DearMYRTLE: Finding Cousins

Providing practical, down-to-earth advice for family historians since 1995, online since 1985.

Finding Cousins

From: Vickie
DearMYRTLE,
Congratulations on ten years! A few years ago this column was responsible for a cousin and me getting cyber-united. We haven't met in person yet, she is in Hawaii and I [live] in Utah. We are enjoying corresponding. It was all due to my posting being seen by a friend of hers. Thank you.

DearVICKIE,
Thank-you for the positive feedback. It brings up the importance of making QUALITY postings about your known family members, and inquiring of others for the answers to genealogical questions. The words "GIVE DETAILS" should come to mind.

COMPOSING BETTER GENEALOGICAL QUERIES - A little over a year ago, I wrote a series of columns suggesting methods for writing an effective query - See FINICKY about FINNEY Family Research II http://www.dearmyrtle.com/04/0329b.htm. Consider these three "subject lines" for genealogy message board or mailing list postings.

GOOD (actually lousy!)
"GIST Family Tree"

BETTER (actually a little less terrible!)
"Christopher GIST"

BEST (actually fantastic!)
"Christopher GIST & wife Edith CROMWELL 1679 Maryland."

If you want to receive detailed (read that "RELEVANT") responses to your genealogical queries, then make detailed (read that "lots of names, dates, places and bios") queries. To summarize:

IF MORE DETAILS ARE GIVEN
MORE INFO CAN BE RECEIVED

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
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