I thought I recognized a name that popped up on my Ancestry’s DNA match list recently. The first name was the same as my grandmother’s and the last name was a Swedish name that is atypical to find in my family.

I have not heard back from the new match, but the shared matches we have and her projected relationship to me are consistent with the person I think that she is.

And then it dawned on me: do I have other DNA matches whose identities may be hiding in my paper files, my digital images, and my old email messages? Searching some of these items manually may be difficult as not every name will “pop into my head,” but I can search my email fairly easily for a name or a username to see if that’s a person I communicated with or about years ago.

Of course not everyone researched for decades before they took a DNA test for their genealogy, but for those who have there may be an answer to that match buried in your own files.

A reminder that chronologies can be useful in your family history research. Always make certain dates are accurate, doublecheck where you obtained the dates, make certain dates are in order if creating chronology yourself, don’t include events that had no reasonably logical impact on your relative’s life.

Also consider creating a geographic chronology of where your ancestor lived and during what time periods.

Finding the exact location of places whose names were short-lived can be difficult. Sometimes it can be impossible to pinpoint precisely where a location was located–particularly if’s a place name that was never used in any official sense but was a nickname of sorts used for a neighborhood or an area.

One place to get an idea of when the name was used and generally where it was located is to search for it in old newspapers. Dating the references can give an idea of when it was used and there may be clues as to the geographic location of the area in those newspaper references.

For years, early in my research when I did not know better, I failed to look for a probate file for an ancestor because he was “dirt poor.” I knew you needed to have money (at least most of the time) in order to have a probate settlement.

However several years into my research, I became a firm believer in the “look for anything and everything” camp. That’s why I looked for a probate file for my “dirt poor” ancestor.

And there he was in the probate records two times. How can you die twice and have two probate settlements?

Turns out for the time period in question, insanity cases were filed with the probate and estate records. It was two insanity cases I had located for him, not probate cases. If I had never looked in estate files, I never would have found out information about his insanity hearings.

One question: Is all your data backed up?

or “Have you backed up all your data?” for those of you who don’t like to end things with a preposition.

Either way, make sure you “git ‘er done,” if you haven’t.

Looking for a place to get copies of current obituaries for free besides the funeral home? In rural areas, try the website of the local radio station.

Have you taken a look for your ancestors in the miscellaneous record books at the County Recorder’s Office? A variety of items can be in these books–not necessarily what one would expect. I’ve found divorce decrees from out of state divorces, copies of medical licenses, and a few other non-typical items in these books. Anyone can pay to have a document recorded–which just means that a “legal” copy has or was made. Soldiers might have recorded their discharge at the local recorder’s office as well.

The writer of any document can abbreviate however they please. While most people do tend to follow standard abbreviations, it’s possible for someone to occasionally use an atypical abbreviation.

While reviewing a court case from the early 19th century in Virginia, I was almost convinced I had discovered a new relative: Eli Tinsley. The “Eli” abbreviations were used in a summary list of court depositions and it was clear that “Eli” was a reference to Elizabeth and not a separate person named Eli. The clerk also used “E” as an abbreviation for Elizabeth in the same summary list.

A tip about court records yesterday included part of the handwritten image that illustrated the point I was making. On the surface the 1820-era record may have appeared difficult to read.

It’s a relatively easy read for a record from the time period (with the occasional one-word exception). But it takes practice and experience to read material like this.

I don’t mean to sound like your piano teacher or basketball coach, but it’s true. You need to practice to be able to read things of this type. I usually suggest to people that they go and read more recent handwritten documents to slowly build their skills. Start with things that are easy and go from there. Late 19th or early 20th century handwritten record copies of deeds are a great place to start–or wills and other courthouse documents from the same era. If it’s too difficult, start with something easier and build your skills.

A piano teacher or coach starts with basic fundamentals first. That’s what you should do in reading old records as well. Save those key signatures with 5 flats or sharps for later, start with a C major scale. I didn’t play basketball, so I don’t have the appropriate analogy here, but y’all hopefully get the point. I often hear people saying how something from 1730 is difficult to read (and it can be), but you have to start with later stuff first. Build your skills and practice.

Clues as to residence are one of the many reasons to look at court records. Subpoenas, notices to appear, and other references may provide clues to where a person lived if not state the location specifically.

An 1825 reference in a chancery court case in Lynchburg, Virginia, involving the the Tinsley family indicated that Reuben Tinsley lived “near the Court house” in the direction of “Wood’s.” Other court records may at least mention the county in which the person was living at the time of the legal action.