If your relative died under suspicious circumstances, there may have been an inquest into their death. These records, in the United States, typically start in the late 19th century, but there are exceptions. Generally they are local (city or county) records and they may or may not be available online. Testimony of witnesses and doctors may be included. That testimony may give additional insight not only into the death, but also the life, of your relative.
My relative’s 1806 birth in Vermont was recorded twice in two different towns three years apart. The date of birth was the same on both records–it was just recorded in two different Vermont locations. I should not just look at his birth record. I should also look at the records of his siblings. It turned out several of them were recorded twice in the same locations where his records were recorded. If we look at just one record, we may miss clues or we may get a skewed perspective. It’s advised to look at all records in context. It is particularly important to do this with with any record with which we are not familiar or one that looks unusual. Sometimes when this can be helpful is when […]
There are times where I still like to use pencil and paper. For me, it’s just faster and one of those old habits that I just can’t get out of. However, I need to keep those notes in a way that I won’t use them. Typically my notes are made while searching and making digital images of records. I was using a page from an 1895 genealogy of the Sargent family to start my search for vital records of the family. To keep myself organized, I took a picture of my notes sheet and filed it with the digital images I made of the vital records that I located. Then when I go to review those images my notes are right there. If I need to take more […]
There can be much gnashing of teeth about what spelling is “correct.” It is important to remember that 20th and 21st century concerns over spellings and names matching exactly were not a concern in an earlier time. In some places they were not even a concern in the early 20th century. Documents should be transcribed as they are written, even if the name is not spelled “right.” If a census spells great-grandma’s name as “Fany,” that’s how I transcribe the document for my records. Because that is what it said. If my great-grandma’s birth certificate spells her name clearly as “Francis,” then that is what I transcribe the record as. I don’t change it. If great-grandma herself always signed it as Fannie and that’s what most of her […]
When was the last time you reviewed your genealogical information? It may be that: you’ve made a mistake somewhere, a new database has become available, you’ve got new information that’s not been compared to what you already had, etc. I recently reviewed my ancestor table on my other site. In correcting an error I discovered new leads to follow. Genealogy Tip of the Day is proudly sponsored by GenealogyBank. Try their “GenealogyBank Search” and see what discoveries you make.
Some locations have precise geographic borders. Those borders may change over time, but often are reasonably well-established. Some places, particularly those whose names are informal and known to locals, may have more fluid boundaries or just be a general area. Ethnic regions of some urban areas can change over time and have boundaries that are in a constant state of flux or have no precise definition. In some rural areas, certain areas may have a name that known to locals but does not appear on any map, post office list, or other geographic finding aid. Frequently these items are mentioned in newspapers, family letters and correspondence, and other unofficial records. Some thoughts on locating such places can be found in our recent post on Prairie Precinct in Winnebago […]
In families where the same name was used repeatedly, it can be easy to: merge two different people with the same name into being the same person confuse two different people with the same name and assign the wrong record or event to the wrong person overlook yet another relative with the same name–there could always be one more Correctly sifting out people with the same name can be difficult. Look at records that mention: age middle initials–if they even have them spouse occupational clues specific residence or residential clues relatives And look at every record you can get your hands on in the area where all these people with the same name lived.
If your ancestor owned real property, you should search for at least the following records: record of acquisition: a deed of purchase, patent, inheritance, etc. payment of property taxes: do that or lose it. record of disposal: deed of sale, will, foreclosure, tax sale, etc. In the United States these are county-level records. Knowing your ancestor owned property is not enough–those records may provide more information.
It may sound morbid, but if you happen to be around when a loved one is at the end of their life, write down some of the more poignant moments. Not the medical details, but the other little stories. A few days before my mother died, I had finally fallen asleep at around four in the morning only to have a nurse come in and perform a bed check. I yelled and shot out of my chair. There my mother and the nurse were, laughing as if it were the funniest thing they had ever seen. Who knows, maybe it was. I was aware enough of my surroundings not to be irritated that I was being laughed at. And I remember my mother’s cousin and his wife coming […]
Not every immigrant into the United States filtered through New York City. Many did, but there were other ports of entry–both on the west and east coasts of the United States. There were immigrants who originally landed in Canada and crossed the border into the United States. My own forebears landed in New York, Baltimore, and New Orleans and one pair originally came to New Brunswick and crossed into the United States a few years later. The initial point of arrival could have been impacted by the final destination within the United States. Most of my 19th century immigrants knew where they were headed: the rural upper Midwest. That impacted where they arrived. You may have to get New York City out of your head to find your […]
Sometimes one needs an extra set of eyes to look at your problem. It may be: a local who knows the local records and sources because they grew up in the area and have lived there for years; a native who speaks the language that you do not: a professional who is familiar with the type of complicated problem you have; a genealogical acquaintance who is generally familiar with research, willing to review your material with an open eye and an open mind, and is able to critique your work without it disrupting your friendship. Before you have anyone help you on your problem: organize what you have; actually review what you have; determine where you got what you have compile what you have so someone else can […]
When communicating with a new relative whose interest level in genealogy is not quite known, take it slowly. They: might not be able to reply immediately–give them some time might not be quite as interested in the family history as you–believe it or not, it is possible might be put off if you share too many “black sheep” stories immediately–they might think you are only out to share the “family dirt” might not want to read five rambling paragraphs in your first email–get to the point might not respond if you immediately point out errors in their online tree–don’t make them feel like you are proofreading their tree might not be interested in sharing details of their personal life–they may be your fifth cousin, not your “bestie.” Your […]
Always broaden searches for burials on FindaGrave. It is possible that the person in listed in the wrong cemetery, listed twice, or that you have the wrong cemetery. Even if the burial location is incorrect, there may be other information on the memorial page that stands the test of validation.
Response to the AncestryDNA webinars has been overwhelming. As a result, we are: offering another live session of “Beginning Working with Your AncestryDNA Matches” on 24 September. adding a new session “Sifting Through Your AncestryDNA Matches” on 1 October 2017. Details are on our AncestryDNA webinar page. Thanks for your support of our offerings.
Always make certain you have the right person as best you can. My great-aunt was Lillie Trautvetter, born 1908/1909 to George Trautvetter. There was another Lillie Trautvetter, born 1908/1909 to another George Trautvetter. They lived for a time in adjacent townships in Hancock County, Illinois. The Georges were first cousins. When searching quickly I almost confused the two in records where they were children as quite a few of their details were the same.
Recent Comments