Getting Started with Genealogical Research

 

 

Different methods work for different people.  The amount of time and interest play a major part in how much you will do, but it is a hobby you can work on, postpone, and pick up at a later date.  As someone once said to me, "Those dead folks aren't going anywhere."  I have found genealogy a wonderful part-time hobby for over 20 years.  The Internet made it a whole new "ball game".

 

There are many helpful sites on the Internet about genealogical research.  Several hints and search tools are on the Family Tree Maker site.  'Cyndi' was a forerunner in gathering and publishing all kinds of links.  RootsWeb is a great source of all kinds of information.  But word of warning: Be very discerning and always check the source.

 

1)  Learn from the living.

When you are doing genealogy, you will always regret all the questions you never asked people about their family history while they were living.  Fortunately, my mother had an interest in genealogy long before I did.  She is still alive at age 85, and my Dad will be 90 on August 5th.  They can still "fill in the blanks" and answer some questions. They are great at locating places for me -- or old cemetery locations.  Whenever she ran across an unpublished document (such as old church records or even a typed family story), she tried to make a photocopy.   She grew up in the area where ancestors had lived for many years, so she knew the family relationships.  There are bound to be folks in the area of where your ancestors lived who have pieces of the puzzle.  Talk to them; use a recorder; take careful notes.

 

2) Find any research others have already done.

Libraries are wonderful places to search, but just because something is printed does not make it true! Local county libraries often have unpublished manuscripts that are available nowhere else.

 

3)  Go to source documents

Courthouses have all kinds of documents.  It's time consuming but like detective work.  Also, the longer you do it, the better you become at knowing where to look and how to look.  Usually, for a fee, you can order a copy of a document by mail, but it’s more fun to look at the records yourself.

 

4)  Keep careful records

In this age of instant information, it is way too easy to believe that others have done careful research.  The majority of people have not.  Don't be embarrassed to question everything. When people have questioned my sources, I am first annoyed and them am grateful because it forces me to document and check my sources.  Because my mother did such good work, I assumed everyone did -- not true!  Computers are marvelous storage places for your information.  Get a computer program. Many people use "Family Tree Maker".  I think the Mormons offer a free program.  These programs allow you to document (footnotes) the source.  Most programs have the ability to create, receive and send GEDCOMs through E-mail.  A GEDCOM is a zipped file/condensed version of genealogical information. 

 

5) Develop communication with other researchers

Find people who are researching your line.  You may only communicate with them on occasion, but they may find that one nugget of information you are missing.  I received two giant boxes of research on my Dotson line because I had communicated with a person who had published two Dotson-related books, and he wanted to get rid of his materials.  The Internet is a great way to keep in touch.

 

5)  Be careful what you share. 

As you know, the Internet can be a curse.  Undocumented materials can be published on the Internet without your knowledge.  You have no way to correct it.  Although the people you communicate with may be cousins, they may not have the same regard for accuracy or privacy that you have.

 

6)  Have Fun

You will meet lots of great people (and a few not so great), you will enjoy the search, and you just may find that one document that tears down your "brick wall" and allows you to add another generation or two to your line.

 

Information from Others: 

====================================================================
"GETTING THE MOST FOR YOUR INFORMATION DOLLAR,"
by Patricia Law Hatcher, CG, FASG
(Originally appeared in "Genealogical Computing" Summer 2000)
====================================================================
 
Recent years have seen dramatic growth in the number of computer
products that supply information. Numerous CD-ROMs and Internet
databases compete for the genealogist's information dollars. So where
should you spend your hard-earned money?

GETTING STARTED

If you're just beginning to research your family tree, you have many
promising new avenues to explore. It's not unlikely that each week
you will unearth a new clue at the library or find a new set of
distant cousins on the Internet. Your information technology dollars
will be best spent on a dedicated phone line, a high-speed modem, and
a reliable service provider. Use centralized sites such as Cyndi's
List and search engines to explore the free resources of the
Internet.

DON'T PAY FOR NAME COLLECTIONS

There is no reason to pay for compilations of names. Several
commercial Web sites have free family tree sections. Thousands of
people have created their own family Web sites-and the family member
is a convenient e-mail address away. If the Web site does not contain
documentation-and unfortunately most don't-you can contact the person
immediately by e-mail to ask about his or her sources. Remember, at
this point you are merely collecting suggestions or opinions about a
lineage. Some are correct and some are not. Often you will have to
verify the names, dates, and places yourself.

PERSI IS A MUST

Whether a beginning or an advanced researcher, every genealogist
needs to use the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) routinely. PERSI is
one of two major sources (the other is the Family History Library
Catalog) that will help you find what's been published on families
and localities.

A project of the Allen County (Fort Wayne, Indiana) Public Library,
PERSI identifies the primary topic of each article in its
genealogical and local history periodical collection-the largest in
the world. PERSI contains more than one million entries.

Ancestry.com markets PERSI on CD-ROM and as a database on its Web
site. PERSI on CD-ROM is substantially faster to use, plus creating
and printing research checklists is easy. However, it goes out of
date about once a year, when an updated version with thousands of new
entries is released. PERSI on the Ancestry.com Web site doesn't go
out of date-and you get access to Ancestry's other databases-but
access can be slower (depending on your modem) and the Web version
doesn't have all the features of the CD-ROM.

USE A FOCUSED, LOCALITY-BASED APPROACH

The time comes for all of us when we cannot merely collect and
verify. Inadequate documentation, conflicting information, or a lack
of already-compiled families means it's time to begin really
researching.

Pick a single research problem (locality and time period) and focus
on it. Narrowing your focus is tough. It was difficult to do in pre-
electronic times, and it's even more difficult when the entire world
is just a few mouse clicks away. In the long run, though, putting on
blinders and looking at one small piece of your ancestry at a time
will produce more valid additions to your family tree than jumping
randomly from one branch to another.

RESEARCH YOUR PURCHASES

You'll get the most from CD-ROMs if you research your purchases.
Begin by reviewing catalogs you've received in the mail and by
reading ads in genealogical magazines and vendor Web sites. Check
back issues of genealogical publications for CD-ROM reviews and ads.
In some areas, you'll find there's more offered than you can afford
to buy. Make a list of what's available. If it's a long list, you've
got some choices ahead.

INVESTIGATE FEE-BASED WEB SITES

You don't have to join to learn which databases are on a particular
fee-based site, and you can usually search the databases of surnames
for free. You'll learn which databases have your name of interest.
Decide if they are useful to you. If your research is stuck in
Indiana, a large number of hits in Massachusetts and Virginia
databases won't help-yet. But keep them in mind for later.
Some Web sites specialize in traditional compiled genealogies; others
focus on twentieth century data. Decide which Web site is right for
you, based on your research problem. A one-month membership fee is
considerably less than a single printed volume, hence a real boon for
those residing far from a genealogical library.

CENSUSES

Censuses are the mainstay of genealogical research. Both indexes and
images are available on Web sites and CD-ROMs. Several companies are
releasing images of census microfilm on a state-by-state basis. The
first time you use one of these sources to do an extensive search,
you'll appreciate it. Winding and rewinding microfilm and making
numerous trips to and from the microfilm cabinet to swap rolls of
film will be a thing of the past. Ease of use and speedy access mean
you are more likely to explore all possibilities and track down all
siblings and collateral relatives.

LOOK FOR ELECTRONIC VERSIONS OF PRINTED ABSTRACTS

Some book-form abstracts are classics-good examples are Massachusetts
vital records, Hinshaw's Quaker records, or Maryland probates. Note
that these are abstracts of primary data that cover a large, but
defined area. They are basic resources genealogists use over and
over. Publications such as these, especially those in a multi-volume
series, are now appearing in electronic form (text, image, or
database).

Since this information is available in print form, should you spend
your information dollars on them? Some of the CD-ROM series are based
on volumes originally published decades ago that aren't available in
small or new genealogical collections. If you have a significant
family cluster in the area, you will find them very useful. And if
you ever exhaust their usefulness, they'd be a welcome donation to
your local genealogical library.

If you have a good library nearby, the electronic version still might
be a viable option. It depends on how often you use the print
version. If you can walk directly to the right shelf at the library,
then the CD-ROM version is an excellent candidate for purchase. If
you know what color the binding is, you might want to get out your
credit card now.

PERIODICALS

The introduction of CD-ROM versions of respected journals such as The
New England Historical and Genealogical Register, The Mayflower
Descendant, The National Genealogical Society Quarterly, and The
Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine has been a major boon to
genealogists. And the good news is that other journals will be
available in the near future.

Using CD-ROMs of periodicals is a joy. In printed form, each
periodical volume has its own index. A cumulative index might be
created every quarter-century or so, but searching all index volumes
and then checking all references can be time-consuming and tedious
(and many libraries do not have complete runs). The combined index
and easy access of the CD-ROM is a great time-saver.

SOME SOURCES ARE ONLY AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY

Societies and individual genealogists are finding that electronic
media are an inexpensive way to publish. Many small projects are thus
becoming available beyond a typescript at the local library. This
category includes such valuable topics as cemetery and newspaper
abstracts.

Some of these are marketed on CD-ROM, but more are on the Internet.
Many of these small projects are available as part of The USGenWeb
Project and on Ancestry.com.

IF YOU CAN'T IDENTIFY WHAT IT INCLUDES, DON'T BUY IT

Genealogists need to know what they've searched and what they
haven't. Unfortunately, a number of hodge-podge compilations are on
the market. All too often, the descriptions for CD-ROMs are vague-
"Some marriage records." What is "some"? If the reference you seek is
there, that's great, but if it isn't, what help was it?
Some companies have become lax in describing their products. As
consumers, we need to pressure them to describe the contents
precisely-time period, locality, and source of information-in their
ads, on the package, and in a read-me file or introduction on the CD-
ROM.

NOW THAT YOU'VE BOUGHT IT, LEARN TO USE IT

Really learn to use your CD-ROMs. Don't just click the buttons on the
screen. Explore the options on the menus. There are often tools that
go beyond looking up names.

If a CD-ROM lets you "mark" entries from its index, learn how to
print marked entries to create a research list before you begin
checking the references. This is especially important when the index
has a large number of entries. It's easy for a promising clue to
distract you before you complete the search. If you have the
partially checked-off list to remind you, you'll be more likely to
resume your search and not overlook a valuable entry. If the index
shows page numbers, this can also help you avoid repeatedly returning
to a page that has multiple index entries.

If the CD-ROM or Web site is text based, learn how to copy and paste
the text into your word processor or database software to avoid re-
keying errors.

BUY SEVERAL CD-ROM SOURCES

The most powerful research payoff with CD-ROMs and databases is the
ability to follow up on leads immediately. From the 1850 census, you
can go to a vital record. From there, you can search a periodical.
Then it's on to probate records to follow up on a possible collateral
line-all without ever leaving your computer. Using more than one type
of CD-ROM and database for a locality can be synergistic.

TECHNOLOGY CAN MAKE US BETTER RESEARCHERS

With information CD-ROMs, it's quick and easy to explore leads-all
leads. We're more likely to search every option, reducing the
possibility that we've latched onto the correct name, but the wrong
person. We can track down all the siblings and investigate the
neighbors, thereby learning more about our extended ancestral family.
Information technology can help us be better genealogists.

___________________________________________________________________

Patricia Law Hatcher is a Certified Genealogist who writes and
lectures on problem solving. Although she lives a quarter of an hour
from a library with an excellent collection, she has found that
judicious expenditure of information dollars has helped reduce the
time required to solve problems and has increased accuracy with more
thorough attention to collateral lines.    

A portion of another article:

If you are considering whether to publish your genealogical research, you have a number of decisions to make.

·  What and how much information do you want to publish? Do you want to only publish names and dates? Do you want to exclude living individuals altogether? Do you plan to include your source citations? Do you want to include all your notes? Do you intend to publish photographs and scanned document images along with the GEDCOM file, on a Web page or in a book? The decisions you make here are critical. They influence how you extract data and what you include. You must give special consideration to what, if anything, you have transcribed from others' work. Copyrighted materials can be tricky: you must provide proper citations in order to credit the author(s) or copyright holder, or you'll risk possible legal ramifications. And just because you found something on someone else's Web site doesn't mean it is not copyrighted. (We'll discuss copyright issues in some detail next week.)

·  When do you plan to publish? This is the key question for most people, I suspect. Just because you haven't "finished" does not mean you shouldn't publish. I've been working on my own family's genealogy for almost 40 years and have uploaded GEDCOM files to many Web sites over the years, replacing a previous version periodically when I have made enough progress to warrant publishing an updated version. Most facilities, such as the Ancestry World Tree, the RootsWeb WorldConnect Project, and the Genealogy Forum on America Online, allow for the replacement of old files with new ones.

·  What is the condition of your data? You should consider the status of your research and the condition of your database files. If you are up to date with data entry, then consider the condition of your database. Have you cited all your sources as completely as possible? Is unverified information noted? Do you have any conflicting facts that are in the process of being evaluated, and if so, are they noted? If your database is in chaos, you may want to consider spending some time cleaning it up and adding notations before you publish. This will save other researchers time, and they can contact you with questions or to check the status of your research.

·  What format will you choose, and where will you publish it? You might decide to produce a printed genealogy that contains all of your research, or just one specific line and allied lines associated with it. You might want to extract data from your genealogy database, create a GEDCOM file, and upload it to such places as the Ancestry World Tree, the RootsWeb WorldConnect Project, the LDS database, or one of the other GEDCOM archive facilities. Or you might choose to extract your data, process it through a GEDCOM-to-HTML conversion program, and create your own Web site. Consider, too, where you will publish your information. You will want to publish in a place with some permanence, and the contact information you provide for yourself should also be of a permanent nature. Some people change e-mail addresses after they publish, making it impossible to locate with them and discuss their data. If you care enough to publish and extend your research range, make sure people can communicate with you.

Information on Living Individuals
One often-touchy issue is whether to include living individuals in the data you publish. The truth is that birth dates, marriage dates, and other types of information are public records and can be readily obtained through governmental agencies. Other information—data found in newspapers, magazines, newsletters, trade papers, yearbooks and alumni data from educational institutions, and a wide array of other published information—cannot be considered "private." Certainly the text and other content is typically copyrighted, but individual facts are a matter of public information.

You may be approached or contacted by someone who indignantly demands that some piece of information concerning one of his or her living relatives be removed from your published GEDCOM or Web site. In truth, if the information is already a matter of public record, you have done nothing more than gather the fact and publish it in another venue and format. And so long as you can cite your source, you have done nothing wrong. By right, the only person who can request that you remove information about a living person from your data is the individual himself or herself, or the individual's parent(s), if the person is a minor. Even then, you have the option of complying with the request.

Some people may cite the Privacy Act of 1974 or the Online Privacy Protection Act of 2001 (introduced, but not yet approved) as their ammunition for demanding the removal of personal information. The Privacy Act of 1974 pertains only to records maintained by a federal agency, and the text of its amended version can be accessed at the U.S. Department of Justice site. The Online Privacy Protection Act of 2001 (H.R. 89) is currently in committee in the U.S. House of Representatives and is not law. If approved, it would apply only to the collection of personal data from the Internet for persons 13 and over that is used for commercial purposes, e.g., personal information gathered for resale or other similar use. The text of this House Resolution can be viewed online (type HR 89 in the box that says "By Bill Number"); this site give definitions and the scope of resolution's intent. In actuality, no federal legislation currently applies to the inclusion of publicly available information on living individuals in your GEDCOM.

That said, it is considered common courtesy among genealogists to suppress, exclude, or omit information about living persons from databases. You might include the name of an individual and suppress dates, locations, sources and notes. Most genealogical database programs provide the ability to "privatize" your database and produce a GEDCOM file without such data; reputable online entities, such as the Ancestry World Tree and others, encourage this practice and/or filter the files they receive to "privatize" data on living individuals. If, indeed, you do plan to include information on living persons in whatever publishing medium you choose, it is wise to obtain written permission from each individual before including the data.

George G. Morgan is a proud member of the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors, Inc. He would like to hear from you at atl@ahaseminars.com, but due to the volume of e-mail received, he is unable to answer every message. Please note that he cannot assist you with your individual research. Visit George's Web site for information about speaking engagements. George is also the author of The Genealogy Forum on America Online.