Lesson #1: Look for the Missing Children

Here's the biggest secret I've learned so far.  I am one of those people who assumed all the work on my family line has been done.  And for my direct line, that's pretty true.  There really isn't anything left to be done.

One day in the beginning of all this, I went to a class where they shared this tip, which has since changed everything for me: Look for the missing children.   Are there people in your line who show up with just one child?  There are likely missing sons and daughters.

I found someone in my direct line whose parents only showed one child - my ancestor.  I found 6 of her brothers and sisters using census records.  Then, I could start finding each of THEIR families.  I went from not having any names to being almost overwhelmed with the sheer possibilities.

While you're still getting your feet wet, I've found that it's best not to go too much earlier than the 1800s on this one.  There are lots of records available during this time period.  Go much earlier and the records get more and more scarce.  It's not impossible, but while you're first getting started it's better to focus on where you can get the best results.