A Guide to Organizing Paper Genealogy Files

	Wayne's World of History and Genealogy

A Guide to Organizing Paper Genealogy Files

      On a database or listing printout we do not duplicate information. If an individual appears to need two different numbers, we list the number in order and under 'Cross Reference' we place the number to see. [ i.e. H48-3 ">" H24 ]. This happens with each ancestor in the direct line. Very quickly we realize, without even thinking about it, that each individual in our direct lineage has a 'primary' number that when doubled is their father. [ i. e. H24 was the third child of H48 (his father) and H49 (his mother). ]

     In a database I list the letter denoting the file in the database name only [ i. e. X-file] and then use a field for each number. Then this is followed by a 'Cross Reference' field. Next I have a 'Lineage' field. 'The Surname, First name, Middle name' is in the following field. I use the following fields then : Birth Date, Death Date, Marriage a, marriage b, marriage c, and etc. if necessary.

     To Wit :

1st number

2nd number

3rd number

and as many additional number fields as become necessary

Cross Reference

Lineage [ I only fill this field in some cases, but works out great when combining all the files into an alphabetical list ]

Name

Birth Date

Death Date

Marriage/Relationship a

Marriage/Relationship b

Marriage/Relationship c

This is usually sufficient in creating a database for finding file locations of individuals that do not pop into memory. This is also a good manner to be able to sort the records into any given format, or in creating an alphabetical list for a Contents page, or even listing the names in alphabetical order for an Index.
Most all of the information is given on the family group sheets and attached notes, so I don't crowd the database trying cover every aspect, but it could be easily done if someone wanted everything included.

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