How Do I Begin To Document and File Family History?
An Introduction: How do I begin to document and file family history
and genealogy, in preparation for computer online Internet publication?
 

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Preparing The Family History

Family Records & Traditions

CURRENT INFORMATION
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Preserving History
Videos and documents describing simple ways individuals
can preserve important historical items in their homes.
 

FAMILY HISTORY


 

Dan Rottenberg mentions in: Finding Our Fathers:
A Guidebook to Jewish Genealogy
, that individuals
need a degree of inner strength, since
genealogy is
a very lonely hobby: nobody is likely to be interested
in your particular family other than you and your
relatives.  This inner strength is found in the concepts
presented by
Norman Vincent Peale in his inspirational
bestseller:  The Power of Positive Thinking.  With belief
in yourself and expecting the best,  you are mentally
prepared to undertake genealogy research: personal
genealogy and family history.

Walter Rye, in his  A.D. 1897 edition of
Records and Record
Searching
, mentions the most critical, and very significant
point, that:  "In working up a pedigree you should always
begin with the earliest undoubted fact in your possession."
A reasonable self evaluation of one's own mind indicates
that doubt and belief upon a particular point of interest do
not exist in the mind at the same time.  Using only known,
undoubted facts generates mental power to solve personal
research problems in a relaxed, peaceful manner.  There is
a powerful inducement to believe in your own future after
literally and correctly determining your ancestors' past
accomplishments of survival as they relate to your present
condition and circumstance.

Each individual can, with proper education and training,
become proficient in genealogical research and have
the deep, satisfying experience of finding themselves
through the correctly related experiences of their ancestors.

New to computers or genealogy?
  Welcome to Gen-Newbie.

In the Genealogical Journal, formerly published by the Utah
Genealogical Association
for March-June 1976, an article
appeared ("Introduction to Professional Genealogy"),
as written by
John F. Vallentine, Editor.  He mentions that
professional genealogy-and all genealogical endeavors
generally-can be placed in two major categories:

(1) 
Record searching, involving the search of
      specified categories of records at specified
      locations and accurately reporting the contents
      of those records.
(2) 
Analysis, the examination of known,
      undoubted data on your individual
      pedigree in evaluation of your research
      objective; accomplishing record
      searching considered necessary;
      analyzing the results of the searches
      as they pertain to the evaluated objective.

In performing one's own obligation to self, ancestry
and posterity, as well as to the general public at large,
(for those who publish), each individual must have
personal integrity in competently combining and producing
fundamentally correct, just and true findings from
the record sources reviewed.  This can be easily accomplished
by following current
professional genealogy standards, such as:

      A.  Explaining research steps taken;
      B.  Listing sources searched;
      C.  Giving citations of documents supporting your
           oral or written compilation; and,
      D. 
Obtaining and presenting all essential information
           to allow others  to carry on further research, at your
           suggestion, without unnecessary duplication of
research
           already performed by you or from sources known to you.
           Keep a Chronicle of Life™ - Save Your Memories Forever.

In an individual's desire to achieve and maintain competence
in the compilation of a proper pedigree, an effort will
automatically be made to obtain a fundamental knowledge
of the history, legal statutes, social customs,  religion,
geography, and perhaps language acquisition for the area
of the ancestry involved.  This in turn will generally obtain,
with the aid of select genealogical guides and books, a good
working knowledge of pertinent genealogical record sources,
their content and availability (with the concurrent understanding
of their relative genealogical value), to achieve the goal of
establishing a correct pedigree.
*
Cyndi's List - Hit a Brick Wall?
*
Cyndi's List - Etiquette & Ethics
* Cyndi's List - How To
* Genealogy | Princeton Public Library
* How to "DO" Family History Research
*
Principles of Family History Research
* Research Process: Research Process
*
Starting Your Genealogy Research
* Your Family Legacy - Tips

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↑ upΛ PREPARING THE FAMILY HISTORY

Your families are unique.  Record the story of their family life.
The following guideline will assist you in compiling your
family histories:

I.   
OUTLINE:  A guide to important dates and
                       events in each family group lifestyle.

     
A.  Names in full.

      B.  Births - When (day, month, year) and where.

      C.  Parent's names in full and names of grandparents.

     
D.  Pre-school period - earliest memories,
           recollections of parents, older brothers and sisters,
           uncles and aunts, other relatives.
 
      E.  Childhood memories - early friends; schools; teachers;
           advisors; adventures; dreams of the future.

      F.  Young adulthood - thoughts on growing up; home life;
           high school days; choice of residences, college or work
           and the reasons for each choice; educational,
           governmental or military experiences.

      G.  Courtship and marriage.

      H.  Children - where born; church christenings or blessings,
           circumcisions, children's personality development as
           they grow; hopes and aspirations for the children;
           awards received.

      I.   Vocations - jobs held; preparation for life's work;
           success in work, awards and special recognition.

     
J.  Church/Synagogue activities - positions held and
           services given.

     
K.  Political or Civic activities - positions in organizations
           held and services given.

     
L.  Religious convictions with spiritual or faith promoting
           experiences.

      M.  Various plans and hopes for the future.


II.   FILE SYSTEM:  Set up a file system in which you chronologically
      
deposit the material (hardcopy) you have and that which
      you will gather in the future, for each family group.

      A.  Suggested file systems:
In a Pile or a File
           1(a).  Use
binders divided by time period for each area of interest; or,
             (b).  Use small boxes with each box representing a time in
                    the group family life such as  pre marriage experiences,
                    beginning married life, family formation, child rearing,
                    middle years, retirement; or,
             (c).  Use manila
folders by time period, for each area
                    of interest.
           2.      Use a computer software program, or establish a set
                    of index cards, divided into appropriate sections.
                    Catalog in alphabetical order all family surnames
                    and given names, locations, or Key Words, contained
                    in your binders, boxes or folders.


      B.  File your materials according to the categories you have
           selected in your filing system.   This is the basic format for
           the recording of a written or oral Family Group History.

      C.  Choose a computer software program, such as those listed at
           the
Directory of Family History Software (Family Tree Maker,
           or TMG, etc.). 
Create, compile, organize
and upload your
           personal home page to obtain
world wide Internet coverage.


III.  FAMILY GROUP RESEARCH:  Gather the necessary information.
      [Step 1 for LDS (Mormon) Church Members: Identify Your Ancestors]

      A.  Living collective memory.  This is a great beginning source.

     
B.  Existing Records from the Family and from Genealogical Research.
           1.  Documents
           2.  Diaries
           3.  Family Records
           4.  Mementos and Family Tapestries
                [Note: use a scanner and enter all of the above items into
                a Computer Family History Program of your choice.]


IV.  WRITING SYSTEMS & HANDWRITING: Writing Family History
     
      A.  WRITING FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS and WRITING THE JOURNEY™
           1.  Make an outline from areas of interest in your filing system.
           2.  Use your own language and natural style,  interjecting
                language of the family time frame where available,
                for compilation from original record  sources.
           3.  Explain how and why things happened, maintaining
                the integrity of the original record sources, but always
                emphasizing the positive experiences.
           4.  Use good, simply
written expressions.

      B.  PERSONAL - ORAL HISTORY:
Personal History
           1.  To prevent rambling, make at outline from areas
                of interest,  obtained from your family filing system.
           2.  Use a high quality tape recorder or digital camcorder.
           3.  Record in a quiet, undisturbed location.
           4.  Record others and speak in a clear and natural voice.
           5.  Record musical or dramatic talent with
                appropriate background effects.
           6.  Add other people's voices who are important to each family group.
           7.  Make h
ome movies and memories with a camcorder, tape recorder, etc.
           8.  Convert
Home videos, sound files or other images to DVD.
                These can be stored in the
family history section of your own
                media library for later use in DVD players, or a Home theater PC.

           9.  References: EyeWitness to History
                History through the eyes of those who lived it.
                - Create a Biography Online and become part
                  of History through the eyes of those who lived it.
                  Include a Personal Health History.  See: The  Midwife's Tale
                  used as a Teacher's Guide for Active Learning.
                -
How to Care For Home Movies
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DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE VALUE OF THIS RECORD FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
Caring for Your Family Archives: How Do I Preserve My Family Papers?
Guide to Donating Your Personal or Family Papers to a Repository
Personal Archives and a New Archival Calling ---- Google™ Books
Publication provides basic advice on safeguarding family records.
Websites for Family History Beginners - FamilySearch Wiki

↑ upΛ FAMILY RECORDS & FAMILY TRADITIONS

INTRODUCTION: Learning Center
President David O. McKay: "I know of on other place where happiness
abides more securely than in the home.  It is possible to make home a
bit of heaven.  Indeed, I picture heaven as a continuation of the ideal
home." 
Inspirational Quotations (Ensign Magazine, May 1964, page 5)

"The Family: A Proclamation to the World": . . . . ."marriage between
a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central
to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children. . . . . . . . .
that God’s commandment for His children to multiply  and  replenish
the earth remains in force. . . . .  Marriage between man and woman
is essential to His eternal plan"; also
D&C 131: "Celestial marriage is
essential to exaltation in the highest heaven".  The Messiah, obeying
the will of the Father and fulfilling all righteousness, entered into this
order of the priesthood - - [meaning the new and everlasting covenant
of marriage]; knowing thereby that He was
sealed up unto eternal life,
by revelation and the spirit of prophecy, through the power of the Holy
Priesthood; Christ sitting upon the
throne at the right hand of the Father.

Living FAMILY and FUN Portal
Strengthen family ties with fun times, shopping, finances, home life,
working, education, recreation and social interactions worldwide.
-
Old Fashioned Living.com
  Brings old family traditions to modern families.
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MISCELLANEOUS RECORD SOURCES OF GENEALOGICAL INFORMATION
+ Encyclopedia of Genealogy
Index: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z É
+ RBMS Genre Terms - Thesaurus:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Ancestral Halls in Hong Kong, Asia Reveal Chinese History
Associations & Organizations
Award
Census Records
Church Records & Synagogue Records
Court Records
-
Family Law: Guide To Family Law
  - Adoptions
  -
Conservatorship
  -
How to Store Legal Documents
    Family bible records. family papers, journals,
    unrecorded deeds, wills, or any other
legal instrument.
  -
Legal Guardian
Cyndi's List - Lost & Found
Cyndi's List - Novelties & Gifts
Cyndi's List - Odds & Ends
Diary and old Letters
- diaries - Google™ Books
- List of Books on Diaries & Journals
Digging Up the Family Past (pdf)
Government Resources
Immigration & Migration Records
Land Records
Links to Original Records
Military Records
- Patriotic Organizations
Newsletters
Oral Tradition & History
-
Interviews
Obituaries and other Newspaper clippings
Photography & Digital Preservation
Published Histories
Quilting: Quilt History
- International Quilt Study Center & Museum
School Records
- Diploma
Scrapbooking: Scrapbook Portal
-
Cyndi's List - Scrapbooks
- SCRAPO™
  Digital online scrapbooking, with fully
  customizable drag-and-drop web interface.
-
YouTube - Scrapbooking for Beginners
  Design principles for scrapbooking.

Social Security
Tax Records
Telling Your Story
- Daytum™
  Free help to collect, categorize and communicate
  the most important everyday statistics in your life.
- Every Object Tells a Story
-
Imprint-The Online Community for Graphic Designers
  Expanding the design conversation.
  -
A Life's Work: The Life of George Felton
Vital Records
- Birth certificates
- Church baptismal and confirmation/synagogue data
- Death certificates, sexton/cemetery data
- Marriage certificates and wedding records
Wills
- Estate administration
- Inventories
Your Old Books
- Are old letters, scrapbooks, and documents valuable?
- Preservation?

  - Caring for Your Family Treasures: Heritage Preservation - Google™ Books
    Preserve heirlooms and other family keepsakes, including photo albums,
    clothing, leather, paper documents, scrapbooks, furniture, old silver,
    wedding gowns and dolls.
YouTube™ - Broadcast Yourself.™
Join the largest worldwide video-sharing community.
- AncestryCom's Channel‬‏
  -
AncestryAU's Channel
-
‪DearMYRTLE's Channel‬‏
- ‪FamilySearch's Channel‬‏
-
familytreemagazine's Channel
- GenealogieVideo's Channel‬‏
-
‪GenealogyGems's Channel‬‏
- genealogyscrounge's Channel‬‏
- MyHeritageLtd's Channel‬‏
- ‪PathstoYourPast's Channel‬‏
- ‪WorldVitalRecords's Channel‬‏
YouTube™ | Facebook®

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How Do I Begin To Document and File Family History? An Introduction.
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Copyright © 1997-2013  By: V. Chris & Thomas M. Tinney, Sr.
All rights reserved.  Email: vctinney@sbcglobal.net

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