Talk by Ann Howard – Review by Jean Macleay

There was a good roll up for our July meeting and those members who did attend were rewarded with an interesting and entertaining talk by the very charming Ann Howard. Many of us have read her books which are usually centred around the Hawkesbury River, however her talk was in effect a preview of her new book. Ann was inspired to write this book after a conversation with a man who had been sent from the city to country relatives to spare him from bombing or invasion by the Japanese. As she has talked since to more and more folk she found many interesting aspects of the lives of children which were unique to that period. These stories she will incorporate into her book. Many of us in our group are old enough to remember the difference ‘The War’ made to the pattern of our lives which made the story she told specially interesting.

Ann said she would be pleased to receive reminiscences from those of us old enough to have a story to tell that can be incorporated into her writing. You can send your story to [email protected]

I’m sure we are all looking forward to reading the result of her research.

I don't think a special interest group deserves it's very own blog post EVERY time it meets, but we really killed ourselves in this meeting and I thought it would be worthwhile sharing the pain. 
(Lorraine - be very glad you had something else to do).

The purpose of this session was to look at how to 1) create a GEDCOM file and 2) upload it into FamilyTree (on FamilySearch)

First of all we looked at what GEDCOMs were (special file types that handle your genealogical data - good for moving data from one genealogy program to another)

Then we created one in Family Tree Maker - that was ok.

Then we wanted to do a demo for uploading a GEDCOM file into Family Search and then transferring that information into a family tree. Esther put her hand up and we used her Family Search login and a GEDCOM file she had previously created at home.

Step 1.  Before even THINKING about uploading a GEDCOM, see who is in Family Tree already. Half of Esther's family was already in there (her Mother's side) and it went waaaaaay back. Sort of exciting, but we all understand that Esther has to confirm that the information is actually correct.

Step 2. Upload the GEDCOM via this page https://familysearch.org/family-trees Scroll down to the bottom to "submit tree". NOTE: once you upload a GEDCOM file here it is open access. There are no privacy settings on Family Search / Family Tree - except for living people. Living people can not be seen in the tree by anyone else - even relatives. You can delete a GECOM from FamilySearch.

Step 3. Then there is this process of reviewing the data you have in your GEDCOM file and seeing what is already in Family Tree. The program identifies people who are already in the tree, it identifies people who MIGHT be in the tree, people who definitely are NOT in the tree (we add them) and people who are living or "invalid" ("not valid" rather than someone who needs a new hip). "Invalid" might mean there isn't enough information, or there is information in a wrong field - maybe a number in a text field or something. I think. Living or "invalid" entries are not added to Family Tree.

Step 4. Unfortunately it can be tricky tying it all up. You might have added some people to Family Tree who haven't automatically been added to YOUR Family Tree. They are just drifting around like leaves in the wind. So even though we added them via this process we have just been through - we have to go and catch those leaves and stick them to our (their) branches.

So the main points

1) FamilyTree (FamilySearch) is open access. No privacy settings. 
2) On top of that - ANYONE can change ANY entry. If you put your genealogy into Family Tree you have to stop thinking of it as "yours". You become a part of a huge global family tree. So - keep a back up somewhere else.
3) Why put it in there? * It might be there already - like Esther found. * It is another backup. It doesn't matter what happens to your computer, it will survive. * It is a GREAT way to collaborate. * It is easy to use Family Serach's powerful search functions and find / attach sources.

Options for getting your data into FamilyTree

1) Look to see what is already there    https://familysearch.org/tree/#view=search
2) Add what isn't there by

a) Typing it in the old fashioned way or / and
b) Uploading a GEDCOM, going through the review process and making sure the added people have ended up in YOUR tree.

Which would I do? A bit of both. I would start with a GEDCOM upload and get as much as I could in that way and then fill in the gaps manually.

I have to say that it is a reasonably complicated process that requires both family history research skills AND technological ability.

NEXT MONTH (SAT 9TH AUGUST) WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A QUICK DEMO ON ADDING PEOPLE (AND INFORMATION TO PEOPLE WHO ALREADY EXIST) MANUALLY AND HOW TO SEACH FOR AND ATTACH RECORDS TO PEOPLE.
THEN WE ARE GOING TO HIT THE COMPUTERS AND PLAY WITH OUR OWN TREES. SEE WHAT IS THERE ALREADY AND ADD WHAT WE WANT TO.


Places are definitely going to be limited for this group so if you haven't been to one of our previous groups, give it a miss unless you are super confident with both family history research AND FamilySearch / FamilyTree. I'm going to say that bookings are necessary and the first 12? people get spots.

Home work 
1) Create a FamilySearch username and password https://familysearch.org/register/
2) Have a look around FamilyTree to see what is already in there for you
3) Bring some family history data of your own to add in - four generations is good
4) Optional - create a GEDCOM file (or bring in your laptop and I will help you) and we can go through that hair raising process of using a GEDCOM to put info into your FamilyTree TOGETHER!
5) Get plenty of sleep the night before

Eleven members enjoyed a trip to State Records Saturday 5 July everyone had a successful day. A big thank you to our bus driver David Pilkington who got us there and back safely

Kerrie Metcalfe
President
WFHG Inc.