- Joined
- Dec 3, 2017
- Messages
- 19,703
I wonder how many of you know much about your family history? I have been researching my family history for most of my adult life. I am really intrigued by how what has happened in history has affected my family.
There is no nobility nor royalty in my roots, and some people think this is important. Not to me. I am descended from peasants, serfs, the people who did the hard work. My ancestors were mostly agrarian peasants, farmers.
There are many places to learn about your family, to research your roots. Some are free, some have a fee.
1.) Family Search is a site that is free. It is an LDS site. I have gotten some great information there, but dislike the ultimate purpose of "baptisms for the dead." One challenge for this site is that anyone can add, change or alter information. I have contributed many photos, documents, and connected many people. I have had a couple people who have tried to change things without documenting why, while I share as many documents as possible to help others know what and why.
One of the things that Family Search has is an annual conference that is free to participate in, Roots Tech. FamilySearch.org
You have to join Family Search, and then you can sign up for Roots Tech Conference. The conference starts in two weeks. I participated last year. One of the options you can opt in or out of, is to be notified of relatives who are also participating in the conference. Last year I had 15 relatives participating. I knew two previously, but have never met them. I reached out to every relative and heard back from some, but not all. I had third, fifth, and eighth cousins participating, from Idaho, California, Kansas, Canada and Limburg. One man who responded, an 8th cousin, lives in Limburg, The Netherlands. The line of family that we are related on is a line that every one who has been researching back to Europe, has struggled with.
2.) Find a Grave is a great site. Find a Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records I have made many connections here. It is a collaborative site. Again, if you want to add or change anything, you need to have an account, which is free.
3.) Ancestry--I think most of us know about this site, a pay to participate in site. Many libraries have special memberships, so you can go and research, but not develop a family tree. I have a membership there, but have been off and on as a member for 20 years or more. In my early days, there was just not much information for me there. At that time, Czech records were not public and there was little there for me. Now, there is much more information there, and some of it is due to my own research and sharing. I have some family records for some back to the early 1700's.
4.) There are several other sites, most for a fee, that I do not use.
For me, there are specific groups that have given me great help, for no charge. Without their help, I would still be stuck.
Anyone else interested in family history and genealogy?
There is no nobility nor royalty in my roots, and some people think this is important. Not to me. I am descended from peasants, serfs, the people who did the hard work. My ancestors were mostly agrarian peasants, farmers.
There are many places to learn about your family, to research your roots. Some are free, some have a fee.
1.) Family Search is a site that is free. It is an LDS site. I have gotten some great information there, but dislike the ultimate purpose of "baptisms for the dead." One challenge for this site is that anyone can add, change or alter information. I have contributed many photos, documents, and connected many people. I have had a couple people who have tried to change things without documenting why, while I share as many documents as possible to help others know what and why.
One of the things that Family Search has is an annual conference that is free to participate in, Roots Tech. FamilySearch.org
You have to join Family Search, and then you can sign up for Roots Tech Conference. The conference starts in two weeks. I participated last year. One of the options you can opt in or out of, is to be notified of relatives who are also participating in the conference. Last year I had 15 relatives participating. I knew two previously, but have never met them. I reached out to every relative and heard back from some, but not all. I had third, fifth, and eighth cousins participating, from Idaho, California, Kansas, Canada and Limburg. One man who responded, an 8th cousin, lives in Limburg, The Netherlands. The line of family that we are related on is a line that every one who has been researching back to Europe, has struggled with.
2.) Find a Grave is a great site. Find a Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records I have made many connections here. It is a collaborative site. Again, if you want to add or change anything, you need to have an account, which is free.
3.) Ancestry--I think most of us know about this site, a pay to participate in site. Many libraries have special memberships, so you can go and research, but not develop a family tree. I have a membership there, but have been off and on as a member for 20 years or more. In my early days, there was just not much information for me there. At that time, Czech records were not public and there was little there for me. Now, there is much more information there, and some of it is due to my own research and sharing. I have some family records for some back to the early 1700's.
4.) There are several other sites, most for a fee, that I do not use.
For me, there are specific groups that have given me great help, for no charge. Without their help, I would still be stuck.
Anyone else interested in family history and genealogy?