How Do I Begin?

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The staff at the Little Dixie Regional Libraries Genealogy Room can be helpful to persons who wish to trace their ancestry. Following are some suggestions on how begin the search yourself.

 

Start With Yourself
Starting with yourself, and working backwards, find out all the information you can about your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts and uncles. Find out where they were born, where they grew up, their marriage dates and any other information they can share. Start a genealogy chart and pencil in all the information as you gather it. Dont trust your memory. You may want to tape record these conversations in addition to writing them down; but always ask for permission before recording.

Recording The Information You've Gathered
Gather and record all the names, birth/death dates, events and places that you can. If you do not have exact dates, for the time being, pencil in approximate dates on your genealogy chart. You may be able to find exact dates later from another source. To avoid confusion, always record surnames in capital letters, and always include womens maiden names. It is important to keep your information as organized as possible.

Sources You May Already Have
You can find much useful information in sources that you may have at home, such as old family Bibles, newspaper clippings, birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, diaries and journals, letters, backs of pictures, etc. Dig through those old trunks and cardboard boxes in your parents and grandparent's atticsyou may find a treasure trove of information there.

Talk To Your Relatives
Visit with, call, write or email relatives, particularly older relatives, who may have information you can use. Take along photos or documents to share with them to jog their memory. Ask them to notify you if they later remember something. Oftentimes one memory will prompt other recollections. And a lonely relative may be delighted by your interest and attention.

Sharing Information
Search for surnames of distant relatives who may already have done some research and is willing to trade information. The Internet is an excellent place to find people working on the same lines of genealogy that you are. A good place to start is Family Search and Cyndis List.

Birth, Marriage And Death Records
Visit the public libraries, churches and local historical societies in the areas where your relatives lived. Often these institutions will have microfilm of old newspapers, census records, military service records, birth/death records, marriage records and cemetery records.

Courthouse Records
Wills, property acquisition and probate records can usually be found in county courthouses in the County Recorders office.

More Resources To Help Your Search
Now that you know the basics of genealogy research, here are some online links and databases to help you find the information you are looking for. Happy Hunting!

If All Else Fails
If youve come to a complete standstill in your research and dont know where to turn, you might consider hiring a researcher. You may request a list of certified researchers from: The Board for Certification of Genealogist, PO Box 14291, Washington, DC 20044 

   
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