Denise Beeson
Ever wonder where you truly come from? You can navigate the story of your ancestors’ lives efficiently and with confidence using basic research skills that you already learned in high school!
First step? Establish the foundation of your ancestors’ lives by filling out a family pedigree chart. Include their birth, marriage, and death dates and locations. You’ve now begun building a family tree! You can find and decipher key genealogy records and start to organize your files and research. You will then “know what you don’t know” and can focus on a path forward (to the past).
For the second step, talk to relatives and family friends. Look for old photos, family bibles, and family documents. Stay organized—log your research online or offline. Whatever you choose, put some order in your research. Focus your efforts on one branch/surname and choose a specific person, location, or time frame for your initial research.
Some additional tips to consider:
* Inventory what you have. Do you want to organize online or use hard copies? Or both?
* Question all sources. You want the truth, not myths or aggrandized stories. Do not simply “cut and paste” information you may find in other family trees online.
* Keep good records. Taking good notes will improve results. Log or jot down where you found information and what the next steps might be.
* Organize as you go. Do not try to organize everything all at once but focus on one person at a time.
* Be prepared for conflicting information. The farther back you go, the more likely you will find varied information on the same person.
* Understand how surnames change. Most ancestors did not have a surname as we think of it today. Understand the origin and various spellings of surnames. Name patterns or religious or cultural precedent may have dictated what a person was called.
* Create a timeline. Tracking their location as part of the timeline will help provide context to their lives.
* Understand the historical context. You need to know history if you truly want to learn about their lives.
Free Online Resources
Family Search (create a free account): www.familysearch.org to start a tree. Download free forms and see Public Trees to find trees others may have done.
Ancestry (create a free account): www.ancestry.com. See the card catalog in the search function to determine if databases you need exist. Ancestry Library Edition is at your local library.
Utilize broad search networks like Google, Wikitree, or WorldCat to find additional information on your ancestor that you are researching.
Local Research
Find a FamilyHistoryCenter: www.familysearch.org/help/fhcenters/locations. They provide free assistance. Use libraries/universities for offline and online research (e.g., Goodyear).
Have fun! Genealogy is a lifetime hobby!
Interested in genealogy in PebbleCreek? Visit a Genealogy Club meeting on the second Monday of the month in the Palm Room from 9 a.m. to noon. Denise Beeson teaches in the LifeLong Learning program in PebbleCreek. Contact her at [email protected].