I have gotten very addicted to ancestry.com lately. They do a fourteen day trial and after that point they charge you a year subscription to either the U.S. or World version. I went with U.S. because it was cheaper but I already wish I did World because so much of my family is overseas...
I was set on taking full advantage of my free trial period. My trial just ended and I have 81 members in my family tree so far and 6 hints to dissect once I get wifi.
For those of you unfamiliar with ancestry.com, you type in whatever you know already about your family and the site double checks names against their own records. It's amazing. I get so giddy when I'm on it.
For instance:
I found out that my grandfather was born under the name of Feltmann before his father changed it to Felton to ensure job security post-WWI. See my great-grandpa was losing jobs due to anti-Semitic views during the depression, and changed it to sound less Jewish. Crazy right? I knew that story before but I didn't know my papa had to change his name too. I figured the name change happened before he was born...wow!
*The name Feltmann is actually where I got the title for this blog.*
*I figure since we're the Feltmanns I might as well be the FeltWoman...Bad pun, I know...*
Anyway I ALSO found out that that same great-grandfather traveled with his first wife from Bermuda to New York. A cruise trip? Neat-o! I even got the name of the ship: the Fort St. George. And after I got that information I found pictures online!
Then I found out that my great uncle got a full ride to the University of Texas for football. Funny because that side of the family is full of Aggies!
Playing for the Palacios Sharks
Ancestry.com even has an iPhone app so you can discover as you go and share your discoveries more easily with friends and family around you.
Have I sold you on it yet?
No comments:
Post a Comment