Ottumwa Public Library

Searching for lost ancestors is a bit like being a detective. It requires patience, persistence, and perseverance, but following ancestral clues can help you solve those familial mysteries that are so intriguing. Your library is here to help, so are you ready to start??? Here we go…keep your eyes wide open, put on your thinking cap, dust off your magnifying glass, and prepare to be SURPRISED!

Record what you already know about your ancestors

• Name
• Other members of family
• Dates and pieces of important events such as births, marriages, and deaths
• Information about where they originated--home address, home town, ancestral village
• Occupation

You should record this information on genealogical forms like

Pedigree Charts

(which list the relationship between you and your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, etc.)

Family Group Sheets

(which list an entire family and their relevant information, including date and place of birth, marriage, and death for each family member: husband, wife, and children.)

As you fill out these forms, you will be able to see what information is missing or incomplete, giving you a roadmap to follow for your research.

These types of charts and more are freely available at sites such as FamilySearch.org, Family Tree Magazine, and Free Genealogy Charts & Forms.

Look for information in your home (or your parents’ or grandparents’ homes)

Just like a detective, search for “clues” in trunks and boxes of family memorabilia in the attic, family Bibles, photograph albums, etc. Useful clues to look for include

• birth, marriage, and death certificates
• family Bibles or registers
• funeral programs
• obituaries
• wedding announcements
• newspaper clippings, scrapbooks
• old photographs
• and other memorabilia

Add this information to your pedigree charts. Again, don’t forget to document.

Ask relatives for information

Make a list of family members who you wish to contact and the information they may have. Contact them by phone, e-mail, or letter, or visit them in person. Add the information you learn to your pedigree charts and family group records. And don’t forget to document.

Choose an ancestor you want to learn more about

Note the missing or incomplete information about that person on your pedigree charts and family records. This will give you a trail to follow, Sherlock!

Start with the generations closest to you and work back. It is usually easier to find information that way.

See if someone else has already found the information you are seeking

Check online databases and websites. Also check the family histories available here at the public library as well as the genealogical society library’s collection of family histories.

Actively begin to search for information about your ancestor

• The public library is a good place to start your research. You can search census records, naturalization records, birth, death, and marriage records; city directories, high school yearbooks, and old newspapers on microfilm.
• Courthouses, churches, cemeteries, and funeral homes may have additional useful information, as well as local LDS Family History Centers. Your local genealogy society’s library is also a wonderful resource.
• Check out the internet; the number of online resources is growing every day, and you can search from the comfort of your own home or here at the public library.

As you continue your research, don’t forget the 5 B’s

1. Be patient. No good detective can solve a mystery in the blink of an eye…it takes a while. And it will for you as well. Remember…patience pays off!
2. Be persistent. If you can’t find the information you are seeking through one source, try another route.
3. Be organized. It’s hard to put together your family history if part of it is stuffed in a drawer, part is on the computer, there’s a note or two in the bottom of your purse, and the rest is in your head.
4. Be inquisitive. Ask questions—of family members, of librarians, of genealogists, online. Watch for new books or magazines that could assist you in your research.
5. Be prepared to be surprised! One of the most exciting things about genealogy is that you never know what you’ll find…but you can be sure it will be interesting!!

Conclusion

Now that you have some clues to follow, it’s time to head out there and get started solving those family “history mysteries”! GOOD LUCK, SHERLOCK!!