and gave the name of her father, who was the son of my Aunt.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 11 – Sketch out a plan (“storyboard”) for a family
history video. Look for photos, sound clips, scanned documents, and videos to
include.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 10 – Look for wills and estate papers among court documents. You may find bequests to friends, relatives or neighbors, as well as names of debtors and outstanding bills.
Anyway, she sent me a copy of my 2nd great grandfather’s petition for probate of will. This typed document from the Columbia County, Wisconsin court was very interesting. James Crinion of Fountain Prairie, Columbia County died on the 25th day of February, 1923. Then it listed his next of kin, three sons, a granddaughter of his deceased daughter, Rose and 8 children of his other deceased daughter., Jennie. It states that all of the said heirs are competent and of full age except five grandchildren are minors and his son John who is incompetent. I believe John had learning disabilities, because after his father’s death, he went to live in an asylum.
James had personal property of about six hundred dollars and real estate at about three thousand dollars. Plus, the annual rents and profits of the real estate doesn’t exceed one hundred twenty-five dollars. He left no debts.
He left my great grandfather, David three hundred dollars to be paid within three years and a lien on the property shall remain until the debt is paid.
He left five dollars to John. Speculation is that he left him something, so the will could not be contested but only five dollars because he was incompetent.
He left Jennie’s children nothing, for the reason is that he made provision for his daughter in her lifetime and his grandchildren have never assisted him in any way. He didn’t leave anything to his other daughter, Rose’s only child because she previously received one hundred dollars from him, and was in a position to provide for herself. This granddaughter had lived with James and his wife. She even stayed there after her grandmother’s passing in 1899. However, sometime in her teenage years, she went to live with her father, who was a wealthy man and her step-mother and their children.
He left the farm to his third son, Charles and all of his personal property. He was also the executor of the will. Charles had lived on the farm with his father, James.
The will was written on 29th day of July, 1918.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 9 – A pack-rat ancestor may have left an envelope or
shoebox stuffed with old receipts for purchases, bills and bank deposits. Track
it down, then decide what is and isn’t worth keeping.
For disclosure: This isn't a picture of my desk. I really couldn't work like this. I have my piles hiding in boxes and cabinets. ;-)
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 8 – For National best Friend Day, write a biography of one of your ancestor’s best friends (or of your own buddy).
Alyson came from a large family, and so did I. She was the second youngest. She had three brothers and four sisters. Her oldest brother, Marc Mercury (not his birthname) was a stunt actor and in fact, was Don Johnson’s stunt double for Miami Vice. He also appeared in Smokey and the Bandit as one of the football players that Burt Reynolds played against. I only met this brother once and it was during the Miami vice (years) and yes, he looked very much like him. Don and Marc are still friends and race boats together.
Alyson has been married twice; she has two sons with her first husband. Her current husband and her have two cats and one dog. She was a Food Service Director in Fond du Lac County and retired last year. Her and her husband like to go camping during the summer. She was the maid of honor at my wedding and is my oldest child’s godmother. In fact, when my daughter was about five years old, Alyson spent the day with her and had my daughter’s ears pierced without telling or asking me. She was a rascal. I will always remember her red Nova that she drove when we were teenagers. I think she got the car from one of her brothers.
In 2014, I lived in Arizona and had a 2nd home for summers in Fond du Lac. My husband, youngest daughter and I were up during one weekend in February so that my daughter could try for a scholarship at a college in Wisconsin. Fond du Lac has what I consider one of the best pizza places around and we decided to eat there one night. We parked across the street and walked into the place. A few minutes later, I get a text from Alyson asking if that was me walking across Main Street. My daughter explained that best friends can spot you a mile away. She was so right. We met up later at a local bar down the street that was having a Kiss Tribute band playing. That is Alyson’s favorite band.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 7 – Celebrate your roots at a church’s or social club’s ethnic festival.
When I was growing up, I remember the county fair had all the ethnic groups in one building, serving their traditional foods. It was the best part of going to the fair for me. I enjoyed learning about other cultures and heritages.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 6 – The Allies stormed the beaches of Normandy on this day in 1944. Learn more about D-Day (and World War II generally) at www.nationalww2museum.org
As our World War II veterans are quickly aging and dying, it will be up to the next generations to remember and not forget.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 5 – The first of three US WWI draft registrations took place on this date in 1917. Search for registration cards at www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1968530
My grandfather’s date of birth on his WWI draft registration card is listed as 1899. His obituary, death certificate and gravestone all have 1900. Why? Because he was very caging about his birth date. How do I know if 1899 or 1900 is correct. Well, he appears in the 1900 US Census as a one-year-old, thus I am leaning towards 1899 being correct. His WWII draft registration card also listed his year of birth as 1899.
People didn’t have to serve to have a draft registration card, they were just signing up for the draft. My grandfather did not serve. Take this time to look up all the young men who were born between 1872 and 1900 in the draft registrations. You may want to look at people in your file who might have been born as early as 1870 and as late as 1905, they may have lied about their age, if they wanted to serve.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 4 – consult your timelines to see when ancestors
graduated high school and college. Study historical newspapers for
announcements and exam-passing lists.
I have many living relatives who are from small towns and I
love when they publish the graduates page. Where they put all the Senior
pictures in the paper and tell them congratulations! This helps me estimate
their year of birth. Then I might find an actual birth announcement in the
paper with their actual day of birth.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 3 – Have a relaxing reading session at the beach, a local park, or your own backyard.
What will you be reading about?
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 2 – Schools may be out for summer, but you can still
find your ancestor’s yearbook at sites such as Classmates.com , Ancestry.com and
MyHeritage.
If you can visit the library in the town where your ancestor went to school, they might have their yearbook too. Don’t just look for their yearbook photo, see what sports, clubs or other organizations they may have been a part of during their high school years.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
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.
June 1 – The 1931 census of Canada recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/index was related to the public one year ago today. Have you checked it for your
ancestors?
I like check census records to see what the family unit
looks like during the census year. Have they added any more children, have any
children disappeared from the census. Did they marry and moved away? Did they
die and you need to look for a death record. Were they missed completely? Are
you looking in the correct spot. Was their surname butchered in the census and
this is why you can’t find them?
Did you know you can use wildcard characters in your search.
I typed in a first name of S* and then entered my desired last name. Anyone who’s
first name or middle name started with a S and my entered last name appeared in
my search.
Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!
