HELP ME I AM NEW
How to research in PortageCoWI & WoodCoWI website
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Congradulations! You got to the [WoodCoWI] or
[PortageCoWI] site, and now what?!? There is so
much, that at first, it might seem overwhelming... Here are some helpful hints on how to use this site to aid your
research, OK...
On the main pages of [WoodCoWI] or [PortageCoWI], you will notice the first links are for the USGenConnect Boards. Now, you could search all 7 boards, by going to each board, entering your surname in the search engine. Or you can do a global search at: [GenConnect Global Surname Search]. This search can be all records, USA, or Wisconsin. If you find your surname, great, then check for the given names. Read the entry and be sure to post a message if the query seems to be a good lead. I strongly encourage you to print the page out, so you have the information available and the URL permanently saved. If you don't find your surname there, then I would suggest you post a query on the query boards at: [WoodCoWI Query] or [PortageCoWI Query]. Be sure to check the block to get all messages responding to your query. And return often to search for others making queries looking for common ancestors who did NOT use the search engine, so they missed your query. Queries should include the following information at a minimum: SURNAME, given name, dates of birth, death, marriage and to whom. Locations were born, died, or married. And what specific information you are trying to obtain in that county. If you know the migration pattern, add that... Here is an example of a good query: Searching for natural parents of Emil Oaken Otto KUEHL b: Mar 23, 1889 Hamburg, Germany d: Jul 07, 1967 in Family Heritage, Saratoga Twnshp, Wood Co, WI Burial: Jul 15, 1967 Riverside Cemetery, Nekoosa, Saratoga Twnshp, Wood Co, WI Immigration: 1891 State SSN Issued: WI SSN: #: 394-01-0279 m: Nov 25, 1912 Cloquet, Carlton Co, MN Olga Ottilie SCHULTZ. First found on 1900 Census in Wausau, MarathonCoWI, with Carl "Charley" J REINKE, wife Whilhelmina REINKE and children Emil, William, Hugo, Alfred, and Hilda, and border Fred KUHL. Believe Whilhelmina's maiden name was KUHL and Fred KUHL was possibly her brother. Charley, Whilhelmina, and Emil immigrated in 1891 to the USA, location unknown. Other known information: Carl REINKE b: Mar 28, 1863 Marienberg, Western Germany m 1891 Whilhelmina KUHL b: Sep 1864 Pommerania, Germany. Need to find immigration, and naturalization records, ship booked passage on, or other documentation to prove parentages. History 1900 forward known and documented. If you link to this family, please email MAK. Limited family tree at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~wiwood/MAK-roots/Kuehl/lineage/t-kuehl.htm You can never really have TOO much information if it is neatly organized and pertains only to ONE family. Unless you are very careful, adding more than one family can confuse other researchers and make your query too long, discouraging researchers from reading it carefully. Besides, if they are only researching REINKE KUEHL, then they probably aren't interested in Emil's wife Olga SCHULTZ information. However, someone else is, so make another query for SCHULTZ with a short annotation of her marriage to Emil KUEHL. But, don't be in such a rush to make a query that it is too short, or contains no helpful information. Remember, you are asking strangers to help you with your research, so try enticing them with information they will go back to their family trees and try to link up with yours... Examples of bad queries that are normally deleted off the boards: Looking on any information on my greatgrandparents who I think lived in WoodCoWI. Looking for any information on my grandfather, Emil Otto KUEHL. Deadend on Emil KUEHL. Need help. Most researchers can't read minds, so what good is a query that doesn't give a name? Emil KUEHL is a very common name in WI, and since you offered no other information, the chances are slim that any researcher will contact you with the information that you need. If you are at a dead end, let others know where so they don't waste time duplicating your efforts, which is always frustrating to the person offering help and disappointing to the person receiving the help. 'Nuff said on that... Next: Search your surnames in KNOWN databases. OK, on the main pages of [WoodCoWI] or [PortageCoWI], you will notice Archives. That is where the majority of USGenWeb information is stored by MAK. Rather than having to go to each site, try going and entering the surname at: [WoodCoWI Archives] or [PortageCoWI Archives]. It will give you a listing of all the entries on that surname for either the county or the state. I normally recommend you do the county first, read all those and then do the state (as the state will have more information that is not directly what you are seeking), making it easier to eliminate what is not pertinent. Be sure to print out the information and put it in your files for future reference. Other searchable data engines can be found at: [WoodCoWI Vital Statistics Internet Resources] or [PortageCoWI Vital Statistics Internet Resources] Keep in mind that not all the information available on [WoodCoWI] or [PortageCoWI] is available on line. So, next, click on each of the resource links, and see what is available. Perhaps your surname is misspelled in the database, or there are other family members you missed. Also, you can find out where that information is that isn't on-line yet, and request the records from the appropriate source(s). For example, under [Cemetery Resources], you know that Emil KUEHL is buried in Riverside Cemetery, Nekoosa, WoodCoWI, but the records aren't on line. You can either send an email to [Ask McMillan] and see if they will do a free lookup, or you can write to [Heart O'Wisconsin Genealogical Society] and get a surname search for a small fee. Some of the least used assets are [WoodCoWI Library Resources], [PortageCoWI Local Resources] [WoodCoWI Local Resources], and [WI Map Resources]. When doing genealogy, it is important to get a feel for where your ancestors lived, what the area was like at the time, and what is like now. Another good way to find ancestors, is to trace the migration patterns backwards. At [WoodCoWI Migrations] or [PortageCoWI Migrations] you can submit your ancestors migration pattern, and view other submissions of ancestor's migation patterns. This is very important, as people migrated in ethnic groups, family groups, and when times were back, natural disaster, etc, neighbors often moved together out of necessity. By using Olga SCHULTZ migration, Emil KUEHL was found in Cloquet, CarltonCoMN. Mailing lists are very important in sharing information and ideas. County mailing lists tend to be the most friendly and offer local help. There are many mailing lists available in addition to the WoodCoWI And PortageCoWI mailing lists. Be sure to check out all the [Mailing Lists] and pick ones that will aid you in your ancestral search. When you get to the point where nothing is working, you might want to consider consulting a [Professional Genealogist]. Be sure to be specific in what you are looking for and negotiate the fee up front before any research is conducted. Be sure to check the surrounding counties... Did you know that WoodCoWI was once part of PortageCoWI??? As history changes, county, state, and city boundaries shift. Our neighboring counties might have those ancestors right across the border, so be sure to check out [Adams], [Juneau] and [Waushara] to the south, [Waupaca], and [Shawno] to the east, [Marathon] to the north, and [Clark], [Jackson], and [Monroe] to the west. Finally, don't be a data hog. That is, you find information but aren't willing to share it on-line with others. If you are using on-line FREE data, you should reciprocate. Make use of sites that allow you to share your data. Already mentioned, are the [USGenConnect Boards], and the [Migration Project] Pages. If you don't see an appropriate site, then [Email MAK] and something will be arranged. I would just love to add your name to the growing list of either [WoodCoWI Contributors] and/or [PortageCoWI Contributors]. |
[AdamsCoWI Links Index]
[JuneauCoWI Links Index]
[LaFayetteCoWI Links Index]
[PortageCoWI Links Index]
[WoodCoWI Links Index]
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[WI ALHN]
[WI WLHN]
[WIGenWeb]
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[WISCONLINE Events]
Revised: --Monday, 08-Jan-2001 17:49:42 MST
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