Remember that not every relative or genealogist who might be able to help you is on Facebook or even the Internet. If the only people you interact with are on Facebook or the blogs, you are really selling your research short and probably are overlooking possible connections.
Monthly Archives: August 2010
Join a Local Genealogical Society
Interacting with other online genealogists is great, but face to face interaction can be good as well. Consider joining and becoming involved in your local genealogical society, even if you have no ancestors where you live.
Did They Change Churches?
Don’t assume that your ancestor always was a member of the same denomination or that they were the same denomination as their parents. People do change churches and denominations.
Your Own Biography
Have you considered writing your own biography? It would be deeply ironic to have all that genealogy information on all those dead people with little about yourself.
Non-Tip Postings
Users, viewers, and fans of “Genealogy Tip of the Day” can email me if they see inappropriate postings to our Facebook page. Solicitations for research clients are not allowed on any Tip of the Day page and will be removed.
Recorded Their Discharge?
Many soldiers recorded a copy of their discharge papers in the county in which they were living when they enlisted or where they lived right after their discharge.
If you can’t find military information on your ancestor, see if they recorded a copy of their discharge papers at their local county recorder’s office.
Be Careful Inputting Relationships From Obituaries
Be careful using relationships from obituaries as your sole source of information for your database.
Modern obituaries especially may:
- not mention all children
- may not distinguish children from step-children
- may not indicate which spouse was the parents of which children
Any of these things can confuse later genealogists if you assume an obituary was entirely correct.
Best bet is to transcribe it (or scan it) and look for other materials to back it up.
Occupational Clues
Are you looking in other records besides census records for occupational clues on your ancestor?
Estate inventories are good places to get an idea of what occupation your ancestor might have had. Those with city-dwellers in their family tree should use city directories for clues of this type. And don’t forget some European church records use occupations to distinguish men of the same names from each other.
Living Relatives?
Are there any living relatives you haven’t talked to yet with your family history questions? Remember that cousins, near and distant, may have family items or memories that you don’t.
State Archives?
Have you tried to determine if the state archives where your ancestor lived might hold records that could be helpful in your search? Remember that state archives could hold records created at the state level or county records that have been transferred to their control.