Family history is easy to get started, especially if you've still got older generation relatives to pester with questions. The first person you start with, however, is yourself. Write down all the pertinent facts about you: birthdate & place, who you married and when, the birthdates & names of your children if you have them. Add any sisters or brothers to your list and then start on your parents. You'll need their full names, when they married, when & where they were born, their brothers and sisters, and their parents. Here's where it starts to get tricky. As your list grows longer it becomes harder to keep track of all the info. A simple way of doing this is to keep records of statistics for each individual on a separate page while also keeping a record of your direct line of ancestry. You can either invest in family history software, which you can get quite cheap or you can do it all on paper. A simple search of family history groups should provide you with resources to either download pages for printing or contact info for your local group. If you can't find a group through an internet search engine, look the old-fashioned way and head to your local library. Family history groups are intimately connected with libraries through their research needs. Most groups have copies of the correct recording pages to give out or sell to researchers. Once you have the pages in hand you will see that they are quite easy to follow. There are spaces for names, partners, dates, children, occupation, parents and usually space for brief info on the children such as who they marry and any children they might have. Keep your pages together in family groups. You'll also come across a page that looks more like a family tree starting with one person and ending with slots for up to six people. Fill these out as well. If you haven't quite figured it out yet, family history research uses lots of paper so you'll need somewhere to store it. Look around for a sturdy suspension file box or cabinet. You will eventually hit a few snags in your information trail. What you can't get from your parents, grandparents and other relatives, you should be able to get from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. These registries issue, for a fee, copies of birth, death and marriage certificates registered with them. Registration of such events hasn't always been compulsory though so once you get back 100 years plus certificates are harder to find. Record all the info on to your pages and store the certificate somewhere safe. Each certificate should provide you with parent names and occupations, and siblings or issue. As you reach further back in time you may find that some of the names are a little different to what you expected. This may be in spelling only or it may be a completely different name. The information recorded on the certificate depends on the knowledge of the original person providing it. Another common experience is that people have the habit of changing the name they are known by over their life time. For example, my grandmother's name was "Dorothy" but everyone called her "Billie". My great-grandfather's name was "William", yet his officially recorded name is "Willie". If you are struggling with obtaining all the information on long-dead relatives then take a look at what you do have. Occupations, membership in groups, schools and knowing where they lived or were born, can all unearth more history. Try contacting local history groups and family history groups in the area where your ancestors lived. Research the groups they participated in. One of my greatx2-grandfathers was a member of the Oddfellows Society. The group did, and still does, provide health fund membership. Through research into that group in the local area I found details not only of my direct ancestor but also a number of his brothers, brothers-in-law and father, including when and how some of them died, who they were married to and when they had children. Hopefully by this stage you have joined your local family history group where you will find plenty of people to help you, resources, and access to further lines of query. Your group may also run courses for beginners and will advertise other courses and workshops you can attend. To research your family history, you need time, patience and a curious mind. Talk to your family and record their stories, but don't take what they say as the whole truth. Investigate everything you can and back up the stories with facts. Truth, like names, changes over time. ~~~~~~~ Trish is a freelance writer for hire. Read more of her articles and pick up a copy of her new e-book, Plan to Write Plan to Succeed, for free at http://beginningsmiddlesends.blogspot.com/ Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Trish_Anderson |
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Family Tree - Starting Your Family History - A Beginner's Guide
Family Tree - Finding Family Burials in Edinburgh and Leith
The position is this you have worked out your Family Tree; you know where people came from and have an idea when people died. The next problem is how do you find the place of interment? At first glance this may seem simple and straight forward. However in a lot of cases it isn't for the simple reason people are not always buried where you would expect. Contrary to what many people think people from the earliest of times people could travel quite far and of course increasing numbers of people from the 16th/17th century to the present travelled even further afield. So a person born in the UK could have lived most of his life in the UK but then travelled and died abroad which was very common in the records of the 19th century because Great Britain had colonised 25% of the surface of the Earth. Even in a small country like Scotland people travelled and in the 18th and 19th century the fastest way to travel was by ship and so down the east coast of Britain developed a coastal trade with ships traveling from port to port down the coast from the Orkney's in the north to London in the South. That is the reason why in Edinburgh and Leith cemeteries there are gravestones dedicated to people who came from Orkney or from places outwith of the area Not only this but many people in the past could simply not afford to buy a headstone and so it is found that there many times more unmarked graves then marked. The next problem is you have found the proper cemetery and so it should be the case of going and finding the grave. Unfortunately not, for example if your ancestor was buried at South Leith parish Church there are over 300 headstones and over 11,000 unmarked graves dating from the 16th century. At Greyfrairs in Edinburgh there is over a quarter of a million unmarked graves. So by just going to what you think is your ancestor's last resting place could prove to be a complete waste of time. Also apart from this gravestones can be moved, damaged, eroded, vandalised or removed completely. This problem however can be solved quite simply. The first thing to do is to produce as far as possible as accurate a family history as possible. If for example they came from Leith then their last known address in Leith will be given on the death certificate. This restricts the number of possible cemeteries that they could be buried in. The next thing to do is to approach the Edinburgh Council Bereavement Services at- anne.grannum@edinburgh.gov.uk giving them all the available information that you have on your ancestor. They will be able to check the burial records free of charge and give you the position of the interment. It should be noted that unmarked graves are recorded so many feet north, south, east and west of a particular headstone. Also remember they only hold the records for Council cemeteries, private cemeteries hold there own. However the council can advice on who to contact. However before visiting a cemetery ensure you have all the relevant information first. Always go properly prepared and in that way you won't have a wasted journey. John Arthur is married with two sons and is a Genealogist and local historian in Leith,Edinburgh. Having websites at http://www.lineages.co.uk,http://www.leithhistory.co.uk and http://persevere.lineages.co.uk. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Arthur |
Family Tree - Entrepreneurship Story; Over Regulation in Franchising Final Chapter
Sally and Jim have launched their automotive franchise business and are now selling franchises; problems arise as lawyers and over regulation threaten to ruin their life's work, see how it ends; tragedy or success. A realistic story of modern day franchising. . . Sally says "well we do not need to do site selection because we were going to go to that shop it is a great location, besides since Joe is a long time employee we are giving him a discount." The S2D2 is so smiling now seeing as they have been on the phone nearly 45 minutes at his billing price of $150 per hour and he loves to round up, over billing may not be his middle name, but definitely in his family tree are the family names of White and Waters, he continues smiling. The S2D2 says "you cannot give him a discount if his parent partners are from IL and you have to offer the same exact deal to everyone in IL and it will severely jeopardize your future franchising in IL." Sally enraged starts to say something, "This is b-," but doesn't she just is thinking how much she wants to kill the adulter'ing, over charging, scum and S2D2 (Sally thought this not the author of this truly purely fiction story) for not explaining all this ahead of time, they promised Joe. Jim and I honor our word and besides we are about to open the new shop and Joe has waited for this and we are over loaded with business as it is, even if we opened the shop ourselves either way, it must be opened to meet customer demand, we just cannot wait, no way. The S2D2 feeling the tension, which usually brings him his best money clientele, says quickly. "Okay, I think I can work through this, we will figure it out, why not come in tomorrow to talk about it?" Jim says "We can't, we are stacked with cars at all three shops, down two mechanics and Joe will be gone to MI to talk to his soon to be partner. They are going fishing, Joe needs some time off." The S2D2 says "well tell you what let's get your bill paid current and we can meet, I have time next Wednesday, (six days away) meanwhile tell Joe to hold tight on the meeting, wait on the disclosures, see if Joe can get out of the lease deposit or transfer the deal to your name. Tell Joe to alert his parents that he will not be cashing the check until I can call the states of Illinois and Michigan and get those documents in there." The attorney knows some folks in Michigan from college to drop names so he figures he can easily get the exemption for making an offer but not selling yet, as he remembers reading something in the regs on that a few years ago. Illinois will be a different issue, he has to think on this and be careful not to get himself in trouble. Jim says "we have to wait another week?" Jim thinks to himself, do I have to call you when I need to use the restroom too, you would probably like that to hold me and help me aim, he decides he will just be quiet and listen? The S2D2 says "Yes, Jim, I am afraid to say yes. And meanwhile contact an Accounting firm and make sure they do audits." Sally says "but, you said we did not need audits for two-years?" The S2D2 says, "Well yes that is true but you are franchising in IL now, they require audits. Unless Joe has another way to do this business on his own?" Sally says "I'll ask him, but I think he has no credit, especially after his divorce two-years ago, his wife ran off with an attorney." The S2D2 sensing some hostility being aimed his way says "I am sorry to here that, but maybe you can figure something out, maybe there is another way, meanwhile. It is 5:30 pm and I have to take my daughter to Harp Lessons and then to the Batmitzvah rehearsal, we are so proud of her. Besides we have been in high time billing for 30 minutes. Tell you what I will work on this first thing tomorrow, get your bill caught up, check on the CPA firm, I have a friend who does a little of that if you want a name?" Sally says, "NO, we will find one." Jim says, "thanks for your time, we will do what we need to do." The S2D2 says "Don't thank me, you are paying for it." Then he turns to his secretary and says, my wife can take the kid to piano lessons or whatever it is she is doing, would you like to have drink Liz and they roar off in a BMW paid for with a little tricky accounting and double billing to clients and a few thousand copies at $.50 a page. The next day Sally calls to find an accountant to do the audit, she calls the entire yellow pages and even uses the new South Bell owned online yellow pages, no one wants to do it. Most tell her it will be tough with the new Sarbaines Oxley law all the accountants are busy and most no longer do audits, too high errors and omissions insurance costs, due to too much litigation, too much liability and getting peer reviews is now triple the time to complete, along with their costs. Sally is very upset. Joe was upset because he cancelled his fishing trip wonders if his investor friend will be angry. He is also upset since Sally asked him if he could do the business without his parents, now wants to reverse the lease and thinks that Sally and Jim are going to try to open that new shop without him. Joe can't wait, wants to start. His partner wants to move from MI before winter sets in, the delay will mean he will come and want to get a paycheck before the business is ready to pay for two owners salaries. Joe needs both his parents and partner to make his dream, of owning his own shop a reality. So far the attorney is the only one who is making any money. Sally is on everyone's bad list and Jim is having ulcers again. So stressed out he actually yelled at a customer again today, he never use to do that, that was way out of character, Jim loves his customers. Sally is determined to work this thru, she will call more accountants on Monday, but from the word she has gotten it will be another $35,000 to do the audit and take minimum of three months, that is if someone will agree to do it and if the costs do not go up again, as most accountants are really not interested in this type of work for anything but Fortune 500s. Sally knows three months is unworkable for Jim, Joe or even her, they need the new shop now. Joe is pissed at Sally, even though he knows it is not her fault. Jim is mad that Joe will not be patient and Jim is mad at Sally too and now he hates attorneys even more, he thinks they should all be killed, but also knows, it really isn't even the attorney's fault, it is the regulations he thinks, all these stupid rules. Joe thinks of all the rules he has to deal with already, all the agencies all believing they are so important and all the possible ways he can get sued, he runs a quick list in his head as he thinks knowing he cannot possibly remember them all and knowing that anyone of them can shut down his business. The constant stress, let's see in my auto shops, I have to deal with OSHA, EPA, DOT, IRS and things like SARA, RCRA, HazCom, VOC, MSDS. There are more than 100 different agencies that the owner of an auto shop has to deal with. Just some of the necessary permits needed; Burglar Alarm Permit, Building and construction Permit, Occupation Permit, Conditional Use Permit, fire Protection Permit, Hazardous Materials Permit, Generator treatment permit, Underground storage tank permit, Accidental release prevention permit, Above ground tank permits, Land-use permit, Storage Tank Permit, Underground tank monitoring plan, SB198 Safety Plan, Zoning Approval, Landscape Authorization permit, noise Permit, Industrial water discharge permit, Business Personal Property County license, Fictitious name Filing, Public Health Permit, Weights and Measures permit if gas is sold, Cradle to grave form on all chemicals that are classifiable, Waste management Plan, Certificate of Disclosure of hazardous Substances and Plan, as well as other things like a Corporations number, Tax ID Number, OSHA plan, I'll stop here, but they don't. Oh crap the phone is ringing, damn lawyers, damn regulators, we ought to bury them upside down for those new bicycle racks the city put in next to the bus stop in front of my shop while imminent domain'ing my much needed parking area. Damn government. Urrrrrrr! Note: Jim is a fictional character he thought this, the author of this story on the other hand loves wonderful government agencies, adores lawyers, and likes to participate in government rule making, because it is a worthy use of time and is extremely pleasurable? Jim settles down he thinks the S2D2 is just doing what all attorneys do, that is their job description, it merely justifies all the jokes he and his crew tell in the shop, but everyone already knows this anyway he decides. Who thought of all these stupid laws anyway? It just makes no sense, it is just like being stuck in his four-wheel drive as a kid in the MUD. Meanwhile the attorney is at a franchise convention (wink, wink). The franchise attorney has no clue what to do and gets on the ABA forum online system and describes the situation and asks what to do, hoping someone else on the board has worked thru such a mess before, knowing every deal is gray and nothing is black and white and if no answer comes back by his return over the email, he will figure something out, after all that is why they pay him the big bucks? Liz rolls down the window cruising down the strip in Paradise City, the wind blown hair and a glance towards the S2D2 and he knows this is going to be one hell of a night. The S2D2 thanks his lucky stars and thinks a little thanks goes to Jim and Sally and that Joe character, whoever he is. Oh and thanks to the over regulation and miss-coordination of the Federal Trade Commission and states like IL. He thinks also may be one day he might just actually go to one of those Franchise Rule making meetings, maybe he will rifle off a letter, or have his paralegal write it while he takes dictation? (no pun intended). He wonders who ever goes to these meetings, after all Jim and Sally are too busy and the Federal Trade Commission has them in the stupidest places anyway. Just then Liz turns again and says lets go here, lets get a room with a Jacuzzi over looking NY, I love green. The S2P2 thinks, well I love green to, even if this one is only a building. He pulls in all smiles knowing there is a lot more money for more trips like this where that came from. Jim and Sally are becoming quite good customer, a couple more like them and he can go into semi-retirement, maybe become a wine collector on the side. He flips the valet the keys, a ten spot and off to the suite they go. He follows Liz in, what a body he thinks, he has totally forgotten he is married. Too be continued. . . "Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow |
Family Tree - Family reunion vacation
A family reunion is an important event for the entire extended family, as this is the time when all get together, free from the hassles of their busy lives. So it becomes all the more important to choose a location which is convenient and interesting for all the members, from young to old. While deciding a family reunion vacation, a place where everyone can enjoy, have fun, celebrate and feel comfortable is an ideal place. Keep in mind the size of the family, the budget, and the interests of all before deciding a place for the vacation. Compare the prices of all the travel agents and the various discounts offered by them, and then make a decision. For a family vacation you can choose either a hotel or a resort, where you can enjoy the various comforts for a few short days; but a house boat is good for a more adventurous vacation. You can also visit a place that is related to your family history, to know more about your roots and your origins, making it more than just a time of togetherness. It also makes you realize that what all do you have in common. Beaches can also serve as wonderful place for your vacation, where you can affirm your connections with your siblings and cousins you have not seen for a long time. You can also go on hikes, or visit an amusement park during the vacation, to thrill yourself and your children, making it more exciting and fun. Family Reunions provides detailed information on Family Reunions, Family Reunion Gift, Family Reunion Ideas, Family Reunion T Shirts and more. Family Reunions is affiliated with Family Tree Makers. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristy_Annely |
Family Tree - Family Values
Perhaps I can call this my New Year's epistle. I was a Senior Counsellor for many years, and when I got ill sometime back had to retire from that trade, or profession. It was a worthwhile adventure, and it took a decade or two of my life, but here is just a quick essay of sorts on Family Values, as I see it. The rate of Divorce and break-up of the family is increasing. Fierce forces are tearing us apart, the family, today. It goes something like this: they got married; then came the baby carriage. Part two: they break up and the baby goes with mom. Part Three: now Mom meets divorced man, with two kids, and they marry; now we got mom, dad, stepfather, and three kids, stepbrothers and sisters, a few more grandparents, throw the biology in the well. Woops, mom is pregnant again, Part Four: snuck up on me. Is this case unusual? No! as we should know, it is rather common in the United States today. What happens to the family tree? You plant a new one, but they never grow right do they (or seldom do they grow right). Often times, getting a second wife, or husband is like picking up someone else's troubles, ten years in advance. But the story is not over. In the l980s and l990s when I was working with the Bureau of Prisons, and in clinics and hospitals, over 1/3 to ? of children were living with a mixed if not, scared family; I doubt the statistics has gotten any better. This is over 10% of the population, closer to 13 or 15% I would guess. In the l970s half of all the marriages ended up in divorce, thirty years later, again I say, things have not gotten better. When I grew up, divorce was not really an acceptable word; yes it was said, but whoever said it, everyone else did a double take on the person. Now it is all lost in the wind. The devastating rate of divorces is destroying the base of our society, the joyful family you could say. In Peru, and other South American Countries I've been to, and I've been to most all of them now, I have not seen this splintering up of families, which lowers the values within them; nor have I witnessed the mobility of one out of four families picking up roots and moving on each year, as we do in the United States. Our neighbour Jennie, in Peru stays home and cares for her child, as do most of the families I know up in the mountain areas of Peru. When two partners come home from work tired, there has to be more tension, and surely the kids get no friendliness out of this tired family dilemma. So what happens? The kids run to the TV and get their fix of killing, and war movies, gangsters etc (the devil doesn't have to work hard). And people say: it doesn't affect the child, it does and we all know it. What we put into our systems, is in it, how it comes out, is normally sideways, and it affects all whom are around you. In Minnesota, the court system is so liberal, it stinks, you can get a divorce almost overnight, it is harder to get a drivers license. I think I remember Jesus saying something like: "As it was in the days of Lot (where there was much corruption)...out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed (Luke 17:28). If you know the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, I need not say anything else, but if you don't, judgment fell, and so we have witnessed in the year 2005, and 2001 for America, if it wasn't judgment, it was a hell of a bad year for many folks. I hope 2006 will be better, but I doubt it, the roots of society have been ripped out, and the signs for the end times are planted. For those none believers, I'm not trying to persuade you to a religion, it is fact, our society is going down hill'we all know it, and if there is a God, and if the flood was real, and geologist say it was, fire and destruction will come again soon. And if there is no God, we better hope there is, or we are doomed even sooner. But if I was a none believer, I would most likely say: it is true what he says, but what I can I do (besides prayer). Good question, and some of my friends are none believers and are doing more than God's so called chosen, what a shame. Whatever you are led to do, out of conviction, for humanity, it will be appreciated, perhaps by those who will never know you. We all should remember, this is not a left or right wing thing, it is a societal thing, it just happens to be the writer is a Christian, but I do not want to make any hurdles for anyone, at the end of the road, we all got to live together. See Dennis' web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_Siluk |
Family Tree - Winnie the Pooh: Online Educational Fun for Children
Recently I read a very cool book called "The Tao of Pooh" by Benjamin Hoff written back in the 1980's. It shows how the popular children's cartoon bear Winnie the Pooh created by A.A. Milne in England in the 1920's, though a Western concept, actually embodies the ideology of the great Chinese (Eastern) philosophy Taoism (pronounced Daoism). I remember enjoying Winnie the Pooh stories when I was a kid so I thought I'd do the modern task of searching for his name on the Internet. Of course there are hundreds of sites based on Pooh, but I decided to go to the official site entitled: http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/pooh/. Uh oh, Disney! Of course Disney didn't have the rights on Pooh Bear from the start, but where there is a dollar to be made in the realm of children's entertainment... I may sound a little judgmental here, but I just get a weird feeling about Disney, like they are planning to take over the world one day, possibly replacing the current governor of California, movie 'star' Arnold Swartzenegger, with Donald Duck or heaven help us, Goofy. Then again maybe that wouldn't really change the world much at all! I don't want to get too political as this article is basically going to be a positive review of the Pooh website, but when I think about it, having Pooh Bear as president instead of George Bush could have some really happy and peaceful repercussions around the globe. Getting past the idea that Pooh Bear has been 'acquired' by the Disney Corporation there are some positives in all situations (Taoist belief of the balance of yin and yang energies) and one of these is the fact that Disney have a lot of power and money behind them. Therefore, the Pooh Bear website in question sets a very high standard of how high the quality of websites can reach. The colored graphics are astounding as well as the movement and interactivity of the site in general. The main point of the site that I want to emphasize is the enjoyable educational value that it holds for children approximately 3-6 years of age, although after reading Hoff's novel, parents and people like myself can also get something out of the stories. Milne's original tales were a social commentary at the time of writing as well as promoting happiness and friendship to the youngest generation. Hopefully in keeping in character, Disney doesn't lose too much of the original purpose and perspective, though in being perpetually politically correct I'm sure all real controversy has disappeared like honey from Pooh Bear's jars. Your kids can enjoy Pooh based on-line video games, as well as downloading coloring-in pages, mazes, and color wallpaper posters. You can also download a fun empty family tree that the child can then research to fill in. As the site is highly professional and under constant updates in construction, it says that soon there will be Pooh alphabetical flash cards and even an 'Enchanted call from Pooh and Tigger", although this sounds like a pure money/honey making exercise. Speaking of money please be careful as this site has lots of different products and merchandise your kids are bound to obsess over. If I were you, just try and choose the stories and videos that seem to have genuine educational value. However, there are a few nice freebies that you can download from the 'Characters' link, such as a Tigger mask and a valentine card for Eeyore the donkey as well as more fun activities. Whether you want to show your young children an interesting and fun time on the computer/Internet, or you are planning to build a children's website of your own, this site is an excellent choice. Jesse S. Somer |
Family Tree - Is There a Family Tree Goldmine Hiding in Your Attic?
Most armchair genealogists today are so conditioned to look for just about everything online that they often forget some of the very basic "old school" methods that worked so well years before anyone had even heard of the Internet. So, turn off the computer, get up from your desk, and get ready to do some down and dirty family tree research the way it used to be done. Where to start? Well, if your parents or grandparents have an attic, prepare yourself for a dusty afternoon of rummaging through chests and boxes looking for old family records. Papers to look for include: property deeds, military service records, birth and death certificates, and old wills. Take a notebook, and write down the name of each document you find, as well as any dates, and any names (both of people and places), which are mentioned. How will you use the documents and these names and dates? Try entering the names into any of the online search resources you're no doubt familiar with. One of the reasons so many people get frustrated with their family tree research is that they simply can't find much - if anything - online. The more names and information you can uncover using more traditional methods, the greater your odds of success when you try today's "cutting-edge" methods. Remember, as you learn new search techniques, your family tree will take shape from ALL the pieces of the puzzle that you discover. Letters from the Past When you find an old letter, one that's perhaps a couple of hundred years old, you're listening to the voice of your ancestor, in his or her own words. The ink will be faded, and it might take a lot of effort to read the letters. Rather than ruin your eyes or become frustrated, take photos of the letters, or copy or scan them, and have them enlarged. Then transcribe (copy by hand) as much of the letters as you need to help you to identify the person later. Include any dates; also take note of the addresses on envelopes, and the dates the letters were posted. As you go through old letters, many of the names will be completely unfamiliar to you. However, don't ignore them. Write down each name in a master list. If you use a spreadsheet program you'll be able to sort the names alphabetically. The deeper you go into your research, the more you'll come across the same names, and you will figure out just who these people are. Old Account Books Families in the 19th century kept careful accounts. These account books can be of several kinds. Women kept household accounts of money spent on food, fuel and other household necessities. Farms and small businesses kept accounts of their business transactions. In addition, fathers kept family accounts with their wills. Any money that was advanced to a child against his inheritance would be carefully written down, along with any repayments, and any amounts outstanding would be calculated against the child's portion of the inheritance when the father died. Diaries and Journals People in the past were more inclined to keep a diary or a journal than we are today. Travelers kept diaries of their explorations, and students kept diaries when they went to boarding school. Read any journals you find carefully, and make a note of people and places that are mentioned. These will help you later on. Chris Simeral is the creator of the 7 Day Family Tree Genealogy Research Toolkit. For more information on last name origins, researching your family's past, or a free genealogy mini-course, visit http://www.7DayFamilyTree.com. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Simeral |
Family Tree - The Full Time Rv'er and Travel Trailers
Travel trailers are one of the most popular rv's going. They date back to the very early days of rv travel and have grown and blossomed with the industry.A travel trailer is a trailer that is hitched to the rear of the tow vehicle instead of a hitch in the bed of a pickup. Travel trailers range in size from a tiny 13 feet to 35 feet plus. They come in many forms from the compact folding tent trailer to the full size unit with multiple slide outs. Sleeping arrangements often include bunk beds to accommodate the entire family. The folding tent trailer offers a lot of living space in a very compact form. These are usually canvas sided with a large pull out bed at each end. At the top end, they offer bathrooms with shower, hot water heaters and full galley for food preparation. The simpler versions are often sized small enough to pull behind a touring motorcycle. The Hybrid travel trailer is a combination of the folding tent trailer and a standard hard sided trailer. A hybrid travel trailer has the folding pullout bed of a tent trailer on one or more ends. This adds greatly to the usable living space in the interior while still maintaining a compact package to tow. Also found in this branch of the travel trailer family tree is the hard sided folding trailer. These compact trailers expand upward to become a full sized travel trailer when set up in camp. Most travel trailers are the standard hard sided one or two axle units. These trailers are immensely popular with families because of low initial cost, ease of towing and lots of sleeping accommodations. Whether you are traveling alone or with a large family, you can find a travel trailer in your price range to meet your rv travel needs. Lee McPherron along with his partner, Shirley are '60s era flower children living out long suppressed dreams in Goldie, a 27 foot Glendale fifth wheel. Are you curious about the full time rv living lifestyle? Point your browser at http://www.thorntonnetsales.com for a free email course on full time rv living. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_S_Mcpherron |
Family Tree - Maiden Name Search Strategies Or How To Trace Your Family Tree
While it is not always easy to discover the maiden name of a female ancestor, there are numerous approaches which can be successful, and will perhaps lead to you discovering a completely new branch of your family tree. Or perhaps you want to know more about an ancestor or another person you just know the maiden name of. Maybe you will even find living relatives you never knew anything about! The most direct and straightforward method to locate maiden names, or find people by maiden name, is to search through marriage records. This can be done at sites like http://www.findapersonservice.com or http://www.searchmaidenname.com and is usually the best and most reliable option. Marriage records do not only include the marriage license, but also documents like marriage certificate, bonds, and announcements. It is of course helpful to know the marriage location and at least an approximate marriage date - otherwise it can be quite difficult to find the right record. Another source of correspondence between maiden names and other cues are cemetery records. Quite often, they will list women's maiden names along with the married name, or may also include the maiden name as a middle name or initial. Maiden name lookup is also possible via census, land, church, birth death records. Land is often inherited from father to daughter, with maiden names being included in the deeds. Church records are a good source for christening records, which typically include the names of the parents along with the maiden name of the mother. A couple of sites offer custom-tailored services which simplify and accelerate the process, for instance http://www.searchmaidenname.com. Of course, nobody guarantees that your search will be successful even with such helper tools - but they pretty much take most of the effort out of maiden name research. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_D._Weber |
Family Tree - Beginners First Steps in Family History
Commencing your Family History actually begins at home. I would recommend you record your own details first. For example, your birth, christening/baptism (if appropriate), marriage, divorce(s), remarriage(s), the dates of birth, death etc (if appropriate) of your spouse, children and grandchildren. Congratulations, you have started your Family History. You must now work backwards and trace back your ancestors. If you have a common name, the challenge is more difficult, but don't despair, you're not alone. If you have an unusual name, your task may be easier than you think. Technically, it should be easier to trace the correct line of your ancestors. Start following your father's line then your mothers. Once you're stuck start talking to your oldest relatives. Hopefully, granddad or grandma is still alive. Better still, the great grand parents. Often, when you dig enough someone may already have constructed a family tree. Get a copy and expand on it. You may have a relative overseas that you can work with to further your research. You should try to obtain any family records such as birth, death & marriages, wills, family photos, old bibles that may contain family information, diaries, letters and anything else that contains family information. Attend your local heritage or family history library. There are local family history societies you can join. Obtain books or a how to ebook that teaches you how to start. Reading magazine articles can help you get started. If you're really stuck, you can employ a professional genealogist. Check their credentials and fees first before hiring them. They should be professional members of their national genealogical society. Record your information on paper. Use the FREE Pedigree and Family Work Group Sheet provided on my web site. Storing your genealogy data on a computer is a great idea. You can easily share data with other family members or genealogists. I recommend you use software to store information. This will save you a lot of time and effort organizing your notes. You could have fun searching old local newspapers in your library and find articles regarding your ancestors. Visiting local heritage and Family History centers may uncover treasures of information concerning your ancestors. It's worth the trip. A final tip, keep a special log of where you've searched. Sometimes, even unsuccessful research could come alive when further information comes to hand. It also keeps you focused and on track. You learn all about how to use libraries and archives efficiently, and to uncover a whole new world you didn't know exists. Nick Grbin is the webmaster of http://www.genealogy4beginners.com The web site outlines a Genealogy Ebook that saves time, effort and money researching your Ancestors, You can subscribe to the FREE Family History for Beginners Newsletter with great tips & information. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Grbin |
Family Tree - Estate: Reader Question: A Trust for Grandchildren
Imagine what it would be like if each one of your grandchildren earned a scholarship to pay their college costs. Wouldn't that be great? In a sense they can. Not only that, they could receive grants to help them purchase their first home, start a business and even provide additional retirement funds! Read on to find out how. You don't have to rely on a government program or the generosity of a school to provide a college 'scholarship' for your children, great-grandchildren and even your great-great-grandchildren. You don't have to rely on special grants to help them buy a home or start a business. And their potential retirement doesn't have to depend on the largesse of increasingly stingy employers. No. You can award those 'scholarships' and 'grants'. You can take steps now that may provide such funding for generations. Imagine, your great-grandchildren growing up knowing that if they work hard and get good grades that you will pay some or all of their college education! Talk about a legacy. It's not as hard as you think. Recently, I received a question from a reader who wanted to set up a trust that would provide retirement assistance to future branches in his family tree. There are several advantages to setting up a multi-generational trust. The money can pass from generation to generation without any estate tax. The money is protected from divorce, lawsuits and the claims of creditors. And you get to set the terms of how the money is administered and distributed. That means the trust can provide incentives related to things you find important. For example, there can be educational assistance based on grades. There can be financial assistance for starting a business, for doing charitable work or for saving for retirement. The trust can own homes'even vacation homes. The possibilities are endless. You determine what they are and how they will function. An irrevocable trust will typically be used in these situations. Once you set it up, the terms of the trust can't be changed. So it's important that you thoroughly think it through before signing it. Just because the terms can't be changed doesn't mean these trusts can't be flexible. You can build in flexibility. For instance, the terms can state that the trustees are able to determine the conditions upon which educational funding will be provided based on the current tax, legal and economic environment. They can take into account the financial wherewithal of the individual and their parents. You don't have to say, 'If this, then that'. Instead you can set guidelines for the trustees to follow. Of course, you also specify how trustees are determined and under what circumstances they can be changed. Since the trust is irrevocable, the more flexibility you can leave the trustees, the better. Once the trust document is prepared and signed, it's time to move money into it. Since the trust is seen as a separate legal entity, money and/or assets are gifted to it. Check with state laws to see if gifts above a certain amount are subject to tax. At the Federal level, you can gift $12,000 a year per person without tax consequences. There is also a $1 million Federal lifetime exemption, so $1 million if you're single, or $2 million if you're married, can be transferred into the trust all at once without incurring Federal Gift Tax. There are many ways that trust money can be invested. It can own real estate, insurance, annuities, stocks, bonds and mutual funds. In fact, what it can own is only limited by what the person setting up the trust decides. Many suggest annuity or other tax-deferred products so the trust doesn't have to pay taxes on the income each year. I don't agree. Using annuities only pushes the taxes down the road, causing them to snowball. They are still subject to tax when withdrawn and will be taxed at ordinary income tax rates. Stocks, bonds and real estate can be managed in such a way that they generate dividends and capital gains. These are taxed at a much lower rate and provide greater control and flexibility. Life insurance on those setting up the trust and/or other family members can be used to continue to replenish the trust from one generation to the next. Nationally-syndicated financial columnist and Certified Financial Planner? Jeffrey Voudrie provides personal, in-depth money management services and advice to select private clients throughout the USA. He'll answer your financial question - FREE at http://www.guardingyourwealth.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeffery_Voudrie |
Family Tree - Kids and Lifebooks: Tips for Social Workers
Every child who is adopted from foster care deserves a clear, detailed record of his or her life prior to adoption. While a foster child is waiting for a forever family, a lifebook can help her to make sense of the past and prepare to go forward. Once a child is placed with a permanent family, lifebooks are a connection to the past that can inform and improve the future. Done with care, lifebooks are an invaluable tool for helping children through difficult life transitions and enabling them to take ownership of their unique histories. Simply stated, a lifebook is a book that presents a child's life story. Like other books, lifebooks can contain pictures, artwork, text, and other meaningful memorabilia that convey information about a child's personal history. What child doesn't like being the star of his own story for an audience of his choosing? It is very simple in principle...until you begin to factor in abuse and neglect, multiple placements, loss and grief, complicated legalities, and disruptions. How can you translate abuse, drugs, and rejection in terms and images appropriate for a five-year-old? You may have to learn some new skills, but a well-constructed lifebook can hold a tale of even the most profound loss and pain. Key Components When I was a new adoption worker, the experienced writers in my office created a lifebook template/checklist of sorts. All of our lifebooks included: ? information about the child's birth To bolster children's self esteem, our template included a very upbeat birth page. One common line was, "When you were born, the doctors ooohed and aaahed..." While I believed in all the lifebook components, I never liked this line. For me, it just did not ring true. So many of our children were tiny drug-addicted babies, fighting for their lives. Lifebooks are supposed to be about the truth. Lifebook Truths. Because lifebooks are historical documents, it is never okay to lie. Sometimes, though, you may not know much about a particular event'say, the moment the child was born. In such circumstances, you may need to say, "I'll bet that...." For example: I'll bet that your birth mother was happy to have given birth to such a beautiful baby girl, but she may have felt sad and confused too because of her problems with bad drugs. Official documents such as birth certificates and hospital birth records are a great source of factual information, and kids love to see the important pieces of paper that validate their very existence. Foster kids sometimes need to be reminded that they, like everyone else, started life by getting born. Another way to promote lifebook truth is to involve the child. After all, this is his or her story. Grab crayons and markers, and find a quiet space. Younger children may enjoy dictating while you write; pretend they are guests on a talk show and interview them. Other kids may want to write down their own words, and have you transform them into neat, printed pages. Some truths are hard to explain and accept. But if an event is an important part of the child's history, include what you can in a developmentally appropriate way. A teenager may be able to understand "sexual abuse" and a birth parent who was "addicted to cocaine and alcohol," but a younger child may make better sense of phrases like "bad touching" and "couldn't stay away from bad drugs." Omissions say to a child that things are so bad they can't be shared. Then the child may fill in the blanks with much scarier imaginings and a sense of guilt or shame. Truth leads to healing, and troubling past events, over time, can fade into "just the way it is." Family History Think about your family for a minute. Which relatives do you take after? Whose athleticism matches yours? Whose laugh echoes yours at the same jokes? Whose nose is (for better or worse) stuck on your face? Much of our identity comes from being part of the generations that came before us. Children who live with their birth family can see the traits they share with relatives. They also hear and relive family stories at the dinner table, at family gatherings, and through shared memories. Children who are adopted from foster care may have vivid memories of their birth family, but relatively few positive stories or happy shared moments. Once the birth family is out of their lives, they lose major connections. Can you imagine going through life without meeting anyone who looks like you? Imagine what it feels like to go through a significant life event'having a baby or being screened for cancer'without knowing your family medical history? Lifebooks can help answer questions that keep kids, teens, and adults up at night wondering. Adoption social workers often have access to detailed social histories, old medical records, and other social workers who once worked with the birth parents. If visits with birth parents are still going on, you have a golden opportunity to gather important facts and images. In my view, any chance to get information or pictures should be considered a last chance. Additional family photos and details about the birth family will be a treasure to the child'and to those who parent the child for the rest of their lives. And let's not forget siblings; they have a special magic all their own. A simple page with siblings' names, ages, pictures, and locations can work wonders. Asking Why One of the hardest and most critical parts of lifebooks answers the question: Why don't I live with my birth family? It is unwise to tell a child that their birth parent was sick (unless it is an honest part of the story). Don't sick people usually get better? And if Mom gets better, shouldn't the child go back home? What if Mom doesn't get better'is she dead, or dying? Why give the child this worry? I tell children that their birth father, birth mother (or other caretaker) had grown-up problems and wasn't able to take care of him- or herself. In fact, the caretaker took such poor care of him/herself that he/she couldn't possibly take care of a child'any child'at that time in his/her life. By placing responsibility squarely with the adult, we can help children work through nonsensical thinking evidenced in rhymes like: "Step on a crack and break your mother's back." Many children with abuse histories believe they were bad or somehow responsible for being taken from their birth families. As social workers, we must make sure that kids don't carry this burden of false guilt through life. I often directly ask children, "Why do you think you aren't living with your birth family?" In 10 minutes, I get more information from this question than most therapists do in 10 sessions. Depending on the circumstances, I will then discuss each child's specific situation. Placements Pages on placements are often the most straightforward. Start with here and now; do a page on the child's current school, favorite foods, good friends, sports, and favorite activities. Get any photos you can. Do the same for past placements in foster homes, group homes, or emergency shelters. If the child is just about to enter an adoptive placement, a favorite page may be one commemorating when the adoptive parents and child first met. Interview the parents and child separately, and then share their quotes. Now you are accumulating text for the lifebook. Seek out school report cards, awards, and positive quotes from teachers and foster parents. Awards and praise can help children feel good about who they are'a feeling that can give them the ego strength to deal with difficult transitions. The Worker's Blessing Page As a social worker, you probably have worked with this child for months, if not years. Just before the child is placed for adoption, take time to write one page for the end of the lifebook. Talk about the child's strengths and what you think is special about him or her. Include a funny story or thought. It is important to give a child permission to move on and be happy. This is a powerful message for the years to come. Getting It Done A team approach to lifebooks may be most rewarding. If foster parents can capture a few moments of the child's life'maybe grab a picture of the birth family and share a picture of the foster family too'then the lifebook has begun. Social workers and therapists can add to the record. When the child is adopted, carefully transfer the book to the adoptive family. Coach adoptive parents to keep the lifebook somewhere special and secure. If the child wants the book in her room, make a copy of the original for her to keep. The child gets to decide when the lifebook comes out and parents should never share the book without the child's permission. It may be that the book will become a part of adoption anniversary celebrations, provide help with a school family tree assignment, open the door to conversations about adoption and identity as the child gets older, and help the child to deal with the painful loss of his birth family. Then too, it may be something that the child can only appreciate once he starts his own family. The lifebook should be available whenever the child is ready. Soon after I began working on lifebooks for children, I heard back from families whose children had my first plain, typewritten efforts. To my delight, they reported that the lifebooks became more valuable over time. Lifebooks give foster and adopted children crucial, life-affirming information: basic factual data about themselves, as well as an understanding of where they came from and why they have a new family. It also gave them permission to remember and grieve their losses and better bond with their new families. What a gift! Beth O'Malley is a speaker and the author of Lifebooks: Creating a Treasure for the Adopted Child, My Foster Care Journey, and For When I'm Famous: A Teen Foster/Adoption Lifebook (call 800-469-9666 to learn more about the books). To contact Beth, write to Lifebooks@earthlink.net or visit http://www.adoptionLifebooks.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beth_O'Malley |