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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW October days break heat records in Medford ... Another wolf makes its way into Southern Oregon ... Our View: Let Medford voters decide on marijuana sales ... October days break heat records in Medford ... Another wolf makes its way into Southern Oregon ... Our View: Let Medford voters decide on marijuana sales ... Finding family Online genealogy is easy and widely available. But where to start growing your family tree? Comment By Melissa Erickson More Content Now MailTribune.com By Melissa Erickson More Content Now Posted Apr. 9, 2015 at 7:25 AM By Melissa Erickson More Content Now Posted Apr. 9, 2015 at 7:25 AM » Social News Are you among the one-third of Americans who cannot name any of their great-grandparents? Or are you part of the four in 10 Americans who know both of their grandmothers’ maiden names? A new survey conducted by genealogy site Ancestry.com reveals that while online family history research has grown by 14 times over the past decade, many Americans know surprisingly little about their own families. For example, the survey found that 22 percent of Americans don’t know what either of their grandfathers do or did for a living, and although America is known as a nation of immigrants, 27 percent don’t know where their family lived before they came to America. “We have so much to learn about our own families,” said Tim Sullivan, president of the Generations Network, parent company of Ancestry.com . “Our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents each possess a lifetime of incredible, unique experiences that have shaped their lives and impacted our own. It’s important we take time to better get to know our family members and to share our stories.” Why the rise? More people than ever are researching their family history because it’s easier than in the past, when individuals waited until they retired and had the “money and mobility” to go out and do research, said certified genealogist Elissa Scalise Powell, co-director Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh. “Now people can do it on their lunch hour from work,” Powell said. “Online research is a starting point. There are also many primary source materials available there. It used to be that only indexes and secondary materials were posted, but many libraries, archives and other records repositories are sharing their records online now,” said Jill Crandell, director, Center for Family History and Genealogy, Brigham Young University. How to start Want to get started with your own family history research? Here are some things to consider: “All records lie,” Powell said. “The internet is no different (than other sources) and can be inaccurate. Just because a document has an official stamp on it doesn’t make it right.” Begin at home, Crandell said. “Start by gathering the records in your own home, then talk to relatives and see what you can learn from them. They may have records and/or memories that go beyond what you have. Look for online trees and published family histories to see what has been done by others previously, then analyze what you’ve found and begin original research to fill in the empty places, document what you have and resolve discrepancies.” Start small so the effort doesn’t seem overwhelming. For example, write down how you will celebrate Mother’s Day this year, then try and find out how your family celebrated in the past, Powell said. Dealing with dead ends Don’t be deterred when obstacles emerge. “Online you will quickly come to a brick wall. You may run out of vital records or get confused with online inaccuracies, and that’s when you turn to education,” Powell said. “Look in your community for classes or local societies that usually have free meetings and hook into others’ knowledge.” Professional or amateur, the story is what drives genealogists. “Every live person is a library burning. Only you have the memories. Others, even your siblings, will have different perceptions. Writing down your memories will help the next generation,” Powell said. By Melissa Erickson More Content Now MailTribune.com By Melissa Erickson More Content Now Posted Apr. 9, 2015 at 7:25 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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