October is Family History Month!
Fall is the season of family gatherings, holidays, and commemorations, and thoughts may turn toward family history. It is a great time to reminisce and ask questions! Here are some questions and tips to help you climb your family tree.
5 QUESTIONS TO GET YOU THINKING
- How many great-grandparents can you name (including maiden names for women)?
- How did your family get here, or how long has your family been in the USA?
- How many family members have served in the military, and when?
- What is your favorite family story and what clues does it reveal about: family members, places, occupations, and personalities?
- What family member from the past are you most curious about?
TIPS TO GET STARTED
- Start with yourself and work backwards, one family line at a time (follow one last name or surname).
- Build your framework: For each person, find out the date and place for key events. The big three are birth, marriage, and death.
- Hang more data on your tree: add information about school and church attendance, occupations, and moves across the globe or across the street.
- Get senior family members to talk about their memories and experiences. Be sure to take notes or videotape these sessions. You’ll be glad you did!
DID YOU KNOW?
- Ancestry Library Edition is available in-person at the Library. Come in and log on! You can access U.S. and international record databases, print out forms, and search record groups by types of records or geographic location. The Learning Center on Ancestry is there to help you find the information you need.
- We have a Digital Archive for research right here in Mount Pleasant! Search over 40 years of historic newspapers and over 200 historic postcard images, such as the two pictured below!
AND REMEMBER
Librarians are always here to help you find and use our resources. In addition to online databases, we have a circulating collection of genealogy and local history books and a large reference collection. You can also request a one-on-one appointment with a genealogy specialist to help you refine and plan your research goals.
Just call the Reference Desk at 914-769-0548.