Great for beginners and the rest as a refresher... Jennifer Sherwood Braswell jensgen@iol10.com ----- Original Message ----- From: Family Tree Finders <soda-send@gt.sodamail.com> To: <jensgen@mail.integrityonline10.COM> Sent: Friday, April 21, 2000 10:51 AM Subject: Family Tree Finders Friday April 21, 2000 : : : FAMILY TREE FINDERS : Friday - 21 April 2000 : : Visit our sponsor... : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - : Save $15 NOW off your first $50 purchase!! : http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?cid=1794 : It's Spring Cleaning time at OVERSTOCK.COM!! : OVERSTOCK.COM has name-brand products : For up to 70% OFF!! PLUS FREE SHIPPING!! : OVERSTOCK.COM's prices will sweep you away... : ...but hurry, this coupon expires 5/5/00!! : <a href="http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?cid=1794"> : AOL Users Click Here</a> : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - : : A Reader's Question: How Do I Get Started? : : Because there have been so many requests lately on how to : get started with the research of a family history, I felt : this was a good time to share this again. : : Q: How should I get started in my family history research? : : A: When you first begin the search of your family history, : it is important to keep in mind that you need to work from : one generation to the next. Sometimes it is tempting to : think that since our last name is WASHINGTON that we are : descended from George WASHINGTON, First President of the : United States. While your research may eventually prove : that you are related to him, it is impossible to be : descended from George, as he did not have any offspring. : So, rather than try to force your family history's square : peg into the round circle, just work from the known to the : unknown. : : What this means is to begin by writing down what you know. : You will begin with yourself. Write down your birth date : and place. If you are married, write down the marriage date : and place and the name of your spouse. Then do the same for : your parents. And, if you know something about your : grandparents write that down too. Remember that each : generation you go back you will be doubling the individuals. : You are a single person, your parents are two people, your : grandparents are four people. : : Once you have done this, then you will want to begin to get : some records to back up the statements you have written : down. While it may seem like you are duplicating your : efforts, you are not. Getting documents to backup what you : know does two things. First, it gets you into the habit of : seeking out documentation, which will become important when : you get back into those generations that none of the living : can remember. Second, it is these documents that will : usually hold clues to the next generation. For instance : your grandparents' marriage certificate may list their ages : and the names of their parents. : : There are books available that can help you with where to : write for birth, marriage and death certificates. Two of : these books are: : : "The Handybook for Genealogists, United States of America" : 8th Ed. (Logan, Utah: The Everton Publishers, Inc., 1991). : : Alice Eichholz, Ph.D., CG, editor. "Ancestry's Red Book, : American State, County & Town Sources" Revised Edition. : (Salt Lake City, Utah: Ancestry, Inc., 1992). : : These books will help you to know where the needed records : are located. Different states handled such records : differently. Both have maps and county divisions, along : with addresses for the various state and county archives and : courthouses. : : : : : Rhonda R. McClure : rhondam@sodamail.com : : : If you know someone who is interested in genealogy, : please forward this entire message to them! : _________________________________________________ : : IMPORTANT ADDRESSES: : Newsletter Web site: http://www.sodamail.com/site/ftf.shtml : : TO UNSUBSCRIBE VIA WEB : 1. Go to: http://gt.sodamail.com/cgi-bin/gt/login.html : 2. Enter the e-mail address: jensgen@iol10.com : 3. Uncheck the newsletters you wish to unsubscribe : NOTE: You can subscribe to other Sodamail newsletters at the same time! : : TO UNSUBSCRIBE VIA E-MAIL : Send blank email message to: : leave-family-tree-finders@gt.sodamail.com : : TO SUBSCRIBE VIA E-MAIL : Send blank email message to: : join-family-tree-finders@gt.sodamail.com : : Need help? -- write to: help@sodamail.com : Have questions--write to our editor: editor@sodamail.com : __________________________________________________ : COPYRIGHT 1999-2000 SodaMail LLC. All rights reserved : http://www.Sodamail.com : : : : : :