Genealogy without sources is mythology!
Welcome!
Today's post talks about finding and using sources to make sure that what you say about your ancestors is correct. Remember.....
"Accuracy is fundamental to genealogical research. Without it, a family's history would be fiction." (source: Genealogy Standards: 50th Anniversary Edition, by Board for The Certification of Genealogists)
First, it's good to know what you're doing, and to know where to begin. LOL! Here's one way to do that..... take a free course.
FREE Online Genealogy Course:
If you want to brush up on your genealogy skills..... or if you are a beginner..... this free online course is a good place to start. "Researching Your Family Tree" is offered online for free by The University of Strathcyde in Glasgow, Scotland, The link is here: (If the link doesn't work, then Google the link-phrase.)
University of Strathclyde Free Genealogy Course
The course lasts 6 weeks, and you receive a new lesson every week, via email. Each lesson has several parts, and consists of short videos and short articles on genealogy topics. Some lessons give you additional websites, which you can read, to learn more about the lesson's topic. I took the course in Fall 2018, and highly recommend it. Even though I've been doing genealogy for 20 years, I learned soooooo much in this course!
If you are interested in getting a Master's Degree or a PhD in genealogy, this university offers them!
What information should you gather?
There are 10 basic pieces of information that you should collect for each person in your family tree.
1. birth date
2. place of birth
3. marriage date
4. place of marriage
5. death date
6. place of death
7. place of burial
8. names of parents
9. name of spouse
10. names of children
These dates, places, and names will give you a summary of the person's life.
Sources: Where to find those 10 basic pieces of information.
Genealogists use a variety of sources to find these 10 basic pieces of information about their ancestors. Here are 3 main places to look. Vital Records, US Federal Census, and newspapers.
1. Vital Records - Birth, Marriage, & Death Certificates
These certificates contain the person's name, dates, and (sometimes) parent's names. There are many places to find vital records. The Courthouse in the county where the event took place is the best place to look.
Here's one link to BMD certificates. Vital Records
2. United States Federal Census Records
Some Census facts to keep in mind:
a. The United State has been conducting a countrywide census every 10 years since 1790.
b. From 1790 through 1840, the US Census listed only the head of the house, by name. Other members who lived there were noted only by age and gender, not by name.
c. The 1850 Census was the first one include the names of every member of the household.
d. Most of the 1890 Census was destroyed by a fire.
e. The most current US Census available to us today is 1940.
f. The 1950 US Census will be released to the public in April 2022.
The US Census is a good source to help you find where the person lived, the person's spouse's name, children's, names, ages, the State or county where everyone was born, occupation, and their financial status (owned/rent their home, owned a radio, value of the home, etc)
I found my great-great grandfather's occupation listed as a "shucker" at an oyster bar. I imagine he smelled funky when he got home from work!
Sites to find the US Census:
a. Family Search (free search)
b. Ancestry (subscription)
c. Your local library - Many public libraries subscribe to genealogy sites, and you are allowed to search them for free, if you are a member of that public library. Membership is usually free, but ask your local librarians for details.
3. Newspapers
Look for newspapers online, which are from the town where your ancestor lived. Old newspapers have a wealth of information. Obituaries of the person's death can provide information that you never knew existed!
Also, look at the society/gossip column for tidbits about your ancestor. I even found my birth announcement in a local newspaper online!
Here are some suggestions:
a. Ancestor Hunt - newspapers
b. Newspapers dot com
c. Wikipedia List of Newspapers online
OK, well.... this post is just a very small sample of where to find information on your ancestors, but it will get you started. As you go along, you will find more and more places to search for those 10 basic pieces of information on your family members.
Next time, I will begin posting my family tree! YEA!
Hope you have fun searching!
Sandy Gilmore
Gilmore Genealogist
(Sorry my posts are so ugly to look at, but I'm working on improving the way they look! The information is there, though. LOL!)
No comments:
Post a Comment