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I am trying to research my Tucker family. They go back only 6 generations and then disappear in New Jersey. The records there are very sparse and the name Joseph is too common. I have yet to learn how to get information from census indexes prior to 1850. Fortunately, some of these relatives are in a small family cemetery in Minnesota. That gave me a good starting point but only a start. Many relatives on this side of the family were prolific writers and have told us a good bit about what these members of the family were like, but, of course, nothing about public records. The Internet, Mormon Genealogy Library, etc., are invaluable here, but only if you can find the records. So I have turned many dark corners and gone down many blind alleys. I have been able to fill out the family tree a bit, but at times it is quite frustrating. I have done the same with my mother's family. Then my wife and I got started on her family. We have had a lot of help here from other relatives who were also researching her family. Here again, we have also collected a good number of books, both written by family members or about family. These are very valuable to us. They tell of the times and conditions which these people lived in, where they came from, how they got here. Also have gotten information from family reunions--they are a lot of fun as well as informative. In total it is a lot of hard work and moves slowly, but is very rewarding to me to always be learning more about my families.
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