{"id":1830,"date":"2013-06-25T21:36:06","date_gmt":"2013-06-25T21:36:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lgsoregon.org\/lgswp\/?p=1830"},"modified":"2021-10-26T22:21:17","modified_gmt":"2021-10-26T22:21:17","slug":"tracing-your-family-tree-how-to-get-started","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lgsoregon.org\/lgswp\/archives\/1830","title":{"rendered":"Tracing your Family Tree \u2013 How to Get Started"},"content":{"rendered":"

History is important.\u00a0 We learn about history in school, but school does not teach us about knowing our own personal history.\u00a0 How exciting would those history classes have been if we knew our ancestors role in building our country, say as soldiers in the American Revolutionary War. Tracing your family tree is a fun project that puts you in touch with your family roots.<\/p>\n

Of course, like all projects, tracing your family tree takes a lot of work.\u00a0 It is all worth it though! \u00a0You never know what you will find and sometimes it can be quite revealing.\u00a0 Whether you are starting your family history project on your own, or just gathering information to present to a genealogist to assist you; this article will help you start looking for your ancestors.<\/p>\n

Make it a Family Project<\/i><\/p>\n

The best way to begin tracing your family tree is by talking to your family.\u00a0 Talk to all of your living relatives, both near and far \u2013 siblings, great uncles and third cousins.\u00a0 This is a good way to begin a family tree.\u00a0 Not only can you begin to chart and track your ancestors and gather up more information than you would have otherwise, but more importantly it brings your family together.\u00a0 Ask your relatives about any family stories they have heard.\u00a0 Overtime these stories may have become a little distorted, and in some case completely mythologized, but usually there is some truth to them, even if it is only a grain, but those grains create a rich tapestry of your family over time.\u00a0 These stories can provide clues that will help you or a genealogist trace your family line.\u00a0 Gather details about these stories and the people in them.\u00a0 Where they were born, what jobs did they have, were they in the military, what adventures did they have, what was their ethnic background, where did they come from?<\/p>\n

Focus on One Side of the Family at a Time<\/i><\/p>\n

If you are new to genealogy, you will probably be eager to trace your maternal and your paternal family lines.\u00a0 However, it can be overwhelming and confusing for the beginner family historian to try tracing both sides at once.\u00a0 Pick one side of the family to trace first.\u00a0 This makes your task easier by streamlining the scope of information and is less confusing when initially trying to document and organize information.\u00a0 As you gain more experience, you may want to shuffle between the two sides.<\/p>\n

Using the Internet<\/i><\/p>\n

Thanks to the internet, more and more information is readily available to family historians.\u00a0 The internet allows access to information that previously was available only by sifting through records in person.\u00a0 Technology has significantly enhanced the ability of family historians to trace their family trees. \u00a0Many free records are available such as on the\u00a0Family Search website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Some of the things that you want to look for online are:<\/p>\n