Genealogy Travel: The Trip’s not Over

I have recently traveled to South Carolina 

where I was celebrating my birthday. I had a

marvelous celebration with my family. Between walks on the beach, grilling on the deck, playing board games & enjoying my family I found time to visit libraries.

I visited three libraries in search of my Brown, Brumfield, Faulkenberry/Fortenberry & Ott families:

The York County Library, 138 East Black Street, Rock Hill, SC

The Orangeburg County Library, 510 Louis St., Orangeburg, SC

The Lancaster Co. Library, 313 South White St., Lancaster, SC

The trip’s not over until I sort and organize my findings. Now that I’m home I pulled out the folders that hold the photocopies I made. I make sure each set of pages is marked with the library where I found the resource.  Then I put the pages into binders according to county they reference. I found some history of Orangeburg County in the York County Library. Those pages went into the Orangeburg binder with a note indicating where I found that book.

I also have a binder for materials that relate to the state as a whole. For example: Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution by Bobby Gilmer Moss & Indexes to the County Wills of South Carolina compiled by Martha Lou Houston.

Next I go through everything, page by page & highlight any names that are definite connections. I go to my Family Tree Maker program, go to that person and record the findings with a full citation in the Person Notes section. I make notes, in pencil, on the photocopies for names that are possible connections.

If I don’t follow through right away and organize this information it will just become another paper in a pile of papers. To be of value I have to know where papers came from and where I can get my hands on them in the future. I have some work ahead of me to finish this up & then my trip will be over.