Immediately after I arrived home from the convention in Arizona, I headed to Alabama for a two month stay.  Settling in took longer than I anticipated,  but I should now be able to answer some of the posts and also share some of the tips I learned in Arizona.  The one that hit closest to me was the one about naturalization papers.  I had found the naturalization paper of my great grandfather and great uncle who were born in Germany.  However nothing surfaced for my great grandmother.  Chauvanistic, I thought.  Not true!  Whenever the male head of the family was naturalized so were all of his dependents.  A lesson learned!

Today, I am heading to Arizona to attend the Family History Expo which is two days filled with workshops. I am taking with me some of the questions that I was unable to answer for some folks.  Also, I am sure I will be learning about sources that I will be able to share.  Look for more information in the weeks to come.  (Don’t be envious–it is raining in Phoenix!}

An important resource that is easily overlooked is the record of the men who had to register in 1917 and 1918 even if they would not go on to serve in the war. If a man was in this country, he was expected to register. This has given genealogists another source to check for men born in the late 1800’s. You can find these records on ancestry.com which can be found at most major public libraries.
Just recently this source enabled me to help a woman find a grandfather about whom she knew nothing but his name. Using the draft records I was able to give her height, weight, hair and eye color and place of birth. We also determined that he was born in Jamaica. Best of all we were able to place him in a time and location and make him real.

Thank you to Deanna Ralph for sharing her cemetery records of the Alum Creek Quaker Cemetery in Marengo, Ohio, Morrow County. The community of Quakers in Marengo were very active in the Underground Railroad. There are several of the fugitive slaves are buried in this cemetery. If this fits into your search, we can get you in touch with Deanna.

When I started posting in the Genealogy Notebook, I thought I would be sharing information at least weekly. My thought was that folks would share their information as well and we could all learn. Well, the best laid plans…. What happened was that the in box got filled with requests for help! And that is what we have tried to do. The queries have been interesting and challenging causing me to stretch my learning curve greatly. Thanks and more thanks to all who asked those questions.
In January I am attending a genealogy conference in Arizona. Already my folder is full of puzzles to which I hope to get solutions. In genealogy one never knows it all. The fun is in the learning

The first session of the fall genealogy classes will be held on September 12, 2009 in Discovery Room 2 on the 3rd floor of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. This class, which is titled “Finding Answers on the Internet,” will teach us how to use this powerful tool in ways that go beyond the obvious. Class will begin at 2:00pm and last until 4:00pm. There is no charge for the class or for entry into the building. Bring your questions and yourself to this FREE genealogy session.

The second session of the fall genealogy classes will be held September 26 in Discovery Room 2 on the 3rd floor of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. This class, entitled “Advanced Tips for Using the Census,” will begin at 2:00pm and end at 4:00pm. In this session we will learn how to interpret what the census shows us and how to use it to advance our search. No charge for entry into the building or for the class!
Bring a friend and share the experience.

You have made a great start. All of the names and dates are neatly written on the charts. You have talked with your elders. Now what?
There is an important step that can easily be missed. Take a step back…figuratively, of course, and look at what you have. Analyze what you see. Is one family better represented than another? Are there names missing that you can easily get? Do you have cousins who may have the answers to questions?
After you have thought this through, it is time to make your list of questions. Decide what you REALLY want to know and plan how you are going to proceed. Believe it or not this step will save you time in the long run. Just follow the list!

More to follow……

A question we frequently receive at the Family Search Center is “How do I get started doing my genealogy?” Unfortunately most of our visitors are here for such a short time that we can only skim the surface of what can be done and how best to do it. Here are a few suggestions for preparing to take the big step into the world of family history.

First ask yourself, “What do I already know?” The answer is “Probably more than you think.” If you will begin to write down your family members-you, your parents, your grandparents-, where they lived and when, you are already have a head start.

Next prepare to get organized. The more you stay consistent, the easier your later work will be. Forms that will be helpful can be found on www.genealogyseach.org/free/forms.html.

To be continued…….

Thank you to all of our readers who sent in challenging requests for help in their genealogy search. Hopefully we have helped some of you and will be able to continue this service. To make our service flow more smoothly we could use your HELP. When you post a comment, will you be specific on what it is that you seek. For example: “I am seeking the father of Joe Johnson who was born in 1908 in Virginia.”
or “I am looking for my great grandmother Sally Stallworth who was a slave in Alabama.” This way we can get started in directing you to a good source of that information.

Once again the volunteers of the Family Search Center at the National Underground Railroad Center are offering FREE genalogy classes for anyone interested in learning more about this fascinating hobby. Details will follow later but as of now September classes will focus on using the internet for more than just census work. In October, which is National Family History Month, the classes will be centered on introductory classes for the beginner.

Even under the live oaks dripping with Spanish moss in the squares of Savannah, genealogy quietly lurks. And I could not resist. I had to learn some of the research capabilities this lovely city had to offer. So to the corner of Whitaker Street I went. The Georgia Historical Society holds a vast collection of materials within its walls. Even better are the willing librarians there to aid in your research. Unique to this library are a collection of Georgia and Savannah area newspapers dating back to 1763. They also have city directories as well as the organizational records of several of the churches of Savannah. Best of all they have a web site: www.georgiahistory.com where you can find an index t their holdings.
While Georgia may not be home to everyone’s ancestors, for those fortunate few, the Georgia Historical Society could be a gold mine.

A question that we receive frequently in the Family Search Center is: ” Why can’t I research a census later than 1930?” The answer lies in the protection offered by the U.S. government to our privacy.

The government releases each census 72 years after its completion which means that the 1940 census will be released in 2012 and the 1950 census in 2022. Can you assess these now? You can if you are willing to pay a $65.00 fee and do some paper work. This fee covers only one search of one census and for one person only.

The details can be found on the census web site www.census.gov/. Under People and Households you will find the tab for Genealogy.

Or you can contact them at
National Processing Center
1201 E 10th Street
Jeffersonville, In 47132
Phone: 812-218-3046