Kimberly Powell - The Everything Family Tree Book: Research And Preserve Your Family History

The EVERYIHING Series

Editorial

Production

Visit the entire Everything Series at www.everything.com

THE EVERYTHING FAMILY TREE BOOK

2ND EDITION

Research and preserve your family history

Kimberly Powell

Adams Media
Avon, Massachusetts

To my grandparentsGranddad, Granddaddy Owens, Grandmother,
and Mamafor kindling my passion for family history with your
stories, your faith, and your love.
__________________________

Copyright 2006, 1998 F+W Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced
in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions
are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

An Everything Series Book.
Everything and everything.com are registered trademarks of F+W Publications, Inc.

Published by Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322 U.S.A.
www.adamsmedia.com

ISBN: 1-59337-395-3
Printed in the United States of America.

J I H G F E D C B A

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
is available from the publisher.

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams Media was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.

This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases.
For information, please call 1-800-872-5627.

Contents

Acknowledgments

Books are so much more than a product of the author. My heartfelt appreciation goes out to everyone at Adams Media who made this book possible, especially Gina Chaimanis for her infinite patience and insightful ideas. A special thanks goes to Barb Doyen for giving me this chance, and to my mother, Roselyne Thomas, for being my second set of eyes. I'd also like to thank the many readers of my Web site at About.com (http:llgenealogy.about.com) for their questions and comments, which keep me learning every day.

This book wouldn't have been possible without the love, support, and encouragement of my wonderful family. To my husband and soul-mate, Albrecht, I'd like to say thanks for believing in me. Your faith is the reason this book is a reality. And to my amazing childrenKelsey Garrett, and Kirayour help in giving Mommy time to write was the best present of all. I hope this book makes you proud.

Top Ten Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

1. Not everyone with your last name is a relative. Just because your last name is Washington doesn't mean you have a connection to America's first president.

2. Don't trust everything you see in print. Whether you find it online or in a book, confirm any information you find by going back to the original source when possible.

3. Don't neglect your living relatives. They are the single best resource for family information that can't be found elsewhere.

4. Don't do all of your searching online. The Internet is an excellent source of genealogical information, but a lot of the pieces to the puzzle of your family tree will only be found in libraries, archives, and other repositories.

5. Beware the generic family history. Those mass-produced coats of arms and family tree scrolls that you see at the mall or receive fliers for in the mail won't tell you anything about your own family tree.

6. Family legends aren't always fact. While most family stories of scandalous ancestors or famous relatives may have somebasis in fact, they often tend to be exaggerated with each retelling. Don't take them as truth, but don't ignore them, eitherresearch them instead.

7. Genealogy isn't just name collecting. While it is fulfilling to watch your family tree grow, it is more exciting to learn about the people behind the names and dates.

8. Don't expect others to do your work for you. Genealogists are a very helpful bunch, but they are more likely to want to help you if you've obviously done your own homework first.

9. Names do change. Familiarize yourself with all the names used by your ancestors, and don't neglect to search for all alternate spellings.

10. Document every source you have searched, even if you fail to find anything helpful. Otherwise you'll waste hours re-examining documents and Web sites that you've already looked at.

Introduction

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT you might be related to a president or a queen? Been curious about why Grandpa never spoke about his family? Hoped for a bit of scandal in your background? Wondered who your red hair and freckles came from? People have all sorts of questions about their family history and just as many unique motivations for digging into their roots. What starts as a curiosity however, soon grows into a passion. Some even say it's an addiction. Consider yourself warned!

Genealogy the study of family history or descent, is now the second most popular hobby in the United States, surpassed only by gardening. As many as 73 percent of Americans are interested in discovering their family history, according to a 2005 research poll by Market Strategies, Inc., and MyFamily.com, Inc. That's up almost 30 percent from a similar poll conducted by Maritz Research just ten years earlier. It's not surprising, then, to learn that the Family History Library in Salt Lake City is one of Utah's top ten tourist attractions, or that the Ellis Island immigration records Web site topped more than 2.5 billion hits during its first year of operation.

Genealogy is a fascinating fieldthere's no doubt about that. The challenge and excitement alone are enough to get some people interested. Most, however, start tracing their family tree because they want to learn more about themselves and their heritage. They find themselves curious after typing their surname into a search engine, learning they have an inherited health condition, or listening to family stories over Thanksgiving dinner. Some of the most common reasons for researching a family tree include: to satisfy a curiosity about yourself and your roots; to create a legacy for future generations; to compile a family medical history; to preserve family cultural and ethnic traditions; to write and publish a family history book; to confirm a family legend or verify descent from a famous individual; or to qualify for a lineage or heritage society like the Daughters of the American Revolution.