I Seek Dead People

Providing Genealogy Research on a Limited Budget

By

Jama WattsReference & Genealogy Librarian

Marion County Public Library

I Seek Dead People

What is Genealogy?

• a record or account of the ancestry and descent of a person, family, group, etc.

• the study of family ancestries and histories.• descent from an original form or progenitor; linea

ge;ancestry.

• Biology . a group of individuals or species having a common ancestry:  i.e. The various species of Darwin's finches form a closely knit genealogy.

What is Genealogy?

The fastest growing hobby in the

United States1.1 Foley-Mendelssohn, D. (2010, March 1). Why are Americans mad about genealogy? The New Yorker.

What is Genealogy?

What is Genealogy?Jama’s definition:

Dealing with a lot of dead people that don’t want to be found on behalf of the REALLY IMPATIENT

living.

Utilize online resourceskdl.kyvl.org - Kentuckiana Digital Librarykdla.ky.gov – KDLA (of course!)www.archives.gov – National Archiveswww.familysearch.org – Family Searchwww.findagrave.com – Find a Gravewww.usgenweb.org – US Genealogy Webwww.kygenweb.net – KY Genealogy Webwww.filsonhistorical.org – Filson Clubwww.cyndislist.com – Cyndi’s List

Don’t have room? No problem!

Kentuckiana Digital Libary

Offers over 70 historic Kentucky newspapers, fully searchable text. Shows full scans of newspaper pages with results highlighted.

ALSO has Sanborn maps, books, images and more.

KDLA

Links for professional researchers, available microfilm for purchase, county formation chart, courthouse disasters AND electronic records archives, including Confederate Pension records and Governor’s Office website archives.

National Archives

Offers OPA, the Online Public Access resource - the online public portal to the Archives’ records and information about the records. Currently provides access to nearly one million electronic records currently in the Electronic Records Archives (ERA), which are not available elsewhere online. More electronic records from ERA will be included in OPA in the future.

Family Search

Run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Fantastic resource for free records. Includes much of the information found in their Salt Lake City library.

Find-A-Grave

With content submitted by other researchers, the website contains transcriptions of headstones from cemeteries around the world. Some entries also contain photographs of headstones.

US Genealogy Web

Group of volunteers providing genealogy information for free. Contains links to each state’s GenWeb project. Also links to Special Projects, including a Tombstone Transcription Project, Church Records Project, Lineage Project, Kidz Project and African American Griots Project.

KY GenealogyWeb

The local version of the US GenWeb project, divided by county. There are orphan counties, though - Bell, Boyle, Magoffin, Martin, McLean and Owsley Counties are available for adoption.

Filson Club Historical Society

Full text articles from the Filson Club Quarterly available for printing. Also includes the Filson Blog, updated weekly with snippets from the collection.

Cyndi’s List

A fantastic resource for other genealogy sites. Categories are cross-referenced and alphabetized (Cyndi likens it to a card catalog for the internet’s genealogy websites!). Cyndi also maintains a blog and mailing list.

What popular website have I left off the list?

POP QUIZ!

Ancestry.com

Next Question:How many of your libraries have an Ancestry.com

account?

Ancestry.com

Next Question:How many of your libraries have an Ancestry.com

account?

NOT the Library Edition, JUST Ancestry.com

Ancestry.com

Next Question:How many of your libraries have an Ancestry.com

account?

NOT the Library Edition, JUST Ancestry.com

Did you know that you’re not supposed to do that?

Ancestry.com

I didn’t!

Fork over the money for the Ancestry Library Edition. It’s not cheap, but the search is still similar to the personal version, with an additional 3,000+ databases to search.

AND:

You can search using the default settings shows, or use:Restrict to exact matches and:

• Soundex matches

• Phonetic matches

• Names with similar meanings or spellings

But, if you can afford one thing:

Common search problems:

Depending on Soundex.

Common search problems:

Depending on Soundex. Spelling variants.

Common search problems:

Depending on Soundex. Spelling variants. Original spelling.

Common search problems:

Depending on Soundex. Spelling variants. Original spelling.Not knowing alternate surnames.

Common search problems:

Depending on Soundex. Spelling variants. Original spelling.Not knowing alternate surnames.Nicknames and middle names.

Common search problems:

Depending on Soundex. Spelling variants. Original spelling.Not knowing alternate surnames.Nicknames and middle names.Not narrowing the search enough.

Common search problems:

Depending on Soundex. Spelling variants. Original spelling.Not knowing alternate surnames.Nicknames and middle names.Not narrowing the search enough.Narrowing the search too much.

Common search problems:

Depending on Soundex. Spelling variants. Original spelling.Not knowing alternate surnames.Nicknames and middle names.Not narrowing the search enough.Narrowing the search too much.Focusing on one relative for too long.

Common search problems:

Depending on Soundex. Spelling variants. Original spelling.Not knowing alternate surnames.Nicknames and middle names.Not narrowing the search enough.Narrowing the search too much.Focusing on one relative for too long.Relying on your relatives’ stories.

Common search problems:

If You DO Have Room:

Might I suggest the following:

Have folks donate family trees.

Might I suggest the following:

Have folks donate family trees. Have folks donate manuscripts.

Might I suggest the following:

Have folks donate family trees. Have folks donate manuscripts.Acquire information on local history.

Might I suggest the following:

Have folks donate family trees. Have folks donate manuscripts.Acquire information on local history.Obtain yearbooks.

Might I suggest the following:

Have folks donate family trees. Have folks donate manuscripts.Acquire information on local history.Obtain yearbooks.Search online for (cheap) books!

Might I suggest the following:

Have folks donate family trees. Have folks donate manuscripts.Acquire information on local history.Obtain yearbooks.Search online for (cheap) books!Beg your way into the budget.

Might I suggest the following:

Have folks donate family trees. Have folks donate manuscripts.Acquire information on local history.Obtain yearbooks.Search online for (cheap) books!Beg your way into the budget.Partner with your local historical society.

Might I suggest the following:

Have folks donate family trees. Have folks donate manuscripts.Acquire information on local history.Obtain yearbooks.Search online for (cheap) books!Beg your way into the budget.Partner with your local historical society.Find the people who know.

Might I suggest the following:

Have folks donate family trees. Have folks donate manuscripts.Acquire information on local history.Obtain yearbooks.Search online for (cheap) books!Beg your way into the budget.Partner with your local historical society.Find the people who know.Consider microfilm.

Might I suggest the following:

Remember:

ASK QUESTIONS

Remember:

ASK QUESTIONSDon’t be afraid to say no

Remember:

ASK QUESTIONSDon’t be afraid to say noKeep it simple (stupid)

Remember:

ASK QUESTIONSDon’t be afraid to say noKeep it simple (stupid)Document EVERYTHING

Remember:

ASK QUESTIONSDon’t be afraid to say noKeep it simple (stupid)Document EVERYTHINGKentucky had MANY courthouse disasters

Remember:

ASK QUESTIONSDon’t be afraid to say noKeep it simple (stupid)Document EVERYTHINGKentucky had MANY courthouse disastersThere’s a reason they have professionals for

this

Remember:

ASK QUESTIONSDon’t be afraid to say noKeep it simple (stupid)Document EVERYTHINGKentucky had MANY courthouse disastersThere’s a reason they have professionals for

thisThere are moments that make it worth it

Remember:

ASK QUESTIONSDon’t be afraid to say noKeep it simple (stupid)Document EVERYTHINGKentucky had MANY courthouse disastersThere’s a reason they have professionals for

thisThere are moments that make it worth itThey’re dead – they’ll be there tomorrow.

Remember:

THANK YOU!Jama Watts

Marion County Public Library

Jama.Watts@marioncopublic.org

270.692.4698