Imagine going back in time and having a conversation with your great-great-great-grandmother. Imagine going back in time and discovering your great-great-uncle dined with dignitaries. Imagine uncovering mysteries and memorable events for your entire family to treasure. Unfortunately, you cannot physically go back in time, but you can reclaim your family memories by properly preparing and conducting family interviews.

Last month we discussed how to start compiling your family history. If you have followed the first steps of creating a family tree and gathering memorabilia, you are ready to begin the family interview process.

Interview Step #1-Do Your Research:
Do Your Research: Research as much as possible before conducting the interviews so you can formulate questions and prompts for the interviewee. There are several places to help you find information about your relatives. Typically, you will need to know the name, approximate dates, and location of the person or event you are researching. Here is where you can start your search:

  • Census Bureau: A census, or national population count, has been conducted every ten years in the United States since 1790. You may discover interesting information here including where someone lived or moved or how many children where in the family. By looking at a span of 2-3 census findings, you may see patterns of location changes to help you with searches for other relatives. Census records can be found in several places, but the most convenient is online at Ancestry.com.
  • Vital Records Office: Here you can search for local or state records, such as birth, marriage, divorce, or death documents. These vital records contain useful information, including addresses, dates, and maiden names. If you do not have much information about a particular relative, start your search with a vital record of either your parents or someone else directly related to that relative and move backwards from there. Again, Ancestry.com has these records for many citizens, and they are searchable by name and date ranges.

Interview Step #2-Contact Family Member For Interview:
Decide on a list of relatives to interview and contact them to give them a background about why you have started this project and what you are looking for. Let them know what information you are looking for so they can begin sifting through their memories. You will want to ask them to gather any photos and memorabilia they may have so during the interview everyone can relax and focus on the questions. Before interviewing, you can also ask what they found to help you generate more questions you may not have previously thought.

Interview Step #3-Create Interview Questions:
This is a crucial step in the interview process. You want to make the best of everyone’s time, so proper preparation is key. Write and organize questions that will help you fill in the missing parts of your family tree and shed light on unsolved mysteries. You will probably have a list of questions to ask every interviewee and separate questions for specific relatives. Below are sample questions to get you started:

  • When did our family first come to America (or other country) and where did they come from?
  • What names, nicknames, or variations of names have been used in our family?
  • What do you remember about your grandparents and great-grandparents?

  • Please share stories you remember hearing from your grandparents.

  • What valuable lessons did you learn growing up?
  • Did any of our family serve in the military or wars? If so, which ones?
  • What do you remember about our stepfamily’s lives?
  • Describe the houses you have lived in and those of your grandparents?
  • Did you move often? If so, where and when?
  • How did your parents, grandparents and great-grandparents meet?
  • What schools did parents and grandparents attend?
  • What challenges or hardships did our ancestors overcome?
  • What is your favorite summertime memory?
  • What is your favorite holiday memory?
  • Do you know any recipes that have been passed down?

Interview Step #4-Gather Materials for The Interview:
Gather Materials for The Interview: You should be as prepared as possible for the interview. Gather the materials needed beforehand and you will be set to go. Items you will need are:

  • Tape recorder: You will be able to transcribe verbatim what was discussed and have an audio family record to treasure as well.
  • Notebook and pen: Take notes during the interview. You may think of other questions as the interview progresses or discover something you want to research further.
  • Photos and memorabilia: If possible and relevant, take what you have already gathered to generate more discussion and answer questions.

Interview Step #5-Begin the Interview:
Plan to take an hour to an hour and a half to conduct the interview. Too much time can be tiresome for everyone involved. Start with easy questions to warm up the interviewee, such as where they were born, what their childhood home was like, or ask to see what memorabilia and photos they found. Be prepared to re-ask or re-phrase a question to get a useful answer. Relax and enjoy hearing all about the good ol’ days!

After the interview is over, give a special thank you for the time and effort each relative shared with you—a personalized handmade card would add an extra special touch. Let them know as well that you will share your findings with them when you have completed the process. So, now you have all of this information and are wondering what to do with it! Next month we will answer this question and more to keep you going back into the future.