In this week's "Along Those Lines . . ." column, I want to discuss taking control of your correspondence and why it is so important. I also want to provide you with some Web-based resources where you can obtain forms to help you manage your correspondence. These are commonly known as correspondence logs.

Letter Writing 101
I've written in this column before about the basic letter-writing skills you should employ when requesting copies of records from various repositories. (Internet users please see: http://www.ancestry.com/library/view/columns/george/920.asp.) You certainly want to make sure you have the right place to write for the information you seek. This may be to a courthouse, a library, a state archive, a government records office, or a relative or private individual.

Next, you want to write a courteous letter, providing as much information (full names of the person(s), dates, places, and description of the record(s) you are requesting) as possible. The more information you can provide in your letter, the better the chances that the recipient will be able to locate the correct records for you.

Finally, carefully address the envelope and include your return address. Apply the correct postage, and always include a SASE to encourage a reply.

Tracking Your Progress
The word processor has become a real workhorse for me. I've developed form letters in my word processor into which I add the address of the place I'm writing, change the date, and add the names and details of the individual(s) about whom I am seeking information or record copies. In this manner, I can produce a score of letters in a very short time and send them on their way. As productive as this sounds, though, I am in danger of losing all track of what letters I've written and risk duplicating my efforts if I don't use some control mechanism.

The control mechanism is use is a correspondence log, which is simply a formal list of what letters I have written, the subject of the letter or inquiry, when I wrote the letter, and the status and result of the correspondence. I've attempted using several methods over the years and have discussed the process with many other researchers. The process is applicable to almost any type of research or business endeavor where there is a substantial amount of correspondence that requires tracking.

There are preprinted correspondence log forms that can be purchased from genealogical supply houses. There are, however, such forms available free on the Web. Here are two sources:

Duane A. and Mary Hagstron Bailey are amateur genealogists who have prepared several types of forms for nonprofit use. The forms can be found at their Web site at http://www.cs.williams.edu/~bailey/genealogy/. They are prepared using Adobe Acrobat, and you can download a copy of the Adobe Acrobat Reader free at: http://www.adobe.com/. Once you have the Adobe Acrobat Reader downloaded to and installed on your computer, go to the Bailey's Web site and view the forms there. Once you've viewed their Correspondence Record Sheet form, you can print it. (NOTE: The form was created in landscape orientation format—11" x 8.5"—so you may have to specify to your printer to print the form in landscape orientation.)

Ancestry.com also has developed a helpful selection of genealogy forms at their Web site, including a Correspondence Record form. Their forms can be accessed at http://www.ancestry.com/save/charts/ancchart.htm. These, too, are produced using Adobe Acrobat and can be viewed with the Adobe Acrobat Reader and printed. (Ancestry's Correspondence Record Form was created in landscape orientation format and you may have to specify to your printer to print this form in landscape orientation also.)

Both of these provide you with a framework for logging your correspondence. Once logged, you can easily review the log and determine whether you've written a letter about an individual to a specific place, whether you received a response, whether you need to follow up, and the disposition results of your inquiry.

Your personal style may vary, and you may use the log sheets in different ways. For instance, you may have one correspondence log for an entire surname or for a surname in a particular geographic area. You may have a separate log for a specific individual for whom you are conducting extensive research and writing many letters.

Depending on your own needs, you may decide to create your own correspondence log. I've created my own log using an Excel spreadsheet. I defined columns for: addressee, date of letter, subject's name (Last, First MI), type of record (birth, marriage, death, will), follow-up date, date response was received, and results/disposition. I add new records at the end of the spreadsheet as I write new letters. Whenever I want to review the status of my correspondence, I open the spreadsheet and sort the data in the columns as I like and print a report. For instance, perhaps I want to see all the letters I've written to the Mecklenburg County (NC) Courthouse so that I can follow up on any responses not received. I can sort on 'addressee' column in ascending alphabetical order and then all the records are grouped together. Perhaps I want to see what letters I've written relating to my gggg-grandfather John S. SWORDS, Sr. I can sort the data based on the "subject's name" column and all the records for "SWORDS, John S." will be grouped together. By using this spreadsheet and sorting data on demand, I can quickly tell what I have already done and avoid duplicating my efforts. I can also tell at a glance what letters require follow-up actions.

Making the Time
People ask me, "How can you possibly make the time to do all that logging?" My response is, "How can you afford NOT to make the time?" Letter-writing and other forms of research take a lot of time. If you're working on multiple lines at once, it becomes difficult to keep track of what you have and haven't researched. You can't afford to duplicate your efforts, and you don't want to neglect following up a lead you invested time in researching.

A correspondence log is an excellent control mechanism for all your important letter-writing activities. No matter whether you're researching your family history or sending out invitations to an event that requires RSVPs, a log is an excellent investment to save you time and improve your efficiency. It's worth the investment.

Happy volunteering!

George

The article originally appeared in the Genealogy Forum on America Online. You may send e-mail to alonglines@aol.com. George Morgan would like to hear from you but, because of the volume of e-mail, is unable to personally respond to each letter individually. He also regrets that he cannot assist you with your personal genealogical research. George is also the author of The Genealogy Forum on America Online, which is available in the Ancestry Online Store at: http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog/
product.asp?pf%5Fid=1101046&dept%5Fid=10102000.