In getting information to start with there are several things you will need to do prior to talking with relatives.

There are many programs for your computer that will help you to create your family tree and they also have family sheets. These family sheets will include names, ages, parents names, birth, and brothers, sisters all in one form.

You will want to start with yourself and put down all the information you know about yourself: birth, birthplace, parents names with mother's maiden name, and their parents names also. You will also want to include any brothers or sisters or other family members who might be living with you, including the same info for them. The empty spots will be filled in by talking with each member or with parents, aunts, uncles or grandparents.

Each person will have their own page with the above information on it also. I found it easy to start with a notebook under each name with tabs of the parents and then all info found on that family would be included. This makes it easy when I start to input the data since it is all in one area. So you would have your parents with your family behind the tab, your father's family in the next tab, you can place your mother's family there also (but being it is under her maiden name I would have a different folder or notebook for her line of ancestors. In the main book under her tab, there would be a page telling me where to locate her info: Manfred Book, Louis Manfred & Anna Marie Crevelloine.) Then, you would have a tab for each family past your father's father or grandfather. This would include census, newspaper articles, notes & copies of tapes while talking with family members, etc.

You may want to make sure you have a list of questions to ask to make sure you get as much information as possible on each person. You also may want to record the coversation to play back to make sure you have the information correct and it is also a wonderful way to preserve their voices and stories for the younger children who may not remember them.

Some grandparents may be hesitant in discussing the skeletons in the closet, so get creative in your questions. Where were you living? What was the most exciting thing that happened in your town? Did you ever have the President come? What were some of the important activities that their town was involved in? What stories did their parents tell them about their life, coming to America, battles or wars.

The reason to ask these type of questions will help you define the dates which they may not be able to narrow down for you. There are several sites that will help you create a list of questions to ask, the one I like is www.about.com which has genealogy but a ton of other information on every topic you can think about. It will also give you some information that you will be able to research that may give you other family members that were considered black sheep, or who died early or just traveled and never heard from again.

If they are uncomfortable talking then just ask them to tell you stories of their past, again any time they do, make sure you make notes, again, you will find over time there is a ton of information that will help you do research. See if they can name friends, neighbors, again, just another way to help information on them when you search census records.

Then as you start to input information, make notes as to what you need to research on another sheet. Also, note each researched item as to where, when, who, what so that you don't research it a second time. Now, sometimes you may end up searching a 2nd time if some new info comes to you that may be conflicting with the original information. NEVER discount the conflicting information, make notes as to who said what, keeping all the information. Reason for this is that everyone's memories may be a little different and through this, it may open other doors of research that you wouldn't have thought to research. For instance, on my article that I was kidnapped, talking with 2 aunts, (sisters) they felt that my father had sold me to Melvin & that I had been taken from my grandmother's place where the newspaper reported that I had been taken from my parent's place in Tacoma. Big discrepancy but I have notes about if from all those that remember it. Remember, you are working with each person's memory and everyone has their own perception on what happened during that time frame. If you create a book to pass on down, include the discrepancies because it will make a good read.

How to Interview A Relative

Getting people to share their stories isn't always easy. Follow these step-by-step ideas for a successful family history interview!

Difficulty Level: Average Time Required: 1-2 hours

Here's How:

Schedule a time in advance. This gives everyone a chance to prepare.

Prepare a list of questions beforehand and either share them with your relative, or give them an idea of what you want to cover.

Bring several notepads and pens to the interview. If you plan to make a recording, be sure to have a tape player, microphone, extra tapes and batteries.

Take good notes and make sure you record your name, the date, the place the interview is being conducted, and the interviewee.

Start with a question or topic that you know will elicit a reply, such as a story you have heard her tell in the past.

Ask questions which encourage more than simple "yes" or "no" answers. Try to elicit facts, feelings, stories, and descriptions.

Show interest. Take an active part in the dialogue without dominating it. Learn to be a creative listener.

Use props whenever possible. Old photographs, favorite old songs, and treasured items may bring memories flooding back.

Don't push for answers. Your relative may not wish to speak ill of the dead or have other reasons for not wanting to share. Move on to something else.
Use your prepared questions as a guideline, but don't be afraid to let your relative go off on a tangent. They may have many things to say that you never thought to ask!

Don't interrupt or attempt to correct your relative, this can end an interview in a hurry!

When you are done, be sure to thank your relative for her time.

Tips:

Put your relative at ease by telling them that they will have a chance to see and approve of anything that you write before you share it with others.
Keep the interview length to no more than 1-2 hours at a stretch. It's tiring for you and for the person being interviewed. This is supposed to be fun!

Consider preparing a transcript or written report as a tangible thank you to your relative for her participation.

What to Ask the Relatives

A great way to uncover clues to your family history or to get great quotes for journaling in a heritage scrapbook is a family interview. By asking the right, open-ended questions, you're sure to collect a wealth of family tales. Use this list of family history interview questions to help you get started, but be sure to personalize the interview with your own questions as well.

For more family history interview tips, see How to Interview a Relative. Then scroll down for the family history interview questions below. (Don't worry if you don't get all the answers in one day. This list will give you some other times to visit and get your answers.)

1. What is your full name?
2. Why did your parents select this name for you? 3. Did you have a nickname?
4. When and where were you born?
5. How did your family come to live there?
6. Were there other family members in the area? Who?
7. What was the house (apartment, farm, etc.) like? 8. How many rooms? Bathrooms? Did it have
electricity? Indoor plumbing? Telephones?
9. Were there any special items in the house that
you remember?
10. What is your earliest childhood memory?
11. Describe the personalities of your family
members.
12. What kind of games did you play growing up?
13. What was your favorite toy and why?
14. What was your favorite thing to do for fun
(movies, beach, etc.)?
15. Did you have family chores? What were they?
Which was your least favorite?
17. Did you receive an allowance? How much? Did you
save your money or spend it?
18. What was school like for you as a child?
19. What were your best and worst subjects?
20. Where did you attend grade school? High school?
College?
21. What school activities and sports did you
participate in?
22. Do you remember any fads from your youth? Popular
hairstyles? Clothes?
23. Who were your childhood heroes?
24. What were your favorite songs and music?
25. Did you have any pets? If so, what kind and what
were their names?
26. What was your religion growing up? What church,
if any, did you attend?
27. Were you ever mentioned in a newspaper?
28. Who were your friends when you were growing up?
29. What world events had the most impact on you
while you were growing up? Did any of them
personally affect your family?
30. Describe a typical family dinner.
31. Did you all eat together as a family? Who did the
cooking? What were your favorite foods?
32. How were holidays (birthdays, Christmas, etc.)
celebrated in your family? Did your family have
special traditions?
33. How is the world today different from what it was
like when you were a child?
34. Who was the oldest relative you remember as a
child? What do you remember about them?
35. What do you know about your family surname?
36. Is there a naming tradition in your family, such
as always giving the firstborn son the name of
his paternal grandfather?
37. What stories have come down to you about your
parents? Grandparents? More distant ancestors?
38. Are there any stories about famous or infamous
relatives in your family?