2019 Genealogy Goals

I usually set my genealogy goals for the year around mid-January, so getting this done in early December is unheard of for me. It must have something to do with my approaching birthday. This one is less than a week away and has a zero at the end and while I have to admit to some moping about it, I am now trying to stay positive and concentrate on moving forward.

D.A.R. Membership

A few days ago I decided that a great way to improve my genealogy skills will be to prove my lineage from my Revolutionary War patriot ancestors.

Some years ago, before Mocavo became part of Find My Past, I did a search there for my 2nd great-grandfather, Benjamin Smith, seated in the above photo. One of the results led me to an entry for his daughter Charlotte (standing just behind her parents) who was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution! According to the book, my 2nd great-grandmother, Mary Ann Codner (seated above) was the daughter of Pheobe Chidester who was the daughter of Phineas Chidester, a Minute Man from Morris County, NJ and Rebecca Byram, the daughter of Japhet Byram, a Private in the Morris County militia.

My research on this line has not been exhaustive by any stretch of the imagination, but I already know there will be challenges ahead in proving my lineage to today's standards. This is something I would love to be able to do while my mother is still alive and although she's in great health, she is 81. Sunday night I submitted a prospective member information request form on the DAR website. I received an automated reply right away and started gathering the documents for the first few generations.

Sharing My Research

On Veterans Day, I was able to take advantage of a one-day special and rejoin Ancestry for six months. Since then I've been working on a project I started a few years ago; building a new public tree that is 100% properly sourced and documented, while making sure to download all the documents I find. I would like to get this new tree documented at least to all of my 2nd great-grandparents in 2019. If it turns out to be easier than I expect, I may extend this goal to include documenting all of my grandparents' and great-grandparents' siblings, but we'll see.

Passenger Lists

While working on my Ancestry tree, I've been trying to find the passenger lists for my Swedish great-grandmother (on the right above). She immigrated with her sister (left) and friend (center). I have some great leads but haven't found them so far. I'd like to find them in 2019, if not sooner, and learn all I can about the subject along the way so that I can find the extant passenger lists for all of my immigrant ancestors and Donald's as well.

Self-Education

I WILL finish reading and studying Dr. Jones'  Mastering Genealogical Documentation and Mastering Genealogical Proof in 2019!! I'll also have to start educating myself about DNA because my mother bought herself an Ancestry DNA kit as a birthday gift to me.

Meetings at my local genealogical societies will be another learning opportunity and on Cyber Monday, I scored a half-price membership to Legacy Family Tree Webinars.

Research Trip(s)

There is at least one research trip in our plans for 2019. Since we didn't visit Ottawa when we were in Canada in September, my mother and I are planning to head up in the spring, as much to see family as to research, but I definitely want to meet my Parker cousins, visit a couple of cemeteries and the local branch of the Quebec archives.

The Doughboy Memorial in Lynbrook, NY.

Giving Back

Since transcribing and posting the memorials in Rockville Centre for Heather Wilkinson Rojo's Honor Roll Project in 2016, I've enjoyed learning more about the war memorials in my area so I will continue to photograph, transcribe and post local memorials in 2019. My goal is one per month.

Also, and I say this every year, I really have to get myself on a regular schedule of indexing on Family Search. For now, I'm going to commit to two hours a month and then see if I can find the time to increase that as the year goes on.

Preservation and Scanning

Of course, no plan of mine could be complete without considering the preservation and digitization of my photos. Preservation is a budget-dependant item, but I can digitize most of the items in my collection without spending any money. I don't have specific goals for the year, but my priorities will be things I want to share with cousins and repositories and photos that are mounted in magnetic or other albums that can cause deterioration of the photos. My mother handed me another three magnetic albums just a few months ago and I know she has more. I think I need to convince her to retire so she can come down to my place in the afternoons to scan!

Reading over this post, I'm not sure where I'll find the time to eat, clean and earn a living in 2019, but I feel good about these goals. They are very optimistic but I don't think they're unrealistic as long as I stay focused.

"I'm looking forward to the future, and feeling grateful for the past." - Mike Rowe 



Smith, Orlando Chauncey, Smith, Charlotte Elizabeth, Smith, George Robert, Smith, William John, Smith, Benjamin, Codner, Mary Ann, Smith, Emma Amelia, photograph taken before 1908 (Benjamin's death); privately held by Anna Matthews [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Rockville Centre, NY 11570.

 Johnson, Anna Olivia, Carlin, Selma, Johnson, Mathilda Alfina, photograph taken ca. 1890; privately held by Anna Matthews [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Rockville Centre, NY 11570.

WWI Memorial in Lynbrook, NY, photograph taken November 2018; digital copy privately held by Anna Matthews [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Rockville Centre, NY 11570.