The document provides tips for using Ancestry.com to research family history and tell a family story. It recommends assembling resources, building a foundation by extracting information from census records to create a timeline, and analyzing findings to develop the story. Search tools on Ancestry.com include place pages, card catalog, message boards, and hints. The document uses an example of researching Ann Irene Feazell to demonstrate analyzing a census record and developing details about her family.

1. Putting Your Ancestors in Historical
Perspective Using Ancestry.com to Tell Your
Family Story
Presented by Anne Gillespie Mitchell

2. What is our end goal?
•Not a pile of papers
•Not a nice organized notebook of
records, images and family group
sheets
•We want to tell our family story

3. How do I tell my family story
Method 1:
– Do a lot of research
– Sit down in front of Word
– Wait for divine inspiration

4. The Story

5. The Story

6. How do I tell my family story
Method 2:
1. Assemble a list of resources
2. Do not always search in the same way
3. Build the foundation.
4. Analyze what you find; write up
random thoughts and ideas as you go
5. Ask yourself what should I do next?

7. 1. Assemble a list of resources
(Don’t trust your memory)

8. Search Tool #1: Place Pages
Go to http://search.ancestry.com/search
Down at the bottom, you’ll find the map. Each state has a listing of
collections specific to that state.

9. Search Tool #1: Place Pages
Go to http://search.ancestry.com/search
Down at the bottom, you’ll find the map. Each state has a listing of
collections specific to that state.

10. Search Tool #1: Place Pages
Go to http://search.ancestry.com/search
Down at the bottom, you’ll find the map. Each state has a listing of
collections specific to that state.

11. Search Tool #2: Card Catalog
A complete listing of all of
the data collections at
Ancestry.com

12. Search Tool #2: Card Catalog
A complete listing of all of
the data collections at
Ancestry.com

13. Search Tool #2: Card Catalog

14. Search Tool #2: Card Catalog

15. Search Tool #2: Card Catalog

16. Search Tool #2: Card Catalog

17. Search Tool #2: Card Catalog

18. Search Tool #2: Card Catalog

19. Search Tool #2: Card Catalog

20. Search Tool #3: Finding Local Histories
In the Card Catalog, filter down to Stories, Memories and Histories:
Then in Keywords type in the location you are looking for

21. Search Tool #3: Finding Local Histories
In the Card Catalog, filter down to Stories, Memories and Histories:
Then in Keywords type in the location you are looking for

22. Search Tool #4: Finding Surname Histories
In the Card Catalog, filter down to Stories, Memories and Histories:
Then in Keywords type in the name you are looking for

23. Search Tool #5: City Directories
http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2469

24. Search Tool #6: Message Boards

25. Search Tool #6: Message Boards

26. Search Tool #6: Message Boards

27. Search Tool #6: Message Boards

28. Search Tool #7: All Hints Page

29. Search Tool #7: All Hints Page

30. Search Tool #7: All Hints Page

31. 2. There is not one perfect
way to search
Vary your methods

32. Search Tool #8: First and Last name filters

33. Search Tool #9: Location filters
Use the location filter, by selecting the type ahead.
Then selecting adjacent counties
and working your way out
geographically to expand your
search.
Use the location filter, by selecting the type ahead and then selecting
adjacent counties and working your way out geographically to expand
your search.

34. Search Tool #10: Wildcards
Try wildcards
with exact on
names to find
unusual
spellings of
names.
Sm?th*
matches
Smith, Smyth,
and Smythe.
You must
have at least
3 characters
to use a
wildcard.

35. Search Tool #11: Limit your scope
At the bottom of the advanced
search, you can see the types of
records you will see

36. Search Tool #12: Do a Category Search

37. Search Tool #12: Do a Category Search

38. Search Tool #13: Use facets

39. Search Tool #13: Use facets

40. Search Tool #13: Use facets

41. Search Tool #14: Look for Family Member
If you can’t find who you are looking for, look for :
• Siblings
• Parents
• Cousins
• Grandparents
• Neighbors
Use Elizabeth Shown Mill’s FAN approach:
• Friends
• Acquaintances
• Neighbors

42. Search Tool #15: First or Last Name Only Searches

43. 3. Build a framework

44. Build a Framework: Time to look in the Census Records
Find all the census records and start to pull everything out of them.
• The United States Census Records are taken every 10 years.
• Their purpose is to enumerate the people who are residents in the
country. The population in specific states defines the number of
congress representatives and electoral votes.
• Depending on what was happening in the country at that time,
different questions would be asked.

45. Time to look in the Census Records
The first US Census was taken in 1790.
From 1790 through 1840 only heads of households were named.
Other family members were represented by count.

46. Time to look in the Census Records
The census records from 1850 to 1870 enumerated each person by
name. Family relationships were not stated, but the clues are there.

47. Time to look in the Census Records
The census from 1880 list each person by name AND the relationship
to the head of household.
Very few 1890 US Census Records exist.

48. Through the Eyes of the Census: 1940
Roy(?) Gillespie
No Occupation
born c. 1865, Virginia
His spouse and children
Wife Laura M, b. c. 1877, VA
Daughter Minnie L, b. c. 1898, VA
Daughter Evelyn P, b. c. 1907, VA
Daughter Helen A, b. c. 1919, VA

49. Through the Eyes of the Census: 1930
Wyatt P Gillespie
Carpenter
born c. 1865, Virginia
Married c. 1893
His spouse and children
Wife Laura C, b. c. 1877, VA
Daughter Minnie M, b. c. 1898, VA
Daughter Eva D, b. c. 1902, VA
Daughter Louise D, b.c. 1907, VA
Son Fred D, b.c. 1911, VA
Son Gilbert, b.c. 1914, VA
Daughter Helen A, b. c. 1919, VA

50. Through the Eyes of the Census: 1920
Wyatt P Gillespie
Carpenter
born c. 1865, Virginia
Married c. 1893
His spouse and children
Wife Laura C, b. c. 1877, VA
Daughter Minnie M, b. c. 1898, VA
Son Ashby P, b.c. 1900, VA
Daughter Eva D, b. c. 1902, VA
Son Clinton C, b.c. 1907, VA
Daughter Louise G, b.c. 1908, VA
Son Fred D, b.c. 1911, VA
Son Gilbert, b.c. 1914, VA
Daughter Helen A, b. c. 1919, VA
Parents and Siblings
Sister Harriett A, b. 1851, VA

51. Through the Eyes of the Census: 1910
Wyatt P Gillespie
Carpenter
born c. 1865, Virginia
Married c. 1894
His spouse and children
Wife Laura C, b. c. 1877, VA
Daughter Minnie M, b. c. 1898, VA
Son Ashby P, b.c. 1900, VA
Daughter Eva D, b. c. 1902, VA
Son Clinton C, b.c. 1907, VA
Daughter Louise G, b.c. 1908, VA
Son Fred D, b.c. 1911, VA
Son Gilbert, b.c. 1914, VA
Daughter Helen A, b. c. 1919, VA
Parents and Siblings
Sister Harriett A, b. 1851, VA

52. Through the Eyes of the Census: 1900
Wyatt P Gillespie
Carpenter
born July 1865, Virginia
Married c. 1894
His spouse and children
Wife Laura C, b. Feb 1877, VA
Daughter Minnie M, b. Jan 1897, VA
Son Ashby P, b. Jun 1898, VA
Daughter Eva D, b. c. 1902, VA
Son Clinton C, b.c. 1907, VA
Daughter Louise G, b.c. 1908, VA
Son Fred D, b.c. 1911, VA
Son Gilbert, b.c. 1914, VA
Daughter Helen A, b. c. 1919, VA
Parents and Siblings
Sister Harriett A, b. 1851, VA

53. Through the Eyes of the Census: 1880
Wyatt P Gillespie
Carpenter
born July 1865, Virginia
Married c. 1894
His spouse and children
Wife Laura C, b. Feb 1877, VA
Daughter Minnie M, b. Jan 1897, VA
Son Ashby P, b. Jun 1898, VA
Daughter Eva D, b. c. 1902, VA
Son Clinton C, b.c. 1907, VA
Daughter Louise G, b.c. 1908, VA
Son Fred D, b.c. 1911, VA
Son Gilbert, b.c. 1914, VA
Daughter Helen A, b. c. 1919, VA
Parents and Siblings
Father Jere (Jese?), b.c. 1820, VA
Mother Mary (?), b.c. 1840, VA
Sister Harriett A, b. c. 1849, VA
Brother George, b. c. 1856, VA

54. Through the Eyes of the Census: 1870
Wyatt Paul Gillespie
Carpenter
born July 1865, Virginia
Married c. 1894
His spouse and children
Wife Laura C, b. Feb 1877, VA
Daughter Minnie M, b. Jan 1897, VA
Son Ashby P, b. Jun 1898, VA
Daughter Eva D, b. c. 1902, VA
Son Clinton C, b.c. 1907, VA
Daughter Louise G, b.c. 1908, VA
Son Fred D, b.c. 1911, VA
Son Gilbert, b.c. 1914, VA
Daughter Helen A, b. c. 1919, VA
Parents and Siblings
Father Jere (Jese?), b.c. 1826, VA
Mother Mary (?), b.c. 1840, VA or Ann b.c. 1827, VA
Sister Harriett A, b. c. 1847, VA
Brother James, b. c. 1851, VA
Brother William, b. c. 1855, VA
Brother George, b. c. 1856, VA

55. Start a Timeline with the Census

56. Start a Timeline with the Census

57. Timeline Tips
• Add other censuses
• Layer on historical events
– e.g., The U.S. entered World War I in 1917.

58. Add in Historical Events

59. Timeline Tips
• Add other censuses
• Layer on historical events
– e.g., The U.S. entered World War I in 1917.
• Create a to-do list based on what you
find.

60. Timeline Tips
• Add other censuses
• Layer on historical events
– e.g., The U.S. entered World War I in 1917.
• Create a to-do list based on what you
find
• Cite sources on your list so you’re
prepared for any conflicts.
– Create a template for censuses to make it
easy.

61. 4. Analyze what you find;
write up random thoughts
and ideas as you go

62. Write down and analyze what you see
Look at Ann Irene Feazell
• There is a Annie I Feazell, aged 3.
• She is living in Marion, Smyth, Virginia.
• Her parents are A Frank and Clara E.
• Now it is time to explore the image.

63. The 1920 Census
• A Frank Feazell, born 1887; was the head of the household; he was born in Virginia as were his
parents.
• Clara Feazell, born 1891, was Frank's wife; she was born in Virginia as were her parents.
• Ann (listed as Anna O) was born in 1917 in Virginia.
• She has an older sister named Josephine S born in 1915 in Virginia.
• She has a younger brother named Carl V born in 1920 who is listed as 7 months old.
• There are no immigration years listed for anyone, which makes sense since they are all from
Virginia.
• Frank is listed as a farmer who rented a farm. Frank and Clara can both read and write, the
children cannot.
• Next door on one side is a family made of Mollie Snavely, Edna Wilmore, and Ferdinand S Snavely.
• On the other side is John and Fairy Crow.
• Also, listed on the page is a John D Feazell and Josephine Feazell.
• There are 11 Feazell's living in Smyth County, Virginia in 1920.There are 22,132 people living in
Smyth County, Virginia in 1920.

64. The 1920 Census
• A Frank Feazell, born 1887; was the head of the household; he was born in Virginia as were his
parents.
• Clara Feazell, born 1891, was Frank's wife; she was born in Virginia as were her parents.
• Ann (listed as Anna O) was born in 1917 in Virginia.
• She has an older sister named Josephine S born in 1915 in Virginia.
• She has a younger brother named Carl V born in 1920 who is listed as 7 months old.
• There are no immigration years listed for anyone, which makes sense since they are all from
Virginia.
• Frank is listed as a farmer who rented a farm. Frank and Clara can both read and write, the
children cannot.
• Next door on one side is a family made of Mollie Snavely, Edna Wilmore, and Ferdinand S Snavely.
• On the other side is John and Fairy Crow.
• Also, listed on the page is a John D Feazell and Josephine Feazell.
• There are 11 Feazell's living in Smyth County, Virginia in 1920.There are 22,132
people living in Smyth County, Virginia in 1920.

65. How did I know the number of people?
Where did this come from?
How do I calculate the number of People in
the county?

66. How did I know the number of people?
Start on the
homepage
and choose
the year of
interest

67. How did I know the number of people?
Make sure
you are on
the advanced
version of the
form

68. How did I know the number of people?
Choose the
county you
are looking at
from the
“place
picker”

69. How did I know the number of people?
Click on “Use
default
settings”
Choose
“Restrict to
this place
exactly”

70. How did I know the number of people?
Look at the Result Number

71. How did I know the number of people?
Click edit
Type in the
last name
Click “Use
default
settings”

72. How did I know the number of people?
Choose
Phonetic and
Names with
similar
meanings
Click search

73. How did I know the number of people?
Look at the result count

74. Start the Timeline with the Census
Add information into a timeline
S

75. Create the Timeline with the Census
Add in events you know from the Census

76. Add in the 1920 Census
Add in the info from 1920

77. Update the timeline

78. 1790 – 1840: Build a Skeleton Family

79. 1790 – 1840: Build a Skeleton Family

80. Immigration: When and where did they come from?
1. Begin with records created by the families in the
US
1. 1930, 1920 censuses, military registration,
obituaries
2. Find the immigrant in the immigration and travel
collection at Ancestry.com
3. Use Name, Birth Details and Place Information to
Locate Your Ancestor in International Records

81. Immigration: When and where did they come from?

82. How do I tell my family story
Method 2:
1. Assemble a list of resources
2. Do not always search in the same way
3. Build the foundation.
4. Analyze what you find; write up
random thoughts and ideas as you go
5. Ask yourself what should I do next?

83. Where do you tell your family story?

84. Where do you tell your family story?
http://geneabloggers.com/about/

85. Where do you tell your family story?
http://youtu.be/MfRmJKn8ciA (You Tube search ancestry.com cousin bait)