First get some books on genealogy and researching your family history form your library system and read them. Include a couple of recent books on internet genealogy. Terrie Milligan wrote: > I'm a new kid on the block and I need some help. Here is the > problem: > > Following my father's line, I followed my grandfather to his father, > Edward. Well, I found a 1870 census of Edward as a child being > raised by his mother M. E. alone. Look in the 1860 Census at all the families in that county with the same surname, You may be able to find them quickly if Edward was born before 1860 You should find a family with the wife given names starting with M and possibly with a middle name beginning with E; like Mary Elizabeth or Mary Ellen. > Now, how do I find out what "M. E." stands for, and what happened to > Edward's father? I was thinking I could go through civil war > pensions and see if he died during the war...but I don't know what > her name WAS! It's really starting to annoy me. > > I have another from my mother's branch that dates to 1769 North > Carolina. I'm not finding anything on Ancestry. Where else can I > search for information on this ancestor? You have not given enough information to give you a good answer. See the suggestions for writing a good query I sent to you off list. bob gillis bob gillis <robertgillis@verizon.net>

Good Morning Bob, I finally took your advice and bought: Genealogy Online by Crowe, Elizabeth Powell The Complete Idiot's Guide to Genealogy, 2nd Edition By: Christine Rose, Kay Germain Ingalls Still awaiting their arrival though.. It's beginning to be an obsession almost. I think I'm going to need to go buy a file box to keep all this documentation in. Thank you Bob for all of your well seasoned and wise advice. I've been listening to you actually for years now and learning from you, even though you didn't know I've been out here listening. Terrie "Terrie Milligan" <Terrie@cavibigoaks.com>

> Good Morning Bob, > > I finally took your advice and bought: > > Genealogy Online by Crowe, Elizabeth Powell > > The Complete Idiot's Guide to Genealogy, 2nd Edition By: Christine > Rose, Kay Germain Ingalls > > Still awaiting their arrival though.. > > It's beginning to be an obsession almost. I think I'm going to need > to go buy a file box to keep all this documentation in. > > Thank you Bob for all of your well seasoned and wise advice. I've > been listening to you actually for years now and learning from you, > even though you didn't know I've been out here listening. > > Terrie Milligan If you know a Boy Scout, ask him where you can buy a copy of the Merit Badge book for Genealogy. It has everything you really need to know to get started, I've frequently used it as a quick-reference in the field, and it's under $5. Can't beat that with a stick. If you don't know a Boy Scout, try http://www.scouting.org/ or google for "Boy Scouts of America" Cheryl singhals <singhals@erols.com>