Find Ancestors

Here's why.

When you post a trying to Find message, this is often how it often works.

You are looking at the "Trying to find" board for a particular surname -- a surname that interests you. It is in your personal surname list. From that list, you clicked on the name, and you went to the "Trying to Find Smith" board (or whatever name it is).

So there you are on the Trying to Find Smith board.
You click "Add Topic".

On your screen, there is a line that says:

"Trying to find surname" and in the box it says "Smith".

You type your message, and you click "submit".

Your post gets added to the Trying to Find Smith board, where all the people like you who are trying to find Smiths will read it.

What you probably don't know is this.

It also gets added to the Trying to Find board. That's the great big board where posts by people trying to find *any* surname all show up, together.

And that nice surname that was attached to your post when you wrote it? -- it isn't there any more.

So you wrote a post that looked like this:


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Thread Subject: John who married Mary Brown 1875
Trying to find surname: Smith

I am trying to find information about my great-grandfather John who married Mary Brown and had children:
Annie 1890
William 1892
Jane 1894
If anyone can tell me who John's parents were I would be grateful!

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But here's where it goes wrong. This is what people who are looking at the great big general Trying to Find board see:


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Thread subject: John who married Mary Brown 1875
I am trying to find information about my great-grandfather John who married Mary Brown ...

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And what's the first thing you think when you see that?

JOHN WHO???

So that is exactly what people will be asking you -- if you don't put a SURNAME *in your subject line* or at least at the beginning of your post.

And the second thing you think, now that you know this, is:

WHO INVENTED THIS STUPID SYSTEM? And why don't they fix it???

And those are very good questions.

The people who volunteer their time here to help other people trace their family histories would love to hear the answer.

But meanwhile, we'll just ask:

Please put a surname in your subject line!

And don't forget to put *all* the names and dates and places that you know in your post, to help the helpers help you.

And please don't type in ALL CAPITALS.

And if you could, please try to hit the Enter key a couple of times now and then. This will separate your information so it isn't all jammed up into one long sentence. A list of names and dates, on separate lines, is even nicer.

If it's easy to understand what you are asking, and to follow the information you are giving, you will get more help with the answers.

Thanks and good luck!

** for more posting tips **
(if you are not already reading the Posting Tips trying-to-find board)

Please look on the left side of the Trying to Find board.

If you see "remove this filter", click on it. Then, or if it doesn't say that, type

posting tips

in the "surname filter" box.

You will find the beginning of a library of tips for newbie posters (and even oldies).

Please note: this advice applies also to the boards

SURNAME INFORMATION
and
HISTORY

The surname under which you post will not be seen by readers who are not reading your post on that specific surname board.

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Hi Kathryn

Excellent advice, can I just add:

Please note when posting on the message boards you will *not* receive an email when someone adds to the post. To check if anyone has responded click on the 'MyThreads' link down the left side of the screen.

Regards
LfW

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Hi Kathryn,

Thank you for the posting tips, will come in useful I'm sure.

Question: I have noticed several 'messages' that only contain the letter 'n'. What does this mean please?

Thanks, Carolyn

Nudge up

or b for Bump up

excellent advice!

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