Author Topic: Getting myself organised!!  (Read 1117 times)

Offline Rosygem

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Getting myself organised!!
« on: Wednesday 24 April 19 20:02 BST (UK) »
Hello,

I've been researching my family history for a few months now using Ancestry. I've decided to try and get more serious/organised about it all. I enjoy researching but I feel like I keep going down rabbit holes and am not sure if all the sources/facts I've found are correct.

I've looked into using Google Drive, Evernote, OneNote etc to house all of my notes etc and have decided on OneNote.

I'm wondering now how to set up folders etc to keep everything organised. I want to be able to easily xref a person and their notes during my research so I can better verify any new facts etc I come across.

Should I organise by Surname? Family Group? Individual Person?

Does anyone else use OneNote/Evernote? I can't seem to find many examples of how other people organise their research.

Offline avm228

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Re: Getting myself organised!!
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 24 April 19 20:16 BST (UK) »
I just use Family Historian and attach notes, images etc to the individuals in my tree on there.

https://www.family-historian.co.uk
Ayr: Barnes, Wylie
Caithness: MacGregor
Essex: Eldred (Pebmarsh)
Gloucs: Timbrell (Winchcomb)
Hants: Stares (Wickham)
Lincs: Maw, Jackson (Epworth, Belton)
London: Pierce
Suffolk: Markham (Framlingham)
Surrey: Gosling (Richmond)
Wilts: Matthews, Tarrant (Calne, Preshute)
Worcs: Milward (Redditch)
Yorks: Beaumont, Crook, Moore, Styring (Huddersfield); Middleton (Church Fenton); Exley, Gelder (High Hoyland); Barnes, Birchinall (Sheffield); Kenyon, Wood (Cumberworth/Denby Dale)

Offline hallmark

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Re: Getting myself organised!!
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 24 April 19 20:18 BST (UK) »
Give a man a record and you feed him for a day.
Teach a man to research, and you feed him for a lifetime.

Offline Erato

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Re: Getting myself organised!!
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 24 April 19 20:19 BST (UK) »
You should organize however you find it most useful.  I organize my folders by subject matter, not by person.  For example, a folder of US Federal Censuses containing subfolders for each census from 1790 to 1940.  That way I don't have to have duplicate copies of census returns for each member of a family.  Then in the notes attached to the individuals in the tree [I use PAF because it was free when I started and I've never had reason to change], I record skeletal information.  For example - 1850 census, York Twsp., Ohio, age 16, single, farm laborer, living with Uncle Anthony.  If I need more detailed inormation, I know where I have the 1850 census stored.
Wiltshire:  Banks, Taylor
Somerset:  Duddridge, Richards, Barnard, Pillinger
Gloucestershire:  Barnard, Marsh, Crossman
Bristol:  Banks, Duddridge, Barnard
Down:  Ennis, McGee
Wicklow:  Chapman, Pepper
Wigtownshire:  Logan, Conning
Wisconsin:  Ennis, Chapman, Logan, Ware
Maine:  Ware, Mitchell, Tarr, Davis


Offline UK4753

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Re: Getting myself organised!!
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 24 April 19 23:40 BST (UK) »
I use OneNote.  Here is how I do it.

Each File is a Family
Each section is a person
Each page contains something that pertains to that person, e.g. one for birth, one for death, one for marriage, etc.  There are no limits as to the number of files, sections and pages that you can add.

I also have a section up front for each family called Overview.  Here I have a page for fellow collaborators including name, email, user name on Ancestry if appropriate, etc.  All fellow collaborators can see who is copied on the file.  Overview might also have research notes, theories, ideas tried and failed as well.  A failure is just as important as a major breakthrough (although it doesn't feel that way).

Since OneNote is in the cloud, it is perfect to share with cousins which I have done.  I live in the USA but I have shared family files with newly-found British cousins.

You can cross-reference pages within OneNote.  A marriage certificate is a good example.  You can also insert almost any object into OneNote and move it around as you please.  A copy of that marriage certificate that I found on Find My Past can be downloaded directly into OneNote.  I include maps that I found on the internet since I am not very familiar with the territory (I love maps).

Finally, there are UTube videos on this subject that I found helpful.

Good luck!

 :)
Wiltshire: JONES, BANKS
Yorkshire: FEVERS, SCALES
Kent:  RUMLEY, NIGH
London:  HUGHES, NIGHTINGALE

Offline Rosygem

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Re: Getting myself organised!!
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 25 April 19 09:21 BST (UK) »
Thanks! How do you handle the pages for people when they cross over with families. Eg. I have a family set up for my nanna and Grandad, and an individual section for each person in that family. But my Nanna would also have been part of the family with my G-grandparents when she was a child. So I would the. Need to duplicate records for her under each family right?


I’ve had a look on YouTube and couldn’t find any inspiring videos for ideas on how to use OneNote. Ideally you have any links I’d appreciate it.

Thanks

Offline UK4753

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Re: Getting myself organised!!
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 25 April 19 14:15 BST (UK) »
I guess it comes down to your preference.  I would put the husband with his family and the wife with hers.  Then put the children with their surname.  There is no right or wrong way to organize it.

You can cross-link pages as much as you want.  Say you locate the marriage certificate under her section.  Maybe write in the basics of the marriage on his "marriage" page and insert a link to the actual certificate on her page.  There is no need to duplicate pages unless you want.

Try this link.  It's a little boring but the concept is pretty good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GkbDPWl0BE

Regards,
 :)
Wiltshire: JONES, BANKS
Yorkshire: FEVERS, SCALES
Kent:  RUMLEY, NIGH
London:  HUGHES, NIGHTINGALE