Catching up - Bad Blogger

That last couple of months has been hit or miss.  I am currently undergoing an issue with Sacroiliac Joint Syndrome.   I hate it, I don't like it.  Pain is an every day thing and that is where I am now, finding a pain management routine that works for me.  Two cortisone shots (that did not work) later I was scheduled for an RPN this morning (it doesn't sound pleasant at all, let me tell you!) but!! my insurance company DENIED the procedure.  Just a very small rant then I am done… This insurance company (and my employer) made a nice program for us.  If we listen/watch a series of videos we get a benefit check back.  So, I saw they had a half dozen virtual blurbs on pain management and watched them all so that I might learn something and every one of them say "Follow up with your doctor, follow their prescribed regimen… blah blah blah"  to turn around and deny my treatment from my Doctor?  It boggles the mind.  Seriously.  So anyway, enough of that, I realize pain is my only  problem, there is no fixing the joint, it is damaged, it is a maintenance thing.  Constant pain is a depressant and some days I don't do a thing because it saps my energy but at the same time, I don't have a serious disease like so many other brave souls fight every day so in that, out of respect, I won't feel sorry for myself.  A bad day of pain is certainly better than a chemo treatment.

What I have been doing….. Certificate in Genealogical Studies-Scottish Records at  National Institute for Genealogical Studies.  I have purchased the basic package of classes so far.  I started the third class this week.  So far I am enjoying it and right now is a lot of back tracking.  I have to do the basic classes for the certificate and already have the basic knowledge though I will say doing a case study in Methodology I was an eye opener.  I clearly think in a different pattern but come to the same conclusions.. eventually.   Riddles frustrate me, the obvious is never my first choice, I have a very complex analytical mind and I always seem to think out before in.  I always blame it on being a Virgo!  Ha!  I wonder if that is why I make people crazy with frustration towards me!  When it comes to sitting down and digging into the research, I am tireless and I will hunt, scratch and scrape until I find what I am looking for.  So in the end I do accomplish what I set out to.  The bulk of the classes I am looking forward to start in December, so I will be juggling three classes I think it is.  That is the one draw back of my program, the Scottish classes are not as often and what I really want to take is really far away.  I have electives to take so in between the Scottish classes I have plenty to keep me busy.  With that though, I am very happy with the content and look forward to earning my Certificate.  I have just started my family line which I am including the Ahnentafel at the end of this post.

I was told my Baldwin's started in Connecticut.  I really want to sit down and bridge that gap from Tennessee to Connecticut but I have a feeling that Virginia is in between.  The last Baldwin I have proof of is William Baldwin, I think his father is Ezekiel Baldwin.  He moved to Tennessee and purchased land there so consider him "penciled in" until I know for sure.  So if this is his father, connecting Virginia to Connecticut would the next step:

Name:	William W Baldwin1–4
Sex:	Male
Individual Facts
Birth	bet 1779 and 1780	Amhearst Co Virginia2
Residence	1830 (about age 51)	Rhea, Tennessee5
Death	28 Jan 1851 (about age 72)	Meigs County Tennessee - Rhea Springs2
Burial		Goodfield Cemetery, 4 miles south of Decutur, Meigs County, Tennessee
Marriages/Children
1. Elizabeth Lutrell (1788-1867)
Marriage	25 Apr 1809 (about age 30)	Knox County Tennessee2
Census (fam)	1840 Census	Meigs County Tennessee - Rhea Springs
Children	Hugh Lawson Baldwin (1809-1890)
	Elizabeth F Baldwin (1812-1889)
	James Churchill Baldwin (1814- )
	Rhonda Ann Baldwin (1816- )
	Sarah C Baldwin (1819- )
	John L Baldwin (1821-1886)
	William Jr Baldwin H (1824- )
	Robert Simeon Baldwin (1826-1875)

Hugh Lawson Baldwin still stumps me and I have he is having way too much fun side stepping my pinning him down!  I do have land records for him, he sold a lot of land during the 1860's so I am thinking he moved on to Texas long before I thought. 

The Duncan's are still a brick wall.  It is assumed my George Washington Duncan is the son of John Duncan of North Carolina.  John may have been in the Revolutionary War, he was there during that time frame, I think.  I also assume he is the Duncan that came over from Scotland.  My family story was that three Duncan brothers came to the Colonies and settled near Bee Log, NC.

I still need to do my Duncan line "re-do" from a prior post.  Starting a brand new data base.  File by file rebuilding the database with DOCUMENTABLE sources.  Then use my second cousins book as a reference and find these documents.  I have an inkling one line might be incorrect.  And I know there have to be others that I can track to the Revolutionary War to supplement them into the DAR.

I heard from a distant relative from my Sheufelt line.  I haven't done any research on my fathers side, my mothers side keeps me very busy.   Bernadine Sheufelt was my paternal grandmother.  This relative and myself share the same great-grandparents and she was so nice and emailed me photographs of them!  I have not sat down and really followed the Ancestry trees for the Sheufelt, it seems many research various branches of Sheufelt/Hubble lines which is where my line goes.  My fathers paternal side already has me in Croatia but… there are not enough hours a day.

And then there are all the non-genealogical things I do… knitting, spinning and garb for the SCA for three people for a Pennsic that is coming at me full steam ahead!

Something I LOVE - Windows Office OneNote.  Type here, upload into blog.

And most importantly - today - HAPPY ROBIN HOOD DAY!  Which is where I am going this morning, to see Robin Hood.  This is epic, I NEVER go to the theatre opening day of anything, I hate it, I don't like crowds, I don't like people I don't know too close to me!  Haha.

And enough, I shut up now… -smile!-  Back to my exam I am procrastinating on with blog posts!

Generation 1

1. Elizabeth Dewar Spalding FENDER-1: born 21 Mar 1909 in District of St. Mary, Dundee, Scotland; died 3 Mar 1984 in Rochester, Monroe, NY.

Generation 2

2. Edward Cummings Alexander FENDER-2: born 19 Jul 1878 in District of St. Andrews, Dundee, Scotland; married 18 Dec 1903 in Dundee, Scotland; died 10 Apr 1952 in Akron, Summit, Ohio.

3. Elizabeth Reid ANDERSON-3: born 11 Apr 1880 in Carnoustie, Scotland; died 31 Jan 1933 in Akron, Summit, Ohio.

Generation 3

4. George FENDER-5: born 20 Dec 1851 in Dundee, Angus, Scotland; married 9 Jun 1871 in District of St. Clement, Dundee; died 9 Nov 1920 in Parish of Liff-Benvie, County of Forfar.

5. Jane Watt ALEXANDER-6: born ca 1852 in Forfarshire, Dundee; died 12 Jan 1915 in Dundee, Angus, Scotland.

6. John ANDERSON-10: born 3 Jun 1855 in Greystone, Parish of Monikie, Forfarshire, Scotland; married 27 Jun 1879 in Dundee, Angus, Scotland.

7. Elizabeth Dewar SPALDING-12: born 17 Oct 1855 in Parish of Monifieth in the County of Forfar.

Generation 4

8. George FENDER-13: born 20 Mar 1817 in Dundee, Angus, Scotland; married 26 Nov 1843 in Dundee, Angus, Scotland.

9. Jean/Jane BEATTS-14: born 18 Feb 1817 in Ferry Port on Craig; died 18 Mar 1898 in District of St. Mary, Dundee, Scotland.

10. Alexander ALEXANDER-24: born 20 May 1820 in Dundee, Angus, Scotland; married 24 Jan 1842 in Dundee, Angus, Scotland.

11. Margaret WATT-25.

13. Margaret ANDERSON-26: born ca 1826 in Brechin, Scotland.

14. James SPALDING-27: born 3 Oct 1827 in Foveran, Aberdeenshire; married 17 Dec 1854 in Monifieth, Scotland.

15. Elizabeth Lamb DEWAR-28: born 17 Jul 1836 in Dundee, Angus, Scotland.

Generation 5

16. George FENDER-50: born ca 1787.

17. Elizabeth SMITH-51: born ca 1791.

18. James BEAT-40: born 24 Sep 1789 in Ferry Port on Craig; married 22 May 1816 in Ferry Port on Craig.

19. Isabel MURRAY-41.

20. Thomas ALEXANDER-38.

21. Elizabeth MILNE-39.

22. Angus or Andrew??? WATT-37.

28. Alexander SPALDING-44.

29. Maria ADAMS-45.

30. David DEWAR-46: married.

31. Helen CUTHILL-47: born 26 May 1804 in Montrose.

Generation 6

36. William BEATT-42: married 23 Jan 1787 in Ferry Port on Craig.

37. Jean GORIE-43.

62. James CUTHILL-48: married.

63. Janet MATHER-49.

Preparer:

Sharon Stevens Lighthouse

Please do not reproduce without my express permission.

s1klight@aol.com

Researching an Illegitimate Line

My Grandmother's family line brings me to Scotland.  I have been having good luck in collecting the first few generations birth, marriage and death records from ScotlandsPeople.  But I am finding I have to figure out how to be a super sleuth in records I have little experience with.

My great-great-grandfather of the maternal side was John ANDERSON.  His birth record shows him as Illegitimate, his marriage record shows William Cameron being his father.  The first mystery to solve is to identify his mother, Margaret Anderson.

John Anderson's birth record reads as follows:

John Anderson, (present), Male, 1855 June Third, 4h 0m A.M.
Greystone, Parish of Monikie, Forfarshire
(Illegitimate)
Margaret Anderson, Widow, Her 3rd Child, 29 years, Brechin

Margaret Anderson, her X mark, mother
John Sturrock, Witness
James Cowper Witness
1855, July 13th At Monikie
(Signed) W.M. Alexander, Registar

His Marriage Record:

1879 on the Twenty Seventh day of June at Laurel Bank, Dundee
After Banns, according to the forms of the Free Church of Scotland
 
(signed) John Anderson, Railway Pointsman, Bachelor; 24, Victoria Street Carnoustie
(signed) Elizabeth Spalding, Jute Winder, Spinster; 23, 24 Dallfield Walk
William Cameron, Ploughman; Margaret Anderson afterwards Nicoll
James Spalding, Yarn Bleacher (deceased); Elizabeth Spalding, M.S. Dewar (Deceased)

(signed) James Ewing, Officiating Minister
(Signed) William Lindsay Johnson, Witness; (Signed) Maria Spalding, Witness
1879 June 30 at Dundee; Dav(?) Scott, Registar

So, Margaret "should" be findable but I am having a hard time tracking her down.  The Marriage Register shows she was afterward Nicoll so she did re-marry after John was born?  Did she re-marry after John was grown and gone?  And as far as her name when John was born.  Is Anderson her maiden surname?  Would she have given her deceased husband name to another mans son's name?  I have her approximate birth date of 1826 as she was 29 when John was born but was she born an Anderson or another surname?  Searching a Margaret in Brechin comes up with a lot of Margaret's!  And how do I figure out for sure that William Cameron is truly his father?  I expect that is something I will never know.   I have been searching the 1861 census for her as Anderson with a 5-6 year old son named John and two older children.  I have been searching for her as Nicoll with three children, one being John Anderson.  I have been searching for a death record for Margaret Nicoll.  I feel like I have enough clues to crack the mystery but so far I am not having any luck.  In the last week I have burned through at least 60 credits at ScotslandsPeople and have birth records for a couple Margaret's and a death certificate that could almost be her but by the age 10 years off, and a few census' that are not even close to being her.  So tonight I have been poking around through Ancestry's Scottish census' looking for a clue in 1861 but I think I am going to move into 1871 and see if I can find her and her Nicoll's husband there!

It feels like it should be so easy.......

((Bloggers note:  And gosh, not even an hour later I found her in someone's family tree on Ancestry.  Major clues to identify her as my Margaret Anderson!  An ahhhh moment!  *and happy dance*.)) 

The Great "Do-Over" Adventure??

I love RootsMagic 4, I love everything about it but I messed up a file - - big time. Bruce Buzbee and a few others were so nice by posting to my panicked questions in GenealgyWise and I was all ready with info on how to fix my error. It was totally operator error by the way, I think everyone should use RM4.

Long ago and far away in time (like 18 months ago) I accidently imported someones family tree into my family tree on Ancestry. (Note: I no longer use the tree seriously on Ancestry, I really don't like the idea of all this information sharing that isn't proven). After that "Erk, crap, what the heck did I just do?" moment, I thought I could fix it by downloading my now messed up file and fix it in RM3 and now you see where this is going? So all "my" stuff, that I am questioning again and will be discussed next in this post, and "their" stuff is now all in one file but hey! I can fix it! Famous last words.

I got busy deleting family links and realized there is a way to do this properly and not the way I did it. Unlink doesn't mean delete and vice versa so looking at the people list down the left side of my program, there are about 1000 people that "may" belong to me but no one is going on my family tree until proven by me. So anyway.. a month or so of dabbling at the file to get rid of all these people and doing the troubleshooting reports to find out I had about a hundred duplicates. Truly, I am pretty good with computers and figure out programs quickly but somehow this was like a raging fire out of control! I even had to laugh at how absurb my perdicament was with, to me, what should be easy (and is easy!). So, I merged.. and merged and merged again. And I will say this file mess was a good teaching tool of just what you can do with RM4, lol. So now I realize that "Mr. So and SO" who was record 6 once upon a time is now record number 1934 or something like that. Clearly I have to work on the merging feature.

So finally I had the file fixed!

Until...

A family I didn't even have trouble with, the Fenders... George Fenders father was George and his father was George. They are from Scotland and must have all been first sons to name after the grandfather. Anyway, my first George ended up being generation 1, 3, 5, AND 7 and when looking for problems it says something about George couldn't be married to "Miss So and So" because he was 143 years old. Hands were thrown up in the air in defeat. The file wins. And sadly, all along I thought it just might but I was focused on perserverence!

So now it was time to make some serious decisions. The problem started when I merged my entire family tree (Four surname files into one big Master file was the plan) and picked up that other tree by accident. And in the meantime I kept adding new information I found, yes, I compounded the problem! Lol. So I am back to four files, one for each of my grandparents surnames. As of this writing one has been created and almost finished.

The next major decision.

My Duncan-Baldwin lines. My mothers Cousin, Patsy Crox Underhill, did a tremendous amount of work over a lot of years to assemble the family tree to enable her and now our acceptance into the DAR. She is also in the Colonial Dames and my Great Grandmother was an Eastern Star. So this family history is documented enough for these organizations but I don't have any of the documentation. I have the book that Patsy put together and it is also in the DAR Library but that is my "source" for much of my famiy history. Over the years I have collected some documentation on my own but I decided to make these new RootsMagic files my major overhauling "Do-Over" project. My reasoning is that after 20 years past Patsy's research there is a lot more information available and new sources could be found and personally I want to see the documents and there is a lot of the family not done but I just don't know what has been found and what hasn't. So the "book" will be my reference. And the rule is..."If you don't have a document in your hand, the info does not go into the new RM4 surname file!" I am the WORST at following my own rules, btw.

So here is my list of rules...

1. Must have a document in my hot little hand to enter anything into that file. The notes feature will be used for a lot of this information I have until proof is in my hand.

2. Source! If I can not take the time to source right there, do not enter the document until I do.

3. At the same time, make a pin in Google Earth! (Well, I was good for the first 10 records I think but will go back on Individual summarys and use collected addresses from there. Told ya, I am the worst at my own rules.)

4. Transcribe into the source as they are entered. So far I think this was the best rule, admittedly, the longer documents have not been done. (I just love that source text button!)

5. Scan and attach image to source as I go. Well, I haven't done this yet, it became a rule after I took a break on Sunday so I do have to go back and do those before I start the next surname file.

6. USE the to-do list feature. I am so lazy and always assume I remember everything and I remember nothing. Sad but true.

7. Stamp the back of the document with the date I put it in RM4 so I don't keep going back when I get disorganized to do the same thing over and over.

8. Do a happy dance when I see the progress at my detailed files!!!

So it is a major overhaul but I think I will be much happier and starting fresh and organized will help me focus on what I really need to do.

Admittedly, I did the easy Surname first, the Scotland line. I haven't collected a lot of documents yet or really delved into the research other than birth, marriage, death and census. The Duncan-Baldwin line will take a few days at least to make a usable file but I am up for the challenge!

One more life to add to the other

Good grief, one more thing. I joined Second Life. Ugh!!

I have a handful of friends that keep asking me to come into the fun of Second Life. I would sit in the group with them listening them talk about it and while it did sound intriguing, I held to my belief that I just have too much I never get done as it is, things I whine and complain about regularly on my blogs, and that I have no business adding yet one more thing to take my attention from no less than spinning, knitting, family research, SCA research (that never ever gets done), AOL roleplay (that gets too much done!), 16th century garb for myself and my daughter, Turkish embroidery (hardly touched) and so on. Oh yes and that I have a full time job and a 19 year old daughter still at home and not much of a social life. So do I really need to be in Second Life?  Then, I heard a lot about it this weekend in PA at the Pennsic Staff meeting I went to.

The culprit who tipped the scales much is Genie Weezles, much to the joy of my friends who have been telling me I should be in Second Life. My excuse was I don't have control over my first life, why do I need a second????!!!! Lol. Genie writes one of my favorite blogs, I have her tool bar too and I like it, btw. I met her in SL on my first night there and found her to be extremely nice and helpful. I am looking forward to sitting in on meetings and chats but right now I am all about figuring out the game. I rode a train in a 1885 Victorian village and went to Scotland though I was transported out by accidently walking onto private property. Heh.

One thing SL has awakened is my inner Barbie. Yes. My three nights in SL have been little more than shopping and dressing. Do not be surprised if I sit in on a Genealogy discussion dressed like Marie Antoinette. I have gone very period in my shopping. I have a nifty Tudor ensemble now and a pirate girl outfit. See, this is why I should not be in a place like this. It does remind me though of my Grandmother (Elizabeth Dewar Fender Duncan) who used to settle in for a night of my sister and I putting on a Barbie fashion show. Those are some of my best memories. She would have us narrate our outfits with details as we walked Barbie along the edge of the shiny black case like a runway and would ask questions about the garments. Those were wonderful times.

So, if you see an overdressed or perhaps underdressed, you just never know with me, character with a different hairdo every day named Genea Moorsider, that would be me!

Once Upon A Wall

The anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down reminds me that I have knowledge of history and how will my descendents know this unless I tell my story. Another one of those duh moments. We chase those links to the past but I know I forget that someday someone will want to know this about me.

I have seen this wall. I toured it when I was 17 and a young army wife while my husband was stationed in Ansbach. I saw the wall that kept East Germans inside their borders and I remember this tour 33 years later. I remember being afraid as being 17 I clearly remembered my European Studies classes in high school.

I boarded the bus and sat next to a window. I was excited and scared at the same time. The tour guide asked us not to make any gestures towards the watch towers or anyone guarding the wall saying that the bus could be apprehended and by law no one had to let the US government know we were in custody for 48 hours. This alone terrified me and being an impressionable teenager I took this as gospel and was actually afraid to lift my hand to eat the peanut M&M in it! Too, I had a baby on my lap. Our bus driver, however, was of a different mind and he was beeping the horn and making all sorts of gestures towards the soldiers the entire trip and I wondered if the man had a death wish for everyone on that bus! I have never been religious but I do remember looking up and mentally begging for a safe trip home and promising to never hit my sister again and so on. Come on, I was 17 and out of the nest way too soon and in a foreign country! I couldn't imagine why the bus driver would do all this, risking our lives, as that is what I thought he was doing. It is very easy to think this when you are looking out the window at men standing in uniform and holding a machine gun. Today I wonder what they thought. Were we just another bunch of American's to dislike or did they envy the freedom we had? If I had been older, I would have asked a thousand questions of the tour guide. What a missed opportunity being that I was of an age where I really had other interests and this was part of my arrival orientation to live in Germany with the Armed Forces.

The tour consisted of seeing the sights and hearing of the horrors. I gazed at innocent looking chain link fences. There was nothing innocent about them. They were razor sharp and would take the fingers off anyone trying to climb the fence. If they happened to get to the top they would get no further with barbed wire and a rolling tube waiting to keep them inside. Wide open fields would be seen and I would wonder why anyone could not just run and make it out. I did not realize it was not one solid wall around the country but then again, I was young. These areas were patrolled by Russian Wolf Hounds trained to eat from the trainers throat then left hungry enough during their time on duty. As explained, they were attack dogs. I never looked at the family dog again in quite the same way. There were towers where armed men would shoot to kill should anyone make a run for it. Then there were the check points and the wall. I was moved by it. I remember feeling so bad for the people behind it given no choice. I heard the stories of families and friends separated by just the placement of the wall; neighbors one day and then of different worlds the next. The Autobahn lined with slab walls and dynamite to set off stopping anyone who tried to leave or come in. I know there was a lot more but it was so long ago I don't remember it well and it was part of my very forgettable "first life" that I call it.

What I do remember clearly was the story about truck drivers. If they were delivering or picking up outside of the wall their families were put in protective custody to ensure the driver and the truck came back. That was what bothered me most out of everything I learned that day. Why are peaceful hard working people terrorized like that. This is where I come back to that bus driver that scared the life out of me with his outward behavior to the guards at check points all along this bus route. He was one of those truck drivers and he smuggled his wife and children out of the country in the truck he drove out. The sheer act of such bravery astounds me. Would I ever risk everything, the very lives of my family, to make a getaway like that? He knew what he was up against and the risk he put his family in. I can't begin to touch upon how this family must have felt through the planning and eventual escape. There had to be people they left behind. The bus was parked when the drivers story was told. What he got for it was a standing ovation and a pride so strong and seeing clearly the reason why we were there. The fear I felt by his actions that day melted away to a huge respect and feeling he was well in his rights to celebrate as he did every day driving that bus.

When the wall went down I knew I had been a tiny part of history. I could say, "yes, I have seen it with my own eyes." Twenty years later I realize just what a big part of history it was. I realize the importance of that wall coming down. As many wish over the years, I wish when I saw that wall at such a young age that I truly understood the weight and importance of it and its time and place in history.

Transcription - G. W. Duncan - Coffin and Grave

I guess my previous post was what I needed to shed my mood. Tonight I decided to look at what I had saved in Footnote and to start transcribing. This file has 12 pages of information. I did find a clue or two in this information. I am seeing very clearly why transcribing is important, especially for a skimmer like me. I can pinpoint Jane Edwards Duncan to Hendersonville, NC in 1862. I will see if there are newspapers from there in any archives.

{Edit:  Oh discrepancy!  I wonder if his age was written down when he mustered in or if he gave the wrong age.  By taking the age of 29 that he was listed as when he died, that places him born abt 1832.  His wife was born 1817 and their son William Franklin was born in 1842.  That would make G.W. 10 years old??  More research to be done.  In the statement below it is mentioned he was 42 at time of death.}

From North Carolina Troops
1861-1865
A Roster

Compiled by Weymouth T Jordan, Jr.
Vol. VII
Infantry

Duncan, George W., Private

Born in Ashe County and resided in Yancey County where he was by occupation a farmer prior to enlisting in Yancey County at age 29, July 26, 1861.  Died n hospital at Knoxville, Tennessee, June 20-27, 1862 of "diarrhoea."

The reference card:

Duncan - G.W.

Co. G. 29th N.C.

(Confederate)

Reference Card

See Manuscript No. 1687 Page …

Coffin and Grave

Dated - July 16 1862

Statement:

I certify that the within named George W Duncan a private of Capt E H Hampton's company (G) 29th Regt NC Troops was born in Ash County in the State of NC.  Age 42 years five feet nine inches high.  Fair complexion blue eyes black hair.  And by occupation a farmer.  Was enlisted by M Chandler at Day Brook in Yancey County in the State of NC on the 26th day of July 1861 to serve one year and died at Knoxville Tennessee in regular hospital of dioreiah on the 27th day of June 1862.  A left the following effect {viz} two suits of clothes, two blankets and 36 dollars in money all of which was hand over to his leagal adminstrator, Jane M Duncan except one suit of clothes which was used in burying him.  Given in duplicate at Beau Station, Tenn this 8th day of July 1862.  E.H. Hampton, Capt.  Comdg Comp 29th Regt, NC Troops.

Auditor/Comptroller Document:

The Confederate States

To George W Duncan, deceased, late Private of Capt.  Hampton  Co G 29th Reg't, North Carolina Troops Dr.

For pay from 1st May the date of which he was last paid by Capt. Neill A 2 M to 27th June, 1862 the date of his Death.

1 month & 17 Days @ $11 per Month		20.90
Commutation for Clothing		20.99
		41.89

Per Certificate of Capt Hampton herewith.

Payable to B. M. Edward (?), Attorney of Jane E Duncan the Widow of said deceased Hendersonville N.C.

Treasury Department

Second Auditor's Office

June 6th 1863

C W Johnson, Clerk.

Comptroller's Office

June 9th, 1863

S.H. Boykin(?), Clerk.

Taming The Runaway Brain

I think maybe I am overwhelmed. Sometimes I feel like I do things over and over and I think I take good notes and I put everything in RM4. I don't have the best filing system but I am not disorganized either, I can find everything. One thing that I know I am struggling with and my common sense just jumped out with an answer the other day. My DAR line is documented by my mothers cousin. While I have the family history she wrote many years ago, I have never seen any of the documentation. Recently I found my Edwards line by a website (a great website!) done by someone else but still I have no documentation. So while it is "done", to me it is not "done". So I was putting a lot of thought into "should I redo research?" Well duh, yes! What if I find a new clue or new information and how would I know if it is new or not never having seen documentation! And, we should always double check our resources, etc.

So clearly I do know what I should be doing.. But maybe my brain is having problems in knowing where to start. And, as you can see, this is frustrating me because I am watching all my subscriptions ticking away, haha. Too, I am missing the boat on a lot of things. I do the primary look ups, chase down a lead with excitement when I have one but then I seem to drop the ball. I see all these fantastic Genealogist's uncovering all these documents I never get around looking for. So clearly my research skills have not rounded out yet.

I need a master checklist of all the things I can do to find an ancestor that I can use. I have one but can't say I like it that much so I will keep searching for something that covers everything I want with some minor tweaking of my own. Sometimes I think there is just too much information out there and I feel I am on overload. So when I feel like this about anything, back to basics seems to work for me.

So, I am allowing myself this down time but! it will not be wasted time. I have assigned myself three jobs. One, to put all my folder files into notebooks like DearMyrtle does on her January 2009 checklist. Two, I am going to get all my surnames and regions on mail lists. I have about 6 or 7 but I can do much better. Three, I am going to get all the forums I watch on my RSS feed in Bloglines.

It's a start.. I crave to research, I see so much potential in my family tree and so much missing information. So once I do these tasks, I guess I will pick a family line and start from scratch.  In the mean time I will continue to write a blog when topics interest me or I feel I have something to share.  The blog prompts are a fantastic thing.

I read about all these great collections being scanned for the world to see.. how do people get jobs like that! Lol.

If you read all the way through this.. thank you for listening to me ramble!