The Hineston Chronicles Volume 9 Number 3

The Hineston Chronicles 

Volume 9 Number 3

Photo posted to 
Historic Hineston
by
Carol Roberts Doyle

Carolyn's Corner

          How to Start Your Family Tree

In all my travels, family reunions, meeting new cousins, etc., I am asked “How do I start my family tree?”  Years ago, when I started my genealogy journey, I did everything wrong; but I made progress! Productive progress?   Probably not! Therefore, I try to help others start with a clearer goal in mind and be more productive.      

Here are some of the things I would suggest for a quick and easy start with your tree.  

1.  Write Down What You Already Know

Start with YOURSELF!   Start out by sketching out a basic family tree with what you already know about yourself, your siblings your parents, and your grandparents.   It may surprise you to discover what you don’t know, as well as what you do know.   

2.  Talk to the Older Generation 

This is something you will look back and wish you had talked to the older generation more and more when you start your research / tree.   My father was a wealth of information. I heard his stories over and over and NEVER wrote them down because I thought I would always remember!   Strange now when I start thinking of some of the “little” details, I become “foggy” and wish I had either written the information down or recorded it.  It is important to capture and record what they know. Photographs or set of questions will help inspire useful responses when you are talking to the older generation.   I can’t stress enough about recording the conversation. Most cell phones have an option to record audio rather than taking notes. This will help you concentrate on listening and asking questions.

3.  Harness the Power of Social Media 

Social media has changed the way we communicate, and family historians can benefit from this.   Personally, this has been a gold mine for me! I have gained more cousins thru social media than I ever dreamed possible.   There are so many sites on social media that are helpful sites. Genealogy Help Sites, DNA help sites, States Sites, Locality Sites, Cemetery Sites, etc. etc.    The list goes on. There are surname sites also! I have several of those – Dyess, Bonnette, Lewis, Smith, Rougeou, Jenkins, etc. Other social media has great genealogy information also:    Pinterest

, Instagram, Twitter, and the list goes on.   

4. Start Building Your Family Tree

Some people still build family trees by hand.   However, the more people know about computers, iPad, iPhones, etc., there are dozens of digital options.  Almost all digital family trees can be saved as GEDCOM file, a special file format that means you can move your work to other sites or software at a later stage if you want.  

The main commercial genealogy websites are:   Ancestry.Com, FamilySearch.org, Wikitree, FindMyPast, MyHeritage, and, the list goes on.       Just make sure you work from facts and not assumptions. Only add facts you are confident are correct.     There are other data base software such as Rootsmagic, FamilyTree, Legacy, etc. Personally, I use Rootsmagic as my stand alone data base and I use all the commercial genealogy websites I mentioned above.   Being rather OCD, I want to be sure I have it all! Of course, you do NOT have to do that. Make the system work for you! 

5.  Spend Your Money Wisely and use Free Resources

As with most hobbies, there are costs associated with exploring your family history.   So it’s worth investigating the free resources that are available. FamilySearch.org which is run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest free online resource.   FindAGrave is another free site. There are some libraries that will let you use the newspaper sites for free because they have subscriptions. It is worth checking out all the free resources.   

6. Don’t Take a Wrong Turn 

It might seem premature to warn you about mistakes before you’ve even got properly sucked in, but family history can be full of red herrings that may lead you in the wrong direction – and there’s nothing more frustrating than finding out that you’ve wasted time researching the wrong family!!!    Believe me, I have been there, done that one!!! Had a wonderful tree on my deceased husband (BALES line). Thought I had it all checked out until a lady from Salt Lake City happened to see my tree and pointed out where I took a wrong turn! So, what did I do? I kept my old tree (just in case I might be right); but, knowing I wasn’t – I started a whole new tree.   

7.  So What Do I do – Summary! 
1.  Always start from known facts, and work backwards
2. Don’t accept hints from subscription websites unless you are confident that they are correct.
3. Transcriptions and indexes are useful tools, but try to track down an image of the original document as well, in case mistakes have crept in.  
4. Check out inconsistencies.   People did change jobs and locations and did not always know their date of birth, but be wary of records that don’t add up.
5. Remember, someone with the right name may still not be your ancestor.  There are a LOT of ways a surname can be spelled! The short name of DYESS can be spelled in so many ways:    Dyess, Dyes, Dyas, Dyos, Dies, Dice, Rice, Theiss, and the list goes on!!!! I have to be sure I look at each document to be sure it could be mine.

8.     The Main Thing is having FUN!!!!!!         Enjoy the journey!!!!    
   Carolyn Dyess Bales "Kaite" 

Reunions                                             

MEYLIAN Reunion - Saturday October 19th 11am. At the Fellowship Methodist Church Pavilion, Hineston.  Bring a covered dish or dessert. Kathy Squyres Meylian. 

SMITH Reunion - October 19th - the 3rd Saturday in October - Bentley UPC Church - 10am - 2pm. Covered Dish - bring family pictures and stories. Carolyn Dyess Bales

Deaths

Kathleen Woodham Bynog, 70, of Hineston, passed away on July 1, 2019. Burial was in Hemphill Star Cemetery Cotile LA.

Olan Neal Rougeou, 81, of Boyce passed away on July 8, 2019. Burial was in Hemphill Star Cemetery, Boyce, LA.

Terry Glen Harvey, Jr., 0, of Hineston, passed away on July 8, 2019. Burial was in  Fellowship Cemetery, Hineston, LA.

Ivy Brooks, 85, of Hornbeck, passed away on July 18, 2019. Burial was in Prewitts Chapel Cemetery, Hornbeck, LA.

John Louie "J.L." NesSmith, 74, of Flatwoods passed away on July 22, 2019. Burial was in Flatwoods Cemetery Flatwoods, LA.
Ellis Daniel Morrison, Sr., 79, of Hineston, passed away on Friday, July 26, 2019. Burial was in Mt. Moriah Cemetery Hineston, LA.
Lee Joseph Roy, 84, of Boyce, passed away on August 14, 2019. Burial was in Fellowship Cemetery, Hineston, LA.
Teddy Lee Blanton, 67, of Hineston, passed away on August 22, 2019.
John William Hunt, 61, of Leesville, passed away on August 24, 2019. Funeral was at First Baptist Church of Leesville, LA.

Earline Sallier Higgins, 91, of Pineville, passed away on August 31,2019. Burial was in Greenwood Memorial Park, Pineville, LA.
Jesse Warren Teekell, 59, of Boyce, passed away on September 3, 2019. Burial was in Greenwood Memorial Park, Pineville, LA.
Sherman “Pete” O. Brawner, 92, of Gainesville, VA, passed away on September 5, 2019. Burial was in Holt Cemetery, Sieper, LA.
Beverly Jean Robinson. 58, of Colonial Heights, VA, passed away on September 6, 2019. Burial was in Lone Star Baptist Church Cemetery, Glenmora, LA.
Mazell Joyner Long Dauzat, 86, of Shreveport, passed away on September 10, 2019. Burial was in Fellowship Cemetery, Hineston, LA.
Larry Raymond Kline, 72, of Hineston, passed away on September 12, 2019. Burial was in  Central Louisiana Veterans Cemetery, Leesville,LA.
Huel James, 87, of Plainview, passed away on September 19, 2019. Burial was in Gravel Hill Cemetery  Pitkin, LA
Arlis Wayne Poag, 62, of Calcasieu, passed away on September 19, 2019. Burial was in  New Hope Cemetery, Elmer LA.
Hallie LaVerne Dauzat, 75, of Glenmora,passed away on September 20, 2019. Burial was in Blue Branch Cemetery, Pitkin, LA. (Also known as Mount Olive Cemetery)
Wade Edmond Myles, 74, of Gardner, passed away on September 20, 2019. Burial was in Hemphill Star Cemetery, Cotile, LA.
Virginia Eitel Marler, 62, of Troy, TX, passed away on September 21, 2019. Mass of Christian Burial was held at St Mary's Catholic Church, Temple TX.
Maxine Reed Walters, 75, of Elmer, passed away on September 24, 2019. Burial was in New Hope Cemetery, Elmer, LA.
Matthew Wayne Hickey, 18, of Pineville, passed away on September 27, 2019. Burial was in
Philadelphia Baptist Church Cemetery,  Philadelphia, LA.
Judith “Judy” Lynn Paul, 76, of Oakdale, passed away on September 30, 2019. Burial was in Paul Family Cemetery, Pitkin, LA.
Mary Virginia Bedgood, 92, of Hineston,  passed away on September 30, 2019. Burial was in Mt. Moriah Cemetery, Hineston, LA.