By now hopefully, you
have lots of information. If you remember back in the beginning I
suggested getting a lose leaf notebook and clear plastic sheets. It is
now time to take all the information you have collected and not only put
it into a genealogy program or into your family tree on Ancestry but
organize it.
Like most of us, you have
more than one branch on your tree. You will want to keep the
information separate for the different lines. How you do this is up to
you. You can add a tab to the front page for each family name or you can
make a header page with the name. What ever makes it easiest for you to
find the information you want easily.
I print off a pedigree
charts with the names already on them from my genealogy program and they
become the front page of each section. I then place any documents or
pictures I have found that relate to the people on that pedigree
chart.in the pages behind them. Keeps it easy to find and neat. I also
never only have one copy of anything. Ever since our house fire, I
always make sure to have multiple copies stored in different places
including in a container under the bed which is what saved mine.
As you begin to collect data about your family. You will want to be able to look at it in an organized format. In order to do this, you can put the information into a genealogy program and it will produce the printable forms for you or you can print out empty forms and as you find information, you can fill the forms in.
The basic form for recording your genealogy information is the pedigree chart. This particular chart is a five generation chart. You will be in the first spot. Your father will be to the right upper and your mother to the right lower. The same will be done with each set of parents.
When you have filled in all the lines, you will then make a new pedigree chart for 16 great-great grandparents. Unless you are French Canadian, it will take you a long time to fill in all of this information so you won't need more pedigree charts for a while.
Another form you will need from the beginning is a family group sheet. Ancestry offers a variety of forms that you can download for free.
With a family group sheet, you will be able to add all the children for a specific set of parents. For instance, your grandparents. You will add all of their children including your parent and all the dates and information that you have.
You can do with these two basic forms as you begin your research. Later wee will discuss census forms.
Print out a stack of family group sheets and a few pedigree charts just in case and you will be ready to begin your research.
