| Genealogy, or the study of your own family | | | | asks you. If by some chance however your |
| history, or that of someone else, is a remarkably | | | | genealogy explorations prove that you did have |
| interesting hobby or career pursuit. | | | | that person as part of your family tree, you're |
| You might use genealogy to trace your family | | | | going to find yourself a hero for months to come. |
| tree, or to find one single person in that family | | | | Begin your explorations into your family tree with |
| tree and prove that a link exists. This is often the | | | | yourself, no matter how far back you are |
| case today when someone has listened their | | | | searching for a link. Its always easiest to start |
| entire life to a story, telling them that a particular | | | | with present day, since we've got so much more |
| person was part of their family lineage. | | | | information, and work your way backwards. |
| In many cases of course the genealogy disproves | | | | Using information from your own memory, you're |
| the theory but in some instances, it tells you that | | | | going to get a great deal further in your quest |
| you are in fact related to Sitting Bull or Jesse | | | | than if you began a century back where the |
| James, just as your family legend said that you | | | | information and records were not so plentiful as |
| were. | | | | they are today. |
| Most of us have heard a legend that in our family | | | | Start with your own generation, move backward |
| tree was a famous personality, an "Indian | | | | to your parents and then their parents. If you're |
| Princess" (Indian princesses didn't really exist so | | | | fortunate, you will have several generations still |
| we can usually discount that particularly legend) or | | | | with you who are willing to help you in your |
| someone else who was of note in history. Hearing | | | | genealogy foray. Grandparents can be a source |
| the legend or story repeatedly means that we're | | | | of some amazing information. They usually |
| curious about that person and often eager to | | | | remember their own grandparents and |
| verify or validate the link to them. | | | | sometimes great grandparents, as well as aunts |
| Genealogy, or tracing back your own family tree | | | | and uncles who may still be living and willing to |
| gives you the opportunity to do just that. Or to | | | | help. |
| undo it as the case may be. Quite often we're | | | | Genealogy, ideally, is very much a family |
| going to find that the person in question was a | | | | adventure. Everyone has some input, and will |
| friend of the family or had some level of | | | | have new information that you can use to help |
| interaction in our family tree but didn't really fit in | | | | you move backward in time to trace your family |
| there. | | | | tree. Use online and offline resources, but more |
| Believe me when I tell you that when you | | | | than anything else, use the vast array of |
| disprove the fact that Sitting Bull was your great | | | | resources that will be available to you in your own |
| uncle twice removed, you're not really going to | | | | family. Both you and they will benefit from the |
| make friends in your family so you might want to | | | | interviews and discussions and your family tree |
| keep that information to yourself unless someone | | | | will flesh out far more quickly. |