Genealogy Chats on Three Social Media Platforms

Whether you have an account on Twitter, Mastodon, or Blue Sky, you can participate in a genealogy chat or at least browse the chat posts to see what was said. 

In the past two years, many former Twitter users have fled to Blue Sky, many to Mastodon, many to Threads. So far, I haven't heard of any genealogy chats on Threads, but the other three have chats on a regular basis. (I began on Twitter in January, 2009 and will always refer to the platform by that name.)

#GenChat takes place on the second and fourth Friday nights (US time) of every month on Twitter, then on those Saturday mornings on Mastodon--see schedule above. Led by Christine McCloud, the chat is an hour of sometimes guided conversation (meaning question/answer format) and sometimes free-wheeling open mic with a theme. To learn more, see the "how it works" section of the GenChat website here. No matter where you're based, no matter what your level of genealogy experience, you're invited to join this friendly chat. I'm usually on the Saturday Mastodon chats, with folks from all over the globe.

#AncestryHour, a UK-based genealogy chat attracting folks from all around, is currently in "show up and chat" mode, without any formal moderator. It takes place on Twitter on Tuesdays, at 2 pm US Eastern (7 pm UK). As the name suggests, it's an hour of informal conversation about whatever you happen to be researching or reading, and it can be a good place to ask for advice or just hang out.

Before Twitter was bought a couple of years ago, #AncestryHour had a team of terrific moderators...but then the new owner instituted changes that made formal moderation nearly impossible. Still, if you're on Twitter, please feel welcome to visit and chime in if you choose. I often join this chat on Tuesdays.

The newest chat is #GenHour, which will begin on the Blue Sky social media platform in September. The weekly schedule is shown above, with British Standard Time start times. So for September 5th, the 8 pm BST start would be 3 pm Eastern time for US participants. This new #GenHour chat is an effort to bring more interactivity to the growing genealogy community on BlueSky. I'm not yet on Blue Sky, so I won't be participating--but I'll be very interested to hear how this new chat develops!

#GenChat Is Going Strong!

If you're on Twitter/X or Mastodon, and want to chat about genealogy and family history, check out #GenChat! 

Hosted by Christine McCloud, #GenChat has themed chats and free-wheeling "open mic" chats, plus special experts who share their knowledge and ideas. It's a friendly hour of genealogy/family history discussion via social media posts.

Want to participate?

On Twitter/X, #GenChat takes place on the second and fourth Friday of every month. On Mastodon, the chat takes place on the Saturday after the Friday #GenChat. 

At top, the schedule from June through December, 2024. Tonight and tomorrow, the topic will be "genealogy institutes" with guest expert Cyndi Ingles, founder of Cyndi's List. (The pink date indicates Saturday on Mastodon.)

To see the schedule with US and international starting times, check here.

I'll be chatting on Saturday on Mastodon. Hope you'll drop by on Friday or Saturday and join the conversation!

Bite-Sized Ancestor Bios: Ideas from #GenChat

Last night and this morning, the #GenChat topic (on Twitter and Mastodon) was "Bite-Sized Ancestor Bios." To stimulate conversation as guest expert, I created a series of questions that participants answered in tweets or toots. Here's a recap--lots of ideas and food for thought! No right or wrong answers. "Everyone deserves to be remembered" as GenChat host Christine says. 

#GenChat Ice-breaker: Have you written any ancestor biographies, bite-sized or not?

Comments: Most folks have written at least a few ancestor bios. A bite-sized bio, no matter how brief, is more informative than no bio at all. One person said this was a good way to document both genealogy research and family lore (more about "lore" later). Several have been blogging ancestor bios for some time. Someone self-published the detailed bio of an ancestor after years of research. A few pointed to their growing number of bios on WikiTree profiles. 

One participant started with bullet points to get the ball rolling. Sometimes bios can be time-consuming if cross-reference related ancestors, research, etc. Preparing to write a bio, someone noted sources, research plans, timeline. What do you need to know before writing?

There was discussion about how short or long a bite-sized bio might be. Depends on the space available, what you know about an ancestor, the attention span of your audience, how much you want to include or need to include to help others understand that ancestor. 

Q1: What are the pros and cons of bite-sized bios?

Pros: the ability to commemorate an ancestor, preserve something of that person's life, humanize that person. Quick to research/write, quick for audience to absorb without getting overwhelmed. Interesting ancestor anecdote might spark interest among family members. Main facts at least summarize ancestor's life, putting in highlights and context adds dimension. Especially for ancestors without descendants and those who died quite young, a way to keep their memories alive. 

Cons: Difficult to choose what to include/exclude. Room for stories? Or just a teaser to capture interest, build excitement? If it's too brief, is it just a story about one episode in ancestor's life? Only include unproven "family lore" if room for explanation/proof, to avoid having anyone copy unproven info and perpetuate it. (My thought: label it clearly as "family story" or "family legend" so it will be remembered even if not proven, because adds color and personality--mention if any facts contradict or might maybe possibly tend to confirm but not actually prove.) If large family tree, might have a lot of bios to write, so prioritize (see later question). 

Q2: What to include, what to exclude in bite-sized bios?

Starting points to consider including: basic facts (birth, marriage, death); family situation/relationships; occupation; one or more notable highlights (good or bad). Also: migration, religion, military, cause of death.

Consider excluding: full names/data about living people, to protect privacy; info that could be hurtful or otherwise cause problems for living people; disclosing something consequential family doesn't know in an ancestor's bio. Keep info in your files for future if not include now.

Q3: When you know a little about an ancestor, how do you create a bite-sized bio? When you know a lot about an ancestor?

Comments: Harder to write when we know a lot because must decide on focus, such as occupation or an award/honor or whether ancestor was known/close to relatives still alive. What makes that ancestor "newsworthy" for the audience? What do we most want our audience to know? General outline might include: birth, parents, spouse/kids if any, residence, interesting fact, date of death (maybe cause). Focus on a theme if possible, breaking down into bite-sized chunks.

When we know a little: "Elevator pitch," set a goal for a small number of sentences. Mention in bio what you don't know, creates a bit of drama. Choose specific focus to do a deeper dive: occupation (specifically that person or in general type of occ that person had), immigration, schooling (or lack).

If on WikiTree, try the automatic bio generator here. It uses factual data entered by user (birth date, death date, etc) woven into narrative form, bite-sized bio that can be enhanced at later date if you want.

Q4: How can you share bite-sized bios with family and more widely?

Comments: Profiles on WikiTree and other genealogy platforms; in blog posts; in a book or letter or handout; at reunion; in family Facebook group; on family chat thread; on a family or surname or genealogy website; email to relatives; submit to selected libraries/archives/genealogy societies; post as "memory" to FamilySearch; on family calendar, one ancestor per month; posting on social media with visual to attract interest (or ask for help identifying more faces); send in cards on relatives' birthdays; during video calls, audio calls; as captions for photos; on Find a Grave, Fold3, other sites that are searchable; on ornaments, maps, more.

Q5: How do you set priorities for bite-sized ancestor biography projects?

Comments: Create a list (or spreadsheet) of ancestors you want to write about, some with bite-sized bios and some with longer bios. Or prioritize direct ancestors, followed by siblings/spouses of direct ancestors, first cousins of direct ancestors, etc. Or pick one generation to start. Or a single family to profile. Or write about ancestors you never met. Or be spontaneous, depending on which ancestor or line "calls" to you. Try to write regularly, maybe one bio a week or whatever fits your schedule.

Want to participate or follow along during #GenChat on Twitter or Mastodon?

Schedule is 2d and 4th Friday of every month on Twitter, then Saturday morning on Mastodon. For more, see the GenChat website.

#GenChat on Twitter: @_genchat

#GenChat on Mastodon: @genchat@lor.sh

What About Twitter and Mastodon for Genealogy?

Having enjoyed the genealogy community on Twitter for 14 years, I'm tentatively keeping my account there despite the chaos that ensued after the new ownership began in October, 2022. For the record, I don't agree at all with the new policies and actions, nor do I like the changed atmosphere. UPDATE NOV 2023: Still don't like the atmosphere on Twitter, supposedly known as X these days. In fact, I had 100 bots a week follow me on Twitter, so I've taken my account there private. No more bots. 

But I very much like the genealogy people I've met on Twitter, and I get a lot out of participating in various genealogy chats. Every other Friday night is the US-based #GenChat (10 pm Eastern). Tuesday afternoon (Eastern time) is the UK-based #AncestryHour. UPDATE: #AncestryHour has been on hiatus since Twitter imposed limits on the number of posts that can be viewed without paying, mid-2023. However, #GenChat is alive and well.

Exploring Mastodon

As a possible Twitter alternative, I joined Mastodon late in 2022. With my interest in family history, I joined via a server (known as an "instance" in the platform's terminology) that is primarily focused on genealogy. It's called Genealysis.social, and you can read more here.

My Mastodon account is: @MarianBWood@genealysis.social (see image at top--with me in one of the MyHeritage AI Time Machine portraits).  

I highly recommend Daniel Loftus's YouTube tutorial on how to use Mastodon. He was an early adopter and knows the ins and outs. TY to Daniel for the master class! The tutorial helped me get up and running while I gain experience. Still, Mastodon is not yet as interactive as Twitter, and other social media platforms may emerge that are even better alternatives.

I'm delighted that there is a list of genealogy and family-history #Geneadons as a pinned toot on Mish Holman's Mastodon account. TY to Mish for making this available on Mastodon, so I can find and follow my family history friends.

As of May, I haven't yet noticed a high volume of genealogy conversation on Mastodon, not anywhere near as much as used to be on Twitter prior to October, 2022. Happily, #GenChat is now on Mastodon, with a small but interested group.

UPDATE NOV 2023: Although Mastodon has not at all become a hotbed of genealogy conversations, #GenChat has definitely picked up steam and attracts a different crowd on Mastodon, especially participants from Europe and down under. It's been fun and worthwhile, though fewer are joining the conversation compared with what used to happen on Twitter.

Open Mic Night: Challenges Faced by Genealogy Groups

Friday night's #GenChat on Twitter was an open mic hour of chat about genealogy and family history and related topics. 

One tweet kicked off a spirited conversation that has continued with additional comments posted for several days, and from multiple countries:

Does anyone else who volunteers with a historical & genealogical society struggle to find volunteers? I have been volunteering at a society for 4 years now as trustee and they have not gained any new volunteers.

This is not a new challenge, to be sure. During the pandemic period in particular, some groups are struggling while others have tried to adapt to remain relevant in a changing world. Lots of groups have had this conversation internally. #GenChat's discussion was impromptu, not structured and has attracted additional tweeted comments in recent days.

During the wide-ranging discussion, some tweets mentioned an entrenched "old guard" of officers unwilling to try new ideas. Other tweets observed that younger people often don't feel welcomed by older members. Still other tweets noted the need for new blood and new outreach techniques. 

You can read most of the comments by looking for #GenChat hashtag on Twitter, with posts dated May 20 and later. Some posts don't have the hashtag, so here are an even dozen representative comments about the challenges of keeping genealogical and historical society groups alive and well. 

Tweets from the discussion

"...Sometimes there is problem of “old heads” running off “newbies” — refusing to try new ways or ideas — or just not relinquishing reins where they should. Great way to kill an org."

"It is worlds easier to collaborate and help from a distance than ever before! (Whether that distance is across the country or just across town.) But too many genealogy societies insist on not trying anything new."

"At the last [genealogy] fair I went to there was one group that seemed to hold everyone's attention but wouldn't talk to anyone outside the group."

"I hear from so many younger genealogists that their societies aren't welcoming. How do we bridge the gap?"

"Societies, overall, are *way* too passive in recruiting volunteers. They don’t ask specific people, nor do they have good job descriptions. “We need volunteers for XYZ project.” Ok, but what will they *do* and what skills and time commitment are required?"

"Common issue. Many [genealogy groups] were founded at a time when working patterns were different. Today, some feel unwelcoming. I feel there will be big changes in the next few years. Some will go, some will merge, experiments with different platforms. Big societies and hyper local ones."

"My local society has trouble finding volunteers for committee chairs and the board officers but [people] are willing to volunteer for one-off jobs all the time." 

"I think some may be somewhat hostile to trying new things too, i.e. using social media to promote themselves and get the word out about their organization. I remember seeing a family history society that had ZERO social media presence."

"A lot to learn from attachment theory. People feel attached to what they have, changing it elicits a grieving process which people try to avoid because it is painful. How do we acknowledge and work through it?" 

"If a society is trying to draw members only through programming, they’re doomed. Instead, they need to show why they are unique, why they are *valuable* to the public. They go broad, when they should be going deep."

"Unique and value are the key words. Some "deep" specialized societies have great member resources not just interesting programs. Some "broad" clubs demonstrate value via networking, mentoring, more. Need to articulate real benefits to attract people & volunteers."

"Maybe not enough people understand the importance of knowing and preserving their history. They need to understand their history connects them to the global world."

What do you think? 

This is a huge topic, and while the #GenChat hour only scratched the surface, it got people thinking and commenting about challenges and opportunities.

Please join the conversation by leaving a comment on my blog or by tweeting using the hashtag #GenChat so we can all read and chime in!

A Look Back at My Genealogy Projects in 2021

Staying close to home in 2021, as I did in 2020, it was a year chock-full of genealogy projects. 

Although I've been doing some research, I was particularly focused on documenting family history for descendants and to share more widely online. Genealogy is never complete...but anything I share is more than the family (and future researchers) had before. Why wait? I'm sharing now.

Also, I blogged, wrote, and gave talks about preserving family history, prepping for the 1950 US Census, perpetuating family history, and many other topics.

Highlights:

• I published a new edition of my best-selling book, Planning a Future for Your Family's Past, receiving highly favorable reviews from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Family Tree Magazine (UK), as well as from genealogy societies and genealogy bloggers.
• It was a real honor to be a featured guest during the WikiTree Challenge. The remarkable WikiTree super-sleuths smashed several brick walls (Burk, Farkas, and Kunstler) and provided concrete clues to help me continue the research!  
• I made nearly two dozen live webinar presentations to US genealogy societies from coast to coast, plus one talk in person. In addition, I recorded talks for the New England Regional Genealogical Conference, THE Genealogy Show UK (summer and winter), and the Virtual Genealogy Association Conference. Wonderful audiences! 
• It was fun being a #GenChat guest expert, sparking discussion about finding ancestors when the 1950 US Census is released in April. Also I participated in lots of #GenChat and #AncestryHour chats, occasionally chiming in on #ANZAncestryTime chats.
• I wrote an article, "Finding Heirs for Your Family History," published in the December, 2021 issue of Internet Genealogy magazine.
• I wrote an article, "Free and Almost Free Genealogy," published in the winter 2021 issue of Avotaynu, the International Review of Jewish Genealogy.
• I found new homes (museums, libraries, historical societies) for artifacts such as theater programs collected by my late father-in-law from the 1920s to the 1980s. Family is so happy about donating these items. More to go!
• Consulting with relatives, I wrote and posted (on Find a Grave, Family Search, MyHeritage, WikiTree, and elsewhere) dozens of bite-sized ancestor bios from my tree and hubby's tree. Good progress, with more in the works.
• My late father-in-law left hundreds of photos and negatives, which I'm slowly scanning, captioning, and sharing with relatives. To be continued in 2022, along with scanning my childhood photos. Scanning is easy, captioning is key.
• I helped my hubby record several family-history videos and prepare a number of written reminiscences, complete with photos. Lesson learned: For our family audience, videos are watched once, but printed materials live on.
• I expanded my virtual cemeteries on Find a Grave to share with relatives and keep burial places from being forgotten in the future. More to go!
• I expanded my knowledge base by watching talks all year, not just those fantastic RootsTech talks but also programs hosted by national, regional, and local genealogical societies. In my bunny slippers and headset! (PS: I'm excited to be a RootsTech Influencer--aka Ambassador--for 2022.)

My next post will be a look ahead to 2022, when I will celebrate 14 years of genealogy blogging.

Genealogy Progress in the Pandemic Year of 2020

With only days to go until 2020 is in the history books, I'm looking back at the progress I made with my genealogy projects during this year of the coronavirus pandemic. I'm putting ever more emphasis on sharing what I know with relatives and preparing my trees, photos, and materials so they are in good shape to pass to the next generation years from now. 

In particular, I've been creating a variety of bite-sized projects while continuing to work on longer-term projects. Getting a small project finished in a short time gives me a sense of accomplishment and keeps my genealogy fun and engaging. If you can turn any of your research into a small project to share with family, I encourage you to try this in 2021!

During 2020 my progress included:

Complete though not planned: My original 2020 plan didn't include focusing on hubby's Civil War ancestors. But when younger relatives expressed interest, I dug into the research and wrote about 15 ancestors who fought for the Union and 3 who fought for the Confederacy. Thinking like a reader, I included an illustration with every ancestor bio, and complied an index in case someone wants to look up a specific person (maiden names included). 

Complete though not planned: A fun bite-sized project: I created a family history coloring book for each side of the family. It didn't take much time and it was a delightful, quick way to share ancestor photos and basic genealogical information, in a format that encourages children to color faces and backgrounds. I also sent adult recipients the coloring book electronically so they can reprint whenever they wish.

Nearly complete: My long-awaited "Daisy and Dorothy" booklet about Mom (Daisy Schwartz Burk, 1919-1981) and her twin sister (Dorothy Schwartz, 1919-2001) is almost finished. The goal is to give the next generation "insider" insights and tell family stories that bring the twins alive as people. My research revealed  details that I either didn't know or didn't remember, a real plus to completing this booklet.

Ongoing sharing: I accelerated my plan for posting photos, memories, and life stories of ancestors on multiple genealogy sites as cousin bait and to keep these names and faces alive for future generations by sharing. When I post a photo these days, I include names, dates, and sources directly on the images (as shown above from my small but growing WikiTree tree). I've also been using various tools to tease out faces and details from old images. And I've been lucky enough to have cousins who share family photos and letters that illuminate the surprisingly intertwined lives of our common ancestors! My resolution is to continue in 2021.

Improving research and sources: Some ancestors in my trees had limited sources attached from my original, basic research. Now I'm researching more widely, adding more sources, and including captioned images, where available, boosting my trees' credibility. Rotating newspaper databases instead of sticking with just one has helped me uncover new clues, as well. I'm very grateful to the parking lot angels who have been so helpful in obtaining digitized images visible at FHCs only. My resolution is to keep this going in 2021.

Curating my genealogy collection: Practicing what I preach, I'm continuing to curate my collection by sorting and distributing selected items to extended family or outside the family. A cousin was delighted to have a 1911 postcard written by his grandfather to my grandmother. I also donated 1950s theater programs and 1940s war-related ephemera to a university, among other items. I resolve to do more curation during 2021.

Preparing for the 1950 US Census release: The actual release isn't until April of 2022, but I've been carefully studying the enumeration instruction manual and the blank forms. When the Census is finally released, I want to be ready to find my ancestors in the unindexed, untranscribed records (starting with my parents, who were recorded together in one household for the first time). Plus the Census has some fascinating quirks and insights into mid-century life in postwar America.

New presentations! It's been great fun doing virtual presentations to audiences near and far since the spring. I've been updating and reformatting every program with colorful backgrounds and easy-to-read fonts suitable for digital devices of all sizes. Two brand-new talks scheduled for 2021 are: 

• "Bring Family History Alive in Bite-Sized Projects" - this program will debut at the New England Regional Genealogy Conference in April. 
• "Get Ready for the 1950 Census Release!" - this talk has been scheduled for the second half of 2021, before the 1950 Census is released. 

Genealogy community. I enjoyed participating in #GenChat, #AncestryHour, and #OurAncestors Twitter chats during 2020 and I look forward to being a #GenChat guest expert in 2021. Also it was fun to follow threads in the new #ANZAncestryTime chat, which takes place live on Twitter when I'm asleep. I really loved attending the 2020 Virtual Genealogy Association annual conference (2d year in a row) and have it on my 2021 calendar (more news soon). I've learned so much and felt great joy connecting with genie friends on FB, Twitter, blogs, webinars/conferences, and more. I resolve to continue participating during 2021.

This is my #52Ancestors "resolution" post for week 52. TY to Amy Johnson Crow for another year of interesting genealogy blog prompts! Another resolution is to continue with these prompts in 2021.

To my dear readers, may your 2021 be healthy, hopeful, peaceful, and filled with genealogy breakthroughs. The new year should bring safe opportunities to be with family and friends in person!

Using WikiTree to Memorialize My Mom and Aunt

Today would have been the 101st birthday of my beloved Mom, Daisy Schwartz Burk (1919-1981) and her dear twin sister, Dorothy H. Schwartz (1919-2001). 

Recently, I found that a kind volunteer posted brief bios for both twins on the free worldwide family-tree site WikiTree. These bios are part of an effort to memorialize WACs, like my Aunt Dorothy, who served during World War II.

Above is an excerpt from Dorothy's profile, showing photos that appear on my blog and on my Ancestry family tree. 

WikiTree and Cousin Bait

Although I've heard a lot about WikiTree from friends on #GenChat and #AncestryHour, I've only just joined so I can add to the profiles of all the ancestors named on this memorial page, and expand the tree from there. 

WikiTree has video tutorials and detailed help pages for newbies like me. Also I know WikiTreers are quite happy to answer questions when people need help! I was warmly welcomed and offered assistance within the first hour of joining.

One of the best things about WikiTree is its ability to serve as cousin bait. The site even provides lots of ideas for maximizing the cousin-bait potential of a presence on WikiTree!

Photos to Personalize My WikiTree

At right is the first photo I'm posting for my Mom, a lovely portrait from about 1939. For easy identification, I added her name, dates, and a "courtesy" source line directly on the photo. 

On their special day, I'm remembering Daisy (Mom) and Dorothy (Auntie) with much love. 

Mid-Year Review and Preview in Pandemic Year One

Presenting a genealogy webinar from home!

Now that we're nearly halfway through the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, it's time for a mid-year review. I'm reviewing what I've accomplished in family history so far in 2020 and also previewing what I hope to accomplish before year-end.

How Did Life Change? Let Me Count the Ways...


The second quarter of this year was incredibly different from anything that came before the spread of COVID-19. Many of you, dear readers, have been having similar experiences, so you know first-hand about how life has changed.

Eat, sleep, genealogy, repeat!

Wearing a mask outside. Keeping six feet away from others. No in-person family visits and, alas, no in-person family graduations (all virtual only). No in-person genealogy club meetings or presentations (all virtual only). By now, I'm proficient enough to make presentations via GoToWebinar, WebEx, and Zoom (wearing my colorful headset).

I am sincerely grateful that my loved ones, friends, and neighbors remain healthy and that we can help each other through these trying times, one day at a time.


Genealogy Activities, January-June 2020

Staying close to home since mid-March has given me time to learn new tools, follow and post new cousin bait, concentrate on genealogical questions of long standing, and dig deeper into records that are becoming available online. 

• Cousin connections. Cousins from around the world have found me (and my hubby) through DNA matches, through this blog, and through my family trees. It's wonderful to be in touch with cousins, sharing info and photos to flesh out the lives of our ancestors. Family stories often have at least a kernel of truth that can suggest new research possibilities and ultimately contribute to a better understanding of lives and relationships.
• Discoveries in photos and letters. I've been going through my old photos and sharing with cousins. Just this month, we confirmed ancestor relationships with photos we pooled and I enhanced. My paternal first cousin has been kind enough to share newly-found letters and photos between our UK cousins and our paternal grandma Henrietta Mahler Burk, sparking fascinating talks about memories and more.
• Military service. This spring, I dug deeper into ancestors' military service (especially WWI, WWII, and the Union Army). I've been commemorating them on war memorial sites, in cemetery records, on my blog, on family trees, and in written family histories.
• 1950 and 2020 Census. After studying the enumerator instructions and questionnaire for the 1950 Census, I wrote extensively about the details we'll see when this census is released in April, 2022. Also, I blogged about the "Census doodle" I wrote on the printed 2020 Census. With luck, descendants in 2092 will see my message ;)
• Documenting heirlooms. I'm photographing heirlooms and writing their stories so future generations will know what has been passed down and why these items are significant. Not every item is an heirloom, but items I want to be remembered are getting this special treatment.
• Czechoslovakian census. Thanks to Lara Diamond's post, I found my maternal Schwartz great-grandparents in Ungvar, enumerated in the Czechoslovakian Census of 1921! Living in their household were daughters Paula, Lenka, and Etelka, plus relatives of great-grandpa and more. The census has birth month/year, birthplace, and more. I'll be blogging about this exciting discovery very shortly. 
• Presentations and Twitter chats. From February to June, I made seven genealogy presentations (three in person, four via webinar). I was honored to be the guest expert for two #Genchats in February about "apres vous"--what happens to your family history after you join your ancestors.

 Genealogy Plans, July-December 2020

The second half of 2020 will be as busy as the first. If I'm lucky, there will be BSOs (bright shiny objects) that pop up as a fun genealogical diversion. My plan is to work on the following:

• "Daisy and Dorothy" booklet. My mother was Daisy Schwartz Burk (1909-1981) and her twin sister was Dorothy Schwartz (1909-2001). It's not easy writing about people that Sis and I knew so well for so long, and this project has dragged on for a LONG time as I add photos and notes to write about their lives. The goal is to give descendants insights and tell stories to bring the Schwartz twins alive as people.
• DNA and cousin bait. I'm color-coding my known DNA matches according to common ancestor (Farkas matches would be one color, Schwartz matches another color, etc.) This will help me analyze unknown DNA matches and see how we might be related. Also, I'm continuing to post photos of ancestors on multiple genealogy sites as cousin bait, and contacting people who posted photos I've never seen of my ancestors and their extended families.
• Captioning old photos. Relatives have been kind enough to help with identification and context of many old photos. For instance, my 2d cousin recognized the people standing next to our great aunt Nellie Block in a photo, and the home where they were photographed. Because of who was in the picture and who was missing, she said the photo had to be taken during World War II. Now, with better enhancement to sharpen faces and remove scratches, I expect to identify more people and places in the near future!
• Improve sources. Some ancestors in my trees have only limited sources attached, because dates and places were "known to the family." Where possible, I want to attach and improve sources, giving my trees added credibility.
• New presentations. I'm planning a new presentation for 2021: "Get Ready for the 1950 Census Release!" (lots of great info is in our future as of April, 2022, when this release is scheduled--but you need to know how to search and what clues to look for). One more new presentation, for NERGC 2021: "Bring Family History Alive in Bite-Sized Projects." 

--

Amy Johnson Crow's #52Ancestors prompt for week 26 is "middle."

What Does an Heirloom Look Like? Not Like This!

This is NOT a family heirloom!

Devon Noel Lee of Family History Fanatics was the guest expert for a recent #Genchat, all about downsizing with #FamilyHistory in mind. (You can learn more from her book.)

Devon posed thought-provoking questions about how to decide what to save for future generations. Judging by the relatively few heirlooms that I've inherited, clearly my ancestors did their own downsizing, starting with decisions about the handful of items they brought from Eastern Europe to America. My husband's family has been in America much longer and has had much more storage space, which is why so many interesting items have survived over the years.

It's so hard to say goodbye

During #Genchat, we had a lively discussion about how difficult it can be to let go of inherited items, especially if they provoke strong emotions about people, places, and events from our family's past.

Still, if we downsize thoughtfully and carefully, we can focus the next generation on items of special significance to our family.

Also, there was a lot of conversation about photos. My take-away: I have to get back to scanning, captioning, and dating as many photos as possible now. Otherwise, descendants may never know who's who.

My little red bench

I do have a number of heirlooms to pass to the next generation. That doesn't include the item in the photo at top. It's a wooden bench about 6 inches high and 12 inches long. Originally, the bench was red with some cutesy saying or song on the top.

As toddlers, Sis and I each had one of these benches, which we put next to the sink so we could reach to wash our hands. This bench has been repainted more than a few times during its long life, moving to ten different homes with me over the years. I'm not particularly attached to it. It just takes up little room and is handy to use whenever I need a step up.

However! No matter how many years it's been with me, I definitely don't consider this bench to be a family heirloom. It has no special significance, other than being a useful little bench. After I join my ancestors, someone else can repaint and reuse it or retire it--guilt-free.

Recap of "Apres Vous" #Genchat Discussion Q7

#Genchat question 7 in "Apres Vous" conversation

"Apres Vous" - What Happens to Your Family History Materials?

This is my final post in the series recapping answers to questions in the two-day #genchat Twitter conversation about "Apres Vous," co-hosted by Christine McCloud (@geneapleau) and Liam "Sir Leprachaun Rabbit" (@leprchaunrabbit). It was my honor to be guest expert!

Today's question and summarized answers from #Genchat participants offer an opportunity to consider what our ancestors left to us and the changes we would make if we could turn back time. 

Q7: What would you do differently than your ancestors when planning for the future of your family's history? Participants suggested:

• Label all photos (identifying people, places, dates, etc.) and keep them safe.
• Instead of passing down scraps of paper that need to be deciphered, explain the information clearly and as completely as possible.
• Make notes about heirlooms, beyond who, where, when, and what, to add context (artifact made from special materials or from a special time or place or have special significance?).
• Keep the collection together rather than scattered all around for heirs to try to find.
• Write the stories now so they're not lost. 
• Write the oral histories, in relatives' own words, for future generations to know.
• Don't throw away old journals and other items.
• Cite all sources.
• Add metadata to digitized photos.
• Shape your research into shareable, concise stories.
• Actually have a plan for the future of your family history collection.

Come and follow the conversation or tweet your comments during #genchat every other Friday. See the schedule and more information here. 

Recap of "Apres Vous" #Genchat Discussion Q6

Genchat question 6 from "Apres Vous" series

"Apres Vous" - What Happens to Your Family History Materials?

Dozens of genealogy enthusiasts joined the #Genchat two-day conversation about what happens to our family history after we join our ancestors. In this series, I've been summarizing the tweeted answers to each question.

Today, I'm posting summarized answers to question #6, as ideas to consider when you think about keeping your family history safe "apres vous."

Q6: What is your top priority for keeping your family's history safe after you join your ancestors? Participants suggested:

• Choose heirs who care about the family's history and will protect it for the future.
• Put a digital archive online so it will live on, and let relatives know where it is.
• Keep collection physically safe and secure (in case of fire, flood, and other potential disasters).
• Be sure heirs know where collection is housed, key documents/photos in particular.
• Organize materials so next generation knows what has been researched and can even continue the research.
• Get online trees in order. Cite sources. 
• Share stories no one else in family has heard or remembers.
• Let heirs know to read your comments about family members/ancestors in the future (notes will be private while people are alive, but comments may be funny and meaningful to heirs later).

A BIG thank you to the cohosts of Twitter's #genchat conversations, Christine McCloud (@geneapleau) and Liam "Sir Leprachaun Rabbit" (@leprchaunrabbit). You're the best!

For engaging genealogy conversations on Twitter, please come along and join #genchat every other Friday. The schedule and FAQs are here. 

Recap of "Apres Vous" #Genchat Discussion Q5

#Genchat question 5 - "apres vous"

"Apres Vous" - What Happens to Your Family History Materials?

All week, I've been recapping comments from the two #Genchat "apres vous" discussions on Twitter (February 28-29).

Below are the summarized answers to Q5. These participants' ideas are not presented in any particular order. As you make plans for the future of your family history collection, maybe you'll get an idea or two from these answers.

Q5: Can you identify any institutions that might accept some, or all, of your materials, if relatives are not interested? Participants tweeted:

• Assemble books of family history (and ancestor bios) to donate (in print or electronically) to family history libraries, museums, archives, etc. Cite your sources.
• Family history libraries can make our family histories available to future researchers and descendants.
• Consider where ancestors lived/worked, nationality, military duties, etc. when thinking about where to donate for a good match with one or more suitable institutions.
• Ask family about donating specific items and let family know where materials are donated if you decide to do this.
• Photograph, document, and annotate before donating anything.
• Purpose of donating is to keep items safe, especially if family is not interested in inheriting the collection.
• Match donation to the interests of each institution, which may mean breaking up the collection so items go to the appropriate place.
• Can donate transcriptions of family Bibles to appropriate institutions.
• Can donate military pension records to appropriate institutions.
• Can donate family letters to appropriate institutions.
• Be sure donated materials are in good condition (not moldy) and well organized so institution can make them available to researchers.
• If you can fully identify all the items in your collection and share these stories with family, they may decide to keep all in the family.
• Make a good case for why your material would fit with each institution's collection.

As always, a shout-out to #Genchat co-hosts Liam "Sir Leprachaun Rabbit" (@leprchaunrabbit) and Christine McCloud (@geneapleau). They work very hard behind the scenes to make all chats fun and functional!

Recap of "Apres Vous" #Genchat Discussion Q4

#Genchat discussion question #4 - "Apres Vous"

"Apres Vous" - What Happens to Your Family History Materials?

If you missed the #Genchat discussions on Twitter (February 28-29), you can read brief summaries of the answers in my series this week.

Below are the summarized answers to Q4, not presented in any particular order. They are good starting points to inform your thinking as you make plans for your family history collection "apres vous."

Q4: Who will have your family history materials after you join your ancestors? Participants tweeted:

• Some potential heirs say "not me" for either the entire collection or specific items/heirlooms. 
• Some potential heirs really want the collection or a specific item, and now the decision is what to give to each one.
• Some potential heirs may be more interested as older relatives pass and they recognize how the family is changing over time.
• Some potential heirs express no interest in learning genealogy software.
• One or two heirs might be interested, then the rest of collection will be donated to appropriate institutions (archives, library, museum, historical society, local genealogy society, etc.)
• FamilyTreeMaker allows users to nominate a successor. 
• WikiTree allows users to include an "advance directive" for their trees.
• Consider dividing and distributing duplicates and some photos now, leaving other decisions for heirs.
• Children will get all photos, "whether they like it or not." 
• Personal items can go in a box marked "save forever."
• Let heirs know where your DNA results are online and leave passwords so they can access those results.

As always, a shout-out to #Genchat co-hosts Liam "Sir Leprachaun Rabbit" (@leprchaunrabbit) and Christine McCloud (@geneapleau). They work hard to make the chats fun and functional!

You're always invited to join the #genealogy and #FamilyHistory conversation on Twitter. It's free and it's informative.

Recap of "Apres Vous" #Genchat Discussion Q3

"Apres Vous" - What Happens to Your Family History Materials?

Participants had a variety of interesting answers to question #3. This summary presents their ideas in no particular order--some thoughts for you to keep in mind when you are making your own decisions about keeping family history safe "apres vous."

Q3: Should you give any old photos or artifacts to relatives or institutions now? Why or why not? Participants tweeted:

• Not giving anything away yet, will digitize and distribute some things at a later date, to family and to an appropriate institution.
• Duplicates can go to other branches of the family, sharing the info more widely.
• Donating to an institution means documents and photos will be accessible to other researchers in the future.
• Giving copies of old photos to relatives now, with stories and context, may stimulate more interest in family history.
• Consider keeping items of personal interest to direct ancestors, but donating items not in direct line to appropriate institutions.
• Give away some photos when younger relatives are a little older and more interested in hearing about the family'shistory.
• If donating to an institution, make sure family knows which items have been donated where.
• If giving to one relative, be sure rest of family knows who has which photos.
• Consider providing a bio and/or family tree if donating to an institution.

--
A hearty thank you to Liam "Sir Leprachaun Rabbit" (@leprchaunrabbit) and Christine McCloud (@geneapleau) for hosting #genchat every other Friday. I had fun serving as guest expert for this "apres vous" two-day conversation on Twitter.

Recap of "Apres Vous" #Genchat Discussion Q2

#Genchat discussion "Apres Vous" question #2

"Apres Vous" - What Happens to Your Family History Materials?

Lots of activity on Twitter during this recent #Genchat two-day conversation about what happens to our family history after we join our ancestors!

The answers to question #2, summarized and listed below, are starting points to keep in mind as you approach your own decisions about keeping family history safe "apres vous."

Q2: How can you organize your family history collection now, with future generations in mind? Participants suggested:

• Have information in one place, make it easy to understand (don't use your own shorthand and expect heirs to understand it).
• Consider putting documents into binders, organized and with tables of contents, to keep things together and safe. 
• Another idea is to use archival boxes, organized and with contents pages as a "finding aid" for the collection.
• Use a consistent organization system for paper and digital information.
• Weed out unimportant "junk" so collection is not a burden to heirs. This may help keep entire collection out of the trash later on.
• Consider whether your organizational system is "self-explanatory" to next generation.
• Label everything, identify people in photos, and indicate which side of the family tree your photos belong to.
• Put photos and originals into archival sleeves. Label all!
• Write about each heirloom, describe it, whose it was, the context, why it is treasured, how it came into the family and into your possession.
• Create a "treasure map" so heirs know what is where.
• Inform family of what other heirlooms/photos are in the hands of other relatives and/or institutions.
• Write the year in four digits, 3/2/2020 instead of 3/2/20, for clarity.

Many thanks to Christine McCloud (@geneapleau) and Liam "Sir Leprachaun Rabbit" (@leprchaunrabbit) for hosting lively #genchat conversations every other Friday. It was a privilege to be involved in the "Apres Vous" discussion!

You can drop in and follow the conversation or add your thoughts during #genchat every other Friday. See the schedule and more information here.

Recap of "Apres Vous" #Genchat Discussion Q1

#Genchat question from February 28-29, 2020 conversations

If you missed the first-ever double #Genchat on Twitter on February 28-29, this is a quick recap of the insightful and interesting discussion of question #1 on both days. Future blog posts will recap other questions and answers.

Thank you to Christine McCloud (@geneapleau) and Liam "Sir Leprachaun Rabbit" (@leprchaunrabbit) for hosting these fun, fast-paced tweeted conversations every other Friday. Here's a full schedule of 2020 #genchat topics.

"Apres Vous" - What Happens to Your Family History Materials?

The topic was "apres vous" and the chats included an icebreaker question plus seven questions to spark conversation.

It was an honor for me to serve as guest expert for the two days. I learned a lot from the participants on multiple continents, and I've really enjoyed participating in the ongoing conversation, too. This is such an important topic for everyone in the genealogy world, one that's worthy of continued discussion and consideration.

Following is a brief recap of participants' answers, summarized from their tweets. Food for thought as you make your own decisions about "apres vous."

Q1: What should you consider when planning to pass family history materials to the next generation? Participants suggested:

• Label everything, physical and digital.
• Label, date, provide context for photos, heirlooms, and other items.
• Identify memorabilia with family-history significance.
• Create a spreadsheet and number all items to correspond to spreadsheet numbering.
• Consider whether the person who will inherit your family-history collection has space to store it properly.
• Consider how to organize the collection so it makes sense to heirs.
• Try to keep collection together in one place.
• Consider separating items to go to different heirs, depending on their interests.
• Consider who in family would value the collection and keep it safe.
• Consider who would have the motivation and the interest to inherit the collection.
• Keep the stories alive, in a blog or a book/photobook or by telling them over and over.
• Record the source of your stories, photos, and memorabilia.
• Tell the new generation stories about people who are no longer with us.
• Share your passwords to genealogy sites with your heirs.
• Consider what is worth passing down to next generation and what is really trash.
• Inventory your genealogy collection and include the location of each item. 
• Some folks keep most important items in safe deposit box. Tell people where.

Recap of Q2 coming soon!

Apres Vous/After You, What Happens to Your Genealogy?

Something new: A #Genchat one-hour live-tweet conversation on Friday, February 28 and the same topic, again a live-tweet conversation, on Saturday, February 29. I'm honored to be the special guest for both!

You're invited to join the discussion as participants from around the world explore ideas and issues related to "Apres Vous/After You."

What happens to your genealogy (and old photos and documents and stories) after you join your ancestors? How do you plan ahead to be sure your family-history collection will pass to the next generation and beyond--instead of landing in the rubbish or a garage sale?

Christine McCloud will host the first of these two Twitter #Genchat conversations on Friday night, Feb. 28, 10 pm Eastern Standard Time.

Liam "Sir Leprechaun Rabbit" will host the second Twitter #Genchat conversation on Saturday, Feb. 29. For U.S. participants, the starting time is 3 pm Eastern Standard Time. If you're elsewhere, starting time is 8 pm Greenwich Mean Time.

Please join the conversation! One hour of interesting and thought-provoking tweets focused on planning for "Apres Vous."

Twitter Genealogy

#GenChat, #AncestryHour, and many other organized chats are a fun and informative way to use Twitter to connect with other genealogy folks, ask questions, share info, and more. (2022 update)