Follow Friday: Life After Finding Evernote

Hello again,

Let me just first start by saying....I really, really like Evernote.

I would be remiss if I didn't share the link to DearMyrtle's blog where I was introduced to the idea of Evernote and genealogy.

I recommend checking out DearMytle's blog, she has great posts and shares not only new ideas (like Evernote) but also genealogy news that she comes across (documents being destroyed).

I had dabbled with Evernote before, not for genealogy, and quickly dismissed it.

First off, I am NOT a paper person. In my professional life I use paper to take calculation notes and to review documents so that I can mark them up, but other than that.....give me electronic copies.

I am techno girl! nerdy music here......

So before Evernote, when I have been cruising around Ancestry or Family Search and found a Reed surname that might be useful, I would save the image and think "I'll get back around to that later, if it turns out useful." Uh huh............

I just switched from my PC to sharing a Mac with my hubby and I had several mysterious Census images, that have a Reed on them somewhere, but I haven't a clue what led me to them or what my thought even was. That's not counting the same types of files that I have stashed away on my USB drive that I use for genealogy docs.

But, let me share with you what happened last night and how Evernote has changed my genealogy life.

I was searching for an elusive land record for a Bowen ancestor on Family Search. I typed in his name and up popped a death record....well this is interesting. But, I'm trying to find a land record.

Out comes Evernote and since I was on the laptop, the side-kick Web Clipper for Evernote. I grabbed a snapshot of the screen, the clipper program put it right in Evernote. I have a 'notebook' for this Bowen ancestor, so I filed it in the notebook with a note to look at it later. Da duh!

When I gave up the land record search, I went back to Evernote, pulled up the notebook and my note, went out to the WV Cultural Archives website, did a death record search (which was not the right guy), and then updated my note that this wasn't my ancestor.

So, not only was I able to save the surprise image, record why I saved it and what I needed, but then when I did it and it didn't work, I could update my note.

Again, not a paper person, so I've never done a research log, but now I can with Evernote.

Since Evernote on the laptop has the ability to create 'stacks' I made a Reed stack and a Bowen stack - each couple has their own notebook where I can stick tidbits or reminders for things.

Bring on more Evernote and go checkout DearMyrtle!!!

New, to me at least, genealogy research tool

Howdy!

I am trying to work with Evernote to help with my research. 

Since the Reed paternal line is somewhat elusive I have to kind of search around and go 'well that could be them' and then save it for later verification. 

I'm hoping that Evernote will help with that. Using my Ipad, iPhone, and Mac I can grab screenshots or copy links, all sorts of things. 

There are notebooks that you can create and then make a stack of books. So,for instance, I can make a book for the newly found line of Wayland Reed (Reid) and wife Phobe, label it RWPK to match my computer filing. Then make a stack of Reed notebooks. 

I'm really looking forward to putting Evernote through it's paces. 

I also have more Reed line revelations to share in a future post. 

I'll share more as I continue to work with Evernote. 

Later!