Genealogy Resources
Vital Document Research
(birth, marriage, divorce, death)
CONFIRMING ANCESTORS
There is only one way to know for sure about ancestors on your tree, are truly 'your ancestors'!
Start with suggestions from family tree services. Next, search and attach PROOF documents (birth, death, marriage, divorce) to each of your ancestors starting with your grandparents. THEN and only with vital documents can you say that your first three or four OR FIVE generations are 'CONFIRMED' with documentation. ALSO, after you have done that... you can back up your FS tree to a free tree on Ancestry (no one can freely edit it).
https://www.archives.gov/research/vital-records
FamilySearch.org: Vital Records and Evidence
USA National Archives | Vital Records
Family Search USA Document Research
Native American Genealogy Research
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Distant Cousins Genealogy Groups
Over 80 Private Genealogy Groups on Facebook
Cyndi's List has been a trusted genealogy research site for more than 25 years. Cyndi's List is free for everyone to use and it is meant to be your starting point when researching online.
Cousin Chart - How to Calculate Family Relationships
Have you ever used a cousin chart when trying to figure out what to call your distant cousins? Even if you know what it means to be a second, third, or fourth cousin, it can sometimes be hard to visualize these relationships in real life.
USE THE COUSIN CHART
The cousin chart helps you calculate and figure out what to call your more distant cousins through a visual guide. Follow the steps below to use the chart.
Note: These cousin naming-conventions are primarily used in English-speaking societies and may be different in other languages and cultures.
Steps Examples
Identify the grandparents you and your cousin share.
Your 5th great-grandparent is your cousin’s 7th great-grandparent.
2. On the horizontal line, find your shared grandparent. Your 5th great-grandparent.
3. On the vertical line, find your cousin’s shared grandparent. Your cousin’s 7th great-grandparent.
4. See where the lines intersect. You connect the lines and see that you are 6th cousins, 2x removed.
Cousin Chart—How to Calculate Family Relationships (familysearch.org)
