“ Who, What, When & Where: Introductory Perspectives on Beginning Ancestral Research” Perspectives Difficulties Examples

Where does your news come from? What’s better: books or databases?

Things to look for in sources Authority Reliability Accuracy

Where can I find it? Internet Print sources

Internet and Family Tree programs

Books and print sources Where do we go from here?

Basic Questions Reasons for digging up the bones

Pitfalls Is it on Ancestry? Is it in print form? Is it somewhere? What am I looking for and when?

Historic perspective on records All records have a purpose… Follow the money…. They went that away…. Records recording articles of faith, involving money or land will lead you on the right path

Start with basic history…. Know the area… Use the Internet...not snailmail

1880 U.S. Census, St. Tammany Parish

Our example What is the Census good for? Counting people, things in places

The universal tool Know the trends in history…. Know the migration routes…

Immigration….Why leave? Survival (Pilgrims, Huguenot, Irish) Population Pressure/War (Central Europe) Trying to make a better life (All)

American documentation American conspiracy Union catalogs

Other types of Documentation DNA Archaeology (Dig near James town….)

DNA

DNA Continued

Where can I find it?

Paper trails to you….