American Ancestors (Spring/Summer 2016) contains several
articles of likely interest to our genealogists:
Choosing the Right Genealogical Software for You: The author
believes that choice of genealogical software is very much an idiosyncratic
decision. Features on a given program that you consider crucial for a genealogy
application may well be dismissed by another user as “bells and whistles.” The author
does note some essential features that every genealogy application ought to
have, and then provides a handy Genealogical Software Comparison Chart.
Becoming More Expert in Genealogy: The author explains how a
change in perspective has made genealogical research easier for him. While “brick
walls” used to be a source of great frustration, he notes that they seem easier
to solve now that he views them as a chance to become “more expert” on a
particular genealogical topic. He discusses several approaches he’s developed
that usually help him solve genealogical riddles.
Using Satellite Imagery to Connect the Past with the
Present: a Case Study: The author notes that advances in technology mean that
genealogists have numerous mapping tools that they can use to provide family
histories with a unique visual dimension that can’t be conveyed by words alone.
He illustrates his point by discussing how he used various mapping tools to
research his mother’s Danish-Prussian lineage.
First to Enlist: Researching a Family Civil War Story: We’ve
all got (or have heard) genealogical tall tales: Great-Grandma was a Cherokee
princess; our family name was changed at Ellis Island; our family is related to
(name a celebrity) in some fashion. Such tales are usually fairly easy to
disprove, but sometimes doing so requires a fair bit of research. The author
discusses his quest to determine if his great-great uncle was the first man to
enlist in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
