About the time I retired I became interested in my family history. Unfortunately I was a bit late in starting this research (all too common) as none of my parents generation were still alive.

The basic knowledge possessed at the time was:
Mother; Margarite M. HOLMES born on Staten Island in 1903 to Charles E. HOLMES and Pearl M. ELMS. Charles E. HOLMES was from Bayonne, NJ and Pearl M. ELMS was from Staten Island, NY
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Father; William C. STAPLES born in New Jersey in 1898 to John W. STAPLES and Jennie H. BROCHEL. John W. STAPLES was born in Ulster County, NY. Jennie H. BROCHEL’s place of birth was not known. My task was certainly formidable.

I initially attempted to trace all of the ancestral lines but soon realized that this was not the way, so after a few years I decided to concentrate on my Staples line. More recently I have done some research on my Mother's Holmes side of my ancestral line.