Become a Family Tree detective

Well, you finally want to research your family tree!

Where do you start?

At the beginning, with yourself and work backwards through parents and grandparents. As has been said before "Only with genealogy is a step backwards, progress!"

It is a good idea to write a little about yourself. It will be easier for future genealogists to get a feel for the person you are. Researching the past generations is more than names and dates. It is to get a sense of who they were and how they lived. What traits the may have passed down, not just genetically but ethics, employment, hobbies, sports. It is amazing to find that an ancestor shared some things in common with you.

But I am jumping ahead, another important thing to do is to talk to your elder relatives and find out as much as you can. Their lives and stories can live on through you and your research. My regret is that the people I would love to talk to now, have passed away. At 18, I was not interested in my grandfather's stories, now I would love to know them.

To me genealogy is like a detective story and like all good detectives, taking notes is a must! Who told me what. Where was that clue found.

Starting out with some genealogy forms can help. A family group sheet has a husband and wife and their children detailed on one sheet. A research log detailing where you have searched. How many times have I looked at the same thing before I used one of these.

A correspondence log to keep track of who you have contacted and what about is also a useful tool.

You can make your own or use templates. Google is your friend.