ful links at the end of this article) or you can do it by hand.
Let’s look at these two versions for my great-grandmother, Ottilia.
I find writing out forms and charts by hand to be most beneficial for solving problems or summarizing library research. For long term works in progress, however, a digital timeline may be the best option.
Computer programs make it easier to insert new information or delete incorrect items while keeping everything legible and of archival quality. All you need is a word processor or spreadsheet.
Using a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs, gives you the opportunity to use bullet points, multi-level lists, tables, or any other layout you choose. My favorite way to do a timeline in Word is to reverse the indentation for the paragraph and begin with the date.
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I like to use it this way because it feels more like a narrative of someone’s life, rather than a list of facts. You can include details about the source, informant, and other pertinent information.
The major benefit of using a word processing tool to create your timeline is the ability to insert an image into the document. If your great-grandfather was promoted to chief of police or fire department and you have a picture of the ceremony… add it in! Great-great-grandmother in her WWI nurse’s uniform? You can insert that image, too!
You could also consider using a spreadsheet for creating your timeline, which can be very helpful with its many rows and columns. I suggest starting your spreadsheet with three columns, one for each of: the date, what happened, the source of information.
Then you can add more columns for notes about the source, who supplied the information, and where or when you found the source. Then when you find another life event, you can insert a new row where it belongs in the chronological order.
If you don’t have Microsoft Excel, shown below, download Open Office or use Google Sheets – both free.
Note keeping programs like Evernote can also work well for timeline work.
What should you include in your ancestor timeline?
Just about everything impactful from a person’s life – from birth until death – should be included in your ancestor’s timeline. This would usually include birth, marriage, birth of children, death of parents or children, a known occupation change, a major illness, a religious event, moving from one home or location to another, death, burial etc.
You may also want to make note of major historical events, such as wars, and add those since they may have influenced your ancestor’s life and could provide opportunities for new records.
Next to each entry you should be clear about what sources you used for each fact in your timeline. If you don’t have enough room, simply number each fact and write your sources below, or in another note. This will allow you to carefully examine each fact and its sources for gaps or new, missed information when you are done. For more help on how to reexamine existing data in your tree, read this article.
You may also like to make use of your family tree program for this. Ancestry, MyHeritage, and FamilySearch all create timelines for your ancestors as you add sources and can help you quickly identify which sources you used for each fact.
FamilySearch.org recently changed their timeline format, and it’s fantastic. If you haven’t had a chance to see it yet, here’s an example of Leon Weber’s timeline using the new tab setup.
I guarantee that once you start using timelines in your family history research, you won’t know how you ever 