Lisa gave me her answers about what got her
interested in genealogy and why you should consider going on our research
trip. I hope you enjoy getting to know Lisa and journey along with her to
Salt Lake City!
Why did
you start researching your genealogy?
I started being interested in genealogy when I was pregnant
with my first child. Although I had
always been interested in whom my grandparents and cousins were, it wasn’t
until after my first daughter was born that I felt compelled to begin
researching my ancestry.
As fate would have it, the woman who watched her when I returned
to work was a genealogist who faithfully went every year for a week to the
Family History Library in Salt Lake City. I wondered, “What could someone possibly
do in a library for 14 hours a day?”
She took me to the Sutro Library in San Francisco and set
me down to look at the 1920 census. Once I found my grandfather’s family, I was
hooked. I now love doing genealogy research.
What did
you need to learn?
I love to learn new things, so I joined a local
genealogical society and attended their evening lectures when I could. I read
everything I could get my hands on, starting with reading The Source and The
Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy from cover to cover. Trying to
research in new records was a learning process as well.
One of the most helpful things I finally learned to do was
ask for help from seasoned genealogists at the society. It’s amazing how much
many of the members know. They helped me
avoid needless hours of dead-ends by pointing me in the right direction.
These days, I try to attend at least one genealogical
institute for a week of learning per year, as well as many advanced lectures
that I can.
What
were some of your first experiences with the California Genealogical Society?
I had originally joined to have home access to Heritage Quest.
Later, I attended my first annual meeting and met some really nice people who
made me want to volunteer. I have been a member since 2004. I enjoy working
with Events teaching classes, helping patrons at desk duty once a month, and
working on the board as Recording Secretary.
So many! First
let’s start with why we’re qualified to help you: Jim Sorenson and I have a wealth of
experience using the resources at the Family History Library. I have researched
there more than a dozen times, researching in American, Canadian, German,
English, and Swedish records.
Both Jim and I will be available to assist you during the
open hours of the library by answering questions, and helping you with
unfamiliar records, the computer or microfilm machines. If you need foreign language experts at the library, we know who can help with minor translations of documents you may find. We also want to keep you on track with your
research and hope you also have a little fun while doing it!
The library has books, microfilm, microfiche,
maps, and family histories, some of which are only available there. The
only way to access many of their digitized records are on
the library's computers that also have access to the major subscription
databases.
Helpful hint: Please check the library catalog at FamilySearch to be certain that the library has records for the
areas you are researching. Although the library has millions of records, they
do not have records from every place in the world.
Want another good reason to go on a research trip with a
group of genealogists? It’s the comradery you get being with other like-minded researchers. There is nothing more fun than to have someone be as thrilled as
you are when you find something exciting or important about your family. You
can also bounce off ideas with someone for the next research track you decide
to venture down.
Have you
had a personal "a-ha/brick wall break-through moment" while
researching in Salt Lake City? If so, would you describe?
It was my first foray into more “intermediate” kind of
records. I couldn’t find the parents of Ellis Lancaster who lived in Shelby
County, Kentucky. One of the problems
was that I found a second Ellis Lancaster, oh boy...
The leader of the trip suggested I look at land records. Land records were a bit scary for me at that time, but it really paid off. Ellis’ father had no probate or will records, however, all of his land was sold
and these records named his children. “I
now had the parents of Ellis! Plus I wasn’t afraid of land records anymore. I
now knew that these records could give me the information that can help me or
anyone else break a brick wall.”
Any last
thoughts on genealogy?
I can’t imagine life without genealogy. There is not
enough time in the day to get all I want to get done.
Another huge plus for a research trip to the Family HistoryLibrary in Salt Lake City---you get to leave all of your daily chores at home
and spend the majority of your day just focused on genealogy. You can get so much done. That is so worth it!
Copyright © 2016 by California Genealogical Society
Tue, June 15 – National Archives
Tue, June 22 – FamilySearch
