The In-Depth Genealogist a digital community for all genealogists

As a mom I worry about all sorts of things and I am pretty sure worry comes with the job title.  As a genealogist an entire new layer of worry is added to that already extensive worry list. Now I ponder how I will make sure my kids, and grandkids, have the same love and respect for their family history that I have. I was lucky that I grew up in the family I did.  My parents and grandmothers loved to tell stories about our family.  Their houses were decorated with heirlooms, pictures, and memories. Family dinners were peppered with old recipes adding to the flavors of the day. I have learned through the years that this is not the norm in most families.  Yes, I do have family members who have attempted to run away from me or who not-so-politely sat through what I thought was a very interesting story.  I am sure you all can think of several instances where this has happened to you.  My goal as a genealogist mom is to, as Janet Hovorka states in her new book, zap the grandma gap with future generations. Zap the Grandma Gap, by Janet Hovorka, is a wonderful how-to-guide for anyone struggling with passing on their family history to younger generations.  Each chapter is filled with hints, tips, ideas, and wonderful personal stories to show you that it really isn’t that hard to connect.  All you need to do is relate to their life experiences and talk to them in ways that interest them.  Simple enough, right? Your guide through the book is Super Grandma who has an arsenal of special accessories.  In each section you are introduced to a special gadget which allows her to connect her family to their story.  From her “Bullet Proof Vest” to her ... Read More »

Recently, I received the  by Maureen A. Taylor. I was excited when it came because I’m a big fan of Maureen’s and had pre-ordered the book prior to its release. When I opened the book and started skimming through, something clicked in my brain saying “Hey, this looks familiar.” Not a good sign. I had purchased another genealogy book one time and later bought a book and discovered that it was the same one and the only revision to it had been a new cover design. I went to my bookcase and pulled out my books by Maureen. Now, I love old photos and try to track down as many old family photos as possible. Anyone who’s in to old family photos probably has several of Maureen’s books on their shelves. If they don’t, they should. The lady knows her stuff. I went through my books by her and discovered that everything in the new book was also in her 2005 book, Uncovering Your Ancestry through Family Photographs. Disappointment struck me for a minute, thinking, “Did I buy the same book under a different name?” No, I did not. I noticed that Family Photo Detective was thicker than her older publication. I sat down with both books and did a page by page comparison. Much of the same material is in both books, however the new book has forty-four more pages than the older one. I set out to explore what was the same and what’s been added. What’s wrong with including material from a previous publication? Nothing, if the material is still relevant and helpful to the reader. The information appearing in both books is great information on old photographs and using them in your family history. The biggest difference in the material that is in both books is ... Read More »

Bashing Brick Walls, One Brick at a Time: When I began researching my family history years ago, I thought that locating elusive birth and marriage records would solve my most difficult genealogy puzzles. I was SO WRONG! Read More »

Do you ever read children’s’ books? For your own enjoyment that is. I do and last year for Christmas I decided to give some as gifts to a couple of older family members. No, I’m not off my rocker! There is one children’s author I’m particularly fond of, Richard Peck, and I thought a couple of relatives would enjoy his work too. Read More »

I just finished reading a book called Bloody Times The Funeral of Abraham Lincoln and The Manhunt for Jefferson Davis by James L. Swanson. This book is written for a 3-6 grade child. Read More »