The WikiTree Challenge Week: A great opportunity and experience

 

Somehow, I was chosen to be the focus of a WikiTree Challenge. This is when a team of WikiTree volunteers focus on the tree of a "special guest star." Quoting from the Help page for the WikiTree Challenge:

In 2021 we have focused on "genealogy stars" such as bestselling author AJ Jacobs, leading genetic genealogist CeCe Moore, and host of PBS TV's "Finding Your Roots," Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Our guests have been some of the world's leading genealogists and others who have made outstanding contributions in the field of genealogy. These guests were the most challenging. By working together in just one week, could our amateur genealogists make new discoveries for genealogy professionals? The answer: Yes! In our first 25 challenges we broke 500 brick walls for our guests! This is a truly incredible accomplishment.

In 2022 we are expanding the challenge to include guest stars who are not genealogists. If we can make discoveries for professional genealogists, what can we discover for non-genealogists? This promises to be fun for everyone.

Please note that although many active WikiTree members would make great guest stars, we focus on guests who do not already use WikiTree for their genealogy.

The participants in a sense compete for points earned by performing some genealogical task or research effort. It is a very interesting concept. 

Because I had spent so much time working on my own family tree, I suspected that it would be difficult to find anything of substance in a week's worth of effort. I was totally wrong. What they found during the week was amazing. One example was finding the parents of an end-of-line person from looking in the courthouse where the records were kept. These were records that were not yet online. I was amazed and thankful for all the help. It was a special gift at this Christmas season. 

I don't know how to thank some many people who helped. It looks like there were about thirty or more volunteers who all looked for some way to find information. As a result, I believe that my pedigree on the WikiTree website is probably well documented. It will take me some time to review and evaluate all the suggested records. Thanks again to the WikiTree Challenge team.