Engaging with Relatives at RootsTech in 2024

Hello Reader!

Imagine receiving a photograph of your great-great-grandparents from someone you've never met – a treasure from your past, unexpectedly revealed.

This happened to me when I did Relatives at RootsTech in 2022. The thrill of such serendipity is hard to match, and I'm here to guide you through creating these moments for you at RootsTech 2024.

If you would like to watch or listen to this article, click here for the video:

Relatives at RootsTech is Only for 30 Days

RootsTech, the event hailed as the Super Bowl of genealogy, offers an extraordinary opportunity to meet distant cousins and collaboratively explore your shared lineage. The experience, known as Relatives at RootsTech, isn't limited to those attending in person. Online participants too can enjoy all the perks. However, this door opens only until March 31st, so the time to gear up your family tree is now.

The Right Approach for Successful Connections

Planning is crucial. Don't underestimate the value of scheduling time to forge new familial bonds. Mark your calendar for RootsTech running from February 29 through March 2, and allocate at least an hour a day to engage with others through the app.

Equally important is your mindset. Approach Relatives at RootsTech with positivity and openness, ready to embrace whatever ancestral knowledge comes your way.

Linking Up with the FamilySearch Shared Tree

For the uninitiated, FamilySearch aims to craft a unified family tree for everyone who has ever lived. To join this project, you don’t need to import data from other tree software anymore; begin inside FamilySearch. Input your immediate lineage, and soon enough, you'll likely link up with the larger shared tree.

Once connected, you’ll encounter collaborators who've enriched your ancestors' profiles with stories, photos, and documents. It’s not just a genealogical goldmine; it's a springboard for reaching out to those sharing your genetic heritage.

Taking the First Steps Towards New Family Bonds

Starting conversations with distant cousins need not be daunting. Should you need a little guidance, grab the free download I created: RootsTech 2024 Guide PA Ancestors.pdf It offers prompts and tips to initiate heartfelt and meaningful exchanges.

Your RootsTech 2024 Checklist for connections:

• Register for RootsTech and opt into Relatives at RootsTech.
• Set up or plug into your family tree on FamilySearch.
• Reserve daily meet-up time during and after the conference.
• Bring a positive and open attitude to your ancestral quest.
• Initiate conversations using the provided conversation starters.

So far I am partnering with a fellow family historian on our Lauck family line. There's much confusion with two, maybe three, Peter Lauck's in the 1780s to 1840s and we look forward to documenting and un-confusing ourselves together.

Denyse Allen, Founder of PA Ancestors and Chronicle Makers​

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P.S. if you are curious, here's what I'm working on now.​

P.P.S. Look for my updates from RootsTech on Instagram and Facebook from today through Sunday!

And one final special P.S. -

On Tuesday March 5th I'm holding a special workshop online on How to Research at the Pennsylvania State Archive. If you are planning a trip there this year, you'll want to attend this workshop. Here's a link with the details: https://lu.ma/vvzpgh9z ​