Genealogy Columns and Articles

How do I get started with my family tree?

Genealogy Lens with a variety of how-to articles or sites which offer a daily, weekly or monthly genealogy column (with old columns archived).

The question I get asked all the time is "How do I get started with my family tree?"

This site will give you the tools you need to get started and then move you forward to the advanced level of genealogy quickly.

Featured Book

The Book of Myself A Do-It-Yourself Autobiography In 201 Questions

by: Carl Marshall, David Marshall

More than 250,000 copies sold! An even easier to use, revised edition of the popular do-it-yourself memoir

Amazon Price: $15.95 (as of 11/23/2009)

Do-It-Yourself Genealogy Books

Finding Your Family History in the Attic

Instructional video on getting started finding your family history in your own home.

Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)

The Book of Myself: A Do-It-Yourself Autobiography in 201 Questions

by: David Marshall, Carl Marshall

Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)

The Organized Family Historian: How to File, Manage, and Protect Your Genealogical Research and Heirlooms (National Genealogical Society Guides)

by: Ann Carter Fleming

Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)

500 Brickwall Solutions to Genealogy Problems

Amazon Price: $25.00 (as of 11/24/2009)

Links

Rootdig.com: Genealogical how-to articles by Michael John Neill.
Dear Myrtle: Genealogy news, reviews and how-to articles on the Internet or via email newsletter.
Genealogy and Technology Articles by Mark Howells: Articles on a variety of high-tech and Internet topics related to genealogy.
All Info About Genealogy: Weekly articles highlighting online and off-line resources including advice for beginners, facts about surnames, and user-submitted articles about research successes and reunions.
Genealogy.com: How-To Articles: The basics of genealogy research are covered in these hundreds of articles organized by topic.
About Genealogy: Genealogy how-to articles for beginners through advanced researchers covering a wide variety of topics and interests.
My Cinnamon Toast: A small collection of genealogy articles by several different authors.
Heritage Quest Magazine Online: This free, online sister publication to the print edition of Heritage Quest Magazine offers articles, tips, techniques and tools for family history enthusiasts each week. Past articles are archived.
Family History Compass: Juliana Smith provides family history tips and information in her weekly column.
Twigs and Trees: Genealogist Rhonda McClure answers questions and provides weekly genealogy tips, news and how-tos. Archive of past columns available.
Prologue: Quarterly Journal of the National Archives: Detailed articles relating to using the records of NARA, especially military records, for genealogical research.
Multimedia Techniques for Family Histories: Guide provides details on software and presentation options for creating a multi-media family history on CD-ROM.
Computer Genealogy: Free articles on climbing the family tree using Internet resources.
Genealogy Articles, Tips & Research Guides: Topics covered by Joe Beine include census, Native American, military, naturalization & passenger records.
Tracing Lines: Articles by Ruby Coleman explore a variety of research techniques, as well as genealogical computing.

Useful Articles

Michael John Neill-Pick a Spouse: Are your ancestors'
marriages causing you problems? Is your lack of knowledge of your ancestor's
marriages creating a brick wall? When family members have only one
relationship that produces
Where Do I Find It?: The key to locating many genealogical records is location. The location where an event took place, the location where any events were recorded, and the current location of those records are all key factors in proving that an event took place.

Books about Genealogy

Genealogy 101: How to Trace Your Family's History and Heritage

by: Barbara Renick, National Genealogical Society

Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)

Genealogy Online for Dummies

by: Matthew L. Helm, April Leigh Helm

Amazon Price: $4.69 (as of 11/24/2009)

RootsMagic Family Tree Genealogy Software

Amazon Price: $29.95 (as of 11/24/2009)

Articles from Genealogy Today

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A Library of Top Books on Genealogy

Easy Family Tree allows you to easily enter family information, calculate relationships, and electronically preserve photos and documents. It makes researching your family tree and recording your findings simple and affordable.

Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)

Family Gathering

Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)

Family Tree Maker 2006 Collector's Edition

Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)

Italian Genealogical Records: How to Use Italian Civil, Ecclesiastical & Other Records in Family History Research

by: Trafford R Cole

Amazon Price: $23.07 (as of 11/24/2009)

Producing a Quality Family History

by: Patricia Law Hatcher

Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 11/24/2009)

Trace Your Roots with DNA: Use Your DNA to Complete Your Family Tree

by: Megan Smolenyak, Ann Turner

Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 11/24/2009)

My Life (PC CD Boxed)

Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)

Land & Property Research in the United States

by: E Wade Hone

Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)

RootsMagic Family Tree Genealogy Software

Amazon Price: $29.95 (as of 11/24/2009)

DoroTree 2.0 - Revolutionary new program for Jewish genealogists!

Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)

To Our Children's Children: Preserving Family Histories for Generations to Come

by: Bob Greene, D. G. Fulford

Amazon Price: $13.64 (as of 11/24/2009)

Genealogy: Stepping Stones Complete

Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)

Courthouse Research for Family Historians: Your Guide to Genealogical Treasures

by: Christine Rose

Amazon Price: $18.79 (as of 11/24/2009)

How to Do Everything with Your Genealogy

by: George Morgan

Amazon Price: $20.24 (as of 11/24/2009)

Digitizing Your Family History (Family Tree Books)

by: Rhonda Mcclure

Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)

Swedish Research Genealogy Links

Swedish Emigrant Institute: Situated on a picturesque lake in the heart of Växjö, the House of Emigrants comprises an archive, library, museum, and research center.

Genealogy Magazine Subscriptions

Family Chronicle

Contains articles of interest to individuals researching their roots

Amazon Price: $25.00 (as of 11/24/2009)

Family History Monthly

Aids family historians in the search to uncover their ancestry and local history with a list of helpful resources, an overview of social history, and other features such as letters, news, pictures, profiles, Q&A, and book reviews.

Amazon Price: $119.74 (as of 11/24/2009)

Family Tree Magazine

Amazon Price: $24.00 (as of 11/24/2009)

My mother has started calling cemeteries "Ancestor Farms

GENEALOGY POX

WARNING: Very contagious to adults.

SYMPTOMS: Continual complaint as to need for names, dates and places. Patient has blank expression and is sometimes deaf to spouse and children. Has no taste for work of any kind except feverishly looking for records at libraries and courthouses. Has compulsion to write letters. Swears at mail carrier when s/he does not leave mail.

Frequents strange places such as cemeteries, ruins and remote, desolate country areas. Makes secret calls at night. Hides phone bills.

TREATMENT: There is no known cure. Medication is useless. Disease is not fatal, but gets progressively worse. Patient should attend genealogy workshops, subscribe to genealogical magazines, and be given a quiet corner in the house where s/he can be alone with his/her computer.

REMARKS: The unusual nature of this disease is.....the sicker the patient gets, the more s/he enjoys it!