INTRO TO GENEALOGY PART I HOW DO I START? GATHER what you have (vital records, Bible records, letters, certificates, baby books, photos, news clippings, etc.) ORGANIZE and EVALUATE what you have ENTER information into Ancestral and Family Group charts (start with yourself and work back) or use a Genealogy program IDENTIFY what information is missing. PLAN –Make a research plan Start with what you know…… What do you need to find? Which records should contain the missing information? Where can you find the records? SEARCH for the missing information and for the stories behind it.
GENEALOGY SOFTWARE: PC USERS Family Tree Maker (FTM) www.familytreemaker.com Legacy Family Tree www.legacyfamilytree.com Rootsmagic www.rootsmagic.com
Compare software at
http://genealogy-software-review.toptenreviews.com MAC USERS
Family Tree Maker www.familytreemaker.com RootsMagic www.rootsmagic.com/Mac/ Reunion www.leisterpro.com
Compare software at
http://genealogy-software-review.toptenreviews.com/mac-genealogy-software http://americanancestors.org/education/learning-resources/read/genealogical- software-programs (both)
Intro to Genealogy Part I 9 February 2016 Presented by Susan Schwartz for Emeritus College, UNT
INTRO TO GENEALOGY PART I
BASIC GENEALOGICAL INFORMATION: Full name Date and Place of Birth Date and Place of marriage (s) Full name of spouse (Use maiden name) Spouse’s date and place of birth Children’s names, dates and places of birth / death Date and place of death / burial Parent’s names and info, if known
PRIMARY SOURCES The person documented was present at the time the document was created
Birth records Land records Marriage records Tax records Bible records Immigration records Church records Emigration records Court documents Social Security Applications Military records Pension records, if filed by the veteran Wills Probate
SECONDARY SOURCES The document was created by someone other than the subject of the document
Census records Funeral Home records Death records Published genealogies Newspaper articles County Histories Cemetery records Periodicals Headstone data Internet resources Pension records, when filed by the spouse or child of veteran
Intro to Genealogy Part I 9 February 2016 Presented by Susan Schwartz for Emeritus College, UNT
INTRO TO GENEALOGY PART I
NAMES
Many of our ancestors were illiterate. Their names may be spelled any number of ways. Be creative when searching!
On a census record you may find people listed by first name or middle name, initials, or nicknames.
FEMALE NICKNAMES
ANN Anna, Nancy, Hannah, Agnes BARBARA Babs DOROTHY Dolly, Dotty, Dora ELIZABETH Beth, Eliza, Isabelle, Belle, Lizzie, Lisbeth, Libby ESTHER Easter, Hester, Hettie, Ester JANE Jenny, Jean, Joan MARTHA Patsy, Patty, Mattie MARY Polly, Molly, Maria OLIVIA Libby, Olive SARAH Sally, Sara WILHELMINA Minnie, Mina
MALE NICKNAMES
ALEXANDER Sandy, Alex, Sander CHRISTOPHER Christy, Chris, Xopher COLUMBUS Lum EDWARD Ned, Ted, Teddy GEORGE WASHINGTON Wash GERALD Jerry, Gerry HENRY Hank, Harry JEREMIAH Jerry, Jere, Miah JOHN Jack, Jon, Jean, Sean, Shawn, Jno. ROBERT Bob, Rob, Robin
Intro to Genealogy Part I 9 February 2016 Presented by Susan Schwartz for Emeritus College, UNT
INTRO TO GENEALOGY PART I
WHERE TO FIND SOURCES
Online (Remember that everything is not online!)
County Clerk’s Office
Courthouse
County Health Department
Local Libraries and museums
Town and County Historical and Genealogical Societies
University Libraries
State and National Archives
Emily Fowler Library
Databases are accessible at the library and some are accessible from home with a library card and pin number.
www.dentonlibrary.com
STARTER WEBSITES www.familysearch.org www.findagrave.com www.usgenweb.com www.cyndislist.com
Intro to Genealogy Part I 9 February 2016 Presented by Susan Schwartz for Emeritus College, UNT
INTRO TO GENEALOGY PART I
VITAL RECORDS DATE CHART http://familytreemagazine.com/upload/images/PDF/vitalrecords.pdf
GENEALOGY CHARTS
http://www.ancestry.com/download/Charts#ancchart
ONLINE TREES
www.Ancestry.com
www.familysearch.org
www.myheritage.com
www.findmypast.com
THINGS TO REMEMBER
Record dates in genealogical format: DD-MMM-YYYY 4 JUN 2013 List places from smallest division to largest: Denton, Denton County, Texas, USA Denton, Denton, Texas, USA Always use MAIDEN name for female ancestors Record surnames in all caps: SCHWARTZ
Search for PROOF
Use Primary and Secondary Sources
Intro to Genealogy Part I 9 February 2016 Presented by Susan Schwartz for Emeritus College, UNT
INTRO TO GENEALOGY PART I
SOURCE EVERYTHING!
Always note the author, title, date, publisher and location when citing sources
NEVER use tape, paper clips or staples on your documents.
NEVER use ink on the back of photographs, only pencil or special photo pens.
Use acid-free and lignin free materials.
Use archival plastic sheet protectors.
Do not use magnetic photo albums.
SOURCE EVERYTHING!!!
Intro to Genealogy Part I 9 February 2016 Presented by Susan Schwartz for Emeritus College, UNT