Create and Maintain Family Associations or Organizations

Organizing a family association or organization is great way to bring people together and accomplish more in learning new information and preserving that information to share with other family members.

Setting the Scope and Purpose of an Organization

Decide how large or small you want to focus your association. Some families may want to organize around one husband and wife and all their descendants. Others like the Richard Brough Family Organization may decide on a broader agenda in an effort to do more than just have annual reunions.

Guides

Tips on Publishing a One Family Periodical  www.genealogy.com/26_wylie1.html

Examples

• Richard Brough Family Organization
• The Guild of One-Name Studies

Importance of Ancestral Family Organizations (AFO's)

The Richard Brough Family Organization has stated the following about Ancestral Family Orgnizations (AFO's):
"Ancestral family organizations are often able to accomplish much more than individual families or 'grandparent' family associations. Because of their extensive membership and databases, AFO's are often able to locate and obtain genealogical and historical information much faster and cheaper than individual families or grandparent associations.
"Also, AFO's often know about--and can find and acquire from different parts of the world--unique genealogical data and historical records, such as those found in family bibles, personal journals, private indexes and photographic collections. These sources can provide genealogical information not commonly found in ecclesiastical or government records.
"Finally, because of its broad membership and extensive number of contributors, AFO's can usually afford and support extensive research by professional genealogists much easier and for longer durations than can most individual families or grandparent family associations."

For an example of what an AFO can do, visit: http://www.broughfamily.org/ancestral_family_organizations.html