New Year's Beginnings, Start Anew, To Do List

New Year's Beginnings, Start Anew, To Do List for January

Want to have a more successful year?  Start reviewing what you have done in the past year or years, depending on how much you accomplished this last year.

Someone years ago said to start anew in January and it was some of the best advice I have been given.

Sometimes we get so much information at once we do not place it properly in a timely manner, we neglect to go back and fix little things. They then can become huge things in the program.

1. Print out your 5 Generation Chart.

2. See who or what is missing what in each generation

3. Check Birth records, should be easily available for the first 3 generations, generally.
    Older generations may not have birth records, though Churches may have Baptismal information.

4. Death records are they complete for the first 3 and should be complete for the first 5.
    This information can be found in many places besides Death Certificates. Church Bulletins,   
     obituaries in newspapers, family bibles, memorial cards, etc.

5. Marriage Records,  the one thing almost everyone kept track of.  Court houses, churches,
    newspapers, bibles, marriage announcements, social security, are the most common of areas.

6.  Bible Records, review that you have included all information.

7.  Land Records, much data in older  land records.*

8. Census Records,

9. Tax Lists, school tax, road tax, town maintenance tax, etc

10. School Records

11. Probate Records

12. Wills or Estate Records

13. Historical Records, references to serving in a major battle or jury or town council, church council,
      School Boards, service to the state or country.

14. Medical Records, Civil War has many that can help families learn of families inherited traits.

15. Newspapers, near the area they lived and area they came from.  Many do not check the 2nd.

16. Court records from various offices the county may have, Guardianship, etc.**

17. Hospital's and Asylum's

18. Pauper's Homes, many times run by Churches or towns. Sometimes this is a tax in that town.

19. Archives, Libraries, not just a genealogy library but college library, town library, etc.

20. Message boards, on line sources, my favorite is rootsweb.com lists, started by  my deceased friend John Fuller long ago. Yes, it is part of Ancestry but that part is free. No charge at all.

Modern type of information could be Baby Books, Older records showing proof can be hand written journals for verification of situation or time.  Journals are important and many do not write one or use them.

Another suggestion is to do the 5 Generation chart with yourself at the beginning then do it with your parent at the beginning.  Here is an age factor learning experience.  No, you do not have a death date if the person has not passed.  Alas, many of us have already experienced that and do.


* My next post, will describe how critical a land record can be.

**  Included will be the need for the Guardianship information. Any child whose parent dies before they are 18 are in need of a Guardian being appointed. Early records through today.



RootsWeb.com Home Page  Truly become familiar with all the assistance on this page.
Message boards, mailing lists, search engines, sources and much more.

SusiCP@cox.net