Getting Started (Computers and Genealogy)

Gensoft - March 2001
by Gordon Hulbert, GenSoft Chair & William Campbell, GenSoft Publicity Chair

Genealogy

• Genealogy - kind of like building a jigsaw puzzle with all the edge pieces missing and no lid for the box
• Genealogy - A collection of related names, dates, and places, and provides the framework for a family history compilation
• Family History - Contains not only a genealogical collection, but a textual story of individuals and the events that shaped their lives.

General Guidelines for Family History Research

• Start with the people you know best, namely you and your spouse
• Use a blank pedigree chart (pdf) to help
• Remember, you have two parents, four grandparents and eight great grandparents
• Keep working on your pedigree chart until your store of information is exhausted

     

Data Sources

• Now is the time to start interviewing family members
• Don't be pushy
• If they don't want to talk, don't make them
• Avoid Confrontation
• Personal Sources: Review all documents that you have (e.g. Vital records (certificates, letters, newspaper clippings (obituaries), family Bibles, photograph albums, diaries)
• Other Sources:
  • Church parish records
  • Tax records
  • Census Records
  • Wills and probates
  • Military service records
  • Electoral Rolls
  • Gazetteers
  • Ship passenger lists
  • Local family history societies

Carrying On

• Family legends, but be careful!
• Document your sources
• Has it already been done?
• Use the LDS Family History Centers
• Join a society, e.g. AFHS
• Use a computer for genealogical software and internet access
• Internet sources (the beginning, not the end)

Methods of Storage

• Do nothing
• Use the "shoe box" method
• Record data by hand or use a word processor
• Draw descendants and/or pedigree charts
• Record data in a genealogical software. Genealogical data is not simply isolated bits of textual data; data are linked to each other, e.g. husband, wife and children. Because of this, genealogical data is so well suited to be managed by a computer application.

Genealogical Program

• adds, changes, or deletes data
• sorts the data
• prints descendant reports, with an index
• exchange data between programs (i.e., GEDCOM)
• customized searches
• checks data for reasonableness

Computer Hardware

• Apple/Macintosh
• IBM PC (clone)
• 486 (or faster, i.e. Pentium)
• Windows 95 or higher
• Memory - 16 MB (minimum)
• Hard disk space - 20 MB
• CD Rom - 20X Minute

Computer Training

• I already know it all, or I don't even know how to turn the $#%^&* on
• You may choose to close your eyes and jump in
• Or, consider taking a course
• Best value, attend Computer SIG meetings

Internet

• Extremely useful resource
• 86,000 genealogy websites
• remember, this is a good resource, not a replacement for good, hard research
• look us up at www.afhs.ab.ca
• mailing list and newsgroups
• search engines