StepChild How?

In the 1900 census, Tom is listed as Bob’s stepchild and Bob is married to Mary. Don’t assume that Tom is Mary’s child and that she had a previous relationship.  Bob could have had a wife previous to Mary who was Tom’s mother and that’s how Tom became Bob’s stepchild. 

All the Papers That Could Tell Me

Regular readers may remember that I’m working on a couple who likely got married in Canada–somewhere. The difficulty is that I do not know where. I do know that the couple had children born in Canada and that the husband’s brother probably lived nearby for at least a time.

To increase the chance I find the name of that town, I’m looking at all the ancestor’s Canadian born children, his brother’s Canadian born children, and children of all those children in case some record mentions that village. And the child from whom I descend wasn’t even born in Canada.

But the hope is that one of these people may mention where they (or their parent) was born–and that’s what I need!

Spouses Might Not Share A Grave

Remember that spouses aren’t necessarily buried in the same cemetery–or even in the same state. One ancestor died in Indiana in 1861 where he is buried and another is buried in Iowa where she died in the 1870s.

And one aunt is buried at the veteran’s home in Iowa where she died and her husband was buried at the veteran’s home in Kansas where he died.

So they might have been together in life, but not in burial!

Search a Collateral You’ve Never Searched Before

Get yourself out of your research rut and perhaps make a discovery in the process.

I decided to spend a little time researching the man who fathered a child with my aunt in Iowa in the 1870s. They never married according to her Civil War pension. Searching him caused me to discover an error on FamilySearch and realize that this father received a pension for his own military service. Now I’m wondering if his pension mentions his daughter, which could help me find her.

All from searching for a collateral.

Look Where They Stayed Not Just Where They Landed

Peter Bieger immigrated to the States about 1847, probably settling in Cincinnati, Ohio. He married there in 1849 and by late 1850, he was in Illinois, where he purchased a small home/tavern.

The best place to search for his Germanic origins: Illinois. Peter left only two records in Ohio, none of which name any witnesses or associates. His 1856 estate settlement and guardianship for his children has the names of several witnesses and associates, most of which appear to be Germanic in origin. Searching these associates may provide some clue to his origins–and should be done before continued work in the larger Cincinnati area where the number of Germans is much larger.

Sometimes the best approach to immigrants is to completely research them in the area of settlement.

Does Dating Make Your Dominos Not Line Up?

When working out any lineage, especially a new one, keep approximate years of birth in mind for the parents, children, grandparents, etc. and always be asking yourself “Could these people be old enough to have these children/grandchildren?”

It won’t help you catch every mistake, but there will be the occasional one.

I thought the ages for a recent “theory” of my own did not fit, but realized that a man born in 1770 could have a son born in 1788 and that son could easily have also had a son born in 1819.

Sometimes the ages will make you realize the people you think fit together, do not.

And other times it means you’ve got more research to do.

Is It Time for a Break or a Different Approach?

Sometimes you have to admit that you are spinning your wheels, the facility (or website) you are using does not have what you need, or that you need help.

I’ve been working on an ancestor in New York and Michigan over the last couple of days at the Ft. Wayne Library. I realized that the published genealogies I had been using were pretty much “copying” each other and that the answer to my question was not in any published sources and that what I actually need to utilize are local records in one of the two counties where the family lived.

Until I access those records, more time in print materials/websites probably isn’t going to help me.

Odd Names Doesn’t Mean Same Person

Use unusual names for clues, but don’t conclude that they have to be the same person. I was looking for the parents of a man, lets call him Ebenezer Whatshisname, who was aged 61 in the 1850 census for Michigan and was from New England and old enough to have had children born by 1820. There’s another Ebenezer Whathisname whose father was in the Revolutionary War from New York and received a pension. Researchers concluded both Ebenezers were the same person. When you read the pension application of this soldier father, he states that his Ebenezer was born in 1810—towards the end of his group of approximately 12 children all listed chronologically.

Could there be a connection between the two Ebenezers? Certainly. But don’t assume an unusual name means you have the EXACT same person–often people pass names in families and first, second, or more distantly related cousins may have the exact same name.