Despite what some advertisements may say, it’s not always possible to come to a complete resolution on which document or conclusion is 100% correct. That’s because some documents are not 100% correct and it’s not always possible to determine which of several conflicting documents is wrong. There are times where it’s possible to determine which record is least likely to be right or where an obvious error has been made. The key in resolving genealogical conflicts is not to always get to the answer you think is 100% right, but to transcribe the records you have that address the question, cite those records, analyze those records, and write up your conclusion based those on those records and why you believe that conclusion to be correct.
Today a person typically spells their name the same way their entire life or at least changes that spelling infrequently. A person that has the same last name as their parent typically spells that last name the way their parent does. There was a time in many cultures and language groups when names were spelled a variety of ways for the same person throughout their life time–a time when there was no conventional orthography of names. That can apply to first names or to last names and can be a difficult concept to understand for those who are used to standardized spellings for names that are used as first and last names. When writing about family members during time periods of no fixed orthography, consider choosing the one […]
Always make certain you read every reference to the bride on a marriage record. That “Mrs.” can be a big clue.
If the dates allow, always consider that both members of a couple may have had a prior marriage that resulted in one or more children. That could explain why certain children are left out of a parent’s or grandparent’s estate, why it looks like the first child was born before the marriage, or people are marrying individuals who appear to be relatives (but are actually step-siblings).
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