Getting Started with Family History

Challenges:

-         Overwhelming (There is too much to do)

-         Underwhelming (My family has been researched to death- no pun intended)

-         Not enough time to really sit down and “do it”

-         I don’t have any family history research skills

-         My kids/ teenagers/ I think it is boring

-         I have no idea where to start

How to Make it Fun:

-         Get Hooked

o   Has any aspect of your family’s history caught your attention? (ie. An inspiring story about your ancestor, a cool old picture, a favorite story about your great grandma)

-         Set a Goal and Write it Down

o   Make some goals based on your interests and organize your efforts around those goals.

-         Get Organized

o   Fun can turn to frustration when you get lost in your own research. Start a system early to keep track of information both electronically and on paper.

-         Get Help

o   Nothing kills your family history mojo like a dead end. If you are stuck and feel like you don’t know what you are doing ask for help. Experts are everywhere, you don’t even have to leave your house.

-         Get Connected

o   The best byproduct of family history is the way is strengthens our relationships with the living. Call your grandma to ask questions, reach out to that-one-aunt-who-knows-everything-about-your-family-line, visit long lost relations in your country of origin.

-         Share

o   No one will have to tell you to share what you learn because it will practically jump out of you. Amazing stories need to be told, mysteries solved need to be shared, and love for your ancestors cannot be contained.

Get Hooked 

There are so many aspects of family history, the trick is finding out what is exciting to you. Take the following quiz to get some ideas about where you might want to start digging.

1.       Which would you rather do?

a.       Talking to your parents/ grandparents about their lives

b.       Research family members to find out when and where they lived

c.       Learn about a country one of your ancestors came from and go visit.

d.       Read stories already complied about your ancestors

e.       Learn to make a favorite family recipe

f.        Scrapbook family pictures

2.       What experience would you be most interested in learning more about in the life of an ancestor?

a.       Fighting in or living through a war

b.       Settling a new area

c.       Immigrating to America

d.       Practicing their religion (Church of England, Puritian, Quaker, Mormon)

e.       Working in various professions (glassblower, teacher, postmaster)

3.       What family history goal might best motivate you?

a.       Researching family names to take to the temple

b.       Getting your family’s pictures organized. Recording important events, vacations, etc.

c.       Making sure your parents/ grandparents stories are recorded/ shared

d.       Teaching your children about ways their ancestors lives have influenced theirs

e.       Understanding and carrying on important cultural and family traditions

4.       What time period of history in general most interests you?

a.       Ancient History (Egypt, Greek, Roman)

b.       Medieval History (Knights, Kings, Plagues)

c.       Early American History (Pilgrims, Revolutionary War)

d.       British Empire (Industrial Revolution, Colonial Wars)

e.       Early LDS Church History

f.        Civil War

g.       World War Era (1910’s to 1950’s)

h.       Modern Era

5.       What are some ways to have already tried to family history?

Set a Goal and Write it Down

Make some goals based on your interests and organize your efforts around those goals. Make both big goals and mini steps to get there. There is a great article about this on familysearch. https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Decide_What_You_Want_to_Learn

Get Organized

Suggestions:

Find a system that works for you. Especially if you don’t have a lot of time to do family history research, you want to keep track of what you learn so find so you don’t keep re-working the same problems.

Paper System:

·      Make a binder with dividers with a section for each family line (I made one for each of my great grandparents lines)

·      Print off fan charts to use as a reference while you research

·      Keep sheets of lined paper to keep track of goals and notes.

·      I also keep a separate binder for all my temple names organized by ordinance.

Electronic System:

·   Family Search is a great way to stay organized. It allows you to attach sources and documents right to the people you are working on.

·      For all other documents I use a folder system on google drive. It mirrors my folder and is divided into my four family lines. Within each file, I label each person’s folder with name and birth- death date.

Great ideas for how to stay organized

http://familyhistoryisfun.com/step-2-organize-your-stuff/

https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Organizing_Your_Files

Get Help

Don’t let dead-ends get you down. There are so many great resources.

·      Your best friend is the “Get Help” tab on familysearch.org.

·      The help center tab has lots of topics with frequently asked questions.

·      Check out the learning center section for a great five minute family history course as well as many, many more great articles.

·      Search the Family History Research Wiki. There are a lot of great articles from fellow family historians

·      You can always open a live chat to get help if you can’t find answers on your own