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My name is Colleen and I find dead people.

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19 May, 2009

Database Overhaul Day 8 Updated

In regards to the glitch with RM4, I deleted the small, hand-entered file I'd originally started since I don't use it. I then closed the program. I got the same window asking me if I wanted to "Backup This Database", "Skip this Database", or "Skip All Databases". I chose to "Backup This Database". It backed it up and I got the little window saying so. Again, it gives me the same window asking what I want to do with the database. This pop-up window will continue to appear until I click on "Skip This Database". Since there is now only one database file in there, it should close after I make my initial selection. Why does this matter? In the scheme of things it's not a big deal, but I start second guessing myself when I see the same window continually open; it makes me think I did something wrong or didn't complete something.

17 May, 2009

Database Overhaul: Day 8 and a Success Story!

I was able to do a little more work on my overhaul. I was working on my paternal grandfather, Joseph Dennis McHugh. I'd had his death date as 29 Sep 1976, but no source was listed. I checked the SSDI and it only had the month and year. I checked all my obits, but do not have any referencing him after his death. Therefore, I removed the "29" from his death date since I don't have a clue how that date came to be. I did make a note of it in his "Death Notes" section, though so I will know later to research it.

Now I think I have found a bug in RootsMagic 4. When I started working with RM, I'd begun manually entering data, starting with myself. After determining that it was too difficult to do it this way since I didn't have a printed report to work on, I imported my file from Family Tree Maker. I made this imported file a new file; I did not merge it with the little information I'd entered by hand, and I named the imported file something different.

Now the glitch. When I close down RM4, I get a window that says "Back Up the Following Databases?" with the name of the open database and three choices: "Back Up This Database", "Skip this Database" and "Skip all Databases". Since I'm only working on one and had only opened that one (the imported one), I click on "Back Up This Database". I then get the same pop up window for the small, hand-entered database I didn't open, so I click on "Skip this Database". I then get another pop-up window that asks me what I want to do with the first, imported database I was working with and already backed up. After saying "Yes" to overwriting this database, it will then close. If I say no to overwriting, I'll keep getting the pop-up window asking what I want to do with the file until I click on "Skip all databases". What's up with this?

Now, a SUCCESS STORY :). For some reason, I decided to do a search for my elusive paternal great-grandparents' family in 1900 in Kansas. Once again, I plugged his name (Edward Hodick) into Ancestry.com, narrowing it to 1890-1915, and expanding to use Soundex. The first result was a Kansas State Census database I'd never seen before: Must have been one of the new additions to the site. I scrolled one page for the indexed Edward Hudic and guess what? It's THEM!

(photo courtesy of http://www.ancestry.com/)

How cool is this? Not much information on this page, but it still is something. They were living right where I expected them to: In Frontenac, Crawford County, KS. In the 1900 U.S. Census, they were in Washington Township, KS, which I'm guessing is a neighboring town in the same county. I'm still looking for him in 1910. From Sylvestina Hodick-Kovaleski-Kinney's obituary (my grandma's sister), the family moved to Askum, PA in 1915, and Sylvestina (Vesta) was born in Kansas in 1910 or 11.

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