| In our modern mobile society very few of us live | | | | death certificate of the oldest person on your |
| near the graves of our grandfathers. This | | | | tree. The death certificate will disclose their |
| disconnection to the people and places we come | | | | parent's names and sometimes the place of birth |
| from is the reason so many people have the | | | | of the parents. It will also reveal your ancestor's |
| desire to reconnect to their roots through | | | | maiden name if they are female. To order a |
| genealogy. The very word evokes unpleasant | | | | death certificate you will need to know the |
| mental images for many. Fortunately you don't | | | | person's name, the city and county of death, as |
| have to pour over a dusty tome in the dark | | | | well as an approximate death date. You can then |
| bowels of a European cathedral somewhere in | | | | look up the website of the Vital Records |
| Europe. You can make plenty of headway from | | | | department of the state they died in and see |
| the comfort of your wi-fi connected laptop with | | | | what the requirements are for ordering a death |
| these six easy steps: | | | | certificate. In most states you can get an |
| | | | uncertified copy of a death certificate for about |
| 1. Get Genealogy Software. There are plenty of | | | | $20. |
| options out there and it's easy to get bogged | | | | 5. Search Government Census Data. The United |
| down comparing all of them. I recommend | | | | States government has conducted several |
| something cheap or free when you are just | | | | censuses since 1790. There are several websites |
| getting started. Don't worry, all genealogy | | | | that make this data available online for a small |
| software uses the GEDCOM file format so you | | | | monthly fee. (Many of these have free trials |
| can migrate your files to the software of your | | | | which I will tell you about at the end of this |
| choice at any time. Don't let the search for the | | | | article.) If you are lucky you can find one of your |
| perfect software slow you down. You can get | | | | ancestors as a child in the home of their parents. |
| started right away with Personal Ancestral File. | | | | This will give you the names of their parents and |
| Look it up in google for the latest download | | | | other interesting facts including the state/country |
| version. | | | | they came from, the state/country their parents |
| 2. Enter What You Know. After you get | | | | came from, occupation, and more. This is where it |
| genealogy software up and running on your | | | | comes in handy to have recorded interviews |
| computer you should start working on your family | | | | from Aunt Martha. You can cross reference the |
| tree. Start with yourself and enter in as much as | | | | details she gave you with the details in the census |
| you know. Most people know at least their | | | | to make sure you are looking at the correct John |
| parent's names and birth dates but you may | | | | Smith from Cook County, Chicago. |
| know more. Chances are you don't know your | | | | 6. Start Sharing Online. There are several |
| grandmother's maiden name, which brings us to | | | | genealogy websites that let you share your family |
| the next step. | | | | tree online and collaborate with others who are |
| 3. Interview Older Relatives. At the next family | | | | researching the same names and places. You |
| get together pull Aunt Martha aside and ask her if | | | | could literally add hundreds or even thousands of |
| she can fill in the blanks on the family tree you've | | | | names to your family tree with just a few clicks |
| started. Older folks love any chance they can get | | | | of a mouse. I've personally made great progress |
| to talk about the past. For that reason you should | | | | in my genealogy by connecting with research |
| bring a recording device with you so you can | | | | done by distant cousins. I've even had a chance |
| capture these stories. (These stories can help you | | | | to meet these distant cousins in person, which is |
| validate information you find later or even help | | | | always fun. |
| you decide where to start looking when you've | | | | Genealogy is a fascinating and rewarding hobby |
| come to a dead end.) Older relatives may also be | | | | that I quickly became addicted to once I got |
| in possession of a family Bible or baby books that | | | | started. Now that technology makes it so easy to |
| contain genealogy information. Take high resolution | | | | research, document, and share genealogy data |
| digital photos of these pages if you can. | | | | everyone should be able to quickly and easily put |
| 4. Order Death Certificates. If you've reached a | | | | together a five generation family tree. I hope |
| dead end (no pun intended) you should order the | | | | these six steps inspire you to get started today. |