Genealogy 101

So who was your great, great, great grandfather and where did he live? Or where did your mother’s side of the family come from? Are you a descendant of an immigrant, a wealthy landowner, a “black sheep”, or an early Mayflower pilgrim? Learn about where to begin, genealogy software, and what the Internet has to offer. 

Begin with your living relatives. 
Their information can not be replaced! The older the relative, the more chance of learning some little fact that will give you a connection further back in a family line. These memories are treasures to be written down. Ask to see their photo albums, as these are great for jogging the memories. Ask about locations in the photos, family versus friends, reason for the get-togethers, etc.  Request copies (always offering to pay for them!) so you can use them in compiling your data. 
Important to remember: some “facts” you learn from family members may turn out to be “fiction”. Great great great grandpa had 24 children, 12 by each wife! Later you learn there were between 20 and 22 from official records. Human memory can be distorted by time, and emotions, so write it down, and research it for accuracy. (Be careful about correcting someone’s “memories”. Better to present the facts of your research, and let them make the discovery of errors for themselves!) 

Page 1: Introduction (you are here)
Page 2: Create a Pedigree Chart (next)
Page 3: Document! Document! Document!
Page 4: Genealogy Software
Page 5: Internet Sites
Page 6: Closing