Many people are interested in past generations, especially their own family lines. Who they were, what they did and why, where they lived — can be a source of information that makes an individual proud and eager to research further.
Genealogical research takes time, energy, and resources. It means doing considerable planning to reach the desired results. Some questions to be considered: Research a single person or the whole person? The present generation, the past generations, or the future generations? What should be done if some information is missing? Begin with the person being researched and go back in history, or start with the earliest person in history and come ahead to the present? Many books and family-line charts can help, or a person can create his or her own.
After an outline is planned, then it’s necessary to know where to find the information. People starting in genealogical research today are fortunate if they have access to a computer since much genealogical data is on the World Wide Web. Many sources of help are located in hometowns throughout the U.S. and the world. Libraries and religious institutions (such as Mormon libraries) often have valuable help and family records. Courthouses can help with citizenship and census records. Professional organizations such as the Tyrone Area Historical Society, the Blair County Historical Society, and the Altoona Genealogical Society are excellent sources of help. Talking with people and sharing information can result in new leads.
Don’t forget to scrutinize the home of the family being researched. Keep records of what is found, put them in chronological order, and then decide what is needed and where to start. Index cards are useful for storing information about each item found.
This article focuses on “sources of information” — many things often found in family homes that might be overlooked.
The family Bible often is a great source of information. Some families use the Bible to record major events. Be sure to check the publication date, where published, the owner, and any clippings found in it. Many books found on shelves and tables often have inscriptions on the flyleaf giving names, dates, and comments. Other things often found in homes are journals, autograph books, licenses, insurance policies, and photographs (hopefully with names and dates on them).
Birth, marriage, and death certificates and announcements will give names and dates, many of which give the location of the event. From obituaries can be found a summary of a person’s life, other family members living and deceased, the date and cause of death, the location of the funeral service, and the place of internment.
School records reveal educational experiences. These include school locations, diplomas, clubs, clippings of activities, athletic events, yearbooks, and artifacts — and later, class reunions. Social Security and pension records reveal where and when a person was employed.
Because of the country’s wars, military artifacts give data about armed forces, service records, pensions, any disability, date of discharge, awards and medals earned, and service uniforms.
Citizenship and naturalization papers, passports, and visas are important for certain kinds of jobs and proof that people belong in the United States. Legal documents such as wills, property tax bills, federal and state tax returns, notarized contracts, auto registrations, and driver licenses can be used for identification.
Inspect household items such as needlework, quilts, and samplers with dates as part of their design along with jewelry that is engraved or has insignias on it.
The contents of dresser drawers and boxes can be a great help to the genealogical researcher. Examine them carefully before passing them by or throwing them out. They could contain an important link in the family history.
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