~by Valerie Ogren
Greene County Genealogical Society
Meeting Notice
The Greene County Genealogical Society will meet Saturday, Dec. 7, at 10 am in the basement meeting room of the Jefferson Public Library. The program will be given by John and Laurie Meyer. They will be telling about their trip to Germany last summer and locating relatives of John’s grandfather. A short business meeting will follow and officers will be installed. The room is handicapped accessible. Guests are always most welcome. Reminder to members – or prospective new members – your 2014 dues are due. Also, please bring an item for the food pantry again. The society donated $500 to ARC at the last meeting, but the need is always great.Interviewing Family
This is the time of year when we look forward to family gatherings and sharing stories about our families and ancestors. Please consider using these occasions to interview relatives you may not see often, as well as those who may have known your relatives. They have important stories to share that could provide details about the lives of our ancestors. These stories may provide clues for finding more records and documents that make their lives more than a collection of dates and places. Postponing the opportunity to interview someone is not a good strategy. You never know if you will have another chance to do so.
Here are some tips gleaned from the experts: Know the technology you are going to use. If you are electronically recording an interview, always ask permission to do so first. Recording may cause anxiety at first, so soften that with reassuring words. If your “technology” is a pen or pencil, make sure you bring two. Be familiar with the place where you are going to conduct the interview. Show respect for the individual and appreciation for his or her time by arriving on time or just a little before. Arriving much earlier than scheduled can be as disruptive as arriving late. Know as much as you can about the individual and mutually determine the length of your interview. Dress casually, but neat and clean. The majority of the questions should be open-ended rather than “yes” or “no”. Maintain eye contact. If you sense reluctance with a line of questioning, be prepared to move on. Be mindful of the time, but don’t continuously look at your watch. Bring along discussion starters such as photos. Recording, preserving, and sharing the stories of our families’ lives is such an awesome and worthwhile activity.
News from IGS
Their web page has a new look at http://iowagenealogy.org/. You can also join them on Facebook. According to the latest eNews, the library in Des Moines will be closed from Dec. 24 through Jan. 2. Some of the Interest Groups will not be meeting during December, so check the schedule before making the trip. I was saddened to learn of the recent death of Lew Clarkson. For many years he was the Iowa Genealogical Society landlord when Its library was located on Douglas Ave. before moving to E. Grand. I have known him since 1954 when I worked for a competing real estate firm. RIP friend.
