"Mark" <granmark@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:zpmdndxtrMGImC_cRVn-3g@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> "Dani" <noone@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
> news:51bsd.30560$Uf.25691@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> > I am all out of ideas, y'all!
> > How did people research their family tree *before* computers?
> > I've got birth certificates, death certificates, marriage
certificates,
> > baptismal certificates, census information.....
> > What else do I need to get? My research takes me back into Mexico,
but
> > I've no idea how to go about looking up records for there other than
> > www.familysearch.org.
> > I haven't broken down all my brick walls, either, it's just that I'm
> > tired of trying to break them down right now....
> >
> > Any ideas?
> >
> > Danielle Brown
> > dtxn@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> "*before* computers?" Same as *with* computers - just took a lot more
leg
> work. "What else do I need to get" depends on what information you're
> missing. Start by organizing what you have. Use Family Group Sheets or
one
> of the genealogy computer programs to keep track of everything you think
you
> know now. Don't just mark down names and dates either, but where you
got
> the information as well. You're guaranteed to have a lot of conflicting
> information as you go on and will have to make choices about what is
most
> credible. Add family stories, what life is/was like, who was the
family
> drunk, etc. now while there may still be someone around to provide those
> details. There may be no one around to answer these questions when you
> finally get interested. Then decide what information is missing and
develop
> a plan from there. Once you know what you're missing (My great
> grandfather's death certificate says he was born ____in ______. How do
I
> find a record of his parents?), there's usually someone on one of the
> genealogy newsgroups to at least point you in a direction.
>
> Start with asking relatives to fill in the blanks but keep in mind that
> their recollections can be in error and, some times, deliberately. Use
> their input as a guide on where to look for verification. There are a
lot
> of libraries around with small to large collections of genealogical
> material. Start looking around to see what's close. There are always
the
> local Family History Libraries of the Mormon church (FamilySearch will
give
> you their locations) where you can order microfilms from the main
library
in
> Salt Lake City for a nominal fee. So far as general references are
> concerned, try to find a copy of the "Handy Book for Genealogists" at
one
of
> your local libraries and look up the area you are researching to get
> addresses to write to for information. If you haven't been there yet,
take
> a look at http://www.cyndislist.com/
for a pretty overwhelming list of
> genealogical sources. Also make use of Google
>
(http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22mexican+genealogy%22&btnG=Searc
h
> , etc.) If you're just starting out, spending the $100 or so for a
> subscription to Ancestry.com is probably well worth the investment.
When
> all else fails, you'll either have to travel to the area you're
researching
> or hire someone who can do the research for you.
>
Thanks, Mark. Will keep that in mind. Actually I'm printing out all the
reponses I'm getting and pasting them on the wall to keep me motivated. :)
Take Care,
Dani
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