How to read a family tree?

Question

my aunt sent me a bunch of documents that trace our family back hundreds of years. i don't know what i'm looking at or how to interpret what i see. does anybody know of a place i could go or a website i could use to help me. by the way i am from the U.S.

Answer 1

Normally, there are "basic" charts that are standard for research. One is the pedigree/ ancestry chart. it shows your direct ancestors. There is only room on these for names and dates, and visual lines to see who is a parent to who.

What you have sounds like the SUPPORTING records that verify these relationships.  Most of them will refer to someone specific.. ie a will (probate file) tells you that so and so has died, and these are who his relatives are known to be.  Other times, she may have parts of a published book.  That is NOT an original record, but someone's summary of that.  Your main thing is to simply read them, and 'attach' them to the right persons.  If there is no chart, it can be a bit chaotic.

Answer 2

I would suggest reading "Genealogy 101" by Barbara Renick. Hopefully your local public library will have it!  If not, then try any good, basic genealogy book.

Have fun!