The Family Historian
February, 2008
Mary Alice Dell
820-537-5325
Learn To Do it Right the First Time
The road wound through familiar mountains, veined with
narrow hollows, and emptied into the aging main street of a small town in
Had we known what to look for, and how to properly record information, on our first trip here, we would not have needed to make the return trip. But we were new to genealogical research then, so we had to return here, as we have to many other places we visited during the first couple years of our search for family records. The lesson of making photo copies of information when you find it, was painfully brought home to us as we found the Early Brides Book, that was in the Clerk’s office on our first visit, was now missing. That had been the main reason for our return visit. The records of the first 100 marriages in this county, which was formed in 1821, had only named the grooms. This reconstructed Bride’s book listed the names of the women these men had married. Two of my ancestors, John Hughes and Isaac Potter, had married there during that period.
The Bride’s book had been my only source giving Bentley as the maiden name of John Hughes’ wife, Matilda.
This experience illustrates one of the reasons that my husband, Harry, and I began teaching genealogy research methods ten years ago. Knowing how and where and what records to look for is so important if you are to successfully trace your family history. Reading a good book on how to do genealogical research, or taking a class on it will save you time, money and much frustration.
The Genealogical Society of Kendall County is offering their bi-annual six-week course this year starting March 6 and running for six consecutive Thursday evenings at the Boerne Convention & Community Center. Harry and I donate our services to teach the course, so the $50.00 registration fee pays for printing the 175 pages plus text book, cost of renting the Center, and other miscellaneous expenses with a few dollars left over to go into GSKC coffers. If you have taken the course before, as over 250 people have, you are considered alumni and receive Harry’s Genealogical Gems, an email newsletter containing genealogical information and new web sites. Those alums who are also members of GSKC get a discounted registration fee of $35.00. Many return every two years to review techniques, and learn new information as the course is updated and ever- changing.
Free Beginners Class Open to Public
GSKC offers a free class, Introduction to Genealogical Research, on Saturday, March 1, at 11 a.m. at the Boerne Public Library, following the regular meeting of GSKC. Anyone may attend, whether or not they are interested in the complete course. All new students, registered for the six week course, are required to attend this beginners class unless they have taken a similar course elsewhere. Pre-registration is required for the Six-Week Course and closes on February 25th prior to this free class. So, you won’t get a sales pitch to attend the course if you come. You will get a handout with beginning information and materials. We recommend it even for returning students, as we discuss not only the beginning steps in research, but also organizing your files and finding clues to your pedigree on web sites.
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What will you learn in the course? As its title “Genealogical Research – Today and Tomorrow” suggests, we touch on everything you need to know to be a successful family historian now and in the future. We start the course with tools to plan your research, the smart use of indexes, and more importantly, how to find the location of your ancestors’ records. The first evening also includes building your family pedigree using census records. Many people are unaware of the clues, found in every census record, which can lead to further research.
Coming to America is Important Topic
Everyone is interested in locating birth, marriage and death information, so the second session is about the many different places you can find vital records. The second subject that evening is on the role land records play in solving genealogical problems. In the third meeting, Harry answers that favorite question of nearly everyone: “How can I find out when my ancestor came to this country?” The importance of analyzing records to be sure you understand what they really say, finding clues for further research, and deciphering handwriting are discussed in the second subject for that evening.
Wars have affected most families, so finding military and pension records and other documents reflecting participation in these events are important to the family historian. Of equal interest are wills and other documents disposing of assets when an ancestor dies. Since estate settlement documents are full of family names, finding and understanding them is the other topic on the fourth evening.
It boggles the mind when you realize how many unsuspected records your ancestors have left that tell of their lives. Everything from cattle sales, guardian accounts, strayed animals, varmint bounty payments to burial permits. Court houses contain many of these records, so that is a natural as one of the subjects. Libraries are not all concrete buildings; many are on line now, making that another of the topics of research important today and tomorrow.
The use of the Internet to find records is woven throughout the entire course. The last session goes into some of the sites which go well beyond one or two topics in its scope. New trends in research such as DNA, blogs and wikis etc. conclude the topics addressed. I’d recommend this course even if I wasn’t helping to teach it! :~)
Oh yes, I did find an extracted copy of the Bride’s Book; and later, in another county, the death certificate of a son which listed the maiden name of his mother as Matilda Bentley. You can pick up a registration form for the Course at the Boerne Public Library, or download one from the GSKC website at www.rootsweb.com/~txgskc/, or email me at madel35@gvtc.com.