1. Introduction - There is no more fascinating subject in which a person may become occupied than an examination into the history of his ancestry. The study of hu­man beings is an interesting one, especially when they are the particular human beings from whom the student has derived his existence, his character, his likes and dislikes, and those elements which differentiate him from every other human being and constitute him an entity with an individuality.

2. Sources of Information - The question most frequently asked by the laity and the person who is contemplating ancestral or genealogical work is where to search and find material regarding family history. The answer to this question requires much thought for it is the crux of the whole matter. If sufficient information can be found the preparation of an Ancestral History or a Gen­ealogy is only a matter of editorial work, and if the data can­not be found all the literary and editorial ability in the world cannot produce a family history.

1. Introduction -There are a great many more people working on their ancestral histories than are working on gene­alogies. People everywhere are seeking illustrious personages with whom they have blood connection in direct line.

Ancestral research is more fascinating than genealogical examination, because in ancestral work the examiner is usually the pivotal beginning point.

2. Charts - The most common practice in ancestral work is to pre­pare a chart. To prepare one, however, is but to con­struct a skeleton, and while every structure must have its framework, its bones, some covering on the bones will add to the picture.

By all means make a chart. It is necessary.

There are a great number of chart forms on the market which can be purchased for about any price one wishes to pay.

3. Forms - A definite form is recommended for an Ancestral His­tory. Thus uniformity can be assured and the record of every person included will be arranged like the record of every other person in the history and its appearance and usefulness will be greatly enhanced. This form can be printed, which is preferable, or typed as needed. If it is typed, great care should be exercised to keep to the same arrangement throughout the work.

4. Items - It is of the greatest interest to preserve any bit of record of family life. The migration of the various families con­nected by blood into new settlements of colonial times; the methods of transportation; the conditions of living; the experiences of pioneering; any and everything which reflects the life and character of those families who were ancestors should be carefully preserved in the record.

5. System - Like every other book which bases its story on fact and deals with individual lives it is necessary that there should be an adequate index by which means the story of an ancestor may be easily found. This index may be very con­cise. A sheet should be allowed for each family name, and the entire index bound into the front or back of the book, as the genealogist prefers, in alphabetical order. On the sheet as­signed to a particular family line should be entered the names and numbers of the persons entering as ancestors, for example:

1. Introduction - In this section of the treatise it is purposed to deal with the subject of preparing a genealogy. This is a much more ambitious undertaking than that of preparing an Ancestral History which has been heretofore discussed. It requires more training and more careful planning. It deals with many more people both subjectively and objectively; therefore it will be a much larger work and will necessitate a plan which may be expanded as the progress of the task demands.

2. Scope - Having laid down certain fundamental principles under­lying the whole proposition of preparing a genealogy j the next point to be settled is the determination of what is to be included in the attempt.

How far back into the history of the family shall the work extend? Is it intended to begin in America, or before coming to this country; to bring down one line of the family, or sev­eral lines, or all of the lines known that bear the surname; to bring down those of the surname only, which includes the male line and the unmarried females, dropping out the other female lines as they marry and take other surnames; or to carry along for a time the female lines, dropping them at a definite remoteness from their departure from the family surname?

3. General - Genealogy has many practical uses and its preparation must be approached with due regard for the important facts which are to be recorded. There may be speculation as to what the future holds in store as its contribution to the character of the individual and of the nation, but there is definite knowledge of what the past has contributed to both family and country.

4. Working Papers #1 - The genealogist must not hope to do his work so perfectly as he goes along that it will not have to be rewritten and worked over many times before it is finally ready for publication. It is necessary, therefore, to lay out his work so that it can be amplified in any place; changed about as to arrangement; new family lines added; and generally built up without upsetting the main plan or running into complica­tions which will necessitate any decided change of scheme.

5. Working Papers #2 - The genealogist must not hope to do his work so perfectly as he goes along that it will not have to be rewritten and worked over many times before it is finally ready for publication. It is necessary, therefore, to lay out his work so that it can be amplified in any place; changed about as to arrangement; new family lines added; and generally built up without upsetting the main plan or running into complica­tions which will necessitate any decided change of scheme.

6. Problems - The compilation of a genealogy or family history would be exceedingly prosaic and totally lacking in spice if there were no problems to be encountered in the work. To copy names and dates from first one book and then another and piece the data together might, like a puzzle, provide interest for a time, but that sort of task soon grows wearisome. It would not be sufficiently interesting to keep a genealogist at his work over a period of several years to the conclusion, of his task.

1. Introduction - All manuscript for publication must be typewritten on one side of the sheet only. This may be done by the compiler or under his direction, or the publisher will attend to it as a part of his work and make his charge accordingly. It is better if the work can be done either by the genealogist or by some one working with him, and the ex­pense is probably no greater. If the manuscript is sent away handwritten, to be typed in the publisher's office there is far greater chance for error than if it is done where the author can see the work as it goes on, catching and correcting any errors that may appear.

2. Preparing Copy - As in the Work Sheet, so in the printer's copy a form is recommended for use. It has the same advantages in the one place as in the other of guarding against omissions and of securing regularity. It places the copy in orderly fashion before the typesetter. He can follow his copy with less liability of mistakes and with greater speed and ease if he can be sure of finding every date in the same place on the page and all the other data arranged the same on every page from the first to the last.

3. The Book - Careful consideration should be given to the material used in making the book. To have spent years, sometimes as many as fifteen or twenty, in the preparation of the manuscript record, only to put it in print on cheap paper and in a cheap binding is poor judgment. It must not be forgotten that it is probably the only record on its subject which will be published for fifty or more years and it should be made to last accordingly.

4. Quarterlies - Much may be said in favor of the publication of a gene­alogy in Quarterlies. Very often it is discovered that years of labor spent in compiling the manuscript of a family history which has been laid aside unpublished because of lack of funds with which to pay the printer. A great amount of work and the expenditure of a considerable sum of money have come to nought. Valuable information has been gathered and arranged only to be lost to the use of the family of which it deals.

5. Financing - The subject of financing the publication of the genealogy, while placed at the end of this treatise, should be the first matter to be considered. It is a worthy occupation to prepare the history of a family, but if the history is not going to be published, the amount of work and expense involved would scarcely be justified. Before the genealogist actually begins his compilation of facts he must determine what method he, or someone else, is going to employ to give the result of his work to the family and to the public.

THE END

Who Else Wants Free Genealogy Search Tips? Just enter your first name and valid email - then click the "Sign Me Up" button to start receiving my genealogy mini series. (All information kept 100% confidential and you can unsubscribe at any time). Name: Email:

Phone Listings  |  Reverse Phone Number Look Up  |  African Culture  |  America Flag  |  Ancestry Searches  |  Black People  |  Black People Meet  |  Genealogy Research  |  Locate Missing Persons  |  Locate Someone  |  Missing Persons  |  People Search By Phone Number 01  |  People Search By Phone Number 02  |  Usa People Search  |  Difficult People