The Family Bible: most people are known to save important certificates and documents in their Bibles:

These are all items you can send off for, if you have their full Birth Name and Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Marriage and Place or State.

All Marriages, Births and Deaths are all important events that are recorded in every hospital, court house, house's of Vital records.

Go through family photo albums, read the backs. Old scrap books contain events that were important to someone, Awards, Achievements, News Paper clippings, Military Certificates, old letters with address of family and friends that might be able to help.

Get a list of all family members and their address and phone numbers if possible, send a letter/ a form letter (form letter is included). It explains, that you are researching your family history and any information they give etc.....Mail to all family members, you may be surprised that another family member has already started a genealogical search on your family.....

For every new relative found, send them a form letter, you may be able to go back six to ten generations.

Keep in mind, that not all family members will be interested.

It could take weeks or months to get these letters back...

To better your chances of receiving information back, make it as easy as possible for them.

Suggestions: Send them ten ( 10 ) plus copies of who's who (included) it's self explanatory. Self addressed and stamped envelope, you might even included extra stamps and maybe a couple extra addressed envelopes..