This is the traditional "why create a family history blog"? Which also leads into the question my relatives ask me when they see me spending weekends poring over countless vague records online. Or sending 20 euros for some record in Ireland. Or reaching out to a third cousin that I've never met in my 48 years in life.
I'm not a professional genealogist. I am pretty good with "pitbulling" things and finding answers though. I've been digging in for about two years now. Its cost money, and time, but I've got a good tree going.
Why blog? My first and shameless hope is to open up my family history so someone else searching may find the records and contact me. I personally have made contact with at least two distant cousins via just 'binging' out with the names and places. It worked for me, it should work for them.
Second why blog. I see alot of people grinding through records without applying technology correctly. I'm a Windows guy, and there are an absolute ton of tools you can use to showcase your family history appropriately. I'll post some videos of searches and tools that have worked for me. Maybe they'll work for you.
Third why blog. Which falls in with "why do family history at all". My last grandmother died about five years ago. "Shit, I just lost all those stories", I thought to myself when they passed. Their histories, their grandparents histories, all gone. I don't want my kids to do the same when they are 50 and I die. I actually expect
to be gone well before they are 50! So I've resolved to push out my family history in this blog as well as a ebook. I'm also researching my wife's family history for the same reason.
Fourth - brick walls. I'm going to post my brick walls online. Maybe someone will be able to help me with them if they read the article.
Fifth - overcome fear of scary things - Requesting docs from Ireland. Challenging the social security group for un-redacted forms. Sending $300 to Lithuania. Writing letters to people you've never met but found in an address book in hopes they are related. Scaring away a long lost relative by asking too many questions (I've done it twice now). Oh boy. Maybe my stories will help you get over your fear.
I'll try and keep the posts short and brief. Happy hunting...
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