Make This Top 10 List Your Best Friend

What would make your Top 10 list of things you absolutely must have to keep plugging along on this genealogical path? With genealogy, it starts out as one thing that you utterly must have, then it’s another and another. Once you start genealogy, all its paraphernalia takes over. There’s no stopping it and who would want to, anyway?

Kory Meyerink, an accredited genealogist, wrote an online column for genealogy.com: “10 Things I Could Not Live Without in Genealogy.” Here’s his list, to which I’ve kibitzed. Compare his to yours.

1. Family History Library Collection. Topping his list is the library in Salt Lake City with branches all over the county. It has more than 2 million rolls of microfilm and a quarter-million books. “Why do you think I reside in Salt Lake City?” wrote Meyerink, a professional genealogist. I just can’t live without this collection. 2. GEDCOM Database computer program. “No doubt, it’s possible to do genealogy without a computer. But I sure wouldn’t,” he said. I remember the pre-computer days. Typing and retyping reports, forms, charts, etc. Using whiteout to correct mistakes, only to find those mistakes on another page, too.

3. The Internet, which almost didn’t make his list, was included because of the growing quality and quantity of real data, making it significant. 4. Government records. Genealogists are no different than those who haven’t yet discovered the hobby, says I, and they gripe about how intrusive Uncle Sam has become. But, our sage says, try doing U.S. research without census, tax, land, probate, vital and immigration records.

5. Printed sources, meaning transcripts, abstracts, indexes, compiled family histories, etc., not to mention reference books, including directories, gazetteers, dictionaries, how-to manuals.

6. Photocopy machines. I found this was such an important item that I bought my own, and now wish I’d bought a bigger, fancier model. (Some people are never satisfied.) Meyerink, wrote: “I don’t know about you, but I’m lazy and impatient, plus I make mistakes when I copy things (by hand).”

7. Filing cabinets. Practicality convinced Meyerink to include this item after he counted eight filing cabinets in his home office. Eight! “Where do you think all those photocopies go?” he asked. (Remember how Donna Potter Phillips kept urging everyone to break down and buy a filing cabinet or two or more. Eight?)

8. Genealogical societies. “For more than 150 years, these societies have made a significant contribution to our mutual interest in family history,” Meyerink wrote. Among other things, they preserve records and improve their access; gather records into research facilities; and share news and important information.

9. Indexes. Electronic, printed, Soundex, Russell, surname, every-name, card, it doesn’t matter. To that, I say we owe so much to whomever invented indexes. Who do you suppose that was?

10. A loving spouse was his last item. I agree unequivocally. It helps if your spouse plays golf, a sport that takes almost as much time and money as dabbing in genealogy.

As a bonus item, Meyerink included his ancestors as something he can’t do without. I could not live without them (and fortunately don’t have to). They gave so much to me in creating the society I live in. From the Mayflower to Ellis Island. From Colonial wars to 20th century conflicts, I really can’t live without them, and it is a privilege to be constantly seeking them and learning about their lives.

How would your list differ? Drop a note and I’ll try to include some in a future column.

Kory Meyerink does professional research for ProGenealogists.com, a division of Ancestral Quest, and for Genealogical Research Associates. He also wrote Printed Sources.