Beginning to Research Your Family's History, Part I

• Getting Started
• Sources
• Census Records
• Part 2: Continuing Your Research

Note: All references to call numbers are for libraries at the University of Minnesota--Twin Cities. Additional information on sources available at the University of Minnesota Libraries can be found at the web site: http://wilson.lib.umn.edu/reference/genealogy.html.

Getting Started

Read Literature on Genealogy and Family History

If you are beginning to research your family's history, you will find it useful to read one or more of the books available in your local library or bookstore on how to research family history. This will help you familiarize yourself with research methods, basic sources, and the various record keeping methods. The University of Minnesota Libraries does not have an extensive collection of handbooks or manuals for genealogical research. However, you may find some basic guides to genealogical research. See Genealogy: A Selective List of General Sources.

Narrow Your Search

The next step is to narrow your search to a specific branch of the family. This is important in order to keep your project manageable and to be able to organize the information you find. If you attempt to do your whole family all at once, it is easy to become overwhelmed and give up. Also, decide whether you want to include anecdotes and family lore in your research, or just facts. Collecting family stories will make the history more interesting.

Begin with yourself and work back through the previous generations. There are several reasons for this:

1. By the time you are several generations back, your family, including its collateral lines, may be quite large. Working from yourself backward will ensure that you are working on your direct line. You don't want to waste time researching a line that isn't related to your family.
2. Many families have the same name, but are not related. Some names were derived from occupations, Smith or Carpenter; from physical characteristics, Little; and from geographic locations such as Underhill. People bearing these names will not necessarily have a common ancestor. Remember, never begin with a famous ancestor and work forward; sometimes family lore is wrong and you will not be able to find a connection.
3. Immigrants to America often anglicized their names or shortened them. In many cases, immigration officials, because of language difference, recorded names incorrectly. The spelling of your name, or the name itself, may have changed several times during your family's history in America. Working from yourself back will help you trace these changes.

Conduct a Home Survey

Go through the family records to which you have access. Examine your birth certificate. Does it tell you something you didn't already know? Look through the old family photo album. Read old letters you've saved. Dig out that old chest in your attic. Look at everything with a fresh eye. What can these items tell you that is of genealogical interest?

Items to look for include, but are not limited to:

Use Family Group Sheets and Pedigree Charts

1. Begin by filling out a family group sheet for your immediate family. Then make sheets for your parents, grandparents, and so forth, as far back as you know information. You will eventually want to have an family group sheet for each of your direct ancestors.
2. Next, fill in your family's pedigree chart with as much information as you have. This will help you keep track of names and their relationships. At this point you should begin asking yourself questions about your immediate ancestors, such as:
   • What are my grandfathers' names? My grandmothers' maiden names?
   • Where were they born? When?
   • Where did they marry? When?
   • When and where did they die? Where are they buried?
   • Did they leave wills? Property? Family Bibles? Photographs? And, where can these be found?
   • Who were their other children? Their siblings?
   • What religion were they? Where did they worship?
   • Were any of them in the military? Service-related organizations?
   • What were their occupations? Did they belong to union?

Answers to these questions will help you complete the pedigree chart and give you clues as to where you will continue your research. You will slowly fill out the family and get a more complete picture of your ancestors' lives.

You may download or print a variety of forms from Ancestors' Charts and Records web site.

Interview Family Members

One of the best sources of information about ancestors is relatives, especially the older ones. If you can visit, do so. Tape record the interview, if possible. If not, take detailed and accurate notes. Go armed with family group sheets and pedigree charts and try to fill in as much information as possible. Also, let your relatives reminisce uninterrupted. Ask probing questions. Take down names, family stories, physical descriptions, etc. Sort and organize the information later. Some of the information may be contradictory what you know, or think you know. Record it all and at a later date note the contradictions. Do not argue with the informant. You can prove or disprove discrepancies at a later date using documentation. Ask the person you are interviewing if you can call back at a later date to clarify information. If the person you are interviewing has a lot of information, try not to tire him or her. Instead of one all-day interview session, try to break it up into two or three sessions.

If you would like to conduct an in-depth interview or need help formulating questions, the following is a list of books which deal with oral history:

• Brown, Cynthia Stokes. Like It Was: A Complete Guide to Writing Oral History. New York: Teachers and Writers Collaborative, 1988.
• Humphries, Stephen. The Handbook of Oral History: Recording Life Stories. London: Inter-Action Trust Limited, 1984.
• Perks, Robert. Oral History: Talking About the Past. London: Historical Association, 1992.

If you cannot visit, write a letter (keep copies of all correspondence). Ask for specific information. You might arrange questions on several sheets of paper leaving space for answers. Always include a stamped self-addressed envelope.

Ask your relatives if they have family Bibles, diaries, letters, photos or memorabilia which might supply information or clues. Be sure to offer to pay for photocopies and postage.

REMEMBER: Information from relatives may or may not be accurate. Use it as a guide for further research. Always verify this information with primary source records, if possible.

Take Complete Notes

When doing your research:

1. Write everything down. Do not rely on your memory, even for a short period of time. Don't be tempted to write it down later.
2. Use standard abbreviations. For example: b for born, d for died, m for married. Remember, someone else may use your notes and not know your system.
3. Record your sources. A research log is an excellent way to keep track of sources. Be sure to cite sources completely. If the material is from a book, include the name, author, publisher, year of publication, ISBN or ISSN numbers (these numbers are found on newer materials, on the reverse of the title page), and the library where you found the book. It is always a good idea to photocopy the title page.
4. Record each person's name in full, including maiden names.
5. Be careful with dates. Use the accepted format day/month/year and be consistent. It is best if the month is spelled out so there can be no mistake, e.g., 4 Feb 1924. If you use the format 4/2/1924, you may not remember whether the date is February 4th or April 2nd.
6. Copy information exactly as you find it. You can interpret your findings later.

Organize Your Data

Begin to organize the data you are collecting immediately. Keep a file for each head of household you are researching. Collect any information obtained on his or her spouse and children. You will want to use a numbering system to keep your generations in the correct order. Several systems are described in the book Managing a Genealogical Project by William Dollarhide (Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1995).

Now you know what information you have, and have an idea of what information you need. Keep in mind that the greater the separation in time and place between you and your ancestor, the more important it is to verify personal testimony with information from other sources. Use as many sources as possible to document findings. When there is a discrepancy between two sources, use the one authority or document closest to the time of the actual event. Be sure to record the sources you've used.

You may want to keep a research log. Forms are available through genealogy supply catalogs or you can create your own. Include, in a table format, the following information: date (you did the research), surname you are researching, the source searched with complete citation, where the source is located (library, archive, an individual's files), and what you found. A separate log for each surname may be beneficial in the long run.

Principles to Remember When Beginning Genealogical Research

1. Begin with yourself and work back through time. Start with what you know.
2. Keep records, always note the source of the information and organize your data. Richard S. Lackey's Cite Your Sources: a manual for documenting family histories and genealogical records (Jackson, Miss: University Press of Mississippi, 1980) will explain proper documentation. Remember, an undocumented genealogy is almost worthless to subsequent generations and researchers.
3. Trust only the original records themselves and what they can teach you. Examine each record or document thoroughly.
4. Learn the history of your ancestors' homelands, it will help you determine immigration and migration patterns.
5. Much of your research will be done by correspondence. Learn to be specific in your requests.

Sources

Published Genealogies

The ideal for a beginning researcher would be to walk into a library or archives and find a genealogy for his or her family name already compiled by a reputable genealogist. Check local collections for family genealogies. If you find that all or part of your family has been traced already, be glad, but also be careful. You can trust the work reasonably well if a professional genealogist did it. Most often, however, some member of that family compiled the information and you have no way of knowing whether he or she was thorough and careful. If you have such a history, use it as a starting place, but check at each point to be sure the record is accurate and that references are given to the sources of the information.

Library of Congress. In addition to what you may find at your local library or archive, there are books that list published genealogies by surname. Two of these are:

• Genealogies Cataloged in the Library of Congress Since 1986 (Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, Cataloging Distribution Service, 1991) [Wilson Reference quarto Z688 .G3 L53x 1991].
• American and English Genealogies in the Library of Congress (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1919) [Wilson quarto 016.92 Un3a].

These bibliographies will indicate whether a genealogy has been published for your surname and placed in the Library of Congress or in another large genealogical library. Photocopies of those genealogies in the Library of Congress can be purchased from the Library of Congress.

Another source of published genealogies in the web. Many individuals now place their family trees or family stories (Example) on the Internet. You should always try a search of the net for your sur name. This works best if you have an unusual name--Smith will result in too many hits. As with the published bibliographies of genealogies, don't expect to find your family. If you do, use what you find as a guideline and a means to contact other researchers working on your family. Verify all information before accepting it as fact.

Chances are, however, that a genealogy has not been compiled for your family, so now the work begins.

Vital Records--Birth, Marriage, and Death

Vital records include birth, marriage, and death and are important sources of genealogical information.

Vital records may be found in a variety of depositories. However, records created prior to the 20th century may not be located easily. Each state began requiring statewide recording of vital statistics in different years. Addresses for county offices are available in:

• Bentley, Elizabeth Petty. County Courthouse Book (Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co.., 1995)
• Everton, George B. The Handy Book for Genealogists (Logan, UT: Everton Publishers)
• Ancestry's Red Book: American, state, county, and town sources (Salt Lake City: Ancestry Pub., 1992)

If you are unable to research in the county where your ancestors lived, check the library or archives for indexes to, or published lists of, early vital records. You may be lucky and find a county whose records have been transcribed.

For vital records from the 20th century, the publication Where to Write for Vital Records (Hyattsville, MD: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, 1992) gives the address, cost, and ordering information for each state's Bureau of Vital Statistics and indicates the years for which the records are available. For international vital statistics use: Kemp, Thomas Jay. International Vital Records Handbook (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1990) [Wilson Reference quarto CS42.7 .K46x 1990].

When writing for county records and documents, follow these guidelines:*

• Make your letters concise and to the point. Do not include more than one or two requests per letter.
• Provide complete information on the individual and the event.
• Be patient. County offices have limited personnel and resources.
• Always include a SASE (self addressed, stamped envelope).

Include the following information when writing to county offices:

Birth Record

• date of request
• full name of person (last name in CAPS)
• date of birth (if known); estimate decade if not known
• place of birth (if known)
• mother's maiden name (if known)
• father's name (if known)
• your relationship to person
• the reason the record is needed
• your name, address, telephone number, and signature

Death Certificate

• date of request
• full name of deceased (last name in CAPS)
• date of death (if known); estimate decade if not known
• place of death (if known)
• your relationship to person
• the reason the record is needed
• your name, address, telephone number, and signature

Marriage Certificate

• full name of husband (last name in CAPS)
• full name of wife (last name in CAPS)
• date of marriage (if known)
• place of marriage
• your relationship to the couple
• the reason the record is needed
• your name, address, telephone number, and signature

In the state of Minnesota, vital records are kept in the county courthouses. In some counties, birth and death records were kept beginning about 1870. In 1908 the Minnesota Department of Health (717 Delaware Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55440) began keeping duplicate birth and death records. To verify current fees, call (612) 623-5121.

* From Vital Record Information State Index.

Preparing for a Trip to the County Courthouse or Local Library**

At some point you will make a trip to a county courthouse, library, or archive to locate documents and information. Follow these tips to make sure you're prepared when you get there.

1. Call before you go to find out what days and hours they are open. Make sure they are open to the general public and find out if you need to pay any fees. If you own a portable computer, ask if it is allowed and if there is an electrical outlet (you may need to bring an extra battery). Ask for directions and parking information.
2. Pack a briefcase for your trip. Bring pens and pencils (some libraries and archives do not allow the use of pens), paper, file folders, and any genealogical information of your own that you may need (e.g., names, dates, places).
3. Bring at least one roll of quarters. You may need to make photocopies, use lockers, feed parking meters or purchase a snack from a vending machine.
4. If possible, set aside a day when you have several hours free--and start early.

Remember:

1. Vital records may not be available in some states and counties before the 20th century. Check at the county and then the state level.
2. Start your vital record examination with yourself and work backward through each generation.
3. Common names may present a problem in obtaining vital records. When requesting copies of vital records, be as specific as possible and include names, dates, locations, etc. Also, double check all documents to make sure they are reasonable. For example, a woman born in 1890 would not marry in 1900. Since this is not a reasonable age for marriage, either the birth record or marriage record belongs to someone else. Also, watch out for nicknames. Emelia Roman may be married under the name Millie Roman and die using the name Emily.
4. The person completing the record may have given inaccurate information either deliberately or through ignorance. This is especially true for illegitimate births or shotgun weddings.

**From Family Tree Maker Online.

Census Records

Federal Census

The federal census, mandated by the U.S. Constitution, originally was to be an enumeration of inhabitants. However, it has evolved to much more than a count of the number of people living in our country. Federal census records can be used to pinpoint the locations of family members within a state or county and to obtain information about other family members. From 1790 to 1840, the only information requested on the censuses was the name of the head of the household and the number of family members between certain ages. Beginning with the 1850 census, other family members are listed by name and age with occupations given. Some subsequent censuses list where the individual was born, where his or her parents were born, the number of years of education and even whether the individual owned or rented property. Remember, census information is only as reliable as the person giving it. It should be used to locate a person during a specific time, not as proof of any vital information.

Twenty-one U.S. censuses have been taken. For privacy reasons, the census is made available to the public 72 years after it was taken. As a result, the latest census available is the 1920.

Census indexes may be found in local and regional historical societies and libraries. Microfilm indexes and census films may also be ordered through LDS Family History Centers. The following books may be of use when using census records:

• Hamilton, Ann B. Researcher's Guide to United States Census Availability, 1790-1910 (Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1987) [Wilson CS49 .H36x 1987].
• Stemmons, John D. The United States Census Compendium; a directory of census records, tax lists, poll lists, petitions, directories, etc. which can be used as a census (Logan, UT: Everton Publishers, 1973) [Wilson Reference quarto E180 .S74x 1973].

Drawbacks to Using the U. S. Census

• The first census was taken in 1790. Therefore, there is no enumeration prior to that date.
• The earliest censuses asked very few questions and will provide very little information of genealogical value.
• Parts of several censuses have been lost or destroyed. Most notably, much of the 1790 census was destroyed during the War of 1812 and the 1890 census was almost totally destroyed by fire and water damage. The loss of the 1890 is especially frustrating for those trying to locate immigrants who came to this country between 1880 and 1900.
• Often census takers were poorly trained. They may have left families off the census due to carelessness and sometimes they didn't ask all the questions or accepted incomplete answers.
• The information is often inaccurate. It may have been given by a child or neighbor. Incorrect answers may be due to poor memory or lack of understanding the questions.
• Illegible handwriting can be a big problem.
• Poor microfilm quality.
• The need to know where the person lived in order to find out where the person lived. A vicious circle.

Soundex

The Soundex system, and the related Soundmaster and Miracode systems, is a means of accessing individual census records using letter sounds rather than by straight alphabetical order. In this system, letters with similar sounds are given a code number. This enables one to find an individual even if the spelling of the surname has changed over time.

The codes are:

• Vowels (a, e, i, o, u, y) and w and h are not coded
• First letter of the surname isn't coded
• Double letters are treated as one letter. This also includes letters that are given the same value. For example, Jackson. The letters c, k, and s are all the same value. Therefore, Jackson should be coded J-250.
• The Soundex code must be three letters; add zeros if less than three
• Prefixes such as Van, Von, De, Di, Le or La may or may not be coded.
• Check the name using both. Mc and Mac are not considered prefixes and will be included in the surname.

Examples:

Tip: To find your own Soundex code, look at your Minnesota driver's license. The beginning of your license number is your Soundex code.

State Censuses

Many states, Minnesota included, conducted their own censuses during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Check with the historical society of the state you are researching to determine whether state censuses are available. These censuses are especially useful during the 1880-1900 time period. The federal census for 1890 was destroyed, so there is a 20 year period between available censuses. Families can move several times during a twenty year period.

Minnesota conducted censuses in 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, and 1905. Microfilms of both the federal census (Minnesota only, 1850 through 1920) and Minnesota state censuses are available at the Minnesota History Center, St. Paul, Minn. Be warned, not all state censuses have indexes. If your ancestor lived in a city large enough to have a city directory, first find his or her address, determine in which precinct he or she lived, and search that precinct's state census films first. For cities the size of Minneapolis, St. Paul or Duluth, this method will help you avoid searching the whole city's census.

Continue to Part 2

Page comments: Janet M. Roseen