Genealogy using Records
Records can be some of the best clues to finding ancestors from birth and death certificates to land records. Beware however that they might be that easy to find! My father was going back to Normandy and needed a passport. We know what town he was born in, but there was no record of it. Come to find out, there had been a fire at the hospital in the 40s and most of the birth certificate from the earlier decades had been destoryed. Somehow based on Dad's marine records, he was able to reproduce it enough for the passport. The plane literally almost took off without him!
You may need to get a bit creative if it is difficult to find such records. Search backwards - instead of looking for birth records, look for death records and work you way back. Or use public memberships, military records and so forth for clues like we did. It can get frustrating, so make sure you have enough patience for this part!
Locating Your Ancestors through Landscape and History
Trace your family's history with this clear guide that explains readily available sources, where to find them, and how to interpret them. Examples of original documents help familiarize the reader with all types of archives.
Time Saving Tip for Genealogy
Make the US Postal Service work for you. If documents can be delivered to your door, you can save hours of research time and mileage.
Focus on one line or family at a time. Discovering your Family Tree can be confusing enough with trying to focus on two different lineages at one time. Whew!
Using Records to Search for Pioneer Ancestors
Search online by land records, city and county records, state records...also birth/death records, any kind of record you can find!