Highlighted Main Ancestral Lines

Highlighted Main Ancestral Lines
How many Ancestors Can you Find?

Monday, December 26, 2011

Post Holiday Gearing Up for 2012!

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As we prepare to bid 2011 a fond goodbye, I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas or other celebrated holida this December and know my like-minded genealogy friends are already ramping up for a spectacultar 2012. A few major events in store for the coming year are:

- - 2012 Reslease: The 1940 U.S. Census (72 years in the making!)
.....via The National Archives and Ancestry.com

- - February's 2nd Annual roots Tech Conference in Salt Lake City, UT

- - April's National Archives Genealogy Fair in Washington D.C.

- - May's NGS Annual Conference in Cincinati OH

I can't wait to see where my mother and her parents were in 1940 (suspect OK from Nana's journal of their 73 moves from 1935 - 1946!)

Genedocs is participating in the 2012 Roots Tech Challenge although not able to attend personally - I will be following the e-casts.

Working for the National Arichives now, I should be able to find a way to participate in this years DC Genealogy Fair???

It would be nice to get out to OH - we'll see.

Have a great year!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Genedocs joins Geneabloggers






___2011 GENEDOCS STATS:

---------334 Friends of "Genedocs Wetpaint" on facebook

----------76 Members at Genedocs.wetpaint

----------24 Members at gdinnovativformslibrary.wetpaint.com

----------A few more followers of Genedocs on Twitter


Well, it finally happened - yours truly has joined the masses of die hard Genealogists known as Geneabloggers. You only need to publish a genealogy related blog or read them to join - then a few simple steps later you are sporting a nifty logo on your blog, have a blogiversery on file, new followers jump up to see what your blog is all about (thanks you six new ones!)and so forth.


Anyway, as the Christmas and 2012 are fast approaching I, as many others passionate about genealogy continue to dream up ways to improve genealgy and one day even hope to make a living at it. I chose to take on the roots tech challenge for 2012 to see how biz-ready genedocs may actually be since facebook and twitter followings alone a profitable buiness do not make. My apologies Yoda and Thoreau! Seriously there are fascinating and daunting challenges to starting a business in genealogy...

..

1. How do you get paid - quick and per click with pay pal or another means - setting up the pricing scheme with Pay pal buttons was interesting to explore earlier this year!

2. Will you offer merely services to avoid dealing with mandatory taxes on physical goods? Good to know from managaing both a busy cemetery office and a proifitable records management company.

3. What niche will you specialize in that is more than a trend (that has room to grow for decades if not centuries within the family research community)? On-line research, charting and tools, Graphics and 3-D, Animations and movies? So much to choose from!

4. What are the time proven foundations that technology will and will not influence your niche and others key to what market segment you want to focus on?

5. Has anybody asked you to provide something AND offered to pay or are you driven toward a non-profit/volunteer/RAOGK status?


To all of you out there pondering these and other Genbiz questions - just make an outline, decide what to charge that will keep you very afloat, and go for it! Genedocs will also be aiming for just that in 2012!

There's always more to learn so Merry Christmas and have a safe and Happy Dec and 2012!

- Eric /Founder

Saturday, December 10, 2011

The Future of Genealogy - Part II

Genedocs is a program committed to vast improvements in the areas of family research and legacy preservation, but what does that mean to the future for you?

Will you shed tears of joy upon hearing the recorded voice of your mother captured on an answering machine by a distant cousin?


Will you revel in watching numerous videos of your family throughout the decades of your upbringing, own adult and parenthood to leave a priceless personal gift of you for countless generations?


Will the family tree charts you leave behind be both physically and digitally preserved with unbelievably comprehensive details of the lives of not only yourself, but also your close and extended relatives and attach a journal of journey authored by you?


Will your grandchildrens' smart phones have saved videoconference files of you and other family members?


These are just some of the amazing possibilites Genedocs hopes to bring to fruition much to the enjoyment of generations to come.

I can only wish that you will also join Genedocs in making them an outstanding reality!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

The Future of Genealogy


What will people interested in family research and trees be working on in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years, or 50 or even 100 years from now?


The speed at which new technology applications are pouring out into mainstream product offerings, it is somedays hard to fathom what more we could do... the decades old Star Trek Communicators were only a few years ago flip cell phones and in nearly everyones hands while today I phones, Ipads, and e-readers dominate, so much of what many people are doing and also doing with genealogy. This is likely where Genedocs begins to fit in...


In 2006 there was no practical family tree chart that combined the ease of use of a pedigree chart with the key sibling information housed in family group sheets...oh how quickly that changed as an improved pedigree template blossomed into The Genedocs Hybrid Chart available in nearly 10 versions today. (still working out the kinks of the last couple;-)


The tools like pedigree charts, research logs, and family group sheets will soon meld into single customizable applications which will be initially dominated by voice analysis and dictation programs like Dragon and others. (You can already reply to texts via voice activated replys!)

And then there is the 6G network we all secretly crave...so fast that the computers we work with will actually read our minds and seek out our ancestry when we can't (at work, during sleep) and send us e-mails of the finds for us to aknowledge or disclaim at our leisure. This seems a bit impersonal at first is what crossed my mind, but what price isn't a geneaholic willing to pay for that next ancestor photo find, brick wall busting clue, or cousin link to the descentants tree of Adam and Eve?

Until then I give you Genedocs in one of its finest hours...on facebook as Genedocs Wetpaint.

Safe and Relaxing Holidays to All!


Still Telepathetically Yours,

Eric

Monday, October 3, 2011

Grandmother's Little Green Book

The text shown here below is my transcription of an autobigraphy book my grandmother left with writings about her ancestry and further down is my feedback as I have researched over the years as to the accuracy of her remarks.

(click photo below this line to zoom in and read)



ORIGINAL TEXT:

“Pertaining to My Ancestors”
(Written Aug, 1934)
By Kathryn Neal Dawes

My great grandmother, Anna Lasipere’s people
were Hugenots who came over from France and settled in Raleigh, N.C. where Anna was born.
Her mother died soon after the child’s birth, and the father took the child to Alabama. Soon after her school days were over, she married my great grandfather, Dr. Ira Roger Hall, who came from Ireland and at this time owned a very large plantation with many slaves. Her set a great many of them free long before the Civil War. Anna & Roger Hall made their home in Claiborne, Ala. and gave birth to 4 children – Hattie, Lula, Emma, and my grandmother Kathryn Neal Hall.
Emma died in 1887, and Lula died in 1913.
Hattie married David King & had two children – Lexer & Anna Lasipiere King.
My grandmother, Kathryn Neal Hall married a young lawyer, Edward A Gause in Claiborne Ala. Edward was a graduate of the University of Ohio, and an intimate friend of the former President James A Garfield. Later they moved to Crockett, Texas where Edward was Postmaster many years & also edited one of the early newspapers of Crockett. They had five children, among whom were my aunts, Flora and Anna, and my mother, Johnnie Augusta Gause.
Aunt Flora married William Patton & had 3 children. After Patton’s death, she married Uncle John Murchison of Athens, Texas.
Aunt Anna married Johnson Phillips & had 8 children.
My mother, Johnnie A. Gause married John Thomas Dawes, whose mother was Delilah Thrasher (Dutch) and who married Dr. Edward A Dawes, (A captain in the Union Army (Boughton, Ill. Dr. E. A. Dawes’ people came from Wales England)
My father, John Thomas Dawes was postmaster of Crockett for a period of 16 years. They had 8 children – Gladys, Edd, Tom Jr., Flora, Bettie, Johnnie Lee, Arthur, and Kathryn Neal Dawes.


UPDATES BY GRANDSON ERIC R. JELLE:
Note that at the time she wrote this Kathryn was engaged to Luther W. Edlund and it is interesting that she stopped writing at her murdered father’s paragraph.

Anna’s maiden name was “Laspeyre”1
No proof of Huguenots has been found.
The family lived in Wilmington area not Raleigh.
Anna’s mother was Harriet Ashe-Davis Laspeyre
and died much later. Father didn’t go to Alabama.

“Ira” was actually Senator and physician William
Roger Hall not yet proven from Ireland and
no evidence of plantation or slave ownership found to date.
1860 Monroe County, AL Census shows family
including at least two sons Thomas and John?
with all of the listed daughters confirmed also.
No evidence of Emma or Lula’s deaths pre SSDI. Confirmed marriage to David and children via US Censuses but clouded descendant tracking.

Confirmed marriage certificate in Monroe County
Edward attended pre-Hiram College in OH with classmate and later President James A. Garfield who later appointed Edward Postmaster of Crockett where he served several terms.
Edward did edit a newspaper according to the book the History of Houston County, Texas.
1880 US Census for Crockett, TX confirms mother and aunts names.
Confirmed with U.S. Censuses.
Confirmed with U.S. Censuses.

Confirmed in 1900 1920 U.S. Censuses and 2nd wife of Edward Gause.
Dawes Bible record confirms 10 May 1889 DOM.
1860 U.S. Cen. Hamilton cty IL confirms Delila
Thrasher actually German from Drescher, 1852 Marr. cert in Hamilton County confirmed
Edward’s Civil War Service confirmed but brick wall between him and parents won’t confirm U.K.
List of postmasters of Crockett confirms John as postmaster of Crockett more than one term.
Dawes Bible confirmed siblings of Kathryn.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

1889 Letter Confirming Marriage Date

So many friends on facebook enjoyed, commented, and shared after I posted a photo of my grandmother Kaye (Dawes) Edlund's handwritten pedigree chart that I decided to share this transcribed letter from her mother Johnnie to her father John to help envision what lives were like about 130 years ago:

Office of Pickwick Hotel
B.B. Arrington, Proprietor
Table Supplied With the Best the MArket Affords
Porters Meet all Trains

Crockett, Texas May 11th, 1890

My darling husband,

Your letter that you wrote to cheer the lovely sabbath wasn't rec'd until yesterday. It was rather short but very sweet. I intended answering yesterday but had a severe headache and instead of it getting better it got worse so I concluded to wait until today to write.

I have been in the kitchen helping Bunnie(person) ice cakes. Taking lessons you know went over home this morn and wore my dress I made -everyone said it looked awful cute, saw my prarie dog and what do you think - he has dug him a deep hole in the back yard. Everyone has the mad dog craze here, the men shoot every dog they see on the streets and I really don't believe there has been a mad dog in the town.

Darling I don't want you to go overe in Mexico any more for those hateful old Mexicans might kill you. I read an account of three drummers being killed over there a few days ago and I don't want you over there for I don't intend to let anyone kill you, if I wan't you killed I can kill you myself.

Just think my darling we have been married a year yesterday and it doesn't seem sic months to me because you have been so good to me and have been so happy. If you didn't have to be away so much I would be the happiest mortal in the world. When do you realy think you will come to see me? Lots of love & kisses from your loving wife Johnnie.


This is just one of four letters my grandmother saved that her parents had exchanged in their first year of marriage and her mother passed down to her - all priceless treasures!

Monday, July 18, 2011

A New Short Book


I have planned a short meaningful publication about more than just family research for some time now. Well it is finally available at Lulu.com: "Embracing Our Final Ancestor". A free copy is shipping to me as I type which I will review and share feedback with others on both Lulu's services and quality of product.

Our present day circumstances seem to cry out daily for books with deeper and more profound meaning, but without all the additional unwanted detail. Attention spans are diminishing at an alarming rate. Some people who pay attention and are especially aware of the world around them may find this short work deeply profound while others may simply scoff at what is presented without a lengthy proof processes. Either way, I hope readers do take time to complete the Journal of Journey included so that one day they may reflect on their past as I do today with insights abounding from a world of simply amazing lively experience.

The book is available in hardcopy softcover for less than $13.00 and even much cheaper for PDF download if you prefer at

http://www.lulu.com.

As always thanks for supporting Genedocs!

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Capturing the Essence

Genedocs is in its third (Essences Series) year now of sharing with people how to have better tools for organization, charting, research, and preserve legacies, but we still aim to capture the essence of our ancestors...is it even possible?




Perhaps the best or only way to even manage such a taks is through movies save digitally for generations to come to enjoy long after we are gone. So perhaps we need to issue a free camcorder to every child after sixth grade with memory sticks that can handle a lifetime or two of famil member moments and inteviews. I know that would have been the best gift ever for this die hard researcher...oh the memories we could have captured to live on and share :D

Saturday, May 21, 2011

My Ancestors' Sur and Maiden Names


I really should have posted these much earlier so must apologize for the delay, but seeing the Augenstein name in a Masonic Newsletter today reminded me to finally add them. These names have been pretty solidly proven with the help of many family memtbers and records repositories consulted to date so I stop at VIII Generations for accuracy.

II
JELLE
EDLUND

III
NELSON / NIELSEN (Denmark)
DAWES

IV
HJODLO (Norway)
OLSON (Norway)
SKOV
SWANSON / SWENSON (Sweden)
TUCKER
GAUSE [often mistranscribed as GANSE]

V
RAGDE (Norway)
LARSON (Norway)
JENSEN (Denmark)
HASELVIG (Denmark)
JONSSON (Sweden)
THUNBERG (Sweden)
POOLE
THRASHER (Germany via DRESCHER name)
HALL (Said to be Irish, but no link yet)

VI (Maternal Continuation Only)
THRASHER (new line in AL, TN, SC)
PANNELL
GRIFFITH
MILLS
LASPEYRE [often misspelled as Lasbeyre]

VII
SEWELL
CRAWFORD
PICKENS
GRUBBS
FILSON (Antrim, Ireland)
ASHE

VIII
DULANEY
ENGLAND
DOWDLE
YARBORUGH
PARNELL (may be Pannell mistranscribed)

Masonic Ancestor Update Brings More Questions

Recently I finally received a reply from the Grand Masonic Lodge of Illinois regarding records for my elusive ancestor Edward Dawes. I state "finally" because the request was mailed in Sep 2010 from CO and took eight months apparently from them placing CA as the state and I did move to TX since then rather abruptly.

They have limited records at the grand lodge, suggested I write the Lodge in Raleigh, No. 128, but still managed to provide two copies of records for Edward that aroused some new questions...

Edward was listed as one of 22 members and one who was initiated , passed, and raised in the 1854 Logde Proceedings Book. Four years later in the 1858 Lodge Proceedings Book, Edward is listed as the Senior Steward of Logdge No. 128 in Raleigh. Then an entry of his death was included that stood outin the chart entitled

"Died since August 31, 1872": Edward Dawes (d) Nov 5 /(18)72




For anyone who has read about my research and other peoples' research on Edward, it has been fairly well documented that he died in May of 1873 and clearly has a Masonic symbol on his headstone so it is fairly remarkable that they would have the death date wrong. However, I am unfamiliar with burial rites if any are provided by the Masons for their passed on brethren (though the Knights of Pythias appear to have given some rights and acknowledgement letter for the widow of Edward's son John Thomas Dawes after he was murdered in Crockett TX in 1916.)

Of course I will gladly be writing the Raleigh Lodge No. 128 for more specifics on Edwards membership and duties.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Employment

Until you unexpectedly find yourself one of the millions of unemployed Americans desperate for even a chance to interview for a new job after months or even years of suffering, borrowing, praying, and hoping the economic mess will cease, you truly have no idea what the odds are that you will even survive...here is a statistic a leader shared with me a few days ago: 2 entry level vacancies, 600 applicants, 150 narrowed candidates to consider, 3 weeks after posting, 2 most qualified men hired.

Hiring managers unfortunately can only save the country at the rate of one or two vacancies at a time and that work still takes three to four weeks minimum.

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Genedocs to Prepare You and Your Family for Emergencies

With the recent spree of horrific tornados that just swept the southern states killing over 300 people and turning thousands of homes upside-down and inside out, we really don't need any more reminders that unexpected things do happen and we can only be prepared.

As a recent transplant from Colorado Springs to North Texas I took for granted the last decade the threats of mother nature's fury - no more!

With a mother-in-law currently sleeping the weekend in the hospital recovering from completely unexpected pnuemonia detected only after she went in for microsurgery on her shoulder again I too find the genedocs Emergency Wallet Card one of the best tools any family member can have.


Just like we as researchers prepare to preserve and protect our priceless family photos, we must be prepared to identify ourselves and loved ones including minor children, have a list of emergency contacts, and other pertinant medical and other information that can be essential in any emergency.

I kept hearing about the beautiful and smart young female college student who was literally ripped from her boyfriend's arms by one of the twisters and was killed - and thought would my family be prepared for that?

Homes across mississippi exploded, imploded, and were tossed around like toothpicks along with all the beloved family treasures - would you be prepared for that?

Please carry and EWC and scan, back up, and share your family photos. You won't regret either precaution.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Photo Discovery Help from facebook Friends


My recent excitement over identifying this photo's context has led to a good bit of reading and viewing more Spanish and Philippine American war content. War is grusome and the imagery of this one is rough to take in at times. It has been suggested Victor Edlund may be the man 2nd from the left standing, but further NARA research must be done to verify if he even served.

Thanks to the folks at the fb Ancestorville page for helping put the photo in correct historical and geographical context - Googled it all so now I'm off!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

American Civil War and Genedocs Military Forms

American Civil War 150 years Later:
As researchers everywhere are abuzz now that the 150th Anniversary of the start of the American Civil War has just passed, I want to remind those with civil war ancestors portrait photos to post them on findagrave.com now. It is FREE and will make a lasting legacy which I will be encouraging on facebook shortly after this post is finished. About 600,000 soldiers and sailors lost their lives during the four years of war which only WWII surpassed in all of American history with it's over 1 million.

GENEDOCS MILITARY FORMS

Even as the April issue of Genedocs E-Magazine was just posted with Census, pedigree mapping, document tracking, and more form and photo ideas, I am already looking two what July's issue will offer since it has ben a Military Tribute since the 2009 Unveiling. I wish I had more military photos of my family members from the War but only know of one other Pvt Francis M. Pool(e) who served with the 2nd MS something , but no photo of him can be found yet. So I will undoubtedly resort to adding unusual Civil War photos that most haven't seen like Lincoln's whisper that I added on facebook yesterday.

Whatever graphics I decide upon, I will also be sure to augment the usual three featured form templates with a few extras that readers can both enjoy and benefit from using for themselves.

Sorry I don't blog everyday with job searching and keeping up with facebook and life's necessities, hours run out as I fall asleep on a plate of creativity each night ;-)

Sunday, April 3, 2011

April Buds and Blossoms

As we drift into springtime and the birds and bees sing and pollenate the landscape around us into a budding and blossoming panorama of Spring we, as researchers, need to focus some of our time and efforts to creating new beautiful ways to preserve our family legacy.

A few handy tools I have found recently for free or on trial to help enhance family photos are GIMP 2.6 which is basically a free alternative to more pricey Photoshop for those who don't see a need to pay for it and Xara 3d Maker which is a remarkable free trial animation tool for your text which saves in GIF or even flash formats. Here are a few of my novice creations with less than a week experience using each of these programs:

GIMP definitely is worth the time and effort to make literally outstanding ancestor charts! Another effect that everyone enjoys is the perspective manipulation tool which keeps nearly all of the pixel detail as you warp any picture to your desired angle of viewing (example shown two pictures after this)


XARA 3D has some amazing animation for dext and other special effects that I hadn't seen eslsewhere - 2 trials - 7 day and 15 day depending on what you prefer - my first ran out so maybe they allow a renewal of expired ones after you uninstall completely?

This discharge certificate from WWII of my father's was angled as if you are looking down at it, yet kept the image quality of the two service photos of him that I embedded prior to perspective manipulation with GMP 2.6

Friday, March 25, 2011

To the Cloud; Petabytes and Beyond.

I read today in an article about the massive shift of information to the cloud or storing your important data in cyberspace versus on a home or business computer hard drive and considered some of the pros and cons and usefullness from the Genedocs perspective:

PROS:
- You can store nearly infinite data
- You can stop adding memory chips
- You can access it from anywhere securely
- Servers used will hopefully never lose it

CONS:
- If it's lost, and not backed up at home - then you're screwed
- How do you really know it's secure?
- What if your identity is taken by clouding your private data?
- Did we all just waste our money on flash/thumb drive USBs?

For the Genedocs impact of this shift of massive data, I will use this month's third featured form: the "Pocket Photo Pedigree"


This one page folded template is quicker than nearly all electronic methods for sharing up to five consecutive generations of ancestors' photos. Yes, it is a bit larger in your pocket, wallet, or purse than a flash drive. Yet, if the cloud servers ever get hacked, have catastrophic failure, are magnetically erased by nuclear blasts or alien attack, this little momento can live on for another hundred years at least and be backed up on a magnet proof flash drive if you prefer.

I do think the cloud is a good idea, but personally will refrain, at least for now, from sending my priceless original family tree data there until I have more assurances about all the cons;-) Flashdrives don't fail me now!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Wonderful Wednesday:

A new facebook friend yesterday recommended working at the National Archives which turns out has a new SW location only a few mere miles from my new home. I have been doing the mathe ever since BD
.
5 years records management supervisory experience
+ 4 months work in 2010 U.S. Census
+ Love of genealogy and helping people with it
+ not to mention several years experience in funeral cemetery and military casualty work.
+ being an onorably Dishcarged Veteran of the Air Force who can put those 8 years toward federal retirement.
.
It pretty much adds up to an ideal job for an ideal candidate...now to find a vacancy.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Genedocs: Crossing the Line

Normally I would restrict this blog to genealogy, but today it is time to be crossing the line...

I cross this line to help you and others be prepared, because if you are not prepared - you have prepared to fail your family.

I have crossed the line. Where family researchers confortably seek out death certificates excitedly on a regualr basis, I stepped intrepidly across the line and challenged people through Genedocs to draft their own.

Where genealogists peruse obituaries regularly gleaning key information, I again stepped over that line with Genedocs daring people to write their own full obit. before their last day approaches them.

Where emergency workers and funeral sales people promote the need for certain groups to have an ICE (In Case of Emergency)card handy on their person, I once more jumped over that line with Genedocs insisting every person without an Emergency Wallet Card (EWC) for themselves and each of their legal dependants was begging for pandemonium and utter personal chaos upon their next family emergency/death in the family or lost/missing child.

I crossed the line once more with Genedocs because when an ambulance arrives at your next family medical emergency you will need a HIPPA release authorization handy just to have the legal right in writing to know just where they are taking your child, spouse, parent, grandparent, etc.

Where attorneys and financial experts profess the absolute necessity for all working and retired people to have a solid estate plan including last wills or trusts, I lept over the line once more with Genedocs explaining how attorneys and a CPA failed to protect the wealth of a grandfather from his con-artist first born son from taking over $300,000 from his other two decent grandchildren. How for thirty years both the attorneys and CPA neglected to even contact this grandfather to even verify that his westate plan involve every family member he loved and wanted to benefit from his estate after his eventual passing. With Genedocs over that line I freely offer not only my recommended estate plan, but also my recommended wish and asset lists because your estate is about so much more personal things than money.

I crossed the line and can share with you how one brother and sister came through Hell and back so you and your loved ones don't have to endure the unbearable pain of having your family ripped apart by the highly probable yet unforseen misunderstandings we all take for granted every day. This injustice happens nearly every day somewhere in the U.S. more often than most attorneys would ever dare admit - after all they collect on both ends of this dishonor whether their help saves a family or destroys it through drafting last wills and trusts, later probating them, and litigating prolonged agonizing disputes when such tools fail miserably to fairly distribute estate assets to heirs both named and unnamed.


I cross this line to help you and others be prepared, because if you are not prepared - you have prepared to fail your family.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Genedocs became FREE to everyone yesterday

   Here you go:   http://www.gdinnovativeformslibrary.wetpaint.com/


     Time management is always a big issue no matter who you are.  Making Genedocs Free allows for my contributions to be most easily shared without the need for announcment and frees up time to find employment somewhere that actually appreciates the "best of the best" working for them...

     Only 15% of Americans qualify to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces
     Fewer still to serve in the Air Force
     Much Fewer served as Security Police
     Far fewer served as Law Enforcement
     And handfuls of those served more than one four year term
     Even less earned their Associate Degree from The Community
     College of the Air Force-The World's Largest Community College
     One person from this group has worked not once, but twice in
     death services after losing all of their living ancestors in less
     than two years.

    Yours truly.

                 Eric/Founder

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

VIDEO LEGACY - Will you invest the time to even leave one small one?

The technology is here if we are wise enough to use it. We can now, and for a while actually, leave a video legacy for our family many of whom we will never meet due to mere life expectancy, accidents, etc.

So why don't we?  Most often it is due to distractions and simple procrastination.

So if you were planning n spending a few more minutes reading this blog...

I now release you from the internet to go video record at least a 2 minute clip of your birth information for you amazing life legacy - and you may have a full move before you finish with it!

GO FOR IT.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Employment versus Productivity

     I would love to have a job related to genealogy( obviously!), and strangely struggle, as many others do, with just finding work anywhere these days.  Does that qualify myself and others like me as failures - NO! So long as we spend our time being productive with something - leaning new skills, networking with others, and exploring the world for its boundless raemaining opportunities - Yes!  We the unemployed still matter.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Death is Exciting for Researchers

    Many people are fairly leary about death - even just talking about it gives them the jitters.  But those folks certainly aren't avid genealogists!  The die- hard researchers can sometimes be found exchanging pictures of headstones during late night get-togethers at Village Inn, Denny's, or other open haunts. ;-)
.
     Death isn't meant to be feared so much as it is life's greatest mystery; the biggest curtain we just aren't allowed to see behind until it is our turn - next in line please - he's really a nice fellow,  death.  He's never in a hurry, calm and collected, and has the experience of the ages we could each learn a great deal from.  So try not to cringe every time you drive by a cemetery.  Our car broke down a while back in a busy intersection during morning rush hour traffic and I told my wife after I hurriedly pushed it into the cemetery entrance - "better the car than us - shall we just leave her here for the next round of burials?"
.
     After losing both parents and one grandparent in 6 months and our last grandparent 13 months later you would think I had had enough of death for a while, but then working in a combination cemetery/funeral home and a wartime military casualty office I now actually have a great relationship with death...afterall, he is responsible for each and every death certificate, grave marker, and probate record you have found as well as the ones you are still looking for. :)

Thursday, February 3, 2011

February already? - A Blog for Forms and Research Ideas

Yesterday I posted general descriptions on facebook for "the Basic 6 of Genedocs" covered more thoroughly each January and February in the members E-Magazine so I am adding general info here as well:

1. Ancestor Outline List (AOL)- combining roman numerals for Generations, regular ahnentafel numbering for individual ancestors, and check boxes for when you complete each generation, each person, etc.  The outline's first page can cover 5 gens.

2. Folder Cover Sheet (FOL) - when you pull a relatives file out of a drawer or box you really want to know what is in it with one look (as well as what still needs to be found and added)  The Folder Cover Sheet does just that with categories and descriptive source document reminders.  TABS are also available for file folders that are actually organized with three divider tabs for life areas such as BMD, EDU, EMP, MIL SVC, etc.

3. Improved File Labels (LAB) - every filing system I had seen prior to creating this one was based on names and /or numbers for ancestors/relatives.  They didn't work as effectively as they did for lawyers, doctors, and other businesses that shuffle paperwork so often daily that it appeared to be just business.  My family left a great personal legacy allowing me to upgrade to this at-a-glance file recognition system using standard address labels and my  31,000 words in just a moment or two techniques.  Members enjoy this feature very much and it can be converted to computer filing in a flash.

4. Improved Research Log (LOG) -  an effective and practical log can be  challenging to find in the mass of average ones available on-line and in books these days.  In 2004 I began using this template even to my surpise with great ease.  It identifies fundamentals right of the bat in the header who's being researched, when, and by whom?  It continues with a grid of key pertinent life areas and source note reminders forming an excellent template including a handy "other" block when items don't fit into the FOL TAB areas of BMD, EDU, EMP, MIL, SVC, etc

5. Genedocs Hybrid Chart (PED+) - The new standard for genealogical charting in this millennium. Some people love pedigree charts, while others cling desperately to their family group sheet records.  In 2007 I simply couldn't effectively research anymore without both.  This template has evolved wonderfully to include nearly 8 versions since 2008 and offers all kinds of researchers a new platform with which to chart the most needed and desired family data in the most effective manner; it includes ancestry in manageable bites, its design revolves around family member portraits as adult and child when available, full data on up to 11 siblings per ancestor, critical source information, and fully customizable compiler comments researchers have yearned for over the past several decades.  With all of this in one astounding innovative new template you may wonder why I even bothered with the next form...

6. Improved Family Group Sheet (FGS+) - Although the Hybrid Form does everything I wanted it to and some days even more, I too cling to my group sheets, but they were redesigned in 2001 prior to my first family reunion and remain ever so effective to this day.  They are clearly photographic based but contain another element that even the genedocs Hybrid Chart simply can't accomodate yet; they can keep a family of up to 26 members all on one sheet of paper when most group sheets still split children from parents by cramming too much data in with grandparents data and tiny boxes full of text in font sizes most of us can't even read now let alone when we get much older!
This template is key to Genedocs and researchers in that it forms not only a database, but also in doing so, a "photobase." - New term coined today by Genedocs 12:10 pm :-)   People everywhere love a photobase for their family whether they even know about it or not yet!   Just found a neat photo site Pbase.com...cool!

Monday, January 31, 2011

Messy Mondays ;-)

Some days run smoother than others - not that any one day of the week is better than others, but Mondays can be challenging alone not even considering how many are complicated further by those Friday or Monday Holidays where you only return the Following week to cram the work of 5 days into four.

Only advice - when you get off work the previous week be sure to jot down the three most important things you need to have ready next week and three family research goals you want to knock out before next week arrives!

Consider it a five minute appointment for future success.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Chatting can be great for networking and just plain fun!

After burning a bit of midnight oil with the crew on Ancestorvilles facebook chatroom for the GraveYard Shift, I realized how naturally chatting becomes after you have been at it for a bit - and if you aren't comfortable spilling your beans, then just watch others' conversations and chime in whenever you have something relevant - even if just a joke or similar tale from your background.  Yes, research headway is even made, but more importantly networking happens in chat rooms for future teamwork on your challenges and those of others.

After all we can use all the help we can get from the brick walls I've seen!

Friday, January 28, 2011

Not a bad first day of blog learning!

Definitely and education in formating web set up and probably need some brush up on html ;-) 

Enjoy the links and pics.  See you on facebook and in the members section!

Genedocs blog begins today.

Genedocs = Genealogy + documents. 

     Genealogy and documents have been intertwined since people began storytelling by hand thousands of years ago.  Now that it is the year 2011, we amazingly can tell family stories across the globe using computers, e-mail, and postings like this one found all over the Internet.  Global networking is an unbelievable tool for family researchers! 

      Genedocs is currently a FREE program made up of several key parts for anyone with any level of interest in their family tree (just starting out to the most season brick wall buster) and/or preserving their family legacy:

1.  Foundation:  Genedocs Innovative Forms Library  (A gold mine For researching MS Office Users - also works for mac users via open office applications minimum base of 30 Featured templates and infinitely expandable for improvements)

      A.  Have you ever seen a Hybrid Chart ?; with ancestry, portraits, siblings' data, source information, and unlimited customized comments? 

Think about what you just read - that is everything every researcher wants and all on just one form!

  - Ancestry    CHECK
  - Portraits of Ancestors as Adults and as Children!CHECK
  - Sibling Data with portraits and spouse details   CHECK
  - Source Informationdisclaimers, full source details, and even up
                                          to vital certificates right on the chart!              
                                                                      ASTOUNDING CHECK!
  - Unlimited Custom Comments  - from you the compiler to emphasize what really matters and your journey's hurdles so the rewarding evidence is never lost again.  Also includes privacy options to better handle who can view what you want them to.  CHECK


    B.  Would you be interested in a photographic family group sheet that can
           handle 26 members and their portraits all on one sheet?

For all of you with Group Photos you've spent years identifying each person shown  - especially the big farming and other large families that other group sheets split up on several pages increasing the likeliness of being lost foreverExpandable enough to be a photographic and informative database in itself.

     C.  A Series of Life Legacy Changing Forms that help you handle the
           inevitable - no, not taxes!           

2.  Genedocs E-Magazine:  Usually published monthly NLT the 2nd
          SATURDAY of months Jan - Oct/Nov - Nov depends entirely on reader
          feedback.  Each issue covers in better detail the following:

   A.  THREE of the Featured forms in a logical sequence through the many
         common areas of research;  (organization, interviewing, charting, photo
         impact, military service, biographies, descend tracking, dating photos,
         etc.)

    B.  A BONUS Form or template - new handy finds or creations

    C.  A monthly Series Exclusive Form Template or Tool - useful
          concepts that may never be released again.

3.  Where to access the Library and E-Magazines:

A. FREE to join via http://www.genedocs.weptaint.com/
   1). Set up a profile
                  
    2). Send an e-mail from your regular account to 
     genedocs@hotmail.com telling how you heard about Genedocs and what
    attracted you to join.

   3). Wait about a day for the Members page link where Featured Forms
         templates are attached at the bottom of the page and links at the upper
         left get you to the E-Magazine page and other Member Exclusive
         Content.

4. Genedocs is also on facebook and has a few downloadable and printable motivational better offerings on the cheap at Lulu.com

...a longer first blog, but remember first impressions are this important!
Eric/Genedocs Founder