Just Pick one....

[lostnconfused]

Some of you may have noticed a few of my recent posts and will be aware that i am defnitely keen on larning how best to do things.

My attitude has always 'jump in and learn' but the downside is that i can miss the bloody obvious.

So the questions are -

1. If you could pick one essential site, piece of information or bit of advice that you    have used in the search for family members what would it be?

2. What is the most startling, illuminating or winderous thing you have discovered?

As always interested.

Andy

[wrjones]

The truth is Andy that there is no "correct" way of researching,and it may well be best to learn as you go along.One  thing I did pick up,quite early in my own research,is not to restrict my research to simply the "direct line".Add all siblings of
Grandparents etc.You never know someone may spot a sister of or brother of a Grandparent lets say in your Tree,and you may gain important info as a result.You neveer stop learning in Family History research,about things like;living and working conditions,in years gone by,that would shock everyone in todays world.

Regards
William Russell Jones
Cefn Mawr
Wrexham.

[julianb]

Andy

I'd endorse all that William has said.

The first bit of advice I'd give is that the research you undertake will provide you with what I would call "an opening Bid" on your family history.  New facts might come along that blow this initial research out of the water. 

To reduce the possibility of that happening, seek to eliminate the alternative contenders for someone being your ancestor - a big issue anyway if you have a few "John Smiths", but back in the 18th/19th century you do get lots of names that are common to a particular area.

Secondly, the farther back you go, the more the spelling of names deviated.   

Good luck with your research.  You'll always be learning something new on here from another RootsChatter.

JULIAN

[lizdb]

I think the most important thing I have learned over many many years of Family History researching is:

NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING

Back up everything with as much 'proof' from as many different angles as you can.
The Fred Bloggs you find may look right, birthdate within a year or two, birthplace within a mile or two.... do you assume it is him? . If you can show that your Fred Bloggs had sisters called Petunia and Anastasia and so does this chap you have found, then that clnches it!! Otherwise.... put it on the back burner till something new does come up.

[lostnconfused]

I have found (and we've only been investigating the family for a matter of months) that the biggest surprise has been the size of the tree, and indeed the enormity of the task.

I honestly didnt think about what a tree would look like with even a couple of generations on it.

The numbers are also staggering, hundreds of 'direct' relations are now fimrmly on our treee - adding in siblings and their kids etc etc is almost frightening!

We are readying ourself for sad discoveries but so far the 'worse' bit of news is that we have 2 people who have died aged 18.

I also think we are getting away lightly with only 2 war time deaths.

Andy