Beginning Genealogy: Five Tips for New Family Historians
For the past five years, I have solved mysteries. My work has helped people track down lost grandparents, answer paternity questions, and uncover scandals. As a librarian, part of my job is to help patrons learn how to piece together their family histories. Many of my patrons now have success stories to tell, but I have also seen beginning genealogists give up when their work failed to uncover answers. To save yourself similar frustration, keep the following five tips in mind when you take on your own genealogy project.
It Won’t Be Easy
Quality genealogy takes time, logic, and patience. Remember, you have the rest of your life to get this done. Do not make the mistake of rushing yourself. I have seen patrons settle for an easy “answer” only to find that it has sent them on fool’s errand, researching someone who had the right name but was not a relative. Take the time to think through any answers you find and make sure they are reasonable.
You should also keep in mind that sooner or later you will have a question that seems unanswerable. My own father’s paternal line can be traced to the late 18th century. At that point, all the standard clues disappear. When you hit a roadblock like this, remember two things. First, never assume that no answer exists. There are a lot of resources, records, and more experienced genealogists out there. Ask questions and keep an eye for others researching the same family line. You never know, someone else may have already answered your question during their research. Second, roadblocks are no reason for discouragement. Just start researching a different family line. You have enough work ahead of you to keep your inner-genealogist busy for ages.
Not All Your Relative Were Nice
Nero, Typhoid Mary, and Al Capone have two things in common: They were not nice, and they all had relatives. It is unlikely that anyone in your family ever reached such depths of infamy, but chances are that you are not descended from a line of angels. That is okay. Your ancestors do not determine your worth. Let them be responsible for their own actions. You are responsible for preserving the truth. My own family’s history includes a 19th century relative who was stabbed to death near the banks of the Cumberland river after a tavern brawl in which he was involved spilled into the street. Since the fight was over the “other woman” in his life, it was doubly tragic for his widow, and a dark episode in my ancestors’ lives. Nonetheless, it happened, and it is a part of my heritage. If I tried to cover it up, I would be lying about who I am and where I came from.
Your Great Aunt Had It Wrong
Now, before you send me an email, I’m not questioning your aunt’s integrity. The truth is that family stories get distorted over time, and people forget details. There is no doubt that your living relatives are your greatest source of information about your family, but you must not accept what they tell you uncritically. You will want to verify everything they say with solid research. If you do discover an error, consider what it could mean. Maybe Uncle John was not a banker like Aunt Clara thought, but perhaps his father was. Most errors have some factual basis.
Unfortunately, you may also find yourself in the awkward position of discovering the truth about a treasured family myth. If your research shows that you are not descended from Russian royalty after all, or that a distant relative did not actually stowaway on the Mayflower, other relatives may not want to hear it. In fact, you may find yourself alone on Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas for a few years. Record your findings carefully, and share them with discernment. Not everyone will be proud of your work, but you will have saved the truth for future generations.
Neatness Counts
Genealogical research can get out of hand quickly. Even with all the technology available today, genealogy remains a paper-intensive hobby. If you fail to organize things from the beginning, you will quickly find yourself buried in pedigree charts, family group sheets, and mountains of census photocopies. The way to address this is to be organized and methodical. This is the first habit you must acquire. Find a way to store records that makes sense to you and stick with it. Whenever you acquire a new piece of evidence, make it a standard operating procedure to give it a place in your organizational system immediately. Make sure that it is filed into your system again each time you take it out to use it.
The second habit you must acquire is to carefully cite every record you use in a central place. Nothing is more disconcerting than looking at a record in your files and wondering what it is, where you obtained it, and who it is about. Save yourself the trouble. Do your work once and cite it carefully.
Your Computer Can’t Do It All
No one can deny that great genealogy websites exist. Subscription based sites such as HeritageQuest and Ancestry.com provide access to records that would have required worldwide travel to view just a few years ago. Nonetheless, there will come a time when you have to leave your computer behind and head out for the library or the records office. When you find yourself in this situation, be sure to plan carefully. Call ahead to get the library’s hours and to make sure that the staff members you need to speak with will be there. Come with lots of change for the microfilm machines and the photocopiers. Make sure you can speak intelligently about what you are trying to find, and do not attempt to monopolize the staff member’s time. If you take these steps, you increase your getting the help you need and having a successful fieldtrip.
These five tips will not make you an instant genealogy expert, but they can save you time and disappointment. Learning about your relatives is fun, but you should also have an idea of the amount of work and effort that will be involved. Once you have a good understanding of how genealogical research works, you can look forward to a hobby that will last you the rest of your life and take you on a grand historical adventure.
