Before you start out, there are a lot of things you can do
to make all your searches a lot easier.
Despite the rise of the Internet as a genealogical tool,
there are a lot of things you can do to make all your searching, online
or not, a lot easier.
Write out a family tree. This will help you realize just how much you do and do not know
about your family history. If you do not have software, just write out
the tree for each major branch of your family and assign each person ID
numbers. A good way to start is to make a tree for the family of each grandparent.
Fill in all the information you can for the people you chart. There is a lot of genealogical
software out there that will make this easier, but even if you do not have
a computer, you can still make index cards and write out all the vital
statistics--births/deaths/marriages: their places and dates. Also make
note of other significant information. Burial sites, occupations, addresses
(note the dates for the addresses as well).
Talk to everyone and ask a lot of questions. This might sound obvious, but a lot of people let family disputes
and embarassment stand in their way. It is morbid but necessary to point
out that death and illness often come sooner than you think, and vital
information often lies in the memories of that one person only.
No detail is too insignificant. Keep good notes of your talks with other family members. Later
on, certain things might prove important.
Be flexible. Along
the way you will find that long-standing family names are spelled differently.
First names often vary as well. Just because the official document does
not fit your family history, don't discount the information entirely. As
long as you have the evidence you can weigh the various elements and figure
out what is and is not useful. In three different records, my great-grandfather
is listed as having three different birth years. Sometimes the truth is
not made official by paperwork. Parts of your work will have to be guesstimates.
Ping pong. Sometimes
you have to ask the same questions of the same people more than once. A
good example: My aunt thought they lived on Barrett Street in 1925. I searched
and found nothing. Then I asked my uncle, and he remembered something about
Douglas Street. When I mentioned this to my aunt, she said, "I think
the address was 1032." I used that address and found my mother's family's
1925 New York State Census report.
Look through old photos. Do this with people who can identify the subjects now, before
the information is lost. This will also lead to possible new information.
Patience. When
you do reach long-lost relations, they might not be as enthusiastic as
you are. But they might be willing to help. Give them time and space to
respond to your queries.
Delegation. Other
relatives often ask to help. Depending on how big your family is, ask them
to write out missing dates and info you do not have. Ask for some postage
so you can send them your final findings once you are "finished."
Genealogy is a neverending hobby--at some point you will end a phase and
have to stop and share the results.
Security. Remember
that as exciting as a lot of your finds will be, you owe it to your relation
not to publicize sensitive things on the Internet. Mothers' maiden names
are used as security.
