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Mapping Software for Genealogists
Pamela Boyer Sayre, CG, CGL
To glean new clues from already known facts, genealogists may need to look at their data in a new way.
Mapping software helps prepare a visual picture of dry statistics like deed platting or changing county
boundaries through the years. This live demonstration shows attendees how platting a community of deeds enables
a genealogist to visualize near neighbors who are potential associates and relatives of our ancestors. The
demonstration briefly shows DeedMapper software. Using Ani-Map to see how a county's boundaries have changed
through the years allows a researcher to immediately learn the appropriate county to search at a given time.
The lecture shows the ease with which one can find a town or feature and determine the right county.
Particularly when searching for an ancestor who "just showed up," or when trying to move past a research brick wall,
genealogists should use tools like Microsoft Excel or Maptitude to visualize migration patterns or other trends
in their family information. The lecture demonstrates how easy it can be to plot direct ancestors' birthplaces
and determine a migration path or to visualize a soldier's activities and movements during the Civil War by
using data exported from a genealogy program. The information is used to chart a family's various locations on a map.
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