Are there facts or clues that you are still entrusting to your memory? Never assume that something is “impossible” to forget. This temptation is greatest when researching a distance away from home. Don’t wait to “write it down later to save time.” It may take a little time during your research trip to write down “why” you copied something or “how” you reached a conclusion, but that time is well spent. Waiting until you get home is only asking to forget. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Anyone with a cursory knowledge of US history would know that an ancestor named George Washington Smith, Benjamin Franklin Butler, or Abraham Lincoln Jones was likely named for the famous American. But what about someone named Lorenzo Dow Smith or Jasper Newton Smith? Do not assume you have a connection to the Dow or Newton families just because your ancestor had these names. Sometimes names are simply popular cultural references that have faded from memory. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Just because Grandma insists her Grandpa was English doesn’t mean that he was. There are several reasons Grandma could be incorrect and make certain to research the grandfather completely in the location where he settled to see if he left clues as to his origins–clues besides what Grandma remembers. My Grandma insisted her Grandpa was Irish. Turns out most of his family had been in the Americas at least one hundred and fifty years before he was born–and virtually all were English. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
My ancestral couple, James and Elizabeth (Chaney) Rampley had several children, including: Thomas–father of James and Elizabeth John–too common to be a real clue James–grandfather of James and James himself Riley–? Martha–too common to be a clue Elizabeth–too common to be a clue Riley is a name that just seems to appear. Is it a clue to someone’s maiden name, perhaps that of Elizabeth’s mother? Clues contained in names are clues, not facts. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
There were some technical issues with this offer as posted on Facebook yesterday, so we’ve (hopefully) fixed the error and re-posted the offer here: Brick Walls from A to Z–This lecture is based upon my article “Brick Walls From A to Z” and is geared towards the somewhat experienced beginner to intermediate researcher. Just a list of ideas to get beyond your brick walls discussed alphabetically. Handout included. Add to cart here. To get this free until 9:00 AM 6 July 2012, use coupon code BRICKWALLThis post is: http://genealogytipoftheday.blogspot.com/2012/07/brick-walls-from-to-z-this-lecture-is.html ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Have you preserved one of your own stories today or recently? Don’t forget that someday you’ll no longer be an “active” leaf on the family tree and the greatest irony would be if you didn’t preserve and share a few of your own stories along the way. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
If you find an ancestor in an index, remember that the index entry is meant to guide you to the actual record. Mistakes and omissions can easily be made. Failing to locate the original may create brick walls where none exist. And there’s always the chance that there’s a neat bit of information on the original not included in the index. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Don’t forget our July 4th Genealogy Webinar Sale ends tomorrow. Discount code “july4” is working and will give you a 50% discount at checkout. Feel free to forward this message to others who may be interested…our prices are lower than most of the other online presentation vendors. A complete listing of webinars is available at http://rootdig.blogspot.com/2012/04/updated-list-of-genealogy-webinars.html Don’t wait until Wednesday-take a look at our list of offerings today…and you don’t need to have Revolutionary War ancestors to take advantage of our offers! ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
You’ve found your ancestor in the 1830 census, but cannot find him in earlier enumerations–or the name is common you cannot be certain it is him. Try looking for his 1830 neighbors in the 1820 census. Perhaps they had moved together to the location there were living at in 1830. Some of your ancestors 1830 neighbors might have been his 1820 neighbors as well. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
It may seem like we’re really scraping for today’s tip, but there are actual several good genealogical concepts lurking under the surface, even if your great-grandma did not have a tattoo. Great-grandma’s tattoo will go with her, much like any pieces of family history that she remembers and that have not been shared with others. The tattoo will fade during Grandma’s lifetime, much like any family photographs that are not preserved. And, if great-grandma never reveals the fact that she has the tattoo, it may be one of those secrets that she takes to her grave. And even if your great-grandma didn’t have any tattoos, chances are there are a few secrets that she took with her. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Many “adoptions” were informal affairs where a relative or neighbor simply took in the child to raise as their own. There may have been no paperwork at all. In some times and locations there may be records of apprenticeships or guardianships, depending on the individual situation. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
If Uncle Herman (or Aunt Hermina) disappears after they reach young adulthood, consider the fact that they might not really have disappeared? In some families if a child was “not right,” they might have been institutionalized and never mentioned again. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Look at the ages of your ancestors when they had their “first” marriage. Was their age at that “first” marriage old enough that there might have been a marriage before the marriage you think was their “first?” ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
If you’re confused in reading a mortgage, remember that the mortgagor is usually the one who signs the document and is the one who is borrowing the money. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Sign up for GenealogyBank today and save 25% on an annual subscription. 95% of their content is unique to their site and more digital images of newspapers are added on a regular basis. Genealogy Tip of the Day is sponsored by GenealogyBank, ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
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