Learning about your family’s history is both a fascinating and rewarding experience. However, researching genealogy has its challenges.
It’s essential to validate the information on a family tree and ensure accurate dates. It’s also helpful to consult how-to guides and local genealogy resources. These guides will help you find records that may be limited.
Explore Your Family Tree
Genealogy identifies people in recorded history by their names, the dates of significant events (birth, marriage, and death), and their relationships to others—stated or implied. There are many ways to begin searching for clues about your ancestors, and it is best to start at home with family bibles, diaries, letters, scrapbooks, and the backs of photographs, among other treasured heirlooms.
You can also search historical records online, starting with Ancestry’s free search of its vast collection. Its site contains information, including birth, marriage, and death records; military, immigration, and naturalization papers; and US censuses.
In addition, the silent generation, often referred to by various silent generation names, represents a cohort known for its values, experiences, and contributions during a significant period of history.
Interview living relatives, especially older ones, and record their memories. They can fill in gaps in your research or point you toward additional sources for further investigation. Be sure to keep track of all your findings and cite your sources.
Record Their Memories
The members were born into extreme hardship, with some experiencing the Great Depression and Dust Bowl dislocation. Their upbringing was also marked by economic uncertainty, first in the form of war rationing and later due to the post-war housing boom (one prefabricated home was completed every 16 minutes during the building frenzy of the 1950s). This scarcity led to a mindset of thrift and delayed gratification for most.
These challenges made them a cautious and conscientious generation, with many retiring at the end of their career and remaining loyal to their employers. Their desire to provide a secure life for their families also drove them to marry younger and start families earlier than most of their predecessors, creating the foundation for the Renaissance in multigenerational living.
This generation also saw the rise of a new “post-racial” America. Jackie Robinson broke the MLB’s color barrier in 1947, opening the door for a legion of supremely gifted Black athletes. These included baseball players Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Roberto Clemente; basketball players Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Oscar Robertson; and tennis players Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe. While critics argue that the Silent Generation tends towards conformity and playing it safe, they should be remembered for their enduring legacy, such as rock and roll and innovations like no-fault divorce, the Pill, nonprofit organizations, and frequent protest marches, as well as the advancement of women and minorities in American society.
Collect Documents
Often, family members who have yet to research may still possess valuable information. Visit, write, or telephone your relatives and ask if they have any information that could help your search. They might have old photographs, family Bibles, or other family heirlooms. They might also have essential records from the past, such as birth, death, or marriage certificates, census data, land and military journals, or diaries.
The Silent Generation was formed during the harrowing events of World War II and the Great Depression, a time when Americans struggled for domestic peace and financial security. This unique experience shaped the values and beliefs of this generation. The guiding principles of their lives included interpersonal respect and a deep respect for authority.
As you collect documents, it is essential to document them properly. This is especially true for the legal language of vital records such as marriage certificates and divorce papers. This can be accomplished by fully transcribing a document or extracting selected portions.
Consider taking a genealogical course to help you learn proper documentation methods. Continuing Education courses are available online through the National Genealogical Society and at varying times throughout the year. Other educational resources include library staff and other genealogists. They are obtaining and studying “how to” books such as NGS publication Paths to Your Past: A Guide to Successful Research is helpful as well.
Connect With Other Researchers
Genealogy can be performed for various reasons, including the desire to carve out a place in history for one’s family or a sense of responsibility to preserve the past for future generations. This popular pastime can unite family members and inspire intergenerational storytelling and sharing. In some cases, genealogy can even reconnect families separated by geographic distance or divorce.
As with any other type of research, it is essential to understand your limitations and be aware of potential sources of error. For example, compiled records (such as printed genealogies and online pedigree databases) are susceptible to copying and misidentification errors based on circumstantial evidence. For this reason, it is essential to scrutinize the source document and compare it with other sources. It is also necessary to consider the informant’s identity—the person who provided the information—on a record and compare their handwriting to different samples.
Another good source of help is local and regional genealogical societies, which sponsor workshops and webinars and provide access to their collections of books and other materials. Many also have libraries that can be used to locate information. Finally, it is a good idea to seek out others interested in the same family lines as you and share your findings with them. This can be especially helpful if you get stuck on a particular line of research.
