Handing down family bibles all through a generation of the family is considered one of the most interesting traditions a clan could ever have. Family Bibles may consist of tons of photographs, uncountable numbers of a letter, well-kept documents, and well-preserved records and data.

You’ll never know the importance of inheriting family bible not until you want to do genealogy research – a type of research engaged in tracking down ancestors or any family member. So, might as well start making your own family bible as early as now before it’s too late. Follow the steps to creating your very first genealogy family bible.

1.     Keep and organise whatever you may gather

To fully start your first genealogy family bible, you must come up with something to put your gathered data and files together or physical documents. These could be the birth and death certificates, records of census, tax records, newspaper cuttings, letters, and so on.

You can organise your gathered data and files in two ways – the traditional and the modern way.

·        Paper

The traditional medium in organising the gathered data and files is paper. The usual cut-and-paste or paste method is evidently a durable and effective choice.

Moreover, you can have more choices to be creative and when organising with the use of paper. After choosing the best paper to collect and organise your data and files, you better now look for perfect storage.

·        Computer

Almost everything now is getting digitised and that’s why you can also use a computer for organising your gathered data and files. Some say that genealogy research is easier to get done with the help of technology.

2.     Opt for using maiden or birth names

No matter what medium you’re engaged into when making your first genealogy family bible, don’t disregard the major rule – always choose to use birth names or maiden names. Especially for women, it’s understood that women can change surnames for multiple times in her life.

You wouldn’t want sneaking out each and every surname just to complete your research. This rule extends to an adoptive child, especially if he or she is given a surname.

3.     Start doing your own census

Like how other first timers get it done, you can also do your own census. Don’t worry because nowadays, the majority of census records are digitised, easier to access online, searchable, and contains huge information to start structuring your family tree.

4.     Don’t disregard the story beyond the historical picture

When creating your very first genealogy family bible, never disregard the story beyond the historical picture. This simply means to never underestimate even the smallest details you could have and gather.

These smallest details could be about the situation by the time your ancestors lived in a certain place – were they fortunate or unfortunate? Was there a famine or a war? Anything about the way they live back then that you could gather.

5.     Compile them in a book or bible

Once you gathered enough, the last thing you would do is to compile them in your chosen book or bible. You can opt for a durable file folder or any book of your choice that you find creatively appropriate for you.

It’s important to choose a family bible that can last for almost as long as a lifetime. Since you know that family bible is intended to pass down to every generation. Moreover, the place to store your very first genealogy family bible is also something to give attention to.

Now that you’ve read and known the guide to produce your first genealogy family bible, you could now start it on your own. This may look boring at first but trust me, the process would be a lot more fun and exciting than you thought. Someday, you’ll come to think of the time you started creating the family book, and you know what, you’ll be very much grateful that you chose to make one.

AUTHOR BIO:

Kath Ramirez is a writer in profession and passion. She believes that everybody can write but not everyone can write with good content and effectively reach out for their audience. Kath believes that writing is one of the million rays of the sun to relieve stress and anxiety. Aside from writing, she indulges herself to reading random books, photography, dancing, and eating pastries which her little sister makes most of the time. She is now a writer for particular Australian and United Kingdom-based companies.