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Compiled Sources & Where to Find Them (view source)
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No matter what family history research experience you have in using primary and original records, and regardless of how many years you've been researching your family tree, this important checklist of Compiled Sources will help you conduct more thorough and comprehensive searches for finding compiled, and/or secondary sources on family lines. In most cases, family history seekers are guaranteed a pleasant surprise and will strike ‘gold’ by occasionally discovering already completed research on in-common ancestral family lineages. And because so many of the 'repositories' to such holdings are dynamic in that they are continually adding to their collections, it worthy of our time to return regularly to learn what new additions might turn to 'gold'. | No matter what family history research experience you have in using primary and original records, and regardless of how many years you've been researching your family tree, this important checklist of Compiled Sources will help you conduct more thorough and comprehensive searches for finding compiled, and/or secondary sources on family lines. In most cases, family history seekers are guaranteed a pleasant surprise and will strike ‘gold’ by occasionally discovering already completed research on in-common ancestral family lineages. And because so many of the 'repositories' to such holdings are dynamic in that they are continually adding to their collections, it worthy of our time to return regularly to learn what new additions might turn to 'gold'. | ||
In today’s world, orderly approaches to tracking and searching in all available compiled source databases has become a complex and unwieldy task! After a thorough scouring of home sources, in closets and attics—for family history papers, copies of records, pictures and memorabilia, you are now ready to embark in | In today’s world, orderly approaches to tracking and searching in all available compiled source databases has become a complex and unwieldy task! After a thorough scouring of home sources, in closets and attics—for family history papers, copies of records, pictures and memorabilia, you are now ready to embark in the next phase of your preliminary searches—for compiled sources. Compiled sources include published or deposited manuscript sources on families, pedigrees, biographies/autobiographies and local histories. | ||
Here’s a list of resources for where to find published and manuscript (compiled) sources on family surnames and lineages: 1. Online family genealogy sites, pedigrees, history sites: | === Compiled Sources === | ||
Compiled sources include the following two groups of preliminary sources to seek after, ''first'': | |||
==== Home Sources ==== | |||
If you’ve just barely begun your quest to trace your family tree, the first step is to look in attic, basement, and closet shelves and boxes for family home sources that may include—family Bibles, pictures, diaries, journals, copies of vital records and certificates and records, interviews with extended family and close relatives’, searching their home records as well (even old neighbors--if living--can prove very helpful!). | |||
==== Compiled Sources ==== | |||
The second group of compiled sources is also your second step for searching preliminary sources. Always seek to search those places, websites, repositories, libraries and societies holding published and/or manuscript copies of family information. Such compilations can and often do exist. The quality and/or professionalism in the already concluded research may vary from a scant skeletal view riddled with mistakes to a poorly researched and supposed historical treatise with enormous errors, false or incorrectly drawn research conclusions, to the opposite end of the spectrum--a comprehensive genealogical and historical view of a family surname--all immaculately completed, very thoroughly and scientifically proven (professionally) research, with a well written, and professional publication to show for it. Such compiled sources may be as complete as it possibly could be, as though you had personally researched and produced it! These compiled sources may provide family genealogies, pedigrees, individuals' biographies or autobiographies, or local and community histories. | |||
Here’s a list of resources for where to find published and manuscript (compiled) sources on family surnames and lineages: | |||
===== 1. Online family genealogy sites, pedigrees, history sites: ===== | |||
Google books at http://books.google.com | Google books at http://books.google.com | ||
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Allen Co. Indiana Public Library at http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/eresources.html | Allen Co. Indiana Public Library at http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/eresources.html | ||
2. Repositories and libraries with online catalogues | ===== 2. Repositories and libraries with online catalogues: ===== | ||
Online repository and library catalogues reveal their local and family histories collections and holdings so that you will know whether you can find and access completed (already compiled) data on a possible published family genealogy, biography and other compiled sources. Occasionally, holdings may include transcription, indexes and/or databases (with access to one and sometimes more in-house or even online databases). See below the list indicating the general types or kinds of institutions where compiled collections reside, worldwide and make it a habit to periodically check and re-check to determine new acquisitions of family surname compiled sources in their respective collections: | |||
a. Aim25 at: www.aim25.ac.uk (100 London archives) | a. Aim25 at: www.aim25.ac.uk (100 London archives) | ||