Enlistment records, military pension applications, muster rolls, prisoners of war, and records of those killed in battle can all be helpful in finding out information about ancestors. Enlistment records show where a soldier enlisted. Pension applications can show not only what branch of service, what battles he participated in, and what his unit number was, but can also list family members and where they lived when the pension application was filed.

Each branch of service keeps records for all battles and some records exist for battles in pre-Colonial times. If you know the branch of service your ancestor enlisted in, you can contact them directly and file and application for information. More recent enlisted men and women also have pictures in their files that can be made available to direct family members with proof of relationship.

Other military records are available online in the form of muster rolls and lists of battle participants. If there is a family legend that your ancestor fought at the Alamo, at the Battle of New Orleans, or any other battle site, local historical societies and records kept in libraries dedicated to the memory of a battle site can help enlighten you about your ancestor's possible involvement.

History books and other historical records can help fill in gaps about your ancestor even if they are not mentioned in the official accounts of a battle. If you have proof that they were present at the battle, and you read what happened during the battle, you will have a general idea of your ancestor's experiences during that time.

There are forms for almost every type of research in genealogy. The forms below are the most common, but if you are looking for something specific, an online search for "genealogy forms" will yield many more.

Forms:

• Family Group Record - For compiling data about one set of parents and their children. A separate Family Group Record is created for each marriage and/or family.

• Pedigree Chart - For showing the direct ancestors for one individual. These forms usually show from three to six generations on one page.

• Census Extraction Form - There are extraction forms for each of the census years. Each form is designed to make recording of census information for one family easier.

• Circular, Bow-tie, or Fan Shaped Pedigree Wall Chart - These charts show up to 15 generations of ancestors for one individual.

• Time Line Chart - Time line charts show a set amount of time and the people and events that are significant in that time frame.

• Cemetery Transcription Form - Cemetery Transcription forms allow researchers to transcribe cemetery inscriptions, but also allow cemetery mapping to show graves in relationship to landmarks or each other.

• Research log - Research logs allow you to record not only which libraries or places you have searched, but also in which books, microfilms, and other records you have browsed.

• Correspondence Log - Correspondence Logs are used to keep track of anyone with whom you are in contact by mail, phone, or email.

• Family Relationship Chart - The Family Relationship Chart is a quick reference guide to show one individual's relationship to another.

• Marriage Index Extraction Form -Marriage Record Index Forms provide organized spaces for the names off the bride and groom, date of license, and date of marriage. Some forms also provide space for witnesses, bondsmen, etc.

• Table of Contents for File Form - A Table of Contents form at the front of a file gives a complete picture of all the documents in a file at a glance.

• Descendants Chart - This is a list of all the recorded descendants for one ancestor.

These are just a few of the basic forms, but there are many others. Many websites offer these forms as free downloads. Others are easily printed from within your genealogy software.

File boxes
File boxes are light weight and portable. The drawback is that they may not be large enough to carry all the data you would like to have with you as you look.

Loose Leaf Notebooks
Loose leaf notebooks are great for home use, but suffer from a severe space limitation and the need to punch holes in documents in order to keep them in place. Page protectors can eliminate the need to punch holes, but can be heavy and expensive.

File Cabinet and File drawers
A file cabinet can be an ideal storage place for your genealogy research. Not only are fire safe cabinets available, they can also be locked for added security. The down side is that there is no option for portability. Individual files can be removed and returned, but loose papers can become lost while out of the cabinet.

Computer Software Program on Laptop or Desktop
A computerized genealogy program is an excellent way to store an immense amount of data in a small space. Of course there is no good way to store actual documents on a computer program, but they can be scanned and stored electronically. Some research facilities prohibit the use of laptops inside the research room, so check with them before you carry your laptop with you.

PDA format Genealogy Program
A few genealogy programs are available for use on your PDA. However, storage space is limited by the capacity of your PDA. If additional storage cards are available, these can help expand your PDA's capacity and keep your genealogy records separate from your other documents. Not only are PDA's even more portable than laptop computers, but they are not often prohibited in research facilities.

Safe Deposit Box or Fire proof safe
For those records that are irreplaceable, a safe deposit box or fire proof safe is a must. Old pictures, land deeds, and original documents should be stored in a climate controlled, acid free, and fire safe space.

• Family Tree Maker 2006
• Family Origins 10.0
• Legacy Family Tree 6.0
• Roots Magic Version 3
• Ancestral Quest
• Family Historian

These programs range in price from $25 to $76 each and perform a variety of functions. Most offer easy data entry, printable reports, and file sharing through a form called a gedcom file. There are also programs available just for Macintosh computers.

If purchasing a computer program doesn't fit into your budget, there are many free and shareware programs available that may or may not have as many features as programs that are available for purchase. Some of these programs are:

• PAF 5.2.18
• Ancestry Family Tree
• Life Lines
• Geno Pro
• Bygones

These programs can be downloaded and used immediately. Make sure you have the correct operating system and enough hard drive space not only to use the software, but to add data for years to come. Many genealogists use the PAF software that is made available through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Their program is a full-featured system that is available for free from the church's web site. You do not need to be affiliated with the church in any way to download and use the program.

No matter which program you choose, download a trial version first and try it for a few days. If it doesn't meet your needs or is too difficult to run, you will not use it. Even though there are many features that these programs have in common, there are also features that are only available on some programs, so if that feature is important to you, you may want to focus your search on those programs. As with any software purchase, research before making a final decision and be sure of what you are getting before you pay.

There are times when information should be documented with a phrase similar to, "From a phone conversation with Betty Smith on April 26, 1995," or "From a conversation with Betty Smith (Aunt Betty) at the Smith Family Reunion, April 26, 1995." The date is important in this instance to show what you learned first as opposed to what information was gathered later. When making notations based on information from family members or others, it is important to note that the memory of that person, no matter who they are, can be flawed.

Emails can also be documented, noting the sender, subject line, and date. The email address of the sender should also be included.

Documentation of official sources is necessary, even if you have a copy of the original document. Court house records almost always have a number assigned to them, or are noted as coming from "Birth Records 1900-1910, Lamar County, Texas, Book 1 page 15." If you obtain information from official records over the internet, then the exact web page address should also be included in your citation. When you share gedcom files with other researchers, most often you will not be sending along copies of your original documents. The notation about where to find them is sufficient.

Another reason for accurate documentation is to be able to go back to the source document at a later time and gather information that is relevant, but of which you were unaware the first time you viewed the source. Once you find additional family links, information that seemed unimportant upon first viewing may be vital later.

One of the easiest ways to protect a document is to put it away in a cool, dark, climate-controlled place. Safe deposit boxes are usually ideal for important papers, but ask your bank what would happen in the case of a flood, tornado or hurricane before leaving your precious papers with them.

Another way to preserve the information on a document is to copy it. Color copiers are available in many places these days and can make a color copy that is almost indiscernible from the original at first glance. Color copies can be placed in photo albums or files while the original rests safely in a bank vault somewhere.

There are times, however, in which copies of any kind would be detrimental to a document. Very old papers should not be exposed to the kind of light used in copiers. Check with your local archivist before copying any papers that are more than 25 or 50 years old and ask what effect those lights will have on the paper and the images on it. Ask about the proper way to preserve the document for the future.

When making color copies of documents, ask for the availability of photo paper for those copies. Photo paper is sturdy and will last longer than a copy made on bond paper.

However, you can also make copies of valuable papers available to others on the internet and by email. Placing copies of old pictures on your family web site allows all members of the family to see and enjoy them, enhancing that feeling of "knowing" great Grandpa, even if he lived so long ago that they couldn't have really known him.

Sharing copies of photos and other documents with other family members also lets them know that you value their connection to the past as being just as valuable as yours. No one of us has a higher priority claim on the past. On the contrary, it is our responsibility to share it with others.

Only one ancestor can "own" the original copy of Grandma and Grandpa's wedding photo, but through digital copies, color copiers, and flat bed scanners, every one of the grandchildren can have a copy framed and nestled on top of the piano or in a precious photo album. Actual photo duplications are also available at a higher cost. The cost includes making a negative of the original photo and then printing actual photos from the negative. Making a negative must be done in a professional studio, but once it is done, any number of duplicate photos can be created that rival the beauty of the original.

Including photos with individual data can also reduce the incidence of reporting information incorrectly for same-name people. Tom Smith Senior and Tom Smith Junior will not look exactly the same. When their photos are included with their data, researchers will be able to identify them, not just by their name and birth date, but also by their appearance.

Including copies of photos with your research also shows an attention to detail that will demonstrate to other researchers the validity of your research. Photos also show a close enough relationship to the ancestor to have access to people with pictures. This, too, adds credibility to your research.

Any document that can be inserted in a photo album without the use of adhesive of any kind, and without folding or bending will benefit from being maintained in the album away from the things can harm the paper and its image or information. In order to hold the document in place, there are page protectors, pocket sleeves, and opaque envelopes designed for the protection of valuable papers.

If you wish to be able to see the document while it is in the book, then a transparent protector or sleeve is necessary. If you wish to protect the document from light and other elements while it is in the book, an opaque envelope or sleeve is called for. Watch for plastics that contain chemicals that can harm your documents and for elements that can yellow the original, making it more fragile than before.

Each community has its own repository for protecting historical documents, whether that repository is at the local court house, library, or archives is unimportant as long as the facility has the means to protect the document as well as make it available for members of the community to view.

Archives often make exact copies of important documents and allow those copies to be placed on display for public viewing. Other historical documents are too valuable and the experience of viewing them would be cheapened if the public thought they were viewing a copy rather than the original. The Declaration of Independence is one example. Would you travel to Washington D.C. to view a copy of the Declaration of Independence? Would your heart be stirred by the echoes of liberty and justice if you knew you were viewing an elaborate photo copy of the precious document? The answer is "Probably not."

In these instances it is important to make use of extreme security measures and modified lighting so that the document on display is not harmed in any way despite it being out in the public viewing area.

Many communities have documents and photos that are just as valuable to the local area but have even more significance to the family members of those involved. When your family is sharing original documents with a local entity, it is advisable to allow that document to be placed on display as a loan from the family. However, it is also permissible to give a gift to the community that will enrich the entire population.

Types of Genealogy Societies

Religion and Genealogy Societies

Historical Genealogy Organizations

Local Genealogy and Historical Societies

Difficult Searches

Searching for your female ancestors

Native American Ancestors

African American Ancestors

Immigrant Ancestors

Ellis Island and other Ports of Entry

Ships Passenger lists

Americanized names

Free Genealogy Sites

Paid Genealogy Sites

Email Groups and Queries

Genealogy and Historical Societies with online records

Interested in becoming the guide for this category? Send an email to jennifer at beginnersguide.com to request more information.