Reflections on Novice Genealogists

Genealogy's Star, a Rootsweb endorsed blog written by experienced genealogist James Tanner, carried an article "What are beginner's impressions of genealogy?" on Nov. 21, 2011.

I'd like to make a few reflections about his entry and about our experience helping BDC customers who are beginning their family history research.

The author reflected on his day assisting 3 separate novice genealogists. Although these folks became quite frustrated during their time at his library with the inaccuracy of some of the sources made available to them, he felt that at the end of the day, the researchers had a successful foray. Like me, the author was discouraged by the Ancestry television commercials which mislead potential family historians into thinking that pedigree charts blossom without error from cyberspace.

Here are his observations:

• Genealogy is not easy. It is difficult and complicated.

• There are a lot of different skills used in genealogical research including the basic computer skills.

• Online information is not always very reliable.

• You cannot just push a button and come up with a full-blown pedigree.

• Genealogy could take all your time if you let it do so.

• Some of the online databases are not easy to deal with because of the errors and duplications.

• Genealogy is worth the effort and is a real challenge.

Charmaine and I often deal with budding family historians here in the Beaufort District Collection Research Room. Our reflections mirror those of Mr. Tanner but I'd re-order his summary points and expand on several ...

1. Genealogy is worth the effort and is a real challenge. In some ways, I believe that genealogists have to be the bravest people in the world. One may discover all sorts of unsavory family secrets in the effort. One must go where the records lead them which means
2. Genealogy is not easy. It is [a sometimes quite] difficult and [more often than not a quite] complicated [process of discovery].
3. Start with what you know about yourself [and your parents]. Then go backwards in time, one generation and one record at a time.
   
4. You cannot just push a button and come up with a full-blown pedigree. I agree with Randy Seaver, one of the comments to the entry, that unless "you are a sibling of an experienced genealogist with a well-populated family tree [it is very unlikely that] you press a button and obtain a full-blown pedigree." An additional caveat I'd make is: And only if they cited all their sources for the pedigree in a manner which you can independently verify!
   
5. There are a lot of different skills used in genealogical research including the basic computer skills. Here! Here!! And investigating each individual on one's family tree often includes acquisition of new skills and resources, some digital, some printed, some manuscript. No one person has all the requisite skills at any given time because the field and potential source base is constantly evolving.
   
6. Online information is not always very reliable. But neither are printed sources. Every document must be suspect and placed in context and evaluated not only as an individual record but in relation to other extant records.
7. Some of the online databases are not easy to deal with because of the errors and duplications. As above, just because it's printed, doesn't mean it's the truth. Errors and duplications are possible because humans make mistakes and computers ingest and regurgitate what is made available for the harvest. Critical evaluation of a source or a database is crucial.
8. Genealogy could take all your time if you let it do so. I used to open my talks about genealogy research with this Anonymous ditty:

Genealogy begins as an interest, becomes a hobby, continues as an avocation, takes over as an obsession, and in its last stage is an incurable disease.

The key is to please ask for assistance, bring your notes with you, we're happy to help, but don't expect instant and miraculous results. Happy Ancestor Hunting!