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? Always start with YOURSELF and go back -you to Lincoln not Lincoln to you! Try to work on only one line (surname) at a time. Mom is NOT in your Father’s line. ? There are three ways to trace your family history - your DIRECT LINE (you, your father, his father, etc.), your BLOOD LINE (you and your siblings, your father and his siblings, etc.) and everyone with that SURNAME - remember there are lots of Smith’s. ? Write down EVERYTHING you know about each person individually on a separate piece of paper-you do know more than you think you do! ? What SPECIFIC question needs to be answered - such as dates of birth, marriage, death and locations? ? What SOURCES for this information might answer your question-interviews with relatives, Family Bible, court records? KEEP TRACK of your SOURCES and your CONFLICTS for this information (they might not agree, but until you PROVE otherwise, note the conflicts.) ? What do the sources tell you? COMPARE the data and THINK about what may lead you to the next pieces of information. ? What CONCLUSIONS can you reach? Do not PRESUME , but use this information to VERIFY your research.
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