I’m very exciting to introduce Xenia Stanford who is a genealogist and writer, and runs Write On! Xpress. She’s just published a book of memoirs of a one roomed school house. You can check it out at her website, the book is called, Pigtail Times at Taimi. Xenia is a connected genealogist with a full schedule and lots of experience.

I’m thrilled that she will be contributing to this blog and answering questions about genealogy research and writing. Here is her first post explaining how she got started with genealogy research and she also shares some important tips for anyone searching their family history. I could go on, but I’ll let her explain in her own words!

I started collecting family information from as early as I can remember. Either it was while sitting on my grandmother’s lap or on the floor between her rocking chair and the wood-burning kitchen stove. She told me stories of the “old country” (Austria) about her siblings, parents and activities. She also had many stories about life in the new country (Canada) as a pioneer, first working in a store when she could only speak German and the owner could only speak English.

Between Austria and Canada, she had 11 children and looked after her sister’s two. Some died, two were left behind in Austria (because my grandparents expected to get rich in Canada in three years, return to Austria and never have to work again. Somehow the best laid plans “gang aft agley” and that was the case in my paternal grandparents’ saga.)

Both maternal grandparents died before I was born. Information on them was conflicting and sketchy. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I learned their story and found out about my roots in the Ukraine. It was just one more reason to be hooked on genealogy.

Before I knew it, I had compiled a history of both families and was working on my children’s father’s roots in England, France and Ireland. Then I began giving advice to novices, speaking and writing on the subject and working for pay. I had become a professional genealogist doing what I love!

I don’t think we can understand a person fully until we know their roots. I have learned to expect surprises along the way, both good ones and ones that set you back a ways!

In my main career I was an information specialist. This included research at two universities (one in Canada and the other in Australia), teaching, managing library and records groups, doing PR, leading people and working with information technology. It was a firm foundation upon which to build genealogical research skills.

One of the challenges I faced often in my research is how can I prove it. To be credible, a family researcher must back up his/her facts.

Exactly what information did you find?
Where did you find the information?
Are you sure the facts you found really relate to the person who is the one you meant to research?

Often a person of the same name in the same area can throw a researcher off track.

How did you find the facts?
When did you find them?
Why do you think this is the correct information?

Then document it so the next person who wants to carry on the research will not have to redo your hard work and your family can believe what you found is true. To me “a genealogy without documentation is mythology.” Don’t spread family myths. Document your sources: what, where, who, when, why and how.

e.g. Birth certificate of Walter Smith (what, who), Public Records Office, Document 24777 (where), 1857 (when) (if retrieved online give the url and the date you retrieved the information). Shows Walter with parents Robert Smith and Heather Florencia, the same parents noted on his marriage certificate (why). Copy in author’s possession (how you know).

Xenia

Visit Xenia’s website, Write On! Xpress and read an introduction to her latest book, Pigtail Times at Taimi.

If you have any questions about genealogy or writing your memoirs, please comment below.