from creative projects at this website... an author not noted... I just happened upon it... I could not get the link to the actual article....... http://www.shopping.hp.com/cgi-bin/hpdirect/shopping/scripts/product_detail/product_detail_view.jsp?product_code=Q3112A%23A2L&aoid=16375&script_name=product.cgi article 1: gathering family history information To understand who we are as individuals, it is important to understand family history. In recent years, the Internet has made it easier than ever to learn about one's origins. Gaining access to family records is now just a mouse click away. This article will help you gather everything you need to start documenting your family's story. Then stay tuned for the rest of our genealogy series, where we'll take you step by step through the research process. collecting family memories Your journey starts with what's already around you. There are clues everywhere. Here are the first three things you'll want to do: 1.. look at family keepsakes and memorabilia There is information all around you. Pour over photo albums, old scrapbooks, family bibles, letters, important papers (wills, deeds, etc.), book inscriptions, jewelry, quilts, and even furniture. Some scratched initials and a scrawled date on the bottom of a piece of furniture may just lead to a monumental discovery. Collect everything that seems important - everything! 2.. record personal memories and knowledge Start by collecting all the basic information that you already know about your close relatives: full names, dates and places of births, marriages, deaths, and other major family events. Work backward, beginning with your parents, then grandparents, and so on, as far back as you can remember. You can check the facts later. 3.. conduct family interviews Ask your family members for any information they can remember. If you can't talk to them directly, call or write them. It's smart to prepare questions in advance to help you stay organized and on track. And talk to as many people as possible - even close friends of the family can be a great source of info. Any information you can get from family members equals less research on your part. Names and dates are crucial. Spouse names, maiden names, sibling names--record them all. Include dates, places, and any other details. Always confirm information. For example, even if you're absolutely sure what year your great-grandmother passed away, why not confirm it in the Social Security Death Index, http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/. You may discover other information that you don't have, like her parents' names or places of birth. Sometimes, death records even include employment or military history. When interviewing people, let them ramble. That's when you¿ll get the best stories. Bring props, photos, anything to trigger memories. Your family will love reminiscing, so don't be bashful-be respectfully nosy. After you've recorded the memories, share a transcript with the interviewee to verify information. Then share it with everyone in the family - and jog more memories loose! locating ancestors online The Internet provides easy access to records, lists, and indexes. The kind of information that used to be hidden away on microfilm in library basements is now at your fingertips. These are the kinds of things you're looking for: a.. Death, birth, immigration, marriage records b.. Military indexes c.. Census reports d.. Court transcripts and reports e.. Local records and family registries f.. Old telephone directories The quality and quantity of information available on the Internet is improving every day. There are over 100,000 genealogy sites out there, not to mention newsgroups, genealogy search engines, databases, indexes, and digital libraries. Here is a sampling of the kind of information that's available to you, including some of the most widely respected sites. a.. The Family History Library (www.familysearch.org) is the largest collection of family history in the world, with over two million rolls of microfilmed records. They've also established online access to their major computer database - FamilySearch. The online version includes the International Genealogical Index, an Ancestral File, a Family History Library Catalog, and many genealogy-related websites from around the world. b.. The Ellis Island Records Site (http://www.ellisislandrecords.org) is an amazing (and free!) resource, this site allows you to search for Ellis Island immigration records. You can even view online family scrapbooks. c.. Genealogy (www.genealogy.com) is a great place to start your research. They have plenty of links, loads of research tools, plus a wonderful learning center jam-packed with useful how-to information. d.. Lineages Website (www.lineages.com) This is a major genealogical reference library and resource center, built and maintained by professional genealogists. It provides free access to records databases and lots of other resources. Check out "Genealogy for Beginners" guide, complete with forms and checklists. e.. The U.S. Army Military History Institute, http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usamhi/, collects, organizes, preserves, and makes available over nine million source materials on American military history to the defense community, researchers, and scholars. finding previously completed research Check for research about your family that has already been compiled, including family and local histories, genealogies, articles, and collections of family papers. Also, try to connect with other family members who are researching your lineage. Join a genealogical society. Collaborating with others makes it easier and more fun, and you can share resources and techniques. Many societies even build research facilities and invite experts to speak. organizing the information As you progress in your research, you'll need to create a larger system for organizing all the photocopies, transcripts, and photos, etc. Some people prefer filing cabinets, while others scan everything into a PC for the ultimate online family database. But for those just starting out, the following collection folder is a good way to begin gathering information. conclusion Researching your family history can be as large or small a project as you want it to be. It depends on how far back you want to go and how much time you want to spend on it. However much time you devote to it, though, you'll surely discover that sense of understanding and wonder that looking into your past can provide. You'll probably find that it gets addictive--the more you find out, the more questions you'll have; the more questions that arise, the more you'll want to explore. Next time we'll plunge headfirst into the research phase. We'll explore some of the most popular databases and really tackle the nitty-gritty of how to find that hard-to-locate information.