Information Sources: Family Members, Public Documents and the Internet
One of the most valuable sources of information can be found through family members. While they may not hold documents originating from Poland, they can possess a great deal of information regarding relatives after they arrived in the United States: where they initially moved to, sponsor information, other locations they have relocated to, birth dates and cities, baptism, death/funeral, weddings and church/parish information, school information and much more!
Once the internet began accumulating information, the quality and quantity has increased exponentially. More and more public records and documents are being made available online such as World War I and II registrations, Census records, land records, state death and birth information, cemetery information, as well as, other people posting their genealogy information online.
There are vast resources available on the internet and I'll share with you, the websites, genealogy research groups, ancestry sources, I've found are the best and the most accurate. Always keep in mind: not all information is accurate on the internet. I've learned the hard way which sources are the best in terms of quantity, quality and accuracy of of information.
Searching Out Documents
From Relatives
In order to begin your search, one of the easiest ways to begin your search is by locating documents that are in possession by your family. If they don't have any in their possession, they may be able to direct you to individuals who have documents or knowledge of papers, records or documents you are looking for.
Create a List of Family Members
The first thing you need to do is put together a list of relatives and family members you think may have knowledge of/or have in their possession: pictures, documents, papers, letters or Bibles containing information about relatives who came from Poland.
Contacting Family Members about Your Search
Next, contact them and tell them about your genealogy search. If you haven't been in touch with them for a long time, this is a good time to re-establish contact and share what you're learning!
They may have addresses, land records, voter registration, birthdates, school information, obituary and funeral notices, wedding invitations and other forms of information you can use to continue your genealogy search in public records.
If you're able to obtain original documents, make copies of each of them and keep the originals in a safe place, such as a bank safe deposit box. It's also a good idea to make copies of information on CD's and store them there as well, so you know they are safe and protected from damage or loss.
One important note: Be aware, not all of your relatives may be enthusiastic about your genealogy search. They may not want to be a part of it and be unwilling to share information. Don't let this discourage you. Be patient, as you begin discovering more and more information, they may begin to show a an interest and willingness to learn more about their family history, as time goes on.
From Private Family Documents to Public Documents
The information you learn from your family members, will prove to be useful when searching out public information. All of this information can lead you to a great deal of secondary records such as: census, voter registration, land records, draft records, school records, cemetery and plot listings, state birth and death records and much more!
Getting Copies of Documents
You'll need to get copies of information from family members. You can create a copy by: copy machine, scan or fax. Some documents may be very fragile and cannot be unfolded completely in order to be copied by machine or scanned. However, a good technique for getting a copy of a fragile document is by taking a digital photo. Take several photos of the document and one up close of any text, pictures or stamps, so you can have them readily available when you start to examine the documents for information.
Organize your Information
Files for papers and documentation
I can guarantee you, you will accumulate a vast collection of information in hard copy or paper form, such as: documents, maps and other resources. Whether you already a have a metal file cabinet or purchase a portable, plastic file organizer, you'll save time and frustration by setting up an organized file system.
Set up Files on your Computer for your Genealogy Search
One way to easily organize information on your computer is by setting up files for a wide array of information such as: websites, parish records, maps, birth cities and towns, pictures, regions where you family originated, information sources and genealogy groups.
It is also helpful to have a file on your computer dedicated to copies or scans of documents you will find as you search family, public and internet sources.
Set Up Bookmarks for your Genealogy Search
You'll find many websites dedicated to information about genealogy on the internet.
Create a folder for Genealogy and sub-folders for: family branches with their names, cities, document sources, websites for cities and towns and other sites you'll find on the internet.
Remember to always back-up your information your computer.
Your time is precious and by making sure you have a back-up of information you find, you won't have to go through the stressful and tedious process of having to re-create, search or find information if your computer system loses a file, data, becomes damaged or you experience a system failure. CD's will become your best friend to accomplish this task.
Organization Will Save Your Time and Lessen Frustration
Organization will be critical in your your effort to keep track of all of the information you're going to discover.
Documentation and information that is well organized and readily accessible, will enable to you find information quickly and easily when you need to locate a birth city, birth date or when putting together an ancestry chart.
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