Genealogy Travel Kit - What should be included?

It feels like ages since I published a real post here. I have been so tied up with buying and selling houses, plus launching my new site...USA Family Tree. I wanted to sit down tonight and give you something of value, at least start a discussion of value.

I have been thinking a lot lately about my genealogy travel kit. I do not actually have a kit but I have always intended on putting one together. I cannot stand when I drive a hundred miles to a cemetery and realize that I cannot read a tombstone. At that point, I would pay twenty dollars for a pencil and piece of paper to make a rubbing! With that in mind, I want you to help me "design" the perfect genealogy travel kit. It should be light-weight and inexpensive yet have everything that we need. If you have thoughts on the subject, write me an email or comment below this post.

1. I always take a camera with me, preferably a digital one. Digital cameras are great because they save money by not needing to buy film or pay to develop them. You can instantly see what the picture looks like so there is no chance of missing a shot or taking a bad one. You can also upload the photos directly to your computer and prevent the extra step of having to scan them in. The downside of a digital camera is that I tend to take too many pictures, since there is no film cost to hold me back. I then have too many photos to process when get home so things get piled up more than usual.
2. You must have extra batteries or a charger for your camera. Do not forget film if you are using a standard camera.
3. I like to take a small, digital tape recorder with me. You never know when the opportunity will arise for an interview.
4. Paper and pencils are a must! I prefer large sheets of paper, legal size will work, in case I need to rub a tombstone. It is helpful to have an artists pencil or something with a broad tip that can easily rub over the engraving. A sharp pencil does not work well in this situation. You can also use the pencils and paper to jot down other notes of interest.
   
5. A GPS unit is a little expensive but it has revolutionized the world of cemetery mapping. Instead of providing detailed directions such as..."walk south down by the old creek, go fifteen feet and cross over where the big tree fell down"...I can give someone exact longitude and latitude coordinates so they can find the site within a few feet. Many cell phones have this feature built in so it might not cost you anything extra.
   
6. A recent copy of the line I am currently researching. If I am travelling to an area where the Lett family is from, I would take copies of my Lett family tree. You never know when you might need to share that information with someone else.
7. An orange hat!!! This is extremely important during hunting season. You need a blaze orange hat on if you are going to romp around in an old cemetery...in the woods. I am sure most people never gave this a thought but better safe than sorry!
8. Quarters and dollars. Always have a few quarters and a few dollar bills for the copy machine.
9. A map of the local area. I always have a Virginia and North Carolina map with me at all times. If I am going to a specific county, I try to bring along a map of that area.
10. Business cards. Even if you do not have a business, you should get some cards printed with your contact information. Too many times we meet people and do not have a proper way to exchange contact information. Handing them a card with your contact info will increase the likelihood that they actually call you back.
11. A flashlight...no explanation needed.
12. A basic first-aid kit. There are thousands of ways to cut yourself in an old cemetery, especially one in the middle of a blackberry patch!
13. A cell phone or you must at least tell someone about the trip you are going on. Even a cell phone will not help if you get lost or hurt in some areas. I always have trouble with my phone in Mecklenburg County. I make sure to tell my wife or my parents where I am going, especially if I am going alone.
14. A to-do list. You should always map out your plan for the particular trip. You will be pretty ticked off once you realize that you forgot to take that picture of uncle Sid's grave at Shiloh Baptist Church, the one that is a hundred miles away!
15. A black computer disk or CD. You might run into someone that has old photos or information saved on their laptop. The easier and cheaper you can make it for them to share, the more likely they will be to do it.
    

I am running out of thoughts at this point. I am however going to actually put this kit together for my next genealogy outing. If I can think of anything else to add, I will let you know. Please write to me if you can think of anything to add to the list. Hopefully I can avoid getting on site, at some far-off place, and having to regret that I left something critical at home.

2009 FGS Conference for the Nation's Genealogists in Little Rock

I was asked to pass this along...

"Dear Fellow Genealogy Blogger,

...The annual Federation of Genealogical Societies “Conference for the Nation’s Genealogists” ...takes place this year in Little Rock, Arkansas. In past years it has been in Philadelphia, Fort Wayne, Boston, Salt Lake City, Orlando and other cities. The committees for both the Federation of Genealogical Societies and the host society, the Arkansas Genealogical Society, have been busy working on the details for the September 2-5, 2009 event. The Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau and the host hotels have been a joy to work with.

• Choose from almost 200 lectures, workshops, special events, and meals offered during this event.

• A free Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social for conference registrants on Tuesday afternoon.

• Large Exhibit Hall filled with organizations, businesses, and individuals showcasing memberships, publications, databases, hardware, maps, books, digital images, services, and hundred of other items of interest to genealogists and related fields.

• Delegate Luncheon and special lectures for Delegates of FGS member societies and anyone else interested in learning more about FGS, running a genealogical society, getting new members, putting on seminars, creating a dramatic website, and much more.

• Networking Luncheon with no speaker. A perfect way to meet other conference registrants. Some tables will be designate for certain discussion topics, such as Arkansas research (by sections of the state), Confederate research, Genealogical Blogging (including the use of Twitter and Facebook) and some will have no designated topic.

• Several other great luncheons with speakers sponsored by various genealogical organizations.

• For the full and varied program and registration details check the Conference website at www.FGSConference.org or the frequently updated Conference Blog at www.FGSConferenceBlog.org.

FGS and AGS invite you to join us at this exciting conference. We would be grateful if you could post some of this information on your blog or other ways in which you communicate with fellow genealogists. Live links to the website and the conference blog would be helpful as we spread the word about this educational event. The Conference Logo is attached should you wish to display it.

FGS Conference Website: www.FGSConference.org
FGS Conference Blog: www.FGSConferenceblog.org

If you would like additional details or have questions, please just let me know.

Paula Stuart-Warren, CG
FGS/AGS 2009 National Publicity Chair
FGSPublicity@FGS.org

Join your fellow genealogists in Little Rock when FGS Presents -- Passages Through Time -- September 2-5, 2009. Visit www.FGSConference.org and www.FGSConferenceBlog.org for developing details."

First things first, getting started in genealogy

The first thing you need when starting a genealogy project is a way to collect all of the data that you find. If you are not organized, you are going to get frustrated very quickly. With that in mind, you must devise a system of record keeping.

Until recent times, most genealogy record keeping was done on paper and stored in files. You could get large charts from the local LDS library and had to write everything in pencil so you could make changes. I literally have a chart that is the size of my living room, not that I use it anymore. I keep it as a reminder of the way things used to be.

Maintaining paper records is always a good idea but you have to come up with an adequate filing system. I always make folders, going by last name, first name of the husband and keep records for himself, his wife and any unmarried children in that file. I then put all of my folders in a file cabinet, in alphabetical order by that last name.

Having a bunch of papers does not constitute a family tree. To see the fruits of your labor, you need to create a coherent accounting for the information found on each document. In the older, manual method you would use "family group sheets" to document the names and dates associated with each person in a given family. These are simple paper forms that most local libraries, at least those with a genealogy focus, can give you. You can also find online versions that you can print off for free by using this link: Ancestry free genealogy forms

The modern way of organizing genealogy data would be a computer-based database. There are many programs on the market, ranging from one hundred dollars down to free. More expensive does not always mean better though...keep that in mind. There are also web-based programs that you can use, again some are free and some charge a fee per month/quarter/year. A few of the most popular online programs would be Ancestry, My Heritage, Geni and Tribal Pages.

I tend to stay away from the online database programs, for several reasons. You sometimes lose control of what you put online. Most sites allow you to keep your work private but you really have no way of knowing exactly how safe and secure their site really is. If they had a computer crash or went out of business tomorrow, what would happen to all of your research? I am probably being a little paranoid but I like to hold my hand closer to my chest. I would recommend having a program on your computer and then uploading that information to a web-based program, if you want it on the web at all.

As for computer-based programs, there are lots of choices out there. I have always used Family Tree Maker for my own research. The most recent versions have had some growing pains but the program is still the most used in the industry. Another popular option would be RootsMagic. Reunion is popular with those who use a Mac/Apple computer. There are also a few free programs that you can download, the most popular being Personal Ancestral File or PAF. It is made available by the LDS church. I have not used their program personally but it is widely utilized throughout the world.

Follow some of these links and check out each program before making a decision. A good site for product reviews is GenSoft Reviews. There you can read hundreds of personal reviews of over 400 different genealogy programs.

After deciding on the right program for you, take the plunge and get one. Most can be obtained online but you can get the more popular programs at Target, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, etc. Try to get the most recent version, not something that has been sitting on the shelf for three or four years. You can also pick them up at eBay but only buy those that are "new in the box."

When you get the program in your hands, install it on your computer and start playing around with the features. Get bold and enter what you know about yourself and your immediate family. Once you enter your first name and date, you are officially initiated into the genealogy hobby. I warn you now that it can be extremely addictive!