family ancestry
First Steps to Start an Online Family History
Do you want to publish Your Family history on the Internet?
The answer is, “Yes”. The primary reason is to capture and preserve in one place all family memories so that everyone can see it – and different family members can contribute. And, for most people, a blog is the best Internet publishing platform because it is relatively easy to learn and it costs little or nothing.
What if you are only interested in genealogy and a Family Tree plus a few photos and notes?
Then maybe a site like ancestry.com will fit your needs. Ancestry has a good family tree application plus an organized approach to Genealogy Research.
After a free trial, for only a few dollars, using Ancestry saves hours and hours of researching other genealogy sites.
Or do you have a lot of family history material?
Biographies and associated material are the most popular elements of a family history. Family members may have much biographical material, including many photos and family stories. You may have family keepsakes, heirlooms and hand-me-downs to photograph and write about. And so forth.
With more material, an online family history site will fit better than a genealogy only site.
Is the technology too difficult and too costly for an online Family History?
The answer to both questions is, “No”. With the tools available, if a person can do email and navigate the Internet, that person can learn to write and publish a family history on the Internet with a blogging platform. For most people, even relative beginners, learning how will take only a few hours. In addition, various help facilities are available online.
How much time will this take?
As mentioned above, it will take most people only a few hours to learn to use the tools. After this learning period, how long it will take to do a family history depends, of course, on how much material will be included.
A benchmark might be less than one week, working a few hours a day, to do a smaller family history of a few pages and 10-20 photographs.
However, in most cases, the writer will take more time than originally thought because there will likely be more material to include than initially estimated.
However, usually the time needed ceases to be an issue because the work becomes interesting and fun!
Why write your family history?
The simple, but most significant answer is, “Because it’s personally rewarding”. I will explain.
Starting in 2002, I spent hundreds of hours as “Chief Writer and Editor” of the extensive A. E. Garden Family History. (I’m still adding material.)
It was a kick to capture in words the stories about my ancestors that I heard many times – adding associated photos and images of family historical items made it even more fun.
Also, I know that there is now a permanent record of my family history online for not only the present generation, but also for future generations to appreciate – truly gratifying!
The thanks of relatives who repeatedly express their appreciation is also gratifying.
For example, the grandchildren who never knew their grandfather loved reading the stories that characterized him and, in one grandchild’s words, made him seem “real” – their appreciation was worth all my work!
It was also rewarding and fulfilling to work with and develop closer relationships with family members who contributed to this family history.
On a very personal basis, to be able to dedicate this to two people who cared very much about their ancestry – my father and my mother – was a huge satisfaction. My mother had spent many hours on our genealogy and it felt great to continue and expand her work. Also, in doing the research and the writing, I came to understand better how much my father had been “formed” by his ancestors – and therefore how important ancestors are to all of us.
You may find the results interesting if you enter into your Google search box: “why write a family history”.
© Copyright January, 2010 by Dale Garden
About the Author
Wrote and published extensive online ancestral family history, then began to help others do their own online family histories.
Formerly a corporate manager and management/business consultant now retired.
Ancestry & Family, Part I
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K&Company Life’s Journey Cardstock Die-Cuts, Ephemera, 44/Pkg $2.67 Designed to coordinate with the rest of the Life’s Journey papers, stickers, and embellishments, let your creativity take shape with these designer cardstock die-cuts! Just choose your design and adhere as you see fit! These wonderful die-cuts consist of postcards, stamps, tickets, newspaper articles and advertisements, and much more: 44 pieces total. Sizes range from 3/4″ sq. to 5-3/4″ x 3-1/2″ … |
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K & Co ANCESTRY 12X12 BROWN BONDED LEATHER EMBOSSED Postbound Scrapbook Photo Album $22.19 Designed to coordinate with all Ancestry.com albums, papers, stickers, rub-ons, embellishments and more. Embossed bonded-leather covers. Includes 10 top-loading page protectors with heavyweight ivory paper inserts to hold 20 layouts. Also includes a FREE 7-day membership offer to Ancestry.com. … |
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Life’s Journey Metal Art: Small Frames $2.67 Metal art frames are crafted with fine detail to add unique dimension and luster to your projects. In an instant, metal art turns your creation into a keepsake! Package contains 6 mini frames: 2 each: 1″ squares, 1″ circles, and 1″ x 3/4″ rectangles. Antique silver finish. Theme: Life’s Journey. … |
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Cheatin Hearts $2.99 A man walks out on his wife and daughters only to return after a long absence with a new girlfriend, and face the consequences of his actions…. |
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Roots $22.92 … |
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Family Tree Maker 2010 Platinum Software $86.98 Get step-by-step instructions and tips that will help you easily build and grow your family tree with Your Family Tree Maker 2010 Platinum software…. |
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A Guide to Irish Family Names An approximately 1 hour VHS that features the history of Irish family names…. |
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Roots: The Next Generations $3.74 Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 10/09/2007 Rating: Nr… |
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The Shipping News $5.68 A troubled man returns to his ancestral home in Newfoundland with his young daughter to rebuild his life…. |
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Avalon $8.11 Semi-autobiographical story of an immigrant family in Baltimore as they seek the American dream in a place called Avalon…. |
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Ancestry.com Scrap Layout Kits $9.08 Add to your scrapbook with a family tree scrap kit from ancestry.comKit includes 12 flat designer papers 8 grand adhesions and 18 name and label stickersArt and craft supplies theme: family and everyday |
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Ancestry.com 65-piece 12×12-inch Scrapbook Album Kit $31.49 This is the perfect scrapbooking kit to document your family historyAncestry.com includes one 12-inch postbound scrapbook album with photo and name plate windows on frontPhoto album features high-quality coated paper covering |
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The Official Guide to Family Tree Maker 2008 $17.57 Explains how to use the software program to organize family history information, and offers advice on ancestry research. |
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The Forgotten Garden (Paperback) $9.54 In this family epic by the bestselling author Kate Morton, an orphan named Nell embarks on a lifelong search for her true ancestry, but the puzzle of her origin is only solved by her granddaughter, years after Nell is dead and gone. Abandoned on a ship… |
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Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama (Paperback) $10.07 When Barack Obama learns of the death of his father, he is compelled to trace his unusual family history from America to Kenya, where learns more of his father and comes to terms with his African ancestry. |