Basic instructions on how to begin your family tree research by Stephanie Reynolds American Indian / Alaskan Native Patient Relations Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley May 2014

Lets start this family project

Learn how to research your family history Where to start? Start by picking up that pen and paper You can also record or video tape your stories and pictures … So let’s get started Let’s get together as a family and put your stories and pictures to good use by beginning your research. Your journey into the past will be a fascinating find, You will become the family historian or a great story teller. Time to journey in the past; Lets find out about your history.

Ancestor charts provide an overview of the family and enable you to track your research project. Ancestor charts ask these questions Name: First and Last (Maiden Name) _______________________________ B: Birth Date: 12/16/1964 P: Place Location: Rosebud, SD M: Married 06/15/2005 P: Place Santa Cruz, CA D: Death Add Date P: Place Add Location _______________________________ Add a picture if you can A memo or note; who this person is and how they are related to you. (Auntie) (2 nd Cousin) (Great – Great - Grandmother) (Who did they married?)

Start with your own family Start with yourself, write what you already know about your own family and ancestors on an Ancestor Chart or sheet of paper. Proceed backward in time, one generation at a time.

Family History is More Than Dates Your family history includes more than names and dates. Ask about life stories. Example: Do they remember relatives and friends? When you where 20 or 30 years old where did you live? What places have you seen? Talk to elders and older members of your family for clues and family history stories. (What’s your Culture?) Tales from life will add interest to your family tree.

You should ask if you can record the interview. Remember to write down notes. Questions that may help your interview are: What was school like? What is their earliest childhood memory? How did they celebrate holidays or Sundays? Can they describe a typical family dinner? Do they remember any world events growing up? What family members were in the military?

Choose a question of your own to begin your research project; Decide what you want to learn… Example: Who is Native American in my family? Choose questions focused on your project: 1. When and where they were born? 2. Where did they live? 3. Did they marry someone? 4. When and where were they married? 5. Who did they marry? 6. Did they have children? 7. When and where did they die? 8. Where are they buried?

Look for Home Sources After you have filled in the ancestor chart as completely as you can, look at home records that may give additional information. Look for items such as: Allotment Certificates Newspapers obituaries Memorial cards from funerals Family Bibles Diaries Photos Church records School Records Medical Records Military Records Documents such as birth, marriage, and death certificates

These can all provide more names, places and specific dates – important clues for the next steps in your research. Write down where, when and how you obtained this information so you can refer back to records Look for Names, Locations or Race

Next, time to travel and seek outside help… Some librarians specialize in family history research. They are available to help. A completed ancestor chart will help them to better assist you. (Make it as complete as you can.) Visit a Genealogy Library – In person or Online Our local one is Central Park Library 2635 Homestead Road Santa Clara, CA Phone: Search sources, such as: Census, vital records, directories, newspapers, microfilms, computers, and local histories

All of these together act as tools in your research. Make a record of the sources you examine, noting call numbers and page numbers. Make photocopies when possible, including the title pages of books. Keeping a record of your research trail will help in your quest and will enable you to document your work. You may run into dead ends in your research, even in good genealogical libraries. Consider the places where your ancestors lived and other sources of unpublished information in courthouses, churches, and cemeteries. You may need to visit them in person. Many original records from around the globe are available on microfilm and can be borrowed for a small fee.

The National Archives holds information about American Indians who maintained their ties to Federally-recognized Tribes ( ). Most records are arranged by tribe. National Archives in Washington, DC 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC Telephone: Customer Service Center Telephone: National Archives in Washington, DC National Archives at San Francisco, CA 1000 Commodore Drive, San Bruno, CA Available services: Archival Research Room, Microfilm Research Room, Records Center Phone: (650) IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO DO THE WORK YOURSELF If an individual does not wish to conduct their own research, researchers are available for a fee. Please write to the Board of Certification of Genealogists or the Association of Professional Genealogists and request their listings of genealogical researchers for hire. Their addresses are: Board of Certification of Genealogists P.O. Box Washington, D.C ___________________________________________ Association of Professional Genealogists P.O. Box Denver, Colorado 80204

Share your research and have fun! Compile your work in a book or on a CD to share with your family, and give copies to libraries. Offer your work to its collection. Doing family history research can be a rewarding, lifelong pastime, taking you to new places, introducing you to new family members, and giving you a deeper appreciation of your unique heritage. Find out about your past, share it with current family members, and record it for future generations. It all starts when you take a look behind you!

The End To all my relations Stephanie Reynolds, CEC AI/AN Patient Relations 1333 Meridian Ave., Bldg - C San Jose, CA Phone: (408) ext:287