We are living through history. Unfortunately though, the pandemic still has an increasing death toll, mostly on those with underlying health conditions like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and otherwise compromised immune systems.
In an effort to provide some my Facebook friends with some distraction and activity to fill their new found time at home, I have been offering Genealogy Lessons online.
For those of you who would like to follow along here are the first 5 lessons to get you started:
Genealogy Lesson #1 (posted on Facebook on Sat. March 21, 2020):
Anyone really bored? I'm thinking of teaching a genealogy research class to anyone who is interested. First step. Fill out this form with everything you *think* you know your direct ancestors; parents, grandparents, great grandparents... You go on line #1, Dad on line #2, Mom on line number #3. Men are the even #s, Women are the odd numbers. Keep women with their maiden names. Surnames in all caps. Let me know if you are working along with my posts.
Genealogy Lesson #2 (posted on Facebook on Sun. March 22, 2020):
If you missed it, yesterday I posted Lesson #1 which required filling out the attached pedigree chart. http://misbach.org/download/pedigree_chart.pdf
In genealogy research, just like on that pedigree chart, you start with yourself and move back through history. Think about it, your birth certificate is really your very first piece of genealogical documentation. It shows the connection between you and your parents.
Today's assignment is to look through and gather all the documents you already have that has genealogical value. One example, I already gave you, is your birth certificate. What other genealogical documentation do you have? Let's build a list of what we have that has info about our family on it. Go - - -
In genealogy research, just like on that pedigree chart, you start with yourself and move back through history. Think about it, your birth certificate is really your very first piece of genealogical documentation. It shows the connection between you and your parents.
Today's assignment is to look through and gather all the documents you already have that has genealogical value. One example, I already gave you, is your birth certificate. What other genealogical documentation do you have? Let's build a list of what we have that has info about our family on it. Go - - -
Genealogy Lesson #3 (posted on Facebook on Mon. March 23, 2020):
The next few lessons focus on Living Resources.
I know you're wondering when we will get to really searching online for documents. Trust me. This is research. You want to collect all the family info you can before you start searching documents.
The pedigree chart you filled out in Lesson #1 is not documentation. It is a form genealogists use to organize the information they are collecting. Today I introduce you to a Family Group Sheet (FGS).
A pedigree chart does not allow you to record the names and vital dates of siblings, aunts/uncles, or cousins. An FGS does.
Fill out the FGS using your parents as the husband & wife. You and your siblings will be the children on the form. Save the file to your computer. http://misbach.org/download/FamilyGroupRecord.pdf
Genealogy Lesson #4 (posted on Facebook on Wed. March 25, 2020):
You living relatives are a good source of information for your genealogy research. Now is an ideal time to reach out to a cousin to see what information they might have before you dig into your research online.
Call a cousin!
While talking with them try filling in another FGS, this time with your share grandparents as the couple at the top and your aunts and uncles as the children on the form.
Be sure to ask questions about names and vital dates they might know, locations where family members lived, causes of death, fond memories, and recollections of family events. I always start with questions like, "Tell me about grandpa/grandma."
Have fun. Enjoy talking with a relative.
Genealogy Lesson #5 (posted on Facebook on Fri. March 27, 2020):
Now that you have gathered up all the info that you and your family members know, including info you have lying around your house, it is time to start searching in your online resources.
Today, I just want you to find out how you can access Ancestry for free or set-up a FamilySearch account.
Ancestry.com provides a free two week subscription. Many public libraries subscribe to the Ancestry Library Edition which one would need to use for free at their public library. However, during this health crisis, Ancestry has permitted many public libraries to make Ancestry Library Edition accessible to their patrons from their homes. Check your public library’s website for more details.
Regardless of your access to Ancestry, you can all subscribe to FamilySearch.org for FREE. Go to FamilySearch.org today to create a free account.
Tomorrow’s lessons will begin to focus on the U.S. Federal Census, it’s history, and how to search for your family in the records. Stay tuned.
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