Pat McCord dropped me a link concerning
genealogy and it crossed my mind that some of you might have
an interest in digging around in
some family history. If there are some that are already into this
why not drop
me your favorite hints and sites
and I will post them.
I have found this to be a lot of
fun, and quite revealing. I found out that many of the people I remember
from childhood that I thought were
friends of the family, were actually relatives.
Check back - will add things as I run across them.
I will list the hints and or links
with new ones at the top so you don't have to go through a lot of old ones
to get to where you are going :-)
http://www.cooklib.org/genrefer.htm
submitted by Pat McCord - this is a library in IL
http://www.sierra.com/sierrahome/familytree/
this is the software site I mentioned below.
http://www.uftree.com/
Ultimate Family Tree software company website
http://www.dar.org/
Daughters of American Revolution
http://www.sar.org/
Sons of American Revolution
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nedawson/
Dawson County Geneology
http://cpcug.org/user/jlacombe/mark.html
This is a large list of geneology links
http://www.famtech.com/
Another software site - I have this program, but it has some quirks and I don't use it
http://www.familytreemaker.com/
Family Tree Maker software company
http://www.genealogysoftware.com/products/
This is just a long list of sites where you can look for information
I will just list some things I have stumbled across on my own search.
There is an inexpensive program that I have been using for some time and have found it to be quite handy. It is called Easy Family Tree by Sierra software and usually costs about $10 (it has been in the department stores in OR for quite awhile). There are others more expensive if you think you want to really get into it.
1. TALK WITH YOUR PARENTS!
Do this even if you aren't interested now. Ask them to tell you about
your
families - how they met, where they
were married, where they have lived, where their parents are from etc.
2. Check with your local library - many have genealogy sections that have lots of sources of information.
3. Check the web sites of the genealogy software companies - they have a lot of free resources.
4. Check that old family Bible you have in the back closed - there may be a ton of information in it.
5. Write to or talk with relatives
- some of them may have already done a lot of work on the family - most
are
willing to share.
6. If you know of any of your relatives
that are members of the Daughters/Sons of the American Revolution - they
might have lots of info. If
they are dead, the organizations will supply the application for a five
dollar fee.
7. Ask relatives for pictures and have them label them for you so you know who they are.
8. Write things down - your memory will dim - I personally KNOW :-)
9. If you are going to do it, get
the software first - it will save you a lot of time if you just enter things
as you find them instead of trying
to separate all the sticky notes.
10. There are phone/address databases
on the internet - just enter names and they will search
for you and display the result so
you might be able to find that long lost relative.
Here are a couple
http://www.switchboard.com/bin/cgiqa.dll?MG=
http://wp.uswestdex.com/?from=
11. Go to a search engine and type in your last name - you will be amazed what you find.
Here are a couple of search engines
12. Check the library where your relative lived and see if they have city or county history.
13. Wonder through the cemeteries
around where your relative last lived. Contact their church
if you know it - they sometimes
keep records of births/deaths/baptisms etc.
14. Think creatively - there are tons of ways to find information.
last updated 5-4-1999