NGSQ Article Discussion Group Today

Hey all, as usual I've got a lot on my plate but in came the monthly NGSQ article discussion for a nice change of pace. The article for this month's chat was "Life and Death on the Frontier: The Robert and Loana McFarland Family of Boulder Valley, Colorado" by Birdie Monk Holsclaw. If you haven't read it yet, it was the 2003 Winner of the NGS Family History Writing Contest and is a definite must read. Those of you who are NGS members can access the article online through their article archives section. Those who are not members, it's just another reason to go join right now.

As I said above, this is a definite read. There are several reasons really but the top two, in my opinion anyway, are
1-it's a fast read; fast, easy, interesting, pulls you in, not confusing/requiring the reader to make charts in order to follow what's going on
2-it includes all of the key elements of a classic case study; it's the kind of thing you would want your BCG certification portfolio to exemplify (there was even some discussion in our group today about this being part of the author's CG application)

When I say that it includes all of the key elements required of a good, strong case study one of the points I'm referring to is the use of tons of sources of all kinds showing an "exhaustive" search of records. Another is the the placement of the subject within the larger historical context of the time and place. In this case, the subject was Robert McFarland and his family through his second wife. Robert began his life in Vermont later moving to IL and ultimately CO while his children went back to VT and even ID and for all of these places, we see historical selections taken from the time and place and placing each of the subjects within that framework. This article represents what appears to me to have been a pretty big undertaking of research and study of New England, newly formed territories in what would become known as the Midwest, and the frontier at a very early time in its history. I do not have any known ancestors (at least not that I know of yet) who ventured out to the Western frontier, at least none that settled there permanently and remained there so this article was not necessarily something that I would have chosen to read on my own (despite my knowledge that case studies, no matter what their content have value in guiding others on proper methodology) but it turned out to be one of the greatest examples of a case study that I've read up to this point, right up there with the article by Rachel Mills Lennon that we read back in October (here's the post on the subject http://genealogist-in-training.blogspot.com/2009/10/im-motivatedbut-distracted.html ).

My point here is read this article! Actually, either get a membership to NGS so you can read all fo the articles, award-winning or not, or head to the nearest library and start checking out as many NGSQs as you possibly can. They serve not only as models, but as motivators for yourself. They're a great way to see in tangible terms where you want your work to be, where you want your skills to be.

Speaking of the NGSQ....KY research guide

I was just talking about how important it is to join the National Genealogical Society in a previous post and yesterday I received the newest volume of their periodical, the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, or NGSQ. The spotlight this time is Kentucky and for anyone who is interested in KY family history this is a must have. The research guide by Betty Cummings Cook, CG is a great introduction to navigating the records in Kentucky and the inclusion of two KY case studies in the same volume serves to illustrate the methods and records discussed in the guide. The combination of research guide and case studies arms even the Kentucky novice with a sense of confidence in tackling KY records and makes this volume a must-have. Just another example of how important genealogical periodicals are (especially the NGSQ) whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro.

NGSQ Archive Index and online articles: Goldmine!!

If you're stuck on a problem, chances are someone else has faced it as well and it doesn't take a whole lot of luck to find that the case study has been published through a genealogical journal. The National Genealogical Society (link is below in the link list) publishes a periodical called the NGS Quarterly and members of the Society have access to its Members section which includes an index of NGSQ articles as well as pdf versions of articles from the more recent volumes (generally those published within the last 5 yrs). These articles are a goldmine of information covering everything from searching for family bibles, geographic record issues, and case studies where you will probably be able to find answers and/or inspiration to those sticky road blocks. If you're not a member, you should definitely think about doing so.

Taking the initiative

So under the umbrella of educational opportunities I've been lucky enough to get involved with two online study groups. One is a monthly discussion of selected articles published by the National Genealogical Society's periodical, the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. I've been in the group since the fall of 2008, so not too long, but long enough to know that I've fallen into a great thing. If nothing else, it's a way to talk with others about the attributes of the Genealogical Proof Standard in action. As a visual learner, I couldn't ask for anything better than that because seeing it being done in print is a great way for me to learn how to do it in my own research.

The second group that I have just started this year is the third Pro Gen online study group. I waited several months for the group to start hoping that I would be able to grab a spot and sure enough, I did. So far we've had one discussion and it's already proving to be an invaluable resource. Not only do the group members get that interaction with others in the field that they may not otherwise have access to, but you also get the sage advice of a certified genealogist, or "CG", at each of the group discussions. The first discussion covered professionalism and ethics. Talk about a loaded gun. Seeing as how most of us fall into the category of "transitional" genealogist the discussion was essential to our ability to understand how a professional conducts his/her business as well as their research with clients as well as colleagues. With that discussion under my belt, on to next month's topic: educational opportunities! My favorite topic!