Thursday, July 22, 2010

When it comes - it can be too much at once!

After deciding to get organised for my plan of attack - I did! But not just with one line I decided to write down information on a couple of lines I am researching to see what I had and what I needed.
Well unexpected success has arisen from one of these lines! I actually felt like I was bombarded all at once and had too much information.
Now I know I need to verify all the information that I get from other peoples research and will now, over time go ahead and do that but Wow I got from 1906 to 1764 in less than a week. A lot of luck and also because I had the information I knew in front of me.
When I first discovered one generation back from my 1906 a call to relatives revealed confirmation of what I thought I had now discovered which was enough encouragement for me to continue on. Twenty four hours later I discovered that people I thought were friends of the family were in fact 2nd cousins! From that point on the information just seems to be fitting together like a jigsaw puzzle!
I've contacted all contributors involved and am anxiously awaiting responses!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The difference an hour makes

Well I was up for half an hour and found 3 possible relations on ancestry.com.au now waiting patiently for their answers. But I did look at their trees and can now go back to the 1700's on one line (do not know if all sourced but at least it will be a start)
Amazing to me how one small piece completes a chunk!

It's all about timing

It never ceases to amaze me how we find the information at what seems to be pre determined times. Yell at an ancestor if you hit a brick wall you will be amazed at how the answer comes to assist.
I ordered some transcripts from Marilyn Rowan in June as she had a 'special' advertised, which I only found out about through doing the Research: Australia and New Zealand Ancestors(online course) I did with the National Institute for Genealogical Studies with Kerry Farmer
I knew I would have to wait as the orders for 'cheaper transcripts' would be high.
I decided to order some transcripts on my mothers side - to see if I could unlock some information about where they were born, married, buried. Actually I was hoping for anything on the transcripts that would confirm they were my people....links in my chain.
I had not finished organising the course printouts so that I have a reference book for all future searches and sat down with my laptop and printer this evening determined to complete it - whilst all children were asleep and out of my way! I finish printing all the course work and to finalise the "book" I decided to print out all the emails relevant to the course.
I log in to my email and what is there?! Marilyn's email with my transcripts attached! As if my ancestors knew what I was up to this evening and had decided to either reward me for my efforts or were allowing me to now have this information now the course was complete.

So did the transcripts help? Can I now claim them as my links?!
OMG YES..... they all had more information on them than I could have wished for! and I can claim them!

Now at 4.26am here I know I should log off, pack up and sleep - but I will allow myself a quick 15mins to look at some UK records.....

Monday, July 12, 2010

So It Begins.....

The initial post - I've decided to begin a blog to record the surnames I am researching and to diarise my progress...we will see how successful it will be.
Ultimately I want this blog to not only be a record of what I am doing but also to be a connection in cyberspace to other possible relatives and perhaps even a learning space for others just beginning.....
Why Links in a Chain....well I believe that we need to be linked to past and future generations - sometimes the chain gets broken and researching the past enables us to repair the chain and makes it stronger...we can see the journey the chain has taken and where other chains have linked to it over time.....