On my
retirement to-do list, is to prune and organize my genealogical papers. I would
keep my records so much differently if I were starting today (in scanned files
instead). But in 1996, I spent hours and hours at my local Family History
Library, ordering 100’s of rolls of film, and printing paper copies of all
sorts of records. At one point, I had eight file cabinet drawers filled with
paper records. Up until last week, I still had six drawers-ful. Time to prune. In
a week, I reduced my paper files by about 50%. This is what I did to be more
organized. (Maybe some of my ideas can help you.)
First, in my
Family Tree Maker database, I color-coded the four branches of our family. My
children’s four grandparents and their ancestors were each assigned a color. For
example, my mother’s side is color-coded green. Other colors are red, yellow
and blue. I purchased packages of two-inch expandable folders in the same four
colors, a box of manila files and got to work. One surname at a time, I pulled
out and pruned files. Here’s a list
what I did to organize:
1)
Put
all the papers in one direction. (Just being honest here – my left handedness
is a disadvantage.)
2)
Pulled
out any records that can be found free at more than one website, i.e. U.S. census
records. I don’t use my files any more, just look online.
3)
Tossed
the copies of obits that I’d already entered or scanned into my database.
4)
Reviewed
and threw out many family outlines that I had printed, mailed to relatives, and
were returned with corrections and additions. I made those corrections in my
FTM more than 20 years ago.
5)
Threw
out duplicates.
6)
Other
old records that were thrown out included thank you notes, address lists
(they’ve probably moved), IGI’s and social security death indexes that I’d
printed at the library.
 |
| Expanding folder on top of papers to be tossed. |
I split my
time tossing papers or double checking that I’d recorded the information for
example an obit. This was a bit dangerous as I could easily have “gone down the
rabbit hole” while checking, but my goal was to organize papers, not look for
new information. I was surprised how “good” I was at staying on task.
In the early
2000’s, I created one-name study in the countries of Belgium and Luxembourg for
the family surnames Mazoin, Renquin, Krieps, Scholtes, Galderoux, Antoine and
Roisson. (Long story.) This was when records were on rolls of film. I printed 1000’s.
I translated French-to-English and wrote film number, date, and all names on
the back of each certificate, and entered all of them into my database putting
families together. (Lots of tedious work.) Then I carefully filed these birth,
marriage and death certificates in date order in manila files labelled with town
name. Three years ago, I pulled out and saved the records of my closest
relatives, then put the files in two drawers of a basement file cabinet. I
didn’t look at them in the three years, so decided to throw out these paper records
which are now online. That quickly cleaned out two file drawers. I saved the
paper records from Germany which are not yet online.
 |
| Folders of one-name studies |
After I was
done pruning the papers, I placed the records I kept into manila file folders
and labeled by surname, then given name. Most people would put in the expanding
colored folder by ABC order, but my mind works a little different, I put them
in age order. So the oldest relative with that surname is first file, and the
youngest is last. (I’m a numbers thinker, so I use date order instead of
alpha-order. My computer files are similar.) Just to be certain, once I physically
placed them in date order, I also numbered the manila files for that surname.
Then I placed
the manila files in order in the colored expanding folder. If there are too
many manila files for one expanding folder, I labeled two, three or more
folders with the surname and number, ie. Dunbar 1, Dunbar 2, Dunbar 3. (Another
way to do this would be files in ABC order, then the folders would have
something like Dunbar A-G, Dunbar H-L, Dunbar L-Z but I am a numbers thinker.)
 |
| Folder and files |
Which branch
had the most folders? My mother-in-law has the most people whose families go
back to old new England families: Thurbers, Stanbro and Johnson. What fills
those files? Revolutionary War pension records, land records, church records
and wills. There are also maps and county histories where they are named and
newspaper articles. I’ve also found juicy records such as divorce records and
arrest records. These are not available for the family branches with more
recent immigrants. My father-in-law is first generation American. Although I
have his German families’ baptism, marriage and death records going back to the
1600’s, I don’t have other records to fill in the story, such as wills,
military or land records. His branch has two folders, one for his mother, one
for his father!
 |
| Before - unruly folders, files and envelopes |
What did I learn?
There are
many wonderful websites that no longer exist: genealogy.com, ancestryplus.com,
myfamily.com, familytreemaker.com.
Rootsweb was
a much more go-to website than it is today. People used it to “meet” other
people with the same surnames and worked collaboratively.
Many personal
letters. I mailed letters asking for information to random people with good
surnames who lived in ancestors’ hometowns. Many sent the information they had
collected, in exchange for the family research I could give them. I had filed
more than 50 letters with information, some people are no longer with us. Sometimes
I’d be lucky and was given copies of family pedigree charts. Some were a few pages, some were 30 or more
pages. Pre-email days.
No DNA paper
records! I use this source now, but not in my early (paper) days.
A dozen
long-lost documents and photos were found, that had simply been mis-filed;
helping solve some family mysteries.
And…(drum
roll), I’m saving the best for last. I was surprised, instead of feeling sad
for the records I no longer keep. I don’t miss them. Instead, I feel SOO free! I’m
organized!!!!!
 |
| After - color coded, labelled and organized! |
