Who Do You Think You Are? by Megan Smolenyak

Other items to keep your eyes open for include: One of the best possible hauls? A stash of old letters-bonus points if they still have their envelopes with precious names and addresses. Many a genealogist has been chagrined to finally determine an elusive ancestor's name after a year of research, only to find this same information in a suitcase of papers tucked into the corner of their own cellar. Most of us are clueless about all the treasures and tidbits lurking in our closets, drawers, basements, and attics.

Now's a good time to rediscover your own home. There's always another ancestor to research if you feel like it, and many enjoy the thrill of the hunt so much that they never want it to end. How long will all this take? That's up to you. Finding an ancestor who missed the Titanic because of illness or helped build the Erie Canal will suddenly produce an insatiable thirst for knowledge about topics that seemed beyond tedious in your high school history textbooks. Many are simply curious about the entertaining stories that might be found dangling from the branches of their family tree. Do you want to learn more about the origins of your surname or everything you can about your family tree? Is your goal to identify all eight of your great-grandparents, all sixteen great-great-grandparents, or as many ancestors as possible? Investigate the clues you've probably got tucked away in your attic, closets, and basement and call your older relatives (think of them as witnesses to your family history), and you'll avoid getting stumped or derailed early on.Ī useful starting point is to ask yourself what you hope to accomplish. Who Do You Think You Are? For many, the first instinct is to jump on the computer, but if you can discipline yourself to do a little offline sleuthing beforehand, you'll ultimately go a lot further a lot faster.

Who Do You Think You Are? by Megan Smolenyak