Though I have been doing genealogy for myself, relatives, and clients for about 20 years now, there is still much more to learn. Personal growth is partly why in 2014 I decided that if I were ever going to pursue my passion for genealogy full-time, I needed to take proper steps and learn how best to succeed within certain boundaries. One of the natural progressions was to help others with their genealogy in a formal way. So why not a business? This question was answered easily after I took a trip to Germany in May 2014, specifically to Hamburg to visit a German Genealogist who had helped me the previous two years with my paternal side, in former Prussia and Northern Germany, part of Poland today. I remember listening to my contact in Hamburg and the idea to become genealogist was a natural next step to take. I would be able to challenge myself again and merge my passion for history and genealogy together. I had already helped non-blood relatives with their family history research and done the analysis of records. I could now organize and reach out to others in the genealogy field to see if my experience and ideas could be fruitful. Where to find my niche in the larger genealogy business world?
Part of that start was to begin to talk with people who were doing client work or assisting the public at repositories. In the years that I did my own family research I had met and learned from librarians and archivists at the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS), right in my hometown of Madison, WI. I setup a meeting with the Outreach Genealogy Librarian at WHS in late Spring 2014. 

What I learned is that I should develop a work plan that included, educational and learning sources available at WHS. I also needed to enhance or develop research skills on key sources, such as, vital records, church records, courthouse records, probate records, land records, learn about other archives/libraries, and finally cemetery information. The focus was to start a process from a local level and build out to state and then later a national level. The resources I was told to learn included: Ancestry.com, Familysearch.org, FindAGrave.com, learn about DNA genealogy, and finally blogs, like Dick Eastman’s.

During this process, I also learned from WHS staff about local, state, and national genealogical associations. I first heard about the Association of Professional Genealogist (APG) from WHS. So, through outreach I gathered key and trustworthy information from reliable sources and could develop an action plan. One of the first items I considered was to go to an APG Professional Management Conference in Salt Lake City, in January 2015. 

I reviewed the APG PMC Conference syllabus and decided to go. By this time, I had also started to review a study guide for starting your own business and reached out to potential resources in my community that could help me with small business development. Prior to going to the conference, I had already had one client who contacted me about gathering Pre-1907 Wisconsin Vital records at WHS. This client provided the marriage, death and birth citations but wanted a copy of the actual records. I successful found, verified, and provided the data in a timely manner, so my client (a Genealogist and author) could finish a book for their client in Minnesota.

Going to the APF PMC Conference was a wonderful experience, I made contacts, learned new items and verified for myself that my steps to become a ‘real’ Professional Genealogist was the right decision. The passion still was there. 

Copyright 2017 Rettammel Genealogy Service LLC

I am starting my first ProGen Study Group assignment. I am finding it so valuable already. As some of you know, I have been doing Genealogy for long-time and formally as a small business for a few yrs already.

I have done professional preparedness before but this assignment is making me reflect on what I have done as well as what I still need to do. Plus I have so many ideas, starts and stops that this assignment is making me finally set down new goals and objectives. All great because of what is left unorganized or not complete. So happy to be part of a learning community again and genealogy.

So my ProGen Study Group started tonight. Our first chat on line. With about 10 other people. An 18 month Commitment. Love it.

I recently added a gallery of photos for my two favorite Uncles, Art and Arnold Rettammel. They both served in same unit and division during World War II, in the South Pacific Campaigns. They joined the National Guard together in 1940 and both served through the end of surrender of Japan in August 1945. Here are three pictures from the gallery that show them together in 1941 and a home visit that same year, with their sisters, Ida and Eva sporting their uniforms.

My colleague and Genealogy friend Ute Brandenburg will be the June10 DCAGS Speaker in Madison, WI. 

Where in Germany did your immigrant ancestors come from? This can be the toughest brick wall to conquer in German research, and yet, identifying the towns where your immigrant ancestors were born, is key to tracing them in Germany. 

Professional genealogist Ute Brandenburg will demonstrate strategies for finding your family’s home town, and will introduce you to important record sources for research in Germany. Participants are welcome to bring documents in old script for reading assistance following the presentation. Our speaker was raised in Germany and has lived and worked in the United States for over 20 years. Ute specializes in researching German immigrants to the Midwest. She enjoys the challenge of tracing German settlers to their places of origin in Germany. Working with church and civil records online and on microfilm, she builds family trees in Germany. When records are not available in the United States, she travels to Germany for research. Ute has extensive experience translating old German handwriting from four centuries. She is the owner of German Script Experts.

I was just accepted and part of the next series of ProGen Study Group. Excited to learn from others, enhance skills and learn new ones.

The ProGen Study Groups are organized to encourage professional and aspiring genealogists to put into practice the principles found in Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers and Librarians, edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills. This program employs an innovative method of collaborative learning focused on developing genealogical writing skills and business practices.

Meaning gymnastics or physical fitness it is significant for its association with the American Turners, a German-American athletic, cultural, and political association. The Milwaukee group was founded in 1853.

The building was designed by architect Henry C. Koch, and was completed in 1882, with an addition in 1899. In keeping with the Turner movement’s philosophy, the interior is decorated with artwork, including rare murals by German immigrant artists. Stained glass windows are adorned with political slogans relating to the Turner’s progressive political stances.

In 1994 the Governor proclaimed Turner Hall one of the “Ten Most Endangered Historic Sites” in Wisconsin. It was declared a National Landmark Place in 1996. In 2000, The Milwaukee Turners established the Turner Ballroom Preservation Trust to renovate and maintain the building.

http://www.milwaukeeturners.org/about/history-of-milwaukee-turners

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