Buy some folders and poly pockets to store data and information.
Start simple with what you already know and try out few free trial geneological sites.
Good way to build up information is to try general google search. Just enter a keyword and follow the links. You get a lot of rubbish but some gems do pop up.
Ask for help, other members make have tips, and clues for you and they are great support when you hit a dead spot in research.
Another good tip. Hold family party, you could get information when people loosen up and chat. If not well have a good time thats what its all about.
Give me a call anytime.

Thank you very much for the info.
I have thought about a family party but the gpa who changed his name wont go for it and he would walk out as soon as he saw a birmingham. I have heard it is some wood pile problem I dunno. Thank you again so much!!

joanne, I have newly started my search also but I have found it very helpful to go to the morman church they are very helpful and have a great tracking system.they have these papers that keep track of everything.I have gone only 3 times but have found my family going back to 1500 france.It's soooo very exciting. I wish you all the sucess in the world.

There is a morman website that is free to use. There is just a lot of smiths lol But I figure it will take me many years for this. I am not too sure if there is a morman church in my town. But I will look into it when we move and go to one near us. Thank you so much for your help!!!

Hi joanne, since there are 2 very earlylines of Birmingham's arriving prior to 1710 and several that arrived in US after 1800, careful organization such as the poly-pocket folders is a good idea: my line arrived Fell's Point, Queen Anne's, MD...however another early line arrived at New York. You will see those 2 lines, but they have some similarly common names among them....so sort by their respective groups of children names. You will see a line from MD, to NC, to TN then they diverge once more, MS, LA, TX, AR....see the webpage at genealogy dot com, go to the 'gen forum' and query 'Birmingham', you will find many posts, however, for the MD,NC,TN line, read the posts by Michael Mottes, Bill Horn and Troy Everett.
Best wishes for this holiday for you and yours.
John

Joanne, I almost forgot, but I believe that Ray Birmingham may be connected to the TN line of Berry and William Birmingham....
FYI, the line of Birm's from MD 1698, to NC 1720-1800 and TN 1810 to 1850, then to LA/TX 1850-present are well documented....on genforum.
Maybe I can find a connection too, to indicat where that line immigrated from (possibly England or Ireland).

Joanne: Good idea to search the LDS (Mormon) site at www.familysearch.org or look at www.lds.org for a family history library near you. They have them everywhere and they have people to help get started and can answer any question you may have. If they don't know, they know where to go for it. I say that as I worked in our local history center for several years.
Good luck on your search.

Rogerlj

Joanne hi :) There are a lot of Birminghams living in Sheffield, England, if that's any help to get a start.

Ticker.

Hi Joanne, stay strong....if only doing family research was easy.....ooohh!! Whatever you do dont give up, even when things are slow, dont worry. As many researchers will tell you, its either a feast or a famine, waiting to see if you get any letters, emails etc, with updates of information.
Try and get hold of birth/death/marriage certs, its amazing what info they hold. While some family members may not wish to help with your research, again dont worry, this happens alot.
Maybe you can talk to old family friends...sometimes small details get mentioned, so its worth a try. Meanwhile Good Luck, regards Summer

Researching : SCANLON and LYDON FAMILIES