| Researching your family history is a fascinating | | | | connections that I did not want to pay for. They will |
| enterprise. It offers more than an amusing pastime | | | | order microfilm of resources from their headquarters |
| because the subjects of your search are people you | | | | in Salt Lake City that you are able to use for free. |
| may have heard family stories about or inherited | | | | is also a free resource which is cross referenced with |
| heirlooms from. The internet has many sites and | | | | does require a subscription fee, but I make sure they |
| resources to help you. After you exhaust the | | | | have something I want to pursue before I spend |
| internet information, or if you hit a brick wall, you | | | | money. There is a subscription that some libraries |
| may want to try the local library or newspaper. | | | | may have that gives access to all the Federal |
| It is simple to begin your project. Make a list of all | | | | Censuses since 1790. It is presented in the original |
| the family members you can find. Try to get | | | | handwriting. In this format, there is less likelihood of |
| everyone in the correct grouping of parents and | | | | errors; however, it is quite demanding to read the |
| children. The more you have the better your chance | | | | writing of our forebears. The library may even give |
| of finding a limb of your family tree. There are a | | | | you the access code so that you can use it at home. |
| multitude of websites that can be valuable that are | | | | On the county sites there may be "look-up |
| absolutely free. usgenweb.org is a very good | | | | volunteers" listed that will verify facts or seek |
| beginning. It is broken down by states and counties. | | | | information from sources that are not digitized. If |
| You can search family names in newspaper archives, | | | | you use them, it is polite to pay for expenses they |
| birth and death records, marriage records, public | | | | have in searching your information. Those sites also |
| official rosters, soldier lists, pension lists, land records, | | | | have pages where you can enter the family name |
| and census records. | | | | you are researching with your email with the intent |
| Another free site is the Family History Library | | | | of making contact with others who are searching the |
| maintained by the Church of Jesus Christ of the | | | | same family tree. One of the most challenging issues |
| Latter Day Saints. It holds the 1880 Federal Census | | | | of doing family research is keeping track of who |
| transcription as well as contributions of data from | | | | everyone is and where they fit into your tree. Keep |
| individuals. It is the most voluminous genealogical | | | | good records. You may find you need software to |
| collection available. This data is not verified and may | | | | do this chore. There are excellent products available. |
| be incomplete or even wrong, but it is a very good | | | | Do not let this task deter you. You will create a |
| place to begin. In cities where there is a Mormon | | | | record of family history that will thrill you and that |
| Church there may also be a Family History Library. | | | | you can share with all your relatives. |
| They are free and have the subscription based | | | | |