Passion over Perfection - NERGC2015 Final Thoughts

D. Joshua Taylor

My final day of NERGC2015 was spent on two presentations by Josh Taylor and one on DNA. I was excited to see Josh in person since I did a blog interview with him prior to the conference. 






The first presentation was focused on Engaging the Next Generation of Genealogists. I thought he really hit the nail on the head when he urged societies to look beyond their four walls & meetings and instead go to where the "kids" are. One of his points was that the next generation is not used to interacting in a traditional way, preferring to follow and collaborate on the go - the way they can using social media. I couldn't agree more! I have very little interest in monthly meetings. I prefer a more dynamic, real-time interaction and I'm hardly a "kid" at 51. He shared some of his ideas for how to make this happen by starting with each individual and their personal goals. What brings them to the table in the first place? What is it that they want to find out? Scandal? Celebrity connection? Finding a Mayflower or Revolutionary War ancestor? 

The other big takeaway for me was the idea that igniting the passion was much more important than striving for perfection among those dabbling in genealogy and family history. Don't squash their passion by overwhelming them with rules. He told how his grandmother purposely let him make mistakes and chase down leads that she had already discarded because it's the thrill of the hunt that gets the genealogical imagination going. As he pointed out, who hasn't had to trim their tree when erroneous information leads you to the wrong ancestor? It made me feel a lot less guilty about my family history project that I do with my students. They are far from perfect and sometimes I know they've got something all wrong, but I've been careful about balancing the research and documentation rules with nurturing the thrill of the hunt. 

Between presentations

Presentation number 2 by Josh focused on the compiled genealogies of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. While their lack of sources can make some people discount their value, he pointed out how, with a little careful reading, one can make an educated guess and figure out where to look for the documentation. Again, I liked the theme of looking at them as clues and one piece of the genealogy puzzle that is your family tree. 

Worrying about getting it right was also a topic of conversation amongst the geneabloggers attending the Special Interest Group on Thursday night. In the end, I think we were able to allay some fears and encourage more writers to try it out. I found the bloggers in the genealogy community to be wonderfully kind and encouraging when I was starting my blog. The one big positive, beyond finding cousins, was that blogging does make you pay attention to your research and documentation. We all agreed that blogging has made us better genealogists. 

New England Geneablogger Table

I'm not ready to blog in detail about Blaine Bettinger's talk on Third Party Tools for Analyzing DNA. Let's just say that I found it very helpful but DNA still boggles my mind a bit. I would highly recommend checking out Blaine's blog, The Genetic Genealogist. He is very knowledgeable and is capable of bringing the science down to a level where you don't have to be a scientist to understand it. 

Here are my final thoughts: 

• If you're interested in genealogy or finding out about your family, just dive in and do it. You will learn as you go so follow your passion!
• Don't worry about making mistakes. Everyone makes them and worrying won't stop it from happening. Just do the best you can and keep learning. 
• Network, network, network! I've connected with two new people just this weekend. They are working on the Lyford family and that is one of my lines that I haven't yet given enough attention. You never know who will have the answers you are seeking. 
• Whether you're interested in blogging in general or New England, in particular, check out these awesome blogs. Please let Heather Rojo know if you have a blog to add to the New England Geneabloggers list. Help and inspiration are also available at Geneabloggers.com.

I Hope to See You There!

I am so excited to attend the New England Regional Genealogy Conference in Providence, R.I. in April! The dates are April 15th-18th and you can attend one day or the whole conference. My registration and hotel were a Christmas gift so I'm all signed up and set to go. However, the early-bird registration deadline is February 28th so if you haven't registered and you like to save money (who doesn't?), you should submit your registration now. You can find all you need to know here. 

This year's theme is awesome! There are so many wonderful speakers and really something for everyone, regardless of your research experience or areas of interest. You can see all the hard work of the volunteers and get the latest updates on their Facebook page. They also send out e-zines with all the latest info. 

I learned at the last NERGC in 2013 that one of the best experiences was getting to meet all the other people crazy about all things related to New England history, genealogy, and family stories. Networking is a great resource and I have stayed in touch with many people I met in Manchester, N.H. in 2013. So I'll be networking and blogging about the conference this spring. I hope to see you there! 

NERGC Wrap-Up

By Saturday my head was spinning! Between starting the week with a nasty cold, the dreadful and cowardly bombing at the Boston Marathon and the ensuing manhunt, and my first genealogy conference, it's been an intense week! By Saturday there was a lot to be thankful for, my cold was reduced to a minor annoyance, the Boston bombers were identified and either dead or captured, and I was having a great time with all the wonderful people attending NERGC. 

Friday Night, Heather Rojo hosted a special interest group for bloggers. It was very well attended and I think everyone had a great time. It was a diverse group of experienced bloggers (some with multiple blogs), relative newbies, and a few who are considering starting their first blogs. Heather created a list of blog posts about the conference that can be accessed at Nutfield Genealogy. I noticed that several only have a day or two and I expect a few more posts will trickle in as people recover and write about the last day or write a wrap-up post. 

Saturday, I attended several very interesting talks and a workshop. The first talk was given by Craig Scott of Heritage Books. They specialize in histories and genealogies including reprints of hard to find older titles. I've purchased a number of their books but this talk was not about promoting the business. The topic was "Getting Ink on Paper: Publishing Your Material in a Digital Age." Craig shared his experience to help the audience understand what makes a quality genealogy book. He is one of the most entertaining speakers I've seen. 

Next I went to see F. Warren Bittner for a second time. This talk was supposed to be following the writing theme but his computer was hit by a virus and he lost his presentation. Being a class act, he politely told participants that they were free to leave without offending him but he would be giving a different talk than what was advertised. I chose to stay and learned all about courtship rituals, the guild system, Bavarian government, illegitimacy, and marriage laws in 19th century Germany - a great history lesson illustrated by the story of one family - "The Bittner Bastards of Bavaria." I highly recommend attending any talk he gives - you won't be disappointed! 

Then Donna Boumenot and I had just sat down to lunch when Heather and Vincent Rojo showed up at the same pub and we ended up all having lunch together. After lunch, I attended a workshop by Elissa Scalise Powell to learn how to write research reports. I wasn't sure I needed to do this but by the end of the workshop, I was convinced of the value to even the most casual genealogist. 

Next it was off to learn about "Symbolism on New England Gravestones" by Donna E. Walcovy. She had a few technical difficulties but once she got that fixed, "Oh Boy!" She is a character! She is also a highly intelligent and skilled preservationist who is passionate about New England cemeteries. She shared many photos of graves to discuss the changes in artwork over time. I laughed more in her presentation than in any other. 

Donna calls this common image from Puritan times "Lightbulb Head" for obvious reasons

Phew! Are you tired yet? I know I was. I had a quick break to call Bill and then a glass of wine before heading into Saturday's banquet. I shared a table with more interesting people. A man named Ivan from Connecticut who is a retired journalist but still an avid writer of fiction. He wanted my thoughts on high school students and disciplinary infractions so he could add realism to his latest short story. Fellow bloggers, Heather Rojo and Jennifer Zinck, were at my table. 

The dinner talk was "Cold Case Unit: Adventures of a Forensic Genealogist" by Milli Knudsen. It was fascinating to hear her journey from a teacher to a genealogist and indexer to working with the state police in New Hampshire on their cold cases. Although the stories of the girls she used to illustrate her work were sad and disturbing, it was interesting to see how solving a genealogy puzzle is like doing police work. Her skills at organizing information so it could be easily analyzed proved to be just what the cold case unit needed. Click here for a news article about her experiences. 

Then it was time to say goodbye to my new friends and head back to Maine...and I got home about 11:15 pm. Clearly I need to be better about taking pictures to use in my blog posts but if you check out the other blog posts from Nutfield Genealogy, you'll see that others have learned that lesson already. It was an awesome experience and I can't wait to see everyone again. I certainly got my money's worth out of this conference! 

NERGC Day 2 Highlights

Today was my second day at the conference. I've gotten even more great information! The speakers are wonderful and I enjoy getting to meet even more bloggers. Our blogging area was set up in the exhibit area and after the morning sessions about ten of us gathered and spent some time getting to know each other. 

Photos are courtesy of Heather Wilkinson Rojo's Facebook posts. Heather's blog is Nutfield Genealogy. Beside me are Midge Frazel of Granite in My Blood and Lori Thornton of Smoky Mountain Family Historian. 

Heather and I had lunch together and listened to Laura Prescott talk about  "Jousting With the Gatekeepers."  She highlighted the challenges of accessing records and gave some tips for finding success. She also talked about the importance of preserving access for future generations. We live in a privacy-obsessed society and it threatens to undermine the work of future generations.

I heard talks on using the Library of Congress web site, finding records for soldiers in the French and Indian War, and finding information about farming ancestors. Blogger Lori Thornton gave the talk titled "Digging Up the Dirt on Your Farmer." She offered a wealth of resources for getting more details about the life of a farmer. I'm in a bit of an information coma but I know I'll benefit when I get back home and start putting it into practice with my own genealogy. 

Tonight is a Special Interest Group session for bloggers. Heather has identified about 18-19 who are attending the conference. Some have other commitments and won't be there tonight though so I expect a small casual gathering. Then tomorrow I'll be at it again. 

My First Genealogy Conference!

I'm in Manchester, N.H. attending the 2013 New England Regional Genealogical Conference. As someone who's dabbled in genealogy for quite a few years, I must say this past year has really taken my hobby to a new level. As I reflect on what made the difference, I have to say it's blogging. When I go to write something about one of my ancestors, I need to dig deeper to find the story behind the names and dates. I am also aware that I don't want to spread false information so I feel an obligation to hold my research to a higher standard of genealogical proof than I did when I was "dabbling." I am so grateful to Bill West of West in New England as he is the person who cajoled me into giving it a try and his blog provided me with ideas of how to get started. 

The sense of community among those who blog about genealogy is amazing! People are so generous in sharing information and helping you when you're stuck. Everyone cheers for and promotes each others' blogs. At the conference, bloggers wear beads to identify each other as fellow bloggers and tomorrow night there is a special group meeting of bloggers. I'm very excited about going and meeting some people who I only know from the online community. 

I was a little apprehensive about attending the conference on my own. I knew a lot of people would be attending with friends and spouses and many would already know each other from other conferences or historical and genealogical societies. I have to say that it's not just the bloggers who are very friendly! From the woman at the registration desk this morning who asked about the surnames I am researching (we discovered a common ancestor!) to those who chatted with me at lunch and dinner (everyone seems to have a family member who attended or attends Bentley), I have met and heard fascinating stories about their adventures tracing their family history. 

And since it is a conference, I should note that the workshops are wonderful. The opening this morning was about the mills in Lowell and Lawrence...well, I teach about that so I wasn't prepared to learn much...but I was proven wrong. Sandra MacLean Clunies' use of three specific people who worked in the mills highlighted some aspects of mill work that I hadn't thought much about before. Laura Murphy De Grazia paid moving tribute to the victims of the Boston Marathon victims before her attempt to define what constitutes a "reasonably exhaustive" search. She had great examples and analogies to bring to life the topic and I came away with a much deeper understanding of the rather nebulous term. Warren Bittner shared the trials and tribulations of documenting his grandmother's family in New York. It was fascinating to see how even a certified genealogist struggled to piece together the evidence. It was like a episode of Law and Order following him through the clues to the presentation of persuasive proof of her parentage. He has a very entertaining delivery with lots of humor. 

Tomorrow is day two and I can't wait to see what else I can learn and who else I can meet. Who wants to come with me next year?