Genealogy - Research Family Tree Information
Posted: Thursday, August 27, 2009
by Jeff Kona
Family Tree Research Secrets
In the movie Titanic an important document, a hand-drawn sketch, plays a vital role in connecting people to a story in that took place 84 years in the past. The discovery of this document is the beginning of a story told near the end of a woman's life. As she recounts the story of that fateful trip, her family is gathered around her to listen.
First, you must learn to think of yourself as a detective or an investigative reporter. If you already do these things for a living then it will come easy to you! For the rest of us, we must learn how to think a new way: we're looking for clues and facts! Oh sure, you still want to hear the stories of the past (that's the fun part of doing this research!), but you also need to keep your eyes and ears open for the clues and facts which may lead you further into your family's past. If all you hear are stories, then you're not listening like a detective! Listen for the facts! Then go digging for more clues.
Next, you should familiarize yourself with a few of the basics of doing investigative research. After all, you're a family history detective now! Here are a few of the most obvious methods and places of research: word of mouth interviews, documents and photographs, libraries, databases and of course the Internet.
There are many types of searches you should do to uncover more of your family history. The first obvious type of search is the "surname search", in which you simply lookup your family's surname (last name) on the Internet or in the library or in the local courthouse documents. Another type of search is the "one place study", where you go to a single place such as a small town or village and search for as many facts and clues as you can. Another popular type of search is the "specific person" search, where you are interested in finding information about one specific person in your family history (usually to find out how you or someone else is directly related to that person). Each of these types of searches yields different but insightful results.
Next, you should draft a plan of action that leads you step-by-step through the journey of researching your family history. Your plan should include word of mouth interviews, documents and photographs, as well as libraries, databases and the Internet.
The first, easiest place for you to begin your family history research is with yourself and your immediate family. The most obvious research method is the "word of mouth" method (which simply means "do interviews"). Perhaps you could have a family reunion, and at the event you could go around interviewing various key people in your family. While you're interviewing, don't forget to ask for the facts and clues which will lead you further on your quest!
Ask family members to dig up old documents and photographs, and ask them where else you should go to find more information. They may send you to the courthouse or library or to Great-Uncle Joe's house. These are some of the types of documents you are looking for: church records, marriage and divorce documents, birth and death certificates, military discharge papers, newspaper clippings, etc.
Other places to search for clues are libraries, databases and on the Internet. You can search the archives of the local public library, the Mormon library, or even the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.! You can also search through databases and indexes (both online and in print or microfiche). Some of the most important databases are: the LDS database, the IGI and the AF. And of course the Internet is one of the most obvious and powerful tools you can use for research with such sites as familysearch.org.
What are you waiting for? You now have the basic understanding that will lead you successfully down the journey to discovery. Get started researching your family tree today!
Learn more about how to research family tree information from Jeff Kona, a genealogy enthusiast and author. Visit FamilyTreeResearchSecrets.com to sign up for Jeff's free Genealogy mini-course. Follow Jeff on Twitter @famtreesecrets.
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