Tag: #family history events

Uncategorized

Why Index?

bvillareal

If you look up the definition of indexing, you will find the following definitions:

  1. the action or process of compiling an index.
  2. the movement of a machine or part of one from one predetermined position to another in order to carry out a sequence of operations.

I guess both would apply because actually an index is “an indicator, sign, or measure of something.” In in the case of indexing through Family Search, it is recording a time and a place in someone’s life. For example, when and where they were born or died, when they were married or divorced, where they lived in what year, where they served in the military and many, many more.

In the case of a census record, it can not be opened until 72 years after the day it was created. So the release of the 1950 census has caused quite a stir in the genealogy community. We are all waiting with bated breath to see those records and to find out more about our family members. Why? Because these census records, like many others, provide a wealth of information for the lives of individuals who existed and gives us a window into their lives at that time.

For many years now I have been indexing thousands of records for Family search where I take written information and enter it online into a database that is freely available to anyone. This work takes hours to complete and I am only one of the many who have been doing so for years. It is because of their work that I have been able to find records on my own family that go back to the 1700’s in Mexico.

Why do I bother to work this hard? The answer is simple. It is because I want to honor each person’s memory by including their information as carefully and completely as I can. I also feel that someday someone who has been looking for that long, lost relative will be able to find that scrap of information about them. This will turn just a name into a a person and family member who once lived many years ago. By learning about our ancestors, we find out why we are who we are and learn about the perseverance it took for them to survive.

I thoroughly enjoy indexing. I find the records intersting and engaging. Each record contains some bit of information that a loved one will need somewhere down the road. As for genealogy? It is truly a treasure hunt with each new bit of information found!

RootsTech 2022 begins on March 3rd and is absolutely free! If you are wanted to learn more about your ancestors or find out more about what those “crazy people” do who spend hours searching, this is the best place to go. It is free this year and all you need to do is register.

https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/rootstech-2022-registration

Post

Genealogy in our Jammies

bvillareal

 

A few years ago, after writing the first of a series of children’s books on family history and genealogy, I found a library in Houston, Texas that had a lock-in entitled “Genealogy in our Jammies.” I fell in love with this term because of the picture it represented.

Now, maybe you don’t want to go parading around in your pjs while doing research, but actually, it could be fun! This is the season, after all, to go and get those great matching jammies for Christmas morning.

Background first, right? Well, as a teacher, I participated in many a “Family Nights” through the schools. These were always exciting, engaging nights where everyone worked together on common tasks and celebrated at their attempts and successes in various academic activities.  These were exhilarating and exciting events that everyone enjoyed.

That’s when the idea was born. Why not have Family Events for genealogy? Lock-ins seem to be the norm now with various associations around the country, but I never see anything about family events where the children are invited to participate. Having seen family events in action and having planned many myself, I found this a wonderful idea to bring in younger family members into the “fold,” so to speak, where they would become acclimated to doing actual family history research.  Having worked on several such events, I know just how great they can be.

This is easily done and an exciting prospect for families longing to engage their children in such worthwhile events. Whenever families come together in this nature, it is beneficial to all.

If this interest you, I’ll be working on my genealogy and glad to help!

Becky 

villarealbecky@gmail.com

 

 

Working in jammies

 

 

 

Post

How to Engage Children in Family History and Genealogy

bvillareal

Talk to living relatives

Encourage children to talk to their living relatives, especially the older ones. Hearing stories about what life was like in the past helps young people connect to the past. This connection brings generations together and establishes strong family bonds.

Children and teenagers can interview relatives and record the interviews on a video- or audiotape.

Tell stories

Tell stories about your life and the lives of your ancestors. Young people need more than facts and dates. They need the facts and dates packaged in interesting, meaningful, and memorable ways. The best way to create an interest in family history is by telling young people stories about real people. Fill your stories with interesting information, humorous details, and unusual facts that will capture a young imagination. Sharing family stories doesn’t have to be a big event; make it a common occurrence around the dinner table, in the car, or at bedtime.

Share heirlooms and photographs

Holding something that once belonged to an ancestor can be a powerful experience. Pictures and heirlooms make the past come alive. Children especially enjoy photographs that show how clothing and hairstyles have changed over the years. Keep photographs and family heirlooms around your home, so children are constantly reminded of their heritage. Tell stories and histories about the item and its owner.

Attend family reunions

Family reunions are a good way for different generations and branches of a family to come together. A family reunion gives young people an opportunity to know relatives they might not otherwise meet. It gives them a chance to create experiences and memories that can last a lifetime. Help children and youth understand how they are related to each person they meet. For example, you might say, “This is your great-aunt Phyllis. She is your grandma’s older sister.”

Go on family history field trips

Children of all ages enjoy field trips. A family history field trip could be across the country or just down the street. Visit places your ancestors lived or worked. Visit graveyards. Go to museums or living history exhibits, such as a historically re-created village or a historical farm that shows how your ancestors lived. Celebrate your family’s ethnic heritage at a cultural festival. Use an Internet search engine to help you find festivals and living history exhibits in your area. Above all, make these trips fun for the children.

 Play family history games

Games are a good way to make family history fun. Family history board games are available for purchase, but you can also make up games that are specific to your family. It’s easy to create a trivia or matching game or adapt a common game such as Bingo. Your children could even help make up the game. For examples of family games and instructions on how to create them, see Appendix A of this lesson.

Involve entertainment

Music and movies from the past are another way to reach young people. Share music from different eras, and teach children some of the dances their grandparents used to dance. Children enjoy learning the old songs their great-grandparents used to sing. Watch movies that were popular during the lifetime of an ancestor or that portray a certain period in history. Children are often amazed to see some of the old silent movies that were popular in the past.

Celebrate with food

Food is an important part of holidays and family gatherings, and it was the same for our ancestors. Make your grandmother’s apple pie recipe or your father’s famous meatloaf for your children. Food from different countries where your ancestors lived can provide an interesting variation on your normal diet. International recipes are available on the Internet and in many cookbooks. You can prepare pastries from France or kimchi from Korea for a special family history meal. Visit http://www.cyndislist.com/recipes.htm for a list of Web sites that can help you.

Create personal histories

Help children and teenagers create their own personal histories. They could keep a journal, create a scrapbook, or write stories from their lives. Give them a camera or help them take pictures of events and save those photographs in an album. For a list of Web sites that may help you, go to http://www.cyndislist.com/photos.htm or www.cyndislist.com/scrapbooks.htm.

Tie family history into school work

Make the connection between what children learn in school and their family history. For example, if a child is studying a historical event, tell what an ancestor did who witnessed or participated in that event. Look on the Internet for information about what life was like during that time period and how wars and other events affected daily life. If a teenager studies a book for school, tell about ancestors who lived at the same time as the author or who may have experienced some of the events described in the book. Help students learn about geography by looking at a map to see where ancestors lived. If children need to choose a state or country for a report, suggest that they choose a place where your ancestors lived. If you have photographs of the area your family came from, you can use those photographs to augment your child’s studies.

https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Involve_Children_and_Youth_in_Family_History