best way to research ancestry?

[tbokay]

Yesterday morning, I drove my grandma to see my grandpa and uncle's gravesites and get them cleaned up before winter. I know my maternal grandpa's family history more than I know any other grandparent's ancestry.

I asked grandma some questions and she said we have family buried in 3 cemeteries in the area but can't recall accurate dates or locations of their headstones.

My grandpa only has 2 sisters left - one is on her death bed at the age of 96 and the other is 88 and cant remember names or dates anymore.

My dad is absolutely no help for his side of the heritage.

In high school I did a 5 page paper on my ancestry - but I can't find it!! :help:

I can't afford to join any sites on line and haven't found any free ones that are of any help. Any ideas or suggestions on researching ancestry?

[Trishann]

I did an generation chart due to my husband's mother passed away this year and out of six siblings only one is survived. Two of the siblings died last year. I knew it was my last chance to get any information correct.

I talked with spouse, cousins, aunts, uncles. See if you can find out who has the birth certificates, death certificates, and grave sites usually have the dates of birth and death on the head stone.

I spent over a year to get this information. Local libraries sometimes has death information and birth on newspapers slide, but you have to go where they were born or died. I forget the proper name for it, but you can ask the librarian about it

Hope you the Best on searching your family history.
Hugs, Trishann.

[ICNDonna]

If you have a Family History Library near you, most of those are free and they have census books where you can look at copies of the actual census sheets that used to be used before we went to the mail in forms.

If you know the religion of most of your family members, sometimes church records can be a help --- and most are free.

There are also some free sites for research on the internet. If you do a search for the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) you should find a free site that will tell you when an individual passed away if they were on Social Security.

I wish some of my grandparents were still around so I could ask them questions, but I didn't become interested in genealogy until they were all gone.

Good luck!
Donna

[Cali girl]

I agree with Donna on using the Family History Library. They have quite a lot of information including access to census records. I know I did some research at a local branch and they were wonderful. Ellisisland.org is a great website to search. I know some of the geneology websites are really expensive so I have avoided using them. It can be a slow process but it is fun when you find even the most smallest detail.:) I know I had called different cemetaries to find out where some of my family were buried. When I found the right cemetary the people were so helpful. They looked up my relatives and told me all of the information that they had on them.

[Trishann]

Hi, I just wonder if you are having any luck finding information on your ancestors.

The reason why I said, if you have cousins they might be able to help some, my husband's 2 cousins was able to give us information. We had pictures that no one knew who they were and she was able to identify them.

Also on some websites you can print out their form that you can mail to families to get information. That was really helpful to me.

If for some reason if you can't get the information, it would be good to start one with you and your family so the next generation will have the information.

I hope you can find the ancestor's chart you made at school. I also found information in newspapers recording the death. It tells who are their siblings and where the loved one died.

Hope you find some answers,
Hugs, Trishann

[Trishann]

I send an ancestry chart to a relative of my husband about a year ago, and had no respond to it. I have no information on this particular side of the family. Today I received this package from this relative. He is into this ancestry stuff and was full of information. I think that was so great. He gave me pictures of my husband's great-great grandfather and mother.

I know it probably seems silly but this is so important to my husband and I.
My husband was so broken up about his mother's death and I just wanted to do something he can hold on too. He was so excited about all of this.

Hugs, Trishann

[tbokay]

That is really cool that you got a package from a relative with pictures.
I sent an email to my family members asking for full name, birthday, anniversary/divorce, children's same info and grandkids, etc. As of today, no response from anyone ~ not even my mom! Didn't even ask for pictures, just names and dates. :shake:
I won't let that discourage me! I will find this information and figure it out .. it's like a giant 20,000 piece jigsaw puzzle, i just need to get the border put together and the rest will come together too. I can't wait to see the final picture that is changing year after year!

[Trishann]

Tara don't give up. I was like that at the beginning and it was almost a year to finish it of what information I did get. I also send out papers hoping I got them back, some I did, but not right away. Sometimes it just takes time for them to prepare it.

This information I got today was from a cousin. I couldn't believe how much he knew. Ask all relatives, you might be surprise.

It's strange because when I was finish with it, everyone wanted one.

Hope the best with your search, I know sometimes I got tired of it but alway went back and start seeking again.

Hugs, Trishann