Omegazine! Presents "Views from the Genealogy Frontier"

Genealogy by the Numbers

In recent years, with the illustrious advent of the Internet, an increasing number of people are beginning to search for their roots. While this sounds like a good thing, there are a growing number of individuals that are getting sidetracked in the process. It seems that without a proper introduction into genealogy, these amateur genealogists become collectors (as we humans are by nature) rather than family historians.

So what's the big deal? Well, this approach to research can eventually interfere with, and even destroy, the hard work of other (more serious) genealogists. These "number crunchers" become obsessed with growing their database of individuals, and lose sight of one of the primary purposes of family research-- understanding who your ancestors were, and I mean not just their names.

It is the "gems" you uncover digging through old files, books, online database, and just about anything that has names in it, that make a difference. Family research should bring a family closer together, not break it apart. The stories about your great-great grandfather that, when shared with other family members, make genealogy a very special hobby.

As time passes, we may start to discover that the Internet may in fact create new diseases in our society. By making it so easy to find information, the Internet is quickly becoming a breeding ground for incorrect, and often fictitious data. We have all heard stories about "spoofed" articles and claims made on the web, but rarely does anyone find out if a family history posted on the web has ever been verified.

"Number crunchers" will accept just about any clue that links more individuals into their database. The real crime occurs when they turn around and publish this potential erroneous data onto the Internet. Along comes an Innocent victim surfing through cyberspace only to take great joy in stumbling upon the mere mention of one of a relative. Some (less experienced) genealogists instantly believe what they read, proceed to adopt this "great find", share it with their family and typically forget to ever question its validity.

The popular TV show The X-Files boasts, "The Truth is Out There," but in terms of family history this is only partially true. As every new genealogists learns (often too quickly) citing sources of each and every clue you discover is a critical part of building your family tree. A book you find in the library with great leads, may be taken out by a careless reader and lost forever. Thus, the truth is out there, but sometimes impossible to ever locate again.

Not only must you track sources carefully, but it is also important to verify ever fact you gather. It is best to find two sources to validate each and every fact. Not every source will be accurate, especially when it comes to public records. Handwritten records are often difficult to read, information reported by a spouse or family friend is often dead wrong, even birth years reported by the individual themselves can be wrong. Many an elderly relative forgets their own age, and when it comes to genealogy being off by a few years can mean the difference between finding further clues.

The Internet is easy, genealogy is not. Focus on living relatives, get photos and stories from your aunts and uncles. Ask a lot of questions. Ask absurd questions, you might be surprised at the answers you get. If a relative cannot remember a date, ask if they remember what the weather was like, or what they were wearing (at least you might figure out what season of the year it was). I credit the fact that I am an avid Columbo detective movie watcher, for the success I have had in my research. Ask direct questions. Ask indirect questions. Ask questions over again, you might get a different answer.

When I look across the room at the big box of family information I have collected, it is the stories my great-aunt has told me about my great-grandparents that has given me the most happiness. Looking at their pictures and seeing a physical resemblance is much more moving than the fact that I have hundreds of names in my family tree.

This is a case of "Quality versus Quantity", and quality is the clear winner.

About the author: Illya manages several genealogy web sites, including his namesake D'ADDEZIO.com that hosts information about Italian and German genealogy, along with two directories, Society Hill and Cemetery Junction. Illya's heritage descends from Potenza a very small area in south-central Italy.

Omegazine! Presents "Views from the Genealogy Frontier"

Genealogy by the Numbers

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