What will Become of My Research
The following was printed by the Southern California Society News, Vol. 32, No. 2; reprinted in Clark County, NV Gen. Soc. News, Vol. 17, No. 4 of Oct. 1997 and Virginia Beach Genealogical Society Newsletter, February 1998; then reprinted in the Darlington District Flag, Vol. 10, No. 2, Spring 1998 for everyone’s benefit.
Most genealogists worry about their lifetime research being sent to the basement or attic or even worse, the trash can after their death! I often wonder if the missing piece of my puzzle is in a box of a relative’s earlier research in a basement somewhere. I have names of researchers in my family who did genealogy 50 to 100 years ago, but finding those documents is another story! I also have the family legend that when Uncle Edward died without children, the German trunk filled with old German papers and the family Bible were thrown away by his spouse.
Have a short paragraph added to your will, leaving no doubt as to your wishes regarding both your personal library and the product of your research, the family histories you compiled, but did not publish. The following paragraph is an example you can use.
I direct my executor to box the following genealogical publications and compilations for donation to:
_________________________________________________________________
for the appropriate disposition and retention for the benefit of family genealogists.
( ) All family materials of which I possessed.
( ) Only my library of printed reference books and materials.
( ) The unpublished family history manuscript materials on which I was
working.
( ) Others (specify)
The address of my intended recipient is: _________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Signature _____________________________________ Date _______________
Witness ______________________________________ Date _______________
Witness ______________________________________ Date _______________
My name and other information is below.
Name ___________________________________ Address ____________________________________
City _________________________ State _____ Zip ___________ Telephone ( ) _______________
Email Address ___________________________________________ Date ________________________
(This may be left to a family member/Association or Historical/Genealogical Library/Association. Be sure to let the recipient or library know of your request and give them a copy of this Form.)