Information about Basics for Genealogy

So you've made up your mind to dig into your family history — congratulations! Genealogy is a satisfying pastime, one that can instill a genuine feel of accomplishment and insightfulness to you and your loved ones. If you are brand-new to the hobby, it may appear a bit intense at first, with all of the conventional and online resources at your disposal. So let's back up a bit from the microfilms and computer programs and begin with the basics.

Whether you're entering your family history on paper or on the computer, it's advisable to collect as much information as you can first. That way, when it comes time to get everything arranged and put down or entered into the computer, you will have sufficient data at your fingertips to produce a fairly solid tree of several generations.

There are four primary sources of family information at this first stage:

    * Within your house (or in relatives' houses)

    * Your personal knowledge of family events

    * Questioning your family members

    * Earlier research done by another person

Let's have a look at each one of these in turn to see what it can add to completing the puzzle of your family's history.

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Search the House

Within your own home (or a relative's house) can be an incredible source of information if you know where to search. Heirlooms, presents, and document can give you invaluable hints about your ancestors and events in their lives.

Whenever you're looking for info at home, you may discover items that are dated, but don't have years. For instance, Saturday, October 17. This is particularly true with diaries, letters, and clippings found in albums. Sometimes you can solve the year by context, or you can use a calendar. For letters, be sure to check out the postmark for a date, as well as the letter.

Beneath is a list of household items and places where you may discover genealogical information. You can probably think of a couple of others. Ask your relatives if they have or know of any items like these that may be helpful to your search.

    * Bibles

    * Books (check for inscriptions in them)

    * Certificates (from schools or jobs)

    * Cookbooks

    * Diaries and day books

    * Family trees

    * Photo albums

    * Important papers (wills, titles, and deeds)

    * Letters

    * Newspaper clippings

    * Pictures (don't forget to look at the backs)

    * Scrapbooks

    * Yearbooks

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Memories...In the Corners of Your Mind

One of the best ways to begin your family tree is merely to write down all of the basic information (birth, marriage, and death dates and locations) you know concerning your ancestors, as far back as you can go. Start with yourself or your kids, and then work back through the generations.

Although such a list needs to be confirmed by documentation before you share it with other researchers, as a starting point for your own research it's unbeatable. By jotting it all down, you will discover quickly where you are leaving out or inconsistent pieces of information. You will also get a feel of where you might want to start out looking up records or writing away for written document.

After you've made your list, ask your living relatives for any info they may have. This is particularly crucial for the older members of the family, as they often have information about people who are long gone. In lots of U.S. families, the oldest living generation is also the one which migrated to the U.S. or was the first-born after immigration. Your parents or grandparents may have some knowledge of the "old homeland" or at least some passed-down tales to share.

Interviews, So Many Questions

The next step to take when trying to fill in the spaces is to do more formal oral history sessions with your relatives. These go beyond the key facts to family histories, memories, and interactions with the world at large. It's fascinating to see how they can all tie together — for instance, your mother might recall where she was living at age 13 because there was a parade for John F. Kennedy in town that year, and then describe the house and what she was like at that age. You will probably get many family stories that can add great depth to your family's history beyond the names, dates, and places. Having this genuine sense of an ancestor is one of the most extraordinary gifts the hobby has to offer.

Want to dig more into your past...

There are numerous ways to go about questioning a relative: you may choose to record the interview or only take down notes, to ask open-ended questions or for specific information, and so on. The most crucial things to remember are to be courteous of the person you're interviewing and to make detailed notes or a recording of your tape as soon after the interview as possible.  

Take the Road Already Traveled

One thing to bear in mind is that you may not be the only person digging into your family. If you already know of somebody who's working on the family tree, by all means get hold of them and see if they would be willing and able to share what they've discovered. You will in all probability want to verify the data you find, discovering what's already been searched can save you a lot of time and disappointment.

Hurry Now! Look at this information...

In addition to resources within your close family, it often happens that a distant relative is working on the pedigree, perhaps from a different point of view or following a line to a distant common ancestor. You may find that they have published their research in several open forums, such as the Ancestral File or the World Family Tree. Most of these forums have contact information for the people who have presented research to them, so if you look in one of these services and find a match to part of your family tree, you can often write to the subscriber right away and begin to share information.

And final thought...

One thing to remember through all of these steps is that careful notes about everything you find out will help you later. When you locate an old family picture and get Aunt Ginny to identify all of your great-grandparents, take the time, at that moment, to make a note of their names and any other information she can give you. Even if you tape record an interview, take notes too, if you can — you’re primary interview may be a later genealogist's source material.

You've started out on a long and rewarding journey to find your family's history. May these first four steps be the beginning of a hobby that will leave you wanting more?

Still More, Alright!