Compiling What's Known

What does your family know about their history?

Gather all the stories anyone can tell you. Make notes about who told you what.

Write down all stories & family traditions even if you suspect they are not true or only

part true. You can work to prove or disprove them later.

Gather any records people have saved. If records are held by more distant family members

ask them if they would share them with you by photocopying or scanning those records.

Make note of where any piece of paper came from.

Interview all family members that you can. Do not assume that what Aunt Susie knows is

the same thing Aunt Lois knows. Make note of who you interviewed, their relationship in

the family, the date they told you this. If they tell you a story their grandpa told them

source it by recording the source as John Jones as told to his daughter Elizabeth Jones

when she was a teenager.

If they live far away do they have email? If so do not send them a list of questions.

Instead ask them A question.

If they don't do email etc. can you reach them by phone? Make sure they have the time

to talk when you call and be prepared with things to ask them.

If it is possible visit older members of the family and interview them. Taping interviews is easiest because you can transcribe them later and get what they have said word for word.

Consider interviewing yourself to launch your own memories. This will also be precious to future generations even if it doesn't seem all that interesting now.

When interviewing family members consider personalities. You may want to do the interviews individually when no one can interrupt or correct. In other cases you may find that the two aunts jog each other's memories. It is find to have multiple versions of the same event.

If you have photographs bring these to an interview because pictures pull up memories.

Really study your photographs , go through them with your family to see who can name the people in the pictures. If you have a scanner consider scanning and labeling so that you can share these treasures. Old time photo studies often printed addresses on the back of pictures that can help with location and guessing the year. Here are som more tips on handling photographs