South Bay Cities Genealogical Society

Promoting Genealogical Education and Research in Southern California's South Bay

Beginner's Basics

All Alone and Feelin' Blue

by Connie Moretti

Just like the words of the old song, genealogy pursuits can be a solitary and lonely hobby. It doesn't have to be that way, however. There are a number of good methods to connect with others who have a similar research interest.

For the modern researcher, the internet is your friend. Sites like Gen Forum, Roots Web, and Family Search provide opportunities to look at the research others have done, and to participate in on-going research discussions. Most sites keep the discussions archived indefinitely, so you may find some very old postings. The original author may have moved their e-mail address but usually someone on the message board will know how to contact them.

Social networking sites such as Facebook, and We Relate are another valuable aspect to the internet. Usually there is both a public and a private area for communications. It's very easy to start a specific group or to join an on-going one. Here you can quickly share information with others and keep up-to-date on each other's research progress.

Of course there is the good old postal service, too. A friend researching an unusual surname compiled a mailing list from online directories such as Who Where and White Pages, then sent a postcard to each person explaining what she was looking for and how to contact her. She figured she got about a 10% return, which was a whole lot more than she had when she started.

Don't overlook published queries as an avenue to connect with cousins. Old periodicals are usually chock-full of queries and most are indexed well. These can be specific to a locality or national in scope. Check out the hundreds of periodicals in Genealogy Room at the Torrance Civic Center Library. Write to people with similar interests, even if the queries are several years old. I once received a lovely reply to a very old query; the author had passed on, but her husband sent me the addresses of others with whom she had been exchanging which eventually led to my receiving photos of a great-great-grandmother's tombstone.

Finally, reach out to other researchers. Create a presence on the free networking sites. Post old family photos for others to enjoy. Participate in sites like Find-A-Grave and Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness. Send queries to periodicals that accept them and follow up promptly on any replies you receive. Get together with friends to discuss your research puzzlers and plan field-trips to local libraries together.

Genealogy may be an individual pursuit, but you needn't be either alone or blue while climbing your family tree.

[First appeared in The Beacon, November/December 2009.]