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How to Start
So you want to start your family history? You
don't know where to start or what to include in your work. That's why I'm here
to offer my help. The whole process is very easy. I've broken down this page
into sections so that I can focus on one area at a time. However, I have to
start by warning you that research can become addictive. Once you get started
you may not want to stop. The other, and most important, tip I can give you is
to never give up. It can become very frustrating when you can't seem to get
people to answer your questions or you run into a brick wall (genealogy speak
meaning you can't find a particular person or line of the family). I know from
experience that some of these walls may remain, while others can be torn down
with just one name or date. Keep at it and you'll find what you're seeking.
I'll give you a couple of other good tips before going
into the specifics. First, always carry a notebook and a pencil with you when
you know you're going to be asking people questions about the family. Another
option is too carry a tape recorder, but make sure you have new batteries and
blank tapes. Second, write everything down. I mean everything. I know
you want all of the names and dates someone can think of, but even if
something doesn't seem important when you hear it, write it down. That story
about what crazy Uncle Joe did will add some spice to your history when you
get around to putting all of the information together. |
Really getting started.
1. Who do you talk to first? Yourself, of course.
You have to start somewhere and beginning with someone you know everything
about is the easiest way to get going. Write down everything about yourself
that you can think of, including those embarrassing moments. You might not
think it's important right now, but future generations want to know
everything. Also take the time now to write down everything you know about any
family member. Even if you've only heard a name in passing, write it down so
you can ask someone about it later.
2. Now is when you start the interrogations . . . I
mean asking questions of immediate family members. Ask them for the same type
of information you wrote about yourself. Mothers, fathers, and siblings
(brothers and sisters) can supply their own information. They may also mention
some other names, dates, etc. for relatives you haven't heard about yet. For
those people who are in a family through adoption or a new marriage (you're a
stepchild), there's nothing wrong with
tracing your adoptive family's lineage, after all, you're part of that family.
3. Ok, on to the grandparents, aunts, uncles, and
cousins. You're just going to repeat the questions you've asked everyone so
far. Generally, the grandparents may be able to get you back a couple of
more generations. If you're still young, you may still have great-grandparents
alive that can give you their information.
4. We've now come to the snooping stage . . . I mean
it's time to talk to people outside of the family. Now is the time to start
talking to neighbors, fellow church members, school teachers, and perhaps even
the mailman. Talk to anyone who knows your family. They might not be able to
give you specific dates or tell you about the major events in the lives of
your family, but you might get some interesting family stories you can write
down. Just start talking and see what you can find out.
*** The information you gathered in these four steps
isn't the end, but is instead only the beginning of the story. From here on
out the goal is to take the history back as many generations as possible, fill
in the missing pieces, and to find those elusive relatives no one wants to
talk about. *** |
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What to ask.
Ok, now you know who to talk to but you're
wondering what questions you need to ask. The most important questions would
be, besides a name, things like birthdays, death and marriage dates, and the
names of any children. To make it easier, I've created the chart below to help
be more specific. Be sure to ask each person for the information about themselves as
well as if they know any of the information about anyone else in the family. Feel free to print out this page so you can use all of the
information as a guide in your research.
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Name: |
Full name, titles, and nicknames. |
| Birth: |
Date, state, city, name of hospital/at home/in a taxicab, any
details of the birth (premature, twins/multiple births), name of
doctor/midwife. If you or the family member you're asking is adopted, include
the specifics (date, place, reason). |
| Religious: |
Baptism, dedication, confirmation,
Bar Mitzvah, naming ceremony, etc. Include: date, church or location, church
officials, witnesses. |
| Description: |
A physical description of the
person. This is important if no photo is available for the person. Include:
hair and eye color, height, weight, distinguishing birthmarks, physical
deformities, etc. |
| Death: |
Date, where the death occurred,
natural/accident/war/murder, any last words, date/place of funeral services,
name of person conducting the services, place of burial (name of cemetery, at
sea, remains never located). Be sure to write down the name of the cemetery
and driving directions. |
| Marriage: |
Name of spouse, spouses parents,
location, name of person conducting the ceremony, whether or not the marriage
was acceptable to the family (this sounds funny, but there are "black sheep"
in families because someone disagreed with the chosen spouse). Don't forget to
include any divorces, whether a widow/widower, or other details. |
| Children: |
Names, nicknames, dates of birth. |
| Medical: |
List any medical conditions such
as diabetes, heart disease, etc. Many conditions are hereditary and this
information could be valuable to doctor's later. |
| Education: |
Elementary through high school,
college, technical/trade schools. Include: school names, dates attended,
highest grade completed or degrees earned, sports and/or organizations,
special honors. |
| Occupations: |
Dates of employment, company
name, positions held, job description. |
| Military service: |
Dates of service, rank, rating
(job), duty stations, specific duties, special duties, medals and other
honors, wars/missions, prisoner of war (POW)/missing in action (MIA)/killed in
action (KIA), type of discharge. |
| Memberships: |
Church, social/service clubs, etc.
Include: names and locations of organizations, dates of participation,
positions held, types of activities or committees. |
| Stories: |
Funny/serious things that
occurred, hobbies, interests, volunteer work. If you add anything that can't
be verified (ex: Aunt Belle was a confederate spy during the Civil War), be
sure to document that the story hasn't been verified and so far is only
unconfirmed family history. |
| Other: |
Be sure to ask if anyone has old
photos, documents, or family Bibles containing family information. If they
won't let you take them home with you, write down the information or ask them
to make a copy for your files. |
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Copyright © 2004-2005 Sheila Rae Myers
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