Getting Started in

GENEALOGY RESEARCH

For both Beginner and Advanced Researchers

Identify and Organize

Start your research by hunting through your own family papers; for birth, death, and marriage certificates, military records and discharges, school records \{report cards, etc], family bibles, jounals, letters, postcards and notes, obituaries, newspaper clippings and old photos.

Gather them all together and place them in some sort of order by subject for example.

Next, talk with all living family members [this is critical - do not procrastinate - or it may be to late]. I have missed many oppurtunities by waiting, and saying "I will do it later".

It is best if you can conduct the interviews in person, but plan ahead; some family members may be reluctant to talk. So here you must use some fore-thought, plan ahead for the one who does not want to talk. When you plan ahead, review your topics to keep on track and get the most from the interview.

Organize your information by writing it down; what you know on a chart [pedigree], beginning with yourself. As you discover new information, record it on your chart, or genealogy software if you have a computer. If you have a computer with genealogy software you only have to type the entry one time. This allows you to enter family photos and pictures of family documents and heirlooms in your record.

Find out what is missing

After you have assembled all your records, step back and take a critical look at it. Is your current generation well documented; if your answer is yes, then look at the information on your parents. Do you have their vital records [birth, marriage, death]? Try to cite these from original documents. Then take a critical look at their records. Are they well represented? If the answer is yes, then move on to your grandparents.

Remember as you go backwards everything doubles, two grandparents, four great-grandparents, etc. do not spread yourself to thin. Focus on one surname at a time.

As you get farther back you may run into immigration records. Do you know when they arrived in the United States? Where? Were they naturalized citizens?

Choose, Search, and use the available Records

Genealogical Sites

Biography Assistant

Social Security Records

Social Security Administration "Death Records" reported 1937-1990

Commercial site; both free and pay database

Family History Library [FHL] - [LDS]

Ancestral File [Family Tree Maker Database]

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