This document is from Jean Church’s research.

Family Records

Wilma Jean Reynolds

Bibles

A family Bible is often the only proof than may exist for a marriage before 1868 in most North Carolina Counties, in Wilkes Co. A Bible may be the only proof up until 1900. It may be the only proof of a birth or death before 1913. Marriages, birth and deaths were entered on the family pages in the Bible and often on blank pages at the front and back of the Bible. Often Funeral texts were often marked with name and date of death and funeral. Often newspaper clippings, letters, funeral cards military papers, deeds, wills or other important documents were kept inside the Bible. When copying anything written in the Bible, always copy the title page, and other pages giving the name, place and date of publication. Also, include name and address of present owner, and relationship to people named in the Bible, and name of original owner.

Letters

Family letters often will include names and important dates of marriage, birth and death. You will often find clues to your research in the mention of distant members of the family and relationships are often given. Pay attention to address, this may be the only clue you will find showing you where family members relocated to, and may tell great details about land and homes acquired in the new area. Family letters may give you a picture of the daily life of your ancestor.

Family Visits

Talking with your family members can be a wonderful way to find out about your ancestors. Remember the things they may show you, such as Bibles, letters, pictures, diaries, newspaper clippings are their privately owned and they may not let you borrow them to make copies. This may be a good time to carry along a handheld copier, or a good camera. Be very polite about anything of this nature, or you may find they will not share anything with you.

It is always best to listen and copy everything they tell you about the family. But remember it may not always be factual. When stories and information is passed down in the family it often gets distorted. A tape recorder is a great thing to use if you get permission of the person you are talking to. Have a list of questions you want to ask. Think about how you ask these questions, without suggesting an answer. Example- Did Uncle John marry Mary Smith? Instead ask, who did Uncle John marry? Did they have 5 girls and two boys? Instead ask, did they have children?

Always document what you are told with the person’s name, address, date, and relationship to your ancestor, Example- paternal first cousin to my great-grandfather, neighbor to my grandfather when he lived on Holly St. in Wilkesboro, NC, in 1949, Aunt by marriage on my mother’s side. This will help when evaluating the information you have from them, it would be more common to give more weight to a close relative such as a brother or sister, than a neighbor, or distant cousin, a an aunt by marriage, especially if you get conflicting information.

Be careful not to interview too long. A person not that much interested in the family genealogy, may avoid talking with you. Those of us who are interested in genealogy tend to talk about it too much to everyone about it. Be polite. Do more listening and less talking.