2019 Genealogy Goals

2018 was a year of upheaval for me, and I did not have a lot of time to devote to genealogy. I certainly did not achieve all of my family history-related goals last year, although I made progress on a few larger projects and continued to blog when possible. I expect that 2019 will be more of the same, as my personal and work commitments will take precedence over genealogy, but I'd still like to set some goals to keep myself focused.

I set genealogy goals for myself in 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2014. Whether I actually achieve all my goals or not, it's helpful to think about top priorities each year so I can stay on task.

Here are my goals for 2019:

1. Continue writing about my Smith line. I've been working on this for a while now, and there's still more to share.

2. Write about the Lindsey family of Frankfort, Kentucky. I rescued some old letters from my local antique store belonging to the Lindsey family. I will be writing about them here and trying to return the letters to a Lindsey descendant.

3. Organize and archive. My family will be moving in 2019 (again), and I am eager to get my genealogy files unpacked and organized so they can be easily accessed. I will also continue to scan and archive my materials, particularly the photos and original documents left to me by my grandmother.

4. Research my Burns and Matthews ancestors. The search for more information on my direct maternal line has been a frustrating one. I have a big brick wall in Nancy Matthews Burns, my 4th great grandmother. This family came from the Carolinas to Tennessee and on to Illinois in the 1800s. I will continue to research them and see if I can make any headway.

Happy New Year! I hope 2019 will be happy and productive for all of us.