| Organizing Your Paper Files |
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Introduction
What You Are Looking For
Step 1. Gather together genealogy items you already have.
Step 2. Fill in a pedigree chart with as much information as you can.
Step 3. Divide up the items you found by the family surnames of your ancestors and place them in temporary containers.
Step 4. Update your pedigree charts, and make family group records.
Step 5. Decide how to organize your records into a filing system.
Step 6. Use your paper filing system and your computer.
Introduction
Genealogy is fun when you can find things, but it can be frustrating when you can't. Therefore, you need a simple system for organizing pedigree charts, family group records, research logs, documents, notes, and research helps so that you can readily find them again when you need them. The system needs to be:
For additional understanding, see Background.
These 6 steps will help you begin to organize your family records and documents.
Place a box in the middle of the floor or somewhere that will catch your attention.
Put genealogy documents, pictures, letters, and anything else related to your genealogy that you can use into the box as you find them.
Print or buy a pedigree chart Fill in your name and the names of your parents and grandparents. Include birth, marriage, and death dates and places if you know them. Add information about your great grandparents and other ancestors For additional information on a pedigree chart and how to use one, see How Do I Begin?
Label temporary containers, such as shoe boxes or manila envelopes, with the surnames or last names on your pedigree chart. Depending on how much information you have, you may have several containers.
Sort what you have gathered, putting items related to a surname into the container labeled with that surname. For example, label one container with your grandfather's last name (one of your 2 grandfathers), and put items about that grandfather and his family into it.
Look at what is in each container and see if you can find additional information about births, marriages and deaths of your ancestors. Using the information you find, add any additional names, dates, and places to your pedigree chart.
Make family group records For additional information on a family group record and how to use one, see A Guide To Research.
If you have a computer genealogy management program For ways to find and copy family information that has already been compiled into pedigree charts and family group records in a computer genealogy management program, see Tip 2.
Decide on a way to file your materials. Most genealogists use one of three methods or combinations of these methods:
Your computer can become a working tool for you. As you research, type new information about individuals into your computer genealogy management program. Also file documents You will be able to use the Find Individual (or other similar feature) on your computer genealogy management program to help you locate each individual and see which source documents your have recorded that verify who he was.
Copyright 2000, by Mary E. Hill, AG, MLS (also known as Mary E.V. Hill, AG, MLS). All rights reserved. No part of this work may be translated or reproduced in any medium now known or hereinafter developed without the express written permission of the copyright holder. Printed in the U.S.A.
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What You Are Looking For
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Steps
Step 1. Gather together genealogy items you already have.
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Step 2. Fill in a pedigree chart with as much information as you can.
. If you want to print a pedigree chart, click here.
.
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Step 3. Divide up the items you found by the family surnames of your ancestors and place them in temporary containers.
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Step 4. Update your pedigree charts, and make family group records.
for each family on your pedigree chart. Click here to print a family group record.
, such as PAF 4, type your family information into it. For instructions on how to obtain a free copy of PAF 4 off the Internet, see Tip 1.
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Step 5. Decide how to organize your records into a filing system.
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Step 6. Use your paper filing system and your computer.
you find about them in your paper filing system(s).
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[FamilySearchTM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 11/17/2003]