The Social Media Guide for Ancestral Research: May 2012

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Research Communities ~ An Extension of Genealogical Kindness...

Earlier this year the opportunity to assist in indexing the 1940 US Census became evident. This resulted in the biggest recruitment effort ever taken to involve the community with this massive task. Over 132 million people were living in just the 48 Continental states in 1940 and more than 3.8 million pages. Additionally, a number of major companies partnered with this great endeavor, Archives, FindMyPast, ProQuest and the National Archives and an overwhelming number of Societies and individuals are currently working hard to complete this fantastic resource in record time. To all who doing just that we in the research community say a big Thank You as we have now passed the half way point!

A new community effort is slowly being launched to provide research services to those who need it through Facebook Genealogical Research Communities. At this time, there are more than 100 genealogy research communities established on Facebook answering every kind of genealogical question imaginable. Some are purely directional as to what to do next or where to go next and others are a little more involved. The FamilySearch Research Wiki is a great resource to many of these individuals. Others who research in those area are also providing answers and it is another valuable show of support from the awesome genealogical community.

Pages exists for each of the US states along with several countries and ethnic groups. Each page is managed by a research team of FamilySearch volunteers from around the world and is designed to answer research questions and point individuals in the right direction to continue on with their own research. The world areas covered are:

Africa
Asia
Ethnic Research Communities
Europe
Latin America
North America
Oceania

One can post a question or answer a question, either way, a community in action is what will be seen by all who participate in these community efforts! It is truely another amazing opportunity where the community shines again and pays it forward to all.

Today on Facebook, one of my colleagues, Sheri Bush sent out a request to encourage her genealogical friends to consider adoping a county website referring to these 'Genealogical Research Communities' so that more aid can be provided throughout the world. The early beta testing has shown that these communities do provide a great resource to many who may not be able to find help at a Family History Center or are just beginning to do research.

For those who may be interested in helping out, there is a lot of information on the FamilySearch Research Wiki's Adminstrators page. There is also a Facebook Admins page, both provide great assistance to all. One should check it out and take it into consideration as another opportunity to be part of a constantly growing genealogical community!

Thanks to all who are already Administrators!

Comments and Suggestions are always welcomed!

Building Bridges for All Generations!

Claire (*)

Timeless Genealogies

We're Your Family is "No. 1"

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claire@timelessgen.com

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Memorial Day: A National Day of Mourning

There are no words that really can express the depth of gratitude felt by those who are left behind and can enjoy the freedoms we do because an individual gave his or her life for us and yet each year we try on Memorial Day to do just that.

All over the United States there are cemeteries covered in flags and flowers in rememberence of all who have died for this country, the numbers are staggering of those who have done this for all of us.

Genealogists and family historians often record their deaths with tears in their eyes as they think of all that could have been for that individual and yet we are years away from the actual events and so it is no wonder what their immediate loved ones must have felt and gone through at that time, it is indeed a sad and solemn reference that is given to all of these brave individuals and their immediate families.

There are many online resources to help us find out more about these individuals today then there were many years ago for the survivors who may have never really known what happened to their loved one. A website has been set up totally dedicated to Memorial Day. This site explains the history behind the day along with a listing of another 16 sites also dedicated to this day. There are many other interesting and valuable links on tihis site worth reviewing.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has a veterans burial locater which can help to locate where a specific soldier is buried. The Amercan Battle Monuments Commission has a listing for WW1, WWII and the Korean War. There is a National Grave Registration Project sponsored by the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War which provides a database of all the final resting places of all Union Civil War Veterans.

Fold3 provides an alphabetical list of Revolutionary Soldiers from 1775-1783. along with many other collections and claim to be the "web's premier collection of original miliary records."

Of course Ancestry.com has a very large collection of military records also and do need to be mentioned for making some many of the military records available online from the first entries of the WW1 draft records many years ago.

The National Archives is where one goes to attain copies of service records and many other military resources. Most states military records can be located through the USGenWeb sites. Some states also have memorial sites set up for their fallen heroes.

While I have cousins and relatives who have fought for the US, most of my ancestors fought from the Canadian borders and were Carignan Soldiers. When doing research there were many references to many being members. Their history is worth reading about, Dick Eastman wrote an excellent article on these individuals entitled Carignan Soldiers or Soldat Carignan.

There are many other memorial sites to war veterans from around the world, I especially appreciate the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site which is a massive database from many wars and provides burial locations. Not to be outdone, there are many others from other countries too. Here are a few:

Australian War Graves Photogravic Archive
Norwegian War Graves
Polish War Graves
South Africa War Graves Project
War Graves and Memorials in New Zealand

In closing all one can say is 'Thank You' and may the families of those who have given all be blessed with all they need at this time.

Comments and Suggestions are always welcomed!