My Genealogy Superhero. Image courtesy of AKARAKINGDOMS at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
One of my favourite superheroes is Superman, created by Toronto-born Joe Shuster. And one of my favourite genealogy superheroes also happens to be Canadian.
My genealogy superhero can leap over brickwalls with a single bound. She can type answers to genealogy puzzles faster than a speeding bullet. Seeing no borders, she soars from one country to another.
My genealogy superhero is Lorine McGinnis Schulze, creator of the almost 20-year-old Olive Tree Genealogy website, a terrific resource that provides free Canadian and American genealogy resources plus so much more.
My superhero, unfortunately, was not included on blogger Tami Osmer Mize’s list of Genealogy’s Top Ten Superheroes. Ms. Osmer Mize put together a terrific list, but it appears she may have limited it to Americans. Or perhaps she has yet to encounter the powers of my superhero.
How to be a genealogy superhero
For me, genealogy superheroes are those who work tirelessly to provide us with resources and who come to our rescue when we have reached a roadblock in our research.
Ms. Osmer Mize writes in her blog, Relatively Curious, that a genealogy superhero is someone who spends “countless thankless hours transcribing, digitizing, writing, teaching, and sharing information.” That description describes my genealogy superhero to a tee.
Not just Canadian resources
On Olive Tree Genealogy, Ms. McGinnis Schulze has assembled more than 1,900 pages of free genealogy records and more than 1,500 free ships’ passenger lists for Canada, US, and South Africa to help us find our brick-wall ancestors and build our family tree. She has transcribed thousands of records for us, including church records from England.
The website also contains Palatine genealogy, African Canadian, Native American genealogy, Huguenots, Walloons, Mennonites, Quakers, almshouse records, orphan records, BMDs, military (including Loyalist muster rolls), census records, Ontario land records, sections for each Canadian province and territory, and Lost Faces (more than 2,400 19th-century photos).
Not to be overlooked is a huge New Netherland section of resources about New York in the 1600s and 1700s.
When you visit Olive Tree Genealogy, make sure you check out the tutorials, help files, and genealogy guides.
Lorine McGinnis Schulze, without her genealogy superhero cape.
Superpowers
On numerous occasions, I have seen Ms. Schulze swoop in to help researchers on Facebook. She answers their questions and providing resources, recommendations, and even the actual record. She has certainly rescued me several times by virtually holding my hand as I learned how to use new-to-me resources, Pinterest, and Twitter.
And there’s more. In all, Ms. Shulze manages ten websites and ten blogs.
I guess it’s true what I heard. Superheroes never sleep.
Who are your Genealogy Superheroes?
To see the original list of caped crusaders, read Ms. Osmer Mize’s Genealogy’s Top Ten Superheroes.
Holy cow!! Wow, you are making me BLUSH! Seriously, I’m blown away by your kindness in describing me and my endeavours so kindly. Thank you for recognizing my work, which is my joy for me to do. I’m honoured to be part of this amazing genealogy community.
Now THIS sounds like some “random blogger’s” top 10 list. All US I note. Perhaps Tami could expand yourself in terms of getting to know the rest of the genealogy world.
I can’t begin to imagine creating a worldwide list of all amazing genealogy volunteers – it would easily number thousands! My list was in no way the final word, nor the end-all of anything, that’s for sure. I randomly limited it to ten people who are usually overlooked in popularity contests because they work more in the background, quietly providing great content. I was hoping, as you’ve done here, Gail, that others would comment on or spotlight other amazing genealogy community volunteers. Great post, and I completely agree Lorine & Olive Tree Genealogy are amazing.
I immensely enjoyed reading your list of genealogy superheroes, Tami. You selected a terrific group of people. Like you, I like lists, best ofs, and surveys because they generate discussion and make us all aware of new resources and remind us of those we may have forgotten. I expect there are thousands, if not tens of thousands, of genealogy volunteers working to help us all break down brickwalls. Let’s keep the conversation going and write about those who deserve to be recognized.