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I used to print out free forms online and would find them by a google search. I printed out tree charts and family group sheets. There are places where you can purchase really big charts to fill in, some shaped like trees. The genealogist who taught me (old school type) used graph paper and drew easy to read charts that way, writing in the names and dates and underling them with a ruler.
Thanks. The graph paper is a good idea. Not looking for a tree shape or preprinted forms. Just a simple way to get the basics down in one place.
Genealogy is addictive. Software that will do what you want - and print a paper tree - costs about $25. I would suggest that you start with the software! I use RootsMagic. It's easy and intuitive.
You do not have to go back many generations before paper gets very cumbersome.
My grandmother mostly used pedigree charts and handwritten descendant reports.
What did people do before computers!
The genealogist who I learned from lived in England and he helped me immensely with the English side of my family. He liked to draw the charts and he refused to learn to use a computer (although when he got into his 80s, he caved and bought one.)
He took regular graph paper and put name with dob under it, place under that, then m. and spouse's name under that. Spouse's dob, place. Over to one side he would put occupation and other miscellaneous information.
A vertical line drawn in ink on the graph paper would indicate children, each one written across the page with dob underneath. The child from whom I descended would not be on that horizontal line, its vertical line would be longer. Then that child would proceed just like the parent. Name, dob, place, etc.
Every bit of information was done in blue ink but MY bloodline was done in RED ink.
Along with a pack of hand drawn charts, he would send a multi-page letter telling where he found the information. (Of course, being the way he was, these letters were interspersed with hilarious comments.)
But the narrative letters contained his sources.
I still have these charts in a manilla folder in the file cabinet. If there's a term for this style of chart, I don't know it--done on graph paper so that you have lines to write on, very simple to do and to read. He told me he had taken a genealogy course when he retired--that's how he learned this method.
I use a spreadsheet for basics sometimes (even though I have the software to do it).
Column headings: Gen 1, Gen 2, Gen 3, etc.
Rather than trying to figure out ahead of time how many lines (rows) I need, I stick my name in column one (Gen 1) five rows down from the column headings. In column two (Gen 2) I put my father's name three rows down and my mother's name seven rows down. Then in column three (Gen 3) I start putting in my parents' parents (my grandparents).
It's at this point I have to start inserting rows where I need them to fill in my grandparent's parents (great grandparents). And so on and so forth. Sounds more complicated than it is.
The above is a horizontal spread. It can also be done vertically placing me in the first row fifth column, my parents in the second row third and seventh columns, grandparents in the third row second, fourth, sixth, eighth columns. From then on inserting new columns where needed. Again, sounds more complicated than what it takes to create.
I save my spreadsheet often since I tend to make booboos sometimes :-)
Go to Marthastewart.com & type in family tree. There are some nice ones.
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