Hints from Heloise

Dear Readers: If you’ve ever been curious about your family roots, but you don’t know how to start, here are some genealogy hints to help you:

“Talk to the oldest members of your family. They can give you a list of their older relatives who came before them. Try to tape or video-record their answers. You don’t want to miss anything.

“Go to your library or favorite bookstore and get a book on tracing your family roots.

“Check courthouses, churches, cemeteries and libraries for public records, like birth, marriage, death, baptism, probate, military, land purchases and wills.

“Look for your same last name in telephone books and on Internet Web sites.

“The military may also provide a wealth of information for deceased members. The library can give you the addresses for the different branches so you can write and request records.

Good luck with your search, but be warned, it can be addictive. – Heloise