What Not to Submit for a Lineage Application

In most lineage society guidelines and rules there are definite do's and don'ts included.  Some are a bit obscure, but overall they are definitive.

What should you submit:
Actual documentation of the fact you are stating. This would include as many original documents that you can find.

What you shouldn't submit:
Abstracted indexes, written biographies (unless proving dates), personal family histories, published family histories, and internet information (unless it is an original record and it is sourced).

The purpose of a lineage application is to document and prove your relationship to your ancestor's. As genealogists, we want the best proof argument we can provide.

With the addition of so many records on different websites today, it is very easy to succumb to that abstracted index of information we find.  However, that abstracted information should lead us back to the original record. The original record is always the best proof document. Remember, an abstract may not always retrieve all of the information found in that document.

If you live far away from your research area, try using local genealogical societies for research assistance. Local libraries in the area may also help you.

When I receive an application to review that only has three original documents in a stack of paper one inch thick, I'm not sure if our organization is expressing our wants clearly to potential applicants, or if the applicant is taking the "easy" route and using the quickest and easiest methods that they feel will accomplish their goal.

Joining a lineage society means that you are documenting your lineage through the best documents and resources that you can find to do that. It is always amazing to me that so many records exist pre-1800 that allow applicants to really put together an interesting and complete application.

In effect, you are documenting your research skills. You are leaving behind a lasting legacy for future generations to know their individual pasts as well. You want that legacy to be the best resource for those in the future.

The judges of lineage societies are usually willing to answer questions of applicants and help point them in the right direction. If you have a question, please don't hesitate to ask.

Are My Ancestors Better than Yours?

OK, you missed the deadline for the 2011 Lineage Society applications for the Ohio Genealogical Society.  Now, you have all year to procrastinate again.  Start now and you can submit your application for the 2012 deadline of December 31.  The 2013 OGS Conference will be held in Cincinnati, OH.

Let me ask a question.  How do you perceive the concept of a Lineage Society?
Do you see a lineage society as a "my ancestor is better than yours" society?  Or, do you see a lineage society as an "honoring my ancestor" society?  I would like your feedback on your concept of a lineage society.

Any time you apply to a lineage society, of any kind, you must first understand the principle and intent behind that organization.  You have some societies that are extremely difficult to be accepted to, and you have some societies that are very easy to be accepted to.

Does joining a  lineage society make you a different person? No, I don't think it makes you any different.  If anything, it should make you appreciate the sacrifices and hardships your ancestors endured in order for you to even become a member of a lineage society.

Does the fact that you may receive physical recognition of your research efforts make you a different person?  It is tangible evidence that you have researched and documented and spent hours of time putting together your lineage application in the first place. 

The Ohio Genealogical Society has four different lineage groups to honor your ancestors.  We have First Families of Ohio (your ancestor had to have lived in Ohio prior to the end of 1820); Settlers and Builders of Ohio (your ancestor had to have lived in Ohio between 1821 and the end of 1860); Century Families of Ohio (your ancestor had to have lived in Ohio between 1861 and 100 years prior to the current year); and the Society of Civil War Families of Ohio (SCWFO).  SCWFO is one of the few lineage societies that allows you to submit a collateral relative.  Upon application and acceptance to these groups you receive a certificate and a medal.  If your ancestor lived in Ohio prior to 1803 when Ohio became a state, you receive another special pin.

Wear do you wear these medals?  What do you do with them?  I wear mine to conferences and to special events related to the organizations that I am a member of.  How do I wear them?  Sometimes, I simply pin them on the clothes I am wearing.  For the OGS conference, my pins are on my name badge holder.  I also wear my pins when I am doing a program on lineage societies. The medals and pins could eventually go in to a shadow box for display. 

The certificates are currently in a notebook.  They could be framed and put on a wall.  (I don't have a lot of wall space in my home)

Joining a lineage society is NOT  meant to proclaim "my ancestor is better than yours."  It should be for the simple reason that you are honoring your ancestors and leaving a legacy of their contributions and lives for future generations and researchers.  Your ancestors do not have to be rich and famous to honor them.