Last week, our topic was “Fast”. This week, we go to the opposite, and discuss “Slow”. The Britannica Dictionary defines slow as not being able to move quickly. It also mentions something I can relate to as a genealogical researcher, that something ends up taking more time than you would expect or wanted. “Wanted” is what stuck out to me.  As researchers, we are curious, and want to find answers quickly for ourselves, and for our clients. In a perfect genealogical world, the name, and any other information you have would show up the first time you enter them. All documents would be clear and easy to read or translate. “John Smith” would be the only one living in that location.

In Week 21, I talked about my research on my McGee line for my Advanced Best Practices study group. I feel it’s going slowly. Part of that is finding the records from the early 1800’s documenting Thomas’ birth near Albany, N.Y., as well as the move from that part of the state to western New York. I’m working on a FAN chart showing friends, associates, and neighbors. This is looking at census records, directories, and other records, and noting down the people around my ancestor. You look at multiple years and transcribe multiple pages. Often, you find clues within these records that help to corroborate the evidence about your ancestor. It takes a while to compile information from all these documents. I’m still transcribing information from census records. I’ve already discovered many of the families living around Thomas in Michigan were from New York State, as he was.

That is where my McGee research stands at this point. It’s not moving fast, but it is moving!