- I think I found a relative of mine in your family tree. How can we share data?
First of all, I do want to hear from you. But please don't send me an e-mail saying "please
send me whatever information you have about ..." All the information I have is right here on this
web site. I spend a lot of time keeping this site current so that you or anyone else interested can
use my information. So feel free to browse around and use my data in your own family tree.
So, now that you have my information, I'd love for you to send me your information. To do that, simply
send me an e-mail showing the lineage that traces you directly to one of my ancestors.
And please please don't start by saying something like "my great grandfather is ...." In order for me
to add your information to this web site, I need to know exactly how you are related to your great grandfather.
So, it's always easiest of you just start by telling me your name, your parents' names, your great grandparents' names,
etc. And continue that lineage directly to someone who is listed on this site.
Also, I really need to know your sources. Even if you got the info from Uncle Goober, please tell me that.
Or if it is just information that you know first hand, I'd like to know that too.
Don't worry, I'm not going to chastise you if your sources aren't good. We all have "reliable" and "not-so-reliable"
sources in our data. I just want to know what those sources are.
I don't intend to make this process difficult. I just want to help you to help me a little, so that I can
insure that my family history web site has the best information available. I really appreciate your
cooperation and I hope to hear from you.
- What's the difference between a first cousin and a second cousin? How do you figure out all this "once removed" and "twice removed" stuff?
Well, first of all, the simplest relationship to understand is non-removed cousins.
- 1st cousins share the same grandparents.
- 2nd cousins have the same great grandparents.
- 3rd cousins have the same 2nd great grandparents.
- 9th cousins have the same 8th great grandparents.
- Etc.
So, in other words, non-removed cousins are in the same generation.
The "removed" level comes into play when defining the relationship between you and your
cousins who are not in the same generation as you; it defines the number of
generations there are between you and your cousin.
For example, my first cousin's son is my first cousin once removed. And I am also his
first cousin once removed. It does not matter if you are one generation older or one
generation younger. If you are one generation away from the cousin (in either direction),
then you are once removed. If you are two generations away, then you are twice removed.
If you were to make a list of all of your first cousins once removed, it would include:
- the children of all of your first cousins
- the parents of all of your first cousins
- the first cousins of both of your parents
- the first cousins of all of your children
If you were to make a list of all of your first cousins twice removed, it would include
the grandchildren of all of your first cousins, as well as all of your grandparents' first
cousins, etc.
Likewise, if you were to make a list of all of your second cousins twice removed, it would include
the grandchildren of all of your second cousins, as well as all of your grandparents' second cousins.
- What is a GEDCOM file?
GEDCOM is an acronym for GEnealogical
Data COMunication.
It is a standard developed by the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
for the purpose of storing and exchanging genealogical data.
GEDCOM files have a couple of common uses:
- Most all major computer genealogy programs allow you to export your family
data into a GEDCOM file. You can then put that file on a floppy disk and give
it to a relative or you can e-mail that file to a family member with whom you
wish to share your research.
- You can also use many available web utilities that read your GEDCOM data
and translate it into HTML files. You can then publish those pages on your
web site which allows relatives around the world to view your data.
GEDCOM files typically have a filename extension of ".ged".
When the Morman Church developed this standard, they published very
detailed specifications
that allow software companies to enhance their products to support the standard.
It is this standard that allows you to share your genealogy data with others, even though
you may use a different program than the other person.
My experience has shown that the biggest challenge in dealing with GEDCOM files is that,
although there is a defined standard, many genealogy programs just don't behave the same
way when reading/writing GEDCOM files.
