Finding Every Opportunity

New Bishopric of the Sidney Ward
Left to right: Jim Van Luven (1st Counselor), Bishop Joe Chrisman,
Chad Tennant (2nd Counselor)

These last two weeks seem to be filled with opportunities to share my personal and family history. Last week, my husband was called as a Bishopric member at our church. We are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you are unfamiliar with what a Bishopric is, it is like a Pastor (who we call a Bishop) and his two assistant pastors. Chad is one of these "assistant pastors." You might wonder what this has to do with family history. Let me tell you!

When I was  a young child, about 8 years old, my father was called as a member of the Bishopric in this same church building as my husband is today. Dad was later called as the Bishop of our ward. Today, my youngest daughter is 9 years old, so very close to my same age then. I was able to share with her, and my other children, how I felt as I was sitting in those SAME pews when my father was called to this position.

Former Bishops, Left to right: James Chrisman, Sr., Arthur Bowser (my dad), Mark
Zelnick, Del Cabe, Randall Frisbee, and Joseph Chrisman (son of James Chrisman)

After the calling was announced in church, the new members of the Bishopric and their families met in a small room. Now this was really something special. As I looked around the room, I realized that there were five former Bishops in the building that day, one was my father. After our meeting, I could not resist mentioning this unique event. We gathered all the former Bishops and the newest Bishop for a picture! This was part of my personal and family history. These men, especially my own father, had been the spiritual leaders of my entire life. Each one had influenced me in a significant and positive way. With this picture, I plan to share with my descendants this special story.

I was nostalgic for several days and found myself finding any opportunity to share a family history story. This morning, my two older children and I were reading about Nehemiah in the Old Testament. If you remember, Nehemiah was a good man. He was working to rebuild the walls in Jerusalem, yet he was continually thwarted by a few individuals. We applied this to our own lives today and how when we are doing the Lord's work, we are sometimes bombarded by those who would hinder the work. Because of our faith and knowledge, we know that the Lord's work cannot be deterred. He is there to help us when we ask.

My dad, Art Bowser, playing on a little tractor.

Somehow, this discussion turned to a family story from many decades ago. When my father was a little boy, I believe he was between 3 - 5 years of age, he was riding on the tractor with his dad. Grandpa was pulling along the disc tiller and Dad fell off. The sharp tiller went directly over his little body. He should have been gravely injured or worse, but he had not one cut. My children and I talked about how some would chalk this up to a coincidence, but what was it really? A miracle. In fact, this miracle saved the life of a little boy who then went on to do the Lord's work in many small ways. He served a mission, he served as a Bishop, he has been a great father and grandfather. Oh, my heart was full!

In conclusion, if you look for opportunities to share your personal and family stories, YOU WILL FIND THEM. I am convinced that our descendants will be inspired by our stories and find value, comfort, and wisdom from each of them! Have you had an opportunity to share a story today?

Recommitting to My Own Family History

Expo Hall at RootsTech, 2016

I have been in debriefing mode since my return from RootsTech 2016. Looking over my notes, reading through syllabus materials, and shuffling through the many business cards and pamphlets I picked up has been great! But this morning, I decided I wanted to put my experience into one statement. Here it is: My experience at RootsTech recommitted me to my own family history.

As a professional genealogist, I am nearly always working on "someone else's" family history. As a blogger for RootsBid.com, I am often writing "how-to" articles to inspire others to search out their families. I try to set aside one day a week for my own family genealogy, but sometimes I feel too tired or too busy. I need to recommit.

At RootsTech, I heard many stories of companies and individuals who are setting aside specific amounts of time for their own family history. Even some big genealogy companies encourage their employees to set aside time each week to work on their personal genealogy.

I was inspired by former Governor Mike Leavitt when he shared his goal to write 1000 personal history stories! And Bruce Feiler, keynote speaker on Thursday, shared that successful families are families who "talk... lot."

It doesn't take a lot of time to start a habit of sharing your personal or family history. Mike Leavitt's 1000 stories were usually only a few key sentences about a particular event in his life. It was a darling story he shared when his young daughter asked, "Do babies come because you get married?" Mike was on his way to a meeting and didn't want to short-change the conversation so he told her he would love to talk to her about this when he and "Mommy" could talk to her together. She then answered, "You don't know, do you?" Ha, ha!! We all got a laugh out of this sweet little story that was only a few sentences long.

If writing is not your "thing," be the family storyteller. Bruce Feiler stated that successful families talk about what it means to be a family. They share the good stories and the bad. Children who know their family history are more successful and able to overcome obstacles and trials.

My favorite handout from the Expo Hall.

Now that I have proclaimed that I am recommitted to my own family history, here are a few of the steps I want to take.

1.) I will dedicate 3 hours of time per week to sourcing and verifying my old family tree. While doing so, if a story has not yet been provided, I will include a short three sentences about one event in their life.

2.) I will be more consistent about holding the "Ancestor Birthday Bashes" I started last year. These ancestor birthday parties are a fun way to share the family history with the younger generation. (You can read about my epic ancestor birthday bash here: http://rootsbid.com/blog/6-ideas-to-throwing-an-epic-ancestor-birthday-bash/)

3.) I will use my personal journal time to make a regular accounting of the extended family happenings at least once a month.

There are many more goals I could make, but I have learned that sometimes "less is more." That just happens to be one of my dad's favorite quotes. See, I'm getting started already!

So, what was your take-away statement from RootsTech this year?

Want to learn more about RootsTech? I think you'll enjoy these helpful articles:
3 Ways to Enjoy RootsTech from Home
RootsTech: The Genealogy Hub of the West
Going to RootsTech for the First Time? Questions Answered

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RootsTech: The Genealogy Hub of the West

It is Friday morning here at RootsTech 2016. What a wonderful first few days! RootsTech is definitely the genealogy hub here in the West.

For those of you at home, I wanted to share a few of my favorite RootsTech things.

I was most touched by the inspirational message of Paula Madison and her story "Finding Samuel Lowe." Her story is in book form, a documentary, and there will be an upcoming webinar on 17 February. She is a "Black" woman. I put black in quotation marks because she is not only "Black." She is Chinese and of a clan going back before Christ! She is the 151st generation in her clan. Can you believe it?!

Paula's mother raised her three children in Harlem. Paula felt a sense of "not belonging" as her father was not around much and there were no other family, cousins, etc. On her journey to finding her lost maternal grandfather, Samuel Lowe, she finds her family, her place, and her ancestors. You can enjoy more of her story at FindingSamuelLowe.com.

Peggy Clemens Lauritzen and myself

There have been other wonderful opening remarks that were certainly noteworthy. A comment by Steve Rockwood of FamilySearch International said, "We are the heart doctors of our families." He had a cute prop that made us all laugh. He gave us each a mask; you know, the kind a doctor wears. We all got a kick out of that. He reminded us die-hards that not everyone enjoys names and dates, but many of our relatives will enjoy a story from the heart.

Bruce Feiler, writer for Sunday New York Times, shared with the crowd that some of the most successful and happy children have grown up with a knowledge of their family history. Children who know their heritage can draw strength and encouragement from the stories of their ancestors.

Break-out sessions were wonderful too. I enjoyed giving my own presentation to a great group of both new and experienced genealogists. I will be giving a second presentation later today.

Now, the Expo Hall. Oh. My. Goodness. I have never seen anything like it! We are busting at the seams with people from all over the world. The small companies, the big companies, and everything in between has been well represented here in the hall. RootsBid booth (that's where I am) is right across from the media hub. The media hub is where all the genealogy bloggers and gurus hang, tweet, blog, and interview. My favorite thing? To see Thomas MacEntee in his Hawaiian shirt and bling sitting over there smiling away as he chats with all the passersby.

Me and Thomas MacEntee. Photo
bomber, Eric Jelle!

I have enjoyed meeting many new friends and catching up with some old friends too. The genealogy community is a safe haven. In nearly every case, genealogists are happy to share, encourage, and befriend anyone they meet!

Well, I am off and running. Don't forget that you too can enjoy sessions throughout the day via the live streaming provided at RootsTech.org.

Oh! I almost forgot. I was in awe at the Crescent Super Band who performed for us last night. These amazing teenagers between the ages of 15 and 18 were true performers. I have never enjoyed jazz more than I did last night!

Crescent Super Band 

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3 Ways to Enjoy RootsTech From Home!

This year I am heading to Salt Lake City, Utah for RootsTech. It is a dream come true to be able to attend this magnificent event and especially to have the opportunity to teach two class sessions!

FreeImages.com/Alberto Grilo

As I was preparing, I remembered back to last year. I couldn't go, was rather sick with a cold, and feeling pretty bummed. Somewhere, I read that I could enjoy RootsTech even from home. That is exactly what I did!

Would you like to participate in RootsTech from home? Let me share with you how!

RootsTech is being held Wednesday - Saturday, February 3 - 6. Remember, times are based on Mountain Standard Time.

Go to the RootsTech website at www.rootstech.org. If you click "Attend" at the top, a pull down menu will appear. Click on "Video Archive." Here you can enjoy nineteen class sessions from 2015. Once this year's RootsTech conference is over, there will be videos of the sessions from 2016.

Last year, class sessions were also LIVE STREAMING from the RootsTech website. While many of my friends were sitting in the classroom, I was sitting comfortably on my couch! This year, the new sessions will be live streaming too. You will see the schedule for live streaming soon and can plan accordingly. The great thing about watching from home is that if something comes up, you can always watch it later.

These sessions will be archived at the website for your viewing until 2017.

The next important thing to do is "like" the RootsTech Facebook page. You want to make sure you are "liking" the correct one (I found three), so I have included the link here. You can keep up with all the announcements, articles, and pictures from the event.

In addition to Facebook, follow along in real time by using Twitter. Follow your favorite bloggers, favorite speakers, and RootsTech itself. Don't forget to tweet your own thoughts as you watch from home! Use the hashtag #RootsTech.

Bowser Family Photo, 1966

Lastly, there is a special Saturday event titled "Family Discovery Day." Many of these sessions will be streaming live as well. The times, sessions, and speakers for Family Discovery Day can be found here. These sessions will be archived and later available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

Conclusion

There you have it. Three great ways to enjoy RootsTech from home. I hope to write a post or two from Salt Lake, so don't forget to check back in. Follow me on Twitter @mykithnkin. For those of you attending the event, come by the RootsBid.com booth and see me, or attend either of my class sessions. (See below.)

Session Title: "Overcoming Genealogy Roadblocks by Crowdsourcing with RootsBid."
Session Time for Thursday: 11:00 AM, room 155 E
Session Time for Friday: 1:30 PM, room 255 B

My Journey of the Certification Process: Entry 5

I have been spending many hours, especially Saturday's, at wrestling tournaments. Have you ever been to a wrestling tournament? You watch your kid wrestle for about 2 to 4 minutes, then you wait about 40 minutes until they wrestle again...for 2 to 4 minutes. About half way through the day, they have an intermission that is roughly an hour to an hour and a half. This schedule leads to a LOT of downtime!

Luckily, I have found wi-fi access at each school and was able to work on some research. At first, I was dragging a heavy bag along with me. I needed a computer, my notebook, my Genealogy Standards book, Mastering Genealogical Proof workbook, my Evidence Explained, and I wanted to bring my Professional Genealogy volume, but that nearly broke my bag AND MY BACK! The answer to an overloaded bag is getting digital versions of your books!

I have already purchased these books in hardback. I don't really want to buy them again. Evidence Explained in the Kindle version (found on Amazon) is $32.95. However, Genealogy Standards is only $6.99. Mastering Genealogical Proof by Thomas Jones, in Kindle edition, is $9.99. Unfortunately, I have yet to find Professional Genealogy by Elizabeth Shown Mills in a digital format.

I will be replacing some of my books with these digital versions, but for the more pricey ones, I have taken a photo with my phone of important pages. Then, I saved them to my phone. You could go one step further and save the images to your computer or to your Google drive. It will come in handy when you are on-the-go or at least until you have purchased them all as digital copies.

I would encourage any of you who have not yet purchased these books in preparation for certification, to consider buying the digital versions. It is such a blessing to be a genealogist in these days! Smartphones, apps, software, laptops, e-books: genealogists today have every advantage!

Read "My Journey of the Certification Process: Entry 4: Power of the Cold Call

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My Journey of the Certification Process: Entry 4

Sometimes, you just have to pick up the phone and call! That is what I learned this week as I worked on a certification portfolio report.

It seems that every genealogy road eventually leads to somewhere far away. Eventually, you are going to have to start researching in another state or even another country.

Online research brings those far away places within reach. The internet is a miracle really. It is amazing what information you can find by typing in a few keywords to Google. This week, I was reminded that not everything is on the internet.

I already knew I couldn't find all the sources I needed online. There are probably thousands of records still hidden in dusty old basements that haven't been viewed by human eyes in decades. Because of this, it is possible the records you are looking for have not even been microfilmed.

Yesterday, I picked up the phone and started calling places in my targeted area of research. I called the local library. I called the historical society. I called the genealogical society. I called the courthouse. I kept asking the same questions about all the types of records I needed. Finally, one woman says, "Just a minute," and then Jennifer answers with, "Hello, how can I help you?" Jennifer is a worker at the county courthouse. When I told her who I was researching she said, "Are you familiar with John [last name withheld] who is the family historian of that family? They have a large farm here in the county." WHAT!? She pointed out where I might find his contact information, as she was not able to give it to me.

Friends, this is the type of information you may only find if you start making phone calls (or visit the area). Some people call these "cold calls." When I phoned John, he thought I might be a solicitor. Remember to talk slow, but get right to the point. I said something like, "John, my name is Amie Tennant. I am a genealogy researcher in Ohio and am researching the [name withheld] family. I heard you were their family historian in the county."

And, there you have it. This phone call led to new information, new sources, and it didn't take long at all. I think this might be part of the exhaustive research we talk about in the GPS.

I would also add, I often learn about unique holdings when I call the history department of a local library or archive. There have been many times when I say, "I would really like to find ______. Do you have any idea where I might find that kind of information in your county?" Local historians have pointed me to unknown newspapers on microfilm, family books, and more. Talk to knowledgeable people in your targeted location. Someone somewhere knows something you don't!

Here's to more weeks of exhaustive research and a few more cold calls.

Read Entry 3 of "My Journey of the Certification Process" here.

My Journey of the Certification Process: Entry 3

If you have been following along, you may have noticed that more than a week has passed and I have not written a blog post. This part of my certification process happens from time to time...it's life getting in the way!

For two weeks, my children and I have been fighting off colds and strep throat, and it has been awful. There was still homework and housework, and just to make things interesting, wrestling season started. Even with the help of my husband, there were just not enough hours in the day. Time dedicated to certification had to be put aside for a bit.

The Family that keeps me busy!

When this happens, I try not to lose my momentum. I know that I can't dedicate the hours I want to research on the "big" projects when I am feeling lousy. Instead, I watch BCG videos and read about genealogy. I might not remember all that I hear or read, but it makes me feel better to know that I have done "something" that will benefit my portfolio.

When I have been especially busy and have only small bursts of time or energy, I work on transcription and abstraction.

Transcription and abstraction of a provided document is part of the portfolio. BCG sends you one handwritten document that could be found in the region and time period you mentioned on your initial paperwork. You also will do a transcription and abstraction of a document that you provide.

Practicing the techniques for transcription and abstraction is important. Because abstraction had not often come up in my past research experience, I have had to study that more so than transcription.

One of the best resources for learning the ins and outs of transcription and abstraction is chapter 16 in Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills. 

I was still a bit confused as I read the chapter and compared it to other transcription and abstraction examples found in the document samples on the BCG website. I mentioned my confusion on the Google Group for those "on the clock." Judy Russell said it best when she said (and I quote), "There is No One Right Way. All together now. Repeat after me: There is No One Right Way." End quote.

I think the most important thing to learn during the certification process is this: There are standard operating procedures. As you learn and apply these standards, the finished product may look different than others. That's your style and that's okay. When it comes to transcriptions, the guidelines and essentials are pretty straight forward and Ms. Mills lists them in chapter 16 of the book I mentioned above.

As for abstracts, I found them...well, more abstract! Abstract examples can have different styles. Some may be written more like a list and another may be written similar to narrative format. I decided to not choose one style over another, but let my gut direct me. I ask myself, "Who is my audience? Will this be logical to my reader?" If a numbered or list abstract would help my reader to understand the document best, I use that style. If I think the narrative format might be best for the reader, I use a narrative format.

As I have said before, these are just my impressions as I go along. Please don't use these words as advice for your portfolio, I may be doing it all wrong! We shall wait and see.

In the meantime, when my life gets busy,  I do something. Read, watch a video, or practice a paragraph or two of transcription/abstraction. The important thing is to not lose your momentum! Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming!

Read "My Journey of the Certification Process: Entry 2" here.