Today is Sunday
Sep 07, 2008
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A family affair |
| | Posted on Sunday, April 01, 2007 | | | |
Your family is worth looking into, even the members who lived a few hundred years ago.
Genealogy—the study of one’s ancestry—was discussed during a recent class at the Center for Continuous Learning (CCL) at Tallgrass Creek in Overland Park.
Donald and Elaine Alexander from Paola, Kan., make a habit of attending CCL’s classes. They will be moving into Bluebird Crossing at Tallgrass Creek later this year.
Donald Alexander had already started researching family history and was interested in learning about how to do more.
“I come here so I can visit with some of the people we are going to be living with,” Elaine Alexander says. They joined more than 30 of their potential neighbors at the CCL class presented by Angela McComas, a genealogist at the Mid-Continent Public Library in nearby Independence, Mo. She gave tips and advice on how to start a genealogy project.
“How to stop a genealogy project, I haven’t figured out yet,” McComas says. According to McComas, there are ten steps that beginners need to follow.
10 steps for genealogy research
1. Start with what you know.
Begin your research with yourself and your immediate relatives. Start with the present and work your way back.
2. Write dates and places correctly.
When recording information, go from the most specific to the most general. For example, 13800 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, Johnson County, Kansas, United States. 1 April 2007.
3. Capitalize surnames.
This helps you recall whether your ancestor was Thomas Henry or Henry Thomas. The correct way to record Thomas Henry would be Thomas HENRY. | |
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4. Use maiden names.
No matter how many times a woman changes her name, she should be known in records by her maiden name.
5. Write down and double check all the information you find.
6. Always cite your sources.
Be sure to write down enough information on the source so you can find it again.
7. Be organized and consistent.
Suggestions for filing included using one sheet of paper for each family name or organizing by types of material. For example, if there are many deeds from one county there might be a file just of that information. Use high-quality paper and black permanent ink.
8. Use as many resources as possible.
Look at a variety of sources: government, churches, and military records. Look for diaries, newspaper clippings, wills, scrapbooks, baby books, yearbooks, and funeral cards.
9. Treat sources like treasured heirlooms.
Put documents in protective coverings, but make sure the packaging states they are “acid-free, archival-safe.” If the document is bulky, put it in an acid-free older or separate documents with tissue paper. Light, humidity, and dirt are the three main enemies of documents.
10. Ask for help.
There is a lot of help available from places including libraries and websites.
There is a lot of information out there to gather, McComas says, and there are many resources to help you find out about the people who made you what you are today.
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| Ann's Choice - Warminster, PA | | Brooksby Village - Peabody, MA | | Cedar Crest - Pompton Plains, NJ | | Charlestown - Catonsville, MD | | Eagle's Trace - Houston, TX | | Fox Run - Novi, MI | | Greenspring - Springfield, VA | | Henry Ford Village - Dearborn, MI | | Hickory Chase - Hilliard, OH | | Highland Springs - Dallas, TX | | Linden Ponds - Hingham, MA | | Maris Grove - Concord, PA | | Monarch Landing - Naperville, IL | | Oak Crest - Parkville, MD | | Riderwood - Silver Spring, MD | | Seabrook - Tinton Falls, NJ | | Sedgebrook - Lincolnshire, IL | | Tallgrass Creek - Overland Park, KS | | Wind Crest - Denver, CO |
| Windsor Run - Charlotte, NC |
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