Genealogy research

[phorsenuf]

So I decided I needed a project to keep me busy while I wait (im)patiently for the house to sell and move. I don't want a messy project so I thought I'd trace my roots.

It's something I've wanted to do in the past and I went out with a friend last night and she really renewed my interest in it.

Who here has done it and what are the best online sources. I've been to the Ellis Island site but need more info from my dad before I can explore that further. I've found what seems to be great avenues but they all lead me back to Ancestory.com. Is it worth signing up for? Has anyone ever used it? What are some other good places?

 

[tink_n_pooh]

I do signing up for ancestory.com is worth the cost if you are really interested in starting this project. My cousins decided to do the same thing and ancestory.com hooked them up with great points and they found other family members we would have never known how to contact that already had info that my cousins didn't have. It's great to see all the census forms online and you would be amazed how quickly things come together using their website!

 

[phorsenuf]

Does it show things like copies or all the info on a birth or marriage certificate or would I still need to send off for those things in order to get the needed info.

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

I love family tree stuff!

I would recommend getting some family tree software to store all of your findings. Easier to organize that way.

I do like ancestry.com. Yes, you can see and print out things like the census, ship registries, it is nice. I do a free trial for a month or whatever they're offering, then make sure to cancel or they will keep charging you.

Go to the town/county/state sites where your people are from. You can get a lot of information birth/death/wills/marriages/obits that way.

Have fun! It started as a side project for me 21 years ago and I'm still digging for info

 

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

I would recommend getting some family tree software to store all of your findings. Easier to organize that way.

Ditto! And when I got my software it gave me 6 months free of ancestry.com which was so needed. It gives you copies of hard data (all the census reports, draft cards (WWI and WWII), death notices). Also, people post their findings and you might luck out and someone else will have tons of good info for you.

My GG Grandmother was one of 11 kids, so exponentially think of how many ggg grandkids of her mother there are. Well, one of them had posted her findings and e-mailed me pictures, etc. It was very unreal. Now the other side of my family was smaller and no such material was found.

Have fun with it! I put the info into a book for my sisters as a Christmas gift a few years back.

 

[lisajl]

Ancestry.com is great. I need to renew my membership. What is nice is you can discontinue it, that is, when you are too busy to get online, renew again.

I like the famous people you might be related to area. Found out Jimmy Stewart was my mom's second cousin....COOL!

 

[wdwiala]

Does it show things like copies or all the info on a birth or marriage certificate or would I still need to send off for those things in order to get the needed info.

Ancestry.com is worth the money. Start with a small subscription or intro trial run if they offer it.

I don't know about copies of birth certificates. Maybe some old marriage ones. Definitely military info, census', wills, etc. Sometimes, if luck is going your way, you will link up with another person who has found out all of your descendants for you!

 

[hoosll]

I agree with PP's that ancestry.com is a great source. Stick to U.S. only. The community tab on ancestry is a great place to post questions. There is much bad info on ancsestry like many sites but for the most part people do the best they can.

I love Rootsmagic.com software, it is really intuitive and easy to use. You can order it on disc or as a download.

Many familoes have their own web pages so once you collect the basic families on both sides, you can search for the family name/genealogy and you will find others also doing research.

Warning: Genealogy is addicting. Try to get as much info from your relatives as possible and please label ALL pictures on the back for future generations!

 

[phorsenuf]

So I did a month subscription to Ancestry.com and I've been having a blast!

I was going to start with my dads side since most of those relatives are still alive. My mom passed away when I was 10 and after that contact with that side of the family dwindled and eventually stopped. Long, sad story there.

Anyway I put in what little I knew about my mom and grandmother and it grew and grew. I couldn't believe it. I have now traced back to my great grandparents on her side and I found out my grandmother changed her name somewhere along the line because what's listed on the census is not what she is known by. Very interesting. I'm also piecing together what seems to be the brothers and sisters of my great grandparents and quite possibly I found my great great grandparents. I'm going to go check the Ellis Island manifests now and see how far I can trace them into Russia. That's where my Great grandparents immigrated from.

Boy once you get the ball rolling it sure takes off! Thank goodness I have no work tomorrow or I may have been feeling a migraine coming on.

 

[RangerPooh]

My DH researched our ancestory a few years backon Ancestory.com. My dads side of the family already had an extensive record of our family tree, but what ancestory did was provided us with additional information that we did not already have, and got us back to the 1100s! It was definately worth the price as what you can find is priceless. We were actually contacted about a year ago from a family member down the line (and across a few branches...) asking for info on my great grandmother who had married into their family. It was a neat experience to be contacted by a famiy member was were doing their own research.

 

[phorsenuf]

So I'm pretty much done here in the US. Both sides came over in the early 1900's.
I need to head to Poland, Russia and Sicily. Thoughts?