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Searching For Your Ancestors On The Homefront
By Melody Daisson
Have you ever been told you look just like your great- grandmother
Martha? Does your spouse's mother swear your oldest son smiles just like
her Uncle Jimmy? Chances are, you have probably heard tid- bits of your
family history through other family members. Still unanswered questions
remain. Where was grandma Martha born? Who were her parents? Did uncle
Jimmy really serve in World War II? Tracking your family history can be
fascinating as you travel back in time to discover your roots! With the
many records available, and the vast information on the Internet, your
search can be made easy!
Before delving into records, it is important to understand basic
genealogical terms. A pedigree chart shows your direct descendency. Your
direct descendants are your mother and father, your grandparents, and
your great grandparents. You also need to fill out a Family Group Record
for each male descendant on your pedigree chart. On the family group
record, information about the husband, wife and children are recorded.
To start tracking down your ancestors, begin with yourself. The first
person on your pedigree chart will be you. Fill in your birth date, birth
place, spouse's name, and marriage date. Then pull out a family group
sheet for your immediate family. An entry will look like this:
Jane DOE
Born: 4 Jan 1976
Place: Lewiston, Nez Perce, Idaho
Marriage: 27 Oct 1998
Place: La Jolla, San Diego, California
Once you have filled out information about yourself, begin recording
information for your parents and their children. Then fill out a family
group sheet for your grandparents and their children. There are many good
software programs on the market that will organize your information into
family group sheets and pedigree charts. To print off blank pedigree
charts, go to: www.pbs.org and click on Ancestors.
Once you start filling out information on your great- grandparents, you
may find there is information you do not know about them. For instance,
you may be unsure how many children they had or where your great
grandfather died. To find missing information, you must form a research
question. An example would be: where did Great Grandpa die? Once you have
formed your research question, you are ready to begin your search.
Many people assume genealogy is only looking at old documents on
microfilm. They forget the vast amount of information obtained by family
sources. Call your parents, grandparents, and other relatives to ask
questions about your research question. If they do not know anything,
they may be able to refer you to a relative who does. In corresponding
with relatives you do not know personally, it is acceptable to get in
contact by e-mail or letter writing. Keep your correspondence brief,
stating your relationship to your mutual ancestor, and what information
you would like to obtain. Also, offer to share any facts you might have
with them.
Not only will family members be able to supply genealogical facts, but
treasured family heir looms as well. Be sure to ask if they have a family
bible, letters, photos, or war artifacts. If they possess these items,
ask if you can photocopy or take pictures of them. If they let you borrow
their item, be courteous and return it promptly, in good shape.
The first step in doing genealogy is organizing data onto pedigree charts
and family group records. The second step is forming a research problem
and looking to family sources to obtain information. The next step will
be to examine compiled and original records. I will discuss these in my
next few articles. Until then, happy researching!
Melody Daisson is a freelance writer and a stay at home mom to three
children. The author has a bachelor degree in genealogy/Family History
and does genealogical research for clients part time.
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