One more day and the end of February arrives. And while it has been busy, I haven’t read so many articles this time. So I only have a small batch for you this month, but they’re all great reads.
In this edition of Inspiring Genealogy Blogs we cover: more boring ancestors, timelines and why they’re important, artifact testing for DNA, choosing the right archival sleeves, how careful are you when imaging documents?
So get comfy, grab a nice cool drink (or a hot one if you’re in the northern hemisphere where it’s currently still Winter) and enjoy some great reads.
As I mention every time, I find that reading blog posts helps me keep up with the latest news, products as well as what’s happening in general in the world of genealogy. And if you happen to already follow me on Facebook and Twitter, you already know that I like to share with you the interesting things I read.
Testing Artifacts to Obtain DNA Evidence for Genealogical Research
Testing artifacts for DNA is here, and an Australian company is leading the way. Primarily working with letters and envelopes totheletterDNA can look for and test DNA on these items. World acclaimed genetic genealogists writes a long article about this topic and the samples he’s sent to this company. Read the full article …
The Archive Lady: Which Archival Sleeves Do I Use?
Melissa Barker, The Archive Lady, answers a reader’s query as to what sleeves would be the most suitable to store her grandfather’s letters. As an archivist Melissa advises us on what you should look for when choosing your pockets sleeves. Read the full article …
How to Write about your Boring Ordinary Ancestors
Were your ancestors boring? I’m some were. They lived, they married, they died, and nothing exciting happened to them. According to Jessica of “Storied Genealogy’ … they’re boring! But she has 3 great tips on how to write about them and make it interesting! Read the full article …
How Careful Are You When Imaging Documents
Elizabeth Shown Mills highlights the importance of noting just how important your scan (or photo) of a document or image can be, She has someone share an image with her, “which captured the URL, which tells us that it came from the website of the Library of Virginia. It captures the library’s identification and description of the document, so we know the kind of petition the signers signed; the date; the location of the original document; the location of the people who signed the petition: Bedford, Botetourt & Montgomery; the exact image or page from the document: image 3 of 6; And then it captures the whole page of signatures.” How many of you think to capture ALL the relevant information, or just go for a screen shot or photo of the relevant portion of the page? Read the full article …
Timelines are Important
Do you use timelines? I know some people do, but a lot don’t, but they are a really valuable tool to use. Timelines are often used in genealogy to place an ancestor in a historical context giving us a better understanding of their lives and how they fit into the world around them. Timelines can help break down brick walls allowing us to see: Where a person was and when; Gaps in time where information is missing; and Instances where two people of the same name might be combined. Read the full article ….
Happy reading!
