Though it may seem odd, one of my favorite first family history-related memories took place in a swimming pool while my mom, Grandma Kimball, and her sisters and cousin were doing water aerobics.

I didn’t know it yet, but gliding in and out of their conversations, hearing bits and pieces as I splashed with my siblings – started me on a life-long path of searching out and sharing family stories.

Why did their stories intrigue me? Because these were my people! I loved my Grandma Kimball and her sisters. They always seemed so wonderful to me (then and now!) I figured if they were sharing stories about these “ancestors” they must be wonderful, too! You can read more about family stories that have helped me here and here.

I was a voracious reader as a child and read every family story I could go my hands on. My mother’s family names of Ashby, Kimball, Watkins, and Stromberg were all well-documented and provided ample reading. Stories of heroes on the Sweetwater River, cowboys on Antelope Island, and musical Swedes in mountainous Huntsville.

My Great-Aunt Lynne traditionally gave my Grandma Kimball a family story to add to their Watkins/Stromgberg family binders for Christmas. I have many fond Christmas morning memories curled up by the fire reading these stories.

I’ve also always loved pedigree charts and family group sheets. While other 7th graders were playing MASH, I was creating family group sheets for the fictional characters in my stories and my own future family. And I’ve always been obsessed with baby names and meanings/origins. Baby name books were regularly on my my library book card list.

I had an off again/on again journal throughout my childhood, but for the most part I absorbed family history in whatever form I could get it in.

It was in college when I got my first taste of family history research. My Great-Aunt Lynne wrote me a letter – which I loved. Getting mail always made my day in college. She asked me to look up a newspaper article in the college catalog regarding her father in law who had been a professor at Ricks.

It was so fun for me to find this photo and newspaper article for her (photo below). I was majoring in journalism so combing through microfiche and old newspapers was right up my alley. I’ll never forget that thrill of discovery.

My time in Rexburg, Idaho, made me curious about my Idaho/German roots on my Dad’s side of the family. I knew my Grandpa Trost had grown up so I was eager to learn anything I could. You can read more about my discoveries in Rexburg here.

I dabbled in family history here and there until I was invited to attend Rootstech as a social media/blog ambassador. Attending Rootstech blew out all four walls of the box I had put family history in. I had no idea the possibilities! I went from thinking my family history was “done” to spending time every day doing family history.

My definition of “doing” family history changed as well. Now I travel to my ancestoral hometowns, search newspapers for pictures, chat online with cousins overseas, crowdsource information in Twitter parties, teach Rootstech classes and more!

I channeled my areas of expertise – journalism and social media – into doing genealogy in new and fun ways. It has been quite the journey, but I love that I can do genealogy in my own way that I love! During the pandemic, I helped to start the 21 Day Family Connections Experiment – an experiment exploring the psychological benefits of doing daily, fun family-history based activities.

Through this all, I’ve discovered that more I seek to connect, the more family connections come to me. My heart has expanded to love not only my ancestors, but also my living family members who have I come to know better.

I would love to hear about your experience with discovering your family history? What gets you excited? What discoveries have you made lately?

The post My Genealogy Story: How I Started appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Let’s keep the fun going! Post how you do #FiveMinuteFamilyHistory on social media! Use the hashtag #FiveMinuteFamilyHistory, #RootstechConnect, and #21DayExperiment so we can all see! Tag me @Keepmovingforwardwithme on Instagram/Facebook or @KeepMovingTara on Twitter.

Here are a few of my favorite Five Minute Family History Ideas and tutorials. The list is not meant to be static! I will be adding more regularly. Feel free to comment with an idea of your own if you would like me to add it!

Check out the  21 Day Family Connections Experiment Idea Generator. –  dozens of quick, easy, and techie family history ideas that can be done on the go! 

Save family memories on Family Search.

Learn More About Your Ancestors through Stories and Photos.

Colorize/Animate a photo with MyHeritage.

• Create a family history meme to share on social media using these fun and free templates. 
• See what ancestors you look like with Compare a Face on Family Search .
• Reverse index with the BYU Record Linking Lab.
• Look up family members in the yearbook collection on Ancestry.com.
• Standardize place names with Family Search.
• Request photos, take photos and add GPS coordinates for Find a Grave or Billion Graves. 
• Upload and tag a photo to Family Search. 
• Lookup a family address on Google Maps. 
• Share family stories at bedtime. 
• Download the Family Tree, Ancestry, or MyHeritage App. 
• Use the Interview Question Generator at dinner time. 
• Interview a family member with the Speed Interview game. 
• Use the Map My Ancestor feature on the Family Tree app. 
• Make a family recipe for a meal. 
• Share a family story on Marco Polo or Whatsapp. 
• Share a photo or story to social media. 
• Say “thank you” to someone who uploaded a family photo to one of your ancestors. 
• Play a family history game like Geneopardy. 
• Record a story on the Family Tree app. 

The post No Time? Try Five Minute Family History Ideas! appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Why use hashtags?

• Hashtags organize and categorize posts and videos.
• Hashtags connect you with other people interested in the same content.  

Tips for using hashtags:

• Hashtags only work on public accounts because they are searchable.
• Do not use spaces or special characters.
• You can use numbers. 
• Stay on topic. Only use hashtags relative to your posts so people can find what they are looking for.

The following are some of my favorite genealogy-related hashtags to use on Instagram. This list is not all-inclusive. Leave your favorite hashtags in the comments and I will add them in!

You can also use more specific hashtags. I like to use family hashtags like #ZacherFamily #AshbyFamily etc. I will also use place hashtags when I talk about where my ancestors lived ie #WeimarGermany #PaysonUtah.

Popular Genealogy Related Hashtags for Instagram

Conference Hashtags: Follow along with and use these hashtags during the conference to connect with other attendees.

#Rootstech #RootstechConnect #NGS2021 (National Genealogical Society) #SLIGInstitute (Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy)

Business Hashtags: Connect with genealogy businesses. Use hashtags when you are posting about their products.

#FamilySearch #Ancestry #MyHeritage

Generic Family History Hashtags: Search and use these widely used hashtags in the family history industry

#FamilyHistory #Genealogy  #FamilyTree #Ancestors #Heritage #FamilyStories #FamilyHistoryResearch #FamilyHistorian #GenSocieties

Family History Challenges: Join in these fun challenges and use their hashtag when you participate. Check out the hashtags for ideas!

#GenealogyPhotoaDay #21DayExperiment #SaveFamilyPhotos #ModernGenealogyChallenge

Want to know more? Check out this video for more tips and tricks for doing family history on Instagram.

The post Popular Family History Hashtags on Instagram appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Don’t see your favorite account? Leave it in a comment or fill out this form:

Genealogy Challenge Accounts

@21DayConnect – A 21 Day Experiment exploring the daily benefits of connections with family. #21DayExperiment

@GenealogyPhotoADay – A fun way to share your #genealogy photos! Join the fun with #GenealogyPhotoADay

@GenealogyTwins – Inspiration, tips and fun genealogy challenges.

Family History Accounts:

@keepmovingforwardwithme – Family history enthusiast and speaker. Sharing tips for everyday family history. Founding member of the 21 Day Family Connections Experiment.

@thepolynesiangenealogist – Want to learn about your family? I’ll help you discover your Oceania ancestors.

@StacyJulian – Rootstech speaker and story coach.

@MsHeatherMurphy – Improve your mental health and resilience through mindful family history research with Resilience in Your Roots. Host of @storiesinourroots podcast

@TheModernGenealogist: Genealogist • Historian • Educator • Story Teller • Optimist • Jack of All Trades

@Treasured_Families – Ditch the guilt around #familyhistory & embrace the fun!

@FillYourRoots: Fiona|The Family History Boss Genealogy : Hints, Tips & How To’s Creator of the “Ancestor Scratchpad”

@FamilyHistorianMom – Stories, discoveries, connections.

@TheMommyGenealogist: Founding member of @21DayConnect. Sharing ways to inspire your children and your family.

@WildeBranches: Family History
Graduated from BYU-Idaho, December 2019- degree in Family History Research.

@TwistedHistories – Musings on twisted & tangled family histories & genealogy. Know your people, know yourself. Make connections to feel connected.

@WhyFamilyHistory: I’m a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I love family history. 

Family History Photo Accounts

@FromShrubstoTreesGenealogy: Gifting “lost” memorabilia back to family. From Shrubs To Trees: A Pay-It-Forward Genealogy Group or The Nameless Bunch, both on FB. www.facebook.com/groups/1650356598425996

@PhotosWithoutFamilies: I’m Grete, nice to meet you! I identify family members in lost and found photos in my collection. Large collection of German photos.

@SaveFamilyPhotos – On a mission to save & share family stories, one photo at a time. #savefamilyphotos

Historical Accounts

@TheHistoryGirlNJ – Highlighting US history and architecture. Preserving the past and finding new ways to #SpreadTheHistory.

@TheCemeteryClub – Cemeteries = Museum of People! Tours, talks & photos celebrating those who’ve gone before us. Posts by@londonsalmon

Rootstech Connect 2021 Presenters

@Keepmovingforwardwithme – Family history tips and inspiration #FamilyHistoryForEveryone

@CristaCowan – I work for @ancestry. They call me The Barefoot Genealogist.

@Elizabeth_oneal – Helping you find creative, time-saving, low-cost ways to discover your ancestors and make the past a part of your present

@finlaymelissa – Research Associate at Legacy Tree Genealogists. Sharing family history stories & photo

@CarolinaGirlGenealogy – Genealogist, Speaker, Instructor, Writer.
Helping You Climb Your Family Tree

@moderngenealogy – LDS genealogist helping YOU get started with your family history work without the overwhelm!

@laura_hedgecock – Author speaker and blogger. Helping others tell their own and family stories. @Treasurechestofmemories.com #storytelling #familyhistory

@Livstreehouse – Techie, family history guru, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints member, national park lover, pta member, all around busy, happy, crazy momma!

@amyjohnsoncrow – Modern genealogy made easy. Find your ancestors without the overwhelm. Host of Generations Cafe podcast

@genealogyliteracy – Genealogy Librarian, author, speaker, cat lady, teaaholic, &Bibliophile! Welcome to the bourbon scented, crinkled pages of my somewhat southern life.

@iamthomreed – Deputy Chief Genealogical Officer @FamilySearch || Bishop of the Eastlake 3rd Ward of @churchofjesuschrist.

@thesingleleaf – The Single Leaf: researching individuals of the past in the context of #family, #community, and #social #history

@celebrateyourancestors

@bloodandfrogs – B&F provides info to assist those researching their Jewish Genealogy, including the 25,000 resources in the B&F Compendium for Jewish Genealogy.

@genealogyjustask – Robin Foster – Genealogy presenter, Certified HubSpot Inbound Marketer

@TheGenealogyKids – Visit our website at www.TheGenealogyKids.com and follow our Pinterest board: pin.it/j54b3umqb6y3sd

@EvalogueLife – Storytelling that inspires. Let us write your story for your business, nonprofit, family or yourself.

@familylinesandstories –

@inspirefamilyhistory – We provide ideas, resources, and tools for inspiring children of all ages to love family history!

@DiahanSouthard – At #yourDNAguide, we help turn DNA test results into meaningful family connections. #geneticgenealogy

@gwolf75 – Entrepreneur #genealogy #DNAtest #DesignThinking #ServiceDesign

@KatherineSchober – German genealogy

@genKracke – Timo Kracke Ganderkesee | DE | Blogger, Podcaster, Geocacher, Vater und ein bisschen Familienforschung verrückt. #familie#kids#ahnenforschung#geocaching

@ItalianAncestors – Leading resource in genealogy, based in Italy.

@FamilyCherished – International Speaker, Pro Genealogist & Historian, Author & eCourse creator 

@thefhguide – We make everyone’s family history journey easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable!

@GRIPittsburgh – Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh is offering 2 virtual sessions in the summer of 2021. Visit our website for details!

Genealogy Conference Accounts

@RootsTechOfficial -The world’s largest family history and technology conference. #RootsTech #RootsTechConnect 

@NGSGenealogy – National Genealogical Society. For generations: past, present, and future.

@SLIGInstitute – Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. #SLIG is an in-depth, week-long learning experience, held annually within walking distance of the renowned Family History Library. #Genealogy

Genealogy Businesses:

@Branches.art – Ancestor and traditional family trees.

@FamilySearch – Celebrating personal and family stories of past and present. Come discover your story with us!

@Ancestry – Connect with your family stories.

The post Family History Instagram Accounts to Follow appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Welcome to a directory for many of the best genealogy and family history hashtags on Twitter!

Ready to dive in and discover the best hashtags to use for family history when you Tweet? You are in the right place! Keep reading for a list of my favorites!

But first, here’s what you need to know about Twitter hashtags.

Getting the most out of genealogical hashtags

First – what is a hashtag?

Hashtag: A word or phrase preceded by a hash or pound sign used to identify messages on a specific topic i.e. #RootstechConnect 

Hashtags are searchable on Twitter and a way to connect with others who have the same interests. They are used in Twitter parties, for various initiatives, and to group tweets pertaining to the same topic together. 

Popular genealogy hashtags on Twitter

Popular for general use: I use #familyhistory or #genealogy in many of my posts! They are generic and commonly used among genealogists and hobbyists. Using those hashtags groups your tweet with similar hashtags.

Here are additional popular genealogy related hashtags:  #Ancestors #CousinBait #TwitterStorian #Ancestry #FamilyTree #History #Family #DNA #Genealogia #Heritage #genealogist #genetics #genealogyresearch #familyhistoryresearch #dnatestkit #familytree #genealogie #oralhistory 

Hashtags associated with businesses/events/shows: Businesses, events, and conferences often have their own hashtags. For example, it’s fun to follow all the tweets using #RootstechConnect throughout the three-day conference to see what other attendees are learning and doing!

#FamilySearch #Ancestry #AncestryDNA #Rootstech #RootstechConnect #MyHeritage #FindMyPast #RelativeRae

Hashtags associated with specific Twitter parties: Hashtags are essential for Twitter parties! Visit this post to see some of my favorites. 

#21DayExperiment #AncestryHour #ANZAncestryTime #OnePlaceStudies #OnePlaceWednesday  #OurAncestors #AncestryHour #GenChat #TimeTravelTalk #HouseHistoryHour #HistoryHuddle, #HistoriansCollaborate

Hashtags for specific topics: Hashtags are used for specific topics and initiatives as well.  

#AncestralTravel #IamNextGen#GenealogyShoutOut #StreetStudy #52Ancestors   #52Documents #GenealogyPhotoaDay

Tips for using hashtags on Twitter

• Hashtags make your Tweet more searchable. 
• Twitter recommends using no more than two hashtags per tweet. 
• Don’t use spaces in a hashtag.
• Don’t put punctuation in a hashtag. 
• Stay on topic. 

What are your favorite hashtags to use on Twitter for genealogy and historical topics?

Want to learn more about Twitter? Check out this list of genealogy and historical Twitter parties! 

The post Popular Twitter Hashtags for Genealogists and Family Historians appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Welcome! I hope you are enjoying RootsTech Connect 2022 as much as I am! This post is jam-packed with all the links and resources I talked about in my presentations and on social media. Enjoy and please comment with any questions!

Interview with Jen Allen + My Personal Road to RootsTech 

Helpful Tips/Resources

Don’t miss out on FREE Virtual Genealogy Consultations from the Family History Library! If you have attended RootsTech in the past, these are similar to the Coaches Corner. Sign up for a time to work one-on-one with a researcher via Zoom. You can sign up for one consultation a week now through March 20th. How exciting is that? 

My Classes/Handouts

Let’s Do Good Together: Big and Little Ways to Give Back Through Family History 

Watch: Let’s Do Good Together! 

Got five minutes? Or loads of spare time? Check out this list of Family History Service Opportunities.

Five Minute Family History Ideas

Watch: Five Minute Family History Ideas. 

No time? Try one of the 5-minute family history ideas from this list! 

Try out snacks from around the world with fun subscription boxes like MunchPak and International Yum Box.  Click on either of the links for $5 off your first box! 

Making the Most of Crowdsourcing on Twitter

Watch the class: Making the most of Crowdsourcing on Twitter

Directory of Genealogy and Historical Twitter Parties 

Best Hashtags for Genealogists on Twitter

Family History Resources for Homeschoolers

21 Day Experiment for Homeschoolers

Virtual Field Trips

40 Family History Activities for Children and Teens

Four Ways to Involve Children in Family History 

Family Tree Matching Game For Children

Free Resources for Creating Your Own Family Tree

Ideas for Creating Your Own Name Art 

Additional Units and Family History Activities 

Finding Your Cousins on Instagram

Family History Instagram Accounts to Follow

Best Hashtags for Genealogists on Instagram

The Power of the Post: Making Connections on Social Media

This post contains affiliate links. I only recommend products my family loves! Thank you for helping support our family history journey!

The post Rootstech appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Morgan Family Home – Pictture from Family Search

Ever since moving to our city , I’ve been researching a line of my ancestors who lived in nearby town. But that’s for a another blog post! There’s something special about living in the area your ancestors lived and imagining what it was like for them. Sometimes I focus so much on my own line, that I forget to spend time on my husband’s as well.

One evening at my son’s soccer game, I had my husband’s phone. I happened to be on the the Family Search app and clicked on the Map My Relatives feature. Much to my surprise – my husband also had ancestors who lived in city! Many were buried in the cemetery across from where my son was playing soccer. They were so close and I had no idea.

When I drove down Main Street, I wondered which buildings had been there when they were alive. Every old home I saw piqued my interest. Could it be their’s? We took my mother in law to visit her mother’s grave at the local cemetery over Memorial Day and located many other ancestors as well. Again, my heart turned to them and their stories.

One morning I logged into my husband’s Family Search account and the picture at the top of this blog post appeared. A picture of the Morgan family home in our city! My heart literally jumped. I had to find out if it was still standing.

I uploaded the photo to our city’s community Facebook page and the response was OVERWHELMING! Within less than an hour, community members and friends were helping me narrow it down to several possibilities in town. Photography experts chiming in. Long-time residents speaking up. History lovers giving insight.

But then the magic happened. The CONNECTIONS started with questions like …

“What was your great-great-grandfather’s name?”

“His name was Elmer Morgan. I found the picture through his brother Andrew on Family Search. His parents are Elizabeth Prior and David Morgan.”

“He is my great-great-grandfather, too.”

Could it be possible we were surrounded by relatives this whole time we had been living in Spanish Fork? After learning how to use the Relatives Around Me feature of the Family Search App at RootsTech, I shouldn’t have been surprised.

And the connections continued to pour in …

“My great great grandmother was a Morgan, Sarah Morgan Boyack! After she married a she raised my great grandma and her siblings right up the street at XXXXX (edited for privacy) I bet there’s some relation there!” 

“Oh there’s definitely a relation! I saw the last name Boyack this morning. Sarah is Elmer’s older sister! So I think this would have been her childhood home, too, maybe?”

The research suggestions were plentiful, too! Check in with the local Daughters of the Utah Pioneer museum. Visit the library (which I have and I found a book on our city’s early history that I am eager to read!)

One photo sparked 110 comments. Even those not related were interested in the homes history. History binds  a community together!

Finding the home made history come alive for me, my family, and our community. Elmer Morgan became more of a real person to us as we passed his home when we were out driving errands.

Here are a few other ways we have fun working on family history!

Family Tree Matching Game for Kids

Family History Bingo

The post Connect. Belong. Discoveries in Family History appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.