GENEALOGY! WHERE DO I START?

• START SMALL..STAY FOCUSED.. DO ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE AT A TIME.

• START WITH YOURSELF AND WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU KNOW

• THEN WITH ONE PERSON OR FAMILY AND FOCUS ON ALL YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT PERSON AND FAMILY.

• USE A CHECK LIST

NEXT STEP

• CONTACT THE PERSON(S) IN YOUR FAMILY ALREADY DOING FAMILY HISTORY.

• FILL OUT A PEDIGREE CHART. SHOWING YOU AS # ONE

• A FAMILY GROUP SHEET THEN NEEDS TO BE FILLED OUT FOR EACH COUPLE LISTED ON PEDIGREE CHART

CONTINUING STEPS

• CONTACT LIVING RELATIVES.. ASKING THEM TO FILL OUT A FAMILY GROUP SHEET.

• IF POSSIBLE CONTACT OLDEST LIVING RELATIVES IN ORDER TO INTERVIEW THEM.

• TAKE PICTURES OF PICTURES OR DOCUMENTS

SET GOALS

• Check with family members to see if someone had done some research, in addition to a surname search on Rootsweb, Familyseach.org and Ancestry.com in case some one has put family information on the internet. Even do a Google search.

INFORMATION NEEDED

• FULL NAME, first, last, middle if possible. (Surname in Caps)

• DATES Complete if possible…if estimating use words “BEF” or “AFT”. Never pass an estimated date off as exact date.

• PLACES….Town/village, County/Province/Shire, State, Country in that order. If estimating use the word “OF” before a place name

RESEARCH

• RESEARCH PROCESS (form)

• RESEARCH LOG/CALENDAR. You don’t need “forms”…you can do the same thing with a spiral notebook or binder.

• Choose a specific record type or location

• Keep an accurate record of your searches.

WHAT? WHEN?

• What was searched (document #’s, pg #’s, registration #’s; complete titles of books with authors & pg #’s; film/fiche #’s; Version #’s of computer programs, etc.

• When was search done (exact date you searched/received information, certificates, etc.)

• What was found and was not found. no sense in duplicating efforts.

WHERE?

• LOCATION OF SEARCH i.e. place, archives, census, libraries, etc.

• FEES PAID…enter amount sent (how paid, check, money. If sending away note date arrived or never received or no record.

EVALUATE

• EVALUATE ALL NEW MATERIAL YOU FIND/RECEIVE.

• REEVALUATE your previous data—don’t take anything as “true” until you’ve verified it.

• DO NOT CHANGE ANY OF YOUR INFORMATION JUST BECAUSE YOU FIND “DIFFERENT” INFO. Record your feelings about the information.

REMEMBER

• Remember, don’t take anything as absolute fact unless you have verified it yourself.

• GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE. In other words record from whom you receive information or clues.

• Put most recent contact information on family group sheets so it is near at hand.

GOOD LUCK!

• HAVE FUN!

• DON’T FORGET TO SHARE!