COPYRIGHT NOTICE (7)

Genealogy 201 was written to help continue tree climbing to next generations.  To make a multi-generational flow chart of the family tree.  It is intended to follow genealogy 101.

You may not use the contents of this site (blog and post) for commercial purposes without explicit written permission from the author and blog owner.  Commercial purposes includes blogs with ads and income generation features, and/or blogs or sites using feed content as a replacement for original content.  Full content usage in not permitted. 

Jerry E. Jones, MD, MS, The Jones Genealogist, Library of Congress No. 6192-01064476. 

A New Blog : Cadwallader Jones

For those who have completed Genealogy 201! This blog will use the methods described in this blog to give the life story of Cadwallader Jones, My Heart's Blood! Come join the tale. The link is:

http://cadwalladerjones.blogspot.com/

The Brick Wall Protocol

New blog to present help to the brick wall. Sould be Ge-ne-al-o-gy 401! http://thebrickwallprotocol.blogspot.com

A Time Machine

Five generations, there you have the start of your family tree. Now place your notebook before you and imagine from this point onward you have a "time machine". On the first few pages you have the geneograms of you, your parents, your grandparents, and children. You have started on your great grandparents. Think now that as you look down at the graph pages yet to be completed, you have generations yet to come. Each page can be organized by dates or generational groups going back in time until you reach the beginning. You can actually place dates on the pages you already have, with the top page being the present date. Then starting with your great grandparents, you can "rough in" the expected dates of their lives going back in time. Twenty years can be used as a reproductive life span, with roughly three generations per 100 years. You then write dates on each page, along with family surnames, locations, and what you need to know. On each page write in large letters the maiden names of each wife so that you can follow parallel lines as the information become available. The major items that will become important are which state (or country) each generation belongs, into which county and city did they live most of their lives. What type of jobs did they have? What church did they attend? On and on it goes, but that is for ge-ne-al-o-gy 301.

Five Generations

Well now, let's see. You have your genealogy notebook. You have your graph paper (at least 75 pages counting the few you have thrown away). You have pencils, ruler, and a good understanding about doing genealogy. Your family tree should be started with your own geneogram including your squares and circles connected by vertical and horizontal lines. You should now have all the information recorded about yourself, your spouse, your bothers and sisters, your parents, and your children. You should have your sheet protectors ready to place all those primary documents you have collected. Well done. Well done. Your geneogram should look something like that shown on the right. The darkest squares and circles are where you started in Ge-ne-al-o-gy 101. The lighter squares and circles are what you are to add in Ge-ne-al-o-gy 201. If you have started placing your grandparents, you will have a five generation family tree. You are now ready to collect your ancestors, and start climbing out each branch of your family tree.

A Secondary Document

A secondary document is any record that gives additional information or account of the individual you are researching after that person has died. These may be public or private records. They would include books (biographies), magazine articles, newspaper articles, public records or accounts, or any additional records that give "second hand" information about the person you seek. Some of these records might included genealogical work or historical texts which have clear documentation. Those with clear documentation are the most helpful, since you can actually verify the sources given. [That is why documentation is so important in your own tree climbing.] Many of the secondary sources may present information that is not clearly documented such as family stories (legends), oral histories, and newspaper articles. Any genealogical information that is given without references or documentation should be clearly noted. This is often the case with Internet sites and family trees given on undocumented Internet sites. [I have found many of these sites to have extensive errors.]

The picture to the right shows an example of a secondary document. It is titled "Daniel Boone", and is published 1911. It is interesting reading and gives a detailed account of the life of Daniel Boone. It gives no documentation to allow the reader to verify the accounts told in the book. A secondary source it is.

A Primary Document

A "Primary Document" is any historical document written during the life time of the person under research. It is any civil, legal, or governmental record written during the life span of this person. Examples are deeds, wills, court orders and records, birth certificates, death certificates, marriage records, census data, military records, and tax records. A primary document may also be any family, personal, religious, or social record, such as Bible records, personal letters, diary, business or other items which involve communications or references to the person being researched. Finally, there is any document written during the life of the individual from any other source such as letters, newspaper articles, and diary which is written by others about the individual you are collecting documentation.

The item to the right is an example of a primary document for my Grandfather and Grandmother Ewen. It is their marriage record written 21st March 1918. Pretend it is one from your family and identify what information it contains.