Genealogy

Genealogy Ideas

2008-10-02T11:29:00.001-07:00

How to Avoid Quitting Your Family History Research

2008-09-26T20:34:00.000-07:00

Being able to get a new clue or a link in your family research gives new signs of hope of finally tracing your family history. Its a common reaction that gives you thrills of excitement but sometimes you have to control your emotion for the possibilities of let downs. You might not handle desperation and will discourage you to go on with your family research. Things like these happen probably more times than you expect. Before leaping with joy you better keep your cool and follow up your new evidence with more proofs.

Below are some theories that most people commonly use and end up quitting because they lack the ideas of finding possibilities and investigating further more. Do not rely on the data that you have gathered easily. If you have easily acquired some useful resources of your family history, its advisable to make independent studies about the data you have in hand. By doing this, you are unlocking mysteries and making your family research more accurate.

Always check the number of marriage

Never conclude that the children have a common mother or father. If you are basing your research from the man’s point of view, the children could be off springs from other women. They could come from this present wife, or his wife previously or even a wife after the one you have found. Remember that parentage is one of the hardest things to document, unless you know for sure. Women died in childbirth all the time. It was not uncommon for a man to have 2 or more wives.

If you can’t find a marriage record to support your family research its maybe because of these reasons:

- A lot of early marriages were not documented at the time of the marriage. It could have taken 5 years or so before the marriage could be written down in a courthouse.
- There might have not been a courthouse around or even a church; lots of early marriages took place in homes.
- Hundreds of records were burned during the Civil War.

Extend your family history research and consider every possible turn of events in the past

Don’t always assume that your ancestors came from the same state that their neighbors came from. Family genealogy includes possibilities of migration. In this case migration routes were basically the same but not every person follow the same route. You have to research further.

If you don’t find your ancestor in the next census record and you assume it’s because they were old and died, don’t just assume. Yes, most people did live the normal life span but people did live to a much older age also.

You have to research further, look at the closeness of their homes, how each of them named their children, and court records to see if they witnessed each other’s documents.

Don’t assume that your Jr. you found has the exact same name as Sr. Years ago the words aunt, uncle, Jr., Sr., and cousin were also used when the individual was no relation; in other words they were used very loosely. For example, you may have found land records that have Jr. and Sr. listed but these 2 men just happen to have the same name so to distinguish between the two, Jr. and Sr. were used.

Do not always assume that the name of an individual is a boy or girl’s name. Parents sometimes just liked a name and to us it sounds like a girl but back then it was a boy. Some names years ago were originally boys name but now they are girls. Parents also named their children after a famous person or a long ago relative.

Don’t always assume that a female that has the same last name as her father isn’t married. Women did marry men that had the same last name as they did. This happened a lot back when household were scattered far apart and relation lived fairly close to one another; cousins married distant cousins and cousin’s married distant uncles or aunts.

Keep in mind that divorced women did sometimes take back their original name and widows sometimes did the same.

Don’t assume that your ancestor died in the same place he or she was born and never moved around. It wasn’t uncommon for individuals to move their families many time but as they did get older, most moved back to live closer to their family. The best way of working on this is to create a time line and research many of the areas that they lived.

If your ancestor lived in one town or county and then you loose them, don’t just assume that they picked up and moved. There are other reasons you may have lost them. The county that your ancestor lived could have been broken up into several counties or they could of lived on the line dividing 2 counties. You have to research the surrounding counties.

Being a genealogist or family historian, assumptions is what keeps the research going but you have to recognize the trick as an assumption and prove or disprove them with further evidence.

About the Author:

Stellar Montealegre is the internet sale representative of Family Origin. She can give expert advice, guidelines and personal views on how to properly conduct family research and family tree making. You can find more readings related to family genealogy in her personal blog at Know Your Family History and on Trace Your Family Genealogy.

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Genealogy Downloads

2008-09-01T02:00:00.000-07:00

By Sunil Tanna
If you have ever wanted to know about your ancestors and family history, wondered about your origins and family tree, then although you may not have realized it, or perhaps never pursued it, genealogical research could be the right hobby for you. Genealogy is the study of our family history, and for many people is a fascinating and engaging hobby. Learning about ourselves and our families is of course usually the main reason for taking up the hobby, but if you enjoy solving puzzles or detective stories, the intellectual challenge that genealogy offers is another attraction.

Many people think of genealogy is being about interviewing family members, hunting through your attic and family heirlooms, and sorting through musty public records archives. While it is true that some of these activities are common in the hobby, it would be wrong to think of them as being the only activities. Genealogy has in fact moved with times, and computers and use of the Internet (including web sites containing searchable genealogical information) also play in an important in genealogical research.

Apart from accessing web sites containing databases of public, private and military records, you will probably find yourself using your computer in other ways too. There is a wide range of genealogical software available for your PC (software of which may be delivered as downloads, as a physical media such as a CD-ROM shipped) including tools for drawing, collecting and organizing family tree data. You can also choose from a range of computer-based tutorials on genealogical subjects, ranging from beginner to expert, and in some cases offering solutions to particular problems or road-blocks that you may encounter during your search.

By S. Tanna. Discover Genealogy Downloads at http://www.downloadfocus.com/cat_hobbies_genealogy.php

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Genealogy Websites - Get Your Own Family Web Site Today!

2008-08-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

By Govindji Patel
Genealogy has become more than just writing your close family members on a paper tree. It is a completely new invention, technology and business. How far back can you trace your family to? I know one person who traced her family all the way back to the Knights Templar. That is just intriguing.

Genealogy is a wonderful hobby for anyone wanting to find out more about where they came from, and that includes just about every human being on this planet. You can find out who your great, great grandparents were, where they lived, what they did, and more. It just takes research and a commitment. The one thing that will help you create your own family’s genealogy is your own family web site. With your own family web site you can connect to other people who can help you find the information you are looking for, help you get your information out there because someone in your family might recognize it, and it will help you stay organized.

It doesn’t matter if you are just beginning to research your family’s history or if you have been doing it for years, a web site just for your family’s genealogy can help you a great deal.

Features and Benefits of a Family Genealogy Web Site –

Instead of flipping and searching through your folders and files of research, you will have it all digitalized online
You can save all of your genealogy family history on a simple flash drive that usually costs about twenty dollars
Anyone in the world with an Internet connection can find and view your web site
Those people might end up being people you can add to your family history, or they might know some information that you don’t
You can easily market your web site by putting the URL in your email signature and forum signatures
You don’t necessarily have to know anything about maintaining your own web site
The software or web site host you purchase will walk you through how to upload your files
It will force you to re-organize all of your family history information and you can get rid of those scribbled notes
You can print out your family history and genealogy information to be put in a nice binder
That organized binder is a great gift for those in your family – they would love to see what you have done
Show off all of the hard work you have done, you deserve it!

I can list the features and benefits of having your own family web site on and on. However, I think you get the point. Sure, it can seem a little overwhelming at first, but I have never had someone give up after creating their own genealogy web site. They just work a little less and find even more information! That is something I think that anyone researching their family history would want.

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Author: Govindji Patel
Please visit my websites at:

GbpCentral provides services to those outside of the business sector as well. We offer everything from blogs,genealogy to photo galleries so you can instantly share loving moments with your family members
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Using Genealogy To Discover Your Past And History

2008-08-29T15:18:00.000-07:00

By Mike Selvon
Genealogy satisfies the curiosity of those interested in knowing more about their past and history. Compiling a family tree that depicts much of one's lineage and ancestors' personal information, such as birth dates, marriages, children, and all sorts of other types of data can be a wonderful hobby to take on, and it is very popular as a pastime.

In order to obtain the information for a family history record, you will need to do extensive research. How extensive your research will be depends on the purpose of your genealogy project. If you are simply interested in a family tree that covers a few generations, much of your research can be done within your immediate family.

Interview older members of your family to discover the names and important dates connected with their parents and siblings. Also, check family Bibles and other heirlooms for information.

If you want to create a more extensive picture of your family history, you will eventually need to search through genealogy records. Sources that you may use include military records, land records, census records and the social security death index. Each of these types of records can provide information on your ancestors.

Think of a family tree as a mystery waiting to be solved. You will take on the role of a detective, gathering evidence and interviewing those who might be able to provide clues in your quest. Each bit of information that you gather will lead you to new sources and new questions.

Although it is not necessary, genealogy software can assist you in compiling your genealogy. The good ones will often include checklists of hints, tips and tricks that can prove invaluable. Such software may also be linked to research websites that can search a long list of records with a simple click. Some type of automatic family tree maker is usually included as part of the package.

A wide variety of genealogy resources are available online. There are many websites devoted to family history, such as Ancestry.com, and these can be valuable for clues and information for tracing your ancestors back in time.

You'll also discover community forums, tools, different types of genealogy software, and other types of resources, as well as make friends with many other people devoted to genealogy. What used to be a long process of sifting through old papers in file rooms has become a fast and easy project with most of the information you need available with the click of a mouse.

Genealogy can be an exciting hobby involving playing detective and learning about your family's past. You'll discover many other people related to you whose existence you were not aware of or you'll find new friends who share your passion.

Many people who begin a family tree for fun soon discover that the interest becomes a lifelong passion.

Discover more about how genealogy will teach you more about your past and history from Mike Selvon portal where a free gift awaits you. We appreciate your feedback at our Genealogy blog.

Genealogy Software - Why Use It?

2008-08-28T11:46:00.000-07:00

By Govindji Patel

Tackling a genealogy project can be quite a daunting task if you do not know where to start and how to arrange the multitude of facts that you will uncover during your genealogy journey. Genealogy software has give the average enthusiast a platform to work with and created a solution to the problem of putting all your information in a chronological and understandable order.

Genealogy software can setup charts and graphs so you can easily identify your ancestors linage at a glance and organise that information into an easily followed manner. With ancestor charts you can identify how far back your linage goes. Family charts go hand in hand with ancestor charts as they show your entire family, their children, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and of course how you fit in via your mother and father.

Most genealogy software programs are programmed with a host of organisational tools to simplify the whole process of linking family members, creating family trees and grouping them into various sub categorised family trees. Tools to show and help you to discover vital information that will ultimately enable you to have an accurate representation of all family members and how they are all interrelated.

Finding the right genealogy software to help with your investigations is a very important point to remember. The average person who considers genealogy to be just a past time, and a way to engage his family in a collaborated effort will most certainly be looking for a software that is, easy to use and that is not loaded with many technical procedures, spoiling the whole adventure. As well as being easy to use, the chosen genealogy software should be simple to install and setup. Software that is module rich, and caters for a step-by-step data inclusion process will be a great benefit to the hobbyist enabling him to store and create interesting graphs’ charts and present the data in a fun and colourful manner.

For the more serious genealogy adventurer software that includes such functions as DNA tags and listings, the ability to create web pages, book reports and create time lines may be more suitable in producing a consolidated and accurate family tree. Loaded with more complex search tools and the ability to solve potential data entry errors may be a little more complicated for the average user to use and understand, however, giving the expert a far greater challenge complete study.

The computer age has most definitely made genealogy a more accessible past time, allowing you to research and gather your data without having to use traditional methods, such as local visits to libraries, newspapers, deeds and title offices and any other ‘foot-slogging’ methods. The internet has literally brought your genealogical research right into your home with just the click of a mouse. Collaborating with family members across the internet and then entering your data in your genealogy software can also be a fun way of staying in touch with those too far away to meet on a one-to-one basis. Whatever way you decide to conduct your research there are genealogy software packages to suit any level of participation.

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Author: Govindji Patel

Please visit my websites at:

GbpCentral provides services to those outside of the business sector as well. We offer everything from blogs,genealogy to photo galleries so you can instantly share loving moments with your family members
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Building Your Family Tree

2008-08-27T11:49:00.000-07:00

By Kelly Liyakasa

If you've ever pondered the question, 'Who am I related to?' you aren't alone. While communicating by way of the Internet and the cell phone have brought many of us together, there are plenty of individuals who can count their family members on one hand.

Genealogy services have special family tree features that allow inquiring minds to piece their rich ancestral roots together. If you want to build a family tree with ease, keep the following in mind:

• Global connection-Even if your entire family lives in New Jersey, sites like One Great Family complete the puzzle by demonstrating where your family delineated from through their Family Tree Connection feature.

• Census Collection-Don't settle for a family tree builder solely containing US Census Records. Ancestry is a genealogy service that incorporates UK records, as well as specialized documents, such as military records.

• Ellis Island-Many of our ancestors passed through this infamous Hudson port and sites like Kindred Konnections allow you to scour records taken during our nation's great migration period.

• Family Tree Platform-Some genealogy services require you to download software before you research and store family tree data, but One Great Family lets you upload your family's information directly into an intuitive database.

Though filling in every gap in your family tree may be impossible, building a virtual replica of your ancestral background isn't the dry task it once was. 6StarReviews.com found genealogy services hosting innovative research tools, scannable records and simple data uploads, allowing anyone with Internet access to piece together their ancestral story.

Kelly Liyakasa is staff writer for 6StarReviews.com, a site dedicated to giving YOU, the consumer, the best product and service reviews around. If you like saving time and money by having someone else review leading sites and products, then Visit our site at 6StarReviews.com

5 Steps to Get to Know about Your Ancestors

2008-08-25T09:49:00.000-07:00

By Adwina D. Jackson

It is always fun to discover who are our grandparents, great grandparents, etc, especially if they were popular and smart people in their times.

If you want to satisfy your curiosity about your ancestors, these are the steps you can follow. Reveal all the secrets you want to know about your family by:

1. Getting Started in Genealogy

Do you know that there’s a study of family history? Yes, it’s called genealogy. It will unlock the door to what your family has lived through and provide you with a look to the world that they were exposed to. You’ll find that this is a very rewarding experience to be in.

2. Working on the Living Members of Your Family

Your family is a great source for genealogy research. The first thing that you will want to do is to work on names of ancestors by interviewing your families. What you’ll do next is to try to construct a family tree based on the names that have been given to you. In these interviews, you can also ask anything you want to know about your ancestors. For example, your relatives perhaps can tell you about the cities in which your family members grew up in or whether someone was in war. These are informational pieces that you can use to begin your journey into the past.

3. Finding Sources for Genealogy Research

Be creative in finding information. Using the web is absolutely a helpful effort. For example, if you learn that your mother’s grandfather was in the military, you may be able to find information based on this on the web. You could use old military records or even find info about something that he did heroically. These small pieces will open up the puzzle of your genealogy.

4. Taking Genealogy Research Further

As mentioned before, using the internet’s wide resources is very advantageous. There are also other ways to take the research: using the online databases provided by church organizations, using message boards, joining forums, and writing or looking for genealogy blogs. You probably couldn’t find the information you have been looking for by doing these, but at least they provide you with good advice on how to find your ancestors. If you become stuck and really want to track your family’s history, consider calling on a professional genealogical individual to help you in the pursuit. Often, they provide more information because they have the necessary resources already established to help you.

5. Preserving Your Genealogy Research

When you have taken time to do all the searches and collected so much information about your ancestors, it is now time to preserve all the data safely. Probably the best way for you to do this is to secure the information in a genealogy software program. This program will not only offer you a place to store all valuable information that you have learned so far but also help you get more solutions to your needs. Your genealogy means everything to you and you must provide the best preservation for it.

About the Author: Adwina Jackson is a working mother of a gorgeous young boy. Join her free e-mail guides about Genealogy Guides at http://insparenting.com/reports/genealogy.php. Visit her daily blog now where you can get helpful parenting stories and tips on: http://www.insparenting.com

How to Use Public Records For Genealogical Research

2008-08-24T10:21:00.000-07:00

By Matthew Beeson

From the beginning of time, it seems that humans have been fascinated with ancestry. Even in Biblical times, it's clear that genealogy records of some kind were kept, even if only orally. Researchers think that many of the hieroglyphs on Egyptian pyramids record the ancestry of the Pharaohs and other important nobles. This tradition of record keeping and veneration of those that came before has stayed with humanity through the generations. In the modern era, this fascination with ancestors is manifested through the wild popularity of genealogy and genealogy websites. If you're interested in doing genealogy research, you can use public records to jump start your family history project.

Public records are the backbone of any genealogical undertaking. Information like birth records, death records, marriage records, and court records are the best and most readily available way to find out more about your ancestors. By starting with yourself or another known relative and working backwards through records, you can fill in any blanks you might have on your family tree. But public records include much more than just names. Records not only include interesting details (place of residence, occupation, etc.), they can clue you in to other places to round out your genealogy research.

Moreover, thanks to the internet, finding public records is easier than every before. Whereas in the past, genealogy research frequently had to visit courthouses, archives and graveyards in multiple locations to piece together coherent facts, new online searches take the footwork out of researching your ancestors. Simply by clicking search, you can find records from coast to coast, all without leaving your desk. Fast, convenient, and affordable, it's hard to beat the service that online public record searches offer.

Public records and genealogy research are an exciting way to learn more about your forebears. Armed with this tool, you can unlock generations of your family. You may even discover that you're related to someone famous like Elvis or Doc Holliday. No matter what your research uncovers, you'll be glad to know that you're continuing the age-old tradition of documenting and revering the past.

Matthew Beeson is a part-time model who does freelance web projects. You can do your own public records search at http://www.publicrecordspro.com

Genealogy For The Beginner

2008-08-23T11:58:00.000-07:00

By Mike Selvon

Genealogy is a popular pastime. It is natural to be curious about one's roots and family history, and genealogy allows all of the information to be compiled and passed along to future generations.

The internet has proved to be a powerful tool for genealogists, allowing easier searches of records as well as the sharing of information between genealogists who share a common line. This article will discuss some of the common questions surrounding genealogy and family history that may help you find your ancestors.

What is genealogy?

Genealogy can be defined as the study and recording of one's family history. The information is recorded in a document known as a family tree. Information that may be documented in the written record includes birth, death and marriage dates, names of spouse(s) and children, and perhaps pertinent historical or medical data.

Why is genealogy important?

We are ultimately the product of those who have gone before us. In order to understand ourselves better, it is important to understand where we came from. Additionally, genealogy may be used to find lost relatives or trace a line of descendants from a well-known ancestor.

Genealogy is also a way to acknowledge the importance and life history of our deceased loved ones. Genealogy can be used to put together the life story of an individual family.

I have done all the research I can within my immediate family. Now what?

Now it is time to take the information you have compiled and use it to move backward through your family line. Your first step should to be to check with the major research societies and online forums to see if anyone else is researching the same surnames as you are.

It is possible that a completed or in-process genealogy will link to yours, so be sure to research any current genealogies that seem plausible.

What are some of the problems I might run into when performing genealogical research?

The biggest problem that most of us will face is loss or destruction of records. Virtually every bloodline has in its history an era of persecution, flood, fire or other disaster.

At a time when all records were on paper, even a small local fire could be enough to destroy all of the town's records. Those who fled persecution often changed their names on the spot and went into hiding in a new location.

There will be gaps in your records and you might hit a wall beyond which it is impossible to trace a certain branch of your family.

When you run into these problems, think outside the box. Try to connect an ancestor whose trail has gone cold to someone else in your family whose records you have.

Odds are good that a connection is there, although it may take some detective work to figure out the link. Patience and perseverance are the keys.

Discover more about genealogy from Mike Selvon portal where a free gift awaits you. We appreciate your feedback at our Genealogy blog.

Genealogy Tools

2008-08-22T13:56:00.000-07:00

By Sunil Tanna

Genealogy is the study of our family history and ancestry. It allows us to learn about origins, know more about our family tree, and to put us in closer touch with our roots. There are many reasons why you might be interested in subject:

* There of course professional historians, and some of these will study genealogical matters just like any other historical subject.

* For many people genealogy is simply interesting hobby. Learning about your family's past is fascinating in itself, but furthermore the process of seeking and analyzing genealogical information can also be enjoyable - rather like trying to solve a complicated detective puzzle.

* The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often informally known as the "LDS Church") encourages research into family history. Members of the church believe that tracing their family history is a religious obligation, and believe that they will be reunited with family members in the afterlife.

Whatever the reason for your interest in genealogy, you can find a lot of help online. This includes:

1. Many web sites that contain searchable information that is of use in genealogy. Some such web sites contain vast databases collected from public, military or private records.

2. There is a wide range of genealogical software products available, including for example programs that help you draw out family trees, and organize your genealogical information. Some such products can be downloaded immediately, whereas others can be ordered online but are delivered by mail (typicalled these are boxed software products on a CD-ROM).

3. There are many tutorials about genealogy, as well as sites containing tips and ideas if you feel that you are stuck at a deadend during your research.

By S. Tanna. Discover Genealogy Tools at http://www.downloadfocus.com/cat_hobbies_genealogy.php

Use Legal Online Genealogy Tools For Your Family Tree Research

2008-08-21T12:30:00.000-07:00

By Ben Jen

Ever since ROOTS in the 70's, genealogy research has not been the same again. What a shot in the arm and not just for the ancestry study of the African American. The catchword of the day became family roots and origin across the board, Asian American, Hispanic, Jewish American and Native American and so forth. But what exactly is Genealogy and we do genealogist get out of their pursuit?

A good way to view Genealogy is history of a particular individual or family. The scope is limited in that sense but the retrospective levels are not. They are in fact the exact opposite, the further it can be traced back in family history, the better the research.

Genealogy did not start out as a hobby or recreational activity although it is pretty much just that these days. Originally, genealogy served the purpose of ascertaining claims to royalty and nobility. Its records are also documentation for reference and consultation in cultural and customary matters, known to be still in practice even today in parts of China, India and some other Asian countries.

But mostly, genealogy research today initiate only out of the tingle in the bloodstreams, that is to say it's largely personal and individual. Much satisfaction is often derived in locating long lost relatives, learning family traditions, noting ancestors' greatness or even just a sense of identity itself. Whatever drives one onto the road to his family past, it is much easier nowadays.

One way genealogy research has been greatly facilitated by the internet is the amount of direct information on the subject that can be accessed on the World Wide Web. It also provides a platform for quick and easy information sharing among fellow genealogists and carries various links to all sorts of pertinent resource network. But most of all, on-demand type genealogy records facilities are widely available.

Log onto any decent search engine and find numerous public record providers with ready databases which will compile genealogy record reports. Most of them are fee-based but charges are reasonable and competitive. Being online, it is fast and convenient. Input a name or names and the computer goes to work. If the search comes away empty-handed, they go away empty-handed, no charge. If a report that is subscribed off a free search falls short, there's full refund. That's the market benchmark. Don't settle for less.

For more insights into Online Genealogy Search, visit http://gov-record.org/birth-records/, a popular website that offer tips and advices for your Family History Search.

How To Do Genealogy Research

2008-08-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

By Fred Hawks

If you are interested in performing genealogy research things are much easier for you than they used to be. In the past researching genealogy was very, very time consuming. You needed to visit a library, read lots of books etc. However today all you need is an internet connection and you are ready to get started.

On the internet you can find lots of very helpful records to help you in your research. You will birth records, marriage records, military records and lots more. These are simply invaluable for people doing genealogy research. Also helpful are the many genealogy forums and communities that exist online. You can visit these sites and ask for help and advice.

While the internet is a great place to do your research, you shouldn’t forget about more old fashioned ways altogether. First and foremost, if you are researching your own family history, talk to your relatives! Their stories can usually give lots of valuable clues and information.
If you want to go really high tech you can also include DNA testing in your research. By performing a DNA test you can determine if people are really related or not.

Always remember to keep records when doing your research. There are websites and software programs available to help you with this, they can save you a lot of headache. Special family tree software lets you create databases of your records, scan old documents and more.
Doing genealogy research has become very easy in recent years. Now practically anyone can find out who their ancestors were and how they lived their lives.

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Genealogy Software

2008-08-19T06:11:00.000-07:00

By Sunil Tanna

Genealogy is the study of ancestors, our ancestors' families, and our family history. Although genealogy is sometimes done for professional reasons, for example by academic historians, for the most part, it is simply a fascinating hobby that engages in many. Who would not want to know who their ancestors were, and what their ancestors did during their lives?

For the most part, genealogical research tends to be advanced by a combination of patience, persistence and thoroughness, rather inspired lightning bolts of genius. It is perhaps for this reason that genealogy tends to be enjoyed most by the kind of people who enjoy this kind of detective work, as well as people who like solving mysteries or puzzles.

However, it would be incorrect to think of genealogy as being stuffy or behind the times - that is certainly not the case. Genealogists have been very adept in apply new technologies such as computers and the Internet, to their passion:

* Many people are aware (for example) of web sites that contain large amounts of searchable information that is of use for genealogists. These web sites may include information gathered from public records and military sources, as well as the results of private research.

* A variety of software is available for genealogists, including of course a range of tools for creating and recording family trees.

* There are also a number of web sites include tutorials and advice for people interested in genealogy. This range from tutorials aimed at total beginners, to more advanced materials which are intended to help a genealogist who thinks that he might perhaps have come to a dead-end in his research.

By S. Tanna. Genealogy Software was first published at http://www.downloadfocus.com/cat_hobbies_genealogy.php

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Genealogy & Family Trees

2008-08-18T04:37:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder who you're truly related to? George Washington? Hitler? We hope not. But genealogy services are revolutionizing the way family trees are sorted and mapped out, giving you peace of mind and convenience. Here's where to start!

For many of us, comprehending our family’s rich and diverse history may not be the easiest task at hand. Many extended families are marked by numerous divorces and separations, the conjoining of several lineages and even adoption. While figuring out one’s family tree may look intimidating, genealogy services are a reputable source in untangling even the most complex family background.

A genealogy service allows inquisitive individuals to enter their family names and scour through results in the family tree database. While every service is unique in its search mechanisms, one popular genealogy service reported by 6StarReviews.com is Ancestry.com. Ancestry gives users access to fun facts like the meaning of surnames and international record collections for paying members.

Say you’re a “Smith” and you feel like the quest for your true family background may be worthless because of the prevalence of your last name. One genealogy service, One Great Family, allows members to utilize special family tree software and link their lineage with global ancestry links. That way, you’ll be able to browse through existing records and have your family tree updated automatically for you.

There is no feeling quite like knowing where you came from and discovering a hidden family secret, such that you’re related to Abraham Lincoln or Marilyn Monroe somewhere down the line. While relying on Uncle Barry’s word that you’re delineated from royalty may be trustful on your part, a genealogy and family tree service can truly divide fact from fiction.

Kelly Liyakasa is staff writer for 6StarReviews.com. Kelly Staller is site manager at 6StarReviews.com, a site dedicated to giving YOU, the consumer, the best product and service reviews around. If you like saving time and money by having someone else review leading sites and products, then Visit our site at 6StarReviews.com Also, if you have the time, check out the 6StarReviews Blog for product updates, new site reviews and to give us suggestions or feedback! Visit 6StarReviews.com Blog!

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Immigration Records - Essential For Genealogy Research

2008-08-17T13:16:00.000-07:00

Genealogy research is a fun and rewarding pastime. Many people really enjoy getting in touch with their roots, and finding out more about their ancestors. Plus, doing genealogy research can help you to locate branches of your own family that you might not know about. And good genealogy researchers are often able to locate evidence of their family that dates back hundreds of years. Frequently, researchers even find records of their family from before the time they entered America. But to do that kind of important and popular genealogy research, it's usually necessary to find immigration records.

But finding immigration records for genealogy research is easy if you use an online public records search. Public records searches are websites that specialize in compiling many different sources of public records into one convenient online searching tool. All you have to do to use a public records search is to search for the name or names of relatives that you think immigrated to America. If you don't yet know the names to search for, you can also use a public records search to find the names to research.

In fact, public records searches are a one stop convenience center for doing genealogy research. This is because not only can you find immigration records, but you can also find birth records, death records, marriage records, and other information that is vital to doing good genealogy research. This way, you can work backwards from known relatives to find the names of relatives who may have immigrated.

And once you [http://www.publicrecordspro.com ]find immigration records, you can finally learn when you're family first came to America, where they arrived, and where they came from. This information can give genealogy researchers a sense of deep satisfaction and accomplishment, because they now know a complete chapter in their own family history.

And once you find immigration records, you can finally learn when you're family first came to America, where they arrived, and where they came from. This information can give genealogy researchers a sense of deep satisfaction and accomplishment, because they now know a complete chapter in their own family history.

Matthew Beeson is a part-time model who does freelance web projects. You can do your own public records search at http://www.publicrecordspro.com

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Family History Information

2008-08-16T23:31:00.000-07:00

For those who are searching for family history information, there are a wealth of resources available. These resources can extend from living people, to documents, to government records, to letters, to photographs, to heirlooms that are passed down from generation to generation. By utilizing these resources, you can find all manner of family history information that may just surprise you.

The first place to look for family history information is with living family members. You family members will be more than happy to tell you their own stories, their own memories, and their own opinions about the events and people who shaped who they are today. As well, there are family members who may have already done their own investigations of family history and they will be more than happy to give that information to someone, such as yourself, who is interested in learning more. Family history information is meant to be shared and anyone who has this information wants to share it.

As well, family members can provide you with old photographs, letters, documents and heirlooms that will give whole new depth and direction to your quest for knowledge. Photographs are often useful for seeing people, where they were, and what they were doing. With a little bit of investigation, a photograph in a place you do not recognize will tell you where they were when that photograph was taken. As well, letters are very useful not only for the information they provide, but addresses and return addresses. Heirlooms are often accompanied by stories and family lore that may not always be entirely true, but are family history information all their own. Not quite true stories are often somewhat true. And the lies people tell are often as telling about those people as the actual truths!

As well, a thorough search of governmental records can provide vast amounts of family history information. These slices of bureaucratic gobbledygook are useful because they are almost always entirely true. A land deed needs to be exact, because it is used to determine possession in a court of law. Governments like to know that their information is rock-solid. And governmental information can quickly be turned into family history information, be it death certificates, birth certificates, or just a few lines from a court case that can provide you with information about one of your ancestors. Even if you do not feel like diving into the morass of government documents that could easily swallow a person whole, there are professionals that you can hire to search through these records and unearth the names, places, and dates that you desire.

If you are looking for family history information, you can search in any number of places. Start with people you know, then work out to people you know a little bit, then extend out into people who you may not know at all, but are willing to talk about your family. With a little bit of effort, you can learn a great deal about who your relations were, who your relations are, and just what made those people tick. And then you can proudly call these people family.

About The Author

Trevor Dumbleton - http://www.familytreeshistory.com/ is a categorized resource directory to help explore the world of genealogy, or family trees, including the history of our ancestors.

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Why Research Family History?

2008-08-15T23:07:00.000-07:00

Family history research is a fascinating study which once you start it will probably turn into a passion.

Many people have asked themselves where they come from, where are their roots, and these questions reflect a yearning that all of us have. Genealogy is the science of tracing your family tree. It is a kind of detective work or paper chase game. The results are often unpredictable but always fascinating.

Family history research has recently gained a powerful tool in the internet. Now that it is possible to do a keyword or name search almost instantly, it has become much easier to trace a family tree. Easier at least than in days gone by, when a researcher had to spend a lot of time trudging around a dusty archive library, or waiting several weeks for a reply from one records office or another.

Even with the internet though, there are some parts of one's family tree which will be impossible to reconstruct due to certain historical circumstances. One example that comes to mind is the fire that destroyed the Irish records office in Dublin in the nineteenth century.

So you have decided to try to trace your family tree. The question is, where do you start?

Probably the best starting point is to talk to members of your own family, particularly elders, and try to get them to remember as much as they can about the past, and about their relatives and forebears. This can be very useful in providing some jumping off points for further investigations. The facts they are able to give may well help you to refine and focus your search right from the start, thereby saving a lot of potentially wasted time and effort.

Talking to people about the past is something that should be done in a sensitive way, as it can often awaken memories which people would rather forget.

Next you should decide what aspect of your family history you are going to investigate. Are you interested in finding out about everything you can about everyone related to you? Or do you prefer a more narrow focus, such as tracing one particular branch? Or perhaps you will keep an open mind at first until you find something in your family tree that provokes your interest.

Some people even trace their spouse's family. A friend of mine who is divorced nevertheless is tracing her husband's ancestors on behalf of her children, since her ex-husband is descended from an old aristocratic family who were very powerful and influential in medieval England.

There are many different reasons for wanting to research family history, each one of them is interesting to the individual researcher, and all of them have been greatly facilitated by the arrival of the internet.

Family Tree Worksheet

2008-08-15T13:13:00.000-07:00

By Trevor Dumbleton

One of the quickest ways to get your family tree started is with a family tree worksheet. These handy aids to helping you start your family tree are widely available, inexpensive, and can help you understand how family trees are created and organized.

The family tree worksheet usually takes the form of a predesigned family tree that will allow you to fill in the names of family members in the requisite locations, helping you construct your family tree. Beginning with you, it works up to your parents, adds in your siblings, then goes up to your grandparents, then out to your aunts, uncles, cousins, and as many names as that particular worksheet will hold. These sheets are usually fairly extensive, so they will probably use up all the names you can remember before you managed to fill in every square. However, if you need more space, you may not even need a worksheet to continue.

Filling in a family tree worksheet is not just a task. It teaches you about family trees as you make one. By running you through design and creation, a family tree worksheet will help you understand how family trees are designed, what they mean, and how you can create your own family tree from scratch. If you want to continue your studies of genealogy and your ancestry, you will have the knowledge you need to construct your family tree correctly. As the family tree is, in many ways, the core of genealogical study by providing a graphical explanation of how everyone fits together, learning the family tree is vital.

If you wish to purchase a family tree worksheet, you can find them in a variety of locations both in the malls and online. It does not take too much searching and the worksheets, including instructions, are often relatively inexpensive. Thus, they are an inexpensive way to get your genealogy chart up and running.

Whether you want to put together a small family tree or begin an extensive survey of your familial relationships, you can use a family tree worksheet to get your everything together. For people new to drawing up family trees, they can be an invaluable aid to constructing the forms, connections, and format of this indispensable portion of genealogy. So if you want to learn how to construct your own family tree, the family tree worksheet is a great place to start.

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Family Tree

2008-08-13T23:57:00.000-07:00

Finding your long-lost relatives is now much easer, thanks to technologies that enables you to build your family tree.

What is a family tree?

A family tree is a record of your ancestors. It is usually represented by a genealogy chart that shows family connections. The chart typically contains the names of individuals that belong to the family, important dates such as their birthdays, states or countries where they live, and sometimes their occupations. Each individual person is connected to other persons using lines that represent different types of connections such as marriages, etc.

Building your family tree

There are easy ways to build your family tree. There is no need to place expensive phone calls or travel to all parts of the world just to meet your distant cousins. A lot of family tree software can be bought at reasonable prices, and some are free. Family tree software usually has very user-friendly, step-by-step tutorials to help you get complete the tree. It can help you organize all the data, pictures and heirlooms you have from your family. Best of all, it can search online databases of family histories, so that you can access related information and decide if it is connected to your tree. That’s a fast and easy way to find all your relatives.

Sharing your family tree

You can share your family tree either online or by printing out copies and giving the, to your relatives as presents. You can even put them all together in a CD-ROM, or create a website for everyone in your family to access.

Sharing your family tree to an online database is an excellent way to link with other family tree researchers who may be a part of your ancestry. [http://www.i-FamilyTree.com]Family Tree provides detailed information on Family Tree, Free Family Tree, Family Tree Makers, Family Tree Charts and more. Family Tree is affiliated with [http://www.i-FamilyReunions.com]Family Reunion Ideas.

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Getting Started With Genealogy

2008-08-13T20:11:00.000-07:00

By Andrea H. Burke

The word genealogy brings to mind a Bible page, mementos or an
obituary, especially when a close relative passes away. A
dictionary definition reads: A record of the ancestry and
descent of a person.

Today, it’s family history, instead of just genealogy. Family
history is about people who lived, worshipped, and toiled to
make our world better than theirs.

These things are what make up a “Family History”, a complete
accounting of their lives, their times and their ways; things
which make each of us unique, and individual. Taken together,
they create the ‘glue’ which holds us together in family ties.

So they are no longer “just” the donors of our unique DNA, or
the building blocks of our biology, they are part of us in a way
that no other small group of people could be- even adopted
children become a real part of our family by taking on family
characteristics.

Begin now to write your own unique history, including you, your
parents and grandparents. Ask questions, find names in Bibles,
legal papers or journals; keep dated news clips and certificates
too.

A local Family History Library can help you get started with a
free computer program; this will help you by grouping fathers,
mothers and children together. It will have a place for notes,
sources, and other important information, like maiden names.

Generally the next step is to search census records as they
list every member in each household. Keeping notes and filing
is important, especially when you get large amounts of
information.

A good way is to use a small tape recorder and record
conversations with grandparents and older family members; it can
be transcribed later and printed. Military records are online
and are great sources of information, and it’s all free at your
local Family History Library (just look in the telephone book).

Next, write your history. It’s a good idea to present the
family information in story form, following the generations as
they move from place to place. Your computer will store
information and pictures of family members along with the
written history and charts. The genealogy programs available
today have places for pictures of each individual. Or you can
print, copy or have them professionally published.

However you decide to do it, your history will be cherished by
your children and grandchildren; they’ll know who they are,
they’ll develop pride and self-confidence as they read about the
accomplishments of their own predecessors.

Andrea Holycross Burke, genealogist/consultant with the Family History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. Affiliate with the website Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness www.raogk.org; submitter to www.findagrave.com and www.Rootsweb.com

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Family History

2008-08-12T13:15:00.000-07:00

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Roger_Hardieway]Roger Hardieway

The systematic narrative and exploration of bygone events involving a certain family, or definite families compiled chronologically is family history. It is done world wide and the Internet gives us the opportunity to help more people search their family history. The Internet is an unfussy yet effective genomic tool that can gather information on genetic, environmental, behavioral, public, and for investigating social risk factors for diseases among family members. Tracing the illnesses suffered by your parents, grandparents, and other blood relatives can help your doctor predict the disorders to which you may be at risk and take action to keep you and your family healthy. One may be encouraged to include events to credit family members no longer living. A current survey found that 96 percent of Americans consider that knowing their family history is important. In the narrower sense of the term, a family history is a biography of a single family over several generations, based on a tested genealogy and fleshed out with the fuller story of the family's place in wealth and rank. With the advances in technology today scrap booking your family history is becoming a full media event. One of best tools for organizing your family history is the program called Personal Ancestral File. Keep in mind that no one's family history is compelling and interesting, until you make it compelling and interesting. Sharing of genealogy and family history is what makes this and all genealogy / research possible. It has been said that genealogy is the study of family history, while family history is the study of genealogy and everything else--including the background, location, and circumstances of people's lives. (The Department of Health and Human Services is highlighting the importance of family history for disease prevention with the U.S. Surgeon General's Family History Initiative. This initiative has proposed that Thanksgiving Day be designated a National Family History Day in which persons collect their family health histories. A new web-based tool, My Family Health Portrait (http://www.hhs.gov/familyhistory), enables persons to collect family history for six diseases (CHD, stroke, diabetes, and colorectal, breast, and ovarian cancer) and identify additional diseases that occur in their families.)

Families and individuals have been passing on their stories about the past by word of mouth from the beginning of time. There are programs available which makes it FUN to trace your family tree. Some can be bought for a price and there are some programs wherein you can search for your family tree for free. Books and internet websites provide family tree charts, genealogy research reports, searches, media, full source citations, and much more. Get busy with your family tree today. It will help you organize your family genealogy research, store your family history data, enter proper source citations, and produce professional-quality family tree charts and genealogy research reports that you can preview and modify, then print or publish on the web on your own genealogy website. How do you choose your family tree software. look up at your library books or periodicals. Search for these titles; Genbox, Legacy , Family Tree Maker,RootsMagic, and other genealogy software programs, and you will understand somewhat how these programs work. Do searches on the internet; enter "genealogy programs" or "family history programs". hopefully, you will discover that some of these programs have all the capabilities that an experienced genealogist would need.

Please leave your comments.

Roger Hardieway is a retired Engineer and Amateur Radio Operator

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Genealogy Search - Map Out Your Family Tree Easily

2008-08-11T21:07:00.000-07:00

Do you know where you came from? From what generation you belong? To whom you are related? Maybe you are hearing tales that you somewhat belong to a rich family but then your great great grandfather was disowned losing all the rights from his rich family. A genealogy search can help you map out your family tree and unlock family secrets that you want to discover.

It is a tedious and time consuming activity to map out your family tree and figure out your history and line of ancestors. It involves a lot of extended families, marriages and divorces. Sometimes even adoptions make a family tree complicated and hard to trace. Old family members passed away taking with them the important family stories and traditions. And as time goes on a family history and ancestry became unclear to the new generation.

People have growing interest and curiosity to find out the real story behind their families and to discover long lost relatives. It is also exciting to discover that you have a royal blood somewhere in your family tree and you are related to famous people. But most of all it is important to map out your family tree to keep your family history intact for future generations.

Today’s technology makes it easier for you to map out your family tree. With advance technology and internet you can map out your family tree and discover long lost family members and traditions. Detective tools that used to be available only for private investigators are now available for you to use. Genealogy search allows people to search family history through a huge family tree database.

Unlocking buried family history, traditions and secrets is no more a tedious activity now. You can easily map out your family tree and history to better understand who you are and where you came from. You can easily preserve your family history that you can pass on to future generations in your family.

By using a 100% legal and fully organized genealogy search database, you will have access to complete research tools for obtaining private information about anyone from the privacy of your own home or office. Map out your family tree and start your genealogy record search visit [http://www.peoplesearch.great-discovery.com/genealogysearch.htm#]People Search

To know more about Detective Tools visit [http://www.homedetective.great-discovery.com/]Home Detective

Gerry Restrivera writes informative articles on various subjects including Genealogy Search: Map Out Your Family Tree Easily. You are allowed to publish this article in its entirety provided that author’s name, bio and website links must remain intact and included with every reproduction.

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Online Genealogy Search - Uncover Your Family History

2008-08-10T20:48:00.000-07:00

Tracing your ancestry and family tree is something very challenging and yet very rewarding. It is an exciting discovery to uncover your family history and find out to whom you are related. It is a journey to know about your ancestors who are responsible for your existence today.

Maybe you are hearing stories about your family and conducting a genealogy search will uncover your family history to confirm about the tales you've been hearing. It is normal for people to be curious about the real stories of their families. Who knows you might be related to some famous people and that is really, really exciting. Most importantly, genealogy search will allow you to map your family tree to keep your family history intact for future generations.

It could be very challenging and involves a lot of research to uncover your family history. There are things that could make your family history complicated like marriages, divorces and adoptions. Records maybe forgotten and old family members may not be here anymore to share stories.

You may think that it will take months to uncover your family history if you are going to unearth dusty documents and archives from libraries, government records, etc. You have to dig about births, deaths, marriages records and a lot more. Maybe in the old days, that would be the case but now with the presence of internet, things are a lot easier.

Now with the power of the internet, information that will take months to gather to uncover your family history will be a lot faster and you will get results immediately. Getting at the bottom of buried family history and traditions is no longer a difficult task now. You can easily uncover your family history through online genealogy search that will help you understand more about your ancestors and where you came from.

An organized genealogy search database will help you to have access to complete research tools that used to be available only for private investigators. Now you can do your own research at the comfort of your own home to uncover your family history. To get access visit [http://www.peoplesearch.great-discovery.com/genealogysearch.htm]People Search

For people search and background check visit http://www.peoplesearch.great-discovery.com/

To know more about detective tools visit [http://www.homedetective.great-discovery.com/]Home Detective

Gerry Restrivera writes informative articles on various subjects including Online Genealogy Search- Uncover Your Family History. You are allowed to publish this article in its entirety provided that author's name, bio and website links must remain intact and included with every reproduction.

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Latest

2008-08-09T13:59:00.001-07:00

Conducting a Public Records Search?

2008-02-09T11:59:00.000-08:00

by Zidane Boyd

Although trying to search for public records offer you several options, your search could generally be categorized in two ways – either you are doing it the hard way or the easy way.

In the early days, you have no other choice but to do it the hard way. For example, looking for public records would require you to personally visit schools, libraries, courts, local public offices, government offices and even churches. Back then, these records are exclusively kept in paper. They are, for the most part, filed in endless numbers of folders and huge cabinets (although other documents are available in microfilm, microfiche and photographic copies). Most of the time, getting the desired record would take several visits to several places.

People who did not have the time and patience to conduct such public records searches prefer to employ the service of private investigators to do it for them. Although this option seems attractive and requires lesser stress, it actually is a more expensive alternative. For most people, they would not have much choice but do the search themselves and experience the hassle and difficulty of obtaining personal copies of public records.

Now it’s time to bid goodbye to the hard way. PublicRecords.com offers you a much easier way. By visiting our user-friendly website and availing of our cost-effective services, Publicrecords.com will make hard-to-get documents readily available at the tip of your fingers in just a few clicks.

We understand that people nowadays want to save time and money. That is why PublicRecords.com has compiled more than 2 billion public records and reports from public offices and government databases across the country.

These days, even law enforcers, private investigators, lawyers and other professionals even use PublicRecords.com to get access to the public records that they need. Do your record search at PublicRecords.com and find birth records, marriage records, civil records, criminal records, residential addresses, home and cell phone contact information and other relevant information.

Zidane Boyd
Nursing Employment and
Article Business

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Genealogy Search

2008-02-08T11:16:00.001-08:00

by florence

Genealogy is the study and tracing of family pedigrees. This involves collecting the names of relatives, both living and deceased, and establishing the relationships between them based on primary, secondary and/or circumstantial evidence or documentation, thus building up a cohesive family tree. Genealogy is sometimes also referred to as family history, although these terms may be used distinctly: the former being the basic study of who is related to whom; the latter involving more "fleshing out" of the life and family histories of the individuals involved.

One way to find the family lineage is with the use of the genealogical method. It is a well-established ethnographic technique. The early ethnographers developed symbols that covered the issue of kinship, descent, and marriage. Studying one’s genealogy is important in terms of social organization, especially where people live and work with their kin everyday. It plays a very important role in understanding the current social relations and reconstructing the history. Marriage is also looked at because it is important in creating alliances amongst tribes, clans and villages.

In this article, the terms genealogist, researcher, and family historian refer to every participant, from the inexperienced hobbyist to the professional.

Humans have always been interested in where they came from and their family history (genealogy.) The Bible is replete with genealogies of biblical personalities. Many cultures passed their genealogies orally through the ages. The nobility of Europe kept detailed genealogies. The current Queen of Denmark claims to be able to trace her linage back to King Gorm who lived around 800 CE. The Chinese out do all other cultures in genealogy. Chinese genealogy records, Jia Pu in Chinese, have been kept since at least 1500 BCE.

Today genealogy is popular hobby among people of all walks of life. Some claim it is the second most popular use of the Internet. Almost every European country and every State in the U.S. has a genealogical society.

If you are just beginning to research your genealogy here are some basic records that are important.

Vital Records: These are probably the most important records to genealogy research. They include birth records, christening records, marriage records, and death certificates and records. After family records it’s a good idea to start your genealogy research looking for vital records.

Census Records: Census records can lead you to other types of records. Generally census records list families living as groups giving ages and place or residence. They can help you narrow down what localities you might want to search for vital records.

Emigration and Immigration Records: These records can give you clues to where your origin of your ancestors. Often they list country and town from which the person immigrated.

Other useful records in helping trace your genealogy are military records, land records, probate records, court records, commercial records, and cemetery records.

Charles Gomez - visit http://www.sherlockrecords.com to find out more about genealogy search, people search, background check, public records, and many more..

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The Great Genealogical Need

2008-02-02T02:12:00.000-08:00

by Leo Talbot

For those of you that are experienced genealogists and have so far weathered the storms of years of research through dusty archives, old Bibles, sweet ancient relatives with unreliable memories, cold cemeteries, civil war records and all sorts of Vital Records, and who are now in the ‘nirvana’ of online research…this article is for you.

Who have you introduced, of late, to this most exciting and worthwhile personal and family past-time, next to the nurturing of our immediate family of course?

May I ask respectfully, but with conviction, when was the last time you shared with somebody close to you a heart warming story about one of their direct, but deceased, ancestors: Perhaps something that they have never heard before? When did you last take a grandson or granddaughter to visit a cemetery, or an old church where they could see some old baptismal records, or to the Social Security Death Index(SSDI) and Social Security Death Records(SSDR) offices, or some other place of relevant interest?

For that matter, again with respect, when was the last time you shared with somebody, who does not get involved with what you know to be of great personal value, something of a ‘testimonial’ about what is going on in the earth in relation to those who are responsible for their being here in the first place???

Of the thousands that somehow do commence the pursuit of genealogy (family history), only few ‘survive’. There are many reasons for this high ‘mortality rate’. One of the most often quoted is, “it simply takes too much of my time”. It’s true! Genealogy does consume time, and lots of it. But this is more than just a search for names, dates and places; it is a search for the discovery of our own identity, and in a sense, the discovery of our nation, as we seek for those of our ancestors who left their footprints somewhere in time. Unfortunately the ‘apprentices’ get worn out before they discover the true joy of this ‘recreation’. This should be genealogical ‘recreation’, not genealogical ‘work’.

What is needed to maintain the interest and commitment of our ‘new’ colleagues? The answer is simple: They need to find the ‘stories’ of their ancestors, not just the data. It’s the stories that will keep them coming back, back to the genealogical libraries, online facilities, the churches, the cemeteries, back to those Vital Records, back to their living ancestors, back for more. But they’ll need more data won’t they? Yes they will, because the data will help them to find the stories.

Encourage them not to get lost in those early days on all the collateral lines, dealing with cousin ‘this’, and second cousin ‘that’. The almost irresistible emotional attraction lay in the sagas of the direct ancestors; the men and women from whom they sprang.

It will help if they understand that each of us is a physical and ‘spiritual’ composite of those who have gone before. We need to encourage them to look for the stories that are behind the names, dates and places, so that they can begin to see and feel who they really are: To see the character traits in ancestors, that they recognize in themselves, otherwise, researching the Social Security Death Index (SSDI), the Social Security Death Records (SSDR), the myriad of Vital Records such as birth, death and marriage certificates, old church baptismal records and the like, old wills, probate documents and shipping lists, will simply wear them out. Rather than searching through the cemeteries for those interesting headstones, they’ll be buried under one.

It may come as a surprise to many of you, but genealogical research needs every advocate and devotee possible. Why? Because the fact is, that the more researchers there are, the more records we discover and the more relevant research we produce.

Since the first Genealogical Society was established back in 1836, more pages of research have been produced than existed in the world at that time. For history to make a contemporary contribution, whether family history or the history of communities or nations, it has to be researched, written about and indexed. It has to be made available, to be given ‘true’ meaning, by being able to be absorbed into the lives of each of us; to touch us, to motivate us, or perhaps to cause us to revile at certain practices of the past. History, and its records, cannot be allowed to lie dormant and unused.

If you are one of those who has a life-time membership at the SSDI or SSDR etc, and you are known in geneological circles from New York to San Francisco, and you are in the Guinness Book of Records for the most names submitted to the IGI, please ask yourself, notwithstanding all the data you have collected, is it not the stories about your direct ancestors that really touch you, and help to fill your heart and mind with the wonder of all that has come to you through them?

Well, if this strikes a chord with you, please, make up your mind today, that you will do something that will stimulate another person’s interest? You might just add another valuable researcher, perhaps the best yet, to Genealogical research?

Leo Talbot enjoys searching geneology records such as the social security death index to build his family tree.

Article Source: ArticleRich.com

Have You Found Your Past?

2008-02-02T02:10:00.000-08:00

by Jerry Cahill

A civil war hero, a pirate, an African tribe, or an Indian Princess all of these people of the past could be in your family tree. For those who know all about where their family comes from or has a written history, you are very lucky. The truth is, that most people only have an idea of where their ancestors came from and don’t know much about any of them. Knowing where your ancestors came from and who they were is a great way to help you learn more about your family tree and some of the hereditary conditions that you might face later in life. No matter if you are interested in genealogy or not, then the time has never been better for you to search out your long-lost ancestors. Due to the popularity of genealogy sites on the Internet, you can find all your ancestors and family without leaving your home.

Before the Internet, people who wanted to research genealogy had to go down to the library and spend hours upon hours of sifting through old microfiche forms and old newspapers to find traces of their ancestors and family tree. They would listen to the stories that their parents and grandparents told and then see if they could find any trace of those people in death records, birth records, and land records. It was a long and tedious process that most gave up on pretty fast.

But, now, you can search out your family tree from generations past by sitting at home in your spare time. There are thousands of great websites out there who can help you search through millions of databases that will help you find your relatives, no matter where they are or where they came from. You can search through: the death records, birth records, land records, marriage records, ship logs, immigration logs, and even through personal records that have been kept by millions of people. These great searches can turn those long hours of work into a few short minutes to find every branch in your family tree.

Some sites are free, and some are pay sites, so you should look at each one carefully before agreeing to any type of fee. You need to know if they are free, and if not, do they charge per search or as a monthly membership fee. So, it doesn’t matter how much you do or don’t spend on these sites if you are finding the information that you need. If you find that you cannot get any information, you can always email their support department for help or tips on what you might be doing wrong. Most of these web sites offer great email support to help you find your whole family tree.

So, if you want to know about your past, the best way to do it is to get into genealogy and seek out your ancestors. Search around several different Internet sites and see what you can find, no matter what, you will always find something interesting that you didn’t know before. Who knows, you might find a long-lost member of royalty or a great hero in your past!

Jerry Cahill authors articles related to personal family trees. He publishes an interesting website on family genealogy related
topics at Family Trees

Article Source: ArticleRich.com

Family Trees That Talk - Interviewing relatives

2008-02-02T02:09:00.000-08:00

by Wayne Thomas

As a means of researching family trees,

interviewing relatives can be a really enjoyable

experience for both parties. But, there are some

important rules. As with anything worthwhile,

genealogy does have guidelines that must be

followed if you are at all

serious about family history.

5 Simple Rules

* Contact them first - DON’T just turn up on

their doorstep, cassette recorder in hand. Get

their permission to do the interview and be

honest about why

you would like to speak to them.

* Be careful not to offend them by asking

questions that maybe too personal or of a very

sensitive nature. Some people will answer any

question you throw at them

whereas others will be more guarded. Obviously if

you already have a close relationship with Uncle

George, he

will be quite relaxed in talking to you. Aunty

Madge, however, who you wouldn’t know if you fell

over her, is

not as likely to be so forthcoming in laying out

the laundry, clean or otherwise, of the family!

* It’s important to have a list of questions

ready. You may not ask them all or you may need

to alter the focus of some during the interview,

but you should have a list of core questions

ready. Why? Because this will

ensure that you don’t forget anything important

and secondly it gives the impression that you

actually know

what you are doing. Dithering and looking up at

the

ceiling every 5 minutes trying to remember what

to ask next does not inspire confidence and will

likely make the interviewee uncomfortable.

* DON’T outstay your welcome. You are the only

one that can judge when that might be.

* Show your appreciation for their time by either

presenting them with a small gift or simply

saying those magic words, "thank you".

Verify Or Else

Family interviews are a fantastic way to fill in

the gaps in your family trees, and will provide

far more information than you could ever glean

from a marriage

certificate. The quality and detail can be

extraordinary and enlightening, BUT don’t accept

everything Uncle George says as being entirely

accurate. His "true story" may not be true at all.

THE FIRST RULE IN GENEALOGY IS VERIFY -

wherever possible. The truth can be stretched,

twisted, bent and made to disappear altogether.

That doesn’t mean Uncle George is

lying, he may just be repeating what he was told

by someone else or may have forgotten the details

over time.

My Story

Here is an example of just such a point from my

own family history. It is very illustrative of

the need, when researching family trees, for

accurate information.

My great-grandfather George BURLS came out from

England and settled in rural Victoria, Australia.

My grandmother, his youngest daughter, always

insisted that he

was a detective and that he solved a murder

investigation in a nearby town. Well, that was

all I had to go on. Firstly, if there was a

murder the local

newspaper was the place to start. I knew I would

have to go back to the early 1900’s because my

great-grandfather died in 1919 aged 70.

Back at about that time a water reservoir called

the Waranga Basin was being excavated and so

there was a great influx of workers around the

area. Two of the

workers living in the tent city that sprung up

were James Edwards and William Skinner. They were

friends but Skinner got drunk one night and

attacked Edwards

with a shovel. He defended himself with a nearby

axe and killed Skinner. Fearing the police would

not believe it was self-defence, Edwards

proceeded to cut up the body, placed the parts in

hessian bags and threw them into the basin. They

were later found and an investigation ensued. All

these details I got from a

newspaper, The Rushworth Chronicle of 1905.

George BURLS and his son Alfred were rabbit

trapping, which was their occupation, when they

were approached by the culprit, Edwards, who they

both knew from another job site where they had

previously worked

together. Edwards denied ever knowing them and

said he wanted to buy some tobacco. He did so

then left. They were both called to give evidence

at the subsequent

trial. End of story!

The above are the facts of the case. My

grandmothers version was somewhat more elaborate,

granting my great-grandfather, who by the way

only had one eye, with the tracking down and

apprehension of Edwards. But

again, she may have just been repeating what she

had been told.

Handy Interviewing Questions

Okay, so here are some sample questions to get

your family trees talking. These are in addition

to the mandatory ones such as names, dates of

birth, marriage

death etc.

1. Describe your childhood - relationship with

parents, siblings.

2. The greatest joy of your childhood was .......?

3. As a child, what was your worst fear?

4. What was your father’s occupation and what was

the quality of your life like as a child?

5. How would you describe your parents and or

grandparents - physical characteristics and

qualities?

6. What is the most pleasant memory you have of

your parents and or grandparents?

7. What was the dumbest thing you ever did as a

child?

8. What was your most memorable holiday?

9. What was one thing that attracted you to your

spouse? Why?

10. What was the most difficult moment for you as

a parent?

11. What one thing would you change in your role

as a parent?

12. What would you like your children to most

remember about you?

13. What was your greatest fear as a parent?

14. What activities do you enjoy?

15. What do you find really annoying in other

peoples actions or characteristics?

Play with the questions. Add to them if you wish.

They are just to get you thinking.

Good hunting!

Wayne Thomas has been involved in genealogy for
over 25 years. His website has loads of resources
for the beginner and beyond, plus a free ebook.
Visit at www.new2-geaneology

Article Source: ArticleRich.com