- Start with what you know by writing down parents' names and grandparents' and then start to gather records or resources to validate your information. One may use a free site such as FamilySearch or Ancestry, a paid site, but you still have to make sure that all records are accurate. If you are a member, our library has an Ancestry All-Access subscription which includes Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com, and Fold3.com (military records). We are also a FamilySearch affiliate library and you may research from within our library.
- Using a software, such as Family Tree Maker, can be helpful to help you keep track of your pedigree charts and records.
- Go to a library at a local genealogical society, public library or Family History Center can be quite helpful.
While there, ask questions how they can assist you.
- Interview your older relatives who are still alive using an audio or video recorder to document their past. Anecdotes, such as family histories, can be quite helpful to substantiate historical resources. Most importantly, interview your oldest relatives so you can write down those timeless family stories.
- Review our links within our library and others as well as the forms page to give you some forms to help you get started.
Here are helpful guides online:
