| Introduction to Genealogy | |
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While relatively few people are able to link themselves to families whose complete genealogies have been researched and published, it is well worth tracking down any previous research which may have been done on your family. Keep in mind as you find information, however, that previous research is considered a secondary source, and not proof on its own. Start with your family and see if their might be a relative who has already done some work on the family history. Previous research can also be found in the following sources:
Published
Family Histories & Genealogies
You may be able to find published books about your family in a
library
near where they lived or in a database
on the Internet or CD-ROM. The Family
History Library run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
(Mormons) in Salt Lake City, Utah, has satellite research centers around the
world where you can access their collections, as well as an online catalog of
their holdings. You can also contact a local genealogical
or historical society or, if you live in the U.S., search the Library
of Congress. Make sure that you verify that one of your known ancestors is
listed in the book and don't just make assumptions because it is about a family
with the same surname as yours. Before entering data from a published family
history or genealogy into your charts or database, be sure to try and verify it
on your own through primary source
records.
Local
Histories
If any of your ancestors were among the early settlers of a particular
community, town, county, parish or state, local histories may be invaluable as
sources of information. A good local history can give you insight into the
day-to-day life of your ancestors. Many also provide genealogies for many of the
early families in the community. The best places to find published local
histories are the local libraries, genealogical societies or historical
societies. The U.S. Library of Congress and the Family History Library in Salt
Lake City, Utah both have a large collection of local histories from around the
world.
Biographies
Some researchers are lucky enough to have ancestors with biographies written
about them. These may be either a complete biographical work or a page or so in
a book of compiled biographies. The same sources mentioned for local histories
also apply when searching for biographies. In addition there are many large
biography sites on the Net including Biography.com
and the World Biographical
Index.
Genealogical
& Historical Periodicals
Genealogical and historical magazines and journals are also good places to check
for previous research about your family. Many publish records, genealogies,
family trees and more for people who lived in the area which they cover. The Periodical
Source Index (PERSI), an index of articles which have appeared in
over 5000 different periodicals published in the U.S., Canada and around the
world, is a great resource when searching out possible articles about your
family. This index is available at many genealogy libraries, for purchase on
CD-ROM and in one of Ancestry.com's pay-for-use databases. Other sources include
large genealogy libraries as well as small, local genealogical & historical
societies.
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