By now, I hope you have collected basic information on your parents, grandparents, and hopefully a few great-grandparents. Write down as many family stories as you can. You know, the story of how Grandma had the chore of running water, when running water meant her, as a little girl running[Read More…]
Tag: genealogy
The keeper of the keys
After you have gathered as much about your parents as you can, you are ready to tackle the third generation: your grandparents. If you can, visit your grandparents. Repeat this type of interview asking the same questions about your parents. Be prepared this time to take notes. Grandparents have richer[Read More…]
How to collect information for the first three generations
Pull out your family groups sheets you did last week. Now take those sheets and go talk to each of your parents separately. In person works best. Doing these interviews one on one is important. Answers are more candid when not being overheard or interrupted. If someone is telling an[Read More…]
Where do I find my family tree online?
Where do I find my family tree online? That’s a common question asked. The answer is, it isn’t there yet. All reputable family tree databases protect anyone known or suspected to be still living. Those entries are purposely hidden from view. You need to personally research the first three generations[Read More…]
Is your family tree more like a jungle gym?
That takes on real meaning if you have researched in Kentucky and Arkansas. There, the local joke is, “If I divorce my wife, is she still my cousin?” One of my Clinkenbeard branches had two sisters who married two brothers of a neighboring family. I have observed in my 30[Read More…]
Genealogy 101
WELCOME TO GENEALOGY 101. Doesn’t that sound dry and college like! Lucky for you this course is not graded and you get no credit for it. Almost nobody in your family will care if you succeed. As a matter of fact, if you get good at this, your spouse will[Read More…]
