by Kellea Croft

Created on: September 05, 2008

The bound of paperwork and dusty books is the home of addicted family historians everywhere. Choosing to follow your family tree is a big decision. How much information are you looking to find is the first question. You can follow the trail of ancestors across the states to find their history in the country, go across the ocean to hence they came from, just looking to find a family crest or country of origin or joining a decedents organization. I began researching 20 years ago to just find an origin and landed with a room full of information for more.

Always begin at the beginning, you, then work yourself to parents and so forth. Try to gather every birth, marriage, death and christening certification that you can find. Records up until the Civil War are easy to find and if the family doesn't have them some Circuit Clerks will let you search through the books for just photo copies prices. If you family ever kept family bible records, copy them too, some World War families or beyond did not file certificates or if they came from another state can help you find where to start looking.

Decide on a method of storage for information you find. I started with folders for each family name then as it grew separate for family groupings reserving the name folder for information only regarding name origin research. There are several computer programs for genealogist on the market, choose wisely as some can be very difficult to negotiate or expensive. Generations is the program that I use for its simplicity and ability to scan notes and photos to each name. Family Tree Maker is another program that is popular.

As you dive into the paper and online world of information, do not believe everything that you come across unless you can document it. If you are taking material from another researcher it may have problems in their work that is not proper to your family. Remember that history books and newspapers had a tendency in the past to exaggerate facts to make an event or person bigger news items.

Have your parents and grandparents relate stories of family lore and such to add personable traits to the facts. I had my grandmother label all her old tin type and black/white photos that I scrapbook decorated them with the information and stories remembered. Sadly, there is still a stack of ones that she didn't even know who they were. Any photos that you can add to the names can give a sense of identity to those who have passed on.

When get past the members of the immediate family

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