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Common Sense and the Genealogist: Stay Safe!

6 August 2018 By cyndy Leave a Comment

Safety

Looking back over the almost-forty years that I’ve been researching my family tree, I’d say there have been some times when curiosity has overtaken my common sense–like the time I struggled to keep my boots on while wading through thigh-high snow, hoping to find a cemetery stone that was, in all likelihood one of the ones covered with drifts, right?

That turned out to be a pretty laughable experience–no frostbite, no lost footwear, and, as evidenced by this blog post, I lived to tell. But, there have been other times when a temporary lapse of judgement has, theoretically, put me at risk in the name of research.

Sometimes, it’s been small things. Like the time I wandered a cemetery for over an hour in a biting winter wind without thinking to protect my face from wind burn. (Yes, ouch!) Or the times I’ve given no thought to the air I was breathing as I handled records covered in thick dust. (I now realize it would be a good idea to pack a mask.)

Other times, it’s been more significant things. Like the time I decided, on a whim, to take an alternate route home from a repository and discovered it ran through an area where I didn’t feel safe. (Fortunately, my car didn’t break down.) Or the many times I’ve wandered remote cemeteries alone. (What if I’d twisted my ankle? Or worse?)

Genealogy isn’t exactly a hazardous occupation or hobby, but when we get caught up in the research moment, it’s easy to overlook the tried and true safety advice that we would apply in other situations.

This blog post is a gentle reminder to think ahead and plan ways to stay safe when we’re out on our research adventures.

Warmly,

Cyndy
Genlighten Co-founder

 

 

Filed Under: Genealogy How-Tos, Research Tips

How to Prepare to Hire a Genealogist

4 August 2018 By cyndy Leave a Comment

NotesAre you a non-genealogist, thinking about hiring a genealogist to learn more about your family tree? If so, this post is for you.  

Sure, you can hire a reasearcher to just have at your family tree! But, for many people, it’s more satisfying, and more financially feasible, to work with a genealogist to answer specific genealogy questions. This post suggests three things you might do before reaching out to hire.

First: Narrow Your Focus

I often hear people say, “I’d like to learn more about my family.” That’s a good reason to hire a genealogist but it’s a pretty broad, open-ended statement. Two parents. Four grandparents. Eight great-grandparents. Sixteen great-great-grandparents. Thirty-two great-great-great grandparents. If a genealogist spent one hour of time researching to learn a little bit about each one that would be sixty-two hours and that would just be the beginning. Multiply that by $35/hour, a good ballpark figure for what a genealogist might charge, and the initial cost would come out to a little over $2000. If you have the means, engaging the services of a researcher to compile a multi-line, multi-generational tree would be cool. The investment would likely prove to be a good one.

But, many of us are on a budget. If that’s the case, it’s important to narrow down the research goals and/or break large projects into smaller pieces before reaching out to hire. It’s also, quite frankly, a good way to test the waters before diving into a large-scale project.

Here’s a simple way to decide what to work on first:

Spend some time jotting down responses to the question “What would I like to know about my family?” My list looks something like this:

  • Where was Louisa Porter born and why was she given up for adoption?
  • Who were Amanda Vandawalker’s parents?
  • What prompted two Bielby families, one in New York and one in Illinois, to say claim were related to an Archbishop of Canterbury?

Then, review that list and choose one thing to be the focus of your research project. You can always go back and work on the other things later. I’ll choose Amanda Vandawalker’s parents to use as an example.

Second: Write Down What You Know

Now, take a new piece of paper and write down what you know about the research subject you’ve chosen and also write down how you know it. If any of the information is drawn from a document, write down what it is and where it was found and make sure a copy is handy. Here’s what my summary might look like:

What I Know How I Know It
Amanda married Adam Casler. My grandmother told me; Amanda and Adam appear together in census records.
Amanda and Adam had a daughter named Mary Jane Casler who married Charles Asa Bellinger. My grandmother told me.
Amanda died in 1899 in Oswego as Mrs. Clemens. Obituary found using Old Fulton NY Post Cards; I can get the exact reference.

If you haven’t done any genealogy research on your own, this list may be short. If you have, in addition to listing sources that have relevant information, also list sources that you’ve checked that don’t. This gives a researcher a starting point. It’s also a good way to make sure the genealogist doesn’t unknowingly spend time looking for records and information that you already have. Of course, if you have a formal research log with complete citations, that would take the place of the quick, informal summary described above. And, sure. You can also do this exercise using a word processor or even working from an online family tree, if you’ve started to create one.

Third: Make Sure Family Sources Haven’t Been Overlooked

Finally, do your best to make sure you haven’t overlooked privately-held family sources. For example, is it possible a relative might have a family bible? Vital records? A diary? Copies of deeds? First-hand information? If so, consider making a call or writing a letter to see what else you can find on your own.

My Vandawalkers lived in Lewis and Oneida counties in upstate New York. There’s a good chance descendants still live in the area but I’ve never reached to see if anyone has family records. A good first step might be to ask my parents if they know of anyone with that surname.

Reach Out to Hire a Genealogist

Once you’ve completed the steps above, you’re ready to contact a genealogist. Choose someone you’d be comfortable working with–someone who has the right expertise for your project–then reach out to hire. Share your research goal and include the summary of documents and information you already have.

The genealogist will review the material, ask questions, if needed, and suggest a plan for moving forward with the research.

There are never any guarantees that research will uncover the answers you’re seeking–sometimes there just isn’t any information to be found–but there’s a good chance it might.

Warmly,

Cyndy
Genlighten Co-founder

Filed Under: Genealogy How-Tos, Genlighten Site Tips, Research Tips

How to Get Your Money’s Worth When You Hire a Genealogist

1 August 2018 By Genlighten 2 Comments

Genealogy Report
So, you’re thinking about hiring a genealogist? Here’s one simple tip that will go a long way toward making sure that you get a good return on your investment: choose a genealogist who knows how to write a quality report.

Let me explain what I mean by that.

There are No Guarantees

First, it’s important to understand there are no guarantees when it comes to genealogy research results. In other words, there are no guarantees that even the best of genealogists will be able to figure out who your fourth-great-grandparents were. Or where in Ireland your great-grandmother was born. Or when and where your grandparents married. Anyone who promises a specific research result has either done the research already or is over promising. Sometimes key information goes unrecorded and sometimes recorded information gets lost. Although I never like to say never, there simply may not be a way to find good answers to your research questions.

It’s All About the Search

So, to avoid frustration and disappointment, don’t hire someone to find answers. Instead, hire someone to search for answers. There’s a subtle, but very important, difference. A genealogist has no control over what information can be found. But, a genealogist does have control over how a search is conducted and how a report is written.

When you hire a genealogist, you are not paying for a specific result. You are paying for the time, effort, and expertise it takes to conduct a search and report back on it. If you want to get your money’s worth, look for a genealogist who can carry out a well-planned, meticulous search, and provide a carefully-written report to document it.

The Value is in the Report

No matter how a search turns out, it’s the report that determines whether or not you’ve gotten value for your dollars. Here’s why:

Let’s say you hire someone to look into your Irish ancestry and three weeks later you’re floating on air when you learn that your great-great grandmother was born in Carrick-on-Shannon in Leitrim County. Time to book a flight! Right? Well, maybe. How do you know the baptismal record you now have in your hands is for your ancestor? Answer? The report. That document should provide very specific details about how the genealogist arrived at the conclusion that your ancestor was born in that particular place. The record, itself, might be interesting, but the value is in the well-reasoned argument that convincingly connects it to your family tree.

And, on the flip side, what if word comes back that ten hours of research has uncovered no leads in the search for your great-grandmother’s birth place? Has your money been wasted? Not if the search has been carefully documented. Knowing what records have been checked, what information was found (or not found), what the results suggest, and what the next research steps might be, is a valuable way to move forward.

If you’re not familiar with genealogy reports, take a look at the high-quality samples available on the Board for Certification of Genealogists website (Genealogical Work Samples) or The International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists website (Samples). A good report generally states the research question, summarizes starting information, lists sources that were consulted, details information that was found (or not found), analyzes that information as it relates to the research question, and suggests ideas for further research.

How to Choose a Capable Genealogist

How can you know that the researcher you hire will carry out meaningful research and provide a quality report? One way is to hire a certified (Board for Certification of Genealogists) or an accredited (The International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists) genealogist. Researchers who have earned the right to put CG® or AG® after their names have demonstrated their ability to perform at a professional level and agreed to adhere to a Code of Ethics (BCG) or Professional Standards (ICAPGen). The reports they author should be of the highest quality.

That said, there are many capable genealogists who aren’t credentialed. One indication that a person is striving to produce quality work is evidence of participation in one or more of the  educational programs available within the genealogy community. These include university degree programs, certificate programs, and institutes. (See the National Genealogical Society’s page on Becoming a Professional Genealogist for a sample list.)

And, finally, you can learn a lot about a researcher’s skills by reviewing work samples to see if they meet your idea of what a finished product should be.

When you’re browsing Genlighten’s network of researchers, check the profile pages to learn about providers’ education and research experience. And, click on the “Portfolio” tabs to see if they’ve uploaded sample reports. If not, feel free to use the “Ask A Question First” button to ask that they do.

A Note on Copyright

One last, but important, thing. When you hire a genealogist, you should expect to pay for the time that it takes to craft the final report. But, unless you agree beforehand that the report will be a “work for hire,” the genealogist will hold the copyright. (For a detailed explanation, see Copyright and the genealogy report by Judy G. Russell on The Legal Genealogist.) So, before you go ahead with a project, make sure to work out the details. For example, you might ask whether or not you will have permission to copy and share the final report.

In Summary

So, what can you do to make sure that the money you spend for genealogy research services will  be well spent? Hire a genealogist who has demonstrated the ability to write a high-quality report. A researcher who has the ability to do that will likely have all of the other skills necessary for a successful outcome to your project–whether or not your research question is answered.

Warmly,

Cyndy
Genlighten Co-founder

P.S. I created the blog post image from a report that I wrote for a ProGen assignment. I don’t consider myself a report-writing expert, but I’m learning!

 

Filed Under: Genealogy How-Tos, Research Tips

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  • 2018 Edition of Professional Genealogy: I Love It!
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