The Pace-L mailing list recently received the below message from a professional researcher. I thought it might contain some tips that some of you could use. I know it will help me. Betty Pace --------- Forwarded message ---------- To: PACE-L@rootsweb.com Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2001 11:20:23 -0800 (PST) Subject: [PACE-L] Family History research One very important point not mentioned in the current discussion, is the difference in those seeking genealogical information. Many people looking for family history are satisfied and happy with any printed info they find. I have no quarrel with that. Many others want to prove or document their lineage and that is a far different type of research. It is when the type I researcher gets into trouble by finding conflicting/confusing information. Then they turn to the type II researcher for help and advice. This happens in all family history research regardless of surname. After locating an ancestor, I have found a successful plan involves the following steps 1. Read at least two histories of the area (city, township, county, parish, state or canton) They will have different points of emphasis and points of view . 2. As you read develop a time line of social, religious, economic, political events and natural disasters that happened while you ancestor lived there. 3. Study the geography of the area closely using road maps, atlas, gazetteers and topographical maps. Make sure to plug in the gazatteer info into your time line. (You may need to use historical maps to find and locate your ancestors' home town – Upper Tulley , Northern Ireland is not on any current map) 4. Now start your research, some sort of census first, land records, tax records, school records, probate records (never ask for a will -- ask for the probate packet), military records, naturalization, immigration records, education, passport info etc. Your timeline will tell you the records which were created and you look for all which survived. 5 Plug the events of your ancestor's life into your timeline. You will understand him and know him far better. 5. Analyze these records in the “light” of why they were created and the laws of the time and area. In Colonial Virginia that would include all volumes of Hennings Statutes at Large, the series by Kingsbury on the Virginia Company of London and McIlwaine two series on the early court records and house of Burgess of Virginia. 6. Remember in the early 1600 not many Virginia plantations had horses or ponies. They traveled the James to go to church, to court and to go courting. (Any of these clues can be used in NC research with slight variations) ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.