“You’re still looking for that?”
Those who are not involved in genealogy don’t understand the urge to keep looking. However there does come a time when one has to realize that you might not find that for which you are looking. The question is when do you realize that you need to stop looking?
The key to a reasonably exhaustive genealogy search is to look through materials that might reasonably contain information that addresses the issue you are trying to resolve. In the case of finding an original picture of the stuffed toy Curious George I have from my childhood, that required me going through all the print photos and the negatives I have from my parents. Both need to be searched because I don’t have every print nor do I have every negative. That search would be reasonable. Going through all the negative and prints would be exhaustive.
Looking through the probate records in the local courthouse would not be reasonable at all. Asking my children if they have an original picture of George would not be reasonable either.
My reasonably exhaustive search for George would be in materials that would reasonably contain a picture of him. Deciding what’s reasonable and what’s exhaustive depends upon the desired information and what sources are available and what information they contain. That’s why genealogists need to have a defined research goal and need to be aware of all sources that could provide information necessary to meeting that goal. Defined goals are relatively easy to write (they need to be specific and state a relationship or “fact” about a person). Being aware of all sources requires learning about and being familiar with a variety of sources. Sometimes that is a tall order.
Even if you are looking for George.
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