1. Dave Falke and Courtney McGough GALILEO Library Support Services
July 2007

2. Getting Started with Genealogy Research
Step 1
Create an ancestral chart
List what you already know
These Getting Started slides go with the handout from ProQuest:
The Ancestral Chart can be found in the Charts and Forms section of Ancestry Library Edition.

3. Getting Started with Genealogy Research
Step 2
Interview family members
Keep records for what you find
These Getting Started slides go with the handout from ProQuest:
The Family Group Record can be found in the Charts and Forms section of Ancestry Library Edition.

4. Getting Started with Genealogy Research
Step 3
Find death records for deceased ancestors
Step 4
Follow up on death record clues
These Getting Started slides go with the handout from ProQuest:
Start with death records and work backwards chronologically to find clues about names, locations, and dates.

5. Getting Started with Genealogy Research
Step 5
Search census records
These Getting Started slides go with the handout from ProQuest:
Census records provide valuable information about where ancestors lived at a particular time.
Older census records may only have the head of household included, but the census from 1850 and later also include others in the household.
Information that can be found in these records depends on what was asked in the census for that year.
Blank census forms from every year can be found in the Charts and Forms section of Ancestry Library Edition, which may help in reading census images that are not clear.

6. Getting Started with Genealogy Research
Step 6
Search county and state sources
Newspapers
Court records
Voter registrations
Military records
And more!
These Getting Started slides go with the handout from ProQuest:
Once you have found a location for your ancestors, you can then search information sources in that area for additional information.
Don’t forget print resources at your local public library and at the public library in the area where your ancestor lived. Also, a genealogy librarian can be a great resource for helping you find information and thinking of more places to look for information.

7. HeritageQuest Online is only available to public libraries, so anyone outside of a public library will need to use the GALILEO password for their local public library to access this database.
To find the database, use the “Find databases by name” or go to News/Facts Reference and choose Genealogy (Note that the interfaces will be changing in late summer or fall of 2007 as part of the GALILEO upgrade, so accessing these databases from the GALILEO homepage will be different.)

9. HeritageQuest Online
- designed for genealogical and historical researchers to trace family history, to find ancestors, and to see the history of American culture
- includes five databases – ProQuest will eventually have a federated search so that all of these can be searched at once in HeritageQuest

10. Search Census
Note: The What’s New link provides information on the content that is being added to HQO.
Tip: There are limited records from the 1890 census because they were destroyed by fire.

11. Browse Census
View State Map – link to U.S. Census Maps to see the how state and county boundaries changed over time
Tip: Knowing when certain counties and states were established can help one to know what location to search for local records during the years before or after the county or state was established.
Note: See link to “What You Should Know about the Census” and the link to "Help with the Federal Census”

12. Browse Census
Choose to see census records from a certain county, or browse the slave schedules for 1850 and 1860 by selecting SLAVE in the county and location fields

13. Search Census – Advanced Search
Tip: Searching for genealogy information on historical figures can lead to fun facts for student papers and presentations.

14. Search Census – Advanced Search
Lincoln was born in 1809, so we know he was 51 in 1860

15. Search Census – Advanced Search
Scroll down to see the Lincoln family
Note: You can print or download the image. You can choose the positive or negative image; the negative image is sometimes easier to read.
Tip: When searching for families, it helps to view a couple of pages in the census records before and after your family members to get an idea of families that lived near each other. This may lead to clues about related families and family friends.

16. Search Books
Includes Genealogy and Local History Collection
Over 20,000 fully digitized books of family and local histories, including genealogies, city and business directories, collective biographies, vital records, church records, military records, and documents gathered by state governments and historical societies

17. Search Books
Can search by person or place names or use keywords
Can view the original image of the book or see the citation with “hits” as to where the search term appears in the book

18. Search Books
Can view original page image – can skip forward to the next “hit” or the next place in the text where the search term appears

19. Search Books
Can also view citation information

20. Notebook feature – available in all of the HQO databases and is persistent across the browser session
Can add any items to notebook and can take notes on individual items
Notebook allows you to , print, or download the citations along with any notes you have taken, and you can download any PDF images that you have added to your notebook.

21. Search PERSI – Periodical Source Index
Index of more than 6,300 genealogy and local history periodicals, including local history journals and major genealogical journals
Note: Check your library for full text, or ask your library about an interlibrary loan. You can also order full text with the request form (see “request form” link in article citations).

22. Search PERSI – Periodical Source Index
“How-to” articles describe tips, techniques, and methods of research

23. Search PERSI – Periodical Source Index

24. Search PERSI – Periodical Source Index

25. Search PERSI – Periodical Source Index
Note: Check your library for full text, or ask your library about an interlibrary loan. You can also order full text with the request form (see “request form” link in article citations).

26. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files
Note: see “Read more about Rev War” link for more information about the database
More than 80,000 pension files of Americans who served in the war
Details that you may find:
Names of veterans as well as age or date of birth
Veteran’s rank, unit, and period of service
State and residence
Information about spouse and/or children

27. Deborah Samson Gannett fought as “Robert Shurtleff”
Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files

28. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files
Forward the image to see additional documentation

29. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files
These files provide information to prove that the soldiers fought in the war and can include valuable family and historical information.

30. Freedman’s Bank Records
Note: see “Read more about Freedman’s Bank” link for more information on the database
More than 105,000 freed slaves who established bank accounts with the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company,
Significant resource for African-American genealogical research
Details that you may find:
Name of depositor, family members, and former master/mistress
Residence, birthplace, workplace, or place where they grew up
Occupation or name of employer
Death certificates

31. Freedman’s Bank Records
Tip: Names may have been misspelled or transcribed incorrectly, so try alternate spellings of names when searching – e.g., Reilly, Riley, Reiley, etc.

32. Freedman’s Bank Records
Original images from applications
Transcriptions of the images are provided

33. Freedman’s Bank Records
Original images from applications
Transcriptions of the images are provided

34. GALILEO office located in Athens
Questions?