Month: October 2017

Becks Campbell, 32, Washington 

What five words would you use to describe yourself?
1. Passionate
2. Excitable
3.Dreamer
4.Nerdy
5. Friendly

Why genealogy?
Why not genealogy? Genealogy shows us who we are and where we are from —
what we do with that information is up to us. Genealogy has been a part of my life
since I was little girl. My mother is a professional genealogist and has been
involved in that field for the past 15+ years. As a child, she would take us to the
cemetery to find long-lost relatives and the names and dates in those resting places
took hold in my mind and stuck.

What’s the coolest discovery you’ve made?
There are so many, but it would probably have to be the prison records of a
bootlegger in Montana from the 1930’s. My clients family had a rumor that this
scalawag went to prison for bootlegging, but there was never any proof. There
were several instances of him being in county jail on offenses but the real find was
a perfectly clear mugshot.
!
What are you working on this week?
This week I am working on a great deal of English research for a client. Her family
is English starting at her mother and she wanted to go back on the maternal side to
see what else could be found out about her family. I’m learning all sorts of new
terms and ways of researching — its fantastic!

What’s the number one secret to your success in genealogy?
Keep going. Sometimes the names and dates can start to blur, or you want to give
up because you can’t find that one piece of information just keep going. Try a
different name or line. Watch your favorite show or listen to music to motivate
you. Just keep going.

What superpower would you want to help you uncover your family history?
The are so many superpowers that I would want, but I honestly think the ability to
read, write and speak any language so that when I dig into those records in foreign
languages I could understand everything that was written down.

What are we most likely to find you doing when you’re not researching family
history?
So many things, but in addition to being a genealogist I work at a funeral home and
as a caregiver for adults with developmental delays. I also own a genealogical
transcription business called Life Stories — so I keep myself pretty busy most days.

Anything else you’d like to share?
I love to network with other genealogists, historians and those in the death field
and industry. Connecting as friends and learning more about each other is a huge
mission in my life. Come find me over on Facebook and Instagram.

Find Becks online at www.hipsterhistorian.com

The NextGen Genealogy Network is made up of young genealogists with diverse backgrounds, interests, and experiences. Faces of NextGen showcases a different member of our community each month. If you would like to be considered for an upcoming feature, simply complete our questionnaire and submit a selfie.