Posts in April 18, 2022

One of the first questions I ask someone when they say they are stuck on an ancestor is what records they have accessed that may mention that ancestor. It’s an important question to ask and an important question to answer. Determining if you have “everything” is not always easy. There’s the records that are typically easier to access, such as vital records and census records. There may also be land records, probate records, court records, newspaper references, church records, naturalization records, military records (including pensions), a variety of federal records (besides census records), cemetery records, funeral home records, etc. One approach is to list every document you have that mentions an ancestor on which you are stuck. Then ask someone familiar with research and records in the areas […]