How To Start A Family History Book

 

For the past year or so, I have been researching my family history. It has now become a hobby that I enjoy with each new discovery. Here's 7 ways for you to start your own family history book.

 

ONE

Start by writing down what you already know. A simple family tree diagram with your parents, grandparents and great grandparents names. Next time you visit, or call a family member slightly older than you, ask what they may know about your family history and write notes.

 

TWO

Keep all your notes in a binder, or a simple manila file folder so they are all in one place. Print out blank diagrams, free from this site to help you organize the research you have so far.

 

THREE

Start scanning in any old photos your family members may have. Sometimes you may have to dig in old draws or attic spaces, but pictures do help evoke memories. Keep a backup on a thumb drive, or an external hard drive.

 

On a personal note, don't take scanning in photos for granted. I am grateful I borrowed all my dad's photo albums and scanned in all my childhood memories before he passed away. His girlfriend inherited the house, and had no interest in returning 'family items' back to our family. Best thing I ever did, otherwise I would have lost 500 pictures of my childhood.

 

My dad and his Uncle Winifred

 

FOUR

Find an online site like family search, or ancestry to help you get further in your research. Personally, I like ancestry even if I do have to pay. Start putting in what you already know, and if you can go as far back as 1911 then you should be able to find your family in that census. With that information you should be able to work backwards until you see hints appear from other users who are distantly related to you.

 

Until you do deep research, such as a birth records, baptism records, a census every 10 years and death records, don't take all the details others provide as facts.

 

Some examples I've done include this, this, this and this. Now these are all from my maternal, maternal, maternal bloodline. I have done detailed research to the early Victorian period, watched videos from that time and even pinned wedding dresses my ancestors would have worn from the same time period. Doing this brings your ancestors alive.

 

FIVE

When you find out locations your ancestors were born, lived in or died at, google map it so you can get a worldly perspective of your families migration. Personally, I have found a lot of images of the churches, and even the homes some of my past ancestors lived in.

 

Parish of Bedworth

 

SIX

If you need help with your research try finding groups online. I am apart of a genealogy group on Facebook that helps me decipher everything from censuses to headstones. Also, most people in the group have a similar interest and similarly share what they've successfully found.

 

SEVEN

Record your findings to create your own family history book. I blog my findings while there fresh in my mind and it helps me to put everything into chronological order, otherwise I'd be muddled up with names and dates. Another suggestion I heard is to make a video, so you can share your findings with family members.

 

I might someday, but for now I've been watercoloring my own story in a keepsake book, so that will keep me pre-occupied for the next year or so.

 

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Best of luck on your research! Remember, even if someone in your family has done a lot for you, find ways to expand, and learn more from your ancestors.

 

You can find extra resources I've pinned here, and see my family photos here.

 

Any other tips or advice? Please do share...

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Coastal Charm #225
The Dedicated House #111

Sunrise Inspiration

"Your life is meant to be filled with beauty."

- Bryant McGill

 

 

"No matter what happened yesterday, life’s relevance does not diminish. The persevering heart always gives it a new beginning."

- Dodinsky

 

 

"Live this day as if it were your last. The past is over and gone. The future is not guaranteed."

 - Wayne Dyer

 

 

"A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows." 

- St. Francis of Assisi

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Imparting Grace #116

Superfood Salsa and Sixmile Creek

Yesterday, I made a cilantro, tomato, red onion, pineapple and avocado super food salsa.

 

I served in on a bed of rice with shredded tilapia. It was delicious.

It was a lovely day out so we went to six mile creek.

We walked through a wooded trail and back toward the creek.

When we s-t-o-p-p-e-d in our tracks.

 

I saw a snake and jumped! I had never seen a grass snake before. Luckily they're nonvenomous.

We will have to bring our dogs next time. Maybe we'll go a little farther.



Hope you had a fun weekend also.

 

 

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Coastal Charm #224
Between Naps On The Porch #288


The Story Of John and Priscilla Baker nee Coombes

This is the story of John and Priscilla Baker nee Coombs.

 

John is my 2nd great grandfather (maternal) and is the son of James Fredrick and Ann Marie Baker nee Brookes and the grandson of John and Esther Baker nee Bayliss.

 

Priscilla is my 2nd great grandmother (maternal) and is the daughter of William and Emma Coombes nee Evans.

 

Born just a year apart, in 1886 and 1887 respectively, John and Priscilla had different childhoods. John was born in  Fazeley, Staffordshire, was one of thirteen children and to parents married for forty-four years.

 

Priscilla was born in Foleshill, Warwickshire. She was one of ten children and her parents were married for twenty years before Priscilla's father died as a barge master. 

 

 

 

All Saint's Parish Church (Church of England), was rebuilt in the late 19th century of Runcorn stone in the Decorated style. The church has a square bell tower from the original Church thought to date from 1450 which houses the Town Clock (1817), and a peal of eight bells, which are rung for Morning Services and for special occasions. The church has several fine stained glass windows; of particular note the north aisle window is a rare example of the work of Mr. H. Clarke depicting St Peter, St Paul, St Luke and St John.

 

At the age of fourteen, in 1901 Priscilla left school to be a cotton mill worker, whereas at the age of nineteen, in 1909 John signed up for the Royal Regiment Artillery.

 

 

This is a similar greeting from that time period.

 

 

Aged twenty-two and twenty-one in 1909, they were married in Tamworth, Staffordshire.

 

By 1911, there family showed up in the census.

 

 

My maternal great grandmother, Daisy was born this year.

 

Sadly, John was killed in WWI in 1915 when Lily May was five and Daisy was four.

 

In 1919, Priscilla married Harry Silverster Hill. They were married for over thirty-five years until Priscilla passed away aged sixty-four in 1951.

 

I'm still searching to see if Priscilla and Harry had any children.