Record Keeping Practices

PC= Pedigree chart FGS= Family Group Sheet

Following the beginning use of the pedigree charts and family groups, you need to understand the type of numbering system used for the pedigree chart. This is called an "ahnenfatel" system. By looking at a PC, you can see that the number of the father of any individual is twice the number of that person. The mother is twice the number, plus 1, [2 x + 1] [Note: a spouse is not assigned a number]. Again, number 1 on any pedigree chart may be either male or female. If you carry this number over to other records, you can quickly access anything you wish on this person

Family groups sheets are a good place to keep basic information on individuals. Use the back of the page to note other facts. Even if you are not terribly interested at this point in the siblings of any ancestor, frequently you will fnd information on your own direct line by searching a sibling. If you do not know the name of an ancestor, but do know the names of the children, put them on a FGS-as children- to gether with what information you do have. If you find gaps in ages of siblings, leave a blank space, there may have been others you do not know about. By listing the siblings, oldest first, you may be able to determine the approximate age of the parents, using a rule of thumb of the mother being about 20 years old when the first child was born and the father, 20 to 25 years old. If there is a wide spread range between the first and last child in age, it is possible that the father married the second time. Remember, these are just possibilities. Take nothing for granted, check it out.

.You must have a system of record keeping for all records concerning each surname.[ Ignoring the use of computer generated programs ]. If you do research in an facility, you must have a "Notebook" with you. This can be what ever you wish, I prefer a 3 ring binder ] however, it should contain a separate file for each family name, PC's and FGS's for each number and family, or enought information to check on the site. By using this type of base, you can easily find the "blank" areas and then know what you look for; whether it be census, primary records, cemetery records, marriages, family histories, local county histories, etc.

By using a records keeping system, and having made an analysis of what is missing, you have taken the first step to finding out what is missing and needed. But, before you can make a good analysis, you must find out what has been done prior to you beginning to search for your ancestry. This is done by searching all data from family, [and proof] and secondary resources, including the LDS Family History Centers. Frequently, someone has submitted information to the Temple Records Bureau, the IGI and the Ancestral Files. Many times this was done years ago, but might contain information.

One note, you may find information that is totally erroneous, this is not an uncommon finding in the IGI and other records. I have three ancestors there with the wrong spelling and connections, one with the wrong surname, the submitter turned the name around and make the first or given name as the surname. So be careful, this is or should be used only as a guide to other information or locations.

You must organize and keep your research notes, with the records and documentation. Otherwise, two years from now, you will be wondering where you found something. The purpose of organizing charts and notes is to keep you in touch with all aspects of any problem. You must know what you have done, where it was done, why it was done, what you have to yet to do. If you keep this type of research notes, anyone could look at your research and 'know what, where and why". Duplication of efforts over the years is a waste of your time, unless you feel that you actually missed something. Don't get so involved in the setting up of filing and reseach systems that you lose track of the real purpose- the finding and determination of relationships.

Keep all records on the same size paper, use a good quality of paper, make your first copy- your last copy- in other words, do it well enough the first time that you do not have to re-do any copies. You take a chance of loosing information by re-copying. if you put the information on your computer, print out copies and keep all updates.

You must know what you are looking for when you start searching; if you do not, it's like an aimless search and you accomplish little to nothing. This is considered good record keeping.

I am posting a list on the website called "Familar Record Practices" [ abbreviations used routinely in documents].Print it out and keep with your notebook while researching. This will be included in another class later.

Next scheduled lesson is "Analysing the Pedigree and Basic Record Practices". This is not your recording keeping- but standard record practices, and the use of abbreviations, handwriting, names, etc. The Familar Records above will be a small part of this lesson. There will be other familar records charts posted at the website, including name abbreviations, look alike letters, punctuation or lack of, a few Latin terms , meanings and abreviations, spellings, etc.