Saturday, January 3, 2009

I Love Extraction Work!

I became an extraction worker in 2003. Back then, the records were on CD's and you had to physically receive a disk, do the work, then sign a paper and return the disk and paperwork to the Stake Extraction Leader. I worked on Spanish birth, death and marriage records....it was tricky.
Now, thanks to the wonders of technology, extraction work is done completely online! Anyone can sign up to do it. You download a project to work on, and within seconds you're extracting names and dates from Census records! Or birth, death and marriage records. Whatever is interesting to you.
There have been months when I've been too "busy" to work on it. In November, after a few months of not extracting, I started up again. I had forgotten how much I love it! It becomes a bit addicting for me...first thing in the morning I have to get in a couple of packets...then right before bed I have to get in a couple more :)
It's so fascinating to me to see the names, ages, immigration dates, where people come from. Extended families who clearly live together, or next door to each other...children named after grandparents...women who are widowed at scary young ages left with A LOT of children to raise.
In the past few years I have run across names I recognize...Mullens, Cutlers, and even one Ditty who was a servant in Pennsylvania!

3 comments:

Jillian said...

I love you. :)

Front Porch Friend. said...

Whitney has been doing this all semester and is getting me hooked up as we speak. Starting Monday...I will be on the extraction train with you!

Bea said...

I don't do this work but I understand how it can be addictive. Getting involved with people living or dead is always fascinating.