The Utah FamilySearch Wiki project, adopted by UGA

Utah has only 29 counties, which allows for experimentation and for easy changes as improvements are suggested. We take the most important county topics, determine what users need to know (content) and how to display that information (pattern).

Once the content and pattern is decided for a topic, we create a “task description” that allows volunteers to adapt it to each Utah county. The goal is, of course, to make the FamilySearch Wiki oh, so useful to everyone who uses the Utah pages. So far, we have only 4 task descriptions completed, and each one has had to be refined.

Changing these tasks would not be fun, if our main goal was to finish the Utah pages. The much higher goal is to make these task descriptions clear enough that people can adapt them for their states and counties. That way, new contributors have some idea of what to add and how to add it—and improve upon it!

One example of a major improvement that came from experimentation in the Utah project was the “table at the top” of each county. It gives a colorful and informative first screen for each county. (See Experimental County for an example of the original “table at the top” and Baker County, Oregon - a county without that table ) 

As the “table at the top’ began showing up in other states, people pointed out that the table was so large that it hid the [table of] Contents. A smaller table was created for Beaver County, Utah, along with a change to the [table of] Contents, bringing parent counties and neighboring counties to the top of the [table of] contents, which shows on that all-important first view of the county.

What do YOU think? Which style do you think will appeal to users of the Wiki? Your input can make a difference.

Researching English Ancestors: Beyond the Parish Register. Learn more with Apryl Cox!

Why would you recommend a student attend SLIG in general?

SLIG is an intense immersion program where you are instructed by experienced professionals during the day and have the opportunity to practice what you learned in the evening. The close proximity of the Family History Library is definitely a plus!

Will you tell us a little bit about what makes your SLIG course unique among genealogical education offerings?

Researching Your English Ancestors: Beyond the Parish Register course is a fantastic opportunity to learn about valuable lesser-used records of England from British research experts who actually use these records and lecture about them worldwide. 

Eventually, all British researchers who want to extend their ancestral lines beyond the 19^th and 20^th centuries will need to understand and employ a variety of England’s lesser-used records. What better time and place to learn about these records than in a SLIG immersion course.

When did you first start researching your family history? Was there a moment when you knew you were “hooked?”

I began researching my family history when I was 16 or 17 years old and dabbled with it over the next 20 years while pursuing college degrees and working full-time. Serious pursuit of my family history began in 1989. I soon became “hooked” as I learned about my ancestors’ lives and came to appreciate their history—my history. The more I learned about my ancestors, the more I understood myself. I started to feel connected to the universe in a way I hadn’t experienced previously. Family history wasn’t just an interest or a hobby anymore; it became a mission to fulfill. I felt compelled to discover not only my ancestry, but also my husband’s. Serious pursuit of family history as a business happened about 2004.

Do you have a pet ancestor? Can you tell us a little bit about what makes this person so special to you as a researcher?

How could I pick just one? I intensely respect and admire my Simpson and Wake lines from Northumberland and Durham counties in England. Some were entrepreneurs with keen business acumen. Others were coal miners and railway workers whose challenging lives I have come to admire due to my study of the social, economic, cultural, and political history of the   coal-mining areas of Durham County.

Of course, I have my favorite villains too—an illegal alien ancestor who associated with the mafia in New York City, a Civil War deserter who ended up in Sing Sing (a federal prison in New York) after being convicted for highway robbery, and so on.

I have learned from my ancestors that we all have strengths and weaknesses, and moments of brilliance and despair. Sometimes we make serious mistakes, but I believe our choices are usually based on what we believe is best for us at the time. This attitude helps me to accept what I learn about my ancestors, to better understand them, to appreciate them, and in turn, to better understand and accept myself.

What record set to you believe is the most under-utilized? What advice would you give students in using this record set?

Probate records! So many English research problems are resolved with probate! I’ve identified the parents of children who were never christened (or whose christenings weren’t recorded), linked generations by using properties described in wills, discovered previously unknown family members, and extended ancestral lines by several generations using probate.

My advice for students interested in using England’s pre-1858 probate records effectively is to learn how to deal with the hierarchical ecclesiastical court structure, take a paleography course, and look for little clues in the probate records that can bring large results.

What books and periodicals would you recommend for intermediate to advanced researchers? Are there any lesser-known texts you advise?

I would definitely recommend Mark Herber’s Ancestral Trails (Stroud, Gloucestershire: Sutton Publishing Limited, 2004) for a general overview of England’s records.  Depending upon the topic, there are many more specific books I would recommend (you’ll have to attend this English course to construct a list!)  For example, if you want to learn more about British Army records, I would suggest two excellent well-written books—Simon Fowler’s Army Records for Family Historians (London: PRO Publications, 1992) and Michael J. Watts and Christopher T. Watts’  My Ancestor was in the British Army (London: Society of Genealogists, 1995). 

What is the most rewarding thing about being a genealogical educator? What advice would you give for those who would follow in your footsteps?

The most rewarding aspect of being a genealogical educator is “seeing the light go on” in students’ faces. It’s the “ah-hah!” moments when bits of scattered information come together in a meaningful way.

My advice for those who want to become genealogical educators is to begin right now. Develop lessons on topics that you are comfortable with and find a location where you can present them. Perhaps a local Family History Center will allow you to conduct classes if you make arrangements in advance. Experience is critical—so is student feedback.

Will you share something with us that students may not know about you? Perhaps a non-genealogical hobby?

I am a hiking fanatic! Saturdays and vacations are built around hiking adventures. This addiction is not only good exercise and a stress reducer, but it satisfies a need for solace and beauty.

Any parting thoughts or advice?

Come with an open, inquisitive mind and apply what you learn as soon as you can. Nothing substitutes for experience!

Josh Taylor on Research, SLIG, and Raquetball!

Josh Taylor will be coordinating "Bridging the 1780-1830 Gap: From New England to the Midwest (and points in between)" at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy in January of 2013. I had a chance to catch up with him and learn a little about what makes him tick:

When did you first start researching your family history? Was there a moment when you knew you were “hooked?”

My first taste of family history came when I was just eight years old, with my mother using a very early computer database. It wasn't until I was 10 that I was "hooked," when my grandmother showed me the 1850 Census for John W. Allison and his family in Gallia County, Ohio. Living above him was Thomas Allison, whom my grandmother was trying to prove was the father. I was instantly hooked on the mystery and the need to solve a puzzle. 

Do you have a pet ancestor? Can you tell us a little bit about what makes this person so special to you as a researcher?

A pet ancestor? Most certainly! Reason Shoup has sent me trolling through more records, courthouses, libraries, cemeteries, and other locations than I can count. Reason was born in 1816, most likely in Adams County, Ohio and died before 1850 somewhere between Ohio and Lee County, Iowa. He was my first true "brickwall," as his appearance in records (including the census) is almost non-existence. While I have since discovered his parents (or am at least 99% sure), Reason taught me how to research, how to make conclusions, and balance "negative evidence" against the few "document scarps" he and his family left behind.

What record set to you believe is the most under-utilized? What advice would you give students in using this record set?

By far, I think we all under-utilize land records (in all shapes and forms). So many questions and outstanding research problems have been solved by simply reading and analyzing land records. My best advice for using land records? Use them as a collective resource, take time to "read the deed," and trace each piece of property through the records.

What books and periodicals would you recommend for intermediate to advanced researchers? Are there any lesser-known texts you advise?

From my graduate school days, I became quite fond of After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection by James West Davidson and a little little known gem, Dust: The Archive and Cultural History by Carolyn Kay Steedman.

As far as resources strictly for genealogists, I still use the Genealogical Research: Methods and Sources books published so many years ago by the American Society of Genealogists. Written before the Internet, they provide some key grounding in records and localities that you really cannot find anywhere else. 

What is the most rewarding thing about being a genealogical educator? What advice would you give for those who would follow in your footsteps?

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a genealogical educator is being able to watch students actually apply the sources and methods you share. With every application comes another lesson for how to use a particular record set, so you are yourself always in a state of learning. Watching someone discover a record set for the first time, and then find another link for their research makes it all worth it. As far as for someone who wants to become a genealogical educator, I think that we commonly underestimate our knowledge and our ability to share with others. Develop a teachable mindset as you are teaching, and you and your students will benefit. 

Why would you recommend a student attend SLIG in general?

 SLIG is a unique opportunity to expand your skills while in a classroom setting. The close proximity to the Family History Library enables you to immediate put your new skills to the test, which gives you the chance to learn and ask additional questions as needed throughout the week. In addition, selecting a course devoted to a particular topic is an excellent way to focus your research early in a new year. 

Will you tell us a little bit about what makes your SLIG course unique among genealogical education offerings?

Bridging the Gap will cover one of the most difficult time periods to research in the United States. The establishment of the United States of America, the War of 1812, and the rapid expansion of the United States can cause quite a few problems for researchers. One unique factor of this course is its setting within the background of migration from New England and New York into the Midwest. Each day focuses on using particular record types to solve genealogical problems between 1780 and 1830, and each of the major states will enjoy its own case study treatment, where an instructor will share a research project that is tied to a particular locality and time period. In addition, the course offers a group-project or individual research time at the Family History Library, to allow students with an opportunity to dive into the sources we discussing in class. 

Do you have a website where students can learn more about you?

You can visit www.djoshuataylor.com to find out a bit more about me, if you wish. 

Will you share something with us that students may not know about you? Perhaps a non-genealogical hobby?

Something that many might not know about me is my intense love of racquetball. I have found that Racquetball courts are an excellent place to think through complex genealogical problems or being composing outlines for lectures and articles. I certainly do not profess to be any "good" at racquetball, but I at least enjoy playing whenever I can.

Any parting thoughts or advice?

Just one, register early - SLIG fills up so fast!