So over the past week and a half or so I have been digging through lots of online files and prying into the heads of my relatives. I have discovered a few things:
1. When your peeps don’t speak English, you can find 4 different versions of the same last name (some phonetic, some just different). This makes it really hard to track things down.
2. My grandmother is listed on 4 different documents by 4 different first names ranging from Wladyslawa to Bertha. Neither of these was her actual name.
3. My maternal grandmother’s family has been the easiest to trace so far. They go back the furthest in the US which makes life easier. They also had easy to spell names, also helps. Of course, my Dad said that we have a copy of this family tree already. I am waiting to see it.
4. While I can find all of this info out, I wish I could find more than names and dates. The juicy stuff is not located in census records although I have come a cross some interesting tidbits.
5. I hate that women change their names. It makes it harder to trace their side of the family and frankly kind of annoys me. Maybe I will change my name back in response?
6. Men also seem to have more documents out there in general. Boo!
7. I am hitting roadblocks with things like wedding dates and such. There is not a ton online about this but if you are willing to pay, the local societies will search documents for you. Rip off.
8. Census records aren’t released for 72 years so the latest one available is 1930. Boo!
9. My great-grandmother had 11 children. Born at home. No drugs. No way, Jose.
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