Also known as family history research or a personal history project, has become a popular hobby for those wanting to learn more about their family. The explosion of the Internet in the last ten years has created resources that are abundant and confusing. The easiest question- Where do I begin? – has become a puzzling one.

• Start with what you know.

Write down Names, Birth/Marriage/Death dates [a.k.a BMD] and Places where relatives lived. Information can be recorded on:
• ~ a family tree/ancestral chart,
• ~ photographs (write information on back of photo with pencil only)
• ~ a genealogy computer program


• Begin research by filling in the information gaps.
Ask relatives and family friends for dates and names that the may have written down. Look for key pieces of information in:
• ~ obituaries, birth/death certificates, marriage license, divorce papers
• ~ telephone books
• ~ baby books, Bibles, scrapbooks


• Consider doing some Internet research.
A variety of federal, state and county government records are now online.
• ~ census records (national & international)
• ~ birth/death certificates (select state historical web sites)
• ~ real estates records


Some libraries have databases (Ancestry.com) available for the public. Many individuals have posted information on genealogy websites (Rootsweb.com) Local Historical Societies have websites listing cemeteries and town histories.

Contact

Renee@AdventureResearch

today to begin your Personal History project.