Genealogical Society of Marion County

1.	Genealogy is the search for our ancestors. Family history is the study of the lives they led. Using the information from each area provides us with a true picture of our family.
2.	First marriages can be estimated at 24 years for a man and 21 years for a woman.
3.	Look for name variations. Check variant spellings. Phonetics and imagination were often used.
4.	There is no greater legacy for your children and grandchildren than teaching them about the history and lives of their ancestors.
5.	Tracing the family medical history helps your children and grandchildren to take preventive measures with their own health.
6.	Everyone has a mother and a father. Female and male lines are equally important.
7.	When taking notes… use standard size paper, one surname per page, records source(s) so you can find it again and the date and place of your research.
8.	Use only accepted abbreviations (no homespun stuff).
9.	Understand the basic terminology.
10.	Think “out of the box” for surname spelling variations. Surname spelling standardization didn’t begin until the early 1900s. Many people were unable to read or write or spell!
11.	The Research Log is very important for keeping a record of the source of every piece of information you collect
12.	An ancestor is a person from whom you are descended. A descendant is a person who is descended from an ancestor. A relative is someone with whom you share a common ancestor but who is not in your direct line.
13.	Make a list of all your living relatives when starting your genealogy research. Interview every one of them.
14.	When interviewing a relative, etc., be prepared with a list of questions. Use a tape recorder or take very good notes. Respect the person’s privacy.
15.	Remembering every letter you write is impossible. Use a Correspondence Log!
16.	Write down your sources of information. Who/what told you? This is documentation. From this, you will be able to find the source again, if you - or anyone else - need to do so.
17.	The practice of double dating resulted from the switch from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar.
18.	Banns of marriage are a public announcement in a Christian parish church of an intended marriage. The announcement is made three successive Sundays.
19.	Civil records are created by and for a governmental agency.
20.	A Fact is something known to exist, be true, or have happened.
21.	Use timelines to find holes in your research.
22.	The term Junior did not always mean the son of. Sometimes it identified the younger of two persons in a locality with the same name.
23.	Maps of all kinds are important to your family research.
24.	A common ancestor is the mutual ancestor of two or more persons.
25.	The term Senior may not refer to a person's father, but to the older of two persons in a locality who have the same name.
26.	In early American History, the term "son-in-law" referred to one's step-son or the husband of one's daughter.
27.	Joining a genealogy society in the location you are researching is a good idea!
28.	When doing field research never use water-based pens. A few drops of rain can be lethal to your notes.
29.	When doing field research "Posted" does not mean "except for genealogists".
30.	When searching old cemeteries, always check outside the fence. Many criminals, "sinners" and those of mixed races were buried outside the cemetery proper.
31.	Evaluate the information that you find. Don't just stick it in a file.
32.	Make sure you cite your sources!
33.	Remember to keep your information organized.
34.	Search from the known to the unknown.
35.	Record every search, good or bad, on your research log.
36.	Cite enough information so another person could easily find the source later.
37.	Minimum identification includes: name, birth date and birthplace of an ancestor.
38.	Keep track of the alternate spellings of the surnames you are searching.
39.	"Genealogy of Place" is vital to your research. Determine where the town/county/state is located and how boundaries have changed over time.
40.	When researching your family history, keep an open mind!
41.	Take the time to read a book about doing genealogy.
42.	Organization is critical as you compile the information you've found.
43.	If you are visiting a library for the first time, ask the librarian for a tour of their holdings.
44.	Most public records will be found at courthouses or state vital statistic archives.
45.	Child bearing years for women in previous generations ranged from age 13 to 48.
46.	Large gaps between children can indicate other children not identified, divorce or early death.
47.	In some families you will find children named after older brothers/ sisters who died.
48.	Make photocopies and store original valuable documents in a safe deposit or fireproof box.
49.	When transcribing a record or document, copy it EXACTLY as found, even if words are not spelled as they are today.
50.	Some families record the most important events in their lives in a Family Bible.
51.	There is no central depository for Colonial Records. They are scattered among the 13 original states.
52.	Patience is a virtue that will serve you well.
53.	Given names can have many variations in spelling as well as surnames.
54.	Strive to obtain primary sources for each event.
55.	If you don't find an ancestor in an index, it doesn't mean that a record for your ancestor does not exist.
56.	Store your original documents in a safe place apart from your working files.
57.	Write your family history for future generations.
58.	Develop a research plan.
59.	Analyze, analyze and analyze again.
60.	Check original records whenever possible.
61.	Network with other researchers.
62.	Every family's story is unique.
63.	Sometimes it's not the people who move, but the boundaries.
64.	Take advantage of genealogy classes, workshops, seminars and conferences.
65.	A free Soundex converter is available at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com.
66.	Check out: thegenealogyguys.com.
67.	In City Directories look at who lived near your ancestor. Were they relatives or neighbors from the same home town?
68.	Genealogy is the study of family heritage.
69.	Finding out as much as possible about our ancestors is the ultimate goal of research endeavors.
70.	Genealogy research generates paperwork.
71.	Your ultimate success in your family research will depend upon organizing this information into a readily accessible format. Any researchers use genealogy software programs to organize their information.
72.	To be successful in genealogy research, one must have the ability to plan each research step, and organize the information you find there.
73.	Clues found in multiple types of primary and secondary records, indexes and sources must be investigated.
74.	DO NOT take original documents on your research trips. Make copies instead.
75.	When inputting research information into a computer genealogy software program, do not discard the paper copies of your research. If your computer ever crashes, you will still have your research information.
76.	An "Ahnentafel" (German for Ancestor Table) chart is a version of a pedigree chart which is written out.
77.	Keep an alphabetical Surname List of ancestor surnames you are researching and take with you while researching.
78.	Start with what is known. Always work from the known facts to the unknown.
79.	The study of genealogy will enable you to learn about your family and your place in that family, to leave a legacy for your children and grandchildren
80.	Meaningful genealogy requires thought and more importantly, focus. Develop a plan – “Why am I doing genealogy?” Set goals for what you plan to accomplish in a reasonable time period i.e. go back four generations, go back to the immigrant ancestor, do only my father’s male line, etc.
81.	Each generation doubles the number of ancestors. It’s easy to get lost if you don’t plan ahead to reach your goal. Focus on one or two families so you do not become overwhelmed. The other families will be there when you are ready for them.
82.	Organize from the beginning in a system that suits your needs, but in which you can quickly and easily find information when you need it. If your system doesn’t work, change it.
83.	Make a list of all living relatives when you start your genealogy research. Interview each of them. Be prepared with a list of questions. Use a tape recorder for the answers or take very good notes. Respect the person’s privacy, but do not delay; relatives have a nasty habit of dying before being interviewed.
84.	When writing to a relative or other researcher for information, make specific requests. However, ask open ended questions. Offer to share your information.
85.	A person who dies "intestate" dies without a valid will.
86.	There is genealogy beyond the internet! While the internet is one, very convenient, tool, it is not the only tool. Check out online library catalogs, then visit the library to access the book or request an inter-library loan.
87.	By the time you have collected data on a couple hundred of your relatives, you will realize that genealogy software would make keeping track of relationships within your tree, filing data about individuals, and generating reports much easier. The Society maintains current versions of the most popular programs at our library, with sample data, so you can compare features as well as the “touch and feel” before you make a purchase decision.
88.	Allowing approximately 28 years per generation provides reasonably accurate estimates.
89.	The Family Group Sheet identifies a couple and their children. Everyone with a spouse or child has two group sheets – one as a child with parents and usually one as a parent with children.
90.	The Pedigree Chart is a map from you to your ancestors. Begin with yourself. Females always use their maiden names.
91.	Surnames began in Europe about the 11th century. They developed as trade increased. The four basic groups of surnames are the patronymic (based on the father’s name), landscape features or place names, action or nicknames, and occupational or office names.
92.	When it comes to spelling variations, be creative. Often clerks and government officials were unable to correctly record the names given them by unschooled immigrants not familiar with languages used in their port of entry. The surname was written down as the official heard it and the immigrant accepted that as the official American rendering of his name.
93.	A time line begins with your ancestor’s birth and is filled in with various events in his life. Continue to fill this in as information becomes available to provide a picture of your ancestor’s life. Several of the genealogy software programs assist you with this.
94.	Use maps. County and state lines changed from time to time. Don't forget to check surrounding counties.
95.	Pay attention to chronology. How young or old is the mother? Is there a generation missing?
96.	Stuck on an ancestor? Don't forget to trace other family members, e.g. brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles.
97.	Review and evaluate. Are there facts that don't fit or are missing? Go back and review and re-evaluate.
98.	Use information passed down by word of mouth as a clue, not as a fact.
99.	Undocumented family genealogies and county histories can contain truth and errors.
100.	It is not unusual to find the same name in different states at the same time.
101.	Lineage societies' books should be used as a guide only as the information may not be correct.
102.	Obituaries - don't limit your scope of your research to just the deceased. You may find a relative in the list of survivors or pre-deceased...or pallbearers.
103.	These clues help place your relatives at a specific place and a specific time in many cases!