Research sites

I'm new to the list so I might be repeating something that has
already been done, or this is the wrong list for, but I would love
to share good sites for researching genealogy.

My favorite research site to get gedcom files is at:

bg998...

Paulette,

As you gain research experience, you will probably find that the
only gedcom files worth trusting are ones summarizing your own
original research, and that even your own work is in constant need
of correction.

... Martin

bg998@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Martin Potter)

Newest discovery for Civil war information:

It is the Richmond newspaper that published throughout the Civil War
and has a searchable data base and reproductions of the actual
pages.

Is anyone interested??

Paulette Smith

"Paulette Smith"

Eagle...

The world connect site is good except (1) don't believe everything
you see. Use the data as clues and do the research yourself.
Almost any site has more erroneous data than accurate data (2) the
site is not very beneficial if you have your genealogy much further
back than anyone else.

Once you mine the world connect site you need to expand your search
techniques. I think it would be interesting for readers to post
their favorite search sites.

Two of my current favorites are Ancestry (by subscription) and
Family Tree DNA where I'm looking for people who match my markers. I
have 22 sites on my browser favorites listing including the obituary
column from the daily newspaper where my ancestors were raised. The
latter is often a good source for family data.

Hugh

Eagle@adelphia.net (J. Hugh Sullivan)

Dr. Brian Leverich...

I'm obviously not impartial, but Linkpendium is intended to be
(and probably is) the best directory to genealogical data on
the Web, organized by American locality and by surnames worldwide.

Currently, Linkpendium has 5,283,634 categorized genealogical links.

Linkpendium does not cover localities outside of the United States,
and does not cover genealogical resources that are not locality- or
surname-related. (For example, soc.genealogy.methods/GENMTD-L is
not mentioned anywhere on the Linkpendium site.)

Cyndislist is a good choice for everything that Linkpendium doesn't
cover and, for completeness, should be consulted after Linkpendium
even for areas and surnames covered by Linkpendium.

Currently, CyndisList has 252,550 categorized genealogical links.

Cheers, B.

Hugh Watkins...

enjoy

Hugh W

Beta blogger

old blogger

Hugh Watkins

the_verminator...

Most GEDCOM files from RootsWeb are next to worthless as they have
either no sources or the only sources are other gedcoms (which
usually have no sources).

RootsWeb would do the world a favor if it deleted every Gedcom with
no sources or other gedcoms for sources. What would be left would
at least serve as a somewhat usable cluefinder to actual sourced
information.

It would also serve to discourage name collectors and focus on
actual genealogical research.

"the_verminator@comcast.net"

Dr. Brian Leverich...

Hugh Sullivan in a later post explains basically why I encouraged
the development of WorldConnect at RootsWeb.

Hugh Watkins...

thank you Brian
I have had many useful contacts with unknown cousins through wc

it is also a good way to review your own data
if you export from FTM 16

(If you don't have it get FTM 2006 at firesale prices just now and
web update eg Staples in USA amazon uk AND OR
just for the free trial ancestry subscription offers 90 days to one year)

when I see my stuff on worldconnect I often spot my own errors and
typos embarrassingly easily.

you could also make your own home page for free Paulette

enjoy

Hugh W

It's true that there's a lot of complete rubbish in WC, and even
the best work tends to be poorly sourced (in part due to inherent
limitations in the GEDCOM format).

But about the fastest way to make progress on a new line or for a
new client is to consult WC. If you find nothing at all, that's
interesting in its own right.

If you find something, approach every asserted fact (even sourced
facts) with skepticism and independently prove or disprove it.

If you can't prove or disprove a fact, ask the author of the
GEDCOM why they believe the fact to be true. Occasionally you'll
find a family bible or other non-public source this way that would
have been difficult or impossible to unearth by other means.

Cheers, B.