Cousin Connect was started in 2002 as an alternative to the then standard query media of message boards and email list servers. In those environments any given query was pushed down the listing very quickly by other more recent messages. Cousin Connect’s solution has been to mount a query-only site, controlled by surname searches and augmented by other tools to help ensure better responses.
Starting with Cousin Connect
As can be seen from the main page (Fig. 1), the site is mainly focused on English-speaking countries, but does have a fair amount of representation in Europe. Researchers focused on Eastern Europe, Asian or African roots will only be successful here with cousins who have moved to one of the key English-speaking countries so the site can still be very useful but likely won’t connect with homeland cousins. That being said, about a quarter of a million queries are now hosted here. The posting is free and more services are included.
Perhaps the most useful service is the “Query Notification Service” (Fig. 2), which summarizes the query just posted and will notify the user on a regular basis (daily, weekly or monthly) whether there has been anything new added to the site that matches the query. A set of well-designed queries could cover the full set of search options for a family historian and work on a regular basis without any further effort. It is sort of like getting a free research assistant.
Building a Query
Posting a query turns out to be a four-step process the first time it is done and it serves as the application for membership at the site. First an email address is entered (Fig. 3). The next form requires an email address, a password, an alternate email address for extra safety and a secret question and answer (Fig. 4). The query itself is then written but also allows for the designation of one country or a whole list of countries (Fig. 5). There is lots of space for a thorough description rather than just a single line with the surname on it, and there is a help facility to guide in the writing of a good query. The last step (Fig. 6) allows for the breakdown of the country into provinces and states if a narrow geographical focus is desired. Note also the small box that allows the researcher to indicate that the search is looking for adoption information.
Search Results for Cousins
The results for Bassingthwaighte were completely negative which is not too surprising with the number of records currently online. However, Cousin Connect takes another step with a set of Bassingthwaighte links to be found on other sites. This is part of their “Cousin Connect Network” which partners with other sites to bring in more information and more traffic to the site. Most of the current extra results are linked to subscription sites but that may be possible to solve by using an institutional version at a public library or a FamilySearch Center. A posted query provides a good clean form (Fig. 7) with all of the relevant information including the countries and the date the query was posted. For the time that it takes and the service that it provides the site is a “no-brainer.” Try it out and see what happens.
Sources
- Cousin Connect
- FamilySearch Centers: Locations
Bill Atkinson - Bill Atkinson, with an Masters degree and 40 years of teaching adults and teenagers, shares his passion for history, science and ...
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