Write down everything you think you know about your family or whenever your are researching. Write it out by hand. Apparently there is something about journaling that helps you remember more. Use this to create a family tree, called a "pedigree chart."
Talk toall the relatives you can, and write down whatever they tell you, true or false. You can sort that out later, and even if it is only half truth, you may get a lead to your next clue. Use a recorder to help you remember what was said.
Go throughfamily documents and mementos to confirm or validate what you already discovered. Open up the dusty boxes in the attic; check the back of your family Bible; get out those long-forgotten yearbooks, school diplomas, newspaper articles, and scrapbooks; and study the dates engraved on grandma's charm bracelet.
Research public documents--starting with census data and vital records--to discover the "truth" and fill in the details.
Be ready to spend 30 to 40 years proving or disapproving what you think you know and what people will think you know and what people tell you.
Have fun!!! It is addictive and you will not be able to stop.
Major search tool from the Church of Latter Day Saints. Their search engine will search Ancestral Files, the International Genealogical Index (IGI), Pedigree Resource Files, and Web Sites. Also includes a Directory of Family History Centers and other useful information.
The Family History Library sponsored by FamilySearch is the largest genealogical library in the world. The Family History Library is actively digitizing its family histories, local histories, and other collections to make them searchable and available online to researchers worldwide.
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