If you are trying to get additional perspective on the historical environment when a certain event in your family tree took place, consider reading some newspapers during that time. Don’t just grab the New York Times or some other large city paper–read a local weekly as well. You may be surprised at what you learn.
For most of American history, people could change their names or alter the spelling of their names relatively easily–without going to court. Among the places where you may find evidence of those name changes are probate and pension records. The court may notice that deeds of property acquisition do not quite match with the name of the deceased. Pension application examiners may notice that the name at marriage does not match the name on the application. There may be affidavits about the name differences in the record, or a judge or clerk may make some notation about it.
Most of the information given in original documents (census, death certificates, birth certificates, etc.) came from what someone remembered. Documentation was not required by the census taker when information was provided. The same thing is true of much of the information on a death certificate (especially information about the person’s and parents). Ask yourself, “what evidence” did the informant have to have to get this information included in the record? Chances are none was required.
Do you have a fairly near relative who died and who left no descendants of their own and whose siblings had no descendants? If there was no will and there was property requiring an estate settlement, that probate file may mention a number of distant relatives–and if recent enough (usually post 1900), addresses may be included.
If you’re wanting to work on your genealogy, but need something a little different, pick an age. Then determine what each of your ancestors were doing at that point in their lives. Try and answer the following questions: Where were they living? Who were they living with? Were they employed/still earning a living (assuming the age chosen wasn’t one for a child)? What immediate family members were still living? Which ones were living nearby? What national events were going on that might have reasonably impacted your ancestor?
Affidavits in court cases and pension applications may mention how long the person giving testimony has known the person about whom they are giving testimony. Do the math. In what year did they first become acquainted with each other? Was it when they were living somewhere else? Was it during a time when you know nothing about your ancestor? Does it mean that they had known each other since they were children? That “length of time known” could help you trace your ancestor’s origins.
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There are several reasons to contact the locals in the area whre your ancestor lived. Local genealogical or historical societies may have unique collections of material or customized finding aids to local items. They are also likely to be familiar with local families (especially in rural areas) and local research facilities. If there is no historical or genealogical society in your research area, contact the local library. They also are a good resource for specialized research clues in the immediate area.
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A quit claim deed is one where the grantor is giving up his interest in a piece of real estate. Technically the grantor is giving up his potential interest and may not have a deed specifically him ownership. These types of deeds are frequently drawn up in inheritances, divorces, and property line disputes. ———————————- Learn more about US land records in my upcoming class.
My personal research has reminded me that one always needs to remember that just because the same atypical name appears in different places does not mean it is they are the same person. There were two men named Christian Trautvetter who were German natives living in Illinois in the 1870s/1880s. They are different men. One is in Kansas in the late 1880s until his death and the one in this image remained in Peoria until he died. If you think you’ve found your guy–track down that “new person” in later records in that area. Thats a good way to reduce the chance you assume that people who are the same are not.
If land records in the United States have always confused you or if you have always wanted to learn more, read more about our upcoming 5-week class on these wonderful records.
Sometimes, for a variety of reasons, records of a birth or a court case may be closed. Remember that sometimes that birth may be listed in the newspaper or there may be a reference to the court action in the newspaper as well. It’s hard to restrict information once it appears in print.
When a digital image of a record appears on a website, do you try and find who created the original record, where that original is housed? There are several reasons for trying to make this discovery, one of which is so that you don’t pay another site or record office for a copy of a record you already have.
Never reach a conclusion from reading part of a record. A relative claimed in his initial homestead application that he was a citizen at the time his entry was filed. Additional documentation in the file indicated that he actually was not naturalized until shortly before his homestead paperwork was completed. Always read the entire item before concluding. And read it again just to be certain.
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