“Start with what you know,” Rotterman emphasized.
That means your parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. The basics you need include name — middle names and nicknames, if possible, and maiden names —as well as places and dates of birth, marriage and death.
Write it down as you go. Leave blanks as needed. You can start with paper and pencil, Rotterman said. For example, you can download a printable American ancestor chart in addition to a PDF version.
“There’s no one best way to research,” Rotterman said. But be sure to document and verify what you find. Be sure to store online research on a flash drive (memory stick) as well as on your PC.
Search your home for facts, Rotterman suggested, such as sorting through boxes of documents you acquired clearing out a relative’s house. Scrapbooks and family Bibles may have names and dates. Wills and deeds also have details about people.
“You can use those things,” said Rotterman, a genealogy researcher for 40 years.
Scan or copy original documents and photos then store the originals in archival-quality material to prevent further deterioration, Rotterman said. She keeps a three-ring binder for each major family name in her tree.
Who else in the family can you speak with? Aunts, uncles or cousins? They might help you fill in the blanks. Ask them for copies of original documents like marriage licenses or certificates.
Then you’re ready to check outside sources, said Rotterman.
Ohioans are lucky, noted Garry Knight, president of the Montgomery County Genealogical Society. Libraries and genealogical societies are good places to start. Area libraries, including Clark, Greene, Warren, Miami and Preble county libraries, have genealogy librarians and/or robust genealogy resources.
Rotterman said the Dayton Metro Library main branch offers more than 200 years of records, including digitized books, photographs, pamphlets, magazines, newspapers, maps, manuscripts, postcards, videos and more. There is access to PCs as well as scanners for copying original documents.
Newspapers are full of people information, said Rotterman. Find digitized local papers from 1756 to 1963 at the Chronicling America project of the Library of Congress at www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov , The National Archives at www.archives.gov keeps a huge depository of military records and other genealogy sources.
She added U.S. Census records and city directories are also good sources, with details on professions as well as addresses. Some area libraries even offer a library edition of Ancestry members can use on site at no cost.
As you compile your finds, remember to record the source. Rotterman emphasized. Look for official sources such as government records to verify information, even data you thought you knew. Birth names may be different from family nicknames. Trace the wrong name and you lose hours of valuable research time. Even verify names found in other relatives’ research or family trees shared in online sources.
Check your local library for genealogy classes. Some are also offered through video conferencing. Knight notes the monthly society meetings are also available via Zoom. Some members live in other states, but their research has led them to the Dayton area.
Education is a primary goal of the society. With more than 200 members, there are plenty of opportunities to network and get searching tips, said Knight, who started his genealogy hobby in the 1990s.
Service is another important goal. Knight notes society members have transcribed church records and are updating county cemetery records so current information is available to researchers. The group even hosts regular cemetery tours geared to anyone interested in history and genealogy.
“There’s always someone to help you because somebody helped them get started,” he said.
MORE INFORMATION
Area libraries have how-to resources, including books such as “Genealogy Online for Dummies,” said Rotterman. Check Events calendars. The Dayton Metro Library offers regular classes.
- Genealogy Basics: How to Get Started: The next class is Sat., Nov. 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Genealogy Beyond the Basics is scheduled for Sat, Dec. 7, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Both classes will be at the main library branch at 215 E. Third St. Registration is required.
The Montgomery County Genealogical Society meets the second Saturday of the month at the Dayton Metro Library main branch. Annual membership is $17 (one person). Join online at mcc-ogs.org
On Nov. 9, the society will host its annual genealogy seminar featuring Sunny Morton, a nationally known genealogy speaker and researcher, at Christ United Methodist Church, 3440 Shroyer Rd. in Kettering. Register at the society’s web page. The cost is $40 members/$50 non-members.
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