Presented by Amber and Anne PLUM LIBRARY – May 7, 2016

 WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU KNOW  DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN  CHOOSE A SOURCE OF INFORMATION  LEARN FROM THE SOURCE  USE WHAT YOU LEARNED  Tyrrell, Jim. Ancestors – Guide to Discovery: Key Principles and Processes of Family History Research. KBYU TV 2000.

 Photographs – look for names, types of clothing, studio names/locations, type of photograph will help date the image (daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, etc.)  Picture Postcards – look for postmarks, manufacturer marks, type of postcard to help date the image.  Family Bibles  Journals and Diaries  Official Documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, military discharges, etc.)  Samplers and other artifacts (job related badges, tools, etc.)  Interviews with family members

 Pedigree Chart = Family Tree  Family Group Record  Source Notes  Research Log Title: Ancestors, guide to discovery : key principles and processes of family history research / by Jim Tyrrell. Publisher: [Salt Lake Valley, UT] : Ancestral Quest, ©2000

 What do you want to find out? (See Research Questions form)  Examples…  Vital Events – births, marriages, deaths  Biographical Events – citizenship, occupation, property owned, religious activity, schooling, imprisonment, legal transactions  Background Information – group or place histories, language, culture, historical facts

 Vital Event – check Family Bibles, Cemeteries, Census, Church Records, Obituaries, Vital Records (official government records)  Biographical Information – All of the above + Business Records, Court Records, Directories (city/organization), Emigration/Immigration Records, Land & Property Records, Military Records, Newspapers, Pension Records, Probate Records, Schools, Tax Rolls, Voting Registers, etc.  Background Information – Almanacs, Libraries & Archives, Centennial Celebrations, Encyclopedias & Dictionaries, Gazetteers, Society Histories, Yearbooks,

 In library use only  Collections include : Census & Voter Lists, Birth Marriage & Death, Military, Immigration & Travel, Newspapers, Pictures…, Stories…, Maps…, Schools, Directories & Church Histories, Wills, Probates, Land, Tax & Criminal, Almanacs, Family Trees  Research guides – for example, see Pennsylvania State Research Guide   Blank charts & forms

Search Historical records Name, place, occupation, family members Search across all records or limit to collection Learning Center Tips & Tricks Tutorials Maps Message Board Charts & Forms

 Free access online from anywhere – have to create free account.  Historical Records – birth, marriage, death, census and military records.  Nearly 2100 collections  Records from around the world (Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, South America, etc.)  Pre 1700 – present  Census, Birth/Marriage/Death, Probate & Court, Military, Migration, etc.  Genealogies – Family trees contributed by users. These may be incomplete or inaccurate. Be sure to verify information.  Ancestral File, Pedigree Resource File, International Genealogical Index, Community Trees, Oral Genealogies  FamilySearch Catalog – books, microfilm, etc. related to genealogy.

 Freely available  A comprehensive and categorized list of genealogical resources on the web  Maintained by one person with some help from others  Start by browsing the Categories  Some links may be broken, some info may need to be verified

 DNA is just another tool in the toolkit. You can’t rely on DNA alone to document your family history.  Success is dependent upon how many other people have their DNA in a given database and if matches are able to be made.  A DNA test can confirm if two people are related, but it cannot provide the name of a common ancestor.  It is usually best to test the oldest generation still alive.  DNA can only be tested from a living donor.  To obtain DNA swab cheek or spit into a vial; results usually available in 4-6 weeks.  Surname projects – check Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) and Ancestry.com DNA

 Y-DNA = direct paternal line  Usually follows the same path as the surname  Can only be taken by a man  mtDNA = mitochondrial DNA = direct maternal line  Can be taken by men or women  Autosomal DNA = mix of DNA from both parents  Most effective for finding relatives within the past 5 generations  Can be taken by men or women  X DNA = used to trace ancestors of a female ancestor  Passed from mother to son/daughter but only the daughter can pass to her children

 Important to corroborate and verify information.  Guaranteed that you will encounter conflicting, or incorrect information.  Learn which sources are more reliable, but be aware of pitfalls with the reliable sources as well.  This is why it is so important to document your sources!

 Don’t forget to document your sources!  Try to corroborate information and use more reliable sources (government docs., newspaper articles, obituaries, church records) – don’t just rely on family lore.  Write everything down, so that the information will be preserved for future generations.  Consider donating a copy of your family history to the local library/historical society where your family is from.  Scan important pictures and documents and save them in multiple locations. Be sure to write down who is in the pictures.  Share your findings with your family!

Title: The source : a guidebook to American genealogy / edited by Loretto Dennis Szucs & Sandra Hargreaves Luebking. Publisher: Provo, UT : Ancestry, Edition: 3rd ed. Description xxiii, 965 pages : illustrations, maps ; 29 cm ============================================================= Author: Tyrrell, Jim, Title: Ancestors, guide to discovery : key principles and processes of family history research / by Jim Tyrrell. Publisher: [Salt Lake Valley, UT] : Ancestral Quest, ©2000. Description: xii, 76 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 28 cm See Additional Resources Handout for list of helpful websites