Yesterday, as part of my GeniAus database cleanup campaign, I extracted many of the original BDM certificate copies I have purchased over the years from their unhealthy plastic sleeves in ordinary old plastic binders.
I scanned them (from A-G surnames - plenty more to do) and looked over them with fresh eyes. I milked many more facts from them than I had when I initially procured them. While I had them in my hands I added to my database informants and witnesses of various BDM events and the names of priests and ministers who had performed the ceremonies. It was amazing how many witness names I now recognised that I hadn't when I first looked at these documents. There were lots of in-laws, cousins, aunts and uncles at the events. Thankfully Family Historian software allows one to add witnesses to events (a feature missing in many genealogy software packages).
In some cases I hadn't even noted in my database that I had a copy of these documents in my possession (ie sources were missing), I put that right too. My next task is to rename and file those digital images into their folders on my external hard drive (then back them up to a second) and then purchase some archival quality sleeves and folders in which the keep my original hard copies. As Qantas will let me bring lots of luggage home from Rootstech in February I'll put these on my shopping list for when I am in Salt Lake City.
Last week I blogged about the prize of 5 Birth, Death or Marriage Images from The Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages I won in the National Family History Month draw. Today four of the five I requested arrived by email with an apology that my fifth request was not available as an image but I can choose another. How efficient is all that?
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| A cow in Solovski Russia is like my certificates - Ready to be milked dry |
In some cases I hadn't even noted in my database that I had a copy of these documents in my possession (ie sources were missing), I put that right too. My next task is to rename and file those digital images into their folders on my external hard drive (then back them up to a second) and then purchase some archival quality sleeves and folders in which the keep my original hard copies. As Qantas will let me bring lots of luggage home from Rootstech in February I'll put these on my shopping list for when I am in Salt Lake City.
Last week I blogged about the prize of 5 Birth, Death or Marriage Images from The Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages I won in the National Family History Month draw. Today four of the five I requested arrived by email with an apology that my fifth request was not available as an image but I can choose another. How efficient is all that?
I chose death certificates as I thought they would give me information on three generations and perhaps lead me to some living cousins .... and from a quick scan at the info contained in them I think my chances are pretty high. Our Australian certificates allow for the recording of lots of information and my four new ones have lots to tell me.
I'm off now - to do some more milking.
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