So you have decided to research your family's roots.
You will start something that will bring to life history, and keep you busy for years to come.
Here are some suggestions on how to to start your genealogical research.
Most genealogists will tell you to start with yourself, with what you know, and than work your way backward. This is true. But nothing is more important than the accounts of a living relative.
The first thing you should do is contact your oldest living relatives. Let them know what you are going to do, and ask them if they would like to sit down with you sometime soon and talk about the “Good old days”.
Often it is hard to have a conversation with older people,
But it is my experience that they love to talk about days gone by and of how things used to be.
Of course sometimes, because of geographical distances, it is hard to meet in person.
There are the options of telephone, letters, maybe even e-mail.
Do not skip this part, do this while you can still do it. No records or documents or even photos will ever be able to tell you as much about person’s life as someone that has been there or lived through the same time era and circumstances.
Enclosed you will find an outline of an interview, with 2 sheets of questions
I suggest, that before you interview a relative, that you answer all these questions for yourself. You will realize how much the world has already changed since you were young. (What a good way to write your own biography! You might want to add that to your files. Your children will be thankful for that some day)
by Claire Santry
Family history research has gained in popularity at about the same rate as genealogical resources have gone online. Hundreds and thousands of websites and online databases now hold millions of records that can be accessed with just a click and, sometimes, a subscription. No wonder so many beginner genealogists believe all they have to do to find their ancestors is grab their credit card and turn on a computer.
But if you speak to many successful genealogists (and probably a good few not so successful genealogists, too) you will hear that their biggest mistake was not delaying going online or not failing to invest in the best family tree software imaginable. Their number one regret is that they didn't seek out and sit down with every one of their elderly relatives and quiz their recollections about people and events, listen to their stories, and ask them to identify the people and locations in all the unlabelled photographs in the family album.
No matter how many genealogy records are online, there is never likely to be a better resource than your own relatives for the facts and colour that reveal your family's story through the ages. These are the people who knew your ancestral characters first-hand, who heard the family tales while sitting at their grandfather's knee or who witnessed the pivotal or momentous events that occur in most generations.
So if you've decided to get serious about your family research, it's time to get talking to your relatives. Older relatives should be your priority because they are usually the best source of stories that date furthest back, but don't overlook younger family members. They may well have heard stories from an older generation that may now have passed away.
Approach the subject of an interview carefully. Tell the relative that the interview will be a time to chat about fond memories and tales. Reassure them that you want to hear their stories, their feelings about people and events, and you're not expecting dates, names and places. If your relative is really reluctant, suggest another person comes in on the interview - perhaps their spouse or child - to relieve some of the their anxiety about being put on the spot.
Let them see a list of your questions in advance. This ensures they have a chance to prepare, but let them know that it's perfectly okay to not answer a question. They don't have to give a reason.
The face-to-face interview is always easier for both parties, and often yields better results in terms of storytelling. Such a meeting may not be possible with each of your relatives, in which case opt for a telephone interview. Either way, be sure to follow the tips below for a successful interview:
• Arrange a date and time in advance and be punctual.
• Send your questions and any photos/documents you want to discuss, in advance.
• If phoning, accept the cost of the call (your relative may give abrupt answers if he/she is mindful of the phone bill).
• Record the conversation. Cheap gadgets are available. Using them allows you to concentrate on what your relative is saying rather than you struggling to keep up while making notes.
• Don't interrupt silences. Give your relative time to think.
• Keep the interview to one hour, maximum. Schedule a follow up call if necessary.
• Send a thank you note or gift after the interview.
A successful interview will bring you plenty of wonderful stories and details, may clear up mysteries, and may provide valuable clues for later investigation.
So if you're starting out on your family tree research (or even if you're already further along!), don't head straight to the computer. It can wait. Chatting with great aunt Ellen, with Grandad Scully and second cousin James cannot.
Claire Santry is editor of Irish Genealogy Toolkit, a free tutorial for Irish genealogy and heritage, where you can find more advice about finding family history stories through relatives.
Article Source: Finding family history: interview your relatives
Oral History Interview
Tools:
Taperecorder, videorecorder, paper, pencil, old photographs, old documents you may have, family tree charts and research papers you already have and a list of questions for the interview.
(It might seem easier to take along a taperecorder or na newer invention
and record the conversation, but often people seem uncomfortable with that
idea, so ask beforehand.)
Questions for the interview:
-What is your name (given name, nickname, etc.)
-Were you named after somone ?
-When and where were you born ?
(in the hospital or at home)
-Describe your family members, their character traits,
personality, etc.(Names,places, and other factual details as well)
-Do you remember your grandparents ( both sets) ?
(Names, places and other details you remember and know about them.)
-Do you remember some stories about your families
that your parents told you ?
-When you were a child, who was the oldest living relative
that you can still remember ?
-What are your earliest childhood memories ?
-Where did you live ?
Describe your neighborhood, your house
( How big was it ? How many rooms, bathrooms, plumbing,
heating, lights, laundry,bath, telephones, etc.)
-Where did you go to school ?
(Tell about your teacher, favorite subject, least favorite subject,
dances, 'prom',etc.)
-Describe a typical day from when you were young.
-What did you usually eat ? Has your diet changed since then ?
-What did your family do for fun, games, toys, television ( if any),
outings, etc.
-What were your chores when you were young ? Sports ? Hobbies?
-Did you get an allowance ? How much ? How did you spend it ?
-What about clothes and shoes ? How many did you have ?
( Fashions, trends, hairdos, etc)
-What was your first job, how much did you get paid ?
-Tell me about special celebrations:
Birthdays ( How did you celebrate, party, presents)
Thanksgiving
Christmas ( Customs and traditions, tree, presents)
-Do you remember how much things cost when you were young ?
-Were you ever seriously sick ? Did you have a family doctor ?
Did he make house call ?
-What kind of diseases were common when you grew up ?
-What was your first car ? How much did you pay for it ?
What did you pay for gas ?
-Did you attend church ? Where ? Do you still go ?
-What about high-school and college ?
-What career choice did you make, and why ?
-What about dating ? Where did you go on dates,
what did you do, curfew, any more details you would like to share ?
-Did you get married ? When ? To whom ?
(Name, where and when he/she was born, grew up, lived
parents, and any more details you remember)
-Where did you meet ?
-How did you propose/ or were proposed to ?
-Tell me some details about your wedding (how long did it take to plan,
clothes, cost, bridal party, honeymoon, etc. )
-How many children did you have ? What names did you give them ?
-What did you and your family enjoy doing together ?
-What wer some big inventions during your life time, and how did they
change your life ?
-What is your saddest memory, or hard and difficult times
you had to live through ?
-What big world events happened while you were growing up ?
-What have been the biggest changes in society during your life time ?
(Women's rights, education, children, etc.)
-What events most impacted your life ?
-What is your biggest regret ?
(If you could go back in time, what would you change ? )
-What is one thing you want people to remember about you ?
Not all questions may apply to the person you are interviewing, so read through them
before. Maybe you can think of a few more and add them to the list.
( for example if he/she was in the army, wars, immigrated to another country, travel etc. )
The most common mistake beginners make is not documenting where they found information. PLEASE, document your sources.
