Three Common Mistakes of the Novice Family Historian
Researching your ancestors is a tedious process. So it is understandable when novice researchers often give in to the inclination to rush through the more cumbersome aspects, rely on information which is unverified, and otherwise avoid the less exciting aspects of genealogy in order to make their next big discovery. The irony is that by taking shortcuts and failing to use documented sources, the novice researcher more often than not is making the task more tedious and frustrating. Any genealogist can probably tell you a horror story of chasing the wrong line early in their career by failing to get adequate documentation on a potential ancestor, who many times turns out not to belong to the same family at all. The result is hours upon hours wasted researching the wrong people, going on a wild goose chase and possibly taking other researchers on that fruitless journey with you. Being careful and thorough the first time around will save you time in the long run, and a well-sourced family history will earn you the gratitude of generations of descendants.
Here are three common mistakes to avoid when setting out to research your family history:
1. Skipping the Interviews – The better the foundation of the line you are researching, the less frustrating the task is going to be in the future. Interview living descendants in the line you are researching to acquire as much information as you can on the more recent generations. Remember, while you are searching for vital statistics (birth, marriage, and death dates), you also want to fill in details in the lives of the more recently departed. Do not forget to ask questions which will help fill in the character of members of generations who have passed on but are still remembered by others. Family legends and oral traditions, while they can never be taken at face value, can often provide clues to help you navigate around future brick walls in your research. Write down what you learn and who you learn it from in the form of an affidavit which you can refer back to once that person is no longer available to consult.
2. Using Undocumented Information – The Internet really is the best thing to ever happen to genealogy, but it does not replace sound research practices. Acquiring facts from other researchers’ family trees without verifying the information can start you on a long, frustrating journey down the wrong path in a heartbeat. Even worse, you can pass false information along unwittingly that will waste hours of time for multiple researchers. So never include any fact in your published research without verifying its source, and make sure information is verified before using it to trace a line further back in time.
3. Relying on the Internet – While the Internet is great, relying solely on information found online will create frustration and hamper your research. There are a lot of great sources which are not found on the web: public libraries, county historical societies, newspaper offices, courthouses, graveyards, etc. If you plan on researching your family history without leaving your computer, your research will be more frustrating and incomplete than it needs to be.
Avoiding the aforementioned three common mistakes will help you avoid major pitfalls and burnout down the road. And if you find you need help doing your research the right way, you know where to find us.
Until Next Time,
Randal
