| Building your family tree can be a very exciting | | | | and gravestones online. |
| challenge, particularly when you are able to find | | | | No histories, no known siblings: what can you do |
| the correct documents and records to prove the | | | | next? Have you written out a Timeline of life |
| relationships between the different generations. | | | | events and known information about your brick |
| However, eventually, you may find a brick wall | | | | wall ancestor? Does this provide you with one |
| you cannot go beyond, an ancestor whose | | | | more clue of his or her early life? Can you focus |
| parents seem to have left no clues of their lives. | | | | more clearly on where your ancestor may have |
| Or, that line of ancestors appears to trace back | | | | lived? Can you search backwards through records |
| to a country where you do not speak or | | | | of this brick wall ancestor's children? Be creative |
| understand the language. What do do now? Here | | | | as you search. |
| are some strategies on how to continue your | | | | If nothing comes to light after reasonable |
| searches, and how to find a genealogist to help | | | | searches, surrounding area searches, publications |
| you. | | | | and books searches... you may need to hire a |
| First of all, everyone doing research on their | | | | professional genealogist. Your first and your best |
| family trees will hit brick walls in one or more | | | | source: your local Genealogical Society. Often |
| family lines. This is particularly the case where you | | | | there are several members of your local society |
| cannot find a female maiden name in order to | | | | who are professional genealogists. If they are |
| search further. She is known as Mehitable, Hannah, | | | | unable to take on your challenging ancestor, they |
| Sarah... but there seem to be no relatives living | | | | will be able to direct you to other sources. Ask. |
| nearby, no young nephews or brothers living with | | | | Professional genealogists uphold high standards in |
| her married family, no widowed mother living with | | | | their research, and in their work with you. They |
| her during a Census year. No clues. Sigh. | | | | will be clear about their fees, and how they will |
| Continue your searches by going through all the | | | | communicate with you, providing you with a final |
| children's records, trying to find a document which | | | | report on their work. If you strike out with your |
| will have your brick wall ancestor's full name: a | | | | local Genealogical Society, or try your country's |
| birth registration, a marriage record, or a death | | | | Genealogy Society members. After that, you |
| registration. Any of these documents or records | | | | should search through the Association of |
| may have the full names of both mother and | | | | Professional Genealogists (online at apgen.org) for |
| father, plus the country or region of their births. I | | | | names of genealogists near your place of |
| have been able to confirm a maiden surname | | | | residence or, near the region of your ancestor or, |
| using this method of skipping sideways and then | | | | with specialities in specific areas. |
| back up and down life events of her siblings, | | | | Online, you may find several groups of |
| looking for clues. | | | | genealogists advertising their services. Make |
| Searching for your ancestors is a marvellous | | | | certain that they are indeed registered |
| mystery hunt. As genealogists do, you can search | | | | professional genealogists, and find out about their |
| through published histories of early settlers in | | | | specialties in research. If you are searching in |
| Canada and North America (and other countries | | | | Prussia, the Ukraine, Malaysia, you will want |
| as well). Check out the references of your | | | | someone who knows how to do this effectively. |
| ancestors used by the editor/writer of these | | | | Always ask for details. Then when you are |
| books, to be more certain of the information you | | | | satisfied, make certain you have a clear contract |
| wish to use. These days many histories are | | | | specifying an authorized sum of money for the |
| available through GoogleBooks, or various libraries | | | | research, documents and final report. |
| or archives, and searchable online. Look at the | | | | Once you have exhausted your own resources, it |
| Table of Contents first, then the Index, for any | | | | may be timely to hire a professional genealogist. |
| of your ancestors. I keep my family software | | | | Talk with your extended family about this option, |
| open, and open up the Surname List, comparing | | | | as they may be willing to help with the fees. Have |
| the names in my tree with those listed in the | | | | a family reunion with the highlight: their new-found |
| book about the region where my ancestors lived. | | | | ancestors! Enjoy expanding your family tree. |
| I do the same comparisons with burial records | | | | |