Dealing with a “new to you record” can sometimes be confusing. That confusion is compounded when the record is written in blank book format where the clerk or records keeper had to create their own form. Sometimes that “homemade form,” was unique to the person who originally kept the records.
Determining what the format was for each entry, what the columns stood for, etc. may take some time. It may require more than just looking at the entry of interest. It may require more than looking at just the entries on the page containing your ancestor’s entry–particularly if some columns are used infrequently.
And it always requires patience.
Note: I’ve been reminded of the importance of this in working with some tax records from Ohio. All of us occasionally have something new to us that provides a challenge.
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