BEGINNING GENEALOGY: HOW DO I START THIS PUZZLE?
Suggestions from the staff of the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center
Write down what you know about your ancestors—names, dates, places. A “pedigree chart” or “ancestor chart” is a good place to organize and record this information.
Start with yourself as No. 1 on the chart. Fathers are recorded beside even numbers. Mothers are recorded beside odd numbers. Fill out the chart as completely as you can.
Identify information you are missing and determine which ancestors need to be researched further. Begin with the generation closest to you and work your way back through time, filling in missing pieces of your puzzle.
Select sources to search. Always document your sources carefully even if you have no luck. Sources might include: vital records, census records, county histories, probate records, obituaries, and land/tax records. Records and information can be found on microfilm, microfiche, in books, newspapers, and genealogy publications. Computers can assist with information through Internet sites and CD-ROMs. SC Library Staff can help you with suggestions, as well.
When searching, always check for spelling variations in names. Look for facts and clues regarding dates, places, and names.
Contact relatives and ask them for information. Perhaps they know of other family members who have already done research on the family.
Look at home for sources that can help you add to what you know about your family: family Bibles, newspaper clippings, military certificates, birth and death certificates, wills, marriage licenses, diaries, letters, scrapbooks, backs of photographs.
Record your results on forms or in a notebook. Make a photocopy if you choose. Document where you looked, even if you search and find nothing.
Evaluate the information you found. Is it complete? Does it conflict with other information? Copy new information on the pedigree chart, and/or start a “family group sheet”.
Now start the process again for another piece of the puzzle!
Also, consider joining a genealogical society such as the Scott County Iowa Genealogical Society (SCIGS) and attend their meetings on the 1st Monday of the month at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport. Call the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center at 326-7902 for information about the Society’s next meeting.
SOME INTERNET SITES TO EXPLORE
MORE RESOURCES AT DPL TO HELP YOU WITH GENEALOGY
Online Subscriptions available on the public computers of all Davenport Library locations:
These databases provide access to a wealth of indexes and information, including U.S., British, and Canadian census records:
AncestryLibrary (our subscription to Ancestry.com)
Heritage Quest (can also be accessed by Davenport Library Patrons from home).
Books and CD-Rom Resources:
Ancestors: A Beginner’s Guide to Family History and Genealogy by Willard. 1997. Call #929.1 Wil
Genealogy for the First Time: Research Your Family History by Best. 2003. Call # 929.1 Bes
A Genealogists Guide to Discovering Your African-American Ancestors: How to Find and Record Your Unique Heritage by Smith. 2003. Call # 929.1 Smi
500 Brickwall Solutions to Genealogy Problems. 2003. Call # 929.1 Fiv
How to Do Everything With Genealogy by Morgan. 2004. Call #929.1 Mor
Organizing and Preserving Your Heirloom Documents by Sturdevant. 2002. Call # 929.1 Stu
Kids and Kin: The Family History Vacation That Involves Kids by Suter/Earnest. 1997. Call # 929.1 Sut
Genealogy Basics Online: A Step-by-Step Introduction to Finding Your Ancestors Through the Internet by Flinn. 2000. eBook-access through DPL’s library catalog
Scrapbooking Your Family History by Best. Call #745.593 Bes