From My Bookshelf

Getting It Right  [i]

From My Bookshelf

Getting It Right is a style guide for consistently recording family history, making it easier and more efficient to share information regardless of which family history software programs you use. It provides guidelines for consistently recording information on paper records such as Family Group Sheets and Pedigree Charts, and guidelines for submitting Temple Ordinances for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Names

By page 16, I had stopped going into my Ancestry tree to make changes in the way names had been recorded.  Now, instead of Carl R (Charles) Larsen, his name reads Carl Rudolph Larsen, and in the AKA field, the name is Charles. He was baptized as Carl in Norway and began using the name Charles after the family immigrated to the United States.

Dates

The section on dates contains the clearest explanation of double dating that I have ever read:

“All dates from the 25th of March through the 31st of December use a single dating system., All dates from the 1st of January through the 24th of March use the double dating system, Finally, all dates from the 25th of March return to the single dating system. The beginning year depends on the year each country officially adopted the Gregorian calendar.”[ii]

It also includes an explanation of Quaker dating, which I will probably never need, but it will be useful to many people.

Geographic Locations

This was a fun section. I have always been fascinated by the fact that my paternal Grandmother was born “At Sea”. I have documented that fact in different ways in different places. Now I know that the correct format is “Atalanta”, the name of the ship, “Atlantic Ocean”, the body of water, and “At Sea”, the exact location. In the Lakes and Rivers examples, the author used King County locations. Lake Washington and Medina brought a smile to my face. [iii] Looking ahead, she gives examples of how to document events occurring in space or on celestial bodies.[iv]

Event Tags 

This was my favorite section of this book. The author lists 46 different ones, but of course, you can create custom tags to suit your needs. This is where you can enter all the bits of information that will enable you to add color and context to your life, or the life of your ancestor. I learned the difference between Baptism and Christening, which I had never wondered about. I have been both, so tracking down the dates will be an interesting project. Somehow, I don’t think I will ever get back far enough in my family history to need to document the date and title of a Crusade, but if I do, I know where to look it up.

Research Tags

“Whenever further research on an item is required, enter the type of research needed and then enter all related citations.”[v]

This is the section you can use to note conflicts that have arisen in your research or to document conclusions you have reached using indirect evidence.

Appendix A is a very handy Reference Table for Roman Numerals.
Appendices B, C and D are charts for specialized needs,
Appendix E is a brief but very helpful guide to Gazetteers and Maps.

I purchased this book used, in 2020, and it has rested unopened on my bookshelf until last week. I have now moved it to a place on my desk; I am sure I will be reaching for it frequently.  (Editor's note:  an internet search found this book for sale at several of our favorite booksellers.  Many of them listed a limited supply.)

Best of Luck in researching and documenting your family history!

Barbara Mattoon   

[i] Slawson, Mary H., Getting It Right, The Definitive Guide To Recording Family History Accurately, Salt Lake City, Utah, Drexel Book Company, 2002.

[ii] Ibid. p. 128.

[iii] Ibid,. p. 144.

[iv] Ibid. p. 146.

[v] Ibid. p.181.

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Send your stories to m.strickland@skcgs.org

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