| Where do I begin? How would I even start to | | | | perpetuate bad information. That is why you |
| build a family tree? These are questions I hear all | | | | must always get a second source to back up |
| the time from people that want to get started | | | | what you have found. Do not rely entirely on |
| but have no idea how to. Our time is precious and | | | | other people's family trees. I usually find that a lot |
| there is no reason to waste weeks, months or | | | | of people have pieces of the puzzle but not the |
| even years stumbling around trying to get started | | | | whole picture. Take it on yourself to be the one |
| on a project of this magnitude. | | | | who puts it all together in a cohesive package. |
| What Are You Sure Of? | | | | If you find information that conflicts with another |
| The first thing I tell people is to make a short list | | | | person's research, don't be afraid to challenge it. |
| of what they know for sure. Starting with the | | | | We all want the whole truth and nothing but the |
| most basic information you can start building your | | | | truth. A researcher would be happy to find out |
| tree. You probably know your parents birthdates | | | | you discovered something they could not. |
| and places of birth. If you know your | | | | Clues Right Under Your Nose |
| grandparent's information, that's even better. If | | | | A good tip when beginning your research is to |
| you don't though, there's no need to get | | | | talk to as many people in your family as possible. |
| frustrated. The information can probably be found. | | | | Everybody knows one thing that no one else |
| If there are doubts about any of the info you | | | | knows. Ask relatives what they know about your |
| have gathered, just put an asterisk by it and | | | | ancestors. You may find out why your |
| remember that this is only a guess. There's | | | | grandparents migrated to another part of the |
| nothing worse than sticking on a particular path | | | | country. Whatever information you find out, I |
| that you were sure was correct only to find out | | | | guarantee you will not regret. Don't spend forever |
| later it was wrong. | | | | trying to find something out that your own |
| Do Not Reinvent The Wheel | | | | mother or aunt knows. Gather the stories |
| Too many of us will search and search for | | | | together and catalog them. Ask your relatives a |
| information that has already been gathered. I ask | | | | series of important questions that would not |
| people if anyone in their family has ever done | | | | normally come up in regular conversation. Write |
| research into their tree before. Almost always I | | | | the questions down and hit them with it in sort of |
| get a no answer. After asking a few more | | | | an interview. |
| questions they will often change their answer and | | | | Good questions would be ones regarding |
| say something like..."Well I think my cousin did | | | | important milestones in your families past. Such as |
| something like this a few years ago but it was | | | | why they moved and when they made the |
| only on my mom's side." | | | | decision to. Make a list of the ancestors you know |
| Well, there you go. If your cousin or someone did | | | | of so far and go down the list asking your |
| the research for you, then why are you going to | | | | relatives what they know about each person. Did |
| spend years searching for the same information | | | | they actually meet the ancestor or what stories |
| she already found? Don't be afraid to ask your | | | | were passed down? I recently found a distant |
| relative for the information they gathered. Most | | | | relative living in the same town as myself who |
| of the time you will probably find they are happy | | | | actually met and knew my second great |
| to share it with you. Those of us who are into | | | | grandfather. That information is priceless when |
| Genealogy, are happy to find someone who is | | | | you consider an eye witness account of what |
| also interested in it. It is not proprietary | | | | happened over 80 years ago. No book is going to |
| information. Genealogy is family research that is | | | | contain stories of what life was like for them. |
| meant to benefit the entire family. | | | | Cite Your Sources |
| Distant Relatives As Help | | | | I know, you already knew that. It's the first rule |
| When you think about your second great | | | | of Genealogy. It can't be emphasized enough |
| grandfather, realize that there are probably a lot | | | | though. Not just the actual documenting of the |
| of people around today related to him. People had | | | | sources, but the actual organization of your |
| a lot of kids back then. They in turn had a lot | | | | material is crucial. When you are on a roll it is so |
| kids, and so on and so on. The first place to begin | | | | tempting to keep going on to the next page and |
| is to search for your distant relatives and see | | | | finding out even more without stopping and |
| what research they have done on your common | | | | documenting where you got the information. I've |
| ancestor. This is an ongoing process. It will never | | | | done this myself. I get excited when I find |
| end. I am constantly finding articles, message | | | | something and keep going until I reach what I |
| boards and whole websites dedicated to | | | | was looking for. Then I step back and say "Now, |
| ancestors of mine that were started by a distant | | | | where did I find this information at? What website |
| relative. | | | | was that on?" Then the backtracking begins. |
| You can either do a simple search on the internet | | | | Resist the temptation to rush. Stop to write |
| for your ancestor to find this information or if | | | | everything down. Organize the information on |
| you decided to join a website like you can find a | | | | your computer as well as a hard copy. If you |
| lot there. There are family trees out there that | | | | don't, imagine the frustration of losing everything |
| people post online that could contain your | | | | when your hard drive goes out. If you can, get a |
| ancestor. Check out these trees carefully and see | | | | filing cabinet and start stuffing it full. You will |
| how their data corresponds with yours. A note of | | | | eventually need more than just the one but it's a |
| caution though would be to take the information | | | | start. Be sure and find a way to organize that |
| with a grain of salt. Often times, unfortunately I | | | | makes sense to you. People will tell you how to |
| find the trees to contain inaccurate information. | | | | organize information but everyone has their own |
| Even though the trees were started with the | | | | way of remembering where something should be. |
| best of intentions there are errors nonetheless. | | | | Being careful of how you begin a project of this |
| Perhaps your distant relative was related to your | | | | magnitude will benefit you for years to come. It |
| second great uncle instead of your second great | | | | will save a lot of time in the long run so you can |
| grandfather and did not care about the accuracy | | | | have more time to do in-depth research on |
| of your direct ancestor's information. A lot of | | | | individuals and clear up mysteries of the past. |
| these trees will take facts from other trees and | | | | |