THANKS FOR NOTHING, I GAVE HER THE SHORT CUT, D ----- Original Message ----- From: PNUTREG@cs.com<mailto:PNUTREG@cs.com> To: NYOSWEGO-L@rootsweb.com<mailto:NYOSWEGO-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, May 01, 2006 12:44 PM Subject: Re: [NYOSWEGO] Researching the names Lester, Tanner, Charles Bennett, Steinbu... Hi Linda Since Dave was unable to answer your question I thought I will start with telling the correct procedure in Genealogy. First you need to fill out a Pedigree Chart and document from Yourself, Your Parents, Your Grandparents, Your G Grandparents. Put down in Pencil (never use Ink until confirmed) everything that you know about your family and then seek documentation from Yourself up to the next generation. Use a separate Family Group Sheet for each family (do not combine them). By doing this you will not be getting off track and it will also help you with the next generation. Unlike a book that reads from the Past to the Present you will be working from the Present to the Past. You are #1 generation. Your father's family is always on the top of the Pedigree Chart and your mother's family on the bottom. Always use the Maiden Surname for the female ancestors. One should always use these work sheets while researching even if they have a computer program and then transcribe them onto your program sheets after you have confirmed them. . Here is a site put out by the FHC or LDS (Mormon) Church that will give you the guidelines for beginning. http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp<http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp> Go To Research Guidance and click on: "How Do I Start" (Left Side) and follow their guidelines. Do it one step at a time. Do not try to do too much at once. I suggest you go also to a FHC (Family History Center) near you and ask for their assistance. Call first to confirm their hours. There is no Charge (only when you start to order Microfilms or fiche with Information) and you can learn the correct steps to starting. They have Volunteers usually with experience to aid you in the correct direction. Without doing this I have seen many people spending several years checking the wrong Ancestor by not getting proper documentation to confirm their information. Depending on the Surname it is not unusual to find a number of people in each generation with the same first name. Family Books can be helpful and it is great to use them, but do not expect them to be totally correct. Some books are even termed Fraudulent and there are several authors to watch out for. Also, copying everything from the same book is not a good way to be researching. Books are only 2ndary sources (even if approved) and one should always try to find the Primary source to support it. If you copy from a Book remember to also copy the Title page to show where you got it. I am not sure where you live but it is helpful to join a Genealogy Society. They usually hold Beginning Workshops and Lectures to help you get started and then they will also have Intermediate and Advanced researcher workshops. Most are at no cost (other than your membership) or at a small Fee only for the pass outs. Although the computer is great it is not a source for everything and nor will it be for all your approved copies of documentation. You will find copies of certain original documents you can use but not for everything nor on everybody. Even so one must Broaden their Scope and read between the lines especially with Census records where information could have been given by a young child or neighbor making it incorrect. One must use the transcribed information sources that they find as clue's only. If a source is given online go to that source and get copies for your work, if not you can contact the person and ask if they will tell you the source or how you can get a copy of the original. . Regards Pat R ==== NYOSWEGO Mailing List ==== List Administrator Bonita Shafer Northern New York Genealogy - http://www.nnygenealogy.com<http://www.nnygenealogy.com/> sagemarie98@earthlink.net<mailto:sagemarie98@earthlink.net> ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx<http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx>