Monday, October 19, 2015

Indexing Be Like


Winnie the Pooh's got the idea! Indexing can be an enjoyable experience but it can also be tough to pick out the names and words amongst the various handwritings. 
Indexing is a vital step in the Family History process. 
Did you know that each month one million names are added to Family Search mostly because of indexing? 


WOW! That's a lot of names! That's also a lot of raw material to look through and make connections with. 

My Indexing Story For the Week:
So, despite my best efforts I haven't been able to locate my maternal grandfather's parents information. Not their names, or birth dates- nothing. I was telling a friend about this issue when she pulled out her phone and asked for my grandfather's full name, birth and death dates. In less than three minutes she had found my grandfather and his parents on the 1930 census. I hadn't been able to find it because it hadn't been indexed yet. (I would also give credit to her amazing internet skills.) The record only recently became available and now I can continue working. 


This excited cat understands me. This is how it feels when new information becomes available. 

I'll never know who the person was that indexed the 1930 census but it was pivotal in my heritage hunt. 


If I know who they were I would give them these beautiful flower cupcakes, just as I would give them to all indexers. 
Even when we don't see it the work we do makes a difference. Keep working, keep hunting, keep squinting (Oh Pooh Bear). This work matters. 

Happy Hunting Indexers!

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