Genealogy- Putting together the questions

Questions to ask

–What is your full name?  Do you know why your parents chose that name for you?  Were you named after an ancestor?  Someone famous?  Do you have a nickname?

–Where were you born and when?  Do you remember any stories that your parents shared with you about your birth?  Do you have your birth and/ or baptismal certificates?

–When and where were your brothers and sisters born?  Did they marry?  Have Families? (Follow up for the details) What were they like?  Do you have any favorite memories of them?

–When and where did you meet your wife/husband?  How did your meeting come about?  Was she/he your first love?  Can you describe the proposal, the wedding ceremony, the honeymoon?

–When and where were your parents born?  What are their full names?  What do/did they look like?  What were their occupations?  How did they come to meet and marry? 

–Where and when were your grandparents born? (both sets) What do/did they look like?  What were their occupations?  How did they come to meet and marry?

–Who was the oldest person you can remember in your family as a child?  What do you remember about them?  Do you remember visiting other relatives or family friends as a child?

–Did you serve in any wars?  If so, which war?  Which branch of the service were you in?

–Are there any items, traditions or customs in the family which have been handed down from generation to generation (these could include everything from naming traditions to jewelry to recipes)?

   

I will be putting more questions together in the next few days.

Genealogy- Preparing for the interview

Gathering Oral History

–Decide where to start

•Start with the family historian.

•Interview the older members of your family.

–Make a Game Plan

•Start with setting a appointment.

•Write down questions to work off.

•Bring along family chart and things that you have found so far that will jog memories.

–Tips for interview

•Read information on doing proper interviews.

•Consider writing or emailing questions

•Use the Phone

–This by far can be the hardest. 

 

 

•Asking the correct questions

–Do your research.

•Make sure you know how the person being interviewed fits into the family.

•Use your charts as a guide.

–Use open ended questions.

•Get the person to tell stories instead of yes or no answers.

–Try to elicit facts.

•Be sure to find out the how, why, where, when and what

 

Tomorrow we will work on the questions to ask.

Genealogy- Talking to the relatives

Visit Family members homes or via the phone to locate information.

–Be respectful of their wishes.

–Best way is to get them involved in the hunt.

–Remind them you are looking for personnel history.

–Make sure to have your questions ready.

–Use a family check list to complete your hunt.

•Clues from Family Sources

–Photographs

•Names and dates

•Photographers mark

•Clothing and houses

–Postcards

•Pictures may offer clues to where they lived.

•Comments on the back may offer clues.

–Vital Records

•May be stored in a variety of places.

•Just the fact they were saved makes them important.

•Birth, marriage & death certificates, baptismal certificates, naturalization papers, wills, patents, military enlistments, discharges.

•Clues from Family sources

–Diaries, Letters & Journals

•Here is where you learn the stories of your families past.

•These are the important facts that document the events of their lives.

–Family Bibles

•The births, marriages and deaths that are documented are invaluable.

•Traditionally given at the time of a marriage of a couple.

•Documents many facts that you may not find somewhere else.

–Scrapbooks

•Will include obits, wedding & anniversary announcements, graduation and other events of their lives.

Saturday I will add more.

Genealogy Thank you for the help

Just wanted to thank those other sights that are sending their folks my way.  Please check out their blogs as well.

www.jessica journal.blogspot.com
www.limestones.blogspot.com


I will continue with contacting those relative tomorrow.

Genealogy Contacting the Relatives

Now that we have gathered the information we have at home the next step is to put it in a context that we can understand where we need to go.   This step involved putting together all the names that you know starting with you.  This can all be put on what is know as a Pedigree chart.  Typically these are what is known as a five generation chart.  Start on the left side of the sheet.  Then work your way to the right and fill out as many blanks as you are able.  The top part of the charts is your paternal line (father's side) and the bottom portion is the maternal line (mother's side).  Be sure to fill out the categories of birth, marriage and death.  Please identify the date as follows. ex 4 September 2011.  Include the location of the event. (Toledo, Lucas, Ohio)  Don't worry about filling it all out if you don't have it all.  Reference where you got your information.  A genealogy without proof is fiction.
   Evaluate the blank spots.  This give us the areas where we need to find more information.  At this stage of the search it is now time to contact relatives.  Start by making a list of people you know.  As you go through the contact process be sure to ask for names with others that may be able to help.  Be aware that often the people you think will help and those you don't think will help do.  Information comes from the most unlikely places.  The stories from the oldest to youngest can vary a great deal.  Prior to making the calls, make a list of questions that will help you keep on track.  Tomorrow we will go over a list of questions.

Genealogy- Why Start the Search

  Are you thinking about researching your Family?  Most people face this question at the beginning of their search.  Many start after they retire, but for me it began when I turned thirteen years old.  Some people are just curious about there families past.  For others it becomes a search for medical history.
  One of the first steps in preparing for the search is to look to see what you have on hand.  For me it was a large box that was handed to my mother when one of our relatives died.
  Things to look for include obituaries, family bibles, discharge papers, birth announcements, etc. etc.  Much of this information will not make sense in the beginning, but make sure to keep it.  The family bible often given as a gift when a couple got married was the safe in olden times.  Don't just look at the family information on the inside, but leaf through all the pages.  Here if you get lucky you will find funeral cards, obits or military discharge records.
  Make sure to organize this information for later use. One of the largest challenges for any genealogist is keeping things organized.  This should start from the beginning.  The next step is to contact relatives.

Genealogy Class Begineers Monclova (Toledo)

The Monclova Community Center will have genealogy expert Derek Davey teaching a six-week course .
Class participants will also have the change to go to the Allen County Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the end of the course with Derek. Class size is limited.
When: beginning Friday, September 30 from 10 a.m. – 12 noon