Message Boards - Think of Them as Electronic Bulletin Boards

Message boards have been around since the beginning of the internet. They are a great research tool or if you have questions on a hot topic you are working on. Message boards are an online discussion about a particular topic. One conversation on that said topic is called a ‘Message Thread’. Think of a piece of thread connecting each post into a conversation. You can start a ‘Thread’ on a message board and people can then post their comments on that thread.

Most all message boards are free and you will need to create an account with a username to register. I personally have used message boards for years in family history research. The ones that come to mind are at Ancestry.com, Rootsweb.com (which has combined their boards and can be found here) and GenForum. Rootsweb is one of the original message boards and they both can be very helpful in your family history research. With the combined efforts of both Rootsweb and Ancestry, they are the world's largest genealogy community with over 25 million posts on more than 198,000 boards.

Message boards aren’t limited to just family history research. A Google search for gardening, recipes, automotive message boards are possible. Family history message boards can be sorted by surname, locality or research questions in general. It is only limited by your imagination or what you need to further your quest in research. Most message boards have a search option so you can filter out what you are looking for when looking for one that already exists.

About 14 years ago I posted a query on Ancestry.com free message boards (which is still there). I was searching for one surname in particular and was looking for any information that was available. It was a generic plea for help. It took about 3 years, but I finally received a reply and it was worth the wait. I found someone in New York that owned a handwritten (copy) of a pedigree chart of my family. It filled the space of a 24" x 36" piece of paper. We connected and she mailed to me a copy of the pedigree chart. It added well over 75 ancestors that I did not know existed and went all that way back to 1675. Not bad! My patience had paid off. Ancestry.com also has a great little feature where you will be emailed if anyone replies to your query. Keep in mind one thing; if you change your email address, you must go back to those message boards and change it with your account. A lost opportunity if you don’t keep tabs on that. If they don’t have that option where you will be emailed if anyone replies, then keep a running diary of sorts and visit them every once in a while. If you are brave, post your email address in the query. But beware that if you change that email address, you need to re-post that information. Personally, I like to have one email address for my research and I plan to never change it.

Another example of a success story of a message board, but with auto trouble; I remember years ago we were having trouble with our 1990 Jeep Cherokee. It was overheating for no apparent reason. I started to Google search the symptoms and found a message board having to do with Jeeps for the same model and year. We found that several other owners had the same concerns and one person posted the fix on how to do it, including part numbers, prices and where to locate the parts. My husband, is mechanically inclined, and was able to fix our Jeep with the solution and we haven’t had any trouble at all with the overheating since. The advice was free and solution was priceless.

10 guidelines for writing a successful query/post on a message board.

1. Subject line is important. Don’t be general in your query. Be very specific and short. Something that will catch the eye of the reader. If you type the surname, year of birth and country that will bring attention to many. If you just put a generic listing of the surname with no more information, you won’t get very many looking.

2. Use Internet etiquette. Typing in CAPS is considered shouting, so take the time to use upper and lower case. Check for spelling errors before posting, no vulgar personal attacks and watch your language.

3. Think like you are posting a ‘Want Ad’ in a newspaper, or should I say, similar to Craigslist or Ebay. You want to ‘sell’ your post to the outside world.

4. Do not post private information. If you get a good reply from your post, then you can email privately and make a decision if you want to share more information at that time.

5. Before posting make sure you are posting to the right category.

6. Use keywords in your subject line and the body of text in the query. Remember that those keywords can be used during a Google search and you can be found much quicker by the reader.

7. No advertising, selling stuff or SPAM. Moderators will usually remove those posts, so don’t advertise your website for gain.

8. It might be smart to cross post your query on the message boards. If it is for family history, you might post your query on a locality thread and also a surname thread. Better opportunities to get noticed.

9. Don’t post ‘Off-topic’ items. Stay true to the category and intent of your post. Your post maybe deleted by the moderator.

10. Look around at other posts and you will see which are good ones and not great. While looking around, use it as an active search for your own searching. Not only will it teach you how to post, but you might find something that will help in your quest to find answers.

By taking some time to write an effective message thread query you will be able enhance your learning whether it is for family history research, fixing your car or a question about gardening in your part of the world. The possibilities are endless and only limited by what you post.

Post your success stories with message boards so other readers can see great success with a small part of the Internet.

Family History Goals for 2014 - Have You Made Them?

I think it is fitting to discuss goals for the new year. Weight loss goals and paying off debt usually top the list of goals for the year, but have you ever thought of making family history goals? I have made them in the past but never really wrote them down. I just figured I would get to it if I had the time. we have to make the time. Plain and simple.

Just take out a timer and set it for 15 minutes and just brainstorm some ideas you want to cross off your family history list this year. This Sunday afternoon is a great time to stop for 15 minutes and brainstorm. Then each month on a Sunday afternoon (Fast Sunday is perfect for this) to review your goals each month and see how you can incorporate your list in your daily 'to do's'. Just like fitness/weight loss goals, you don't do everything in the first week. (line upon line). You set yourself up for failure if you do that. Break it down in chewable chunks.

I did some brainstorming this morning (15 minutes is all it takes) for my own family history goals and will share some of them with you and added a few more to give you some ideas. Now, it doesn't mean I will get them all done this year, I am brainstorming my 'wish list'. I picked 14 for 2014. And while brainstorming, you might think of a bunch more. Write them all down, even if they seem unattainable.

In no particular order some ideas to help you get the juices flowing:

1. Attending the temple (for LDS members) at least once a month, taking your own family names, when you can, to the temple. (Remember that this is apart of family history too.)
2. Better organize digital files, including photos and documents.
3. Learn new techniques with RootsMagic software (or Ancestral Quest, Legacy Family Tree, Family Tree Maker etc) and become a power user on FamilySearch.
4. Organize paper files using tweaked (my version) methods from Mary E. V. Hill's filing system.
5. Attend more family history conferences (this can include computer classes too).
6. Teach at a family history conference. (I actually have one scheduled in November of this year.)
7. Interview your older relatives.
8. Write in your journal more regularly. Include a 'Day in the life of Me' (these can be fun).
9. Create backups of your computer digital files. Easy to do and very inexpensive.
10. Chose a 3rd party genealogical software, if you haven't already.
11. Start Indexing for FamilySearch. A great way to learn how to read old handwriting and get familiar with different types of documents.
12. Help the children in your family (including nieces, nephews and grandchildren here) with their Duty to God and Personal Progress goals which can include family history. Boy Scouts (merit badge) and school projects have those same projects from time to time.
13. Go through old photos looking for houses and for any addresses on the back of where relatives used to live. Use Google Maps with Street View to see if the house still exists and  how much has it changed.
14. Visit a local family cemetery and take pictures of family tombstones. Visit the Sexton office to see if there is additional information. (Making research goals about specific deceased family members that you need additional information about.)

One note; I will be covering a lot of these topics more in depth in other blog posts throughout the year. So stay tuned for them.

Now take those brainstorming goals and separate them into categories (digital, documents, organize, etc.) or by family surnames. And then divide them into the 4 quarters/seasons of the year. Decide when you are able to do each of your goals based on the time of year. Let's say if you were going to interview relatives and you only see them during the holidays, that would be a good time to put interview in the 4th quarter. Some goals may not need that kind of attention, but it does help a bit.

One more thing to remember, you aren't locked into making new goals just because it is January 1st. You can revisit your goals every quarter and revise or eliminate some of them. We all have lives and sometimes family and other obligations do take priority. But with your family history goals written down, you can pick up where you left off even if you did have to set it aside for a time. Remember that. Progress, not perfection. And I have to remind myself of that DAILY!

What are your goals? Share them in the comments section. You never know that your brainstorming may help someone else.

Enjoy the journey,

Jill

Welcome to Jillealogy!

Happy New Year 2014 -- Today's is the worldwide launch of Jillealogy! Welcome! I realize that there might not be very many hits the first few months but I am hoping that will change over time. I have been researching and teaching family history since 1996 as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I truly consider this my passion. I love learning the stories of my ancestors and see their struggles and accomplishments. It is because of what they learned, I want to apply that to my life. I also wanted to create a 'hub' of sorts for those I teach on a weekly basis and in my classes. I wanted to have a place where they and you can refer back to read and learn the principles I have taught.

I am a techie at heart and love to try new software, websites, mobile devices and Google search techniques. I don't pretend to be a professional writer or genealogist, maybe call me an family history enthusiast, as I just post what I have learned over the years and my research techniques on family history. There are many professionals out there that are trained in the field of genealogy and are exceptional. I have the up-most respect for those that teach and research professionally. But I wanted to share what I have learned as an enthusiast, wife and mom, what I love over the years having to do with family history. I feel it is important to share all that I have learned, my mistakes and my ah-ha moments.

15-minute family history, RootsMagic, FamilySearch Family Tree, photo editing, organizing and Google search techniques are just some of the topics I will cover. This is a process as I learn something new, I will share. If I find anything 'genealogy' that is in the news, I will pass it on too.

I'm a busy mom of two who works full-time and happily married. I want to teach techniques that you can squeeze in a small amount of time and the least expensive. That is what I have learned with much more to learn each day.

I hope you will join me here and on my Jillealogy Facebook page. I also have an account with Instagram, Twitter and eventually on Google+. Let's join together in this journey to learn our family history and share what we have found with each other. This blog (along with my Facebook and other social media sites) will develop over time and will become a great resource for research for the beginner and for those seeking more advanced techniques.

“Each member of this Church has the personal responsibility to be an eternal architect of this [family history] bridge for his or her own family. If I want my children and grandchildren to know those who still live in my memory, then I must build a bridge between them. I alone am the link to the generations that stand on either side of me. The work of gathering and sharing eternal family keepsakes is a personal responsibility. It cannot be passed off or given to another. When a life is not documented within a generation or two, it is lost to memory. This is tragic because knowledge of ancestors shapes and instills values that give meaning and direction to lives.” Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Church News, April 10, 1999

Enjoy,

Jill A. Holmes