If you’ve made a chronology for that ancestor and have a ten year gap in their life where you know absolutely nothing, consider researching it in more detail and consider the possibility that you have overlooked something. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
My ancestors are pretty much from rural locations. When they moved, they settled where they had kin or kin arrived a few years after they did. My English speaking ancestors in the States moved across the country with some of the relatives and my 19th century European immigrants to rural America did the same thing–settling where they knew people or where they later brought relatives from “home.” My children have ancestors in Chicago, Philadelphia, and other large towns.For some reason, I decided that urban people didn’t “move with neighbors” like my rural family did. I was wrong. The more I researched the families in urban areas, I learned that they too stuck with family or had relatives nearby. The point this time isn’t about “chain migration,” (although that […]
If there is a family or person you are “stuck” on, consider putting them aside for a day or a week and working on an entirely different person or family. Perhaps getting away from the “rut,” or at least into a different “rut,” will cause you to come back at that person or family with fresh eyes. Is there someone you’ve not worked on in ages that would be person to focus on while you’re taking time off from that “stuck” person? ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Remember that when dealing with some record agencies, government offices, churches and private businesses, helping you with your genealogy might not really be their job. County record offices maintain records, but if you don’t know what you are looking for it makes it difficult for them to help you. Some offices may maintain old records, but their “real job” focuses on current day-to-day activities. Churches and private business maintain their records “privately,” and really don’t have to share information with you, even if great-grandma was a lifetime member or great-grandpa spend a “huge” amount there on his funeral. Just a few thoughts. It doesn’t mean that clerks have to be rude or impolite though! ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
If you have a listing of the children of an ancestor, how certain are you that they are actually listed in order of birth? The ordering may have been mere speculation on someone’s part years ago, particularly if they were born in an era before birth records. If any conclusions are based upon a birth order and there’s no evidence for that birth order, those conclusions may need to be revisited. ———————————— Check out our Genealogy Tip of the Day book!
Before going to the library, courthouse, or other research facility, considering creating a short “cheat sheet” of key terms you will use while there that confuse you. It may not be practical to constantly “google on the go,” and sometimes time can be saved by making a quick referral to doublecheck the meaning of a word or term. Grantor and grantee are two terms that people often get confused–and that confusion can easily cause the researcher to waste valuable time. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
This 1790 era deed from Harford County, Maryland, contains a clue in the “fine print” at the very top of the record copy of the deed. The item, underlined here in red indicates that the original was delivered to Wm. Rampley per order. The deed was from an Elisha Garrett to a William Gibson. The “delivery” notice is a clue that needs to be investigated. Don’t ignore those items at the very top, bottom, or side of a transcription. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
If a guardian was appointed for your minor ancestor, the guardian usually was just to oversee the child’s inheritance or estate. The minor’s mother may very well have been alive and would probably have had physical custody of the child. Don’t immediately conclude that the guardian of a child’s estate was the person with whom the child lived. And do not assume because a child had a guardian appointed that their mother was deceased. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Some who have ordered webinars for download have had issues playing them. The “codec” that is needed can be downloaded here: https://www4.gotomeeting.com/codec?Portal=www.gotomeeting.com Let me know if that does not solve the problem by emailing me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com. Download links expire after 24 hours. If your link expired before you were able to download, forward me your receipt and I’ll resend. Thanks. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
I had a really good tip for today, but I didn’t write it down and now it’s lost. So that’s today’s tip–don’t rely on your memory. Write it down or record it when you think of it. Not later. And make certain that what you write makes sense. Handwritten “chicken scratches” are confusing and jumbled thoughts are as well. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
In some families relatives may have remained in contact decades after they last lived in close proximity to each other. I’m researching a family where some individuals immigrated from England to the United States in the 1820s, settling eventually in Philadelphia. Fortysome years later, a niece and her family immigrated from England as well and likely settled near (or with little logistical assistance from) the family who was already in Philadelphia. Some families kept in touch over the years and some did not—just like today. In some ways it was more difficult, but it was not impossible. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Have you looked at university libraries near where your ancestor lived and those a slight distance or a few counties away? Some may have special collections of historical material that may be useful in your research. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
We are proud to announce the release of the recorded version of my two latest webinars: Tips and Tricks for FamilySearch –(NEW!)–This webinar discusses ins and outs of using the “new” family search, searching by family structure, global searches, interpreting searches and troubleshooting. Also discussed are strategies when approaching an unindexed set of images, a new type of record series, or incomplete records. Aimed at advanced beginners and intermediate level researchers. The digital version of the presentation and handout can be ordered for $8.50. Newspaper Research –(NEW!)–Aimed at advanced beginners and intermediate level researchers, this webinar discusses research techniques for searching newspapers in digital, microfilm, and original formats. Pitfalls of using digital newspapers are discussed, along with manual search techniques and what types of materials to look for besides obituaries and […]
You have a genealogical problem. It does not really matter what it is. Have you interacted with another human being on that problem? Either asked a relative if they knew something; asked a question about the problem on a message board, mailing list etc. Have you discussed your problem with someone who knows something about the area and time period in which you are researching? If the only person you’ve interacted with is the “person” inside your head—discuss the problem with someone else. You may be surprised at the result. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Remember in some cities, street names have changed in the last 150 years, houses have been renumbered, interstates have been built, etc. Make certain when using contemporary maps that you know what that 1860 address for your ancestor would be in modern times. Get it converted if you are unable to do it yourself. You may even discover that your ancestor’s former residence is now part of an interstate. Even those with rural ancestors need to remember that county lines, township lines, may change–especially in the early days of settlement. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
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