AnswerThis kind of research can very easily you may not know about. Just a few generations ago, it was common for women to have 5 kids or much more--12 or 14 children wasn't unheard of. As these children grew up and had children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, much branching out occurred. So you may have many cousins who already know a lot about information you are looking for. Plus, many people in the previous few centuries married first and second cousins, so you can find relatives pretty easily if you know where to look.