Starting a family history begins at home

Welcome to the first installment of basic "how-to" hints on compiling and researching your family history. In each of these monthly columns, I will cover a topic that will lead you to uncover your ancestry -- not just the basic outlines, but also the story of your ancestors. In future columns, I'll conclude with a brief overview of a research site in Southeast Missouri.

One of the basic rules of assembling a genealogy is to start with the present and work your way back. Too many people try to race as far back as they can as fast as they can, only to be disappointed later when they discover they found the wrong connecting ancestor. You can weave the correct story by carefully connecting a recent generation to the one just before it.

So, using that guideline, the place to start is with the person in your genealogy who you know best -- you! Write your own story first. If you have trouble writing, then talk into a recorder and transcribe it later, or have someone transcribe it. If you are "stuck," there are lists of questions you can consult to prod you. Story Corps is one example of a group that provides questions for telling your life story. You can find a host of these online by using a search engine and searching for "telling your life story." Perhaps you can tell your story better if someone interviews you -- maybe a child or grandchild.

I have known many people who get "stuck" on telling their story, because they think "I never did anything important," or "My life hasn't been that interesting." Really, I don't think I've ever met anyone who didn't have an event-filled life. Just think of it in this way. Wouldn't you love to hear about the everyday life of your great-great-great-grandmother in the days before the Civil War? She probably thought she led a pretty ordinary life, but the details of those days before electricity, indoor plumbing and other modern conveniences are difficult for us to even think about today.

Part of this step should include assembling personal papers, such as birth, marriage and baptismal certificates; school documents and yearbooks; documents marking other key parts of your life; heirlooms and objects that having meaning to you; and photographs and digital images.

This should also include labeling photographs (write on the back of each in pencil). Far too often, I hear from people that they wished departed relatives had identified those in photographs. Doing this is a great gift to leave your children or relatives.

You can also back up photographs by scanning, and there are a number of options for scanning devices. You should either rename digital images to identify the event and people in it, or you can use software to tag this information as part of the image file. Always convert files to tiff or another documented format, which is less likely to become obsolete and does not involve file compression (a problem with jpg images). Depending on the number of images, you can back them up by saving to a removable drive or in one of the many file storage options "in the cloud." Always store removable drives elsewhere -- at a relative's, separate building or safe deposit box -- to prevent loss to natural disaster.

Another consideration beyond your own story is preserving the stories of older relatives. Especially if you are not the oldest in your extended family, you can get insights into previous generations and clues for further research from those elders. Always arrange for a time first and give them the opportunity to prepare -- don't surprise the person you wish to interview.

Consider recording using a digital recorder, or voice memo recorder on a smart phone, because these are relatively non-intrusive. Any recording device will do, however. Use the same source of questions you used for your own biography. You may want to add questions for information you want to know about your family. Only interject if the relative gets "stuck." Expect to learn a lot, and do it NOW. Once those older relations are lost to us, you will regret not having spoken with them.