Preserving Your Family History Records Digitally

While gathering family history records over the years, you’ve probably been preserving them physically. So why consider preserving them digitally now?

This article discusses the benefits and challenges of using digital preservation to both augment and enhance the preservation of your family history records. It also explores solutions to the challenges, identifies what types of family history records are suitable for digital preservation, and summarizes what is required to get started archiving digital records.

In his final thoughts the writer states:  

Digital preservation should not replace physical preservation of your family history records. Rather, it should be used to augment and enhance physical preservation. This paper has described numerous ways how digital preservation can do this.

Preserving your family history records digitally can be both enjoyable and satisfying. Get started now — don’t put it off. Encourage your friends and family to get started too. As you do the labor of love required to preserve these records digitally, you can expect to have an uplifting spiritual experience as you connect with your memories and your ancestors. And best of all, you’ll be able to sleep better at night!

Read the article by Gary T. Wright by clicking HERE or

Print it by clicking HERE.

Newsletter: October 2010

The latest newsletter of the branch is published below. Please be patient while it is loading. Click on "Full Screen" below to enlarge it. Wes-Gauteng-nuusbrief 2010-10

Die Camphers hou familiefees

Die Campher-familie het Saterdag, 2 Oktober 2010, ‘n saamtrek op die ou familieplaas, Wolwespruit gehad.

Volgens John Stephens, wie se Ma Hermina Christina CAMPHER was, dit was ‘n belewenis om familielede wat mens nog nooit vantevore gesien of van geweet het nie, daar te ontmoet. John is mede-vise-voorsitter van die Gautengtak van die GGSA.

Die blou vlaggie dui aan waar Wolwespruit is.

Omdat alle vorige huise daar deur die parkeraad gesloop is, het die meeste van die familie in tente en woonwaens gekamp. Wolwespruit is deur die vorige regering onteiën, nadat die Bloemhofdam daar naby gebou is. Die water sou glo so ver opstoot dat Wolwespruit onder water sou wees.

Families is toe gevra om hul dooies te herbegrawe. John se Oupa en Ouma Campher, asook ander familielede is toe in Leeudoringsstad se begraafplaas herbegrawe. Talle van die familielede is egter nog in die familiebegraafplaas op Wolwespruit en nooit herbegrawe nie. Die water het in meer as veertig jaar nog nooit Wolwespruit oorstroom nie.

Die Camphertak wat hier vergader het, is afstammelinge van Cornelius Rudolf Campher, gebore 16 November 1894, getroud met Martha Margaretha KEMP, gebore 16 Desember 1900. Hy is die seun van Frans Hendrik, gebore 9 September 1850 en getroud met Wilhelmina Johanna JANSEN, gebore 1 Augustus 1864. Charles Alexander Campher, gebore 27 Desember 1923, was in lewende lywe daar en verreweg die oudste van die teenwoordiges. Ook Charles se vrou, John se niggie, Isabella Elizabeth MARAIS, gebore 27 Julie 1924 was daar. Haar Ma, Thirza Jane STEPHENS, was John se tante.

Wolwespruit is tans ‘n natuurreservaat in die Noordwes-provinsie, of te wel die ou Wes-Transvaal. Daar is talle wildsoorte gevestig en dis ‘n vissermansparadys waar die visse in die Vaalrivier byt soos min!

Die byeenkoms is skitterend gereël deur Maggie Kotze van Orkney. Haar Ma, Martha Margaretha Campher, gebore 4 Februarie 1936 was self teenwoordig en op-en-wakker.

Volgens die familie was die naweek te kort en sou hulle veel langer in mekaar se geselskap wou wees.