How to Begin Researching Your Family Tree

Genealogy isn't an easy process, and often takes hours of research analyzing census records, marriage and death certificates, and even tax records. Yet, the easiest way to begin researching a family is recording the stories directly from your living relatives. Often this task is overlooked and can reveal so much about a family history. It not only honors your ancestors but it provides a record for all of your descendants. Even though you don't have children now, you might have them someday and the unfortunate reality is that we all can't live forever.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Tape Recorder
• Video Camera
• An Older Relative

1. Let your family know you are interested in recording their stories. Ask for volunteers in your annual holiday letter, or let it be known through your family rumor mill. Your best resource will be your oldest relatives who can remember the most information.
2. Set aside some quiet, uninterrupted time with this relative and prepare your questions before you meet. You can always ask additional questions when you are in the moment. Some examples include: Who was the oldest person they remember? What do your remember about that person? Where was she born and where did she grow up? Did she graduate from high school? Be sure to have leading questions that don't have "Yes" and "No" answers. These can be questions like, "Why did he leave home? How did he raise the money to travel?"
3. Test your recording equipment and make sure the video and audio work. Recording the interview is important for three reasons. First, you'll miss details while you are writing down quotes. Second, you'll want to give your full attention to your elder out of respect and fully listen to what she is saying. Third, and most importantly, you'll want to rewind and listen to it again and again. You will have a recording of your grandparent's voice, including her accent, her tone and her way of storytelling. Someday she won't be there to tell you those stories in person.
4. After your first interview, go back to the person on a later date and ask the questions again. There are often details we remember later that we couldn't remember the first time we were asked a question. Plus, details that seem small and silly may be useful down the road when you are doing more detailed research. Also keep in mind that sometimes those recorders make us self-conscious and awkward. Revisiting a memory can open up details like what people were wearing, what it smelled like, and what life was like when the story occurred.
5. When you have a completed recording, transcribe everything into a written record. From the transcript you can write a full story of the memorable moments from your grandparent's life. You will want to keep that document for your children and their children.
6. From this final document, you can write a book, create a detailed scrapbook, or create a family tree. This kind of genealogy is more than census records, but creates a document that tells the real family stories. This is just the beginning of researching your family history.

Tips & Warnings

• Enjoy your time with your family member! You'll look back at these moments someday and will be glad you asked about your family history.
• Ask your relative for photographs and ask who is in which picture. Using contemporary technology such as scanning can help share your relative's stories as well as her photographs.
• Some relatives may be reluctant to share stories due to traumatic experiences. Be sensitive to those stories and don't push. Let the person share at their own pace, if at all.
• Always make a back-up of your work. Files can get lost, technology can become outdated, and you don't want to lose this valuable information.