Anyone do Genealogy?

[wendy1214]

I have a lot of info given to me by family, and am trying to get it all together and in order. My brother is also showing an interest and wants me to copy all the info I have gathered over the years- easier said than done! I am wondering if anyone knows of a good free online program where I can type in the names/relations and add info about them and have it create a tree like picture- or break it into printable papers for each family?
I just found Geni, and this seems pretty user friendly, but I am having some issues, and the print out it does doesn't seem very comprehensive.
Any ideas/help out there?

[Delissa]

I have done a lot of genealogy Wendy. I mostly keep my records through Ancestry.com and print outs now, though I relied a lot on http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp, which is provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I spent a couple of years doing extensive research and traced some lines back over 600 years!

[wendy1214]

Wow- that is awesome!! We have some dates that go back to the 1600's
I just don't have a ton of time to dedicate to it, so I am going on what others have given me. I did a lot of research and have a bunch of census record printouts. I would love to do more, and will eventually have to bite the bullet and pay for ancestry.com
What got me interested in it was that my father never talked about his family. When he married my mom, that was it, we were his family. I never met anyone on his side- well until 2 years ago. I met his cousin through a chance letter and she is where I have my info from his side.
Thanks for the ideas- I appreciate it
?? It has been rumored one of my great great great(?) grandmothers was Indian- very hard to find records, espec if no maiden names are listed on birth certificates. Any ideas on where I might find info on that?

[Delissa]

One thing about anscestry, Wendy is that you can connect with other people researching the same families (basically distant relatives) and you would be amazed at how many have more "anecdotal" histories that might contain info on those who were not well recorded. I was writing a women who had been researching part of my family that had records but very confusing one and she hooked me up with hand written accounts of some of those women's lives. Really amazing stuff!

[wendy1214]

Wow-

[Delissa]

LDS family genealogy centers are free and open to anyone, you don't have to be Mormon. I recommend seeking one out in your community and checking it out. Check out that link I listed as well. :) They are serious about genealogy!

[wendy1214]

Awesome- now need to pry myself off of here long enough to do this along with everything else - where does all the time go??

[CarolynC]

I have done ancestry for many years and by far, ancestry.com and familysearch.org are the best. I finally bit the bullet a few years back and sunscribes to ancestry and it definitely pays for itself! I have found out so much about my families and am working on getting the documentation for the DAR membership. As for the Indian ancestry, try looking up the Dawes rolls and hopefully you can find a starting point.

The best tip I can give you is document, document, document! I have spent so many hours going back over stuff, only to find that I had already researched it, but hadn't documented it. This is a good way to use up all that extra paper from printing coupons!!

[wendy1214]

Thanks Carolyn- I should just ask for the subscription for Christmas.
I know we had relatives in the American Revolution, so I really would love to get that documented and apply. I need to talk to my aunt about that- I think she had most of the paperwork from that. It doesn't matter what side of the family does it? Just a direct line, correct?

[CarolynC]

Thanks Carolyn- I should just ask for the subscription for Christmas.
I know we had relatives in the American Revolution, so I really would love to get that documented and apply. I need to talk to my aunt about that- I think she had most of the paperwork from that. It doesn't matter what side of the family does it? Just a direct line, correct?


Yes, just a direct line. They are quite picky and detailed about all the stuff they have to have.....just an fyi. If you have a direct male decendant for the DAR, you could also have him do DNA and that would help. This year, I 'm going to do the mtDNA for the Native American, which is the direct maternal line.

[wendy1214]

oh that would be cool. As of right now, it is just rumored about our Indian ancestry, but I would love to find out more about it!!

[Delissa]

I have been trying hard to get into the DAR too! :) They are picky!

[wendy1214]

wow- guess I have my work cut out for me!
wonder if having a Member of the Free Mason's entitles me to anything?