| Have you ever wanted to discover ancestors and | | | | in New York. A great variety of original records |
| experience the thrill of discovering a lost or | | | | or scans or microfilms of handwritten records |
| famous relative? When the "bug bites" you too | | | | may also be very accessible. An example is the |
| may be up sleuthing into the wee hours of the | | | | archive of historical records from your local |
| night. I've found in the last 30 plus years of | | | | courthouse. |
| growing my family tree (doing genealogical | | | | Remember that even the digitized indexes are |
| research) and talking with others, that many of us | | | | online were transcribed from hand written |
| have a passion to know more about our lives - | | | | records. That means that the transcriber may |
| knowing more than just the memories from our | | | | have misread or misinterpreted the details. Also, |
| own experiences. | | | | many of the individuals who wrote those original |
| It's natural when we want to know more about | | | | records didn't spell correctly. It's important to |
| our family and research ancestry origins. One of | | | | keep this in mind. When the trail gets cold, look |
| our ancestors may have been a statesman, | | | | for alternatives and variations in spelling. |
| famous inventor or poet, a preacher or just a | | | | By driving a short distance and by using the postal |
| humble farmer with eleven children to feed and | | | | service, many original certificates and records |
| educate. All of our early direct line relatives had | | | | may be readily available. Some of the richest |
| some contribution to our current life. But a | | | | resources of all might be neighborhood |
| common and reoccurring question is: "How do I go | | | | courthouses and libraries. County and family |
| about finding the details and relative on my own | | | | histories as well as records pertaining to births, |
| family tree?". | | | | marriages, divorces, adoptions and deaths may be |
| It is apparent that one main source of information | | | | found in the county archives or they may be |
| is the internet. Luckily, information is there in | | | | available from the State Department of Vital |
| plentiful abundance. Most folks know that almost | | | | Statistics. These agencies will often mail you |
| anything can be found on the internet if you just | | | | copies of these vital records (for a fee) if they |
| know where and how to find it. Many web sites | | | | are not close enough to visit in person. |
| like Ancestry.com, and focus on providing | | | | Vital birth, marriage and death records usually |
| abundant genealogical research resources. They | | | | contain details and clues that fill in the gaps. Then |
| are filled with many different sources and kinds of | | | | you go back to online sources to pursue the next |
| data. You can find a large selection of vital | | | | step. Microfilm or computerized records of historic |
| records like marriage licenses, birth and death | | | | newspapers containing stories and obituaries full of |
| registers and certificates. Many other records are | | | | family details can be found at many libraries. |
| also available like census returns, wills, military | | | | Cemetery records and grave stones can also be |
| records, past city directories, parish records and | | | | a source of valuable information about both the |
| tax information. | | | | individual and the family. A large number of |
| One of the challenges we have, is just sorting | | | | cemetery records can be found online. Don't |
| through the numbers of people to find the ones | | | | forget or discount the details that are also kept in |
| that are ties to our own family tree. It's amazing | | | | the records of funeral homes. |
| how many people had exact or similar names or | | | | Digging into the family roots and growing your |
| as that ancestor you're looking for. Often, the | | | | family tree can be a very rewarding hobby. For |
| exact puzzle pieces you need to solve the | | | | many, the "thrill of the hunt" and discovering a |
| question at will come from the memory of one | | | | hard to find tidbit that ties you to some famous ( |
| of your living relatives or maybe even from | | | | or infamous) ancestor peaks the interest level and |
| things that you remember yourself about the | | | | becomes a driving force. For others of us, the |
| event. To find the next bit of critical information | | | | drive is more in knowing that your records are |
| may be as easy as doing a search on or one of | | | | providing a marvelous family legacy that can be |
| the other search engines. The internet places an | | | | enjoyed and appreciated by endless generations |
| amazing amount of old and obscure information | | | | of future family members. Whatever your |
| right at your fingertips. | | | | motivation, genealogy can be a thrilling and |
| Some newer resources like Ellis Island records | | | | stimulating hobby. Take the next step today in |
| often can help you find little known facts about | | | | discovering a hidden ancestor in your family tree. |
| your ancestor's life in Europe prior to their arrival | | | | |