Genealogy, organising your research (1 Viewer)

[Puddleduck]

I am assuming you use a family history program to handle your research.

Do you have one big database with everyone or separate databases for each family?

So far I have just had one big database but it is very unwieldy, especially if I want to send a GedCom to a relative so I am thinking I should start afresh and have different databases for each family branch.

I am also thinking that I need to have paper files as backup, and for people who don't do computers. It all gets complex very quickly so what I propose doing is starting at my earliest known ancestor and using (probably) the d'Aboville system of numbering downwards (could be difficult if I find an earlier ancestor!) and in addition the atree for my direct ancestors. Anyone got any better ideas?

I do have an industrial comb binding machine so intend to make "books" with my research. I'm getting overwhelmed with boxes and boxes of loose papers!

 

[DBK]

I am assuming you use a family history program to handle your research.

Do you have one big database with everyone or separate databases for each family?

So far I have just had one big database but it is very unwieldy, especially if I want to send a GedCom to a relative so I am thinking I should start afresh and have different databases for each family branch.

I am also thinking that I need to have paper files as backup, and for people who don't do computers. It all gets complex very quickly so what I propose doing is starting at my earliest known ancestor and using (probably) the d'Aboville system of numbering downwards (could be difficult if I find an earlier ancestor!) and in addition the atree for my direct ancestors. Anyone got any better ideas?

I do have an industrial comb binding machine so intend to make "books" with my research. I'm getting overwhelmed with boxes and boxes of loose papers!

I did it for each side of the family, father and mother then the same for Mrs DBK, making 4 trees in total.

What I haven't done is get a separate program to record everything on, at the moment it is all recorded on the Ancestry website as part of my subscription but at some point I'll stop that and all the data will vanish if I don't copy it to another stand alone program. I just haven't decided which one to buy.

 

[Box Boy]

I use Family Historian which gives many report systems including d'Aboville. It also gives facilities for making CD/DVDs, facilities to create a website, making books etc. Its easy send a specific GedCom to a relative. I have all on one file but also create specific files for uploading to my family tree web site. In the process of putting old paper files to the strimmer!
Brian

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[Puddleduck]

I'm using RootsMagic at the moment and it does all I need it to.

When I started with family history I used "Brother's Keeper", that's a blast from the past!!!

My Mum's family are turning out to be quite remarkable and at some point I'd like to make what I have found more widely available. When you have one famous (or infamous!) distant cousin that is interesting but I have found several and one in particular that I am very proud to be related to......

William Farrer - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I am waiting for a copy of the book written about him He had no children (possibly as he had TB when young) and I look at the photo and statue and I see my Grandad. The really strange thing is when I told my Mum her reaction was "oh, we don't talk about him. He was crackers, turned down a fortune to go and play at farming in Australia". So the man who fed Australia was pretty much dismissed by the family in the UK!!!!

 

[Puddleduck]

I use Family Historian which gives many report systems including d'Aboville. It also gives facilities for making CD/DVDs, facilities to create a website, making books etc. Its easy send a specific GedCom to a relative. I have all on one file but also create specific files for uploading to my family tree web site. In the process of putting old paper files to the strimmer!
Brian

RootMagic does lots of reporting systems, CDs books etc. When I had less information it was easier to pull out the records I needed for a GedCom but now with 60 pages of double column names on the list of individuals it is getting out of hand.

 

[eddie]

The most important thing about geneology is not to discuss it with anyone else.

A family friend could turn a party into a wake when he started about his fascinating and interesting "facts"

"Well, his name was Cann, and I tracked down his father and his name was, yes, yes, your right, his name was Cann and he came from a little village where he live with his Mum and Dad, called Cann!"

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[Janine]

I did it for each side of the family, father and mother then the same for Mrs DBK, making 4 trees in total.

What I haven't done is get a separate program to record everything on, at the moment it is all recorded on the Ancestry website as part of my subscription but at some point I'll stop that and all the data will vanish if I don't copy it to another stand alone program. I just haven't decided which one to buy.

I have dipped in and out of Ancestry over the years depending on my finances at renewal time. My data is all still there and when I resubscribe, I can view records again.

 

[DBK]

I have dipped in and out of Ancestry over the years depending on my finances at renewal time. My data is all still there and when I resubscribe, I can view records again.

Thanks, that's useful to know.

 

[Puddleduck]

420 individuals sorted from the massive database and migrated

I will only use the new database for this family from now on as my direct line is on the old database. When I am ready to write it up I will use the "new" database as all information has been migrated.

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[GJH]

I have been using Brothers Keeper since the DOS days and wouldn't use any other. I definitely will not store my data with Ancestry or any other cloud company as their terms & conditions are too heavily biased to the company's interests.
I only have one database because the duplication which would inevitably occur otherwise would lead to inconsistencies when one copy was updated but the other not (or was updated in error). I've seen that happen too often when working in IT.
That isn't a problem, though, as BK allows export of selected people to a Gedcom as well as the whole file. It will also produce reports for selected people - a feature I use regularly when creating web pages for a project on families in a particular town.

 

[Puddleduck]

BK allows export of selected people to a Gedcom as well as the whole file. It will also produce reports for selected people - a feature I use regularly when creating web pages for a project on families in a particular town.

RootsMagic will allow the same but going through as many people as I have records for takes a lot of time

Anyway I have hard copy of an index of the original database and then exported a GedCom of the family I am working on at the moment. i think, for me, it will be better to keep my Grandparent's paternal and maternal lines in their own databases. I won't update the original from now on in unless I can find a way to import the new databases and automatically combine the duplicates. I have not looked or checked to see if I can do that - or even decided if it is worth it.

When exporting I thought I found duplicate entries but four were for children who died shortly after birth in the same family (as shown in the 1911 census as dead before 1911) and I have now gone back to identify them by name. One i can't find the registration of death so need to look at that again. The other I thought might have been a duplicate was first cousins with the same names and same year, quarter and registration district of birth. Bet that was confusing - and with the names of Laura Amelia Christiana for both girls it made me doubt myself.