Newbie Help !
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Newbie Help !
Hi,
I suppose this is a really stupid question, but here goes: Is there
any online resource which on finding a definite match for a "known"
ancestor, can magically fills in all the gaps (maybe either backwards,
forwards, or both)?
I know it's lazy of me, but hey, I know all the information is out
there. I certainly wouldn't mind paying for the information, as it
would save such a heck of a lot of time. Any information would be
greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
Dave
I suppose this is a really stupid question, but here goes: Is there
any online resource which on finding a definite match for a "known"
ancestor, can magically fills in all the gaps (maybe either backwards,
forwards, or both)?
I know it's lazy of me, but hey, I know all the information is out
there. I certainly wouldn't mind paying for the information, as it
would save such a heck of a lot of time. Any information would be
greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
Dave
Re: Newbie Help !
On Sat, 23 Oct 2004 16:46:04 +0100, Big Dave <[email protected]>
wrote:
In my mind there is no short cut. The reason is that there are as many
errors out there as proven fact - and, without investigating for
ourselves, we don't know the difference.
If you are satisfied with the easy route, maybe you should just pick
someone you want to descend from and copy that line and adopt it as
your own. Sorry if that sounds like a smart asstronaut!
Hugh
wrote:
Hi,
I suppose this is a really stupid question, but here goes: Is there
any online resource which on finding a definite match for a "known"
ancestor, can magically fills in all the gaps (maybe either backwards,
forwards, or both)?
I know it's lazy of me, but hey, I know all the information is out
there. I certainly wouldn't mind paying for the information, as it
would save such a heck of a lot of time. Any information would be
greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
Dave
In my mind there is no short cut. The reason is that there are as many
errors out there as proven fact - and, without investigating for
ourselves, we don't know the difference.
If you are satisfied with the easy route, maybe you should just pick
someone you want to descend from and copy that line and adopt it as
your own. Sorry if that sounds like a smart asstronaut!
Hugh
Re: Newbie Help !
On Sat, 23 Oct 2004 16:46:04 +0100, Big Dave <[email protected]>
wrote:
Dave,
There's no such web site that I'm aware of. But there are plenty of
professional genealogists that will do your research for you. I'm not
a professional, but I'd consider it, as long as you don't have a
critical time table.
You can contact me if you're interested at charliehoffp at yahoo dot
com (replace "at" and "dot" with the usual characters).
Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/
wrote:
Hi,
I suppose this is a really stupid question, but here goes: Is there
any online resource which on finding a definite match for a "known"
ancestor, can magically fills in all the gaps (maybe either backwards,
forwards, or both)?
I know it's lazy of me, but hey, I know all the information is out
there. I certainly wouldn't mind paying for the information, as it
would save such a heck of a lot of time. Any information would be
greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
Dave
Dave,
There's no such web site that I'm aware of. But there are plenty of
professional genealogists that will do your research for you. I'm not
a professional, but I'd consider it, as long as you don't have a
critical time table.
You can contact me if you're interested at charliehoffp at yahoo dot
com (replace "at" and "dot" with the usual characters).
Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/
Re: Newbie Help !
On Sat, 23 Oct 2004 16:46:04 +0100, Big Dave <[email protected]>
wrote:
Depending on the rarity of your surname, you might find a LOT of
valuable information online, such as the Drake Family site.
If you know some of the details, mytrees.com has a large number of
family trees posted. If you can find a perfect match, you can
download the GEDCOM file (standard genealogy file transfer format for
computer programs). However, I have yet to find a "perfect" match in
any of the family lines I'm researching. Even the best online trees
have errors (missing people, extra people, wrong generation, etc).
Some of this is due to poor/no recordkeeping. Everyone who knew your
great-great-grandfather knew where and when he was born, the names of
his wife and children, and that he lived on the farm that's down the
road between the Duck Creek and the willow tree. Now that Duck Creek
is running in concrete pipe under a mall parking garage, it's a little
harder to identify places and people
If your great-grandmother was named Serena, there will be fewer
matches than Mary, Martha, Elizabeth, or Eliza. If your
great-grandfather was named Jasper, there will be fewer matches than
James, John, William, or Thomas. Depending on the patriotism of the
family, the boys may have been Thomas J, Benjamin F, James M, John A,
etc - see a pattern here? There are other families where one son
(usually the first born) is named after the father - 4 generations of
"Robert <whoever>" can make for a lot of confusion even if there are
paper records...
If your name is more common, you'll need more details to get to the
right people - even if you hire someone to do the research. For us,
there's a Johnson in one tree and a Williams in another - both of
these are more common than Smith. There are also some "Giles", which
isn't that common, but there are several branches - and almost any
search for "Giles" gets at least a few hits on Giles County, TN, home
of one of the branches - but not ours.
John
wrote:
Hi,
I suppose this is a really stupid question, but here goes: Is there
any online resource which on finding a definite match for a "known"
ancestor, can magically fills in all the gaps (maybe either backwards,
forwards, or both)?
I know it's lazy of me, but hey, I know all the information is out
there. I certainly wouldn't mind paying for the information, as it
would save such a heck of a lot of time. Any information would be
greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
Dave
Depending on the rarity of your surname, you might find a LOT of
valuable information online, such as the Drake Family site.
If you know some of the details, mytrees.com has a large number of
family trees posted. If you can find a perfect match, you can
download the GEDCOM file (standard genealogy file transfer format for
computer programs). However, I have yet to find a "perfect" match in
any of the family lines I'm researching. Even the best online trees
have errors (missing people, extra people, wrong generation, etc).
Some of this is due to poor/no recordkeeping. Everyone who knew your
great-great-grandfather knew where and when he was born, the names of
his wife and children, and that he lived on the farm that's down the
road between the Duck Creek and the willow tree. Now that Duck Creek
is running in concrete pipe under a mall parking garage, it's a little
harder to identify places and people

If your great-grandmother was named Serena, there will be fewer
matches than Mary, Martha, Elizabeth, or Eliza. If your
great-grandfather was named Jasper, there will be fewer matches than
James, John, William, or Thomas. Depending on the patriotism of the
family, the boys may have been Thomas J, Benjamin F, James M, John A,
etc - see a pattern here? There are other families where one son
(usually the first born) is named after the father - 4 generations of
"Robert <whoever>" can make for a lot of confusion even if there are
paper records...
If your name is more common, you'll need more details to get to the
right people - even if you hire someone to do the research. For us,
there's a Johnson in one tree and a Williams in another - both of
these are more common than Smith. There are also some "Giles", which
isn't that common, but there are several branches - and almost any
search for "Giles" gets at least a few hits on Giles County, TN, home
of one of the branches - but not ours.
John
Re: Newbie Help !
On Sat, 23 Oct 2004 16:45:49 +0100, Big Dave <[email protected]> wrote:
Allow me to fill in one of the gaps in your knowledge.
All the information is not "out there", unless you believe in the akashic
records and know of some way to consult them.
Some events were not recorded, or were recorded and the records have since
been lost or destroyed.
--
Steve Hayes
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/stevesig.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7783/
Hi,
I suppose this is a really stupid question, but here goes: Is there
any online resource which on finding a definite match for a "known"
ancestor, can magically fills in all the gaps (maybe either backwards,
forwards, or both)?
I know it's lazy of me, but hey, I know all the information is out
there. I certainly wouldn't mind paying for the information, as it
would save such a heck of a lot of time. Any information would be
greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
Allow me to fill in one of the gaps in your knowledge.
All the information is not "out there", unless you believe in the akashic
records and know of some way to consult them.
Some events were not recorded, or were recorded and the records have since
been lost or destroyed.
--
Steve Hayes
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/stevesig.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7783/
Re: Newbie Help !
On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 17:36:51 GMT, [email protected] (Steve Hayes)
wrote:
Many thanks Steve.
Dave
wrote:
Many thanks Steve.
Dave
Allow me to fill in one of the gaps in your knowledge.
All the information is not "out there", unless you believe in the akashic
records and know of some way to consult them.
Some events were not recorded, or were recorded and the records have since
been lost or destroyed.
Re: Newbie Help !
Subject: Newbie Help !
From: Big Dave [email protected]
Date: 23/10/2004 15:46 GMT Standard Time
I know it's lazy of me, but hey, I know all the information is out
there.
You are right it is out there. It is held in various outlets such as the
family record centre, the Kew PRO and the GRO.
Unfortunately for you, you have to put in a bit of time and effort to find it.
Nobody can do it for you so get stuck in and enjoy.
Judy Elkington