Kylie Willison

When she participated in my recent meme challenge to Australian geneabloggers I realised that I had not yet asked Kylie to submit a profile to Genimates.

I thank Kylie for her support of my efforts and for responding so swiftly to my plea for a GeniMates profile.

Date: 7/9/2011
Name: Kylie Willison
Hometown: Flaxley, South Australia now live in Adelaide, South Aust
Are you a Hobbyist or Professional Genealogist? Hobbyist

What, if any, formal or informal studies have you undertaken that are relevant to genealogical research?
I haven't undertaken any genealogical studies.

How long have you been chasing ancestors? 6 years

How did you get hooked on genealogy?
I found an online family tree site and started filling in my tree and then wanted to know more, and more, and more.

What is your day job? Student

What are your areas of Expertise in Genealogy?
I love helping others with using their computer and the Internet.

Please outline your involvement in Genealogy Societies and Groups:
I'm a member of the South Australian Genealogy and Heraldry Society.

What are the lands of your ancestors?
Australia
England
Scotland
Prussia
Cornwall
Ireland

What Family Names are you Researching?
Buring
Buehring
Wigley
Willison
Scadden (Scaddan or 'on')
Chapman
Boyd
Reid
Hayward
Welsh
Rubeni
Heeps
Tyrrell
Plunkett
Moon
Burnet
Muir
Bodger

Who is your favourite ancestor? Why?
One of my favourites is Ellen Mary Patten, formerly Welsh, nee Chamberlain. Ellen came to Australia with her sister when they were quite young, she survived a shipwreck, insolvency, living in city and country areas, the death of several of her children and her first husband and living hundreds of miles away from her family. What an amazing woman.

What ancestral city or town would you like to visit? Why?
Scotland because I have ancestors from both sides of my family there.

What is your favourite resource for genealogy?
My favourite resource would have to be Trove. There is so much information to find there besides the cold hard facts of births, deaths and marriages.

Do you keep your genealogy files on paper? Yes
Do you keep your genealogy files on a computer? Yes

What genealogy software do you use to record your family tree?
I use ancestry.com to record my family tree. My sister and I work on it together from time to time and this way we both have access. I also download a gedcom file of the tree to take with me on my Android phone. I use Family Bee on the phone.

Do you have your tree posted on the internet? Yes

What Social Networking Sites do you use for genealogy?
Ancestry, Facebook, Other

Do you have a blog? Yes
What are your blogs' URLs? http://kyliewillison.blogspot.com

What are your Other Hobbies, Activities, Interests?
I'm currently studying Cert IV in Textile Arts so this keeps me very busy.

What is your favourite leisure time activity apart from genealogy?
Crocheting

What is your favourite (non genealogy) book?
Currently Tomorrow When The War Began by John Marsden

What is your personal philosophy in a few words ?
I follow Jesus.

Alona Tester

Have you wondered who is responsible for all of those tweets, Facebook  and blog posts from Gould Genealogy.

Thanks to Alona Tester, The voice of Gould Genealogy, for submitting a profile to GeniMates. I have really enjoyed getting to know you.

Date March 3, 2011

Hometown Adelaide, South Australia

Are you a Hobbyist or Professional Genealogist? Hobbyist

What, if any, formal or informal studies have you undertaken that are relevant to genealogical research?

No formal research. I have taken a few of Graham Jaunay's courses, as well as having sat in many talks at events over the years.

How did you get hooked on genealogy?

I grew up with it, literally having been born into a family where my dad (Alan Phillips) was researching our family way, way back. So I've always had an interest, but only relatively recently made the 'ok, I'm gonna do this for myself' decision.

What is your day job?

I have the awesome job of working at Gould Genealogy ... I am the buyer, office manager, customer service helper, website updater, newsletter organiser and the voice of Gould Genealogy on our blog, as well as Facebook and Twitter.

How long have you been chasing ancestors?

About 5 years

What are your areas of Expertise in Genealogy?

No official expertise, but I do have a good knowledge of genealogy products, as well as publishers, websites and keeping up with genealogy news in general. I also can offer suggestions to many who ask "Where can I look next?"

Please outline your involvement in Genealogy Societies and Groups

I am a member of two Societies, the South Australian Genealogy & Heraldry Society, as well as the Cornish Family History Society. Though not an active member, I do maintain these memberships as they both relate to areas where my ancestors were.

What are the lands of your ancestors?

Australia: mostly South Australia
England: for my family largely Cornwall and Devon (well, those that I'm researching now)
Finland
United States: New Jersey, New York

What Family Names are you Researching?

I don't get a lot of time to do my own research, so I don't have a heap of families that I'm chasing ... but those I am are:

BANFIELD
- Redruth, Cornwall, England
- New Jersey, United States
DALEY
- South Australia, Australia
GOULD
- South Australia, Australia
KELLY
- Isle of Man, England
- South Australia, Australia
KEMP
- Lamorran, Cornwall, England
PHILLIPS
- Redruth, Cornwall, England
- New Jersey, United States
- Moonta, South Australia, Australia
POLKINGHORNE
- Cornwall, England
TREWARTHA
- Redruth, Cornwall, England
- New Jersey, United States
WINTER
- Helsinki, Finland
- South Australia, Australia

Who is your favourite ancestor? Why?

My favourite would be my great grandpa Otto Rafael WINTER. He was born in Helsinki, Finland in 1880, and became a seaman so as to avoid to compulsory military service with the Russian Army.

According to family lore, he sailed around the world several times on various ships. I still have a block of 5 years between 1902 and 1907 where I can't track him.

He did eventully jump ship in Queensland, Australia, where he met and married Irene DALEY, and had four children. He became naturalised and went to fight WWI and WWII for the Australian Army.

While I do know a reasonable amount about Otto, it is his missing five years, and also the 18 years in Finland that I know little of, so am still searching.

What ancestral city or town would you like to visit? Why?

I would have to say Helsinki, Finland, probably because Otto WINTER is the person I have spent the longest time researching a single person, as well as also now having contact with distant family there.

What is your favourite resource for genealogy?

There are many ... but I will narrow it down to three:
Ancestry.com - I wouldn't have found my US family without it
RootsWeb - I've had numerous successes with contact and suggestions on these mailing lists
Cyndis List - Love this site!! It's where to look first, when you don't know where to look.

Do you keep your genealogy files on paper?

Yes

Do you keep your genealogy files on a computer?

Yes

What genealogy software do you use to record your family tree?

I use Legacy Family Tree for entering, and The Master Genealogist for printing out charts

Do you have your tree posted on the internet?
No
 

What Social Networking Sites do you use for genealogy?

Ancestry, Facebook, Genes Reunited, Twitter, Other

Do you have a blog?

Yes

What are your blogs' URLs?

http://www.gouldgenealogy.com

What are your Other Hobbies, Activities, Interests?

Between work, and genealogy it doesn't leave a lot of time for other activities, but I do read a heap of genealogy mags and novels, I like scrapbooking though I haven't done it much, and I do practice karate.

What is your favourite lesiure time activity apart from genealogy?

Karate

What is your favourite (non genealogy) book?

anything by Dean Koontz

What is your personal philosophy in a few words ?

Life really is what you make it

If you have anything else to share please add it below
I am fortunate enough to be able to work in an environment surrounded by genealogy (products and people), and for that I am very thankful. I do hope that I am able to help others with my knowledge and advice when they ask.

Some general tips ...
- EVERYONE has an interesting story. Just because you don't think it isn't, doesn't mean others won't find it of interest, so write own your memoirs or even anecdotes.
- Label photographs. Everyone would prefer not to have to guess who-is-who
- When filling in a chart, ALWAYS write it in pencil first. I think everyone learns this one the hard way ... LOL.
- Family history really is a lifetime hobby, so don't think you can do it all in a year or two

For all researchers, you know the journey in family history is super-frustrating and super-exciting ... but always interesting ... and what's more is that it's YOUR family!!

Wayne Cheeseman - The Co-Ordinator

Date 25 February 2011

The Australian Genealogists Group on Genealogy Wise has over 300 members. One of the most active members is "The Co-Ordinator" who carries out many acts of genealogical kindness for other members of the group.  Wayne goes to enormous lengths to help others discover their roots. I was very pleased when The Co-Ordinator responded to my request for a profile for Genimates.

Name Wayne Cheeseman ( The Co-Ordinator)

Hometown Adelaide, South Australia

Are you a Hobbyist or Professional Genealogist? Avid Hobbyist

What, if any, formal or informal studies have you undertaken that are relevant to genealogical research?

No Studies Just self trained from Indexing and Transcribing.

How did you get hooked on genealogy?
From a very close friend of mine who asked me to look something up for her and have not stopped since.

What is your day job? 
Retired

How long have you been chasing ancestors?
Near on 5 years

What are your areas of Expertise in Genealogy?

I have no expertise, I use plain commonsense and have learnt to blanket search when the need arises that gives me great pleasure in helping others.

Please outline your involvement in Genealogy Societies and Groups
My involvement has been self made being spurred on by the LDS when I visited a History Centre . From that I now index for them but am not a member of LDS.
I also now Transcribe for the Lancashire Archives.
And when I am in the TROVE site I correct the Digital wrongs so it's easier for others to read.
From this I have learnt how to read the old writing.
My next challenge will be Latin.

What are the lands of your ancestors?
Lubeck, Germany and Venezia in Venice
England n Wales
Salt Lake City ,Utah USA
Hanover, Germany

What Family Names are you Researching?
HASSE now pre 1659.

AUFDERHEIDE from my fathers' line

Who is your favourite ancestor? Why?
Faustia Bordoni & Johann Peter Hasse

The start of the 3rd generation of my Mother's family

What ancestral city or town would you like to visit? Why?
Venezia - As this is the place of my third generation started.

What is your favourite resource for genealogy?
I have quite few but 2 main ones are WVR.com and Trove 

Do you keep your genealogy files on paper?
Yes

Do you keep your genealogy files on a computer?
Yes

What genealogy software do you use to record your family tree?
Nil have my own setup

Do you have your tree posted on the internet?
No

What Social Networking Sites do you use for genealogy?
GenealogyWise, Genes Reunited, Geni, MyHeritage , Other

Do you have a blog?
No

What are your Other Hobbies, Activities, Interests?
Have been told I'm Adelaide's oldest Teenager because I own and drive a very fast purpose built, performance car.

What is your favourite lesiure time activity apart from genealogy?
Studying and learning about our Greatest River Murray

What is your personal philosophy in a few words ?
Am a positive thinker that lives on the day I'm in.