Extremely Off-Topic: Genealogy

[zuse]

This forum doesn't have a true Off-Topic forum but I thought this might still be okay to post since I notice that Ghost/Sarah also has a Genealogy site (and this site does seem to me like a nostalgic derivative of that type of research). I love researching - be it history of toys, ancestors, or other subjects I'm interested in. So far I've researched my family back to all 32 of my great-great-great grandparents. There are a few of those names I need to find the graves for and research a bit more to absolutely 100% sure about but I'm pretty close. I was able to use some of the earlier research of my older relatives but I've also had great success on my own using all the searchable information that is out there (my relatives oh both sides have also ALL lived in the same state for 150+ years which simplifies matters quite a bit).

Is anyone else into genealogy?

[Ghost Of The Doll]

Hi Zuse, you've just given me the excellent idea of creating a new non toy related board for my two other passions: genealogy and arty stuff!

I too would love to know who else is interested in genealogy as I find it fascinating.

I've been able to trace 31 of my 32 sets of my 4th Great Grandparents, plus some lines have gone way back using parish records (15 generations for one family in particular).

I'm very thorough in my research, only adding in people once I can be sure they're correct. I'm constantly surprised by the amount of researchers who aren't, and will add in people to their online family trees without checking the sources (or sometimes even simply that the dates are correct).

How about you? What are your research methods and what resources do you use?

[zuse]

Oooh, you're a generation out past me! I'd say I have about half of the great-great-great-greats with relative certainty.

I know what you meant about incorrect records - it drives me crazy! I'm specifically talking about the mothers since a lot of men and women would remarry pretty quickly after they lost a spouse. This makes it very tricky sometimes to make sure you have the right mother for your ancestor!

So far I've posted corrected information for one relative that EVERYONE has wrong (two guys in the area had the same name and everyone is claiming the wrong wife as our ancestor). The problem is they put their guesses up which serve as hints so all these people that are just filling in every vaguely related person into their tree perpetuates the error (kind of the Google effect, when thousands of pages plagiarize a "fact" that was never true to start with). Anyways, I know my part is correct, anyways.

My dream is to get a DNA test and maybe track down as many at least one living male descendant from each of the lines and get a paternal DNA test as well. That's having to wait until I'm super wealthy, though.

My Favorite Resources:

I'm a non-paying user of Ancestry.com. I LOVE their free family tree tools, though, and can still access hints.
(I can also use the Library Edition at my local library)

I am ADDICTED to Find-A-Grave. I've added memorials for over 50 ancestors so far:
http://www.findagrave.com

The Mormons have a TON of records from my state entered in their database:
https://www.familysearch.org/

You can look up Revolutionary War Ancestors here:
http://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search/

You can look up Civil War Soldiers here:
http://www.civilwar.nps.gov/cwss/soldiers.cfm

Military Burials of US Soldiers (this specific link is for WWII):
http://www.abmc.gov/search/wwii.php

Genealogy Board focused on Military:
http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/genealogy/default.aspx

A library card from a local library gives me access to HeritageQuest records:
http://www.heritagequestonline.com/hqoweb/library/do/index

Google Books and even general Google searches for names can turn up family trees that have been posted and even obituaries for more current individuals.

There are also various helpful message boards:
http://boards.rootsweb.com (part of Ancestry.com)
http://genforum.genealogy.com/ (part of Genealogy.com)
And of course, http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php

Plus I have genealogy research records from one grandmother on her family and contributions from various other branches. I email several distant relatives regularly to compare our latest finds. I'm also obsessed with old photos. I've been scanning them in like crazy!

I've been going to family reunions my entire life - my entire childhood I went to 3 a year. But back then I couldn't care less. This bug didn't bite me until I was about 21 or 22 and has just gotten worse in the past 2 years (I'm 25). I guess it's in my genes, hehe.

[CrimsonEtClover]

The Genealogy board will be an awesome addition! I have been lurking here for much longer than I've been signed up, and I just love this community to pieces. I love the treasure hunter/problem solver/sleuthing that goes on here every day, and that mixed with everyone's love for things of the past makes it a great fit.

I have a related question/hunt but it's not genealogy exactly. I'm on the hunt for the signature of the President's daughter - from 1848! I'd love to make a post about it here some time soon, if you guys think it would fit in okay.

[Ghost Of The Doll]

I have a related question/hunt but it's not genealogy exactly. I'm on the hunt for the signature of the President's daughter - from 1848! I'd love to make a post about it here some time soon, if you guys think it would fit in okay.

Go ahead!

[emery]

I'm gonna have to check out some of those sites zuse. I am only semi-interested in genealogy but I could see myself really getting into it if I had some good leads. I tried to learn a little bit about my husband's ancestry on his mom's side before we went to Ireland last year and it was neat driving through the county that his great-grandfather and before would have come from.

I know a great-aunt on my mom's side has done some research so I'll have to see if she has copies or information that she can share. I know my great-grandparents came over from Sweden but I don't know anything before that on my mom's side. I know I'm part native American on my dad's side so that would be interesting to find out about as well.

[zuse]

I just had an exciting potential lead on one of my maternal lines! I got stuck over the summer and I finally got the record I needed (by accident!) Let's see if it leads where I hope it does!