Collaboration in Life

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Courtesy of Pixabay; Peggy & Marco, artists



Chat was Great!

Following our society November monthly genealogy Chat, I was left with an emotional high I had not felt in quite a while. And I have been thinking since then – what made me feel so good and how does it affect anything or everything genealogy-speaking?

Working with Relatives

After sifting thoughts and memories, I realized that the chat reminded me of how my Grand-Aunt Bessie Arminta McPherson Hill captivated me with our family stories and memories. I thought about some of my best genealogy times – when I met a Tennessee cousin who had gone to school with my Dad’s youngest brother on an email list where we researched virtually together for over 10 years until her death. We corresponded online with loads of cousins and other folks from East Tennessee families. It was a heady feeling.



I thought of looking for lost graveyards with my cousin Terry on old Manhattan Project land in Tennessee, still under lock and key just 20 years ago. Of Terry and me reading original marriage documents by candlelight in a Tennessee courthouse because the lights were out (yes, that really happened). Of crawling with Terry through Dyllis Cemetery at dusk with a flashlight looking for markers because Daddy and I were leaving to catch a plane early in the a.m.

And that pulled everything together for me. While there is a lot of individual research in our passion and trade, we really thrive when we share our trials and frustrations, put our heads together, pore over theories and piece our work together with others and hit the big “aha.” Okay, sometimes it’s just a big disappointment and we have to start again, but we have company and are stronger for it.

Genealogy = Collaboration

The definition of the study of genealogy is “the science of tracing your family back through the centuries.” I personally believe that genealogy also equals collaboration. For we did not come from a family of one, live in a neighborhood of one and those people did not make it on their own, nor do we. Genealogists call our extended grouping a FAN (friends, associates and neighbors) club. I call it a collaboration in life.

Once again, I am left with the conclusion that as genealogists we need to extend this collaboration by helping each other in our research efforts, learning new techniques, and sharing our enthusiasm, talents, and resources.




I believe that one of the major strengths of SKCGS is that we both offer and “do” collaboration on several levels, including our several user groups in addition to the monthly Chat, plus there are always volunteer opportunities in SKCGS itself.  




We are working on two more collaboration vehicles listed below. Stay tuned for more information on these.

● We’ll be making public, on our communication platform groups.io, a list of “resources” from our members and attendees that was begun during the first Chat at the beginning of Covid. You will be able to contribute to the list of books, indices, maps etc., from which owners are willing to do a research lookup.

● We are also “resurrecting” an idea we previously tried over a year ago and are now presenting in a new format. The former “Persons of Interest” research group on groups.io has been renamed “Research Collaboration” and instead of being a set meeting will become an opportunity for you to post your “brick wall opportunities” to the group and seek ideas or comments from your genealogy peers.



Courtesy of Pixabay

Let's Do It!

Please, join our quest to find relatives (who may be yours as well) and to build up our genealogy buddy teams. Drop in on our Genealogy Chat on the 4th Monday of every month at 1 p.m. PT or sign up for our Technology and Genetic Genealogy groups at https://skcgs.groups.io to get invitations to our virtual meetings and the latest genealogy news and tips. Bring your curiosity, questions and your skills and prepare to both “collaborate” and enjoy yourselves. See you there!

Alexis Hacker Scholz





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