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Genealogy Research...and your paper ephemera collection!Many people ask us...where do I start my genealogy research?
You know, the one box (which we have mentioned often throughout this website) with all of your paper stuff in it!
You will be amazed by how much genealogy information that you already have, right at your fingertips!
Or, you may want to visit a genealogist. They will want to take a look at those papers, as well! But, why bother, you ask? Does genealogy research really help the value of your paper collectibles? Oh, you bet it does! How? Quite simply...by filling in the gaps! That "what if..." example may just be a fantasy for some people! Finding a bundle of Civil War Era letters is not likely in this day and age! But, our point is this; the research that a Genealogist does can greatly add to the value of your letters! In turn, this helps establish a more accurate value to your collection. That can be a huge help to your appraiser, resulting in a huge benefit to you! That's why, we wanted to include this genealogy information on our website. Many family trees remain incomplete; many stories remain untold! Find yours...finish yours!
But there's more...much more!Of course, there's much more to this fascinating topic! Genealogy research is like putting together a puzzle! And, if you don't have all of the pieces, then you are not seeing the full picture! Finding the missing pieces and putting them together is the ultimate goal of a Genealogist: finding your ancestors and putting together a family tree!
Genealogy Research ServicesSearching on your own!Of course, you can try and research your letters and documents on your own! Doing so, requires some detective work (and may require a lot of legwork) on your part! However, it can be done! A great place to start is with your own family members. Have you visited your Great Aunt lately? But wait...before you go, prepare yourself with some questions and take along a blank notebook. Or better yet, a voice recorder, so that you can be sure to get all of the names/dates correct later on. Most people have a ton of old photo's in a box or photo album. But many of them are (sadly) blank on the back. That's where your Great Aunt can help you tremendously! Ask her, "Who were those people?" in that picture by the lake. "When was it taken?" Find out as much as you can...with as many relatives as you can. After you have exhausted your relatives (and yourself), then you might want to take your search a little deeper. Perhaps, you may want to try a well known service, such as Ancestry.com. They have been researching the past for a long time. Waiting for you, is a ton amount of information and it is all at your fingertips. There is a charge for their service and it varies, depending on the level you take it to. Our advice here is to have all of your information (from family members) ready to go, before signing up with Ancestry.com. When you're ready, "plug-in" your information and watch what happens. You will be amazed at the amount of information they can provide for you. Good luck in your search!
The amount of legwork (you put in) will depend on how much information you are looking for! Oftentimes, it is a case of trying to put together a family tree, or filling in some of the gaps! So, go collect your documents and start your research. Fill in your family tree. Or, give Ancestry.coma shot and let them help you with your "family search" research.
( The above images came from istockphoto.com )
Random Notes...We think that the field of genealogy is fascinating! It really fits in with what we are trying to do with our site! And that is...trying to sort out the stuff in your box! Our Advice? Searching for your family ancestors can be fun and challenging! But, it can also be quite frustrating if you keep hitting "dead-ends"! That's where a qualified Genealogists can help!
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