Starting your Family Tree A course for beginning genealogists. This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Contact Information – Tel. 581-2432; Email [email_address] Please feel free to ask questions or ask me to repeat or slow down We will not cover any advanced research techniques We will cover how to begin to research your ancestors and history This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. Library Community Courses

Contact Information – Tel. 581-2432; Email [email_address]

Please feel free to ask questions or ask me to repeat or slow down

We will not cover any advanced research techniques

We will cover how to begin to research your ancestors and history

This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. Keep organized Document everything Use standard abbreviations Use as many sources as possible Keep records of where you look even if you find nothing Things To Remember

Keep organized

Document everything

Use standard abbreviations

Use as many sources as possible

Keep records of where you look even if you find nothing

This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. “ The Kit” Notebook Binder or file folder Interview Sheets Pencils and Pens Tape recorder Camera Charcoal or black crayons Plain white paper Bug spray Roll of quarters Dollar bills Map

Begin at the beginning This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. Your family history starts with you!

This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. Birth certificate School records Church documents Photo albums Scrapbooks Ask your parents Where have you lived? Where have you worked? Get a copy of your SS-5 form (Social Security application) Prove you exist

Birth certificate

School records

Church documents

Photo albums

Scrapbooks

Ask your parents

Where have you lived?

Where have you worked?

Get a copy of your SS-5 form (Social Security application)

Is there anyone else? This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. Is anyone in your family already researching your family tree? Will they be willing to share their information with you?

Gathering Information Interviews Local Library Local Historical Society Internet Other Places This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Interviews

Local Library

Local Historical Society

Internet

Other Places

The Interview Process This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. Tip: Always remember to be polite when conducting an interview. You are going to be asking some personal questions. You need to remember that and be sensitive to their feelings.

Who do I interview? All relatives starting with the oldest YOURSELF! Parents Grandparents Uncles Aunts This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

All relatives starting with the oldest

YOURSELF!

Parents

Grandparents

Uncles

Aunts

This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Your Local Library or Historical society This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. What kinds of materials are available?

This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. Census Local Newspapers Other Local records Family history books Platt books Cemetery Records Marriage records Personal Property Tax records

Census

Local Newspapers

Other Local records

Family history books

Platt books

Cemetery Records

Marriage records

Personal Property Tax records

This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. Ye Olde Handwriting When looking at old records, remember that the handwriting may be a chore to decipher. Let’s look at examples on the following web page. Deciphering Old Handwriting - From a genealogy course taught by Sabina J. Murray http://amberskyline.com/treasuremaps/oldhand.html

Internet Resources This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. US GenWeb Project http://usgenweb.org/ RootsWeb http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ Cyndi’s List http://www.cyndislist.com/ Ancestry (subscription only) http://www.ancestrylibrary.com/ Heritage Quest (subscription only) http://www.heritagequestonline.com/

US GenWeb Project

http://usgenweb.org/

RootsWeb

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/

Cyndi’s List

http://www.cyndislist.com/

Ancestry (subscription only)

http://www.ancestrylibrary.com/

Heritage Quest (subscription only)

http://www.heritagequestonline.com/

Other places to look This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. Court House Funeral Homes Cemeteries Church Records Family Bible

Court House

Funeral Homes

Cemeteries

Church Records

Family Bible

When Researching Some information is not available either through destruction or because of privacy laws Place names change, Borders are moved, Places are lost Writing is sometimes hard to decipher and not always spelled correctly or even the same way twice Ask for help Share if someone asks This project has been made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Some information is not available either through destruction or because of privacy laws

Place names change, Borders are moved, Places are lost

Writing is sometimes hard to decipher and not always spelled correctly or even the same way twice

Ask for help

Share if someone asks

Thank you for coming Feel free to repeat this class or sign up for other classes at the circulation desk Questions ?

Thank you for coming

Feel free to repeat this class or sign up for other classes at the circulation desk