Internet, Technology and Genealogy

      For many years, genealogy has been a very popular hobby, and can be a lucrative business. If you’re interested in knowing your family history, but don’t know how to get started, many articles and publications can be found in your local library. But since the dawn of the Internet, finding your ancestry has become so much easier. The Internet has given genealogical enthusiasts the ability to be able to share information with each other.

      Genealogy websites include One Great Family, Ancestry, Family Search, Cyndi’s List, among many others. And there are many computer software’s that are on the market such as Family Tree Maker, Legacy, and GRAMPS for Linux, Social Security Death Index (to look up social security numbers, and get exact birth and death dates) and this list goes on as well.

      If you want to know your family history, but don’t have the time or can’t find or access your own resources, and your budget can afford it, you can hire a professional genealogist to do the research for you. But hiring a good, reputable professional takes some research as well. Always check credentials, the Better Business Bureau is a good place to start. You can always check with your local chapter of the BBB to see if there had been any complaints filed on a professional before you hire them. Find out their success rate on finding information relating to your specific family. But I feel that doing the research yourself is more rewarding.

      There are many things to keep in mind. Don’t get discouraged is one. There are so many facts that are hard to access, especially when your roots go beyond your local area. Ancestors moved around. You might find, as I did that ancestors moved from one town or state to another. I had also found in my own research that there were more immigrants in my family that I had bargained for! I had known before I had started that my great grandparents on my mother’s side (her mother’s parents) came from England, but I didn’t know from where in England. I had found out from my dad’s mother before her passing that her family had also came from England, and one of her ancestors was a baker for Queen Victoria!

      I must warn you that you will hit many road blocks. As frustrating, and sometimes infuriating as this can be, you will find great satisfaction in plowing through them by finding that tidbit of info that you have been looking for. Especially when you’re researching a common name such as Smith as I am. Talking about a needle in a haystack! But such genealogical websites that I had mentioned before can match a good bit of information that you may have already. They can also verify information that you may have received by word of mouth. Another warning is that many of the sites on the Internet require a membership, and a lot of the information they offer access to requires a paid membership.

      Also put the register of deeds and clerk of court offices to work. You can obtain all sorts of birth, death and marriage records as well will and other legal information from them. I have found that the ladies that work in these offices in my county are wonderful people, and very helpful. But if you want copies of these records, you do have to pay a small fee. And to be honest, acquiring these records for your own private use for your research, you don’t really need a certified copy of these documents.

      This is just to get those of you who are getting into your own research off to a basic start. I wish you all the luck in the world. And happy digging!