Guide to Family History Research |
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Guide to Family History Research is for you! If you’re here, you’re probably looking for information about getting started in a wonderful, rewarding hobby. It’s not rocket science—start with what you know and work backward, one generation at a time. Use your memory, information from family members, and whatever documents you can lay hands on to start the ball rolling. Begin organizing your materials from the start so you won’t wind up thinking you’re your own grandpa. Write down how you know what you know as you collect data. Just trust me on that one. Or don’t do it and you’ll find yourself re-doing your research when you can’t resolve conflicting information. Read through the chapters in this book (well, on this website) and dive right in. Look through the kinds of records mentioned and soak up the concepts about how to approach this project. You’ll run into records you don’t understand. When that happens, you’re ready for a new learning experience—you’ll get used to it after a while. Keep in mind that every single one of your ancestors had two parents, one male, one female. Yes, you’ll begin to wonder if there are outer-space aliens in your lineage (there probably are) when you simply cannot move backward on some family or another. Don’t give up; switch your focus to another family and hone your research skills, then come back to the problem line later on. This guide focuses on American genealogy. When you trace your folks back to a foreign country, the records will be different but the process is the same. Your folks didn’t exist in a vacuum—keep them with the people they were kin to and associated with. You’ll find they were part of networks of social acquaintances, religious brethren, business contacts, military comrades-in-arms, extended family, in-laws, neighbors, and, of course, family members. Use those people to help you find your folks. Keep your family in historical context. Not only did the people around them impact their lives, so did political events and social trends. Read history. Good luck on your research! |
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Desmond Walls Allen Arkansas Research, Inc. PO Box 303 Conway, AR 72033 501/470-1120 desmond@ArkansasResearch.com www.ArkansasResearch.com |
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Copyright © 2008 Desmond Walls Allen |