When using local indexes to records (court, deed, probate, etc.), familiarize yourself with the index format and layout. Different locations may use slightly different systems. Sometimes the differences are obvious and other times they are not.
This index from Coshocton County, Ohio, indexes land records by the first letter of both the person’s first and last names. Other locations use the last name only. Other locations use the position of the first name within a column as a sorting guide.
Don’t just jump right away to the section of the index that includes the last name you want. Scan the entire index to make certain you are not overlooking portions of it.
One response
This is the hardest thing for me to remember.