With the help of "findagrave", I hope to locate all of my direct line ancestor graves and restore them for the next generation, before they are lost beneath the sod or beyond repair. I would like to thank volunteers from findagrave for taking the time to research and help in this process.

I started researching my family tree in the late 1960s, whilst helping to catalogue my mother's already extensive research. Being a family records custodian is a vital, long-term responsibility. To help organize, digitise, and preserve collections.

Here are some of the current processes.

1. Assessment & Sorting

• Separate by Media Type: Group documents (certificates, letters), photographs, and objects (medals, heirlooms) into distinct piles. [1, 2, 3, 4]
• Weed Duplicates: Remove redundant copies of obituaries or modern print-outs, retaining only the originals or most comprehensive versions. [1]
• Identify Critical Vital Records: Isolate primary documents (birth, marriage, death certificates, wills) as these form the anchor of your family tree. [1, 2]

2. Physical Preservation

• Remove Hazards: Discard all rubber bands, paper clips, and adhesive tapes. Do not laminate any historic documents.
• Use Archival Materials: Store physical papers in acid-free folders and polypropylene or polyester sleeves.
• Environmental Control: Store your physical collection in a cool, dry, and dark area (e.g., a wardrobe or cupboard), avoiding attics and basements where temperature and humidity fluctuate severely. [1, 2]

3. Digitization & Backup

• Scan at High Resolution: Scan documents at a minimum of 300 DPI and photographs at 600 DPI. Save as uncompressed formats like TIFF or high-quality JPEG for preservation. [1, 2, 3]
• Apply the 3-2-1 Rule: Keep 3 total copies of your digital files, on 2 different media types (e.g., local hard drive and an external SSD), with 1 offsite backup (e.g., a secure cloud service like Google Drive, Dropbox, or a genealogical platform)

4. Organization & Sharing

• Standardize File Naming: Use a consistent naming convention, such as Surname_GivenName_RecordType_Year. (e.g., Smith_John_BirthCertificate_1912).
• Choose a Central Repository: Build your family tree using digital software or cloud platforms to make the information easily searchable for the family

I still hold most information offline.

My main online accounts are: Wikitree, Ancestry and Findagrave