I’ve been asked what kinds of family papers have genealogical information. Birth, marriage, and death certificates instantly come to mind. I remember, as a pre-teen, looking through my mother’s cedar chest and finding our birth certificates and my parent’s marriage certificate. I suppose my mother thought the chest was the safest place to put things.

You may not believe your home is a place to begin your research, but take a look around. You may be surprised.

Diaries and journals are excellent sources of genealogical information because they were written at the time of an event. During different eras and in different cultures, it was a common practice to keep a daily record of everything that happened. Diary entries range from what the weather was like to how many cents were spent for tobacco to what crops were planted or harvested. Tucked in with the mundane day-to-day recording of my grandmother’s diary was the note, "Connie was born today.”

Old family letters are another source of information. Look at the postmark and return address. A letter written by Grandpa Miller’s brother, John Miller of Lansing, Michigan, will give you the name of a relative and the place where he was living. You can follow up by locating John Miller in a census. You may be lucky and find other family members living with him.

You may discover an Odd Fellows pin that belonged to Grandpa. The International Order of Odd Fellows, also known as IOOF, was a fraternal organization. Many of our ancestors joined fraternal societies. When they did, they filled in membership applications. Some organizations maintain archives of these old papers.

A childhood birthday book or baby book may record not only the birth date but also subsequent events in a person's life.

The value of old newspaper clippings is obvious. They were printed at the time of the event, and they may provide you with a birth, marriage, or death date. You may find them stored in a box, pasted in a scrapbook, or filed between the pages of a book.

Don't overlook old books. An inscription may provide a clue to a family relationship or an important event. Between the pages you may find, in addition to newspaper clippings, a lock of hair, a letter, or a photograph.

The collections of “stuff” in your house or a cousin’s house can provide clues for your family research. As another benefit, they add character to our ancestor’s lives.

© 2004–2009

Connie Lenzen, CG