Connect-a-Thon Strategies for Ireland-1445

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]

I participated in all three 2023 WikiTree Connect-a-Thons on Team Southern Super Sweepers, but I've never prepared for one in advance. I thought I'd change that up for 2024.

I'm sure some members see the Connect-a-Thons as a competition, but most (like me) use them as motivation to help expand the WikiTree. I'm collecting my 2024 tactics and strategies here as a way to focus my own efforts - and perhaps encourage others to do more as well. I welcome tips and suggestions from others.

Be sure to review the Connect-a-Thon Participation Instructions.

Contents 1 Why Southern Super Sweepers? 2 Past efforts by Kevin Ireland 3 My Jan 2024 Challenge Goals 4 Tactics and Strategies 5 My Jan 2024 Priorities 6 Sources

Why Southern Super Sweepers?

I chose the Southern Super Sweepers as my team for several reasons:

• I've lived in Atlanta for almost forty years
• My spouse's family is all southern
• Many of my paternal lines are southern
• I manage the McCool Name Study on WikiTree, and many McCool lines are southern

Past efforts by Kevin Ireland

I first participated in a Connect-a-Thon in 2023:

• In the July 2023 Connect-a-Thon, I added 80 connections^[1]
• In April 2023, I added 110 connections^[2]
• In Jan 2023, I added 105 connections^[3]

Like most participants, I worked part-time on the challenges as real-life allowed. I try to add complete profiles during the events, and found that I spent much of my challenge time on research rather than creating the new profiles. In 2024, I plan to do some of the profile research in advance.

My Jan 2024 Challenge Goals

I've set a few arbitrary targets for myself for the Jan 2024 Connect-a-Thon:

• Add 250+ connections during the challenge (significantly higher than my previous 110)
• Increase my CC7 count by 300+ (my hope is that some of my new connections will link to existing profiles)
• Earn another Club 1000 badge in January 2024 (while I always hit Club 100, I don't usually make it to 1,000)

Tactics and Strategies

I have two weeks until the Jan 2024 challenge begins. I will use that time to:

1. Determine if I want to focus on my own lines, my spouse's, my in-laws (including siblings' in-laws), my stepfamily, my One-name studies, or others. It will probably be a combination.
2. My primary focus will be on non-living people born after about 1820 so that there are at least some government records that indicate who their parents may have been.
3. Use the CC7 Views Tree App to identify connections who may be missing in WikiTree - especially those who can add to my CC7 count.
4. Use WikiTree Sourcer to update existing WikiTree profiles to include lists of household members from Census records. This will help me determine who might be missing from WikiTree.
5. Update the "No more siblings, spouses, and children" checkboxes on existing WikiTree profiles identified in step 3 above.
6. Decide which missing people to add to WikiTree during the challenge. Find or create records for them on FamilySearch - and improve their FamilySearch records as needed in advance.

During the actual Challenge weekend, I'll be able to use my advance planning along with WikiTree Sourcer to quickly create new detailed profiles.

My Jan 2024 Priorities

I'll focus on adding connections to the following people (under construction):

• Lillian Fredericka (Reineck) Hevenor (1874-1959) - CC3. Add siblings, aunts/uncles, and cousins.
• Edward Porter Williams (1843-1903) - CC5. Add two more degrees of connections as needed.
• Nesbey Oben Freeman Sr (1890-1936) - CC3. Add remaining children, siblings, and cousins.
• Janice Lewis (Johnston) Freeman (1894-1922) - CC3. Add cousins and more.
• aunt Nancy
• my stepmother and stepfathers
• my sisters-in-law

Sources

1. ↑ Jul 2023 Connect-a-Thon Scores
   https://plus.wikitree.com/Challenges/ConnectAThon/202303/TeamAndUser.htm
2. ↑ Apr 2023 Connect-a-Thon Scores
   https://plus.wikitree.com/Challenges/ConnectAThon/202302/TeamAndUser.htm
3. ↑ Jan 2023 Connect-a-Thon Scores
   https://plus.wikitree.com/Challenges/ConnectAThon/202301/TeamAndUser.htm