Ancestry Magazine

In a recent beginning class on family history, we held a two-hour session discussing where students can go to find genealogical information. They left the class with the assignment to gather information on their own, and will were to return two weeks later to a follow-up class in which we would discuss the information they had discovered. Each student arrived at the next class with a considerable amount of information, but much of it was written on scraps of paper that ranged from the backs of grocery lists to corners of cocktail napkins. They each made the same type of observation: “There’s a lot of information out there, but it’s hard to write it all down.” We were reminded of just how much information can be found once you start researching your family’s history, and how overwhelming it can be.

Following is a discussion of the three basic points to keep in mind as you approach your research. First are the different categories of information that you will encounter in your own research. Second is how you can record this information in a legible and meaningful fashion. (It is important to note that the type of information you locate can influence how and where you record that information). Finally, we give tips on organizing this information so it will be more valuable to you and others.

Categories of Information
Family history information generally falls into one of four categories. First, are the facts. The heart of genealogical information consists of the facts that can be supported by some type of legal document. Among these documentable life events are date and place of birth, date of baptism or christening, date and place of death, etc.

Second is the anecdotal information, or the third-party information or secondary source material that can be found about an ancestor. This type of information i ncludes stories about an individual that appear in a town history or newspaper article. While this anecdotal information may not be as concrete or reliable as the facts, it provides interesting insights into the life of the individual.

Next are the clues. When we refer to clues, we are talking about the hints for future research that appear from time to time. For example, you might be looking in a published family genealogy and find a footnote referring you to another family’s genealogy with information about the spouse of the individual you are researching. This type of information should be noted and will eventually become a sort of a to-do list for future research.

Perhaps the most important type of information you will gather is the source. Many family history projects are weakened because the researcher fails to make note of where he or she discovered some or all of the information. Each of these categories is vitally important to your project. Therefore, it is equally important for you to record this information in a consistent manner. There are three possible options:

Recording the Information
1) Standard forms. There are several standardized forms you can use to record your information. The most common are family group sheets, pedigree charts, and research logs. It is best to find one set of forms you are comfortable with and to use them as the cornerstone of your recorded information. Be sure that the size of the form you are using will work for you. We recommend using standard 8 1/2″ by 11″ paper with three-ring holes so that it will fit in a three-ring binder.

Remember that some forms are better suited for certain types of information. For example, family group sheets are excellent for recording facts and sources, but there is not always a place to note clues or anecdotal information.

Also the form you choose may be unavailable. When we started our research, we chose commercial forms that fit our needs. Th ere was a pedigree chart that served as a table of contents, and the forms came in a three-ring binder divided by ahnentafel numbers , with a family group sheet for each male. In addition, there was a research log for each individual. However, when we needed to purchase another notebook, we found that the company had gone out of business.

2) Self-designed forms. Many researchers prefer to create their own forms. This allows them to gather and record the information in a fashion that makes sense to them. We have seen some excellent self-designed forms that allow the researcher to record all types of information in a meaningful way. As with commercial forms, it is important to choose a size that works for you as well as a paper type that will always be available.

3) The Computer. The computer has become a very important tool for genealogical research. Some people choose to use the computer as their method of storing the information they find. There are some possible limitations to this method. First, they must have a portable computer in order to take it with them wherever they research, and the library or research facility must allow the use of personal computers. Finally, the individual needs good software that will allow him or her to record the information on the computer and that information needs to be stored properly so there will be minimal danger of losing it.

Organizing Your Data
The final consideration is to organize your information in a meaningful fashion. There are several options available to you in organizing these potential mounds of paperwork. We would like to present the more common options and let you decide which works best for you.

The ahnentafel system assigns a number to you (the No. 1) and to each of your ancestors. Males are assigned even numbers and females are assigned odd numbers. Your father would be No. 2 and your mother would be No. 3. Double any number and you have that individual’s father. Double any number and add 1 and you would have that individual’s mother. While this is a good system for your ancestors, it is more difficult to record information on the people you are not directly descended from.

A more common method is to organize your information in alphabetical order by the individual’s family name. This method requires a separate sheet or more for each person on whom you are gathering data. While this is an excellent way to organize all the data you have gathered, it is not the best way to view relationships. However, you have separate sheets for each individual that contain the facts you have gathered, the sources, anecdotes, photocopies of documents, and even photos. As you can see, this approach offers a convenient way to store all the information you discover on a particular person.

Another method to store information is to organize it according the generation to which the individual belongs. We have seen projects where the researcher organized with youngest person in the family first. This is an ascendancy project. Any individual belonging to this generation is identified as a member of generation No. 1.

The parents of the individuals are labeled generation No. 2. The grandparents are labeled generation No. 3, etc.

Some family historians organize their information according to where particular event occurred. Thus, the projects are grouped by country, county, or even town. When a researcher focuses on a locality for additional information, this method provides a way of seeing all individuals who are current connected to that location. However, using this method makes it difficult to see relationships between individuals.

Other projects are organized according to the date on which a particular event occurred, and are usually arranged by decade or century. The method is particularly useful when a researcher focuses on date-oriented sources such as census records. But it shares the same weakness of not making relationships clear .

Regardless of how you organize your family history project, it is important to keep the following points in mind: Be consistent when entering your information. Next, be neat. The goal of you project is to have information that can be shared with other people. The neater it appears, the easier it will be for another person to enjoy the benefits of you research. Finally, always record the source of your information. No other suggestion is more important than this. With these steps in mind, you will be well on your way to producing an organized history of your family.

Terry and Jim Willard hosted the ten-part PBS “Ancestors” series. They have researched their family history fifteen generations back on both sides.