We are in the midst of a rapidly growing, worldwide interest in family
history, thanks to the role the internet is now playing in making ancestral
records easily accessible from the comfort of one's own home. This book is a
must for every beginner wishing to trace his or her ancestral roots back in
time.
By following this book's user-friendly step-by-step guideline you will easily
be able to create your very own family tree and family history records - a
legacy that you and your family's future generations can be proud of.
By using this book, with its full-colour photographs and computer
screenshots, and its colour-coded panels of to-do actions, hints and tips, you
will quickly learn how to tackle each step along the way including:
- how and where to start the journey into your family's past
- how to use your computer to record information easily, the 'genealogy way'
- how to uncover more of your family history via relatives and public
records
- how to search specialised internet resources for ancestral information
- how to fill in missing details through online contact with other
enthusiasts
- how to put it all together in a professional-looking family tree
This book also offers internet access through its companion website to:
- free genealogy forms and charts
- free computer software for easy data capture and chart creation
This is the book needed for absolute beginners (of computers and genealogy)
of all ages.
Contents:
Read This Before You Start
- Genealogy: Fun and Surprises
- How to Use This Book
1. Getting Organised
- Genealogy Defined
- Overview of the Genealogy Journey
- Determine Your Longer-Term Objective
- Set Up Your Filing System
- Gather Your Tools of the Trade
- Download the Essential Tools
- Install the Genealogy Software
2. Starting Your Family Tree
- What Details to Record
- Starting With Yourself
- Citing Your Sources
- Validating Your Findings
- Gather Your Primary Source Documents
- Start Using the Personal Ancestral File
- Use the Standard Genealogy Conventions
- Enter Your Own Vital Details
- Add Any Marriage Details
- Add Any Children's Details
- Working in Different Software Views
- Deleting an Individual
- Printing Reports
- Back-up Your Data
- Becoming More Proficient with PAF
3. Developing Your Family History
- Entering Notes and Other Information
- Viewing an Individual's Notes or Multimedia
- Personal Interview Questions
- Browsing Through Family Archives
- Playing the Genealogical Detective Game
4. Researching Your Wider Family
- Prepare for the Interview
- Conducting the Interview
- Update Your Family Tree After Each Interview
- Contact Out-of-Town Relatives
- Maintain Correspondence and Research Records
- Use Your Index Cards for Cross-Referencing
- The Ahnentafel Numbering System
- Creating an Ahnentafel in PAF
5. Searching Public Records
- Set Clear Search Parameters and Goals
- Write Down Your Parameters and Goals
- Navigating the 18th Century Calendar Minefield
- Searching the Records
- Obtaining Certified Extracts From Original Documents
- Using the Internet
- Using the LDS Family History Library
- Benefiting from Online Collaboration
- Exchanging Files in GEDCOM Format
- Searching Census Records
- Optimizing Your Internet Searches
- LDS Family History Centres Worldwide
- Prepare for Your Field Trip
- National Government Repositories
- Searching at Cemeteries
- Getting Closer to the Goal
6. Some Useful Resources
- National Archives Addresses
- Other Internet Resources
Our Thanks and Acknowledgements
