How to Trace Your Family Tree

"I almost got shot by Al Capone". At least that's what Grampa said happened. "He threw his gun at me when it got jammed and sped off." Remember those yarns your grandparents used to spin? Well, there may be some truth to those tall tales yet. Genealogy can be a rewarding and challenging hobby, and a way to discern the truth from fiction. I've been doing it for over 15 years now, and I still love it. There's always something new and interesting to uncover. Much like a puzzle, you get to be the detective and put together the pieces of your own real life mystery story. Where did you come from? Why do all the boys have the middle name Ezekiel? Why does your dad keep an antique sword under the couch?

If you've never tried tracing your family tree before, there are a few things I recommend getting together. You can do all of this without a computer, but it's going to be a lot easier if you do use one. You are going to need a good family tree software program, a notebook, and any documents you have about your family, such as birth, marriage, and death records, old family pictures, diaries, or other family memorabilia.

Let's talk about a good family tree software program. There are several out there on the market, and if you're interested in spending a lot of money go ahead. However, the best one is free of charge, downloadable from (www.familysearch.org). I'm not trying to put in a plug for the Mormons, but this is what they know how to do best - find ancestors. I've tried several other family tree software programs, and they are all a waste of money. The only extra thing you get is a prettier user interface and fancy ways to make a book, or posters, or whatever. However, if you just need a good way to keep track of names, dates, pictures, and notes, the Personal Ancestral File (PAF) software is the best bang for your buck (did I mention it's free?).

The next step after installing the program is to start entering information. What do you know most about? That's right, yourself. Enter your name, birthdate, place, etc. Dig up your birth certificate, marriage certificate, and other vital documents if you don't remember. If you don't know some of your own vital information (e.g., maybe you're adopted) then that's a good place to start hunting. If you have children or grandchildren, enter their information too. Pretty soon you'll have already started shaping your tree.

Now that you've entered everything you know about yourself and your children, you can start branching out. What about your siblings and their children? Add your parents. Scan in pictures of your family to make it more fun.

Let's say you have entered all that you know and could find buried in the attic or under the bed or wherever you keep old family stuff. You probably have several questions glaring at you from your screen or notebook. There are several directions you can go. If you are still in the twentieth century timeframe, I would recommend ordering each ancestor's birth, marriage, and death certificates. You can do this by contacting the county clerk where the event happened. They often will make copies for genealogy that are less expensive than official copies of such records. You will have to pay a fee, somewhere in the range of $10 - $20 depending on the county and state. In most cases, you can even order these online. Sometimes they ask for a copy of your driver's license and state how you are related. Once you receive the copies, you can often see information like maiden name, birth place and date, parents' names, etc.

Another good source of genealogical information is the U.S. Census. Taken every ten years since 1790, this is a great way to track your family's whereabouts. The information is opened up to the public 70 years after the census is taken. Note that there is different information for each census. The early years only showed the name of the head of household (usually the father or husband) and only counts of other females or males in the family. Later the names and specific ages of all family members were added to the list, as well as place of birth, occupation, and whether they could read or write. Unfortunately, most of the 1890 census was lost in a fire. You can access the U.S. Census online for a fee; I would recommend subscribing to (www.ancestry.com) to start with. They offer a yearly subscription fee around $150 or a monthly payment plan, $12 - $25, depending on what databases you want to access. I cringe at paying for sites like this, which is a gathering together of many databases. However, it is a convenient central location to look for family information, which is why I do recommend it. If you are a curmudgeon, you can order the microfilm for the census you are interested in through your local library by inter-library loan, usually for free or a small fee. This takes longer and involves you figuring out how to use the microfilm reader, but it can be a cost-savings if you are willing to wait.

If your parents were immigrants in the early twentieth century, then most censuses will not help you in your genealogy search. One free source for you is to check if your ancestor came through Ellis Island at (www.ellisisland.org). Registration is required, but free, and you gain a wealth of information. If you are lucky and one your ancestors did go through here, then you can even see an image of the original ship manifest. This manifest offers a lot of great information like final destination, the name of the person they are meeting, place of birth, and name and relationship of closest relative in the old country. This was how I found my great-great grandfather's name! Note the handwriting is atrocious, but you can zoom in on the image by clicking on the lower right hand corner zoom feature.

Hopefully, after all of this, you will have the beginnings of an interesting and beautiful family tree. You may have even developed an addiction to genealogy! One thing I would like to add before leaving you: don't forget to make it personal. Names and dates are great, but if that's all you have it makes for a sterile story. Try interviewing older members of your family to get great tales of what went on way back when. They will love the company and you can gain a new perspective on your family. Either tape record (ask first!) or take notes of your interview, and type it up somewhere for posterity. Often, these family members will be so thrilled you are interested, they will share lovely photos or reproductions of photos with you, and you might even make a new friend. I've found that sometimes your search for who you are is a stepping stone to bringing the family closer together. And just because a story sounds too good to be true, write it down anyway. I still don't know if Grampa really got shot at by Al Capone, but I did find a small silver gun in his dresser...

Good luck ancestor hunting!