...with Marjorie Smith Ward..
Got Your shovel ready?
Many people put online genealogy down. They say it is not reliable, just what someone writes. Yes, you have no way to know if what I have written is true. I make no claims that everything is 100% correct. I do know who my grandparents were and their parents. If anyone asked or wrote I would be more than glad to say what information I was given by whom. I am more than positive my Grandma Brucher knew her brother and sister's names!
The thing is you use what you find with caution. An open mind.
I have no reason to prove things. Not unless I want to get in a group etc. Then I may want to do this.
I think what has happened is too many genealogists talked against the INTERNET. Instead of using it as a tool to further their trade. It should have fed them more and more business.
I tried to find a local genealogist, many were doing this not long ago. I was told no one was involved any more. I remembered the name of one, was given the telephone number, it is a week, still no return call. It is now a couple of years..!!.. I never got a call.
I am sure there are many good genealogists out there..
.....Classes.....
Over the past years I have taken every class offered locally. The knowledge that I obtained was a great help to me. Classes may be offered by genealogical groups, historical societies, museums, colleges, senior centers, libraries.
In one class we made a trip to the state archives. If you do this, try to make it an overnight trip. Be sure to check on hours before you go!
I sure am glad I took these classes, in the past few years none have been offered. They seem to come in spurts!
And I might add locally most of these classes are FREE..
My advice here is to go look for yourself whenever you can do so. Most libraries have some sort of information. Even if it is tucked away in a back room on one shelf. This is exactly what I found from personal experience. Do not presume that if you see nothing, they have nothing...ask..ask..ask.... A few years ago a library first told me they had no "genealogy information". Later someone told me to call this library about a certain book. Then I was informed they had "local history" information.
I went to a smaller nearby library, found yet more information. You just never know what you may find. That is the fun of it, and yes, make it fun!!
If you are unable to obtain a book you want, see if there is an inter-library loan program available. I obtained a copy of a novel written about my husband's family this way. It may cost a few dollars, but it sure is worth it. I then copied some pages of this book.
......Universities.....
This is a good way to find books that you may not be able to obtain otherwise. Many colleges have private collections that have been donated to them. Our university has many, many old magazines. This may be another source of information. One of my uncle's had his picture in Post or one of the similar magazines. Though I have still been unable to locate it. I was allowed access to all of the magazines, I will go back to search again.
.....Latter Day Saints......
Be sure to check with your local church to see what help they have available for you to use. Our local one has a lot of information. They may have Census Indexes, Social Security Indexes, Marriage Indexes, Ancestral Files, Military Indexes.
.....County Heritage Books....
Generally speaking these are large black books with gold seals on the front of them. Some counties have started to use other colors and fronts. North Carolina has these books available, I am not sure about other states. I am told Pensacola, Florida has the books for North Carolina available there. These books contain a general county history. There are plenty of names, pictures, information. The genealogy, historical societies generally put these out. They are available for reasonable prices. Check inside for source and prices. They would make a nice present for an interested party.
Check the ends of articles for sources. Names of books, newsletters are listed. I noticed the Sparks Newsletter listed, then went to the Family Association book to obtain the address. This is a listing of all available books known to me as of May 1997. **2003**Because of my illness I can not drive**I do hope to get to the library sometime**
**Regretfully all of these seem to be used less. For one thing many now charge or use passwords. As soon as you are asked to use a password. Most people quit coming. Heck I can't remember my own name less 20 passwords..
...Computers..America Online..Gen-Web..
In today's world of genealogy we can not ignore computers and places like **America Online**see note Through America Online I have obtained a listing of all Brucher names and addresses, phone numbers for the United States. It literally took me a week to figure out how to get to this information, but I did it! Once I took out the doubles, etc, there were just over 60 names. Gradually, I wrote to all of them. Luckily, some responded. added**note** You just never know! All at once here is another response, more than a year since I originally sent these forms out! The puzzle still is not solved, but every little bit of information helps. One person sent me a 10 page story and family history.
**America Online..regretfully this has fallen apart too. Before the boards were really used. Now most only have a few messages. It is really a shame.
There are **message boards with surname or state listings. Files with all sorts of information are uploaded every day.
....Gen-Web...
**The Gen-Web is for all over, even other countries. I decided to try the small town where I grew up. Sure enough, there it was. When I first put my query on, there were not many, now it has grown so large they have had to break it down.
You can put a query on here as you want it. Someone saw mine, e-mailed me, saying they were pretty sure we were related. Now with the Smith name, I sure was delighted. They have sent me pictures of what is probably my Great Grandfather Thomas Francis Smith and further information.
If you will go to this site you can check for your hometown and others. I hope it is there!!....Gen-Web-link....
There are many other computer programs available, however, I am unfamiliar with them. The one I did buy I did not care for. Though, I will try it again.
A few oneliners from my jokes page..
32. Share your knowledge; it is a way to achieve immortality.
33. Heredity: Everyone believes in it until their children act like fools!
34. It's an unusual family that hath neither a lady of the evening or thief.
Something I saw...If only I could live to see my completed GENEALOGY!!
This is the new site we hear so much about. I had looked before but never went back. I found 61 Brucher names listed. When I got the phone listing a few years ago there were only 60 some Brucher names. Of course that is only counting one name per household and there would certainly be more. I think a lot of the Bruchers must have changed their names.
Figure out on what day you were born.
Another page is required to finish this!!.....Digging Deeper
Back to the first page of ..Roots..
..contact....mudfacemarge@aol.com...Peace..