Creating a timeline is a great tool for a variety of
genealogy research tasks. Timelines can help see holes in the research, can be
used to analyze and correlate data, and can help distinguish between two
same-named people.
The best way I use timelines is to assist in my writing. My
timelines include all the events of a person’s life and each is fully cited. I
like to create my timelines in a word processing program to utilize the footnote
feature. However, timelines can be created in a spreadsheet program or by using
tables in a word processing program. Just be sure to have a column for your citations.
When I’m ready to write about one of my ancestors or
collateral lines, I take out the timeline. I have all the events in their life
from birth to death recorded on the timeline, and the events I include come from
census, directories, newspaper articles, military records, deeds, court
records, and vital records. Any source that references them would be included.
Writing becomes easier because I have all the facts along
with the citations already created. All I need to do is copy and paste the
citations into the footnotes.
Here is an example of a timeline for William A. Loveless of
Arkansas.
If I wanted to write about his Civil War service, I have a start as I have entered the various events from his pension file and the books of rosters. Before I begin, I might do a little more research on his unit and add more events if I find additional information. The items I add don’t have to be just events he was mentioned in, but I could also add events of battles the unit participated in, even if he was not mentioned.
In conclusion, it is well worth the time it takes to create
a complete timeline with citations. It will make it easier to begin writing
those ancestor stories.
#52Ancestors-Week 34: Timelines—A Great Way to Jumpstart
Your Writing
This is my fifth year working on this year-long prompt,
hosted by Amy Johnson Crow (https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/)
at Generations Cafe. I write each week on one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s
Southern Family or My
Trails into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s
ancestors in new and exciting ways.
Very good suggestion to include citations in your timeline...makes it easier to retrace your steps, get additional information, etc.!
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