The following is a bird's-eye-view of genealogy. Read though this to get an overall look at what kinds of things are researched. Be sure to go the Springfield-Greene County Library's Local History Web site to get some specific guidance and book recommendations. At the library's site, check out the links on the left hand side for Collections & Materials. Ozarks Genealogical Society is fortunate to house the work of Dr. William Kearney Hall who has created indexes for Springfield-area newspapers going back for many decades. A guide for beginning genealogy can also be found at the Arkansas Research, Inc. website.
General Plans
1. Read some "how-to" books. (Many are available to OGS members for check-out at the OGS Liibrary)
2. Enroll in classes, conferences, and computer basics.
3. Join genealogical societies.
4. Use finding aids, introductions, tutorials, FAQs, library and archive websites.
Collect Basic Information
1. Start with yourself, using home sources
2. Interview all older relatives, friends, and neighbors of your ancestors.
3. Vital records are necessary to sort out names, dates, places, and relationships.
4. Evaluate the records you use (originals, derivatives, compilations, heresay, etc.)
5. Be cautious with items in print, in stone, or on the internet.
6. Go back to the original sources when possible.
7. Become informed about 21th century research aids.
Organize As You Research
1. Use forms (generation, family group sheets, research logs, correspondence).
2. Perhaps use a genealogy computer program and various databases.
3. Notebooks with labeled dividers or labeled file folders (for easy retrieval).
4. Cite each source carefully (others can follow in your footsteps).
Standards for Reference
Census
1. After home sources, the 1930 federal census is a great resource.
2. Federal population census recrods are available for 1790-1930 except 1890.
3. Privacy laws require that 72 years pass before this information is available.
3. Each census year contains different information.
4. Learn the various aspects of conducting and interpreting census research.
5. Now available in many forms: online, microfilm, census indexes, and abstracts
Church
1. Determine church affiliation and history of the denomination.
2. Determine types of records helpful to the genealogist.
Court Records
1. Most used records are those created on the county or local level.
2. Accessibility and terms used to describe varies from state to state.
3. Probate, land, marriages, divorces, naturalizations, and civil records
4. Often some of these have been compiled and are available on the internet.
Military
1. Pensions are often the most helpful for added family information.
2. Compiled service records and unit histories.
Immigration and Naturalizations
1. For 19th and 20th century immigrants use family records and census first.
2. Before 1906 our ancestors could apply for naturalization in any court.
Library and Archives
1. Acquaint yourself with their holdings before visiting. Often their websites will give that information.
2. Do your homework and utilize their card catalogs.
3. Log what references you use including both positive and negative search results.
4. Examples of compiled sources: cemeteries, family histories, obituaries
5. Ues maps, histories, migration patterns, and the geography of the area
Publishing
1. Learn about proven numbering systems; don't create your own.
2. If you write a family history, include the surname in the title.
3. Review several published works and read some how-to references on publishing. |
Research & Links
