For some reason, the Fort Wayne, Indiana library has a huge geneology section. My Dad takes groups of people from his geneology class from the senior center in Ohio to Fort Wayne a few times a year so they can do research. So if you are ever in Indiana, try and visit the Fort Wayne library!

Oh and my Dad has told me that the LDS records are a good start, but he has found lots of errors in the information that they have and it is very hard to get them to correct it (even with proof that it is wrong). Especially if they have already done a proxy baptism on the person (my grandfather was raised by his aunt & uncle after his mother died, but according to LDS records, there are two cousins with the same name- so they have made my grandfather into two people).

LOL, I can't speak to sexier, but at least Duncan is a more Scottish name than Connor. :D

I subscribe to Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter, and I'm not sure if the article that intrigues me will be available to those who don't subscribe. It says, among other things, "Six out of ten Americans do not know both of their grandmothers' maiden names ". This really blew my mind - although, with all of the blended families, I supposed I can see how it happens. The rest of the article follows:

Americans Lack Family History Knowledge
A survey conducted a few months ago by The Generations Network reports that few Americans know very much about their family trees. Among other facts, the survey discovered that:

One-third of Americans cannot name any of their great-grandparents
Half of Americans know the name of only one or none of their great-grandparents.
Six out of ten Americans do not know both of their grandmothers' maiden names
Twenty-two percent of Americans don't know what either of their grandfathers do or did for a living.
Although America is known as a nation of immigrants, 27 percent don't know where their family lived before they came to America.
Is this a problem or an opportunity?

Commissioned by Ancestry.com and conducted by zOmnibus Survey, the survey does make some positive statements. For one, the survey reports that 83 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds are interested in learning their family history. Following closely are the 35- to 54-year-olds at 77 percent and Americans aged 55+ at 73 percent.

It strikes me that there are millions of Americans who have at least a casual interest in their family trees but have no idea how to get started. I am particularly impressed that younger Americans reportedly are more likely to be interested in their ancestry than are senior citizens. That is the reverse of what I would have expected.

This is an opportunity for commercial companies and non-profit societies alike. A potential marketplace exists. The biggest difficulty is in identifying that audience and reaching them. Traditional advertising methods are prohibitively expensive. What we need is "grass roots" advertising. That's where you come in.

In your casual conversations with non-genealogists, you might ask a few questions:

Where does your family come from?

What did your grandparents do for a living? How about your great-grandparents?

Are there any physical characteristics that run in your family?

Can you remember any family stories that were told to you as a child? Do you believe those stories are accurate?

Did your family have any memorable holiday or other traditions that were passed down from previous generations?

Of course, when the other person says, "I don't know," you should be ready to step in with a few suggestions of good books for beginners, the address and meeting dates of a local genealogy society, and perhaps a few web sites of genealogy interest. Hey, send them to THIS web site!

If you and every other genealogist in this country can start "spreading the word," we can greatly increase the percentage of Americans who do know about their roots.

You can read more about the survey at http://tgn.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=115.

I gave up on doing my paternal grandfather's line for a while because there are about a million people with our last name and his first name (like 3 more in the same county). I decided to try my dad's mom and apparently my family has been here since way before the Mayflower on that side - who knew?

I thought about this thread yesterday. I attended an Installation of Officers for Daughters of the Nile (a Masonic organization.);)

I have been trying to do my family genealogy, but its a bit difficult, because my surname is an adopted name! (Paternal)....Maternal line is just as confusing, but I will have to tackle it soon. My maternal grandmother is the only one left ...

If you have a video camera, try and record your grandmother talking about her childhood/family recollections. She may also remember things about your grandfather's family. Having her on tape is also a wonderful memory once she is gone...

I will never regret doing this with the only two living grandparents I had. That's one of the reasons I put all of the "teaser" questions above.

i've started taping my father and grandmothers. too bad i didn't have enough sense to tape my great-grandmother's sister (i have no idea what title of relation that is). She lived to be 107 or 108 and was SPRY until she hit about 105. My father grew up in her household so i'll have to get him on tape with his recollections of HER and that branch of the family.

this thread is great. :)

That would be your great-great aunt.