Why am I doing this? [Mission Statement]
I have only a few surviving photographs of my father, paternal grandmother and step-grandfather, due to my parents' divorce when I was still an infant. I have no memento's or artefact's of any kind. This, and a general curiosity about the people I descend from (both maternal and paternal), have driven my search into the past. (Plus, I love a good puzzle!)
What is to be the focus of my research?
My research only includes paternal ancestors and allied lines, as my mother is currently researching her (and thus my maternal) ancestry.
Since "my people" were, for the most part, early arrivals to Canada, my current plan is to document their lives, and the lives of their descendants, while in this country. If, during the course of my research, I stumble upon information pertinent to their home country, then I will utilize it - however, at this time, I will not actively go searching for it.
I want to discover not just my direct lines, but also the siblings, aunts and uncles, wives and cousins of these people. I want to discover their friends and neighbours, and the communities in which they resided. Local and social history will, therefore, be a large influence upon my research.
Where to look?
I plan to utilize any and all document and artefact's available either through the Inter-Library Loan (ILLO) department of my local public library, the Family History Centre here in Oshawa, and the Archives in Ontario in Toronto. While internet research is also (obviously) important as well, I still prefer microfilms and, if possible, the actual paper records.
How will my research be organized?
Surname Binders:
- One per major line (Barber, Cameron, Evans and Grainger) - with more binders added as needed.
- One each for allied families (A-C [not including Cavanagh], Cavanagh, D-L and M-Z) - with more binders added as needed.
- All binders will be filed alphabetically by surname.
- Within each binder, family groups are to organized by surname, husband's given name, husband's date of birth, and wife's surname.
- Family group sheet(s) - more to be added as needed, depending on the number of children a couple had.
- A secondary worksheet (as of yet undeveloped/found) - for additional information not included on family group sheet(s), such as military service, occupations, school information, land information, etc.
- Source transcription and citation worksheet(s) - organized randomly by family-specific source numbers (which correspond to those listed on the family group sheet(s)), for documents held elsewhere.
- Photocopies of source documents, such as those from published works, cemetery transcriptions, etc., accompanied by a source citation worksheet.
- Research logs - logs are to be organized by surname, record type, locality, and log number.
- Pedigree charts - listing my entire lineage, maternal and paternal, for a brief overview of my family's history.
- Correspondence - logs, letters, emails, enclosures, etc.; organized by recipient and then by date; any enclosures that accompany a letter will be kept here as well (with a source citation worksheet), and referenced in the appropriate family group(s) by means of a source transcription and citation worksheet.
- Travel research - any and all information needed for genealogical trips; to be prepared for each individual outing, but will contain (at the very basic level) research logs (transferred from the Research Logs binder as needed) , holding folders for located documents (organized by document type), document sleeves, post-it notes for citation use, citation cheat-sheets, to-do lists, notebook, and other stationary supplies.
- May-Be-Related - family group sheets and accompanied documentation pertaining to individuals and/or families who may be related, organized as per the surname binder collection.
- Birth records - copies of documents relating to birth (civil registrations, baptisms, etc.).
- Marriage records - copies of documents relating to marriage (civil registrations, banns, divorce, etc.).
- Death records - copies of documents relating to death (civil registrations, cemetery records, wills, obituaries, etc.).
- Cemetery Photographs - photographs of gravestones are to be stored in separate albums, organized by location of cemetery and then by surname.
- Census records - copies of census pages, organized by country, year, province/state, county/district, township/town/city/sub-district, and page, as applicable.
- Miscellaneous records - copies of documents not covered by one of the above categories (such as deeds, township papers, immigration/migration records, directories, etc.); when a group of these records becomes too numerous (i.e. taking up more than half of the Miscellaneous binder(s)), the records will be removed to a separate binder and labelled as such.
Family History Objectives for 2011:
- Join at least one genealogical/history society (LCGS?).
- Create a publishing schedule for my family history blog, "Roots & Stones: A Canadian Girl's Genealogy Diary", for the next 6 months and post regularly (at least once a week).
- Acquire copies of all Canadian census records (as available) for all direct-line ancestors.
- Subscribe to at least one genealogical periodical (Family Chronicle?).
- Visit the Family History Centre here in Oshawa.
- Become (and stay!) organized!!!
I'm (slowly) writing out research plans for various genealogy brick walls within my family and posting them to the blog. Below you'll find a list of those that are written (linked to that particular post) and those that I'm planning to write. As always, any suggestions are welcome!
Cameron, Alexander (immigration; death and burial)
Cameron, Alexander & Gillespie, Flora (marriage)
Gillespie, Flora (immigration)
Granger/Grainger, William (death and burial)
