Beginning Genealogy

Presenter: Lisa A. Alzo, M.F.A.

A Few Housekeeping Items…

•  Turn off all cell phones, pagers, etc. •  Please hold all questions until the end •  Social media use permitted (blogs, twitter,

etc.) – Please respect copyright •  Syllabus material

Presentation Outline

•  Overview of the basic steps of genealogy •  Traditional and online resources •  Citing and documenting your sources

Additional Handouts •  There are some additional recommended

handouts •  FREE handout:

– 18 Simple Steps to Becoming a Genealogist available for download at Lulu.com

http://bit.ly/fzH3Wx -  FOR PURCHASE:

•  Also on Lulu.com: http://www.lulu.com - Getting Started in Genealogy Part I:

The Basics Ebook (PDF): $2.50

http://www.lisaalzo.com

Intro to Genealogy

Genealogy - the study of family ancestry; records, or accounts showing the descent of a family, group or person.

– Webster’s Dictionary

Why Interested?

•  Curiosity •  Desire to leave a legacy for children and

grandchildren •  Need to find out who we are •  Medical reasons

Family History

•  Family trees and genealogy charts provide a framework: – names, dates, places, and other facts

•  Family histories provide the “stories” and bring names and other facts to life

Debunking Myths and Misconceptions

•  It’s as easy as it looks on T.V. –  “Who Do You Think You Are?” –  “Faces of America”

•  Everything can be found on the Internet •  “You don’t have to know what you’re

looking for, you just have to start looking” (Ancestry.com advertisement)

Debunking Myths and Misconceptions

•  But Aunt Betty said so! (family lore)

•  All of “those” records were destroyed

•  Those who write Blogs or use social media as a research tool are not “real” genealogists

Genealogy is…

Persistence

Skill

Serendipity

Important First Steps • Gather home and family sources • Talk to your relatives! • Ask for documents and photographs • Prepare an Ancestral or Pedigree Chart • Free Genealogy Charts and Forms

http://www.genealogysearch.org/free/forms.html

• Start with yourself and work backwards

Pedigree Chart

Family Group Sheet

Ancestor Data Sheet

Important First Steps • Develop a research strategy or plan • Sample plan available at:

http://familytreemagazine.com/article/sample-research-plan

• Who, What, When, Where, Why? • Organize your information into readable

& easy-to-access formats – Papers in binders or labeled files – Electronic storage

Genealogy Software Programs • Best to try before you buy • Choose one that fits your needs! • Export or save in GEDCOM format

(GENealogy Data COMmunication) http://bettergedcom.wikispaces.com

Genealogy Software •  Family Tree Maker

http://www.familytreemaker.com

•  RootsMagic http://www.rootsmagic.com

•  Legacy Family Tree http://www.legacyfamilytree.com

Genealogy Software •  The Master Genealogist

http://www.whollygenes.com

•  Personal Ancestral File (PAF) - free (version 5.2.18.0)

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/paf/

•  GenSoftReviews http://www.gensoftreviews.com

Online Family Trees

•  Ancestry Trees http://trees.ancestry.com

•  Geni.com http://www.geni.com

•  Family Tree Builder (My Heritage) http://www.myheritage.com/

Beginning Your Search Online •  Have your pedigree/ancestral chart available •  Keep your research plan nearby •  Try a Google search on your surname, an

ancestor’s surname; then try searching again and add a location

•  Consult Joe Beine’s Site: Research Guides http://www.researchguides.net

•  Utilize Internet resources when possible http://wiki.familysearch.org

•  Ancestry.com ($) http://www.ancestry.com

Important First Steps •  Two key pieces of information:

–  Immigrant’s original name – Name of town/village of origin

•  Always verify information (whether from online or traditional sources)

•  Focus on North America first: Records easier to access

•  Provides clues to village of origin; Helps you to avoid making critical research mistakes

Beginning Your Search Online

•  Make a list of surnames to search and potential spelling variations

Beginning Your Search Online

•  When you visit a genealogy Web site, read the instructions!

•  Look for: – Help – About this site or database – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Beginning Your Search Online

• Keep detailed notes of successful searches and failed searches

• Document everything!

NOT ALL RECORDS ARE 100% ACCURATE!

Key Information to Research •  U.S. Census •  Immigration/Emigration Records •  Vital Records •  Cemetery •  Church records •  Other records •  Don’t overlook siblings or friends and

neighbors: “FAN” Club

Genealogy: Basic Steps •  Gather Vital Records

- Death Records - Marriage Records - Birth Records

•  Joe Beine sites: – DeathIndexes.com

http://www.deathindexes.com •  Find-a-Grave http://www.findagrave.com •  Interment.net http://www.interment.net

Genealogy: Basic Steps •  Gather Vital Records

- Death Records - Marriage Records - Birth Records

•  FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org •  VitalCheck http://www.vitalcheck.com •  VitalRec http://vitalrec.com

Genealogy: Basic Steps •  Gather Vital Records

- Death Records - Marriage Records - Birth Records

•  Google Search (e.g. Pennsylvania Death Records) •  Church (esp. if Civil record unavailable) •  USAChurch http://www.usachurch.com

Genealogy: Basic Steps •  Federal Census search (1790 -1930)

- Ancestry.com http://www.ancestry.com - FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org - HeritageQuest Online (access available only through participating libraries) http://www.heritagequestonline.com/hqoweb/library/do/index - Footnote http://www.footnote.com

Genealogy: Basic Steps •  Immigration (Passenger lists)

- Ellis Island http://www.ellisisland.org - Ancestry.com http://www.ancestry.com - Castle Garden http://www.castlegarden.org - Search Tools http://www.stevemorse.org

Genealogy: Basic Steps •  State and County search

(naturalizations, land, tax, court and probate, etc.) - Ancestry, FamilySearch, Footnote

•  Newspapers – GenealogyBank

www.genealogybank.com – Google News Archive

http://news.google.com/archivesearch – Ancestry http://www.ancestry.com;

Footnote http://www.footnote.com

Genealogy: Basic Steps •  Military records

–  NARA http://www.archives.gov –  Ancestry, Footnote

•  Miscellaneous (diaries, letters, fraternal organization records –  USGenWeb http://www.usgenweb.org –  Cyndi’s List http://www.cyndislist.com –  RootsWeb http://www.rootsweb.org –  FindMyPast – UK ($) http://www.findmypast.com –  CanGenealogy http://www.cangenealogy.com –  Libraries Archives Canada

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/index-e.html

Proper Source Citations •  Consult the Board for Certification of

Genealogists http://www.bcgcertification.org •  Book: Evidence, Citation & Analysis for the

Family Historian by Elizabeth Shown Mills •  Genealogy Source Citations Quick

Reference (Hidefgen) http://hidefgen.com

Research •  Takes time (results not always obtained

right away) •  Sometimes you may NOT find exactly

what you are looking for •  Some information can be “lost” forever

and unobtainable

Like a puzzle - or a good mystery - comes together piece by piece

Additional Techniques

•  Join a genealogical society •  Launch a family website •  Post to online message boards (e.g.

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com) •  Use social media

– Blogs http://www.geneabloggers.com – Facebook http://www.facebook.com – Twitter http://www.twitter.com

Summary •  Start with Home and Family Sources •  Prepare a family tree •  Consult public records (online and offline) •  Obtain copies of important documents •  Keep notes of missing or incorrect

information or unusual occurrences

Summary •  Look in “unlikely” places for information •  Organize as you go •  Cite your sources •  Network with other genealogists

Summary

Be serious about your research

But have FUN doing it!

Q & A

Thank You! Contact me: lisa@lisaalzo.com http://www.lisaalzo.com

SpeakerMix http://speakermix.com/Lisa_Alzo

“Go to” Genealogy Sites

•  FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org •  Family Search Wiki

http://wiki.familysearch.org •  Ancestry.com ($) http://www.ancestry.com •  Footnote ($) http://www.footnote.com •  Cyndi’s List http://www.cyndislist.com •  RootsWeb http://www.rootsweb.com

“Go to” Genealogy Sites •  Ellis Island Database

http://www.ellisisland.org •  Castle Garden Database

http://www.castlegarden.org •  One-Step Web Pages (Steve Morse)

http://www.stevemorse.org •  National Archives Records Administration

(NARA) http://www.archives.gov

“Go to” Genealogy Sites

•  American Ancestors (NEHGS) ($) http://www.americanancestors.org/home.html

•  Genealogy Bank (newspapers) ($) http://www.genealogybank.com

•  USGenWeb http://www.usgenweb.org •  WorldGenWeb http://www.worldgenweb.org •  FindAGrave http://www.findagrave.com •  Joe Beine’s Site: http://researchguides.net

“Go to” Genealogy Sites

•  FindMyPast – UK ($) http://www.findmypast.com

•  CanGenealogy http://www.cangenealogy.com

•  Libraries Archives Canada http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/index-e.html

•  Google http://www.google.com