I have not written in this genealogy Blog much lately, but have been busily continuing my research into my roots and branches.
Most of us who do genealogy research are constantly faced with the challenge of keeping our data organized and accessible. Even in this computerized age of digitized images and books, with lots of nifty mobile scanning devices even on our cell phones now; many of us still like to keep paper copies of our genealogy documents. Personally, I look to be able to hold, touch, feel, and read genealogy on paper documents and in books and notebooks that I compile or collect. I like nothing better than to take a break away from the computer, in a nice comfortable easy chair or recliner, and lose myself into genealogy-land for an hour or two; holding a real book or notebook or documents in my hands, and reading about my ancestors. While I do have a large percentage of my data, documents, and photos scanned and uploaded to my web-based online Ancestry.com Family Tree and my FamilyTreemaker 2012 tree now on my computer; I still like to keep backup paper copies of most everything, along with the original photos. That, of course, makes for mountains of paper and photos to continually sort and file.
I have 3 rooms in my home now devoted exclusively to genealogy workspace and storage space: my little downstairs cubby-hole office where I do most of my research work and which is cram-filled with my work desk, computer, printer, bookshelves holding my genealogy library collection and baskets of papers containing clues that I am pursuing; plus I now also two spare bedrooms upstairs (empty-nester syndrome) that have been converted to genealogy rooms. And yet, space, storage, and organization of records continues to be an issue. Many of those records, documents and photos I plan to display as framed wall hangings, now that I have dedicated a little more space in my home for my genealogy collection. I have decided that not only do I want to have my research collection in digitized format, and filed away safely both on the computer and in storage containers and filing cabinets, but I also want to be able to SEE it on a daily basis. I want to be able to look at some of these certificates honoring my ancestors' service in the Civil War and Revolutionary War, for example. Those have already been framed and displayed in my home. There is much more I want to do in that regard.
One of the "new" tools (for me) that I am now implementing is a color-coded filing system, with colored pedigree charts, fan charts, and wall charts that coincide with the colors utilized in this filing system. There are many such genealogy systems in use which you can read about on the web by doing a google search (or simply refer to the list of links I have added below this article). The one I have chosen to use is incorporated into the Legacy 7.5 Deluxe Family Tree software, which I have just started using (primarily because I like the ease of use of their built-in color-coding system). It took me only a matter of minutes to install this program on my computer and upload a gedcom of my entire Family Tree to Legacy. (Note: main drawback to Legacy for me is that photos and media files did NOT transfer over to my Legacy tree, which will be a signifcant enough drawback to me to prevent me from using Legacy for more than implementing a color-coded filing system. I do not intend to take the extensive time needed to manually upload each of my thousands of photos and media files to Legacy when I already have them all in two other genealogy programs!). Regarding the color-coding system: I have thus far printed out 25 pages of 5-generation color-coded pedigree charts using Legacy Deluxe (which take my tree back to the early 1500's on most lines); along with a 10-generation color-coded fan chart to display on a wall or hang behind a door. I really like this color-coded fan chart tool. I will use this paper printed copy as a working copy, to help me see at a glance which lines have gaps that I need to work on further. It printed out on 9 pages which I just need to tape together. I will be able to write on this color-coded fan chart as I go along and as I update things in my computerized data-bases, and will eventually probably download the chart to a flash drive to take it to a printer (such as a Kinko's) to get a nice wall-sized color-coded chart printed out on sturdy poster-board paper or for framing and display.
The nice thing about using Legacy 7.5 to color-code your genealogy data, is that it will apply the color-coding to your entire tree database with one click. This, in my opinion, is a really nice feature. You can then print out color-coded charts and trees without having to do anything else. It also gives you the option to change the color-coding, or to go back to not using color-coding at all.
This system works on the principle of 4 basic colors for your entire tree: One color for each of your 4 grandparents and their ancestors. I still need to work on getting some filing boxes or filing cabinets organized in the color-coded filing system that coincides with the pedigree chart colors and fan chart colors utilized in this system. Once completed, it will help me see at a glance which person in my tree (of over 12,000 names now), fits into which branch of my tree. As I go along, I may decide to break the tree database down into additional colors for different surnames, but for now have decided to simplify the color-coding process by sticking with the 4 basic colors for the entire Tree database as is automatically set up with the Legacy 7.5 system.
I will add later updates to this Blog with comments on my experience using this system, and whether or not it seems to work out to my liking and suits my needs. You can also set up this color-coded filing system on paper without having the Legacy Deluxe program (see links below for a link to a free webinar on how to do this). I like the added feature of having the color-coding applied to my computerized tree as well, with the click of one keystroke, so for me Legacy Deluxe is worth using if for that feature alone.
Another thing I do like about Legacy is that they offer a wealth of FREE Webinars on a regular basis, on a variety of genealogy-related topics. Most of these Webinars do not pertain exclusively to the Legacy software and are of interest to the genealogy community at large. Anyone with an interest in genealogy can learn a lot from these free Webinars. I am making it a priority to start utlizing these Webinars more regularly myself. The ones I have viewed so far have been very interesting and educational.
Here are a few of links that anyone with an interest in genealogy, organizing your data, and/or setting up a color-coded genealogy system, may find useful (there are even a links to articles on color-coding your Genealogy DNA Data!):
http://news.legacyfamilytree.com/legacy_news/organization/
http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/Webinars.asp
http://news.legacyfamilytree.com/legacy_news/2007/06/color-code-your.html
http://genealogy-software-review.toptenreviews.com/legacy-review.html
http://familyrootsorganizer.com/lessons/charts.htm
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sdfpgs/archive/organizefiles.pdf
http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/RG/images/ALL_REF_DOC_-_Organizing_Paper_Files.pdf
http://mmgs.wordpress.com/home/organizing-your-genealogy/
http://www.familytreemagazine.com/article/Organize-Your-Genealogy-Email
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/RG/guide/ALL_REF_DOC_-_Organizing_Paper_Files.asp
http://www.bridgetoyesterday.com/products/ancestry-album-faq
http://www.familytreedna.com/GroupInstruction.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genogram
http://www.genealogy-abc.com/Tips_to_Organizing_your_Information_for_your_Family_Tree.html
A GENIE IN ARIZONA: A genealogy journal with stories of my ancestors; the roots and branches of my American, Irish, Scottish, English, German, Swiss, and French heritage.
