​In the past couple of weeks, we’ve talked about transcribing records.  Have you started to transcribe any?  With records in foreign languages (to us) and/or old script it can be challenging.  It takes persistence, garnering a word or phrase at a time.  Sometimes we just need to step away and revisit with fresh eyes.  That’s what I’d like to talk about today—the importance of revisiting information.  Let’s look at the benefits and examples.

Translating Documents (Part Two)
Translating your genealogy finds can be rewarding.  You can uncover new information to support prior research documents. As you continue your family research, you will find documents that you are unable to read because of the language or the handwriting style.  Let’s look at ways to tackle deciphering older documents.

​Ah the excitement we all feel when we discover a long-hidden document!  It might be a birth record or a marriage or perhaps an obituary.  We’ve talked in the past about the importance of transcribing the information in the record.  When we carefully read the words beyond the names and dates, we can find additional clues to our family history.  For example, a marriage record usually includes witnesses.  Perhaps the witness is a well-known relative or someone new to explore… There is always another record to find!
 
Often when we find documents they are written in cursive and may or may not be legible due to fading, a hasty clerk’s scrawl or an unfamiliar language.  The good news is that there are many books and tools that help make our translations easier. Here are a few ideas to help you.

Happy 2019!  I hope that your year has started with good things and blessings.  After enjoying time with friends and family, I’m ready to dig into genealogy research again.  In the past we’ve talked about the plethora of resources available online.

I’ve recently spent time exploring the Digital Public Library.  The concept makes so much sense.  This site provides access to digital records across a variety of topics regardless of the location of the original source. Let’s dive into this site!