Once Upon a Time...

Graphic provided by Steve Czajka.

Your family history should never start with those words! And others should never view your work as a fairy tale or a  fictional story.

But, how do you know if you are doing a good job?

Oftentimes, we do our research almost in a vacuum, with no feedback from friends and family. So if you are making mistakes, how do you know?

Besides constantly learning about proper research techniques (here is ONE opportunity), you want to always follow the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS). The five essential principles of GPS, as stated on by the Board for Certification of Genealogists, are:

1. Reasonably exhaustive research of all resources available.
2. Complete and accurate source citations so that you, and others, can retrace your work
3. Thorough analysis of information found and correlation.
4. Resolution of conflicting evidence.
5. Soundly written conclusion based on the strongest evidence.

And, if you want to take your research one step further, you apply to a lineage society.

Logos of many lineage societies from the
Lineage Society of America site.

For many years, I mistakenly believed that joining a lineage society was buying bragging rights into an elite group. "I am better than you because my ancestor..." fill in the blanks. And while some groups might have embraced that notion in the past, that is just not true anymore.

Medina County Genealogical Society

Pat Morgan, President of the Medina County Genealogical Society, opened my eyes a few years ago and now I am a member of four lineage societies and plan on joining more.




Some of the really compelling reasons for joining a lineage society are:

1. Honoring your ancestors. They accomplished something that deserves to be recognized. Did they serve in the military? Did they pioneer and settle a new land? Did they survive harsh living conditions? Well done them!
2. It will improve your research. During the process of applying to a society, you must look very critically at the work you have done. Societies apply stringent standards to the applications and knowing that someone else is going to examine your research encourages you to do your best.
3. It will improve your documentation. Your sources for information have to be clearly and concisely stated so that anyone else can track down the source and see it for themselves. "Aunt Rosie told me so", isn't going to cut it.
4. By joining a society, you are certifying the facts of your ancestry. It has reliable resources and has been examined by by experienced genealogists and found to be accurate and true.
5. It is a means of preservation. All lineage societies save the application of successful members for future researchers. Your information isn't just stored on your computer or in your file cabinets.
6. Paying it forward. We have all benefited from either the work of other or their generosity with sharing information. Now you can share it with future researchers.

So, HOW do you join a lineage society?

This Sunday, October 14th, join Pat Morgan and the Medina County Genealogical Society, and Lauren Kunzman, Manager of the (soon-to-be) Family History Center at the Medina Library for their program First Families of Medina. They will explain the application process and standards of proof, and highlight helpful library resources. Your family does not have to be from Medina and you do not have to be applying to the First Families of Medina Society.

Sign up HERE.

What the Medina Library looks like when it is not covered in scaffolding and surrounded by construction equipment.

SOURCES:

Board for the Certification of Genealogists, "Ethics and Standards",  https://bcgcertification.org/ethics-standards/ 

Crow, Amy, Johnson, "Why You Should Consider Applying to a Lineage Society,  https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/why-you-should-consider-applying-to-a-lineage-society/.

French, Brian Britton, "Why Join a Lineage Society?', Lineage Society of America, http://lineagesocietyofamerica.com/why-join-a-lineage-society.html