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Family history interviews are a key skill for the amateur family historians. A good place to start is with your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins in your close family. Another opportunity exists with friends of the family. Letting know that you are researching your family history can help you make rapid progress . Find out what they know about birth and death dates and places, marriage dates and places and the circumstances surrounding these events. It’s usually more productive to begin with the current year and work backwards. When you run into a family history dead-end move on to the next line or investigate the brothers or sisters of your ancestor. A lot of useful information can be found by researching the brother or sister of my direct line of ancestry. It’s a good idea to ask them if they mind checking their homes for information they might have on ancestors, family member, family history or family heirloom.
Missouri has a useful free, searchable database which gives abstracts of the birth and death records captured in Missouri prior to 1909. These family history records are also available to see on microfiche at the state of Missouri Archives.
When interviewing family members, some advance preparation will help you obtain useful and interesting information. While an interview is just a planned conversation, some of the following hints may be useful in ensuring a successful, informative and pleasant discussion. • Prepare questions in advance. Organizing your thoughts is the best way to start, and answers will lead to more questions. Pursue specific answers if information is not clear. • If your relative speaks a different language, find someone to assist with translation or interpretation in advance. Make sure to introduce your interpreter at the start of the interview. • Do not rely on your memory. Familiarize yourself with the use of a videocam or tape recorder; bring extra batteries. If your relative is uncomfortable with a recorder, take careful and extensive notes. Transcribe right after the interview so you don't lose details you might have neglected to write down. • Start with more recent questions and work your way back in time. This will make it easier for the interviewee to recall information and help give them more confidence. • Photographs will often spark memories. Ask to see your relative's photo collection, or bring yours to show. Ask for identifications of the faces in the photos, establish their relationships. Have enlarged photocopies of your photos to record information directly on the image. • Ask about family traditions. Remember not to interrupt the interviewee. Let him or her tell the story. • Keep sessions to a reasonable length, 45 minutes is plenty. Have tea or water available. • Keep your interviewee relaxed and comfortable. It may sometimes be frustrating or difficult for them to remember, so ask if the interviewee needs a break at regular intervals. • Pursue this direct initial research as far back as possible.
There are thousands of LDS churches and family history centers around the world. Many have resources on site or on your behalf can send requests to Salt lake city to have microfilms of family history data sent in for you to view in the center or church.
