Keeping Things Straight

Stacks and stacks of papers, family trees, research information, documents, records...on, and on it goes.   After so many years things seem to pile up, and you begin to spend more time looking for that information than obtaining new information.   Keeping things straight or organized will help.

I have started a new blog titled: The Jones Genealogist Research Notebooks.  This has been my method to help me keep things straight.  After 50 years of tree climbing, there are a few things I would like to be able to find, and use, if needed connecting loose ends, or getting around the next brick wall.  This has been a series of notebooks organized by topic/subject.   They are grouped generally by subject and numbered in sequence.  I have also developed a list, by number and subject title, so that I can look something up if needed.

The notebook's # and subject are given in the blog. A general content is given.   I hope to be able to list the content of all my notebooks, and give the genealogy world the record of my research now some 52 years.  The notebooks are physically stored at the Joseph Wheeler Jones Memorial Library, Danville, KY.   They are available to the researcher if any subject or topic would seem of assistance.  Please let me know ahead if you would plan a visit.  Keeping things straight...what a deal.

Digging Roots

Placing your surname into its language origins will often provide additional insight into your family tree.  Language has a way of explaining the roots of words, and the derivation of their meanings.   Many surnames take their meaning from trades, crafts, or activities that were first the way of life for the family.  The surname "Smith" for instance derives from the labor of the hammer and anvil.  The Saxon word "smytt"(1) means "strikes" which would certainly be the main activity of those pounding the iron.

The figure to the right shows the language derivation for my surname Jones.  It took a number of years to put all this language stuff together, but it has a history all to itself.  From Hebrew to modern English.  Who would have thought.

Digging roots can be fun.

(1) Corson, H., Hand-Book of Anglo-Saxon, Henry Holt & Co., 1873, p.447.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE (5)

This makes the fifth post of the copyright for the blogs written by The Jones Genealogist.

You may not use the contents of this site (blog and post) for commercial purposes without explicit written permission from the author and blog owner.  Commercial purposes includes blogs with ads and income generation features, and/or blogs or sites using feed content as a replacement for original content.  Full content usage is not permitted.

Jerry E. Jones, MD, MS, The Jones Genealogist, Library of Congress No. 6192-01064476. 

Skeletons Not In The Closet

A skeleton carries the concept of something buried or hidden a long time ago that was intended to remain buried. As genealogists, we often discuss "skeletons in the closet" as a family secret uncovered during our own family tree climbing.  It may or may not be something that we are glad we uncovered.

A skeleton is also the bony, rigid support that serves as a framework to help hold us together. [At least that is while we are alive.]  More or less it is the support to soft tissues and the protection to certain parts of the body...an essential part of the motion's of life.

Over the years, I have found that defining a "skeleton" of our ancestor's land gives a foundation to the family tree climbing.  It may be a county, stream, land mass, or even country.  Sketching the outline without any landmarks or names, will define a "skeleton" of the family's origin that may help us understand our ancestor's own motion through time. [And generations!]

The drawing above is an outline of my ancestor's land...a skeleton if you will.  It is not labeled at first, but will provide a support for all the names and areas yet to be discovered.  Drawn to scale, it can be used to estimate distance, which can be used to understand time between settlements or towns.  Names may change, and certain identities, but the skeleton will generally remain the same.  Make multiple copies of this skeleton so that you can add new names and identities as they are discovered.  Theses skeletons need not be put in the closet.

That "thing-a-ma-jig"

We all have one.  Those "what you ma-call its" that help us get through our days.  Those things that you never really got around to get the "official" name or title, but it comes in handy when you need them.  For me doing genealogy, the picture shown is one.  I have used it for years when those "squares and circles" need to be drawn, or those maps need to be drawn, or those straight lines need a little help, or when... on and on it goes.  You can use it for all kinds of stuff.

I still don't know what it is officially called.  It has "professional SKETCH MASTER template" in small print on the surface.  "STAEDTLER" is written in caps surrounded by black highlight.  A variety of scales and sizes are given.  A inch ruler and a metric ruler are in place.  I believe I got this in my college days at our university book store, but I don't really remember.  Does anyone know if you can still find them?  Please post.

Anyway, this is an example of one tool that I have used over the years...that thing-a-ma-jig!

Color Coding: Brighten Up Your Day

Tree limbs and branches on the old family tree can get complicated fairly quickly.  After a few generations "bunches" of them start to appear.  Keeping them kind of organized, and grouped appropriately, can be a real challenge.  Over the years I have found that a color coding system can be helpful.

The figure to the right shows my own system, developed after a few generations had passed.  Three sons of one grandfather started things off.  Each son was given a color (magic markers were used) and from that point onward in the family tree, this color was applied to this branch of the tree.  Pink to the oldest
[his line descended through a daughter ], yellow to the second son [the color I had at the time], and blue to the youngest which was my direct branch [ Go Big Blue ! cause we grew up in Kentucky under Adolph Rupp!]

You can see the branches bloom before your very eyes.  The second son seemed to get the advantage with more children around the tree. It became evident that the baby of the family must have remained in contact the oldest branch since one grandfather married into this group.  Each page can then be used to show the relationship between the branches. [For us visual learners, this can be very helpful.]

The "square and circle" method has been presented in my blog entitled: Ge-ne-al-o-gy 101.  My complete family tree using this method is given in my blog entitled: Jones Surname DNA.  Have a go at it if you like to color...it will brighten up your day.

Name That Topic

The Brick Wall Protocol has been written to try and help those genealogist who are stuck before one of those road blocks.  Sooner or later it will happen if you climb trees long enough.  I thought it might be helpful to give those who have been reading these post a place to share a topic that is important to them.  This may be a question, a document, a resource, an archive, etc. that has been helpful or useful in their own tree climbing.  There may be a method or technique that has been helpful.  It just may be a question about the brick wall you are now facing.

If any reader has a topic or question that has been important to them, please place in the comment section of this post.  Perhaps this may then begin a conversation among us, we might call the demolition derby. Any drivers out there?