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by © Cindy Thomson
Where Do I Start?
At home.
Start with yourself and your immediate family. Make sure you have
copies of birth, death, and marriage certificates. Then work outward
to your parents, your grandparents, and so on. Interview your
relatives while they are still alive. They have stories to tell
that will be lost if you don't.
At your local
library.
Most libraries have at least one
person who is well versed in genealogy. Find out who it is and
what resources/advice he or she might have.
In the local area
where you know you have roots.
Check county courthouses for vital
records (birth, death, marriage, tax records, legal documents.)
Local historical societies often have local histories and biographies
of early residents. In addition, check the local library for sources
of regional information.
The Internet.
After you've interviewed and collected
what you can, you're ready to explore the vast resources on the
Internet. If you know which area in which to point your sleuthing
skills, check out Cyndi's List, a library of sorts loaded with
hundreds of thousands genealogy links. But beware: just because
someone posts something on the Internet, doesn't mean the information
is reliable. Double-check sources. The Internet can be a good
source to find out what resources are available and to find contact
information for courthouses and libraries. Don't forget to look
for county Web sites where you can post a query. I've found lots
of distant cousins that way!
Societies
Try Local Societies and Ethnic Societies. There are many good
professional researchers. Your local librarian should be able
to put you in touch with one.
Check out these sites:
National
Genealogy Society (NGS)
American
Historical Society
Federation
of Genealogical Societies
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