ObituariesHelp.org
An informative and respected website designed to offer resources for obituaries, funerals and genealogy search
...
There's no better way to get to know your ancestors than filling in ancestry tree charts. Reading, writing and talking about your ancestors can help you get to know them quite intimately, which is one of the greatest benefits of genealogy. Of course the depth with which you come to know your relative depends on the accuracy and authenticity of your sources. Some of the best sources for gleaning information for ancestry tree charts are unofficial documents or other manifests you or your relatives may find around their homes. Garages, cellars and attics may all contain family treasures that could serve as important sources of data fro ancestry tree charts.
You may have seen movies where a wife kept all of her husband's letters written from the Western Front during the war, or those he composed while courting her. The same may have occurred within your own family, and those letters could yield important information for your ancestry tree charts. Family correspondence in days gone by were mainly handwritten; our ancestors had no email or faxes, and first hand accounts of major events, including who was present at them were often sent by letter. A wedding, birth or graduation may have been discussed, and how a particular ancestor narrates them will reveal a bit about their personality as well as info on other ancestors.
We all know someone who keeps a diary, but it was much more common to do so in times past. Nearly everyone kept a journal during times like the Victorian era, and to find such an item is considered by genealogists to be akin to finding a treasure chest. The valuable and personal information found in a diary or a journal is much different than that found in official sources, but can still yield valuable information for ancestry tree charts. This is as personal an introduction to your ancestor that you can home for, a first hand account of their thoughts, feelings, and what and who was important to them. Business diaries and journals can be as useful for filling in ancestry tree charts as personal ones can, possibly yielding the financial and social status of your ancestor.
FAMILY TREE TEMPLATES: Free, professionally designed, high quality family tree templates
BUILD FAMILY TREES ONLINE: What everyone needs to know about building family trees online
Though not having the genealogical prestige of diaries or old family photo albums as sources for ancestry tree charts, baby books can be valuable for obvious reasons. In addition to the data that you will find in official records such as; birth date, place, and name, baby books may provide personal detail like hair colour, weight at birth, any health issues. You might find photographs with information written on the back which could provide clues to further your search.
If your ancestor was active in his or her community, you might well find information for ancestry tree charts in local histories. Many people have not only found accounts of their ancestor in these valuable historical publications, but even photographs and important details such as organization memberships or business associations through which they were able to track further records for their ancestry tree charts.
FREE FAMILY TREE REPORTS: See how easy it is to get free family tree reports
FREE GENEALOGY FORMS DOWNLOADS: You don’t have to be a professional genealogist to use these free professional genealogy forms.
Vivid accounts of their special day are often kept by brides, and marriage books may reveal a wealth of information connected to ancestry tree charts. Marriage registers with the signatures of the attendees can prove extremely resourceful, and gift lists and photographs are equally as useful for gleaning genealogical data. Some brides keep copies of their marriage certificates and other associated documentation, which, if you find them, could save you time and money in completing ancestry tree charts.