Wednesday, June 27, 2012

After Conferences - Now What? - Master Location Files

I was fortunate to be able to attend both NGS and Jamboree this year.  (I'm going to miss FGS.)  Anyway, I learned a lot but I really need to process what was presented, organize my CDs and syllabus material, etc.

So, I'm working on going through my family files on the software programs and making sure that I have good sources for each fact.  Since some of these were started before I became as aware of the importance of sources, I have lots of catching up to do. 

Tina Lyons http://genwishlist.blogspot.com/ worked through her files by surname.  I haven't quite figured out what to do later, but for now I'm going through my master location list and making sure that I have the correct counties for each town.  It's a start.  Of course I have 10 or 11 different family files so it's taking me quite awhile.  And I have more than one software program so I have to work a little differently for each one. 

I have google or yahoo open and put in a town and state and find out a county.  Then I look in the Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920, and make sure that the county was there at the time period I'm working with.  I have found that many times I can quickly make an adjustment to numerous files at once. 

So, I hope you don't need to do this, but if you do need to make changes to locations, check out your software program and see how to make changes that will apply to each mention for that location.  Good luck.

2 comments:

  1. Like your approach of using the Map Guide to the Federal Census to check your county boundaries.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Michelle,

      At first I forgot to use the Map Guide, but then realized that I needed to have two different counties for some of the towns.

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