G2G: Question of the Week: What genealogy gifts are on your holiday wishlist? [closed]

Question

Are there genealogy-related items on your wishlist? Tell us what you're wishing for with an answer below. You can also answer on Facebook or use the question image to share on any social media.

Happy holidays!

Answer 1

My youngest granddaughter wanted a DNA Kit for Christmas. I had it mailed to my house, and my son delivered it last week. I am thrilled that it was on her wishlist.

Answer 2

I put a few books by Megan Smolenyak on my list. I might get some of Blaine's or Dian Southard's.

Answer 3

The same as every year - someone to crack the ancestry of my 3X great grandfather, Michael Gabler

and my great grandmother, Indiana Raney

I'm waiting, Santa!

Comments

Hello, Nancy, I'm not Santa, but I believe I have found records for the ancestry of your Michael Gabler. I reviewed his profile and first record was 1855 Baltimore City Naturalization, so that's where I started at Baltimore.  Your estimated birthdate REALLY helped tremendously.  The family records I located was for Baltimore City Maryland 1840-1880. One Gabler family 1840 was from PA, and the one from Germany which I think was yours. Your Michael fits the age of one son on the Baltimore passenger list of 1837 for Carl (Charles on censuses) Gabler, b. 1792 Germany. I will list the records with URLs on Michael's profile page for you to analyze if this was Michael's family.  Have a Happy Safe Christmas. Juliet Wills, fellow WikiTreer.

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Huge HUG for Juliet!

Answer 4

Unfortunately, what is on my wish list regarding genealogy does not yet exist. It would be an encyclopedia with all German places and the respective administrative affiliations throughout their history.

Therefore I limit myself to smaller things. I would be happy if the Corona crisis was over and I could go to the state archives again without any problems or if all genealogical documents like wills, house and farm records, files about inheritance disputes etc. were available online.

My wish list would also include my 86-year-old mother being able to find out her father's name using DNA. Some helpers on WikiTree are already assisting her with this.

Comments

Yes, Dieter, I too miss genealogy research at the NC state archives; went there 30 years of pure joy of researching ancestors! If you have not done so, please review the online digital records at FamilySearch.org. via their catalog link. Have a nice, safe, Christmas.

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Hi Juliet,

yes I know the FamilySearch and ancestry reports.

My biggest problem is that the records of the parish districts of Segeberg and Stormarn in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany are not online avaible until now and they have only 1 working place one day per week in the record office.

Then I am looking to be able to go into the State Archive of Schleswig-Holstein to search the search the so called "Höfeakten".

These files were created since the end of the 17th century whenever a farmer or cottager handed over the farm/house to a descendant and went to the so-called retirement home.
In these files every nail on the farm is listed and exactly described what the transferee has to pay to the assignor as a livelihood. In addition, all his siblings and other dependants are listed with the inheritance due to them.
Since in the part of Schleswig-Holstein where I am researching, the law of the youngest prevailed, the youngest son usually took over the estate as heir and paid out all others in money or goods.

As the Danish censuses of 1769, 1803, 1835, 1840, 1845, 1855, 1860, and 1864 are gradually being put online in Schleswig-Holstein, I am passing the time by searching through them.

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WOW, very complicated indeed! In your description the records are exceedingly detailed and very valuable. The "law of the youngest" very interesting. My mother-in-law was all German, lived in northwestern Illinois, USA. They kept great farms, very diligent people and hard-working. I wish you much success as records are available.

Answer 5

If Santa had the wherewithal, I'd like to have photos of my great-grandparents. I have images of only two, and they're not very good. I'm sure there are photos out there; and especially so in the case of my great-grandfather George A. Hill, who was a significant figure in the Toronto business scene until his death 101 years ago.

Answer 6

I have a subscription to Newspapers.com on my wish list. And a carry-over from last year - a trip to the Clayton Library in Houston, Texas. Covid interfered with a planned trip earlier this year.

My dream list still contains getting through the brick wall on my Butter(s) line in England/Scotland.

Comments

I was on my way hunting down a Mexican restaurant near downtown that was authentic Tex-Mex and hesitant to go in but had already  planned a few minutes for it.

So I stopped a man to ask about it. He was a homeless man and his friend was with him his friend was kinda hidden but the man had all these clothes falling out and he said “I just walked in and a guy handed me some food and gave me a whole new set!” So I immediately went in it smelled like Grandma’s house. And there was a wall Pioneer themed with little wooden wagons and everything!

They were so nice I got a secret pass from ‘the guy’ and he gave one to mother for being supportive and all the databases and books had Actual Answers. There’s a building next door it’s so pretty I have never seen such an amazing looking building in my life.

Answer 7

An extension to the database on WikiTree so we can link sources via identifiers! (my house is already full, so please no physical presents )

Comments

To this I would add the ability for printing good reports from WikiTree.

Answer 8

Happiness for all those on WikiTree and those that aren't, yet, and may everyone receive something from their wishlist. As for my own self, my mother always made sure there were Black Magic chocolates under the tree and I have made it so. Maybe, for next year, I can figure out the most appropriate Douglas Richardson book for my wishlist.

Comments

:  "or even more icky they put it back in the box half eaten"

Not me.  My husband loves them all and benefits from my pickyness.  

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Marcie, Your husband shares my taste in chocolates......and your ancestors crossed paths with the Lewis line my wife is pursuing to confirm cousin Frank's connection to WikiTree .....I'm off in pursuit....."like a box of chocolates".

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M,  I went in pursuit of a box of Black Magic and returned with your Christmas present......"Terry's chocolate orange".

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Read the instructions, wack the bottom on a hard surface and the 'orange' sections will come apart.

We always got one in our stockings.

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M, But that is your Christmas present !

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Thank you! send it by dog sled to the last house on the street, across from the big woods where coyotes howl, Ontario, Canada.

M

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M,  I'll get right on it.      PS  I've been up all night attempting to learn how to post a photo on the "Weekend Chat".................you guessed it.....like you do.......must be nap time.

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Upload your photo to a free space, call it Miscellaneous images if you don't already have one.

Then go to view all images in that space, the view that shows them all by upload date, all you do is right click on the image, copy image and paste in your G2G post.

Oh Back up! In my experience I spent months trying to follow the instructions for this on various help pages and none of them work easily.

The very easiest way is to have 2 WT windows open, so one with the Free space and one with the G2G forum open.

Then all you do is right click on the image, copy image from the free space and paste in your G2G post. It works every time!

M

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M,  I posted a photo on Tree House an hour ago......also created a free space, "vehicles", but only the description showed up.

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There are no photos in your vehicles free space, you have to upload the picture to the free space first, then you can copy paste it into G2G.

Answer 9

Last year my wishlist was more than filled when after 69 years I found my maternal family, having been given up for adoption as an infant, just in time for my younger maternal half brother's birthday.

Unfortunately my birth mother past in 2002, but besides my brother I have a first cousin and great grandparents back to 6th.

This year's wish is to find my father. You never know.

Comments

We wish you success, James........from your cousins, including my wife, in her own right......all of us from the same greater gramma.

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Thank you John and wife, are you by any chance related to a Greg Thompson in Florida or Carol Bauldree his cousin also from Florida.

The Brooks' (mine) are from Owassa/Evergreen, Conecuh county, Alabama, but we show a lot of relatives ib Florida.

Greg and Carol match me and my grand daughter, but none if the maternal Brooks, so who knows.

James

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Negative, James......my second great grand father Thompson is ended in Ireland.  My branch comes through India and Canada, while Kathy's comes through the United States.

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Well you don't know if you don't ask, have a great holidays stay well and enjoy.

James

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Thanks, James, we wish you well.

Answer 10

More Silver Books!  I enjoy helping people sort out their Mayflower lines and I want to grow my collection of resources.  Also, I enjoy flipping through them.  Computers are great, but sometimes books are more enjoyable.

Answer 11

The FamilyTreeDNA Bundle (Big-Y 700 + Family Finder + mtFull Sequence)

Answer 12

My mom this year pulled through she texted me if I got my DNA kit yet and I had a package sitting beside me I know it’s for Christmas and presents should be open on the day of but ..I already filled the green form and decided she can post it once she’s back! I mean she will be here in a few days I’m not in a rush anyhow she won’t mind I know it’s a mt-DNA kit so win-win!

Answer 13

I have a recommendation for your wish lists: 

Your DNA Guide: The Book by Diahan Southard.  It's a super useful beginners' book if you are learning to do genetic genealogy.

Comments

Oh, thank you, Jennifer! I just ordered this. Much appreciated!!! 

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I made note of the book title ! Thank you Jennifer  :) Best of luck to you in the New Year with your family research !

Answer 14

I just gave myself two genealogy gifts. I signed up to take the 7-week-long Mastering Genealogical Documentation beginning February, followed by Mastering Genealogical Proof with Cari Taplin, CG.

Comments

Carol,  I am looking forward to hearing about your courses.....being, deep, in learning the same, myself.....Don't you wish you could open one early?

Answer 15

Oh, this was easy. I would love to receive a wrecking ball for knocking down brickwalls (listed on my profile).

Comments

Pip,  Would this help?   Ball

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Yep, that oughta do it!

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Pip !!..............You can peak......but, don't open until Christmas......I'm coming down the other side of the brickwall with Kathy's Davenport line.

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John, you’ve got a Davenport line, too?!?

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Pip,  William Davenport-316 through his son, William, and missing grandson, Thomas, who came to America, would be Kathy's ancestor.  Do Mary and William Davenport have profiles?