WHO WERE THOSE GUYS

Who were those guys that served in the Roman Legions?Who were those guys that fought in the War of the Roses?Who were those guys that joined Bonnie Prince Charlie in Scotland and fought for the independence of

Scotland?Who were those guys that toiled all their lives on land that was owned by someone else?Who were those guys that suffered in the potato famine in Ireland?Who were those guys who were brave enough, desperate enough or so fervent in their religious beliefs that

they left their homeland to sail for months across the ocean to an unknown land?Who were those guys who left their homeland country, never to return?Who were those guy who fought wars against the Indians to claim the land for themselves?Who were those guys who fought the British to found a new nation, the United States?Who were those guys that fought in World Wars, on both sides?Who were those guys who moved to a country that spoke a different language, had different customs and were

discriminated against just because they came from another country?Who were those guys that brought the customs of the old country to this new country and made our country

the melting pot that it is?Who were those guys who grew up, married, had hopes and dreams, saw some of their children die of disease,

saw the rest into adulthood to see their children have children of their own?Who were those guys? They were the people who lived their lives and made their contribution to our

existence. They were our ancestors. They had the same basic desires we have, experienced the same experiences we have in raising their children. Experienced the same grief at the loss of loved ones.

Didn’t you ever wonder “WHO WERE THOSE GUYS”. That is what the hobby of genealogy tries to answer. Find out who they were, when they were born, when they married, what children they had. when did they die, what they did in their lives. What political offices, however minor, did they hold; where did they live, what land did they buy, what was their occupation. What was their life like.

BEGINNING

GENEALOGY

WHERE DO I START ?

Start with YOU

There are two basic forms if you are not

using a computer

Ancestor ChartFamily Group Sheet

AHNENTAEFEL NUMBERS

Father's number is twice that of child

Mother's number is one more than husband's

COMPUTER PROGRAMS FOR GENEALOGY

Family Tree MakerRoots MagicLegacy

For Mac: Reunion

Use of a computer program makes updating of data and printing of forms very easy.

SOME EARLY TIPS

Use one size sheet of paperOne surname per sheetCite all your sourcesKeep a research logKeep all information even if it does not agreeKeep records organized

Every Fact must have its own source

Complete source citation shows that you are a reliable and thorough researcher.

Others can evaluate your researchOthers can find what you used.

Most importantEnables a sound analysis of the evidence

FILING METHODS

BINDER METHOD

Some genealogists use the binder method. For every surname on their

pedigree charts, they have a separate binder. Family group sheets,

pedigree charts and photocopies of documents are all three-hole punched

and placed neatly in the binder. The binder goes with them on research

trips, so they have all the data readily accessible. Obviously, if the

surname extends back to colonial times and further and includes

research on collateral lines, the binders will be quite bulky and

cumbersome to lug around. If you are planning a lengthy research trip

to work on several families, you will have quite a few binders to carry

with you. While this may be a good starting system, it becomes impractical quickly.

FILING BY INDIVIDUALS

If you research 10 generations you will be gathering materials on 2,046

people. That does not take in consideration collaterals: aunts, uncles,

cousins, in-laws. If you have unlimited space for a unlimited amount of

filing cabinets and folders, this may be a good method.

You will look like a Doctors office and you may have more files that the

Doctor does.

You will also be duplicating a lot of documents for source material that

refers to more than one person.

If you are planning on a biography of one individual this may be the way

to go....Otherwise, Skip it.

FILING BY COUPLE OR FAMILY GROUPS

This system is better than individual filing method and is popular filing

system among genealogist since it coordinates with the couples listed on a

pedigree chart.. Start by making a family group sheet for every married

couple listed on your pedigree chart. Then create a file folder for each

couple and their offspring. When you learn that a child married, you

start a file folder for that person and spouse. If a son or daughter never

married, then that child’s data stays in the file folder of the parents.

This system, like others, has a potential of becoming unwieldy. If a

couple had several children who did not marry, you will have to hunt in

a voluminous file folder.

FILING BY SURNAME

Similar to the binder method, some genealogists use one folder per

surname. This method used the least amount of folders, but they will

become obese in no time at all. you will quickly have file 1, 2 and 3 for

every surname and you will be sifting through many papers to find the

one item you need.

Start with this method, but if the file become large adopt part of the

individual filing system. There will probably be one or more persons

with a lot of documents. Split out the information for this person in

another file folder. Thus you would have one Surname folder, and then

one for Tom Surname, and perhaps another for Dick Surname or Sarah

Surname with their documents included.

Now about Searching for records

Always work from what you know

Backwards in time

Where to Search?

Rochester Public Library, Local History Dept.Access to Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest And others

Rochester Genealogical Society Web Site Access to Monroe County Links Page

Cyndi's List.com: listing of thousands ofOther web sites

RUNDELL LIBRARY BUILDING

The Rochester Genealogical Society has Genealogical Helpers available at the Local

History Department of the library on

Monday evenings and From 10 to 4 on Saturdays

U.S. CENSUS RECORDS

Census taken every 10 years since 1790

Before 1850 gives only the head of household and number of individuals in age groups

Census Record information

1850 first to list every person, place of birth1880 married, single, divorced, relationship, place of birth of parents, 1890 not available, destroyed1900 date of birth, number of children, year of immigration, naturalization1910 immigration, naturalization, years of present marriage1920 immigration, naturalzation, own or rent1930 latest available, home value,citizenship

CENSUS CITATION EXAMPLE

1900 U.S. Census, Genesee Co.,New York, Batavia, ward 2, pg 96,

line 94, Mary I. Buell; NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 1038,

<HeritageQuest.com>

Should also have included enumeration district and

supervisors district.

New York State Census Records

From 1825 to 1925 every 10 years in years ending in 5

Except for census 1892 (1885 and 1895 skipped)

Rochester Library has only Monroe CountyHas index for 1855 outside of Rochester

Most State census are not indexed.

1892 State Census

Important because 1890 Federal Census destroyed

On line at:Familysearch.org

Family History Center1400 Westfall Road, RochesterKreag Road, Bushnell's Basin

Films can be ordered from Salt Lake CityCost $ 5.50

The local center has many Monroe County films on permanent file at the center

Search the Family History Library website<familysearch.org>

CATALOG USED TO FIND AVAILABLE FILMS

SEARCH A PLACE

LIST OF CATAGORIES

The Family History Centers

Also have free access to

World Vital RecordsFootnote.comFindMyPast.uk

Rochester Municipal Archives

Need appointment

Rochester Marriage Records 1876-1932And later

Index is on line

SURROGATE COURT RECORDS

Records of estatesMore than just wills

5th FloorCivic Center

Birth & Death RecordsMonroe CountyOnly since 1881

75 years for birth records50 years for marriage and death records

Obtain from Monroe County Health BureauCost $ 22.00

Will get only a transcriptionSend to Albany for copy

MONROE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE

Naturalization recordsMortgages

Land recordsDivorce, separation

(index only unless over 100 years old)50 cts a copy

MONROE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE

West Main Street between Exchange & PlymouthOn the right as you enter building.

Enter the door and turn left and go to rear of building

OGDEN FARMERS LIBRARY

South of SpencerportSouth of Route 531

Ogden Center Rd, east off of Union StreetAncestry.com

Genealogical CD'sBrockport Republic Newspaper 1856-1917

Ogden burials

Mt. Hope Cemetery

Office can provide cemetery maps and plot maps

Records are on-line on U of R website

Access through RGS website- Monroe County links - Monroe

County Links Page - Cemeteries -Mt. Hope Records

Holy Sepulchre CemteryLake Avenue

Office is on west side of Lake AvenueEasy to use Kiosk for locating grave sites

Office can provide plot maps

Holy Sepulchre Cemetery

Records are now on lineOn their website

Need to go there to get a map

DAR LIBRARY138 Troup Street

Open on Fridays, call for appointment 232-4509

DAR website

Older applications are not proof of relationship. They do not meet the standards of proof now required. Use them only as clues.

ROCHESTER GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

WEBSITE: nyrgs.org

Information on our meetingsAccess to Monroe County Links PageChurch Records from the CRPC

Rochester Genealogical SocietyMeets 3rd Thursday of month

Except July, August & December7 PM, Asbury First Methodist Church

East Avenue, Rochester

Computer Interest GroupMeets 2nd Thursday of month

Except July & AugustFamily History Center1400 West Fall Road,

Rochester

RememberKeep organized

Cite your sourcesKeep a research log

PERSEVERE