Family tree - any advice

[FussyElmo]

Ok I have started to do my family tree and I know some of you on here do theirs - so any advice for me.

Gone great guns on my mums side but struggling with my dads :)

[Ms WG]

Never take anyone words on what they think is correct - always double check and back everything up

FreeBMD and familysearch.org - church of the latter day saints are free sites but worthwhile paying a small subscription for Ancestry.co.uk and accessing everything through there.

I went way back on mine and am distantly related through marriage to George Washington but through blood to his nephew Bushrod Washington who was Supreme Governer of the US Courts and has an Island named after him ! George Washington's will has several of my blood ancesters named in it :-)

[Pipsqueak]

Tips:

be patient and diligent
work your way backwards and evidence everything - even the MOSt certain of peoples memories and recollections can get distorted over the years!

realise you are not going to collate all the evidence and lineage all at once - you will run out of online sources and will have to start visiting place

recognise that some of what you may come up with may be upsetting, unknown to other, unappreciated, shocking - you may be rattling those skeltons in cupboards and you might become rather unliked in the family

its a costly and time consuming exercise

its addictive and infuriating - you will encounter 'brick walls' and may have to accept that you cannot get any further

share your information carefully and sensitively
don't take another researchers research as gospel - they may have gotten it wrong too! Ensure you see their 'proof'

enjoy!

[The Juggler]

ooh how interesting hon. no advice as never done one but good luck. isn't there an internet site which can help?

[Pipsqueak]

ooh how interesting hon. no advice as never done one but good luck. isn't there an internet site which can help?

There are loads of good sites to help get you started if you are interested chick. Genes REunited is a good starting place, Ancestry is worth the subs, (Scotlands People as well if you have those roots), FreeBMD and associated sister sites.

I would throughly recommend going out to get the magazines for family history.

Oh another tip - don't expect miraculous results like they get on WDYTUA... you can't just waltz into a musuem or library and order up certificates or viewings of documents, nor are there 'on tap' people available.

Join local Family History Societies as well - they are a wealth of information.


I am sure I can think of more tips along the way