User:Ccsmith/Sandbox

Principles of Family History Research First Step – What do you know? Let’s just see how much you really know about your ancestors. You might know more than you think. 1. Secure a pedigree chart. You can get one by clicking here. 2. In space 1 write you FULL name. 3. In space 2 write your father’s FULL name. 4. In space 3, your mother’s FULL name. Be sure to record her MAIDEN name, not her married name. This applies to all females on the pedigree chart. 5. In spaces 4 – 7 record grandparents. 6. In spaces 8 – 15 record great grandparents. 7. Note that the male names are always by even numbers. 8. Under each name, fill in the dates and places for birth, marriage and death estimating dates or guessing places if your are not sure. 9. To record a Date use the European form of recording dates, that is, Day, Month, Year: “3 April 1836.” Spell out the month. 10. To record a Place, go record as City, County, State, Country, for example: Independence, Jackson, Missouri, USA. In a foreign country, it may be parish, town, province, country. 11. If you would rather do this on your computer, you can secure a free genealogical program at FamilySerach.org by clicking here. Second Step – What do you know about each family on Pedigree Chart? Here is where you record your cousins, second cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. 1. Secure a family group chart for each couple on the pedigree chart. You can get one by clicking here. 2. Fill in all the spaces as best as you can. Again estimating dates or guessing places if you don’t know for sure. Third Step – go though your home and look for anything that will help you fill in the blank spaces. Recommend you gather up all you genealogical records such as birth certificates, marriage, death, school records, diaries, family bibles, letters, etc and put them into a shoebox. Take a few days to look around. You might think of something while doing something else. Step Four – While gathering information, create folders for each couple on your pedigree chart. 1. Into each couples’ folder put the Family Group Sheet. 2. Also place any and all records you were able to gather in the shoebox. 3. On the folder tab, put the husband’s name and date of birth. You will probably have other folders with the same name so the date of birth is how you tell one from another. Record the maiden name of the wife. a. SMITH, John born 24 April 1803 b. JONES, Mary 4. In this couple folder, you put in all information on the couple and THEIR children. 5. If married more than once, create a folder for each marriage. 6. When a child marries, you create a new folder of that married child Sept Five – What do others know. Here we start going to other family members or family friends that might help us fill in the blanks. Look at your pedigree chart and see what spaces are blank? 1. Create a “To Do List” consisting of questions to ask family and friends. 2. A sample of a To Do List can be had by clicking here. 3. Write a specific question for each blank space on the Pedigree Chart. 4. Write a specific question for each blank space on the Family Group Sheet. 5. For example: What was the name of my mother’s mother? When was Grandpa Jones born? Where was Grandpa Jones born? 6. Specific questions get specific answers. If you ask aunt May to tell about her father, you may not get the exact date of death if you do not asked for it. 7. While you’re at it, you might take a recording devise, to have them tell you what they remember about the person your interested in. This may be a good time to get recorded personal histories when interviewing your relatives. For a list of possible questions to ask click here. 8. At the same time, gather pictures if they will let you have them or make copies for yourself. 9. Do not forget family friends. Sometimes they were closer to an ancestor than were there family members. Step Six – Here where you are to start your serious research. 1. Create a research log listing what possible official sources you may have to search to find the information in the blank spaces. 2. Look in genealogical research books for ideas as to where to look for information from official sources such as county seats, land records, court records, immigration, census, etc. See below a list of only a few books to help you. 3. Look on line for help. Here are just a few places to look. a. Google – google the name you are interested in, you might get lucky. b. Forums c. Wiki d. FamilySearch.org e. Cindy’s list. f. Martha’s list g. Paid sites h. Professional help