Friday, October 19, 2012

Tips on Getting Started On Your Family History

Get Started!

You Won't Do This All At Once, but start working on this list.

Remember what you can

Take a few minutes to remember and write down what you already know about your relatives and ancestors.
Record information by family, then use it as a roadmap for the information you need to find.

Look for information in your own home

Look for information in:
  • Attic, basement, storage areas
  • Personal files, desk
  • Closets, book shelves, drawers
Try to find:
  • Letters, diaries, journals
  • Certificates, legal documents
  • Heirlooms, Family Bibles
  • Obituaries, newspaper clippings
  • Photographs (check the backs for information)

Interview your relatives

  • Interview your oldest relatives first
  • Contact relatives ahead of time and asked them to make copies of important documents
  • Record your visits (paper, audio, or video)
  • Don’t make your relatives self-conscience
  • Identify people in photographs or listed in documents
  • Ask questions that will encourage relatives to share facts and stories

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