Genealogy...where to start?

**gilmore** · 30th July 08, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by sharpdressedscot

yes, as said before libraries are great sources. The main library in my city has immigration reports and censuses. I found a great deal of info, I haven't verified it. Since the ancestors of my family (Gillmores) were from Ireland (Scottish colonists though) I traced just about every Gillmore from every county... so I guess you have to do a very thorough search of EVERYTHING.

Also, it's good to have a very rich great uncle who is also interested in family history.

Are you descended from Thomas Gilmore, born Sept 4, 1734, married Jane Heard, and died in Cumberland County, NC?

**Nick the DSM** · 30th July 08, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by gilmore

Are you descended from Thomas Gilmore, born Sept 4, 1734, married Jane Heard, and died in Cumberland County, NC?

no, Thomas Gillmore born in 1815 Dublin, Ireland and died there. We're trying to find other same generation family members other than his cousin.

PM me if you want to talk further about this.

**ardchoille** · 30th July 08, 08:02 PM

I feel the best thing you can do to get yourself started is talk to family, they can tell you the locations of births and marriages. Then take those locations and look up names/dates in registries, guest books, logs, lists, etc. Many of the "research" websites may miss things you want researched, and doing it yourself won't cost you so much money.

**Birddog** · 30th July 08, 08:19 PM

Unfortunately, I'm starting this quest later in life. I have already hit a wall in the case of my paternal grandfather's information. I have birthplace and year, but nothing else. Would you recommend contacting the state and seeing what they have, or is there another resource? I tried earlier to use the LDS site, but it was rather confusing.

**ardchoille** · 30th July 08, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by Birddog

Unfortunately, I'm starting this quest later in life. I have already hit a wall in the case of my paternal grandfather's information. I have birthplace and year, but nothing else. Would you recommend contacting the state and seeing what they have, or is there another resource? I tried earlier to use the LDS site, but it was rather confusing.

Try and research birth records, death certificates, church records, tax records, military records, obituaries, newpapers, real estate purchases, and the like. I found a lot of information in these when I was doing my research.

**SteveB** · 30th July 08, 08:30 PM

Most public libraries have genealogy sections. The other thing I will mention is to go to Ancestry.com or Familysearch.org and download some pedigree charts, and some family group sheets. Make a lot of copies of them and then start the writing of yourself in slot number one, your father in 3 2, your mother in #3, etc....These pedigree charts create a fan of your family tree. I use genealogy software to keep track of my work. I am lucky in that a good deal of my family came early to Massachusetts and STAYED HERE. Massachusetts has some of the best kept records in the world, and I am able to sit in front of my computer and read the original records from the Vital Statistics office. It is because of my genealogy studies that I got interested in the Scot connection and then on to .........Kilts. With anything that is submitted in the form of a family tree online, use it as a guideline only! My line back to Richard Warren of the mayflower is mostly available through Ancestry.com, but some of the info does not match the genuine records found at the town hall, or state records office. Once i got past Ireland into Scotland, I got a lot of help from the gang on Scotlands Family Tree. members there went to the GRO for me and sent scanned images of the pages out of the registers. I have been able to reciprocate by suppling images from US Records back across the pond.
The genealogy addiction has been going on since my grandfather gave me my first kilt.

**gilmore** · 30th July 08, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by Birddog

Unfortunately, I'm starting this quest later in life. I have already hit a wall in the case of my paternal grandfather's information. I have birthplace and year, but nothing else. Would you recommend contacting the state and seeing what they have, or is there another resource? I tried earlier to use the LDS site, but it was rather confusing.

Usually one then would go to public records, especially census records, which are available at the several federal archives located around the US, and at www.ancestry.com, a pay site. You should be able to find his father doing this. They are available up to 1930.

If he was born in the 1910's or 20's or later your state may have his birth certificate in thier vital records, depending on when it started registering births.

**Birddog** · 30th July 08, 08:53 PM

The conundrum is that I am using ancestry.com, and they hit the wall. My paternal grandfather was born in Virginia in 1896, died in Texas in 1960. Apparently no siblings that I have been able to find. That is all that I have been able to find. Guess my next step will be trying to see if VA can find a birth cert.. Difficult since I cannot go there to search libraries.

**Highland Logan** · 31st July 08, 12:45 AM

Try the LDS site. It cover everything from census to church records.

Frank

**macwilkin** · 31st July 08, 03:22 AM

Originally Posted by Birddog

The conundrum is that I am using ancestry.com, and they hit the wall. My paternal grandfather was born in Virginia in 1896, died in Texas in 1960. Apparently no siblings that I have been able to find. That is all that I have been able to find. Guess my next step will be trying to see if VA can find a birth cert.. Difficult since I cannot go there to search libraries.

Most libraries will accept research requests from out-of-state; there may be a fee per hour and/or copying costs, but it's usually worth it. You might also be able to hire a genealogist in Virginia to do research for you as well.

Regards,

Todd