Because
my genealogical research is focused thousands of miles from where I live, I’ve
never joined a local genealogical society. However, I am thankful for
all that local societies do in preserving records and promoting family history.
Without their tireless efforts, much of what we find online would not exist.
Local societies have taken on the dirty work of transcribing old, overgrown
cemeteries and sitting in dusty courthouses going through record books. What
they have produced throughout the years is amazing!
In
this new digital age, local societies are joining in the effort to index the
1940 census. Often their cemetery work involves not only transcribing
information from headstones but also taking photographs and creating memorials
such as Find-A-Grave and interment.net. They continue their efforts within
their communities to preserve and promote local history and to educate their
members and the public about genealogy.
Despite
the fact that I have no ancestors in the area in which I live, I need to join a
local society so that the resources we have are available to researchers
everywhere!
© 2012 Denise Spurlock, Ancestral Trees Research
