Check-Off List - Ten Ideas to check of your genealogy Check List!



Whether you are just beginning or have worked on your family tree for years, there can be many different aspects relating to your family and genealogy you have forgotten to investigate, do, search for, collect, or try. The following are just some ten ideas that you might want to consider completing so you can check it off this important list.

First, find out where the nearest Family History Center connected with the Church of Latter-Day Saints Church is located and go there. It is free and a true wealth of information.

Second, join your local genealogical society, even if your ancestors’ hometown was hundreds of miles away, the local society can help you find your ancestors no matter where they loved.

Third, make a family tree chart of all your direct ancestors. Include what you know on birth-marriage-death dates and locations. It is also good to set up a digital family tree using any number of the different software programs for a computer. Also make a family tree of aunts-uncles-great aunt-great uncles, etc.

Fourth, using a computer (either at home or public library) look up what is available on the various genealogical message boards. A good one to start with is Rootsweb. Also plug in all an ancestor’s names you have (one at a time) into the World Connect. There are some 5.8 million surnames and approximately 694,000,000 individuals on this contributed database by other researchers. A reminder, never use solely someone else’s family research. There can be mistakes. Use it only to provide some clues, hints or possibilities.

Fifth, contact the hometown public library and museum to see what information on a family name might be available from local newspaper articles, collections, photos, etc.

Sixth, either by talking with older family members or writing them a letter, have a series of questions ready to ask them about certain family members or ancestors that they may have direct knowledge about.

Seventh, use all the online free databases available and if affordable, join at least one genealogical subscription database for additional resources.

Eighth, scan, photo copy or take a digital photo of every bit of family heirlooms in your possession or with a sibling. Make a short note of the date, who has it, where it originally came from and when.

Ninth, see which ancestors served in any of the military branches at any time period. If before 1915, check out how to receive a copy of any of those military files from the National Archives in Washington, D. C.

Tenth, trace each ancestor (direct lineage first) over the years in the United States through the US Federal Census. Start with the most recent times and work backwards. The census records 1790 to 1940 are available online with different databases and also at the Family History Centers on microfilm. This item takes time and patience.

Read  – Check List Part 2.  Ten more steps to take and check off your genealogy Check List!

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