Personal History Questionnaire

This is a very descriptive questionnaire. It may take a few days or weeks to complete. If you are interviewing someone else it might be wise to tape record the conversation. (There are some special questions for Latter-day Saints. If you, or the person you are interviewing, is not LDS simply skip those questions)

Parents:
Full Names
Birth Dates
Marriage Date
Death Dates

Your Birth:
When
Where
Surrounding conditions, circumstances
Your health at the time

Your mother:
Stature (short, tall, thin, heavy)
Coloring (hair, eyes)
Talents
Temperament
Family stories about her
Her role at home

Your Father:
Stature (short, tall, thin, heavy)
Coloring (hair, eyes)
Talents
Temperament
Family stories about her
His role at home

Your brothers and sisters:
Names
Birth Dates
Talents
Role in the home

Child Rearing philosophy of parents (family Rules, etc)

Visitors in your home

Earliest memories of grandparent:
visits
Holidays
Customs or traditions
Family heirlooms (dishes, etc.)
Their home (organ, old clock, etc.)
Languages spoken

Earliest Childhood Memories
School Days: (High school will be asked later)
Schools attended (names, transportation, building qualities, etc)
Special Teachers
Buddies
Special Activities
Humorous situations (good or bad)
Achievements

Relatives

Animals and pets

Games, entertainment (hide and Seek, Kick the can, etc)

Favorites:
Sayings
Songs
Poem
outfit, clothing

Fads and crazes: Radio, TV and movie, Clothing, etc.)

Hobbies

Jobs and chores at home and elsewhere

Family Life:
Fun times together
Mode of travel (kind of cars etc.)
Family Projects
Financial Conditions
Did you move and why
your house, neighbors and the neighborhood
Community, (size, population, important buildings, landmarks, etc)
vacations

Family Difficulties:
Sickness and grievances
Diseases
Accidents
operations
death of loved ones

Religion practice in the home:
Faith promoting stories

Additional Information:
Unusual happenings
Visitors in your home
Events that changes your life

Personality:
Dreams
Goals

High School:
Courses
Activities, sports, clubs, offices
honors and awards
Influential teachers
Important decisions
Special friends
Getting into trouble (daring escapades

Social Life:
Dances
movies
dating
summer
outings
church functions

Talents and hobbies:
Music, art, dance (lessons?)
Photography, animals, etc

Job and work experience:
Summer and part time
First full time job
Social security number

Vacations and travel

Religion:
Attended regularly?
Influential teachers and leaders
Religious experiences
Religious feelings
Priesthood advancement

Early romances

Signs of the times:
Entertainments
Sports
Music
TV shows
People in the news
Fads and fashions
Movies

Mission:
Call and reaction
Financing
Companions
Living arrangements
Mission President(s)
Events of importance
Converts
Main struggles and successes
Experiences
Visa (passport) problems
Language training
Geographical description
Economical situation
social and religious situations
General attitude towards you
Areas of labor
Means of transportation

Military:
Reason for entering
branch
Feeling when entering
Basic Training
Special development training
promotions and honors
Combat duty
Friends and social life
Likes and dislikes
Benefits from serving

College or tech school:
Motivation (why did you go?)
Schools attended
How was it financed?
Who did you live with?
Close friends
Subjects studied
Social life, school clubs, activities
Dating, etc.
Degrees and honors
Dropped out? Why?
Unusual learning experiences
Influential teachers, friends
Religious activities, experiences, conflicts
Key decisions

Meeting your spouse:
First impression
Special Dates
Quarrels, why?
Length of engagement
The proposal
Marriage plans

Marriage:
Date
Place
By whom
Parties
Wedding and Reception
Reception colors
Brides maids, best man, etc
Flowers, music, gifts
Honeymoon

Meeting the in-laws

Spouses personality - Why you chose him/her

Married life:
Settling down
Making ends meet
Your own home
Job hunting
Arguments and adjustments

Career:
Career choices
Changes, promotions, transfers, training, etc.
Job failures and successes
Effects of job on family
Job duties
Membership in unions, business or professional organizations
unusual job experiences

Children (answer each question for each child):
Name
Date and place of birth
Health of mother before and after
Characteristics
Talents and Hobbies
Smart saying and doings
Growing up
Humorous episodes
Problems
Joys and Sorrows
Accomplishments

Role of yourself in the home

Role of spouse in the home

Family Traditions:
Christmas
Birthdays
Graduations
Independence Day
Halloween
Thanksgiving
Funerals
Memorial Day
Mothers Day
Fathers Day
Weddings

Family Vacations

Grandchildren:
Names
Experiences with

Children raised and gone experiences:
New hobbies and interests?
New friends and associates

Health:
operations
Physical disabilities

Favorites:
Color
Song
Food
place

Civic Responsibilities

New business ventures

Memorable Travel

Retirement
finances
Leisure time

Talents:
Cooking?
Card Tricks?
Whistling?
Wiggling ears?
Etc.

Anniversaries

Other special events

World events and how they effected you?
wars
natural disasters
Etc.

Changes seen during lifetime
Fashions
society in General
Technology
Fads
Morality
Politics

Accomplishments:
Family
Goals achieved

Church Activities:
Associates
Positions held

Important people you have known

Your personal Philosophies

Regrets

The most important day in your life

A major turning point. Why?

Greatest Joys

Biggest Sorrows

Message of advice that you have learned

One word on how to live successfully

How you would like to be remembered