Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Fearless Females Blogging Prompts

It’s less than a week away…that special month for you to honor your female ancestors with the Fearless Females blogging prompts series.
Fearless Females Badge courtesy of Denise Levenick with edits by Lisa A. Alzo


In March 2010, I launched a series of 31 blogging prompts for celebrating and honoring the “fearless females” in our family trees. Many bloggers participated and I was asked if I planned on running them again. I’m happy to say that this series is still going strong and is back for another year.

So, to mark National Women’s History Month (beginning Sunday, March 1), I’m listing the 31 prompts below. 

Also, you can download the free badge above to use on your blog to indicate your participation. [A special thanks to my friend and colleague, Denise Levenick, The Family Curator, who created the original version of this badge especially for me for the 2016 edition of Fearless Females].

The theme for National Women’s History Month 2020 is Valiant Women of the Vote. The theme honors “the brave women who fought to win suffrage rights for women, and for the women who continue to fight for the voting rights of others.” So it is a perfect time to start writing about your valiant female ancestors.   

Watch this blog for other ideas, prompts, and tips to learn about your female ancestors, as well as special coupons for discounts on books, courses, or other products related to researching your female lines.

###

Fearless Females: 31 Blogging Prompts to Celebrate Women’s History Month

 You can choose to do some of the prompts, or all of them–there’s no pressure–it’s meant to be a fun exercise to focus on the women and make sure their stories are told!
  

[Group of young women reading in library of normal school, Washington, D.C.]Library of Congress, (Johnston, Frances Benjamin, 1864-1952, photographer.); REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-USZ62-100288 (b&w film copy neg.) DIGITAL ID: (b&w film copy neg.) cph 3c00288 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c00288]

Blogging Prompts

March 1 — Do you have a favorite female ancestor? One you are drawn to or want to learn more about? Write down some key facts you have already learned or what you would like to learn and outline your goals and potential sources you plan to check.

March 2 — Post a photo of one of your female ancestors. Who is in the photo? When was it taken? Why did you select this photo?

March 3 — Do you share a first name with one of your female ancestors? Perhaps you were named for your great-grandmother, or your name follows a particular naming pattern. If not, then list the most unique or unusual female first name you’ve come across in your family tree.

March 4 — Do you have marriage records for your grandparents or great-grandparents? Write a post about where they were married and when. Any family stories about the wedding day? Post a photo too if you have one.

March 5 — How did they meet? You’ve documented marriages, now, go back a bit. Do you know the story of how your parents met? Your grandparents?

March 6 — Describe an heirloom you may have inherited from a female ancestor (wedding ring or other jewelry, china, clothing, etc.) If you don’t have any, then write about a specific object you remember from your mother or grandmother, or aunt (a scarf, a hat, cooking utensil, furniture, etc.)

March 7 — Share a favorite recipe from your mother or grandmother’s kitchen. Why is this dish your favorite? If you don’t have one that’s been passed down, describe a favorite holiday or other meal you shared with your family.

March 8 — Did one of your female ancestors leave a diary, journal, or collection of letters? Share an entry or excerpt.

March 9 — Take a family document (baptismal certificate, passenger list, naturalization petition, etc.) and write a brief narrative using the information.

March 10 — What role did religion play in your family? How did your female ancestors practice their faith? If they did not, why didn’t they? Did you have any female ancestors who served their churches in some capacity?

March 11 — Did you have any female ancestors who died young or from tragic or unexpected circumstances? Describe and how did this affect the family?

March 12 — Working girl: Did your mother or grandmother work outside the home? What did she do? Describe her occupation.

March 13 — Moment of Strength: share a story where a female ancestor showed courage or strength in a difficult situation.

March 14 — Newsmakers? Did you have a female ancestor who made the news? Why? Was she famous or notorious? Did she appear in the social column?

March 15 — Write a six-word memoir tribute to one of your female ancestors.

March 16 — If you could have lunch with any female family member (living or dead) or any famous female who would it be and why? Where would you go? What would you eat?

March 17 — Social Butterfly? What social organizations or groups did your mother or grandmother belong to? Sewing circle, church group, fraternal benefit society or lodge? Describe her role in the group.

March 18 — Shining star: Did you have a female ancestor who had a special talent? Artist, singer, actress, athlete, seamstress, or other? Describe.

March 19 — Have you discovered a surprising fact about one of your female ancestors? What was it and how did you learn it? How did you feel when you found out?

March 20 — Is there a female ancestor who is your brick wall? Why? List possible sources for finding more information.

March 21 — Describe a tender moment one of your female ancestors shared with you or another family member.

March 22 — If a famous director wanted to make a movie about one of your female ancestors who would it be? What actress would you cast in the role and why?

March 23 — Create a timeline for a female ancestor using your favorite software program or an online timeline generator such as OurTimelines. Post an image of it or link to it.

March 24 — Do you share any physical resemblance or personality trait with one of your female ancestors? Who? What is it?

March 25 — Tell how a female ancestor interacted with her children. Was she loving or supportive? A disciplinarian? A bit of both?

March 26 — What education did your mother receive? Your grandmothers? Great-grandmothers? Note any advanced degrees or special achievements.

March 27 — Do you know the immigration story of one or more female ancestors? Do you have any passenger lists, passports, or other documentation? Interesting family stories?

March 28 — Do you remember your mother’s best friend? Your grandmother’s? How and where did they meet? How long were they friends? What activities did they share?

March 29 — Create a free Fold3 Memorial Page or a Genealogy Trading Card at Big Huge Labs for a female ancestor. Some of you may have created your own card back in September 2009 following Sheri Fenley’s post over at The Educated Genealogist. This time, the card is for your female ancestor. Tell us about who you’ve selected and why and then post a link to what you’ve created.

March 30 — Did you receive any advice or words of wisdom from your mother or another female ancestor?

March 31 — Pick one female ancestor and write a mini-profile (500 words or less).

BONUS: Take all of your postings and turn them into a memory or tribute booklet for future generations.

Post an entry on your Blog when you have created your tribute. Tell us how you did it (what format, how you printed it or digitized it, etc.).

Want Even More Prompts and Tips?

If you would like additional writing prompts and tips for researching and writing about your female ancestors, pick up a copy of my eBook Fearless Females: 31 Writing Prompts to Celebrate Women’s History. Click here to order a copy and get $2.00 off the purchase price with coupon code fearless2020 (coupon good through 31 March 2020 11:59 p.m. Eastern time).

Copyright, 2020, Lisa A. Alzo

All Rights Reserved
http://theaccidentalgenealogist.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Flash Sale: Save 50% on Finding Your Female Ancestors Webinar Bundle and More!

We are in the final week of Women’s History Month, but there is still time to research your elusive female ancestors and learn some new research skills and techniques.

For a limited time you can save 50% on the  Finding Your Female Ancestors (Volume I) Webinar Bundle – Regular price $19.95 –  now just $9.97! 

Offer expires Sunday 31 March 2019 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.  

OFFER GOOD ONLY ON FINDING YOUR FEMALE ANCESTORS WEBINAR BUNDLE VOLUME 1






Click here to purchase – use coupon code: MARCH19


Includes:

1. Ladies First: Finding Your Female Ancestors (webinar + handout)

2. Ten Ways to Tell Your Female Ancestors’ Stories (webinar + handout)

3. Three Slovak Women: Telling the Story of One Slovak-American Family Using Oral and Social History (webinar + handout)

Finding Your Female Ancestors Webinar Bundle


Check out our other webinar bundles too, and be sure to sign up for my newsletter to receive notifications about new products and discounts.

Last Chance: Save 30% on New Finding Your Female Ancestors Course

If you haven’t checked out the brand new course Finding Your Female Ancestors available at Research, Write, Connect there is still time to take 30% off the regular price.


This course is packed full of information from my 30+ years of researching female ancestors! 

Limited Time: Save 30% Off the Regular Price

Register today and save 30% off the regular price of $99 (now just $69.30 USD)

Use Coupon Code: MARCH19

Offer expires 31 March 2019 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time!


Here’s What You’ll Learn

By taking this course today, you will quickly overcome the common challenges of missing maiden names and male-dominated record sets to finally find the females in your family tree. Get strategies and methods to help you tell “her” story!

Course Highlights

  • Work on your own schedule.
  • Weekly Lessons: Pace your learning. You will receive four lessons emailed to you on a weekly basis (one lesson per week).
  • Tips and Techniques: Detailed lessons and instructional videos will show you successful strategies for finding your female ancestors.
  • Measure Your Progress: Checklists, worksheets, and self-graded assessments will help keep you on track and measure your progress.
To view the course outline and register, click here!



Copyright 2019, Lisa A. Alzo, All Rights Reserved



[Thank you for supporting The Accidental Genealogist by purchasing these products which are a part of the income stream for my writing/genealogy business]
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Who Is Your Most Elusive Female Ancestor? Find Her Today with New Course!

When I began my genealogy research some 30 years ago, I started with researching my maternal grandmother. In those days before online databases, I spent countless hours digging through old documents and corresponding with various archives and repositories for records to verify family stories.

In hindsight, choosing a woman for my first research project may not have been the best strategy since historically women are typically more difficult to track down. Eventually, I learned enough details about my grandmother’s life to write my book Three Slovak Women. I overcame many research challenges and I can help you find your elusive female ancestors.




March is National Women’s History Month and to celebrate, I’m excited to announce a brand new course Finding Your Female Ancestors available at Research, Write, Connect! 


This course is packed full of information from my 30+ years of researching female ancestors! 

Limited Time: Save 30% Off the Regular Price

Register today and save 30% off the regular price of $99 (now just $69.30 USD)

Use coupon code: MARCH19


Offer expires 31 March 2019 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time!


Here’s What You’ll Learn

By taking this course today, you will quickly overcome the common challenges of missing maiden names and male-dominated record sets to finally find the females in your family tree. Get strategies and methods to help you tell “her” story!

Course Highlights

  • Work on your own schedule.
  • Weekly Lessons: Pace your learning. You will receive four lessons emailed to you on a weekly basis (one lesson per week).
  • Tips and Techniques: Detailed lessons and instructional videos will show you successful strategies for finding your female ancestors.
  • Measure Your Progress: Checklists, worksheets, and self-graded assessments will help keep you on track and measure your progress.

Course Outline

Lesson 1: Getting Started
Developing a successful research strategy
Learn key steps for beginning your search

Lesson 2: Teasing Out Maiden Names
Strategies to Determine Maiden  Names
Seeking Out Vital Records and Other Resources
Naming Practices and Patterns

Lesson 3: Remember the Ladies!
Exploring Oral Histories, Family Traditions and Inner Circles
Women’s History 101
Tell Her Story

Lesson 4: Solving Special Research Problems
Advanced Tips
Brickwall Strategies
You Can Find Your Elusive Female Ancestors!

Course Wrap-Up
Summary
Additional Resources
Next Steps

Click here to start finding your female ancestors today!




[Thank you for your interest in my blog and products and your support through shopping the affiliate links. As a small business owner, I am grateful for your support!]


Copyright, 2019, Lisa A. Alzo, All Rights Reserved




http://theaccidentalgenealogist.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Fearless Females Blogging Prompts Series Returns for 2018!

It’s just a few days away…that special month for you to honor your female ancestors with the Fearless Females blogging prompts series!

Fearless Females Badge courtesy of Denise Levenick

In March 2010, I launched a series of 31 blogging prompts for celebrating and honoring the “fearless females” in our family trees. Many bloggers participated and I was asked if I planned on running them again. I’m happy to say that this series is still going strong and is back for another year.

So, to mark National Women’s History Month (beginning Thursday, March 1), I’m listing the 31 prompts below. 

Also, you can download the free badge above to use on your blog to indicate your participation. [A special thanks to my friend and colleague, Denise Levenick, The Family Curator, who created the original version of this badge especially for me for the 2016 edition of Fearless Females].


The theme for National Women’s History Month 2018 is “NEVERTHELESS SHE PERSISTED: Honoring Women Who Fight All Forms of Discrimination Against Women” so it is a perfect time to start writing about those female ancestors who have informed, influenced, or inspired you!  Tell us about your female ancestor(s)  What struggles or discrimination did SHE (they) overcome? 

While I won’t be doing posts for individual prompts each day, I will do a post each week sharing the stories of how some of my favorite female ancestors persisted and remained strong through difficult experiences and situations. 

Also, watch this blog for other ideas, prompts, and tips to learn about your female ancestors, as well as special coupons for discounts on books, courses, or other products related to researching your female lines.



###


Fearless Females: 31 Blogging Prompts to Celebrate Women’s History Month


 You can choose to do some of the prompts, or all of them–there’s no pressure–it’s meant to be a fun exercise to focus on the women and make sure their stories are told!
  

[Group of young women reading in library of normal school, Washington, D.C.]Library of Congress, (Johnston, Frances Benjamin, 1864-1952, photographer.); REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-USZ62-100288 (b&w film copy neg.) DIGITAL ID: (b&w film copy neg.) cph 3c00288 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c00288]


Blogging Prompts

March 1 — Do you have a favorite female ancestor? One you are drawn to or want to learn more about? Write down some key facts you have already learned or what you would like to learn and outline your goals and potential sources you plan to check.

March 2 — Post a photo of one of your female ancestors. Who is in the photo? When was it taken? Why did you select this photo?

March 3 — Do you share a first name with one of your female ancestors? Perhaps you were named for your great-grandmother, or your name follows a particular naming pattern. If not, then list the most unique or unusual female first name you’ve come across in your family tree.

March 4 — Do you have marriage records for your grandparents or great-grandparents? Write a post about where they were married and when. Any family stories about the wedding day? Post a photo too if you have one.

March 5 — How did they meet? You’ve documented marriages, now, go back a bit. Do you know the story of how your parents met? Your grandparents?

March 6 — Describe an heirloom you may have inherited from a female ancestor (wedding ring or other jewelry, china, clothing, etc.) If you don’t have any, then write about a specific object you remember from your mother or grandmother, or aunt (a scarf, a hat, cooking utensil, furniture, etc.)

March 7 — Share a favorite recipe from your mother or grandmother’s kitchen. Why is this dish your favorite? If you don’t have one that’s been passed down, describe a favorite holiday or other meal you shared with your family.

March 8 — Did one of your female ancestors leave a diary, journal, or collection of letters? Share an entry or excerpt.

March 9 — Take a family document (baptismal certificate, passenger list, naturalization petition, etc.) and write a brief narrative using the information.

March 10 — What role did religion play in your family? How did your female ancestors practice their faith? If they did not, why didn’t they? Did you have any female ancestors who served their churches in some capacity?

March 11 — Did you have any female ancestors who died young or from tragic or unexpected circumstances? Describe and how did this affect the family?

March 12 — Working girl: Did your mother or grandmother work outside the home? What did she do? Describe her occupation.

March 13 — Moment of Strength: share a story where a female ancestor showed courage or strength in a difficult situation.

March 14 — Newsmakers? Did you have a female ancestor who made the news? Why? Was she famous or notorious? Did she appear in the social column?

March 15 — Write a six-word memoir tribute to one of your female ancestors.

March 16 — If you could have lunch with any female family member (living or dead) or any famous female who would it be and why? Where would you go? What would you eat?

March 17 — Social Butterfly? What social organizations or groups did your mother or grandmother belong to? Sewing circle, church group, fraternal benefit society or lodge? Describe her role in the group.

March 18 — Shining star: Did you have a female ancestor who had a special talent? Artist, singer, actress, athlete, seamstress, or other? Describe.

March 19 — Have you discovered a surprising fact about one of your female ancestors? What was it and how did you learn it? How did you feel when you found out?

March 20 — Is there a female ancestor who is your brick wall? Why? List possible sources for finding more information.

March 21 — Describe a tender moment one of your female ancestors shared with you or another family member.

March 22 — If a famous director wanted to make a movie about one of your female ancestors who would it be? What actress would you cast in the role and why?

March 23 — Create a timeline for a female ancestor using your favorite software program or an online timeline generator such as OurTimelines. Post an image of it or link to it.

March 24 — Do you share any physical resemblance or personality trait with one of your female ancestors? Who? What is it?

March 25 — Tell how a female ancestor interacted with her children. Was she loving or supportive? A disciplinarian? A bit of both?

March 26 — What education did your mother receive? Your grandmothers? Great-grandmothers? Note any advanced degrees or special achievements.

March 27 — Do you know the immigration story of one or more female ancestors? Do you have any passenger lists, passports, or other documentation? Interesting family stories?

March 28 — Do you remember your mother’s best friend? Your grandmother’s? How and where did they meet? How long were they friends? What activities did they share?

March 29 — Create a free Fold3 Memorial Page or a Genealogy Trading Card at Big Huge Labs for a female ancestor. Some of you may have created your own card back in September 2009 following Sheri Fenley’s post over at The Educated Genealogist. This time, the card is for your female ancestor. Tell us about who you’ve selected and why and then post a link to what you’ve created.

March 30 — Did you receive any advice or words of wisdom from your mother or another female ancestor?

March 31 — Pick one female ancestor and write a mini-profile (500 words or less).

BONUS: Take all of your postings and turn them into a memory or tribute booklet for future generations.

Post an entry on your Blog when you have created your tribute. Tell us how you did it (what format, how you printed it or digitized it, etc.).

Want Even More Prompts and Tips?

If you would like additional writing prompts and tips for researching and writing about your female ancestors, pick up a copy of my eBook Fearless Females: 31 Writing Prompts to Celebrate Women’s History. Click here to order a copy and get $2.00 off the purchase price with coupon code fearless18 (coupon good through 31 March 2018, 11:59 p.m. Eastern time).  

Copyright, 2018, Lisa A. Alzo
All Rights Reserved

http://theaccidentalgenealogist.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Fearless Females Blogging Prompts Series Returns for 2017!

It’s that time again…the special month for you to honor your female ancestors with the Fearless Females blogging prompts series!

Fearless Females Badge courtesy of Denise Levenick

In March 2010, I launched a series of 31 blogging prompts for celebrating and honoring the “fearless females” in our family trees. Many bloggers participated and I was asked if I planned on running them again. I’m happy to say that this series is still going strong and is back for another year.

So, to mark National Women’s History Month (beginning Wednesday, March 1), I’m listing the 31 prompts below. 

Also, you can download the free badge above to use on your blog to indicate your participation. [A special thanks to my friend and colleague, Denise Levenick, The Family Curator, who created the original version of this badge especially for me for the 2016 edition of Fearless Females].


The theme for National Women’s History Month 2017 is “Honoring Trailblazing Women in Labor and Business” so it is a perfect time to start writing about those hardworking and trailblazing female ancestors who have informed, influenced, or inspired you!

While I won’t be posting individual prompts each day, I will be sharing some of my own favorite posts I wrote for the series. Also, watch this blog for other ideas, prompts, and tips to learn about your female ancestors, as well as special coupons for discounts on books, courses, or other products related to researching your female lines.


###

Fearless Females: 31 Blogging Prompts to Celebrate Women’s History Month



 You can choose to do some of the prompts, or all of them–there’s no pressure–it’s meant to be a fun exercise to focus on the women and make sure their stories are told!
  
[Group of young women reading in library of normal school, Washington, D.C.]Library of Congress, (Johnston, Frances Benjamin, 1864-1952, photographer.); REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-USZ62-100288 (b&w film copy neg.) DIGITAL ID: (b&w film copy neg.) cph 3c00288 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c00288]
Blogging Prompts

March 1 — Do you have a favorite female ancestor? One you are drawn to or want to learn more about? Write down some key facts you have already learned or what you would like to learn and outline your goals and potential sources you plan to check.

March 2 — Post a photo of one of your female ancestors. Who is in the photo? When was it taken? Why did you select this photo?

March 3 — Do you share a first name with one of your female ancestors? Perhaps you were named for your great-grandmother, or your name follows a particular naming pattern. If not, then list the most unique or unusual female first name you’ve come across in your family tree.

March 4 — Do you have marriage records for your grandparents or great-grandparents? Write a post about where they were married and when. Any family stories about the wedding day? Post a photo too if you have one.

March 5 — How did they meet? You’ve documented marriages, now, go back a bit. Do you know the story of how your parents met? Your grandparents?

March 6 — Describe an heirloom you may have inherited from a female ancestor (wedding ring or other jewelry, china, clothing, etc.) If you don’t have any, then write about a specific object you remember from your mother or grandmother, or aunt (a scarf, a hat, cooking utensil, furniture, etc.)

March 7 — Share a favorite recipe from your mother or grandmother’s kitchen. Why is this dish your favorite? If you don’t have one that’s been passed down, describe a favorite holiday or other meal you shared with your family.

March 8 — Did one of your female ancestors leave a diary, journal, or collection of letters? Share an entry or excerpt.

March 9 — Take a family document (baptismal certificate, passenger list, naturalization petition, etc.) and write a brief narrative using the information.

March 10 — What role did religion play in your family? How did your female ancestors practice their faith? If they did not, why didn’t they? Did you have any female ancestors who served their churches in some capacity?

March 11 — Did you have any female ancestors who died young or from tragic or unexpected circumstances? Describe and how did this affect the family?

March 12 — Working girl: Did your mother or grandmother work outside the home? What did she do? Describe her occupation.

March 13 — Moment of Strength: share a story where a female ancestor showed courage or strength in a difficult situation.

March 14 — Newsmakers? Did you have a female ancestor who made the news? Why? Was she famous or notorious? Did she appear in the social column?

March 15 — Write a six-word memoir tribute to one of your female ancestors.

March 16 — If you could have lunch with any female family member (living or dead) or any famous female who would it be and why? Where would you go? What would you eat?

March 17 — Social Butterfly? What social organizations or groups did your mother or grandmother belong to? Sewing circle, church group, fraternal benefit society or lodge? Describe her role in the group.

March 18 — Shining star: Did you have a female ancestor who had a special talent? Artist, singer, actress, athlete, seamstress, or other? Describe.

March 19 — Have you discovered a surprising fact about one of your female ancestors? What was it and how did you learn it? How did you feel when you found out?

March 20 — Is there a female ancestor who is your brick wall? Why? List possible sources for finding more information.

March 21 — Describe a tender moment one of your female ancestors shared with you or another family member.

March 22 — If a famous director wanted to make a movie about one of your female ancestors who would it be? What actress would you cast in the role and why?

March 23 — Create a timeline for a female ancestor using your favorite software program or an online timeline generator such as OurTimelines. Post an image of it or link to it.

March 24 — Do you share any physical resemblance or personality trait with one of your female ancestors? Who? What is it?

March 25 — Tell how a female ancestor interacted with her children. Was she loving or supportive? A disciplinarian? A bit of both?

March 26 — What education did your mother receive? Your grandmothers? Great-grandmothers? Note any advanced degrees or special achievements.

March 27 — Do you know the immigration story of one or more female ancestors? Do you have any passenger lists, passports, or other documentation? Interesting family stories?

March 28 — Do you remember your mother’s best friend? Your grandmother’s? How and where did they meet? How long were they friends? What activities did they share?

March 29 — Create a free Fold3 Memorial Page or a Genealogy Trading Card at Big Huge Labs for a female ancestor. Some of you may have created your own card back in September 2009 following Sheri Fenley’s post over at The Educated Genealogist. This time, the card is for your female ancestor. Tell us about who you’ve selected and why and then post a link to what you’ve created.

March 30 — Did you receive any advice or words of wisdom from your mother or another female ancestor?

March 31 — Pick one female ancestor and write a mini-profile (500 words or less).

BONUS: Take all of your postings and turn them into a memory or tribute booklet for future generations.

Post an entry on your Blog when you have created your tribute. Tell us how you did it (what format, how you printed it or digitized it, etc.).


Copyright, 2010-17, Lisa A. Alzo
All Rights Reserved
http://theaccidentalgenealogist.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Ten Genealogy Lessons I Learned from My Mother

My mother was not a genealogist, but she was largely responsible for helping me to become one.  On this Mother’s Day, I thought I would share some of the life lessons Mom taught me and how I have been able to apply those lessons to my personal family history research and in my career as a genealogy professional.

Anna Alzo, 1943

1. It’s all about family. Anna (my mother) was the oldest of seven children, and was the “mother hen” to her three sisters and three brothers. She also assumed a primary caregiver role for her parents (my grandparents) during their respective illnesses. She carried out her responsibilities fully, lovingly, and without complaint. She was also a devoted wife and mother and she took a sincere interest in her relatives whether they lived nearby or far away. She had a deep love for her family, and she had a tender way of making everyone who knew her feel special. She was someone who really listened to what was going on in your life and she worried about you—your well-being and safety, whether you had to travel across town or around the world. While I spend a lot of time chasing down ancestors who have long passed away, I am often reminded that it is important to cultivate my relationships with living relatives.

2. Don’t just talk to your relatives.  Really listen to them. Beginning genealogists are always advised to “talk to their relatives” to gather information about names, dates and places. My mother always took time to listen to her parents, siblings, and cousins.  She remembered their stories and she was able to tell them to me when I became interested in learning more about our family’s background. Some of the times I enjoy most at family reunions are those times we can just sit and talk…and listen.

3. Save important items. My mother was a packrat. This was both a blessing and a curse.  After my parents passed away, the burden for cleaning out their house fell solely on me since I am an only child.  I sorted through dozens of vases, boxes of old unused greeting cards, and endless supplies of pens, key chains, and so many other miscellaneous items I would never use.  However, I also found my grandparents’ baptismal certificates, their passports, boxes of family photographs, and other items of great genealogical value. As a family historian I was lucky to find so much information right at home.

4. Keep good records. My mother was an excellent record keeper. Her “Bridal Book” has complete names and addresses of all the guests who attended her wedding and what she received from each person. Mom also saved important information, such as paperwork related to my grandparents’ house, and detailed receipts from medical appointments, including my health and immunization record book (this comes in really handy to have now with all of the news of adults needing to ask their doctors about getting booster shots for diseases like mumps or whooping cough).  Keeping good records is essential in the genealogy field.

5. It’s all in the details (they matter).  Because my mother was so meticulous, I have some really great resources that help me to learn more about her.  I have her autograph book she had in high school and it offers a glimpse into how her peers viewed her. Another treasure is a little notebook where she lists every item she or my Dad purchased for their wedding in 1947, and how much each item cost (from the wedding rings to the blood test to how many pounds of ground meat used for the holupky (stuffed cabbage) prepared for the wedding reception. I love to sort through the details I find in records and then select the best ones to include when writing family histories.

6. Respect others. One of the biggest lessons my mother taught me was to respect others.  When I was a child she made sure that I showed respect for the adults in my life (aunts, uncles, teachers, neighbors) and taught me the value of things that she bought me. Respect goes a long way in the genealogy community—whether you are requesting help from a county court clerk, a priest, or a colleague.  I’m not perfect, but I try to remember what my mother taught me about respect.

7. Pass on family recipes and traditions. Mom was a master cook and baker. She flawlessly prepared all of the traditional Slovak foods our family enjoyed, and her Lady Locks cookies were family favorites.  She passed on the recipes she received from my grandmother.  I have collected and preserved these recipes in my book, Baba’s Kitchen: Slovak & Rusyn Family Recipes and Traditions.

8. Be patient. As genealogists we need to be patient as we search the many online databases for a glimpse of our ancestors, or as we wait for vital records certificates or pension files to arrive in the mail. I wholeheartedly admit that patience is not a virtue I practice well and I often find myself asking my mom to help me be patient with a person, situation, or a research problem.

9. Be yourself. During her life my mother met many people who had more money, better jobs, better houses, and other advantages. She wasn’t fond of people who tried to be something they were not and she told me to just be myself. Mom was a lovely woman, and yet her true beauty was on the inside. She was generous and kind—always giving to those around her without expectation of anything in return. In today’s world there is always pressure to do this or that, say the right thing and to put on a face to the world and to “reinvent” oneself. We can often lose ourselves in the competition of the professional world where there are only so many slots on conference speaking schedules, or other limited opportunities to develop a niche or specialty. I have to remember to be just “me”—someone who has a unique skill set and personality.

10. Never give up. As genealogists we often hit “brick walls” in our research. We also encounter many obstacles in real life. In both instances, it is often tempting to give up when the going gets tough or a task seems impossible to accomplish.  My mother taught me to never give up and to just do my best and things will work out.

My mother was a very smart woman, and while at the time I couldn’t fully comprehend the lessons or principles she was trying to teach, I can truly appreciate them now.

Today is the 15th Mother’s Day since my mother passed away, and while I can’t physically be with my mother today, I want to thank her for helping me become a devoted genealogist, but more importantly for teaching how to keep striving to be a better person.
 
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!

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Fearless Females Resources: Special Offer on Internet Genealogy Tracing Your Female Ancestors Special Issues

If you are looking for tips and resources to help you track your female ancestors, you can save 20% right now on the Tracing Your Female Ancestors Volume I Special issue of Internet Genealogy Magazine, published by Moorshead Magazines, and on your pre-order of Tracing Your Female Ancestors Volume II (available May 1, 2015).  

Here is a brief summary of what you will find in each issue. 

Tracing Your Female Ancestors 

Image courtesy of Moorshead Magazines



Compiled by Gena Philibert-Ortega

Available in Print and PDF Format

Articles include: Online resources, Working Women, Women in the Military, African American Female Ancestors, Grandma Was an Alien, Female Ancestors Pre-1850, Women in the Civil War, Women and Divorce, Women and the Vote, Secret Lives of Women, Manuscript Collections Overview, Womens Clubs and Organizations and more! It also includes a special look at Women in Photographs by Maureen Taylor.
68-pages, magazine format, hi-gloss cover
Print Edition – $9.95 plus $4.50 shipping/handling. 
PDF Edition – $8.50 (the file will be sent via email) 

Tracing Your Female Ancestors Volume II
Image Courtesy of Moorshead Magazines


Compiled by Gena Philibert-Ortega

Available in Print and PDF Format
Available May 2015
Tracing Your Female Ancestors Volume II continues the success of our first volume with all new articles that reveal more research resources and strategies for finding your elusive female ancestors. Compiled by Gena Philibert-Ortega, with additional articles by Lisa Alzo, Jean Wilcox Hibben and Tammy Hepps, this exciting new issue includes: It’s All in the Search; 10 Unusual Sources for Finding Female Ancestors, 50+ Online Resources for Female Research; Migration of Females to America; Researching Jewish Female Ancestors; 10 Ways to Tell Your Ancestors’ Stories; Women in City Directories; Google Tools for Finding Female Ancestors; Finding Your Femmes Fatales; The FamilySearch Catalog and Your Female Ancestor and much more!
68-pages, magazine format, hi-gloss cover
Print Edition – $9.95 plus $4.50 shipping/handling. 
PDF Edition – $8.50 (the file will be sent via email) 


Click here to order from the Internet Genealogy website. At checkout enter the code:

LA201520%


You can also order both issues as a bundle a special price and use the code to save 20%.  Click here to learn more.

These special issues will give you plenty of resources for finding your elusive female ancestors.


Copyright 2015, Lisa A. Alzo
All Rights Reserved


[Disclosure:  I am a paid freelance writer for Internet Genealogy I have contributed two articles for Volume II of the Tracing Your Female Ancestors Special Issue]

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Fearless Females: Pinterest Boards about Women’s History

Looking for even more resources for Women’s History Month?  Have you checked out Pinterest?  You can search on “Women’s History”.

Here are some boards worth a look.

Gena Philibert-Ortega has several Pinterest boards on women’s topic including:

Other boards:


National Women’s History Month (Levo League)
Women’s History (History Press)
Women’s History Month (US National Archives)

See other boards for Women’s History by clicking here.


Copyright 2014, Lisa A. Alzo
All Rights Reserved

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Fearless Females: Research Tip: Five Ways to Honor Your Female Ancestors

Sharing a this blog post I wrote last year for the Legacy Family Tree Blog. Hope you will enjoy these tips for finding your female ancestors.

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Legacy Family Tree Blog:  March 07, 2013 – Guest Blog Post by Lisa A. Alzo
Five Ways to Honor Your Female Ancestors
[This post has been edited slightly to reflect updated content]
When I began researching my ancestors more than 22 years ago, I started with my maternal line. Upon reflection, that may not have been the best choice because women are often much more difficult to trace than their male counterparts. March is National Women’s History Month, and the perfect time to research your female ancestors. Whether you’re just beginning or have hit a brick wall in your search, here are a few tips to get you on track to tease out those maiden names and focus more on the women in your family tree.
1. Fill in the blanks. Choose a female line to focus on. If you’ve got a number of maiden name blanks (Anna __or Mary __) on your family tree, make it your mission to try to find those maiden names. Not sure where to begin? Need a refresher course? View the Chasing Women: Finding Your Female Ancestors webinar, or pick up a copy of the Finding Female Ancestors Legacy QuickGuide™(Print, or PDF).
Lisa12. Learn about the time period. To make sure you’re not overlooking important sources, you should always learn the federal, state, and local laws that influenced your female ancestors’ rights for voting, naturalization, and other matters. For example, you can learn more about Women’s Suffrage from theNational Archives, Archives Library Information Center (ALIC), or dig into special manuscript collections or Harvard University Library’s Open Collections Program “Women Working, 1800-1930” to research women’s occupations. Find even more special collections via the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (NUCMC). Enjoy other educational opportunities by attending a women’s study lecture (check with community organizations or libraries in your local area for special events), or self-study sessions on the Library of Congress website, or History.com.
3. Tell “her” story. Give voice to your female ancestors by telling their stories. The research I did on my maternal lines eventually became the foundation for my first book, Three Slovak Women, in which I pay tribute to my mother and grandmother.
If writing a book seems a bit too ambitious, try a smaller project. For example, you can write a series of profiles about different female ancestors and create a Blog where you can post them for others to read and enjoy. 
4. Create a photo collage or remembrance. If writing is not your thing, then tell the stories through images or video. They say “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Truly nothing evokes emotion like a photograph—especially one of a favorite female ancestor. Create a simple photo collage that can also double as a photo timeline. First, if you haven’t done so already, scan some images of your favorite females. The Flip-Palmobile scanner can help you get the job done. Print the images (at home if you have a photo printer, or use a local printing service). To get your images looking just right, pick up a copy of Geoff Rasmussen’s Digital Imaging Essentials. Then, purchase an inexpensive segmented collage frame at your local retail store, and insert your printed photographs. One option is to create a traditional multi-generational theme, showing several generations of women from the same family tree (e.g. you, your mother, your grandmother, great-grandmother, etc.). Alternatively, you can get creative and use themes such as holidays (your female ancestors at Christmas, Easter, etc.), or a broader theme such as family gatherings (baptisms, weddings, vacations or other special events). Another great idea is to create a photo story book or scrapbook (services such as MyCanvas from Ancestry.com, Shutterfly, or Snapfish, allow you to create customizable books or other keepsakes of different styles and price ranges. For something even more special, you could create a video, using a service such as Animoto—an online service where you can quickly create a video using still images, music, and text (their free service limits you to 30 second videos; pricing plans are available for longer videos).
Lisa2
5. Preserve precious memories or memorabilia. If you’re fortunate to have a female ancestor’s diary, scrapbook, or other treasure, consider turning it into a digital preservation project. Susan Peterson, who writes the Long Lost Relatives blog, found an interesting was to preserve her great grandmother’s autograph book using SlideShare. I hope to do something similar with my mother’s autograph book. In addition, there are plenty of other projects you can do such as heritage crafts, quilts, and even recipe books. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to get started on my list of projects to celebrate the fabulous females in my family.
Lisa A. Alzo is a freelance writer, instructor, and lecturer. She is a frequent presenter for the Legacy Family Tree Webinars series.

A special thanks to Geoff Rasmussen and Legacy Family Tree (Millennia).


Copyright 2013-14, Lisa A. Alzo
All Rights Reserved

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Fearless Females: Free Research Resources

Tracing the females in your family tree can be a daunting task.  But there are plenty of online resources to help you track them down.

Verona Straka and Mary Straka Yuhasz.  Photo courtesy of Lisa A. Alzo (personal collection).


During this month, I will be sharing a few of my favorite free websites and sources for finding female ancestors (click on the links to go to the sites). Here are the first three:


1. American Women’s History: A Research Guide.  This database provides access to digital collections of primary sources (photos, letters, diaries, artifacts, etc.) that document the history of women in the United States. Offers detailed descriptions and links to more than 600 digital collections.

2. Cyndi’s List: Female Ancestors. Cyndi’s List (run by Cyndi Ingle) has been around since 1996, and currently contains more than 320,000 links for family history, with more than 200 links for female ancestors.

3. National Women’s History Museum. The official website of the National Women’s History Museum located in Alexandria, Virginia. Watch a video clip of actress Meryl Streep introducing the museum, or take a virtual tour via the museum’s CyberExhibits covering a wide range of topics from Women in Industry to Rights for Women to Women of Jamestown.  You’ll also find educational resources such as self-guided tours, biographies, and lesson plans and quizzes (for teachers).

Happy Searching!


Copyright 2014, Lisa A. Alzo
All Rights Reserved

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