Benefits of Developing a Family Tree

Genealogy Made Easy with Computers, Internet

Family history is the ground upon which we grow our heritage, our sense of history and of ourselves. Modern life and social relations are fragmented by mobility and fast-paced lives. People no longer live where they were born. However, online family trees reconnect us with our roots, and with long-lost family members.

Online Family Trees Help Establish Roots

It's easy to become wrapped up in daily life. We forget the joys of sharing with others: the first smiles, the first baby steps, the first boyfriend, the walk down the aisle.

But wecan take advantage of powerful social networking utilities that do much of the root-growing for you. Just gather together all your facts and stories, pictures and movies, and put them on a free Web site such as My Heritage. Then you can branch out and share them with relatives and friends.

Create Your Own Family Tree

Start with genealogical charts, lists and other documents containing information about all the people, places and dates associated with your tree. Don't forget that other people may have already done some of the work for you. Search the Internet for genealogical sites and files (i.e. GEDCOM's) that you can download for free.

Inputting genealogical information requires not only speed and accuracy but also a familiarity with the specific program being used. Mistakes can be made with regards to privacy settings, and the results can be embarrassing to say the least. Correlating the facts on a tree, and getting the places and dates recorded correctly is a challenge. If your time is better spent doing other things then why not hire a professional?

Record Your Life for Future Generations

Is your life and that of your family well recorded? Take time to capture the best of the present for future generations. Take pictures of your children, as well as your parents and grandparents. Use a video camera to record a grandparent talking about their life. Such memorabilia will be treasured by many in years to come.

Get all your photos together, scan them, and then start labeling and dating the best. The sooner the better if your old photographs are deteriorating. You might not be able to do them all right away, so try to at least get one good picture to use as a profile image for every member of your family. This will really fill out your tree and make it easier to maintain.

If a priceless picture is in very bad condition you many need professional restoration (avg. rate is $25 per photo). A great looking photo of an ancestor helps bring the memory alive.

A tip for those who use flatbed scanners: wipe the plate glass constantly as old photos are surprisingly dirty. Be extremely carefully trying to clean old photos. Use cotton gloves and special cleaners.

Genealogy Generates Family Connections

Building your family tree may also connect you with long-lost family members you'll be happy to locate. You might just be surprised by the results of developing your own family tree!