Giving my first genealogy workshop in a VERY LONG time :( :) TOMORROW. This is what I'm going to do (only have a couple of hours) -- anyone think of anything I'm missing? *GENEALOGY GURUING **J****by: Karen Bazzani Zach 9-27-2014CHS karen.zach@sbcglobal.net* *Forms/ Charts* (or if you're really interested, get a genealogy program for your computer -- I've almost always used but tried a couple of others -- Family Tree Maker -- easy to use; price isn't cheap but very reasonable compared to some of the other ones plus it makes books and the whole works but do check others out)- you can get the same ones free that I'm using this evening at this site: http://dept.cs.williams.edu/~bailey/genealogy/ <http://dept.cs.williams.edu/%7Ebailey/genealogy/> *Pedigree Chart* -- this form is for your DIRECT ancestors (gma' and gpa's -- NOT aunts/uncles/cousins) -- begin with you as #1; your father (father's line on top; mother's on bottom) is #2 and mother #3 -- your father's father is #4 (it always doubles), father's mother #5; your mother's father #6 and mother's mother #7 and so on.This is sometimes called an ancestor chart (as well as a couple of other names) *Family Record Sheet* -- this is where you enter all family members (I suggest if you have more than one marriage for a man, you do a page with each wife if there are children with both).I tried to find one with Name & Spouse as I like them so that the family you are following can always be the top but any is fine.Fairly self-explanatory to fill-out.What you don't know is the basis of what you'll research to discover!Have fun! *Other Forms* -- (several can be obtained at above site but there are many other places on the net to find them) -- there are many other forms you can use -- I especially liked census forms when I began.Makes it easy to see the progression of the family that way and since each 10-year census is different, this is a good way to organize the info.Cemetery forms are great especially if you #1 have many relatives in one cemetery and/ or you plan to index or put a cemetery on find-a-grave. *Note:* there are several places on the net (and CDPL has some, too or I can send you one) to get these *Societies / Genealogy Groups* -- Believe me, you can join-up with about 100 groups pertaining to genealogy.Some of the ones I've been in and have enjoyed (saving money -- not in any now really but three local genealogy societies -- just an FYI -- some Historical Societies are now getting into Genealogy finally realizing that Genealogy is History and History is Genealogy while others still feel they are two separate entities -- there are TRULY HUNDREDS of these groups DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) -- http://www.dar.org/.To join, you must have had a direct ancestor (gpa') in the American Revolution, although he did not necessarily have fought but perhaps provided aide (horses, food, transport...). Charlemagne -- http://www.charlemagne.org/-- by the way - almost everyone is a descendant of Charlemagne.He is my husband and my direct ancestor, making us 23^rd cousins, once removed. Indiana Genealogical Society <http://www.indgensoc.org/> -- I was secretary for this group about the first 6-7 years.They have super genealogical workshops a couple of times a year. And ..... just about 100 +++++ more.Search away on the net as 99% of them have websites.There are societies for *Genealogy Links on Net* genforum.com <genforum.com>-- love this one especially for beginners but take EVERYTHING then prove it JThis one is literally a forum -- leave a message about your ancestor and see who might answer it -- had great luck here and some not-so-excited (as in never heard from 'em). familysearch.org -- this is the Mormon Church (Latter Day Saints site -- free search but do refined one or you'll be stuck on ONE question all day J) Find-a-grave -- http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi-- a great site (again, be careful, however, as many people who have done the graves aren't genealogy and guess at relationships -- check it out.Now, over 121 million graves you can search. Genweb -- I'll show ya' one of my 3 (I've had 5 different ones through the years) and explain these -- you can get to the state (top right -- click on the icon) & national (top left -- click) one via my Montgomery County page -- http://indianagenweb.com/inmontgomery/ CDPL (Crawfordsville District Public Library -- http://www.cdpl.lib.in.us/databases.php) -- we work super well together.There are several fantastic databases I'll show you if most of you have Montgomery County connections, if not, check out the library where your ancestor lived -- some are better, but do be prepared, many have nothing.Just like the above GenWeb pages LState libraries -- Indiana <http://www.in.gov/library/databases.htm>'s has some databases you might want to peruse -- Illinois does too but some have nothing. facebook.com -- yes, facebook JThere are hundreds of "family pages," pages with hometown connections (C'ville has two that I know of); high school connections ..... *Cautions* There are several cautions -- THINK -- best resource for genealogy.Look at your charts often -- if your grandfather was born in 1890 and you think you found his grandfather, super but look again -- the great grandfather you are about to put down has the same name BUT was born in 1885.NOT the gpa'.Go back a step and check again.CAREFUL -- of already done genealogies they are often like above -- booboos galore LRecheck their work -- if you are satisfied then go for it and put the names on your chart.It is always BEST to have real proof -- obituaries; death records (I just do these for direct ancestors otherwise EXPENSIVE which is also another caution unless you're loaded with big bucks); tombstones; county histories; club histories; yearbooks (list is endless).Lots more but these'll get ya' started.