Getting Started in Genealogy and Family History
If you have had limited or no exposure to genealogy and family history, the most difficult part of getting started is often knowing how and where to begin. Searching and documenting your family roots can be one of the most rewarding activities you will ever engage in… and frankly it can be quite addictive. Like most worthwhile activities, genealogy and family history require a modest level of commitment and dedication and a fair amount of patience. Here are a few ideas to get you started on the fast track.
1. Designate and set aside some specific time to work on your genealogy each week and then stick to your schedule. Begin modestly so that you don’t get frustrated and quit. Be consistent. Even if you are able to set aside just an hour per week, do it religiously and you will begin to see dividends over time. Be careful not to spend more time than you budget, at least in the beginning. Family History can become an all consuming black hole if you are not careful.
2. Begin first by collecting all of the items that you personally have access to. This may not amount to much. But you may be surprised at what you will find. Specifically you will be looking for photos (of yourself and others in your family and extended family), journals, documents, letters and postcards, paperwork, family heirlooms, and any information that you may be able to get your hands on that will shed some light on your ancestry.
3. Next, call on relatives and friends of the family who either have records, photos, documents, etc. or who have firsthand knowledge of specific ancestors. Explain what you are doing and ask if they would allow you to make copies of photos, papers, documents, letters, and other family records. Make sure you are extremely careful about returning originals in the same condition in which they were received. In cases where records are not available but personal relationships existed, ask if you could schedule a brief interview to gather information about either the ancestor or a deceased relative. Most people will be gracious and obliging, particularly if you agree in advance to limit the visit to a reasonable length of time. Be courteous and stick to your time commitments. It is not unreasonable to request to either record or video tape the conversation in order to preserve the information. You may also just come with a notepad and pen. You will be looking for any and all information that may shed light on the character, life, accomplishments, family culture, etc. of your ancestry. But you will also be interested in gathering as much specific information such as birth dates and places, death dates and places, burial places, baptismal and other church records, marriage dates and places, etc. as you possibly can. This is the information that will be most useful in documenting your family heritage and history.
4. As you gather information you should begin to organize it and label it. A filing cabinet with file folders can be useful for keeping things in some semblance of order.
5. Once you gather information begin to enter it into a pedigree chart. One of the best free genealogy programs is available through the Mormon church. Go to familysearch.com for a multitude of great resource information. Once you download the PAF (personal ancestral file) program, fill in as much information as you can and then see where the holes are. As you identify specific pieces of information that you still lack then you can begin searching the growing number of genealogical resources to discover the missing pieces of information. This is where the real fun begins!
Author: Christopher L. Dunn
Christopher L. Dunn has an active interest in personal genealogy research. He resides in Salem, UT.
For more information, please visit more of the authors websites:
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Additional resources::
Top 10 Free Genealogy Websites to Find Ancestors
Programs @ Your Library: Genealogy Online: Club Meeting
