Updated 3 July 2001 Dear Folks, Everybody learns step by step ... Frequent questions are usually from beginners or those not familiar with the Internet or World Wide Web. This is normal and encouraged. There has been questions about the numbers after the names in the reports I have placed on this Forum. They are called RINs. RIN is Random Information Number. It is a identification number, usually sequential, assigned by a computer program such as PAF (Personal Ancestral Program). MRIN is Marriage Random Information Number. These numbers are assigned for the data base on the computer. When you add or delete data or transfer the data via GEDCOM, the numbers get resorted. The Carpenter CD will allow users to reference the RIN number as a reference since the CD will have constant data. These RINs come in handy for example when you have 776 William Carpenters in the data base! This is how many I currently have (at the time of this writing) in the main Carpenter data base. AFN is Ancestral File Number. It is a sequential number assigned by a computer program at Salt Lake City. The Ancestral File is registered to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. As a side note they are estimated to run out of AFNs within the next 5 or so years. PRIN is Pedigree Resource Information Number. Sometimes it is shortened to "PIN." It is a much longer and sequential number being used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Salt Lake City, UT. AT A BRIEF; Genealogy or Family History research works from the known to the unknown. You start with yourself, your immediate family then extended family. Document and place, if possible, your data in a genealogical program like PAF (Personal Ancestral File) or FTW (Family Tree maker for Windows). Being able to correct, print and sort the data makes the effort invaluable. Remember to back up your data. Several full backups in series are even better. This way if a week or two goes by before you find the BIG mistake, you have a series of copies to choose from. Many people forget to check their phone books. Look under: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Look for a Family History Center or Genealogical Library. Call one of the local numbers and ask if they have one near by if they are not listed. The Mormons have been involved in genealogy for a long time. Part of their religion allows baptism for their dead direct ancestors who might have never heard the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. As a side note: SEE: Corinthians in the New Testament. 1 Cor 15:29 and 2 Cor 2:15-16. Volunteers at those FHC or Genie Libs will help and guide you toward research. Many of the patrons and most likely many of the volunteers are NOT Mormons. The purpose is genealogy and not converting to any specific religion - unless you consider GENEALOGY AS A BELIEF! As I said, they will help, but not do, research for you. While at the FHC / Gen(i)e Lib check out the bulletin boards for classes and help groups. There are many places on line (on the world wide web and internet) to help your research. Many will want you to use their services. Look around you can find many places to help get you started for free. EXAMPLES: http://www.CyndisList.com/ http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/help/start.html http://www.familysearch.org/ (Click on help) http://genforum.genealogy.com/ (Look under General Topics) http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/genealogy/ (Other internet sources) If your family has been in the immediate are for some time, check out the Local History & Public Libraries. It can be amazing what you find! Remember to share your data. Hiding it in a book or such makes it worthless. No documentation reduces the value also, so PLEASE DOCUMENT. I hope this brief outline helps. Let me know if you want more on these topics. Sincerely, John R. Carpenter La Mesa, CA By the way, if you feel you can use this for others, please feel free to copy this letter. All I ask is you mention my name and where you got the data. ************************************************************************ Sample letter ... Dear Lisa, I'm afraid that I have no match. The Southern Carpenters are a mix match of English and Swiss-German Carpenters/Zimmermans. My CD compilation deals with the Carpenters of English descent. There is a book called "Carpenters A'Plenty" that has a good record of at least a part of the Zimmerman Carpenter group. Zimmerman in German is Carpenter. You have your work cut out for you. This is what I would do ... Plot out a possible outline of the names you have. Fill in details and stories. A file on each name helps. Get stories of what, where, when, how and why. Places and dates will help out later. Use related events, like so-in-sos birthday or x event that can be used to find dates. If possible record (tape or video) stories. Ask the eldest in the related families sooner than later - before the get sick or die. Be patient, over time they will give more. Learn to use the system. The example below has information taken from the Social Security Death Index. For $7.00 you can get a copy of the application. It has parents name and place where the person was residing. Your father was born right after World War II. Was his father in the military? If yes, you can get a copy of his military record. It will have next of kin, parents et cetera. Once your search goes back past 1920, you can use the Federal or United States Census records. Odds are that you will find some thing there. In your stories and details will be the clues of where they were in the years ending with "0" (1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890, 1900, 1910 and 1920). Years often ending with a "5" had a state census. Often they were less accurate but are still worth searching. County and State Record Offices often have birth, death and marriage records. These vary in quality from place to place. These vital records sometimes can be had for free, but often a fee is required. The goal is to work from the known to the unknown. Document, Document and Document where you got the information. A genealogy program is good to use. The notes can be copied and print outs are easy to use. Use the resources of the internet for "how tos." Remember to distrust what is posted on the internet. About half the material is "garbage." As you work yourself back, be aware of published family works. If you can tie in to one of these families, your job is a lot easier. Then you verify sources and make corrections to your line. The following web page has information that can help you get started. http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/default.asp The following address (copy the entire address - it is long) is part of the same web pages but has a fully functional genealogy program for free. PAF ver. 4.x is the one I use because PAF ver. 5.x still has too many bugs. Eventually, version 5.x will be much better. (COPY ENTIRE ADDRESS) http://www.ldscatalog.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/CategoryDisplay?Krypto=Vtqb5D3uSjgJTU6DrxKHvgVr%2BIV60U0qVw3JawF91OMIe5tAAYU9889WhSgLSmjfUoWVhlv4ZfDiGfrknxtrAZj3oUK9B8dv4n5ryVdMkTAU7h1yM5T7Pg5iPFpgXx0DApOZfgv0%2BupQSs4luw8wRpGrf0mT8IKW9udVpFIHgJ1YrgmHlpQp%2B5FpPwLEUTZmG1sT2jYN306Wk60fYXW1lQf2wphhKpEbIdPmgjCCLS044eIBmB7PLQ%3D%3D My web page is at: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/c/a/r/John-R-Carpenter/index.html?Welcome=994354055 The reason for my web page is that it has links to several Carpenter Forums where you can post questions and share information. Family Tree maker has a series of "How to" articles at the following address: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/backissu.html?Welcome=994354076 I wish you the best of Luck and Good Hunting! Sincerely, John R. Carpenter La Mesa, CA **************************************************** http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi Social Security Death Index Search May 2001 Update - 66,125,666 records - Updated Monthly ****************************************************