Viking Magazine - July 2020 - 26

to see the gaps in your
knowledge and know what
information you need to
track down.
" Focus first on the big
dates, including birth,
baptism, confirmation,
marriage, children and
death, " he continues. " If
you can create an outline
of people's lives, you can
then fill in the rest as you
go further and have the
confidence that you're
looking at the correct
people in the correct
places. "
From there, decide what
you want to learn about
your history. There are
countless ways to approach
it. Maybe you want to find
" It's linked to the broader idea
of social media, which allows us
to connect and remain in contact
with others throughout the world, "
Knudson says. " As people, we need
to feel connected, and that's what
genealogy does. It adds another layer
to that. "
He also notes that in the past few
decades-especially the last couple of
years-there has been a steady increase
in people's desire to know where they
came from and, in turn, celebrate that
heritage. " Where there was once an
emphasis on being as American as
we can, or any nationality as we can,
there's now a larger focus on cultivating
this multi-identity, " Knudson says.
" The popularity of DNA tests are a
major indicator of this, as well as a
factor in and of themselves. The fact
that they exist, and that so many
companies are popping up, speak to
this need in the market. It again goes
back to that simplicity and ease of
modern technology; through these
DNA tests, people are able to get
26 VIKING JULY 2020 sonsofnorway.com
glimpses of their genetic heritage by
simply sending in a bit of saliva. "
If you've wanted to take a look back
at your own past, now may be the
perfect time. Let our genealogy experts
help you get started.
start at the roots
The first step is to begin with
yourself and work backward to the
unknown, says Jerry Paulson, chair for
genealogical research and publication at
the NAGCNL. Each generation leaves
clues that can help trace your family's
lineage. " Picking some random person
three or four generations from you only
makes the job more difficult, " Paulson
explains.
Record all you can about yourself
and then expand out to your immediate
family, extended family and so on.
" Provide as much specific, detailed
information as possible starting with
yourself and moving step by step
beyond that, until you've exhausted
all you personally know, " Knudson
says. " After doing this, you'll be able
out who was the first in your family
to immigrate to the United States.
Or perhaps you want to debunk a
story about an ancestor. Nailing this
down will help keep you focused and
productive.
" Family history is nothing but a big
puzzle, " Knudson notes. " You need to
assemble the pieces you have so your
work can be as effective and efficient
as possible. "
branch out
Once you've exhausted what you
personally know, it's time to hunt for
physical puzzle pieces. Before getting
your hands dirty, decide how you'd
like to store your family archive,
advises Warner. " How and where you
store these items will be particularly
important if you want to preserve this
information for future generations, "
she says.
The next step is to deduce how
you'll document the information. Your
choice depends on your preference and
style: A simple notebook and pen, a
PHOTO TOM MERTON / ISTOCK
http://www.sonsofnorway.com
Viking Magazine - July 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Viking Magazine - July 2020
