Using familysearch.org proves invaluable in doing Internet genealogy research

By Susan Doak

SW Nebraska Genealogy Society

McCOOK, Nebraska -- To celebrate with our McCook LDS church the beautiful new addition at 411 Elizabeth Lane that they have built, this column will be dedicated to the gift of information provided by their members, saving the records of our country's history.

When my cousin and I traveled to Iowa on our research mission, we found ourselves in tiny courthouses throughout the southeast portion of that state. We were there to fill in blanks of our family's history that were not completely covered by our Internet searches.

In each small town courthouse, a different method existed for the compilation of records, some of which required this 60+ woman to stand on the very top of a ladder to reach files.

I was not the first to do that, however, because without fail, representatives of the LDS church had preceded us, recording as much information concerning births, marriages, deaths, immigration and naturalization as available. They have done this not only in the United States but throughout the world.

For those who cannot travel, accessing information from the website: www.familysearch.org is as easy as registering and creating a user name and password.

Do not be concerned about registering because this is not a website that shares information or contacts you without a direct request from you for information. If you are a member of the LDS church, you register as such, but if not, the records available are still free. I had used this website several times without registering until I found out that the bulk of records are more available when you take that final step.

As I got more familiar with the website, I found that it also offers a family tree maker and what sets it apart from other trees available on sites such as Ancestry.com, is the fact that you can enter a name through a search, get results, choose the correct person, and then click on the family tree section and suddenly the website auto fills every known generation for that name; spouse, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother of that person. While I do not assume that these auto-fills are 100 percent accurate, it certainly has proven to be an incomparable resource and time-saver.

As a final hooray for familysearch.org, it does not clutter your searches with incorrect information garnered from other trees. I cannot begin to count the number of times I have been notified of "hints" on another un-named website only to find that the "hint" was garnered from a public "tree" rife with mistakes. Once you have ascertained that the tree created is correct, it also allows you to print that tree for your files!

So as I celebrate the new addition to our local Mormon church, I also send a heart-felt thank-you from this genealogist for their dedication to preserving the records and history of our nation and the world! I am hoping to get a tour of their new family history library since I was unable to attend the dedication ceremony.

SWNGS, 110 West C, Suite M-3 is open the third Saturday each month or by appointment for researching our library and using our computers. We do not charge, except for copies, but membership is only $ 20 a year and increases your access to records on line.