For years, early in my research when I did not know better, I failed to look for a probate file for an ancestor because he was “dirt poor.” I knew you needed to have money (at least most of the time) in order to have a probate settlement. However several years into my research, I became a firm believer in the “look for anything and everything” camp. That’s why I looked for a probate file for my “dirt poor” ancestor. And there he was in the probate records two times. How can you die twice and have two probate settlements? Turns out for the time period in question, insanity cases were filed with the probate and estate records. It was two insanity cases I had located for him, […]
One question: Is all your data backed up? or “Have you backed up all your data?” for those of you who don’t like to end things with a preposition. Either way, make sure you “git ‘er done,” if you haven’t.
Looking for a place to get copies of current obituaries for free besides the funeral home? In rural areas, try the website of the local radio station.
Have you taken a look for your ancestors in the miscellaneous record books at the County Recorder’s Office? A variety of items can be in these books–not necessarily what one would expect. I’ve found divorce decrees from out of state divorces, copies of medical licenses, and a few other non-typical items in these books. Anyone can pay to have a document recorded–which just means that a “legal” copy has or was made. Soldiers might have recorded their discharge at the local recorder’s office as well.
The writer of any document can abbreviate however they please. While most people do tend to follow standard abbreviations, it’s possible for someone to occasionally use an atypical abbreviation. While reviewing a court case from the early 19th century in Virginia, I was almost convinced I had discovered a new relative: Eli Tinsley. The “Eli” abbreviations were used in a summary list of court depositions and it was clear that “Eli” was a reference to Elizabeth and not a separate person named Eli. The clerk also used “E” as an abbreviation for Elizabeth in the same summary list.
A tip about court records yesterday included part of the handwritten image that illustrated the point I was making. On the surface the 1820-era record may have appeared difficult to read. It’s a relatively easy read for a record from the time period (with the occasional one-word exception). But it takes practice and experience to read material like this. I don’t mean to sound like your piano teacher or basketball coach, but it’s true. You need to practice to be able to read things of this type. I usually suggest to people that they go and read more recent handwritten documents to slowly build their skills. Start with things that are easy and go from there. Late 19th or early 20th century handwritten record copies of deeds are […]
Clues as to residence are one of the many reasons to look at court records. Subpoenas, notices to appear, and other references may provide clues to where a person lived if not state the location specifically. An 1825 reference in a chancery court case in Lynchburg, Virginia, involving the the Tinsley family indicated that Reuben Tinsley lived “near the Court house” in the direction of “Wood’s.” Other court records may at least mention the county in which the person was living at the time of the legal action.
Your ancestor’s probate file may contain clues to their church membership. A will may mention a bequest to a church or a minister. The expenses paid by the estate may mention a donation made to a church after the funeral or a direct payment made to the minister who provided the funeral sermon. Other payments from the estate may suggest the denomination of which the deceased was a member. An inventory of the estate (if the location, time period, and denomination is right) may mention a pew in the local church. It is possible that there may be other indirect clues as to your relative’s religious persuasion in their probate file. Take a good hard look. Check out Ancestry’s DNA sale–maybe you can purchase your own kit or […]
When reviewing church records, make certain you have accessed all extant records that are available–not just ones of baptisms, marriages, and funerals. Those records are important, but there may be other church records as well. Some churches kept “family registers” where ecclesiastical information about the members of one family were grouped together. Some churches kept records of donations, communicants, confirmations, church joinings, dismissals from the congregation, etc. Any of these records could provide you with an additional clue about your ancestor. Remember that church records are private records and that you are not entitled to view them–so ask nicely. Some records have been microfilmed or digitized and may be available outside of the actual church. Places to locate information about the records of a particular congregation are the […]
When searching for individuals in records, consider the possibility that they are listed by their initials. This happens more frequently in newspaper and census references, but any record can list someone by their initials only. Full name searches are great, but initial searches should be conducted–particularly in newspapers.
Do not expect ages given in records to be 100% consistent. There are a variety of reasons why an age can be off in a record. People lie. People guess. People get mixed up. Clerks make mistakes. The individual providing the information guessed. Someone other than the “person being aged” provided the information. The list goes on. What you are looking for is consistency. Do ages all suggest a year or two of birth (or maybe a slightly larger time frame)? Is there one age that is significantly off from others? Is there one record you think may be less accurate for one reason or another? Is it possible that the individual in question did not know when they were born–if they were born in a time and […]
Encountered this shadow box with a christening gown for sale in an antique store in Iowa. There was no identifying information in the box. If you are creating a treasure of this type, attach something permanent to the item so that its identity is not lost. Memories fade. Taped pieces of paper fall off. Check out Ancestry’s St. Patrick’s DNA sale–maybe you can purchase your own kit or a test kit for that relative you’ve been wanting to ask.
I posted this missive about DNA matches and errors and thought it would make for a good tip. If you are on our Facebook page, you may have already seen it. Comments welcome. Your DNA matches can be used as clues even if their trees are wonky. I have matches on one branch of my family where a few people have assigned parents for an ancestor that have been disproven and are questionable from a geographic standpoint. But…they are still my matches. I know how they are related. It’s just that they’ve given my ancestor parents that are not right. I don’t have to use that information–they won’t change it either which is frustrating, but a reality. I can still see who I have as shared matches with […]
You are about ready to have a cousin take an autosomal DNA test. Make certain that they are aware that taking this test could expose family secrets. Most people are aware that a test could reveal that they have children others have not known about or that even they did not know about. But the DNA test could reveal more. It could reveal that a parent or grandparent is not their biological grandparent. It could also reveal that one of the testee’s relatives–including siblings, aunts, uncles, and others–either had children of which no one was aware of or whose biological parents were not who they thought they were. It is important to remind the testee that the secrets that may be revealed may not just be about them. […]
Many men who served in the United States Civil War did not enlist in the state where they resided. For a variety of reasons a man may have enlisted in a unit from a neighboring state. The usual reason was to help a state meet its quota or perhaps there was an enlistment bonus that motivated someone to cross a state line. Don’t dismiss a potential reference to your soldier ancestor simply because he’s from the “wrong” state. But don’t just assume that a John Miller from Illinois is the same one who enlisted in Ohio because it “could have” happened. That sort of jump is somewhat uncommon and will take some research to prove.
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