Category: THE SEARCH

Once you start finding information on you ancestors, you are going to become curious enough that you are going to want to visit the homes of their origins. You will want to walk the paths that they walked, and try to imagine the life they had there, the places they visited, the things they did and the memories they made. If their house is still standing you will want to walk the halls, and picture them there in their glory. You will want to map out the blueprint of the life they lead.  You won’t be able to help yourself, you will become a traveling genealogist.

When you start wandering in this journey, you are going to want to be prepared. I too many times have made a tract to the uncharted land being unprepared for what I would find. Some of my travels have been impromptu and I ran into information that I had no way to track. I want to share with you  some things to think about before you begin your journey. 

BEFORE YOU LEAVE

Some things you might want to be sure to have with you is your data. How in the world can you take that all with you? If it’s early in your search you may just have a 3 ring notebook with your pedigree charts in it. This will work fine, but if you are forty or fifty years into your research you probably have a tree that contains way too much information to carry with you.

With the wonderful technology of the online world it is a bit easier than it use to be. There are software programs, and apps that you can download to your lap tops, phones and ipads that can help you but you have to be in an area that has service. This would be fine for the library and courthouse but the cemeteries you will visit most likely will not offer up a connection. I would definitely put them in my bag to take with me though. You might want to take a camera, but your phone or ipad will most likely do. Make sure your batteries are charged, you have a note book and pen for all the notes you will take. (TAKE LOTS OF NOTES)

Personally, I have not found an app for the ipad or phone that I like. (I’m still looking and open to suggestions). If your tree is small they may work better for you. My tree is too big and they seem to take a long time to load and freeze up.  In this case it might be a good idea to “break” up your tree into smaller trees in order to use the app. (Something I have not yet done).

One thing I particularly like about the My Heritage software is that you can search by location. This is a great way to find all the people who have lived or are buried in a certain area. Everytime I do a survey for Ancestry.com I ask for this feature. Ancestry does have search all people feature, and you can put in a surname and it will bring everyone with that last name up, with their info so you can scroll through and see who is buried in the area, but it isn’t as nice as knowing all the people in that area as other surnames could  be in the area also .

FREE APPS

There are all kinds of tree apps available in the app store. My suggestion would be to try out a few and find one you like. I have tried Ancestry, Family Tree, but don’t really care for either. Like I said previously they are just a bit difficult to maneuver, but they would be handy for having your info available while traveling. Check out your app store and try a few and see what one might work for you.

CALL AHEAD 

Call ahead if at all possible. Often times I have arrived at my destination only to find that the library or court house was closed, or the person you wanted to visit wasn’t home. This is a big disappointment. Make sure the times on the website are correct. I showed up at the library a little before noon only to learn that they close at noon on a Saturday when the website said they were open until 4.

Of course there are going to be times when you don’t know who you want to talk to until you find them. I’ve gotten phone numbers of cousins that I wasn’t able to get ahold of on the phone while I was in town and had to leave empty handed.

VISIT THE LIBRARY

The Library is one of the best places to visit to find old newpaper clippings, obituaries, and information on the city, locations of cemeteries, etc. More and more libraries are becoming genealogy friendly. Some have a separate department just for such. Some will have a researcher there to help you and other smaller libraries you will be on your own. I have yet to visit one that has not had very helpful people there.

Do a little research before you leave and make sure you know where the library is, what time they are open, and if there is someone available to help you.  Once you’ve determined the repository and records you plan to research, it is definitely worth the time to call to make sure the records are available for research.

Most of your old newspapers will be on micro film. Once you get the hang of how to use it you will find all kinds of infomation. It is however time consuming so keep that in mind before you start and be sure to allow enough time. I found it very helpful to have someone with me. I would look up the information as to who and when, find the micro film, and have them search. It saved a lot of time and I came away with much more info.

VISIT THE COURTHOUSE

Visiting the courthouse is something I personally have not done. To be honest, it scares the hell out of me, but there is a treasure trove of information to be found there, from land deeds, to vital records, and wills.

Plan out what you want to find before you go. You will have less distractions and be able to stay more focused if you do. Call ahead and see if the records you are looking for are available. Due to fires and other catastrophes many records have been destroyed or moved to another repository. Many records have been preserved on micofilm.

LOCATE YOUR CEMETERIES

Find a Grave has many of the cemeteries you want to visit listed with the location. Look up your cemeteries before you go so that you don’t find yourself driving wanderously through the country only to find a corn field. The local courthouse or library may also have the information you need. If the cemetery isn’t a real big one, browse through the whole thing. Some cemeteries have a registry that will list the names of the people buried and the row and plot in which to find them. This is a big time saver, plus you can scan the registry and see if there are others in the cemetery that you might not have known about. Some of your bigger cemeteries have a caretakers office that keeps records and will help you locate the person you are searching.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The historical society or local genealogical society is a great place to visit, as well as your local museums. They often times will be able to give you all kinds of information you might not have found elsewhere. Always call ahead though as I have found that in your smaller rural areas they are generally managed by volunteers and are open by appointment only.

ALLOW ENOUGH TIME

Make sure to allow enough time, though no matter how diligent you are in your plans you will never feel like you have enough, and once you find something interesting you will want to dig for more! If you are not thousands of miles from your destination you can always easily return but generally this is not the case.

Dress appropriately as you will be doing a lot of walking and standing, so wear comfortable shoes, and don’t forget to take your bug spray for those cemetery searches or walks in the country if you discover a homestead.

Always be polite and respectful to those that are helping you. Try to avoid asking questions that do not relate to the search.

If you find some value in this post please leave me a comment and as always if I am able to help you in anyway please  let me know how I may be of service.

Happy Hunting!

When looking for your family history documenting the sources for the information that you find on your family is VERY important. You absolutely want to take lots of notes when it comes to the information that you find in your search. I cannot stress that enough as I learned the hard way. When you change any information in your tree take a note of it and explain why you made that change. So many times I have found that I made changes to my information and then when I come back to it later can’t remember why I did so. Often times someone will challenge your information and you will want to be able to back it up.

If you are using a pedigree chart in the beginning be sure to write down where you found the information. Did someone share it with you? Write down who it was and how they would know. If you are using a program such as wikitree, they require sources and explainations for the changes you make.

As your tree grows you will soon have thousands of names in your tree and keeping track of all of them will become more difficult, but if you document your sources and changes  when you make them you will find it will be much easier.

So, where do you find the information? Today I’m going to be sharing with you  places that I like to  look for information that will often times open up a new lead for you.

CENSUS

Census reports are probably one of the most helpful resources you will find. They offer up much information such as where the family lived, approximate birth dates, family members, sometimes occupation, if they are married or widowed or divorced. ALWAYS  look at the document rather than than accepting it from a hint (if you are using a program such as ancestry).  Often times I will also look at the neighbors. Neighbors living near by could be family members that can help you to find a lead.  I have even gone back and checked out census reports when I have trouble locating a family member to see if they lived in the same area. Finding similar surnames could just be the clue you are looking for. If you don’t take the time to look at the document you may miss a lot of important information.

CEMETERIES

Cemeteries are one of my favorite places to look. My sister and I visited a cemetery in Iconium, Missouri where my grandmother was born and though I didn’t have my information with me at the time I walked through and took pictures of all the headstones of the surnames I could recall that were in my tree and was able to place dates on many ancestors missing information.

Often you will find family plots where members are buried close by.  You may have to walk through the whole cemetry to satisfiy your curiousity.

BIRTH AND DEATH RECORDS

Birth records are excellent sources. Birth records record the date of birth, the mothers maiden name, the father’s name and occupation, and the location.

Death records generally have an informate who is usually a relative, but not always. They also tell the cause of death, where the person was living when they died, if they were married, who the spouse is, and where the person is buried.

OLD NEWPAPERS

I love looking through old newspapers for information. I have found so many little bits of information that I would not have known about a person by doing so. Here you will find wedding annoucements, engagement annoucements,  obituairies, where they visited and oh so much more. It’s a bit time consuming scanning through old papers but it can be a relaxing past time and you will be surprised at the information you might find.

FAMILY ALBUMS

If you have not inherited a family album, perhaps your parents have, or one of their siblings has. Someone in the family is surely coveting one somewhere. I love the old pictures, and being able to put a face to a name makes them come alive to you. If you make copies don’t forget to identify it so that you will remember who it is.

I spent a whole day with my aunt, scanning, and collecting information, and I put it on a thumb drive without naming each file and when I got home I couldn’t remember who was who. BAD mistake! I thought I would remember but didn’t get to it right away and by the time I did had forgotten many of them.  I know so many people that have been given a box of photos after someone has passed and they have no clue as to who is in the picture. Document! Document! Document!

MILITARY RECORDS

Military records will sometimes tell you a bit about the persons appearance such as their skin color, their eye color, how much they weigh and their height as well as their date of birth, and where they lived when they enlisted.

RELATIVES

Relatives are often times very helpful in your search. Learn to ask lots of questions. Get the scoop on other family members through that one storyteller in the family. They may have access to photos and books that can get you a treasure of information. They may know of a book that someone else has published on the family that will help you out. Have them fill out a pedigree chart for you on each of their family members. Reunions are a great place to do this. Attend your family reunion and talk to the people you don’t know. Get phone numbers and addresses so you can go back and talk to them later.

THE LIBRARY

The library is full of information but it is time consuming. I have spent hours upon hours at the library in search. Some librarys actually have genealogy departments and someone that will help you in your search. I have even emailed or written the library to have information looked up for me and have had great success. I generally will send a monetary donation for the help, and some libraries will require a fee.

FAMILY TREES

When your tree matches another you may just have hit the jack pot! Someone else has already done the work for you. Before you start merging their information into your tree…take HEED…as sometimes they might not have done due diligence and the information could be incorrect. Too often I have found tress where someone just started clicking and didn’t check out the information or sources to subtansiate it. This can make a real mess for you. (Been there done that!) Sometimes it just takes that one hint to catapolt you back generations.

OBITUARIES

I feel like I’ve won the lottery if I find a good old fashion obituary. They have a goldmine of information,  including siblings, parents, spouses,  grandchildren, and even cousins, as well as the date of birth and death and place of burial. Today newspapers charge extra for the personal information to be printed so you might be disappointed in some of the newer obits. However, the older ones will almost follow the person through their life from birth to death giving you an over all story of the persons life.

These are just my top ten picks when looking for your family history. Letters, postcards, land grants, wills, social security indexes, message boards and forums, online searches such as Find a Grave, Wikitree, Family Search, Ancestry, and so many more, are just a few places to find you the clues you are looking for. I hope this helps get you off to a good start.

If I can in anyway be of help to you please let me know in the comments below, and if you have any questions, or thoughts on how I can be of service to you leave me a message.

Happy Hunting!

Perhaps you’ve seen the show “Who Do You Think You Are” and it got you curious as to where your roots are planted? Or maybe you’ve had someone tell you they got their DNA results back and you are curious enough to want to try it too? DNA is all the big rage right now, as is looking for your family history.

Curiosity is all it takes!

Who………do you know?

When looking for family history the best place to start is with who you already know.

Start with what you do know, your parents and your grandparents, where they came from, where they were born etc.

When I started a near 45 years ago I was lucky enough to still have my grandparents and their brothers and sisters and that is where I started. In my search..back then, we did not have easy access to what we have now with the records that are online. I spent HUNDREDS of dollars in postage writing to people for information. Many of them didn’t answer. I was very fortunate that my dad had a couple of cousins that were interested in the search and they were eager to help. I also had a great-uncle that had done some research and he too shared with me. My grandmother was quite pleased that I was curious and she would offer up much information for me. My grandfather was a story teller and I listened with interest when he would talk.( I tried to write down the stories he told but they never sounded as good as how he told them.)

Start by asking questions! That is what will bring the detective out in you. I personally refer to myself as Wonder Woman, as I wonder about everything!

What…….do you want to know?

I wasn’t satisfied with just knowing names and dates. I wanted to know everything! Where they lived how they got there, what their occupations were, their struggles, and their triumphs. I wanted to know everything about them so I would really know them. I wanted to live through them in a sense. That lead me to visiting places they lived and reading history books to understand the life they lead in their era. I collected pictures, newspaper articles, obituaries, and I visited libraries and cemeteries like they were resort spots. When I got stuck I would search out relatives of relatives of relatives and stepping out of my comfort zone would visit with them for information. Deciding ahead of time what sort of information you are looking for will help you in starting your search.

When …….did they live?

Knowing the history of when they lived helps much in your research. Google books is an awesome place to find histories of the areas that your ancestors might have lived. I personally can get hung up in just reading the accounts of the ages even if it isn’t about the ancestor I am searching. In doing so I have stumbled upon information that I would never have found. Sometimes you can find books in libraries on the areas also. I found an awesome book of the cemeteries of Atchison County Missouri at the library. I bought it thinking it only contained the names of my grandparents to learn that near half the people in the book were relatives. Family history books are also a good place to look. Perhaps someone else has already searched the tree and found information they are willing to share with you.

Where ….did they come from?

If you know where your ancestor was born, do a search on google of the town that they lived in. Sometimes you will find history books on towns that once were, and might just find out some information on you ancestor in the process.

I once found a book on the city of Rockport, Missouri that had biographies on some of their founding fathers and in the process found much history on my family along with pictures of their homes. Visiting the home towns of my ancestors takes me back to when they lived. I imagine what it must have been like back then. If you have older family members that “remember” get them to write you an article about their life. I have accounts of my grandmother and some of her siblings of things they remember about growing up. It helps you to see what their lives were like and you know them just a little better because of it.

Why……….do you want to know?

What are you going to do with the information you find? Do you hope to publish your information? Are you going to save it for your children? Do you want to make a scrapbook?

Knowing why you want to know about your ancestors will help in your search as to where you will look and how hard you will try to keep your info concise. For instance, if I’m simply trying to connect a line to my tree, I might not be as thorough as I would be if I’m working on my direct line.

If you are wanting to build a family scrapbook, I would suggest that you start with one person build their pages and then move on to the next. If you do all your research at one time then want to go back and build a scrapbook you now have an overwhelming about of data to sort through. (lesson learned too late.)

DNA has connected me with so many distant cousins that sometimes finding the connection is a bit daunting. It’s like hunting for treasure but all worth it in the end. Nothing adds to my excitement more than digging up a piece of juicy information and excitedly sharing it with the family. Be prepared, however, for them to not be as excited as you are.

I use ancestry.com to keep my info organized and their platform in my opinion offers up the best search information. When just starting out looking for your family history you might want to utilize some free services until you get a little more handle on just how things work.

How……..are you going to organize your information.

You will want a software program of some sort to keep your information in order. That is what I love about the online data bases like ancestry , and myheritage.  I have been a member of both, and though I really like the software that come with Myheritage, I didn’t feel like their search info was as comparable to what I would get on ancestry. I still use the MyHeritage software on my computer, but online I use the ancestry site.

You might want to keep paper copies of your info as well. There are different ways to do this. I print my profile sheets from the ancestry site and save them in three ring notebooks. There I also will add pictures and news clips as I find them. I will admit my organizational skills leave a lot to be desired, but after almost fifty years of collection it can become overwhelming at times! Findagrave.com is another good place to look for info and printing the page sheets gives you a good profile to work with.

You can start a free tree on wikitree.com. The object is to build one big tree. Each person has a separate profile and as you connect with others in the tree the profiles are merged. I am only now moving info to wikitree from ancestry. If you have organizational skills….please share them with me! I need HELP!

This is a good place to start. I hope this gives you some value, and if I can assist you in anyway please let me know. If I know, I will gladly share with you. Happy Hunting!

The Pierce Family Historian