Recap.

The genealogy class is ending just as I am getting a direction in my search. That is good I it means I’ve made progress. Thinking back to when I started, I see how much I learned and accomplished.

• Simple as it seems, I really understand starting with what a researcher knows and working back. Now whenever I start to go back too far or crossways and don’t have a true link, I waste time.
• Keep a log of each research session. Many of mine were at FHC since they had subscriptions to databases that county library doesn’t. Their computers were slow. When I finally took at disk and brought info. home with me , instead of printing it out, I was better organized.

• The paid databases are very intrusive and necessary, but not extremely accurate. Some sources are primary at least.

• I had best luck on USGENWEB though most of the records were transcribed. The transcriptions of church records were a fascinating look at the community life. The copies of local newspapers also gave me necessary information. PERSI also is a rich source but I didn’t get the hang up it so well.

• One of my goals was to find what happened to one of my great grandfathers on father’s side. The family tales about him abounded after he left the community and his wife and children in the late 1890’s. I may have found where he was by the 1900 Hunt Co. Texas census. The information matches, but I’ll never know. I am still looking for evidence of when and where he died.

• My family tree branches out to the late 1700’s now ( actually Ancestry.com shows further but I can’t claim that yet) There are so many branches to explore crossway before I go any further back. Names on the census in the community make more sense if I know who extended branches. For example I realize now that a Mary Story I found is a g. g. g. aunt, who never married.

• I also had to learn to not be fixated on one or two family names. There are scores to consider.


• Looking over the class objectives, I feel I fulfilled the requirements. I’ve learned lots of sources, and realize how much deeper I can go though. Being out at the genealogy library rooms and FHC I met a lot of helpful people. I can help others the same way now.

• I’ve found census , military, land , marriage and death records ( about 1/3 are primary sources.) I’ve found local history publications, church records, newspapers articles, and family letters. I have no immigration records yet. For much of the family the immigration looks to have been early 1600’s. Not as much is easily available. But there have to have been family members that came to America more recently.

• I forget the equation for searching. Something like 60% searching and 40% results. I think that has been my experience so far. Maybe as I continue the ratio will change. I wonder which way? More efficiency but more brick walls?

• On a personal level this search is very enriching. One gets an understanding of their link to the past and how critical some decisions in life are. The interrelatedness of life experiences is really evident when considering how one comes to being born.