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The Genealogy Handbook by Ellen Galford
Teaching your grandchildren about your family history and heritage is a
great way for Grandboomers to help them get a sense of the past and learn
about their place in the family tree. Genealogy can also make for a
fascinating hobby, which might reveal a personal connection to historic
events or famous persons.
For those just beginning a search for their ancestors, a good starting
point is
The Genealogy Handbook by Ellen Galford (Reader's Digest). It's
designed for anyone curious about researching the family history
but never knew where to begin or how to go about it.
The book is a very practical how-to guide, offering page after page of
specific suggestions to help you plan and organize your research. All
the standard tools of genealogy are covered, including documents such as
birth certificates, baptismal records, and marriage licenses. But, there
are other ideas for finding your ancestors which might not occur to everyone.
For example, a close examination of old photographs can provide additional
clues. Similar physical traits seen among those in a wedding album, or a
banner identifying a school and year in a class picture can help you put
names on some of those faces.
Galford says that the easiest and most productive place to start is
simply talking with elderly relatives. Even casual conversations can
prompt memories of family events and distant relatives. However, a more formal
interview with a family member is a very valuable tool. Careful
preparation is key for acquiring as much useful information as possible.
Take along a few old photographs to help get the stories started. Remember,
always be considerate of the person being interviewed, and don't forget
extra batteries for that tape recorder.
Since the book is aimed at those new to genealogy, the reader is advised
following just one line of descent, preferably male, since there is
usually only one surname to track down. Following too many lines can be
overwhelming, so it's better to be patient and keep the process simple.
It is also a good idea to establish, and adhere to, a system for
organizing and preserving the mass of information you are likely to
accumulate. It's not only royalty which keeps records of the past. Public
documents can leave a paper trail of even the humblest of families.
The latest research tool for any genealogist is, of course, the
Internet. For those not familiar with using computers or exploring the
World Wide Web, Galford first gives simple, non-technical explanations of
computer and Internet terminology. You are shown how to make the
most of on-line databases and web searches for surnames on any of the
numerous web sites dedicated to researching family history. Vital records
are also available now on government web sites around the world, so
information can be retrieved quickly without having to write letters or
make costly phone calls.
After collecting information about your family's past, the book guides
Grandboomers in creating what might be the most satisfying document of
all - your family tree on a page in graphic form. There are also ideas
for displaying some of the documents and heirlooms that you find.
The book's reference section includes more than enough information to
get you started. There are addresses, phone numbers and web sites for
offices of vital records, government archives, and genealogical societies
for all fifty states and almost fifty countries. Contacts for religious
archive information are also available. For the Internet part of your
search, there are URLs for more than sixty web sites dedicated to
genealogical research. Finally, if your search includes a journey to
your ancestors' homeland, names and contact information for several tour
companies is included.
Grandboomers enjoyed The Genealogy Handbook and feels it serves as an
easy-to-follow guide toward the creation of a complete and interesting
family history...one that can be handed down, preserved and added to by
future generations.
Click here to order The Genealogy Handbook.
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