Friday, August 3, 2012

My Number One Bit of Advice

Whenever a new genealogy enthusiast asks me for a piece of advice, this is pretty much what I tell 'em:

1)  Go slow.  Go slow in printing everything you find about everyone you find on the Internet.  It is to easy t get overwhelmed.

2)  Go slow.  Go slow in inking in people on your family tree chart.  It's up to you to validate.  Not some cousin 17 times removed who's family tree chart you found on the Internet.  Many of us keep two charts.  The working chart that is done in pencil.  I keep that with a list of questions that I need answered before I claim this person as my own.  Then there is the much smaller, much more pristine chart that is written in ink, with no scribble scrabbles or smudges.

3)  Go slow.  I know it's tempting (because I did it myself) but don't rush out and get paid subscriptions to all the genealogy sites out there.  You will probably eventually want to join Ancestry.com, but look around and see what you can find for free.
           
               *  FamilySearch.org -- This is a free site from The Church of the Latter Day Saints.

               *  Pull out your library card.  My county's library has a subscription to Heritage Quest that you can     access from your home computer.  Heritage Quest isn't as user friendly as Ancestry, but there are some genealogists that swear by it and prefer it.  Also see if the library system has a subscription to Ancestry.  Many do, but you  have to actually go into the library facility to access it.

              *  Look in the phone book and see if your town has a Family History Center.  Connected to the Mormons, but last time I checked they did not charge for research you do at the center.

             *  If you are lucky enough to live in the same town where your family has resided for years, check to see if there is a local historical society or a local genealogical society.  Sometimes there is a membership fee, but it's usually pretty miserable.
             *  Cyndi's List -- Wikipedia defines Cyndi's List this way:
  • "Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet is a categorized and cross-referenced list of links for genealogical research. The site contains roughly 260,000 links in 180 categories. Cyndi's List supplements operating expenses with affiliate advertising."
You could spend weeks and months, just combing through that website seeing what they have to offer.  Here's a link:  http://www.CyndisList.com/create-a-link-to-cyndis-list/

           *  YouTube.com -- go ahead and search their site for "genealogy."  They have a TON of videos and lectures and from those you can get thousands of tips and tricks.

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