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Sources
Previous Research (Secondary Sources, Compiled Records)
Research of other family members
Books
Online Data Bases
Original Records (Primary Sources)
Census Entries
Vital Records (Birth, Death Marriage)
Birth/Marriage/Death Certificate
Property Records, Deeds
Probate, Wills
Cemetery records/Headstones
Where to get help/information
Societies
Web
Databases
Message Boards
LDS Family Hisory Library
Correspondence/telephone/e-mail
Record Keeping
Basic Strategy
Start with Previous Research: Relatives, family history books, Internet Databases and
Message Boards and mail lists (I've even found 1st cousins who had information I didn't know about)
On your own: Once you reach dead ends with previous research you have to put on your investigator's hat.
A good place to start is with census records. Census records from 1850 on will show where a person was born, so you can go back to that location and find census records for that family. Census records for 1850 on will also show members of a household so you can associate children with parents.
How do you associate children with parents prior to 1850?
1. Try property records and will probate records. Parents commonly pass property down to children.
2. Vital Records (Towns and Churches) may also have birth records.
3. Local (County/Town) histories.
Research Kit
- Note tablet (I like tear out sheets with 3 hole punch for binder and pockeets for copies.)
- Mechanical Pencils (some libraries don't allow pens)
- Magnifing glass
- Small Stapler
- Hole punch
- folder case
- Existing family records on laptop, floppy disk ...(printout best because some
- history centers still don't have Internet access or PC's you can use.)
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Creating Memories
Books Magazines
Web Sites
Terms
Return to Califorina Settlers.
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Genealogy Research Tips