If you have heard all of your life that your family lines have descended from the first U.S. President, George Washington, that is wonderful. And, there is probably some truth to it. But - be sure to start with yourself and work backwards or you may waste an awful lot of time.
A true story: On a family history field trip years ago - I saw the
Consider the words of Tom Gonzales:
"Like most genealogy novices, I have more "Madness" than "Method" to my family history research. I've done some things right and some wrong. I've read some books, bought some software, interviewed/ taped some elderly relatives, gotten old photos reprinted or copied, been to the 'motherland', etc. What I lack in organization I make up for in enthusiasm. But what I have discovered is that the "madness" (enthusiasm) is the more important part! That is the part that is contagious and brought me closer to my family near and far." (Tom Gonzales)
Can’t you feel some of his genealogy excitement from his comments? It warms my heart to hear things like this because he is DOING things.
In the genealogy world, it is so easy to get sidetracked (and sometimes intimidated) by all of the things to learn, remember, and do. It’s easy to forget to keep things simple, go off on a tangent, and wind up spinning your wheels and not progressing with your research.
The bottom line is remembering that your two most important items of concern are your "Pedigree Charts" and "Family Group Sheets."
These basic tools of the trade are what matter the most. And in my opinion, are getting overlooked too often in the computer age. Now don’t misunderstand.
If for no other reason, this popular video shows why genealogy and family history researchers should download and use the Google Toolbar.
If you like this genealogy search tip and the video feature, take a look at
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