User:Ccsmith/Sandbox

First Step – Pedigree Chart
What do you know? Let’s just see how much you really know about your ancestors. You might know more than you think.

1. Secure a pedigree chart. You can get one by clicking here.

2. In space 1 write you FULL name.

3. In space 2 write your father’s FULL name.

4. In space 3, your mother’s FULL name. Be sure to record her MAIDEN name, not her married name. This applies to all females on the pedigree chart.

5. In spaces 4 – 7 record grandparents.

6. In spaces 8 – 15 record great grandparents.

7. Note that the male names are always by even numbers.

8. Under each name, fill in the dates and places for birth, marriage and death estimating dates or guessing places if your are not sure.

9. To record a Date use the European form of recording dates, that is, Day, Month, Year: “3 April 1836.” Spell out the month.

10. To record a Place, go record as City, County, State, Country, for example: Independence, Jackson, Missouri, USA. In a foreign country, it may be parish, town, province, country.

11. If you would rather do this on your computer, you can secure a free genealogical program at FamilySerach.org by clicking here.

Second Step – Family Group Sheet
What do you know about each family on Pedigree Chart? Here is where you record your cousins, second cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.

1. Secure a family group chart for each couple on the pedigree chart. You can get one by clicking here.

2. Fill in all the spaces as best as you can. Again estimating dates or guessing places if you don’t know for sure.

Third Step – Shoebox
Go though your home and look for anything that will help you fill in the blank spaces. Recommend you gather up all you genealogical records such as birth certificates, marriage, death, school records, diaries, family bibles, letters, etc and put them into a shoebox. Take a few days to look around. You might think of something while doing something else.

Step Four – Folders
1. Create a folder for each couple on your pedigree chart. This will keep all the information gathered in one place instead of being in a stack of papers.

2. Into each couples’ folder put the Family Group Sheet.

3. Place any and all records on this couple that you had accumulated in the shoebox.

4. On the folder tab, put the husband’s name and date of birth. You will probably have other folders with the same name so the date of birth is how you tell one from another. Record the maiden name of the wife.

5. In this couple folder, you put in all information on the couple and THEIR children. The children's birth certificates, etc.

6. If either the husband or the wife were married more than once, create a folder for each marriage.

7. When a child marries, you create a new folder of that married child.

Sept Five – What do others know.
Here we start going to other family members or family friends that might help us fill in the blanks.

1. Look at your pedigree chart and see what spaces are blank?

2. Create a “To Do List” recording who you want to visit.

3. A sample of a To Do List can be had by

4. Write a specific question for each blank space on the Pedigree Chart. This is important. Specific questions bring specific answers.

5. In addition, write specific questions for each blank space on the Family Group Sheet as well. For example: What was the name of my mother’s mother? When was Grandpa Jones born? Where was Grandpa Jones born?

6. Create a "Research Log." On this form you record the results of the searches that you had listed on your "To Do List." If there should be a lapes of time between working on a particular family, the "Research Log" will let you see what you have looked at and the result. It also keeps you from researching the same record twice. A sample of a "Research Log" can be had by clicking here.

7. While you’re at it, you might take a recording devise, to have them tell you what they remember about the person your interested in. This may be a good time to get recorded personal histories when interviewing your relatives. For a list of possible questions to ask click here.

8. At the same time, gather pictures if they will let you have them or make copies for yourself.

9. Do not forget family friends. Sometimes they were closer to an ancestor than were there family members.

Step Six – Research
Here's where you are to start your research in official records and libraries.

1. On your "To Do List" start writing down other possible sources such as government records or libraries that may have the information you seek. For example you might put in your "To Do List" searching the US Census to find out all the children of a great grandparent.

2. For a list of possible resources to look at for information click here. It is a long list. Do not be discouraged. Longer the list of resources, the better chance you have of finding something.

3. Be sure to keep your "Research Log" up to date. It is hard to remember all the records you have search if you have look at a lot of them.

3. Look in genealogical research books for ideas as to where to look for information from official sources such as county seats, land records, court records, immigration, census, etc. See below a list of only a few books to help you.

3. Look on line for help. Here are just a few places to look.

a. Google – google the name you are interested in, you might get lucky.

b. Forums

c. Wiki

d. FamilySearch.org

e. Cindy’s list.

f. Martha’s list

g. Paid sites

h. Professional help