Yes, I'm Finding More Ancestors!

Man, oh man, I am finding more and more of those elusive ancestors! I've been going through old English census returns over at Ancestry.com and finding an extra brother or sister for several of the families I am always trying to complete (they're never completed are they?) and I've been able to extend several branches of my lines a little further into the past, as well as bring some forward. Combining census records with the great info over at FreeBMD.com really helps to flesh out a family. Of course more work is needed to be done. Birth, marriage and death certificates need to be consulted.

Maybe I can find that missing will of my 4x-great-grandfather that is proving to be so elusive. Does anyone know more about land transfers in North Yorkshire in the early-to-mid-1800s? The son of my 4x-g-grandfather inherited the family farm, lived there all his life (raising 12 children -- 9 sons!) working about 100 acres and then passed the land on to his son (today the old farm house is a bed-and-breakfast -- I've just gotta visit there some day!).

Ancestry.com: A Lot Of Names And Info

I'm using Ancestry.com again and I'm digging through the various censuses (censi?) for England and Scotland as I track down ancestors left, right and center. Because I'm a subscriber (what? you aren't??) I am locating some surprising information. And a ton of information. Lots of wheat and I'm beating it to separate for the chaff. Of course, I'm looking for Smiths and Thompkins surnames, White and others which are proving difficult to narrow down, but there are tantalizing clues that I can now follow up on.

Still Working On Family Tree Maker

I am plugging away adding dozens of records at a time, but I still have so much work to do before I get all my ancestors and assorted cousins correctly inputed on Family Tree Maker. I've been hard at work since mid-February trying to get all my family history information sufficiently changed over to Family Tree Maker 2009 Platinum and I feel that I've just scratched the surface. The link I just gave will take you to Amazon so you can have a look at the program. It really gets a thumbs up from me. If you are unsure about how to use the program, you can also pick up The Official Guide to Family Tree Maker 2009, which is an in-depth guide that shows you how to get the most out of the features included in the program.

An Interesting Book Leads To An Ontario Discovery

Years and years ago, I read a book (the name escapes me, but I think it was called "The Irish In Ontario") which dealt with several local elections in the Leeds-Landsdowne area of Ontario. The author wrote of how a young immigrant from Ireland named Ogle Gowan (that's his picture if you're wondering) and how he became elected to the Ontario legislature after several rambuncious and bloody campaigns against the "Old Guard" who had been pre-eminent in Ontario since well before the War of 1812. I loved reading about the young upstarts pushing their way into power. This guy, Gowan, came from Wexford, Ireland, and there seemed to be some connection with my Webster forebears who lived in the same area. I haven't found a marriage or other record to prove any connection other than the families being neighbours somewhat, but there was a large group of Websters who left Wexford for the Leeds, Ontario area. I haven't found any concrete connection between those Websters and my Websters who settled further west in Cavan and Mariposa townships but all seem to be from the same general area of Wexford. One of the Leeds Websters even had a son named Ogle Webster (likely after Gowan).

Any way, the book had a very exciting number of chapters about the elections and I could almost visualize my relatives cheering the newcomers on against the "entrenched old families". The funny thing is that years later, I found out that there was a family connection to those "old families" that I had delighted in seeing toppled from power. One relative (a great-uncle of my grandfather) had married into the Howard family which had deep connections to the area and this family had been the very "entrenched" group I had been happy to see removed from power. I re-read the book again and realized I had to see both sides. I was actually aligned with both sides, the newcomers and the old guard. History is a funny thing. When you find information breathing life into the actions and people alive at the times of your own families, you gain so much perspective. And when you find out it's your own family on one or the other sides of an old political struggle, it's even more so. Then you find out your families were on both sides of that struggle, you can't see the struggle in simple black and white anymore. I recommend the book. Some history books are sort of boring and dry, but on a personal level, I'd of liked a dozen more chapters on the events!

Read some history books about the times of your ancestors. Find out what they were voting on and debating back in the day. It will expand your own knowledge of the period as well as help to flesh out your great-great-granddad and his kinfolk.

I've Taken The Plunge With Family Tree Maker

I've got a copy of Family Tree Maker and I've started moving the massive amount of my personal research onto the program. So far, so good, but with the number of individuals I have catalogued in my own widely distributed family tree, this process will take time. I already have several different, more muted versions of my family tree on several platforms (RootsWeb for example) and I would like to get my more updated information out there to benefit all those currently unknown cousins connected to my work. I started tracing my ancestry 30-plus years ago and felt so intimidated to discuss my progress with the more experienced genealogists I ran across. Ah, foolish youth! I should have thought to dive right in, ask questions and garner the knowledge of those far more experienced than myself. But I didn't. I did the trial and error method. I made errors (and still do), but with experience hopefully comes more wisdom.

I will continue to update this blog on my progress in uploading all my forebears, great-aunts and great-uncles families and try to provide some advice to those just starting out in the family history game as well as continue to pick the brains of those with 40-plus, and 50-plus years of experience in this extremely intriguing hobby. My family tree has taken me all over the United States and Canada as well as to Ireland, Scotland and England. In some areas the records are sparse, but in others, so many records exist that it is difficult to wade through them to find that elusive ancestor. And then you find him or her, one farm over, or in the next parish or even across the sea. The chase is on. Let's see what we can find today.

Free Software? Count Me In

It looks like Ancestry.com is letting customers know how to get a free copy of the updated 2009 Family Tree Maker genealogy software program. If you've bought a copy of the 2008 edition of the bestselling family history program and registered it, Ancestry.com will send you a unique link and coupon code by email that you use when you check out of the Ancestry.com store.

One point though: The free CD will be mailed to you - it's not a download. But hey, if you're one of the Family History fanatics, this is great news. You can get free updated software and send your old 2008 version to your friendly gen blogger who told you about it in the first place. Just kidding.

Why I Got Into This Crazy Genealogy Hobby

I've been tracing my family history for over 30 years now and I've seen it all. I began before the internet which has revolutionized the hobby and turned it into a business. I remember doing an outline for the genealogy book I wanted to write when I was just 14 years old (I knew I wouldn't take that step at that time, but the desire was there).

Now I'm blogging about genealogy and creating cool (in my own humble opinion) webpages for the world and distant relatives to enjoy. Thirty years later I'm still in love with the quest and I'm consumed with pushing back my lines even further. I don't think I'll ever become jaded with this pasttime and look forward to whatever the next changes occur. I was once the young kid peering at microfilm at the local library getting some help from older genealogists. Now I'm the older guy lending a hand to newbies in the field. I hope I can help.

Now, if I can just dig up that old outline, maybe I'll get that book published!