"If You Could SeeYour Ancestors"
If you could see your ancestors,All standing in a row,Would you be proud of them,Or don't you really know?
Some strange discoveries are made In climbing family trees;And some of them, you know,Do not particularly please.
If you could see your ancestors,All standing in a row,There might be some of them, perhaps, You wouldn't care to know.
But there's another question Which requires a different view ...If you could "meet" your ancestors,Would they be proud of you?
~ Author Unknown ~
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Reference Resources: NZ cemetery online database links
Resources: NZ cemetery online database links
This is a good one links most of the NZ online cemteries
http://www.pycroft.co.nz/services/NZ_Government_On-Line_Data.html
Kiwicelts is another good one links lots of cemeteries
http://fhr.kiwicelts.com/Cemeteries/NZ_Cem.html
Websites of New Zealand Cemeteries hosted by Rootsweb
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~shipstonz/cemeteries.html
Christchurch City Libraries has a good one too.
http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Resources/NewZealand/History/FamilyHistory/Cemeteries/
Transcriptions at Interment.net
http://www.interment.net/nz/index.htm
This is a good one links most of the NZ online cemteries
http://www.pycroft.co.nz/services/NZ_Government_On-Line_Data.html
Kiwicelts is another good one links lots of cemeteries
http://fhr.kiwicelts.com/Cemeteries/NZ_Cem.html
Websites of New Zealand Cemeteries hosted by Rootsweb
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~shipstonz/cemeteries.html
Christchurch City Libraries has a good one too.
http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Resources/NewZealand/History/FamilyHistory/Cemeteries/
Transcriptions at Interment.net
http://www.interment.net/nz/index.htm
Cemetery Genealogy
Every serious genealogist eventually ends up in the cemetery, looking for clues and tombstones of their ancestors. A wealth of information can be found in graveyards. To make your trip to the final resting place of your loved ones a fruitful one, you will need to be properly equipped and prepared.
If you are trying to locate a cemetery, you should contact the local public library, local genealogical society, or the city or county engineer to get a map of the local cemeteries. Funeral directors are also a big help in locating cemeteries.
Once in the cemetery, be respectful of the property. Vandalism and aging have led to many cemeteries being in disrepair. Make sure that you are environmentally responsible while doing your research.
It will save a lot of time and trouble if you take a handheld video camera or a digital 35 mm camera with you. A disposable camera works well, too. Take pictures of individual stones. It's a good idea in a small family cemetery to take pictures of all headstones or at least those close by your known ancestors. As your research progresses, you may find that some or all of those nearby are in your direct or indirect line and find the information very helpful.
A word of caution: . Be sure and back up your photos with notes. Number the pictures on a piece of paper so that you can match up the pictures to the information in case you can't read the headstone in the photograph.
A variety of products and techniques can be used to enhance the legibility of difficult-to-read stones. Be sure and take into account what the stones are made of. Some are made of marble, some native rock, slate, stone slabs, and a variety of other materials. You can use white flour, cornstarch or baby powder. Rub into the stone or paint with a paintbrush. You might prefer blue carpenters chalk or shaving cream. Be sure and bring water to wash the stones afterwards. Clorox in a garden sprayer can be used on old white marble stones to bleach out the dirt; wash and rinse thoroughly after cleaning. Bring a nylon brush or whisk broom for wiping the lettering. You can use a mirror to cast a shadow on a stone in order to read in bright sunlight. Chalk used sideways will not color in the letters and will wash off easily. You can also use thin paper placed on the stone and rubbed with coloured chalk to make a rubbing of the stone. In a pinch, wipe dirt or grass on the stones to see if they are more legible.
Remember to verify the information that you find on the headstones. Just because it's "engraved in stone" doesn't mean that it is accurate or true. Some dates are written wrong and names are misspelled. Some people are even buried in the wrong grave! Verify, verify, verify. Enjoy your time in the cemetery, gather your ancestors information, and be sure and leave the headstones in as good as or better than the condition that you found them.
If you are trying to locate a cemetery, you should contact the local public library, local genealogical society, or the city or county engineer to get a map of the local cemeteries. Funeral directors are also a big help in locating cemeteries.
Once in the cemetery, be respectful of the property. Vandalism and aging have led to many cemeteries being in disrepair. Make sure that you are environmentally responsible while doing your research.
It will save a lot of time and trouble if you take a handheld video camera or a digital 35 mm camera with you. A disposable camera works well, too. Take pictures of individual stones. It's a good idea in a small family cemetery to take pictures of all headstones or at least those close by your known ancestors. As your research progresses, you may find that some or all of those nearby are in your direct or indirect line and find the information very helpful.
A word of caution: . Be sure and back up your photos with notes. Number the pictures on a piece of paper so that you can match up the pictures to the information in case you can't read the headstone in the photograph.
A variety of products and techniques can be used to enhance the legibility of difficult-to-read stones. Be sure and take into account what the stones are made of. Some are made of marble, some native rock, slate, stone slabs, and a variety of other materials. You can use white flour, cornstarch or baby powder. Rub into the stone or paint with a paintbrush. You might prefer blue carpenters chalk or shaving cream. Be sure and bring water to wash the stones afterwards. Clorox in a garden sprayer can be used on old white marble stones to bleach out the dirt; wash and rinse thoroughly after cleaning. Bring a nylon brush or whisk broom for wiping the lettering. You can use a mirror to cast a shadow on a stone in order to read in bright sunlight. Chalk used sideways will not color in the letters and will wash off easily. You can also use thin paper placed on the stone and rubbed with coloured chalk to make a rubbing of the stone. In a pinch, wipe dirt or grass on the stones to see if they are more legible.
Remember to verify the information that you find on the headstones. Just because it's "engraved in stone" doesn't mean that it is accurate or true. Some dates are written wrong and names are misspelled. Some people are even buried in the wrong grave! Verify, verify, verify. Enjoy your time in the cemetery, gather your ancestors information, and be sure and leave the headstones in as good as or better than the condition that you found them.
Sharing Family Photos in Genealogy
You will work with many family photos in your genealogy research and eventually want to share them, perhaps at a family reunion. It used to be that if you wanted to share family photos you had to make extra prints to give out. Today, you can share your family history photos the old-fashioned way, or you can share digital prints in many different ways. If you have a computer and a digital camera, you can share your family photos with anyone else you know that also has a computer without spending a dime on processing costs. You can even share your photos via your cell phone if it works with photos. Though not all phones can do this, most of the newer model phones can handle not only photos, but videos as well.
The problem I have had with sharing family photos is that some of my family is not online. Though most of my relatives used to have a computer, some no longer do. Many have had computers that died long ago, and they have yet to replace them. Others have computers but no internet access. I can however, share my family photos with my parents, my sisters, my brother, and several other family members via the Internet. This makes sharing photos so much easier; it also saves me a lot of money. Though my digital camera was expensive, in the end I save money by not having to make so many prints. For old family photos I have scanned I can email them instead of printing them out.
When sharing family photos online, there are a few things you should remember. When you post pictures of your children on the Internet, you cannot control who sees them, not unless it is a controlled account which you can choose access. If you e-mail them to your family they are likely to remain private. However, if you put them in a public website anyone with access to a computer may view your family photos. Though not everyone is concerned with privacy, many people are. Consider the subject matter and content of your family photos before you post them where anyone can see them. As well you may want to consider posting family photos on the internet but not labeling them. This will keep the subjects names from being seen at least.
There is an even better way to share old or new family photos with those who may not have access to a computer and/or the internet. You don’t have to make prints, but you may have to spend a little money. You can put your old family photos and new ones on CD’s and pass them out at your genealogy reunions. CD’s are only about 50 cents apiece when bought in bulk. Just recently, I saw a new product in the store that I thought was pretty amazing. It was one of those things that made me think I wish I had thought of it first. What I found was a digital photo album that not only stores family photos, but can store videos as well. All you have to do is upload your photos into the frame, and you can give it to anyone you wish. Simply follow the instructions that come with the product and you will have a unique genealogy gift.
The problem I have had with sharing family photos is that some of my family is not online. Though most of my relatives used to have a computer, some no longer do. Many have had computers that died long ago, and they have yet to replace them. Others have computers but no internet access. I can however, share my family photos with my parents, my sisters, my brother, and several other family members via the Internet. This makes sharing photos so much easier; it also saves me a lot of money. Though my digital camera was expensive, in the end I save money by not having to make so many prints. For old family photos I have scanned I can email them instead of printing them out.
When sharing family photos online, there are a few things you should remember. When you post pictures of your children on the Internet, you cannot control who sees them, not unless it is a controlled account which you can choose access. If you e-mail them to your family they are likely to remain private. However, if you put them in a public website anyone with access to a computer may view your family photos. Though not everyone is concerned with privacy, many people are. Consider the subject matter and content of your family photos before you post them where anyone can see them. As well you may want to consider posting family photos on the internet but not labeling them. This will keep the subjects names from being seen at least.
There is an even better way to share old or new family photos with those who may not have access to a computer and/or the internet. You don’t have to make prints, but you may have to spend a little money. You can put your old family photos and new ones on CD’s and pass them out at your genealogy reunions. CD’s are only about 50 cents apiece when bought in bulk. Just recently, I saw a new product in the store that I thought was pretty amazing. It was one of those things that made me think I wish I had thought of it first. What I found was a digital photo album that not only stores family photos, but can store videos as well. All you have to do is upload your photos into the frame, and you can give it to anyone you wish. Simply follow the instructions that come with the product and you will have a unique genealogy gift.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Bible
"The Bible"
I hold in my hands a treasure so rare,I close my eyes and imagine I'm there,When she wrote each name with care,Not knowing with me some day she'd share.
Could she have known what a jewel it would be?That it would be something I waited to see?That one hundred years later the Bible I'd hold,That in it's pages more that God's story is told.
I imagine she was proud of her family,For what greater gift could there be,Did she imagine the family to come?That I would be from the family of her son?
This family heirloom I will handle with care,So that in another hundred years it will be there,For my great-great-grandchildren may it be,A gift they are searching for to add to the family tree.
~ Author unknown ~
With kind permission from:
http://www.pennyparker2.com/bible.html
I hold in my hands a treasure so rare,I close my eyes and imagine I'm there,When she wrote each name with care,Not knowing with me some day she'd share.
Could she have known what a jewel it would be?That it would be something I waited to see?That one hundred years later the Bible I'd hold,That in it's pages more that God's story is told.
I imagine she was proud of her family,For what greater gift could there be,Did she imagine the family to come?That I would be from the family of her son?
This family heirloom I will handle with care,So that in another hundred years it will be there,For my great-great-grandchildren may it be,A gift they are searching for to add to the family tree.
~ Author unknown ~
With kind permission from:
http://www.pennyparker2.com/bible.html
Your Name
"Your Name "
It came from your father,It was all he had to give;
So it's yours to use and cherish,As long as you may live.
If you lose the watch he gave you,It can always be replaced;
But a black mark on your name,Can never be erased.
It was clean the day you took it,And a worthy name to bear;
When I got it from my father,There was no dishonor there.
So make sure you guard it wisely,After all is said and done,
You'll be glad the name is spotless,When you give it to your son.
~ Edgar A. Guest ~
With permision from:
http://www.pennyparker2.com/poems.html
It came from your father,It was all he had to give;
So it's yours to use and cherish,As long as you may live.
If you lose the watch he gave you,It can always be replaced;
But a black mark on your name,Can never be erased.
It was clean the day you took it,And a worthy name to bear;
When I got it from my father,There was no dishonor there.
So make sure you guard it wisely,After all is said and done,
You'll be glad the name is spotless,When you give it to your son.
~ Edgar A. Guest ~
With permision from:
http://www.pennyparker2.com/poems.html
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