Family History Through the Alphabet – M is for … You've got Mail

When L was announced as the letter for last week's challenge I immediately knew what I would write about - it was going to be L is for Listserv but my memory failed me when I sat at the keyboard to type my entry and I wrote about Links instead.

But never fear, magician that I am, I can turn an L into an M for this week's post - You've got Mail. As my focus in this series of posts is technology I am not talking about Snail mail but Email - the sort of mail that Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan's characters used as they fell in love over the internet in You've got Mail. 

For those who have been living under a rock this link will tell you all about Email.

This morning something unusual happened, I received a letter containing a genealogy report via snail mail. I don't know why as the person who sent it to me has previously sent me files by email. This person could have saved money by using email, I know they have internet and email so there would be no extra cost involved in emailing me, I also know they have access to a scanner so they could have attached the report to an email saving on the cost of ink and paper and they could have saved on postage. The first benefit of email for genealogists is that it allows for sharing of data quickly and economically.


Since the mid nineties genealogists have been able to use email to join mailing lists to communciate with others with similar interests. The first such lists that I used were Rootsweb Mailing Lists that "can help you find information about your ancestors and connect you with people who have research interests similar to yours". There are now over 30,000  genealogical mailing lists at Rootsweb. If you cannot find a list at Rootsweb that caters to your interests you can set one up. In spite of the emergence of social media the Rootsweb Mailing Lists are still going strong. I find a few messages in my emailbox each day from the various lists to which I belong. They are still a valuable resource for genealogists today.

The wonderful thing is that Google seems to index most of the posts to such Mailing lists so if you put an ancestor's name into a Google search you may be directed to a listserv post. What is frustrating is that some of the messages on a mailing list from 10 years ago or more are linked to dead email addresses so it is difficult to contact the original messenger.

For my tip for this week please read my blog post from 2008, Static Email Addresses.

If you are not a member of any Mailing Lists please browse the collection at  Rootsweb Mailing Lists  and join a few, then you'll be able to say:

"I've got mail."

A Biologists Mothers Day Song

The Rootsweb blog post this week mentions "a fun little video and song from Cadamole, a biologist who sings a song for Mother's Day with a fun scientific twist, including mentions of genealogy!

I am not a great fan of genealogy videos but, like Thomas MacEntee's Christmas Song, this song appeals to my quirky sense of humour.

Rootsweb Lists

Many family history resources are US or UK centric and not particularly relevant to those researching their ancestors in Australia.

Of the Rootsweb Mailing Lists hosted at Ancestry.com there are many that have an Australian focus. Listed today on the Rootsweb site are 211 Australian lists including 25 NSW Lists where one can connect with others with shared interests. The shared interest may relate to a name, a place, or ethnic, occupational or society group. One can join these groups and receive emails each time a member posts an item for discussion. Joining instructions can be found on each Rootsweb list site. The archives for each list can be searched from each list's home page - one does not need to subscribe to do this.

One may also subscribe to these lists via RSS and read the posts in a favourite feed reader such as Google Reader. This method only gives read access to the posts so one cannot contribute to the conversation. I use this method for the TMG list - a list for users of The Master Genealogist.

Over the years I have hooked up with distant cousins via a number of NSW lists: AUS-NSW-HILLS-HAWKESBURY-HUNTER-VALLEY; NSW-ORANGEBATHURST and AUS-NSW-PENRITH. These days the lists keep me informed of events and new resources. Having reviewed the lists available I am going to join a few more today.

Not often can I provide assistance to others but yesterday I was able to shed light on a problem for a lister on the Sydney DPS List who wanted to locate St. Peter's Church of England in Sydney. Being able to help a fellow genealogist gave me a real buzz.

I was one of the first hundred to join the new Social Networking site GenealogyWise and immediately set up a group for Australian Genealogists that now has 173 members. Whilst I am activley recruiting Aussies to join this group I still think that the Rootsweb lists provide a better option for Australian genealogists to pursue their specific interests. This may change as the GenealogyWise site and its users mature.

Rootsweb Mailing Lists

I am a longtime fan and member of various Rootsweb Mailing Lists. Although these lists are an older IT application they provide a valuable service for family historians. The site states "RootsWeb's mailing lists can help you find information about your ancestors and connect you with people who have research interests similar to yours."

There are presently over 30,000 lists that cover a huge range of interests. One can browse the list of lists via the main categories: surname, USA, international and other, to find one that suits an interest or one can search for a list. Non-listers are also able to search the list archives for content.

I am a member of a number of Australian lists including AUS-NSW-HILLS-HAWKESBURY-HUNTER-VALLEY Mailing List. Through my membership I have made some valuable connections with distant cousins.

For instructions and comprehensive information visit Rootsweb Mailing Lists.

There is no cost associated with the use of these lists.