This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/FkB.2ACE/1098.1 Message Board Post: First of all write down all the dates that you do have for your ancestors, such as birthdates and death dates. If you want to know where they are buried, this will be given on a death certificate. You don't always have to pay $9 for a copy either, if it was a long time ago you can ask for a photo copy for $1 at most courthouses. Just go to the courthouse that is in the county they died in and ask. Both birth and death certificates give the names of the parents, unless it is unknown. If you know the dates of death you can also go to the library and look at the microfilms of the local newspapers. There you may find your ancestors obits which give names and dates of family. Another thing you can do is to check the census records. The Kaufman Library has copies of early census such as 1920, 1910, 1900 and even earlier. This will give the name and age of each person and where they were born as well as where their parents were born. All the libraries I know of keep censu! s records in their libraries. Also, you have a computer which can be a great tool. You can go to www.ancestry.com and put in an ancestors name to search. You may find someone else has information listed on that person. This is a great way to learn about your family and to meet your fellow researcher/cousin. Also you can visit any counties genealogy website by going to www.rootsweb.com and adding to the end of that address the state and countie- example- for Kaufman County- www.rootsweb.com/~txkaufma or for Ellis County- www.rootsweb.com/~txellis. The countie sites can give you some info like cemetery listings and lots more. If you do not know the dates of your grandparents deaths just go to www.rootsweb.com and search their names. You will find a listing of death records for that date, but this info is only for certain years. Maybe you will find them there. Enjoy your hunt!