Viking Magazine - July 2020 - 28

Also be mindful that speaking with
two relatives might result in different
answers from each person, Paulson
says. " Position in the birth order
can make a difference in what they
remember or heard as a child. Older
siblings may have different stories
than the younger sibling in the same
family. "
And last but not least, with
permission, record the interview so
you can review it afterward, Warner
says. You may want to listen to it in
the future purely for enjoyment.
help it flourish
Next up in your genealogical
documentation is identifying the
blank spots. Trying to eliminate them
all at once can be overwhelming.
Instead, for example, choose one
or two families of particular interest
and address the questions about
them first.
Most beginners find that the
internet and library are good
places to start. Resources unique
to Norwegians and NorwegianAmericans
are history books
called bygdebøker, which contain
compilations of local genealogical,
cultural and geographical information
for almost every area of Norway.
" These books contain the history of
the community, history of the farms
and genealogies of the people who lived
on these farms, " Paulson explains.
" Americans are always surprised to
discover that the books are written in
Norwegian, not English. A few of them
have been translated, but it doesn't
require having a masters in Norwegian
language to pick out the meanings of
keywords in genealogy, such as birth,
baptism, confirmation, death and
burial. "
You can also take your search to one
of the thousands of Family History
Centers scattered throughout the U.S.
These sites house the biggest collection
of genealogical data in the world,
a history center, in a book or even
bygdebøk, however. You should
also consult multiple sources when
gathering information, and crosscheck
when you can. As you go, be
sure to record every resource you
checked and the information you
found-as well as what you did not
find. Then you won't waste time
duplicating your work down the road.
enjoy the fruits of
your labor
When it feels like you've got a fairly
full picture of your past, enjoy the
feeling of accomplishment. Share your
findings with family in a physical
form or online, where they can
discuss the data with you and maybe
even add their own.
While it may seem daunting in the
early stages, Knudson says genealogy
is simple to start and fun to continue.
" It's a puzzle, mystery, treasure hunt
and time machine all in one, "
he says.
including more than 2 million rolls of
microfilmed records containing birth,
marriage and death certificates.
Keep in mind that not all of your
missing data can be found online, at
As a bonus, throughout your
genealogical exploration, Knudson
says you'll gain research skills, and
you may even learn a new language.
But the true benefits, he says, come
from the connections we make along
the way, " and learning to see the
world-even a different world-
through another's eyes. "
Useful Tools
Norwegian American
Genealogical Center
& Naeseth Library
nagcnl.org
Norwegian-American
Historical Association
naha.stolaf.edu
Sons of Norway's Cultural
Skills Program in Genealogy
sofn.com
American Ancestors
americanancestors.org
Ancestry
ancestry.com
Chronicling America,
Library of Congress
chroniclingamerica.loc.gov
Family Tree Magazine
familytreemagazine.com
fold3
fold3.com
The Digital
Archive
digitalarkivet.no/en
The National
Archives
of Norway
arkivverket.no/en
28 VIKING JULY 2020 sonsofnorway.com
PHOTO ECLIPSE IMAGES / ISTOCK

http://www.digitalarkivet.no/en http://www.sofn.com http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov http://www.nagcnl.org http://www.familytreemagazine.com http://www.americanancestors.org http://naha.stolaf.edu http://www.arkivverket.no/en http://www.ancestry.com http://www.fold3.com http://www.sonsofnorway.com

Viking Magazine - July 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Viking Magazine - July 2020