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Gather Family Information
Now that you've identified what you already know about your family tree, you're ready to gather information about the missing pieces.
- Gather your home resources. Interview immediate family members; compare your memories with those of your siblings, parents, cousins, grandparents, etc. The varying recollections of the same event will surprise you! Ask where things happened to get an understanding of "place" — remember, location is key in genealogical research. Record the information you get from these interviews. For easy storage in a loose-leaf notebook or three-ring binder, use standard 8.5"x11" paper; or use a tape or video recorder.
- Fill in a Family Group Sheet (FGS) to organize your ancestors according to marriages.
Sample Questions for You and Your Relatives:
- Are there family photo albums? Are there old letters sitting in a trunk somewhere? Are there any family papers of any kind? Insurance papers? Think of things that are in your home that may give Dad's name or Grandma's recipes. Perhaps there's an old journal from the family farm business. Who ended up with Grandma's old Bible? Has the family ever been mentioned in a book?
- Is there a famous person to whom you are supposed to be related?
Genealogist's Glossary:
Family Group Sheet - a form used to record information about each married couple on a pedigree chart, including vital events (birth, marriages, death) and locations of vital events for the couple and all their children.
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