dbateman,
It isn't your "family tree" you should be looking for, its your "family history". In fact, your best bet is to ignore any of the internet family trees until you have done as much factually sourced research as you can on your own. Then, if you are really stuck, you can check the on-line trees for hints...only.
To begin -- there is only "one" way to do family research...you must start with yourself and work backwards through the generations (your parents, grandparents, great grandparents, etc.) collecting birth and death records for each. Check census records, search for marriage records and obituaries, etc. making sure to connect each generation to the foregoing one. If you have any elderly relatives, ask them what they remember about their parents, grandparents, etc. You can learn some interesting things about your ancestor's personality this way. On the other hand, never take any "family story" as absolute truth as they tend to take on a "life of their own" as they are passed down through the years. Always research it throroughly and, if it doesn't fit the facts then dismiss it.
Your greatest asset in genealogical research is old-fashioned "common sense". Use it often.
Nan