User:Luccagenes/Sandbox/Article

Should this information be included somewhere or is it already here? Very nice article so far Jim. There are several articles on the wiki about getting started but each is different and brings another perspective to the task of doing genealogy. I like your page very much. myra

Thanks Myra, I will keep plugging away at it.

{| width="600" border="0" align="center" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" Article? The “missing” step

Do I really want to get involved with a genealogy project?
 Include a sketch of a mother helping an infant to take their first step. The very first baby step when getting involved with a genealogy project is always the hardest. This first step is the decision itself wherein one has to decide if they are willing to expend the time and energy needed to achieve their goals. To get ready for that first step lets do a little crawling. Since you are the one that sets those goals you first need to know what are some of the goals are that you could set for yourself. Do not set yourself up to fail. It is better to start off with smaller goals which you can change over time rather then to hit your first brick wall (it happens to everyone) and then decide that this is stupid and quit or just burning out as this can become overwhelming.

What is genealogy?
Genealogy is the study of a family’s origins and history and is often referred to as family history. The first known use was in the 14th century to describe a pedigree of royal, aristocratic, or clerical lines. Some family trees, like that of Confucius, have been found to list 80 generations dating back 2,500 years.

Initially passed down by word of mouth it is currently of international interest and access to more and more on-line records has resulted in significant advances in its documentation and display capabilities. As it was with an ancient king’s genealogy which showed his relationship to the gods, today’s family histories continue to be a form of storytelling to preserve the past for future generations. In today’s climate, the more accurately one can document the past the more likely it will survive through the ages. Today’s genealogy can take the form of simply collecting and preserving family information, all the way up to adding information to the “world tree”.

What goals can be set when starting a family history?
The very first goal can be one of the easiest, one of the most rewarding, and is actually the most important. Other goals can be slowly and progressively added as one becomes more and more interested and confident when researching your family’s history. It is important to remember that this endeavor can take the form of a hobby, a passion, a vocation, a career, or a legacy and if kept in the correct perspective it can be quite rewarding.

Preserving information and memories (questions and answers).
Just ask questions before it’s too late (before it is forgotten or your ancestors are no longer accessible). Who are all those people in the old photographs? What was it like when you were a kid? How did you meet your spouse? Did you have a dog when you were little?



Ask for permission to record this information while promising not to disclose sensitive dates to others or post such information on a public forum.


 * Getting others involved (siblings or aunts and uncles) by asking them to ask questions of others and don't forget their input as well.
 * Get the young children to help by asking their grandparents even more questions and you may inadvertantly create a budding genealogist.
 * Don't forget to use video footage to capture the question and answer sessions. It is often less disruptive than taking notes and besides allowing for a smooth flowing interview it will capture a moment in time that may not be repeatable.
 * Start making contacts outside your direct family (your “cousins” from distant relatives) but be ready for the occasional dispute as information or low quality sources could lead to different conclusions.
 * Build a small network both inside and outside the direct family as the unavoidable set backs will be easier to weather if discussed with others.
 * Find out more than just the dry facts of where and when they lived. Find out how they lived, their lifestyle growing up, and their motivations. Make it interesting for yourself as well as others who may eventually read your information (storytelling) and may someday be a collaborator or may pick up the torch where you left off.
 * And finally, ignore the naysayers as they will never have any interest in researching your family’s history or their own (that is their loss not yours).

As mentioned earlier this first goal is the most important because it is defined by a finite time limit. Access to much of the information and memories of the previous generation will be lost forever if action is not taken immediately. So if you do nothing else, at least find and record as many of these answers as possible and collect copies of all the old photos and documents. You will regret it later if you don't.

A suggested list of questions to ask can be found "here" which will get you started in capturing the answers which are important to understanding the lives that your ancestors lived. Remember, the question "why" is just as important as the questions "who, what, when, and where".

Collecting/storing documents and photos for you (and for future generations).

 * Digitizing and restoring old photographs (using software programs) and documents.
 * Storing results in multiple places in case of a disaster.

Organizing what you have already collected.

 * Too much data can quickly become overwhelming so at some point a better “filing” system will become necessary.
 * Data recording in the form of spreadsheets, genealogy software for recording your direct lineage, and access to the FamilySearch Family Tree software which involves the "world tree" are all options you can evaluate.

Try a small project first to build some confidence.

 * Pick a single person and tell a story about them. You don't have to write a biography, remember that this is about storytelling.  The following are some suggestions.
 * Start out with "Once upon a time" and tell where they were born, what is was like for them growing up, how they met their spouse, how their family started to grow, and how they spent their "golden years". If your subject asks the question: "Are you making a book out of me?", your answer could be "Yes, someday".
 * Give some background about where they were born and raised, especially if it was in a foreign country and that type of information may be new to the people reading your story.
 * Build a family tree display (several types are available) for that person and include it in your story line.
 * Write an epilogue describing your own adventures involved with the discovery of the information on which you based your story. It could be useful for others if they take an interest in genealogy.
 * And finally, dedicate the story to all the loved ones that have passed before us. Now you would have a short story worth telling and sharing with others.

Re-evaluate your objectives and strategic planning.

 * Do you find genealogy interesting and enjoyable?
 * Set goals a little higher if desired or take a break or you may want to try another story.
 * Give yourself time to re-evaluate (if you've already collected the "perisable" data then you're safe for now as the other information out there will still be there later)

How do I keep myself (and others) from burning out?

 * When you hit the inevitable brick wall, take a step back or redirect your goals to other family lines. That wall may never go away but as new information becomes available on-line the wall could just as easily disappear. When searching other family lines of your "cousins" (not in your direct lineage) clues could appear which would take you around or over that brick wall. One thing to keep in mind is that your goal of documenting your family history will actually and ultimately be a great benefit for future generations (your kid's kids).
 * Always remember that you are never really alone in this endeavor as there are forums which may do volunteer work to help you get over a hurdle or there may be local historians who could help for little or no cost to you. You can always rely on the expertise of others who have faced the same issues and who were willing to document their knowledge in a Research Wiki like this one.

Searching for more (what information is missing?).

 * Software programs are available to search both ancestral lines as well as descendant lines.
 * You can search this Research Wiki for additional information and the LDS records collections without being logged into the system. Search the on-line data to find more source information for ancestors you have already identified as you may find clues to other relatives.
 * Sign up for free access to the Family Tree software to search the entries made by others to see if any of your ancestors have already been entered.
 * Play with various Family Tree features and the partner programs to see the type of information that can be generated.
 * In addtition to freely searching the Internet, there are also numerous fee based services (like Ancestory.com) that can also be used to find others researching your ancestors.

See next article: Begin your genealogy quest.

 * If you are interested in proceeding or are still curious about what is next, then there are several articles at this site that will walk you through the process. This FamilySearch Research Wiki will guide you through all the steps to assist you in achieving your goals.

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