Hemet San Jacinto Genealogical Society
Hemet - San Jacinto
Genealogical Society
Photo: 1906 1st water over Hemet Dam
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1.  
Genealogy is the search for our ancestors. Family history is the study of the lives they led. A true picture of the family is the result.
2.  
Because each generation doubles the number of ancestors, developing a plan of how you will proceed in your research in absolutely necessary
3.  
When you begin your genealogy research, focus on one or two families so you do not become overwhelmed. The other families will be there when you are ready for them.
4.  
Everyone has a mother and a father. Female and male lines are equally important.
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A generation equals 22-25 years for a man and 18-23 years for a woman.
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Organize! organize! organize! You should be able to find information quickly. If your system doesn't work, change it ASAP!
7.  
Want to learn how to organize your genealogy records? How to create a timeline for your ancestors using Excel? Or how to use Online Polish Records? Check out the hundreds of fantastic free Learning Videos available at FamilySearch.org.
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Don't wait around for databases to be added to your favorite genealogy sites. Volunteer to index records at websites like FamilySearch.org or Ancestry World Archives Project.
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Take advantage of genealogy classes, workshops, seminars and conferences.
10.  
Joining a genealogy society in the location you are researching is a good idea!
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An ancestor is a person from whom you are descended. A descendant is a person who is descended from an ancestor. A relative is someone with whom you share a common ancestor but who is not in your direct line.
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Make a list of all your living relatives when starting your genealogy research. Interview every one of them.
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There are pay sites and free sites. The major pay site is ancestry.com.
14.  
There are pay sites and free sites. The major free site is familysearch.org.
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The Pedigree chart is your road map. Begin with yourself. Use maiden names of married women.
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Think out of the box for surname spelling variations. Surname spelling standardization didn't begin until the early 1900s. Many people were unable to read or write or spell!
17.  
The Research Log is very important for keeping a record of the source of every piece of information you collect
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A Fact is something known to exist, be true, or have happened.
19.  
Maps of all kinds are important to your family research.
20.  
Evaluate the information that you find. Don't just stick it in a file.
21.  
An emigrant is a person who leaves a country to reside in another counry.
22.  
Migration is the movement from one place of residence to another, usually within a country.
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Understand the basic terminology.
24.  
Use only accepted abbreviations (no homespun stuff).
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Write down your sources of information. Who/what told you? This is documentation. From this, you will be able to find the source again, if you need to do so.
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Use timelines to find holes in your research.
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Record every search, good or bad, on your research log.
28.  
Minimum identification includes: name, birth date and birthplace of an ancestor.
29.  
When researching your family history, keep an open mind!
30.  
Organization is critical as you compile the information you've found.
31.  
If you are visiting a library for the first time, ask the librarian for a tour of their holdings.
32.  
In some families you will find children named after older brothers/ sisters who died.
33.  
When transcribing a record or document, copy it EXACTLY as found, even if words are not spelled as they are today.
34.  
Some families record the most important events in their lives in a Family Bible.
35.  
Patience is a virtue that will serve you well.
36.  
Sometimes it's not the people who move, but the boundaries.
37.  
Keep an alphabetical Surname List of ancestor surnames you are researching and take with you while researching.
38.  
Start with what is known. Always work from the known facts to the unknown.
39.  
Look for name variations. Check variant spellings. Phonetics and imagination were often used.
40.  
Use maps. County and state lines changed from time to time. Don't forget to check surrounding counties.
41.  
Stuck on an ancestor? Don't forget to trace other family members, e.g. brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles.
42.  
There are thousands of records not yet available online that include important information for family history research. Printed resources include printed genealogies, local histories, record transcriptions and abstracts, and other materials. Search for these materials in libraries and other repositories.
43.  
Undocumented family genealogies and county histories can contain truth and errors.
44.  
Sometimes the answer to a question is waiting in records you have already discovered.
45.  
Not all information is available online. You will have to get out of your chair and step away from your computer to track down documents that have not yet been digitized
46.  
Remembering every letter you write is impossible. Use a Correspondence Log!
47.  
A Chronological Profile begins with your ancestor's birth. Fill it in with various life events as you discover them. Eventually, you'll have a picture of your ancestor's life.
48.  
Everyone has two family group sheets one as a child with parents and one as a parent with children.
49.  
Genealogy helps you to learn about your family and where you belong in that family.
50.  
When taking notes use standard size paper, one surname per page, records source(s) so you can find it again and the date and place of your research.