Genealogy: Database Researching

I've been doing some searching on my father's side of the family. I have gotten bits of information from him on family names, but trying to find them in Ancestry.com is a challenge. Well, part of the problem is my grandmother's name is spelled three different ways on the census reports. When I found her mother, I was able to track my grandmother.
The USGenWeb site has links to more current pictures of the cemetery where a lot of my family is buried. Found my grandmother's and her sister's, mother's and father's markers.

Genealogy: Detective Work

I tried to listen to some of the Tejano Voices, but they wouldn't play on the pc I was using. I'm going to try some of the JSC programs when I get a chance. I'm more interested in space anyway.

I've never really tried to do an oral history as such. Years ago, we tried to get my grandmother to talk about her past and tape record some of the stories. I've seen the tapes recently. I guess I need to try and find them and see if they can be made digital for the family to have if they want them. Some of her stories were of traveling to Texas (I think) in a covered wagon. The only other people that could remember some of the stories are my father and aunt. My father did a video around his home town on one visit. Again I need to find that tape and see if I can get it in a digital format.

I'm using Findagrave to find the cemetery where a lot of my father's family is buried and where we will go. It's the Coop Prairie Cemetery in Mansfield, Scott County, Arkansas. There is a picture saying Coop Prairie was founded in 1849, but in the records I can only find a death date of 1864 as the earliest burial. There are a number of records that don't have dates listed and they may be too worn to find a date. The burial for Elizabeth MaryAnn Shannon Hukill gives her death date as Feb. 19, 1864. According to the website, as the stone is very hard to read online, it says Elizabeth M, Wife of Jas. S. Hukill, born 1840.

I think there may be an art to taking pictures of gravestones. I lot of the ones on this site are hard to read. They are taken from above and the text isn't clear.

Genealogy: Genealogy Genesis

I haven't really been interested in genealogy. I have an aunt on my mother's side who has with her son, done extensive research and published a book on the history of that side of the family. No one on my father's side has done as much, though I believe there has been some research done by a cousin.

I have wanted to get some family stories from my father about his mother, but like many things, I haven't gotten around to it yet.

If I were to start, I would need to figure out what system to use, maybe check with my aunt on how she organized her research.

Start talking with my father about his family.

We also have a family Bible that goes back several generations that would also be a starting point.

The suggestions for software both require downloads. I might try one on my laptop just to see how it works.