Note: This is an update with two important additional sites:
I can't help reviewing in my mind how grateful I am that Kathleen and I were called to serve here in Salt Lake City on a Family History Mission. We have gained so much. My knowledge of genealogy and the tools that help have increased immensly. Gaining an understanding of the spirit of this work that permeates amongst all people, all religions is a blessing too.
In this aritlce I'd like to share with you what I feel are the top 12 most important website addresses for everyone to use.
1- Family Search.org - https://familysearch.org/ - This free site is the most complete genealogy and family history site in the world. It is more than a search site with billions of records to find and millions added each week. If you learned everything published here you would be a fantastic genealogist.
2- Ancestry.com - This pay site rivals FamilySearch.org in many ways. It has records not found on FamilySearch.org The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has a partnership type arrangement with Ancestry.com. We provide some of our data to them and they provide free access to the institunional version in our family history centers world wide.
3. FindAGrave.com - http://www.findagrave.com/ Find A Grave currently has 95 million memorials posted. Some just have a photo of the headstone of an ancestor. More important, many have photos of the ancestor, some have their obituary, and a lot have links to their parents and childrens memorials.
If you are doing a search for an ancestor, and use these 3 sites, you have basically creamed for 80% of the research available. Beyond this it gets more difficult, but you are up to a challenge aren't you.
4. Family Tree - https://familysearch.org/tree/ Yes it's a subset of FamilySearch.org. It too is free, and anyone can have access to the tree. Please click this link and read why I say "Family Tree Will Change Genealogy Research Forever".
5. Family Tree Training Video Site - http://familysearchtraining.com/ It's important that you really know how to use family tree. This site is the best way to learn it.
Here is a quote to consider: Genealogy Without Sources Is Mythology"
6. Google - Yes Google. Don't forget Google Images as an important Google Search. Click this article for some advanced search tips.
7. FamilySearch Wiki - https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Main_Page This site is also a part of FamilySearch.org. It won't find your ancestor, it will tell you resources on finding an ancestor. If you select the "Find Records by Place" section, then go to the state or county sections you will end up with a number of categories for research. In essence that page can become your research plan. I have written 8 articles about the Wiki you can read by clicking here
8. FamilySearch Resarch Courses: https://familysearch.org/learningcenter/home.html Yep, another component of FamilySearch. Perhaps you are understanding by now why I selected FamilySearch.org as #1. Currently there are over 500 video courses (FREE) for all skill levels.These are given by experts.
9. The Salt Lake City Family History Library Catalog - https://familysearch.org/catalog-search The Worlds premier source of records. Sure much is published online but so much more is on microfilm. Those microfilmes can be viewed at one of the local FamilySearch libraries. Formerly Family History Libraries. There are over 4,000 english speaking libraries and many in all parts of the world.
10. Genea Webinars: http://blog.geneawebinars.com/p/calendar.html This may suprise many. It's a site that lists webinars, one of the best ways to learn, live or recorded webinars. This site is a directory of upcoming webinars.
Bonus: If you have Mormon Pioneers, this site: Click Here is full of great stories, a fascinating read.
# 11 is important as it help you move into the process of searching local county websites. See this article: click here
#11 http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com
#12 http://www.eaglequestpro.com/share/index.php This is a great site, links assembled by one of the missionaries at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.
# 13 O K, it's a bakers dozen: Cyndi's List, a great resource: http://cyndislist.blogspot.com/
And don't forget to return here
It's OK to add your favorites as a comment. Who knows, you might change my priorities or make the list more than 12.
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