1. This is going to be rough…
Day One: How to begin
This is going to be rough…
Professor Crawley

2. How to Begin Start with you & your parents & grandparents
Talk to them. Ask them names, dates and places.
Record everything, even if you don’t think you will need it. You have a smart phone. Use it.
Professor Crawley

4. #2 How to Begin Start with you & your parents & grandparents
Talk to them. Ask them names, dates and places. #2
Professor Crawley

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7. How to Record Information
Charts
Family Group Sheet/Census transcriptions
Pedigree Chart
Record everything. Seriously.
Professor Crawley

8. Assignment: Part I
DUE: FEBRUARY 15 - Complete one page of your pedigree chart.
Begin by speaking with parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles
1940
Professor Crawley

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11. February 17 Today’s Objectives: Methodology Assignment
Track a family through history using free online resources – specifically census records
Methodology
Free Versions of Ancestry.com
Heritage Quest (Chesapeake, Virginia Beach)
Family Search
Find A Grave
Assignment
Track one line of your family tree (at least one person) back to You’ll want to have this done by April 30. If you wait until the last minute, you will hate life. Truth.
Always work backwards!
Census Records Available:
1940/1930/1920/1910/1900/seriously?/1880/1870
Note: US Census records go as far back as 1790.

12. February 17: Additional resources
African American Genealogy
Jewish
Polish
What Can I Find?
A passenger’s name, age, occupation, name of vessel, ports of arrival and embarkation
Immigration Records – all ports
Chinese/German/Italian/Mexican/Russian Immigration Records
Professor Crawley

13. March 15 – part I Today’s Objective Methodology Assignment
Track a family’s military history
Methodology
Familysearch.org > Military Search
National Park Service
Assignment
Try to locate at least one ancestor with a military history. Already have one? Awesome. Find another one.

14. March 15 Today’s objective Methodology Assignment
Find out what your family was up to in 1870
Methodology
Assignment
Due March 22 – review a newspaper from your family’s city in the 1870
Print articles of
Political commentary
Cultural/Society
Crime/Justice
Professor Crawley

15. April 14 Assignment Where is your family during World War I
Did (among students) any ancestors serve together
Research a battle your ancestor fought in

16. April 26
Going by the location of your ancestor in the 1940 Census – how is the War viewed in your family’s paper (Pre, during and post war).

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24. What do genealogists look for?
Recorded evidence of the existence of a person, and facts about the person and that person’s relationship(s) with others. Census Records City Directories Slave/Property lists Sometimes those facts might freak you out…
Professor Crawley

25. Primary Sources U.S. Census Birth, marriage, death and court records
Newspapers and local directories
Land records and maps
Medical records
Professor Crawley

26. Secondary Sources Biographies Dictionaries, encyclopedias
Guides, handbooks, manuals
Histories
All of the above are available online and most are indexed through Family Search.org and Ancestry.com
Professor Crawley

27. Genealogy Software Family Tree Maker Family Origins Brother’s Keeper
Personal Ancestral File (PAF)
Cumberland Family Software
Professor Crawley

28. Tips for Genealogists Talk to your relatives ASAP.
Write down your sources.
Question all information. Grandma lies!
Verify and cross check your sources.
Investigate all family legends but remember
Try multiple spellings of your surname.
Professor Crawley