This document provides an overview of genealogy research for beginners. It defines genealogy as tracing family lineages through records and history. Good sources of information include family bibles, certificates, census records, military records, photographs and newspapers. Primary sources are original materials from the time period, while secondary sources interpret and evaluate primary sources. The document recommends starting research with family members and working backwards, then provides examples of where to search records, such as libraries, archives, courthouses and online databases. It also shares an example family tree.

1. Skeletons in the Closet:
Genealogy for Beginners
Present by Janey Deal and Jamane Yeager
October 4, 2011

2. Today’s Presentation
• What is genealogy
• What are good sources of information
• What are primary sources
• What are secondary sources
• How do I find the information
• How do I get started
• Challenges

3. What is genealogy
• Genealogy is is the study of families and the
tracing of their lineages and history.
Genealogists use oral traditions, historical
records, genetic analysis, and other records to
obtain information about a family and to
demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its
members. The results are often displayed in
charts or written as narratives.

4. Why do Genealogy Research?
• The pursuit of family history tends to be
shaped by several motivations, including the
desire to carve out a place for one's family in
the larger historical picture, a sense of
responsibility to preserve the past for future
generations, and a sense of self-satisfaction in
accurate storytelling.[1]
• To secure a means to join organizations i.e.,
DAR, UDC, etc.

5. What are good sources of Information
• Family Bibles –birth, baptism, marriage and
death dates
• Marriage certificates/marriage bonds
• Birth and Death certificates
• Cemetery records, headstones
• Census records
• Military service records
• Legal documents—wills, property deeds

6. What are good sources of Information
• Letters and diaries
• Photographs and heirlooms
• Newspapers

7. Primary & Secondary Sources
• Primary source documents are original
materials. They are from the time period
involved and have not been filtered through
interpretation or evaluation.
• Primary sources are original materials on
which other research is based
• They are usually the first formal appearance of
results in physical, print or electronic format.

8. Primary Source Examples
• Artifacts (e.g. coins, furniture, tools, clothing
all from the time under study
• Audio recordings
• Diaries
• Government, church, and business records
• Interviews
• Oral histories

9. Primary Source Examples Cont
• Letters
• Newspaper articles written at the time
• Original Documents (i.e. birth certificates,
wills, marriage license, trial transcript
• Photographs
• Motion pictures and videos
• Maps and land records, blueprints

10. Secondary Source Definition
• Secondary sources are less easily defined they
primary sources. Generally, they are accounts
written after the fact with the benefits of
hindsight.
• They are interpretations and evaluations of
primary sources.

11. Examples of Secondary Sources
• Bibliographies
• Biographical works
• Death records
• Encyclopedias
• History books
• Obituaries
• Newspaper article on family matters

12. Where do I look for records?
• Public libraries, archives and museums, state
library
• County records
1. Court Records
2. Birth/Death records
3. Marriage records
4. Bonds
5. Land Records
6. Estate Records

13. Where Do I look for Records?
1. Tax records
2. Wills
3. Miscellaneous Records
4. Places of Worship
5. LDS Temples – research rooms
6. Private collections

14. Where do I began my research
• Begin research with resources close at hand—
your family—and proceed from the known to
the unknown
• Start with yourself and work backwards
• Regard oral history as a starting point, not the
last word on a subject

15. Beginnings!
Family bible Family tree in bible

16. Where do we look for records online
• Ancestry Library
• American Slavery: A Composite Autobiography
• Heritage Quest
• Biography & Genealogy Master Index
• Digital Sanborn Maps (NC Live)
• North American Women Letters and Diaries (NC
Live)
• Archive Grid (NC Live)
• Digital NC (NC Live

17. Other Useful Websites
• Family Search.org (LDS church)
• Archives.gov (NARA)
• Cyndi’s List.com
• Ancestry chart
• Family group sheet
• Genealogical Resources on the Internet
(handout)

18. Jamane’s Family Tree Example
• Winsor Holloway & Jane Holloway
• Nancy Sue Cannon daughter