The death of an ancestor can result in more than a death certificate, an obituary, a funeral, or an estate settlement. In some cases, the death of one parent can send an entire family into a financial tailspin, especially if the recently deceased parent was the sole provider for the family. Children may end up being farmed out to relatives or neighbors or have to quit school and go to work. Even in families where the children are grown the death of a parent can change the family dynamics.
I think we have the email glitch solved–some subscribers were getting two copies of the daily tip. Thanks for your patience as we continue to work through a few last minute issues due to our move.
When trying to correlate pieces of information remember that the simplest explanation is probably what happened. When deciding what to research next start with the most likely scenario. And remember that not all the details have to fit perfectly. Sometimes people can provide slightly different answers to questions on different records.
Names that contain a double “s” often are written in such a way that the double “s” resembles a “p.” Transcribers often interpret these letters incorrectly. Searching for Moss may requiring looking for “Mops.”
If you have an immigrant ancestor whose native language was different from the language where he settled, the last name you have for him may not be the name he used in his homeland. Some individuals would officially change their names, frequently when they naturalized. Others simply changed their name with no official paperwork at all. And then there’s the ancestor whose last name was Latin and he changed it to the German equivalent when he immigrated to America. One just never knows.
I’m not a big fan of “genealogy games,” but here is an activity that might get you to thinking. Pick a random date–at least 100 years in the past. Determine which of your ancestors were alive on that date, where they were probably living, and what stage in their life they were in (child, young adult, newly married, widowed, etc.). Also think about how you know what you do about your ancestors on that date.
The “title cards” from Family History Library are good things to make digital images of as they help you to remember from where you made images of actual records. But these cards by their very nature are somewhat generic and won’t be enough to create a complete citation. But they are a very, very good start.
I’ve got a busy summer planned. Here’s a look at genealogy-related events with which I’ll be involved this summer–consider joining me: LIve Webinars-LOC Newspapers, Virginia Land Patents, War of 1812 Pensions, Land Records at FamilySearch. Organizing Genealogical Information Class Research Trip to the Allen County Public Library in Ft. Wayne
For those who might have missed it the first time, we’ve reposted my thoughts on “The Genealogy Elite and the Genealogy Police.”
Some of what Grandma tells you will be incorrect. Some of it will be correct. Most of it will rest somewhere in between the “truth” and the “untruth.” Write it all down and make it crystal clear that it was what Grandma said–not information you “proved” in official records. The stories Grandma tells about her family say something about her. Record them. Then go and try and figure out what really happened.
If your male ancestor died before his wife and you can’t find her in death records, consider the possibility that she married after his death. There may be no family tradition of a subsequent marriage and records would be tied to the last name of the later husband. Maybe the reason she went “poof” after her husband died was because she remarried.
Researching women in the United States is compounded by the fact that researchers need the woman’s “maiden name,” the surname of her biological father. In some cases what the researcher thinks is the “maiden name” may actually be a step-father’s last name, the mother’s last name, an adopted father’s last name, or the last name of a previous husband. All things to consider.
We’ve finally completed the moving process for all my blogs. If you received Rootdig.com, Genealogy Tip of the Day, Genealogy Search Tip, or Genealogy Transcriber before 1 June in your email, you will need to resubscribe using the subscription links on the respective blogs: Rootdig.com—Michael’s thoughts, research problems, suggestions, and whatever else crosses his desk Genealogy Tip of the Day—one genealogy research tip every day Genealogy Search Tip—websites I’ve discovered and the occasional online research tip Genealogy Transcriber—can you read the handwriting? Thanks for your support as we transition to this new service.
Some ancestors are more “portable” than others. Their lifestyle, economic status, and occupation can make it easier for them to pick up and move. Stop and think about how easy or difficult it would have been for your relative to simply move. And if they did move, what records might they have left behind as a part of the moving process? Would there be records documenting the move? Land records may reference a new residence for an ancestor, especially if the sale of property was finalized after the move had taken place.
Please let your genealogy friends know about our new location and the fact that they can still get our tips in their email. Our site: https://genealogytipoftheday.com Subscription page: Get Genealogy Tip of the Day Every Day! Thanks! Michael
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