| If you are learning how to build your family tree, | | | | which they came to Canada, or the only |
| there are several great tips which will get you | | | | photographs of your father's grandparents (your |
| started. And, once you learn these simple tips, | | | | greatgrandparents). Or, you may be very lucky |
| you will be on the road to building an accurate | | | | to find out one person in the family started a |
| detailed enriched family tree that you can share | | | | family tree 35 years ago, and is happy to send it |
| with others in your family. | | | | to you along with any documents she (it usually is |
| The most important thing for you to know is that | | | | an aunt!) used in her research. |
| this journey of yours will be a very exciting and | | | | If any relatives are extremely uninterested in |
| also very frustrating journey! Genealogy - the | | | | your family tree research, one of the best and |
| study of your family descent - is 9 parts | | | | quickest ways to get accurate details, is to send |
| perseverance and 1 part wildly exciting success! | | | | them a small amount of information which may |
| So do not get too frustrated and give up - it is | | | | be inaccurate (on purpose). That is, you may add |
| very normal to hit road blocks and brick walls that | | | | an inaccurate birth date or marriage date for a |
| are challenging to get past in searching for your | | | | specific aunt and uncle, or for your parents' date |
| ancestors. Luckily, with Internet resources | | | | of marriage, or date they moved to a particular |
| expanding daily, you will find more and more | | | | place. It is amazing how quickly people want to |
| accurate helpful information online. But, before you | | | | correct errors. |
| get on the web, here are some wonderful tips | | | | Number 3: Dig For Treasure! |
| that you can do right in your home, to help you | | | | Dig for treasure in your home - and in your |
| get started as you build your family tree. | | | | relatives' homes. There may be wonderful |
| Number 1: First Details, and Sources | | | | photograph albums with important details written |
| Start with what you know about your details, | | | | on the back, in a great-aunt's home or an uncle's |
| your parents' details, and your aunts/uncles details. | | | | bookshelf. There may be a grandfather's watch |
| Write down on a sheet of paper their full names, | | | | with an interesting detail of a nickname on it. |
| birth dates and birthplaces, marriage details, and if | | | | There may be letters "from the old country, |
| any have died, write down the death and burial | | | | from a cousin my mother used to write to". |
| details (dates and places). Once you have done | | | | Treasure indeed. These kinds of treasures may |
| that, go on and add your sets of grandparents. If | | | | save you hours, weeks and months of research! |
| there have been divorces or if one was widowed, | | | | You may need to make photos of mementos - |
| make sure that you list the dates and other | | | | most people don't want to give away their family |
| details of each additional person. Now you have | | | | heirlooms after all! So take a good digital camera |
| two generations in your family tree. | | | | and do your best. Also write down the item in |
| Next to each detail, put down the Source for that | | | | detail, word for word. Do not skip over some |
| detail. How do you know it is accurate? Maybe it | | | | details as being not necessary for your research - |
| is a family story that your mother was born in | | | | how do you know that? All details can be mined |
| Scotland, but it turns out that she was born just | | | | for more clues for future research. Perhaps you |
| across the border in a tiny town in Northern | | | | could organize a family meeting where everyone |
| England instead! Find the birth certificate - it is | | | | is asked to bring family heirlooms, photograph |
| likely in a treasure box, or a safety deposit box, | | | | albums, and other family mementos, for sharing. |
| or perhaps those birth details are listed on her | | | | Then one person could be delegated to copy |
| passport. Whatever the source is, write it down | | | | information, or copy photographs, for others as |
| carefully next to each detail. | | | | well. A small charge can pay for such copying. |
| Number 2: Ask Relatives | | | | As you see, before you even begin to search on |
| Contact your parents' relatives and send out a | | | | the Internet, or go search at your local library, or |
| general letter explaining you are beginning to build | | | | at your local genealogical society - before all that, |
| a family tree, and you wonder what they might | | | | start in your own home and begin to gather |
| have that could help. Perhaps they have | | | | important details of your family tree. Complete |
| documents or letters or photographs or other | | | | with excellent source material, you will be started |
| mementos with information on them. Until you | | | | on building an accurate and rich family tree that |
| ask them, you may never know. | | | | you can be proud of sharing with your other |
| One relative may know that another relative has | | | | family members. |
| something useful - such as a photo of the ship on | | | | |