Hello my genealogical friends, I hope I am finding you well and you are ready to buckle in for today’s blog! Throughout our time together we have placed heavy emphasis on research, including how to find and compile your sources on your ancestors. I’m sure you have amassed quite a stack of paper or digital sources to sort through and you may be wondering about other ways to organize your information so that you may glean something useful from it to further your ancestors’ stories and your family trees. Today I will be illustrating another helpful way to use your research through building timelines.
Timelines are conveniently a timeless organization technique we all have grown familiar with whether that be through an elementary history class or through googling historical holidays that our bosses happen to give us off. They can also be a great tool in genealogy. Due to the simplicity of this tool many genealogists simply overlook it, however timelines allow us to use the research we have already compiled to create a more organized step by step approach to our ancestors’ lives. Furthermore, if you put in the time and effort to organize your documents they will already be in chronological order for future reference. You may discover as you go to chronologically organize your sources that you are missing pieces of your ancestors’ stories. Perhaps you’ve hit a brick wall, these holes might provide good places to restart your research. I hope that even if you are not considering building a timeline right now you will keep it in your notes as a helpful project in your future
Now that I have refreshed you on timelines and their importance in our field; I think it’s only fair to acquaint you with how to build a timeline. Of course, you may know from your grade school projects that all timelines start off with four simple facts: date, age, event, and, place. However, as professional genealogists you should also note a short source citation, source number amongst the many on your timeline so that it is easily identified, and other specific notes. If you are feeling overwhelmed as you start to tackle this big project and are preparing yourself to roll out a large roll of butcher paper and draw your timeline, please take a deep breath. Let me walk you through some more modern ways to approach a timeline that will be easier on your back. I would recommend Timelines from Roots Magic, Family Tree Maker Timeline, and, Legacy Family Tree Chronological Report to build your timeline.
As you look at your ever-growing pile of research that you will take a moment and pause to appreciate all the work you have done. Finding sources to flush out your ancestors’ stories is hard work and not something to shrug off. If you are finding yourself in search of another project, stuck on your ancestors’ stories, or searching for a way to use all the information you’ve compiled please consider a timeline. If you need any help on this new project or any other genealogical issues and projects, please feel free to return to this posting or past or future blogs for help. If you are finding that no blog covers your issue, please check out my webinars located under the webinar tab of this same website. If your questions are still unresolved, please feel free to contact me personally using the above contact information. Happy timeline building!
Winona I Laird “The Genealogy Granny”
