What goes into the file?

Each folder begins with the couple’s marriage certificate and then all documents until their death or divorce. Each of their children’s documents starts with their birth certificate or baptism until they get married or leave the home. I generally file all the couple/family records first, then the parent’s individual documents, and then finally each child. You could also file by the date of the document.

If you have documents for the fourth generation I file those in the third generation folder using post-it notes to separate the files.

Fourth generation filed in the third generation file.