Genealogy is the quest to find ones ancestors. Before planning a trip to a research facility; it is best to begin the journey with yourself. Record all vital information about you and your immediate family; i.e. births, marriages and deaths as well as where the event took place. Include your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Interview family members and family friends; asking not only what they know but suggestions of whom to contact. It is these conversations that may lead to a previously unknown family bible, a photo album or a scrapbook. Family traditions can be a wonderful source of information; but note just as with any source, it is as accurate as the author.

Next, determine the record keeping criteria of the municipality where your family lived. The recording of vital statistics varies from one municipality to another; whether on the county or state level. Pennsylvania did not record births and deaths until 1906 and York County began recording marriages in 1885. Prior to these dates, one must consult other sources; such as church records, newspaper obituaries and cemetery tombstone abstractions to fill in missing information.

The YCHT Library & Archives has over 8000 genealogical surname files. Each surname can be spelled numerous ways and the YCHT surname files reflect many of these variations. Each family file contains various materials for example: newspaper clippings of obituaries, weddings, and engagements; short genealogies (less than 40 pages); family group sheets; pedigree charts; related correspondence and copies of original documents and photos. Submitted over the years, all of this material pertains to that surname.

Five sets of index cards accompany each surname file. These cards include abstracts from church records, cemetery tombstone abstractions, will books and Orphans Court dockets (1749-1850); a sampling of pre-1800 tax records; and other selected sources.