Mary : I hope this helps in your quest.

Starting your Family History: Before you decide to begin your family tree decide how and where you are going to keep your information. Most people today have computers and this is the best way to keep track of all your relatives. There are many, many different kinds of software for Family Trees and each one is different. You can choose one to suite your pocket and your needs. You can start off with a Shareware programme (one that is for free and not registered. Once it is registered you will then be able to make full use of the package) or you can spend the extra and go for something a little more professional, but remember not all professionals use expensive software. Researchers and genealogists use many of the Shareware packages as well.
Also remember to keep all your documents and photographs away from light, moisture and dust. Don't put your precious papers and certificates in plastic sleeves, use acetate or keep them in an airtight container. An old biscuit tin is still sometimes the best. My father handed me an old tin full of photographs that were over a hundred years old and they were still in perfect condition.
When you're first starting out your family tree, begin with yourself. Make sure you have a copy of your original birth certificate. If you do not have one then you should get one. Once you have done this you must establish when and where your parents got married and if they have a copy of their original marriage certificate. This should give you their ages, where they were living at the time and perhaps also their parent’s names as well.
The next step will be to get a copy of your parent’s birth certificates, as this will in turn give you their parent’s names and even their mother's maiden names as well.
Birth, marriage and death certificates are a vital source to any one doing their family tree. Collecting information from parent and relatives seems like a huge task but you will find how important it is once your information starts to come in.

Ask family members about the following items, which will might prove to be bursting with information.
Autograph books
Bibles
Books (check for inscriptions in them)
Certificates (from schools or jobs)
Clothing
Diaries / Census’s
Family trees
Furniture (sometimes you'll find names and dates on the bottoms or backs of furniture)
Photo albums
Important papers (wills, titles, and deeds)
Jewellery (such as I.D. bracelets, charm bracelets, lockets, or anything else that may have an inscription)

Letters
Newspaper clippings
Pictures (don't forget to look at the backs)
School reports
Trunks and chests
Yearbooks

“Good luck in your searches”

Brian..www.kneen.com