Posts

Showing posts from September, 2024

Wild Goose Chase? Revisit Old Research

Image
Revisit Old Research   White Goose Flying - Royalty free from pickpic.com Why Rake Up Old Research?  There are lots of reasons to revisit old research. Perhaps: New DNA match New record  Questions from connections Or maybe questions you ask yourself based on new education, more experience and newly-found connections. No matter the reason, I have found that revisiting is more useful than a "do over. " We all learn as we gain experience, both in methodology and as we deepen our understanding of our families and their stories, migrations, and the places where they lived.  DNA Tools Give a Reason for a Fresh Look Recently I asked my cousin to generate a DNA cluster report for my McBee uncle, because he is one generation closer to our ancestors than any of us cousins are. If you have never seen an autocluster, see one here:  https://education.myheritage.com/article/autoclusters-for-dna-matches/ . It is fun to see the report take shape, and the groups are very useful. I share DNA w

October is Family History Month: Tell Your Stories

Image
Best Reason to Throw a Party The best excuse to clean your house , I once read, is to ready it for a party . While cleaning house, I thought, is the same true about "writing it up"? Writing the stories of our ancestors and relatives is the culmination of our work. When we know that our place is welcoming to guests, we feel free to celebrate; telling stories of the past unlocks the lives of our families to all who hear them. Writing the stories is t he best excuse to research. Write while researching so that that your thoughts have somewhere to go‒directly into the notes, before they evaporate. Writing soothes the itch in the brain instead of sending us down rabbit holes. Now is a great time to get started writing, in preparation for Family History Month in October . Courtesy of the National Genealogical Society Writing tests our research and thinking It is while writing that holes in the story are exposed, inconsistencies glare, and leaps of logic fall flat. If our analysis

Celebrate our Team of the Year!

Image
 SKCGS Publicity Team Honored at Annual Meeting Friday evening, August 30, our team, along with committees and individuals were honored by genealogists across the state of Washington.  The Washington State Genealogical Society is proud to recognize the outstanding achievements of local individuals and genealogical societies and organizations of the state. Each year, the WASGS presents special citations in recognition and appreciation of the dedication and commitment exhibited to the genealogical community in Washington State. What We Do Our effective, active SKCGS  Publicity team supports everything that our society does. Some behind the scenes, such as our team email lists, shared calendar and file system, some publicly, such as the website and monthly emails which are sent out to each Member and every supporter of the society who wants to stay in touch, and help to promote our programs. This monthly email also is used by others to publicize our events, such as the Washington State G