It is important somewhere to keep track of your research logic as you progress. Otherwise you might not remember “why” you are researching a certain person or why you concluded a specific reference was a match to your person of interest. It is especially helpful to track those reasons when the record you think is your person may not be so obvious later.
I decided an 1850 census reference was to the person I was searching and who I had located in a 1870 census entry and other post-1870 records. The person could not be found in 1860 despite repeated, documented attempts. My research then continued with discoveries on the guy who was in the 1850 census, including details I had located on the wife of the 1850 census guy. Her family was easy to research.
When I went back and reviewed the images I had downloaded, I could not remember why I was convinced the 1850 census entry was for the correct person. That was not clear from the enumeration (other than a name match).
When I decided the 1850 guy was “mine,” I should have written down my reasons. That would have saved time and made it easier for me later to re-evaluate that conclusion.
3 Responses
Thank you for your wise and helpful tips. Today I am appreciating this one very much!!
Curious on where you documented your reasoning.
In the notes on that person or as an annotation to the document image.