Calling all Genea-Musings Fans:
It’s Saturday Night again –
Time for some more Genealogy Fun!!
Come on, everybody, join in and accept the mission and execute it with precision.
1) What plans, or potential plans, do you have to pass your genealogy work to relatives and/or descendants, or posterity?
Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: What Will Happen to My Genealogy Work?
Like many genealogists, I’ve wondered what will happen to my years of research after I’m gone. While I’d love for one of my nieces or nephew to take on the collection, I’m realistic enough to know that may not happen. At one point, I considered donating it all to a historical society—but again, I understand that storage space and long-term interest may be limited.
Our trust agreement takes this into account. My niece is designated to make decisions regarding my genealogy materials, while my husband’s niece will do the same for his collection. That means my niece will inherit not just the paper files and photos in my office, but also access to my genealogy-related accounts and my laptop. She’ll have the passwords and, hopefully, the guidance she needs to determine how best to handle all that digital data.
Knowing this, I’ve made it a goal not only to preserve my work but to make it available now, while I can still share it myself. I use RootsMagic to organize my research and TreeShare to sync updates with my Ancestry tree. I’ve also uploaded my tree to MyHeritage and created narrative reports with sources to share on WikiTree.
Beyond trees, I’m focusing on sharing photos and documents through FamilySearch. My files contain more than just names and dates—they include birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, Bible records, funeral books, military records, and other family treasures that aren’t easy to find online. By uploading these to the Memories section on FamilySearch profiles, I’m able to “pass them on” to cousins and other descendants, even if we’ve never met.
In fact, the more I share my work, the less I worry about whether anyone will be willing—or able—to keep a room full of records. Knowing that the stories, images, and documents are already out in the world gives me peace of mind. It may not be the traditional way to pass something on, but it ensures that the family history I’ve spent a lifetime uncovering won’t be lost.