Welcome New Comers: to the marvelous world of Genealogy

The place were every answer raises two more questions.

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I'M JUST GETTING STARTED

Step 1--Get about 100 copies of family group sheets. There are several methods listed below:

Create your own: for each person (father, mother, kids), list full name, birth date and place (city, county, state), baptismal date and place, marriage date and place, death date and place, burial date and place. Under father and kids, also list marriage date and place--and spouse for the children.

If you have a computer genealogy program, print out a blank sheet and copy it.

Pick some up through the L.D.S. libraries or from fellow genealogists.

You can order from Everton Publishers, 1-800-443-6325. I suggest starting with 100 Family Group Sheets A100 or A1 and a dozen 5-Generation Pedigree charts A2. They'd love to send you a free catalog.

Now, start asking questions of EVERY living relative! Confirming the data is "what's next". Start today for your living relatives will be your best resource. Make a note of who gave you the information or where it came from. Take down notes on stories. If there are birthday lists, copy them into the charts (and get a xerox copy of the original if possible). Jot down everything: immigration, occupation, travels, addresses (take along a tape recorder if you wish). You'd be surprised what marvelous information the reminiscing of your great aunts will turn up!

Have fun! Ask questions. Take your notebook of data with you when you travel...especially to family gatherings and holidays.

Family Group Sheets:

Page one. Always make the first page of your immediate family (or, if you are doing this specifically for your children, their immediate family).

Pages two. Your parents

Page three. Your spouse's parents (or pages three and four, your grandparents families)

Page... Create a page for EVERY marriage. Brother's, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, everyone you can find. Whether or not they have children.

Now you see why I suggested you start with 100 pages--you'll use them up quickly.

You may want to consider a numbering system as your charts grow. I've developed one that means every individual has a single number (see codes ). But use whatever works for you.

Technically, you should always put unconfirmed data in pencil. Personally, I hate pencil...but that does mean I have to white out or recopy an entire family chart when I get in correct information!

Always start with paper. There are lots of genealogy computer programs out there, but you can always transfer the data as you go. Paper can be shown to family. And you can make some great presentation formats to show to family members...but that's later.

Ancestor Charts:

Again, make yourself (or your child) the first name on your ancestor chart. Most charts are numbered, use that system until you have a better one.

You will need to create a storage system. Some keep records by last name, others by families. Don't be surprised if you wind up changing the system as you go. I know I did!

First: Again, start with what you can get your hands on get birth and death records, locate and label photos, visiting cemeteries (which can be a lot of fun, believe it or not), get copies of Bible records, visit libraries for newspaper clippings, anything anyone has is valuable. Make copies of what you can't keep. These can also be stored in three ring binders and make a great way of showing off your family.

One of your most valuable resources will be the census records. They are available in major libraries and at main L.D.S. Family centers. If you have people who lived about 1900, you can get immigration, birth month and year, and parents birthplace information from that census.

Write for vital records. Some centers may be found on the internet. Other reached by ordering the "Where to Write for Vital Records", the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Publication No. (PHS) 93-1142. Contact the on-line bookstore or write:

Write for military records and land deeds. Travel. Visit county court houses, cemeteries and distant relatives (that's a LOT of fun). Ask questions. Keep accurate records and note your sources. Please also make copies of sources. It'll help the one that inherits your data!

Note I haven't said anything about the net! There is a great deal of information on the net, some of it very accurate and some of it not as much. Like the L.D.S. searchable surname database, the net is an excellent resource. However, do not accept information without confirming it or at least identifying the sources. After all, the information has been submitted by people like ourselves...and some are better researchers than others!

If you have any questions, just ask. I probably won't have an answer--but I may be able to point you in the right direction. I know people who know a LOT more than I do!

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