Scrap books of family members--newspaper articles, invitations, etc. collected by a family member over his/her lifetime

Old photo albums

 Family Bibles--listing names, births, deaths, etc

Family ledgers--records of amounts paid for work and groceries, etc.

Journals and diaries (good luck!)--not may of our ancestors took (or had the time) to write

Local newspaper morgues--articles on family members

Local historical society bulletins--what has already been collected? Ask!

Bookstores with a Texana section

Local bookstores that feature local authors--background info

 Local libraries

Local museums

Oral histories--check with local historical societies

Your memories--their is usually a basis for all stories

Directed correspondence to/from relatives and contacts--in writing ask your elder relatives specific questions about places, people, and events

 Privately published family genealogy books

Personal descriptions based on visits--go back to the farm, get a feel for the place

Cemeteries--our connection with the people who were, read the inscriptions

Family Reunions--look for folks who will talk to you

New photographs of family locales--visualizations for your writing

Legal records

Land records --look for “color” where was the property located, who was it purchased from, etc.

Military service records from the state or Federal Archives

Genealogy, history, and family history Internet sites--don’t believe everything you read BUT you can get good information too

 Web searches

The Handbook of Texas On-Line

The Texas Almanac

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