IIGS™ Newsletter - January 1999
English ~ Dansk ~ Deutsch ~ Español ~ Suomi ~ Français ~ Nederlands ~ Norsk ~ polski ~ Português ~ Svenska
IIGS™ Newsletter - January 1999
The onslaught of genealogical information on the Internet sometimes leaves the impression on beginning researchers that a magical cyber-genie lurks on the Net. The cyber-genie has, within his magic lamp, complete family histories ready to be doled out upon request.
Beginner queries to genealogy newsgroups often are glaringly apparent. The writer requests (or demands) of newsgroup members "all information on John Smith." Sometimes, after not receiving a reply, the writer submits another query which goes something like this: "I didn't receive a reply to my query, so I'll try again in case the first one wasn't received."
Or the writer, believing the group has nothing to offer, will send another message saying "unsubscribe."
What beginning genealogists don't realize is that the cyber-genie does not exist. No amount of data on the Internet will eliminate the basics of good, sound genealogical research.
And there are a number of good sources on the Internet to help beginners get started. They all begin with the same basic first step: Gather together what you already know. Record your own immediate family information: Births, baptisms, marriage, deaths---and the places where all these events took place. Gather all the supporting documents because documentation, not memory, is vital to your research.
Once you've tackled your own immediate family, branch out. Ask uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents for information and copies of documents. Expect this to be an ongoing process throughout your research.
Take periodic inventory of what you have. What clues do the documents and family stories have in them? My grandfather's insurance application noted that his father was alive and age 71 in 1928 when the policy was taken out. It also noted that he had a brother who was three years older than he. And it noted that my grandfather's mother died at age 38 in childbirth in 1889. The document did not contain the names of these people, but the information considerably narrowed my time frame search.
Seek out the nearest Church of Latter Day Saints Family History Center (FHC) and become familiar with the holdings of what is the world's largest repository of genealogical material.
Don't just use the Internet to search for your surname. Beginning genealogists are often stunned to discover that their surname is not as uncommon as they thought it was. Use the Internet to browse library holdings worldwide. Search for information on towns and villages in your research area. Seek out information on how to properly submit a request for documents from archives and libraries.
If you subscribe to a newsgroup, read the group's FAQ. Many of them contain valuable information on how and where to start your research.
Use the Internet to learn how to research before you use it to do your research.
Here are a few web sites to get you started:
Roots-L Resources: Info and Tips for Beginning Genealogy
A must read at the above site is Richard Pence's step-by-step guide to family history research