Get Organized -- Before you start your genealogy it's best to have the following ready and waiting:
Get Organized -- Before you start your genealogy it's best to have the following ready and waiting:
An area (corner, table, spare room) in which to work on and store your genealogy. This will come in handy when you need space to "spread out". Make sure the area you choose is an area where you can leave your work out.
Filing system. Be it a filing cabinet with folders, a desk drawer, three-ring binders, you will need some sort of filing system to keep your genealogy finds in good shape and handy when needed in a hurry. It's best to find one that is comfortable to you as to make it easier to remain organized.
Address book/cards (I find 3x5 recipe cards work best for me) On these cards put the names, addresses, and how you are related (if at all). Bigger recipe cards can also be used if you wish to record more info on each person
(i.e., birthdays, correspondence log, etc). The other option here of course is to find a computer program that will file
all the data for you. I use Family Tree Maker. Only problem here is the fear of a computer crash! So be sure to backup your
files regularly or keep a backup copy on removable media. Better still send
us a copy of your files. They will always be available here.
Correspondence Log. With this you can record what mail you send out to whom, and what
they send you in return. And the dates the info was sent/rec'd. A handy thing to have when
Cousin Ronnie asks when you mailed those pictures you borrowed! This is also good for
reminding yourself who's who and what you've exchanged.
Phone Log. May sound tedious but like the correspondence log it comes in handy. Especially when you're on a budget and have to keep those long distance calls to a minimum! In the log you might record the date, person with whom you spoke, their phone number, who called who, and what you discussed/promised to exchange. Your phone log is also a great place to keep a list of those often called numbers as well as a time zone map to ensure that it's not 2 am for the cousin you plan to call.
Decide
the Scope -- What do you wish to find out about your family? Do you wish to trace
only those that are biologically (blood) related, your direct ancestry, descendants of one
particular set of grandparents, one surname study, anything & everything?? Knowing what
you're after before you start does help!
Keep in mind the four W's of Genealogy
Who are you looking for?
What Do you want to find out about them?
When did this event take place? (Time frame)
Where did this event take place?
Join a Genealogical Society -- Even if you know your ancestors never lived where you
currently live, join a Genealogical Society in your area. Here you can network with other genealogists,
find out what's available to research locally, their tips for getting around dead-ends,
researching long-distance, and so on. These societies are not likely listed in your phone
book so ask your local librarian.
Start with yourself -- The first "rule" of beginning your genealogy is to start with
yourself. Regardless of where you're geographically located, and where you will need to
research this is the starting place for all genealogists. Record all the major events in your
life -- Birth, Marriage, Children, Schooling, Places lived (and when), etc. Make sure each
piece of information is accompanied by the date that it happened and the place it
happened in.
Once you have completed recording information about yourself, move onto your parents and do the same with them, then onto other family members (siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc). Be sure to ask each family member what they know or recall about the family. Where are old photos? The family bible? Family Folklore? You can find out quite a bit just by talking! Take caution though, some family stories are just that -- stories. Some are based on fact and it's up to you to find out what the truth is (should you choose to pursue it).
Cite your Sources --
I repeat Cite Your Sources. This cannot be emphasized enough.
The worst part of genealogy is not remembering where you found that key piece of
information. By writing down where you found that information (and perhaps having a copy
of the source in your files) will save you heartache later on.
The Best Sources (also known as "The Best Proof") are: ---
Bible Records (Family bibles -- be careful here though! Some family information was recorded in the bibles years after the events occurred)
Census Records
Church Records (Baptisms, et al)
Court Records (Divorces, Guardianship/Orphan's Court)
Tax Assessments
Land Deeds
Prisoner Lists
Funeral Home Records (preferably certified by Funeral Home director)
Marriage Bonds/Licenses
Military Records
Social Security Records
Vital Records (also known as Civil Registration) of Births, Marriages, and Deaths
Other good sources (though not as desirable as those listed above): ---
Cemetery Records, Photos and/or Transcriptions (some gravestones were placed years after a death occurred and info is not always accurate)
Funeral Cards
The Family Search center on the Internet at http://familysearch.org/
Published Family Genealogies (beware of Ancestry files on the Family Search website. They are filled with errors. Check and double check their data.)
Scots Origins at http://www.origins.net/GRO/ but only after you've traced your Urquhart ancestor back to Scotland, and only after you've checked the Family Search center, which has much of the same data and is free. Scots Origins is the official, Governmental source of genealogical data for Scotland. It is an online "pay-per-view" database of indexes from the genealogical records of the General Register Office for Scotland - the GRO(S). It costs £6 (sterling) for 30 "page credits". Each page consists of a maximum of 15 search results. The initial 30 page credits are valid for 24 hours from the time of payment (i.e. the clock starts when you pay). Further credits can be bought in 30 page increments for a further £6 charge each time. Each further purchase restarts your 24 hour user period from the time of payment.
Local Histories
Newspapers (Obituaries, Marriage/Birth Announcements, Social Column)
Move on with what you know -- By this time you should be well equipped with oral
history from talking to several dozen family members. Record all this information on a
family group sheet to see what information you're still missing and
what you need to prove.
If your ancestor had an American Social Security number and died you can check
the Social Security Death Index and order a copy of the SS-5 form he/she filled
out when applying for a Social Security number. This form will have his/her date
of birth, place of birth and the full names of his/her parents. Since this form
was filled out by the applicant it can be assumed with a high degree of
reliability that the individual knew where and when he/she was born and the full
names of his parents. The cost is only $7.00 for the record.
A few tips for the road:
Nothing is set in stone -- especially names & dates. When looking for a surname keep in mind
phonetic spellings. I can't begin to tell you how many
ways I've found Urquhart spelled. If it sounds close, it's a possibility and should be noted for further research (just in case). Quite often surname spelling "errors" occurred because of accents, poor spelling, person giving information was
mis-informed, etc. As for dates (especially in censuses) you'll find that they don't always agree.
Go from there! Have fun and good luck.
Always remember. The living are more important to us than the dead. Take some time
to visit and call your living ancestors.
P.S. don't forget to send us a copy of what you find.