If your male ancestor died and his wife survived him, have you fully traced what happened to his widow after his death? Was she willed property that would pass to his heirs after his death? There might be a record of that land transfer after she died. Did she remarry? There may be mention of a previous husband when she does. She may have died under another name and left records under that name–perhaps one that mention her children by her first marriage. Did she pay property taxes after her husband’s death? Those records might help you to estimate when she died if there are no death records and she left no probate. There’s also the chance that there is no record of her after her husband’s death. […]
Occasionally I use one of the online trees to give me a little boost or nudge when working on a family–especially when I need some general direction. Sometimes they are helpful and sometimes not. Recently when working on a family in Stow, Massachusetts, in the 18th century, I took a look at the FamilySearch tree on the family. What I found had significant differences from what was in the will of the father of the family. At that point, I decided to focus on the wills and probate records of the families under study, transcribe those, interpret those and go from there. Sometimes it is best to just start from scratch and work from the original records. Learn more about research, methods, and sources in Casefile Clues.
An earlier post mentioned that the use of the word “farmer” to describe an ancestral occupation can be somewhat generic. It’s not a bad term. It’s just that it can be somewhat vague and that knowing a little more specifics about your ancestor’s farming status can be helpful for research. For those with ancestors who appear in European church records, those records may list the ancestral occupation with a word that is more specific than “farmer.” Make certain you have the occupation translated accurately–it may indicate farm laborer, farm owner, tenant farmer, etc. Estate or probate records may provide clues as to your ancestor’s farming status. Ownership of agricultural equipment is suggestive of occupation. An estate inventory or a will that includes real property would indicate that the […]
As you make copies of records, either on paper or in digital form, track the source. If you don’t do it as you go, the chance you do it goes down……
I maintain the following genealogy 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–short and to the point Genealogy Search Tip—websites I’ve discovered and the occasional online research tip–short and to the point Casefile Clues–information on my genealogy how-to newsletter which focuses on analysis, interpretation, and methodology through case studies and document analysis. Subscription to these blogs is free. Subscribe/Unsubscribe links are in every email and on the top of each blog page. Subscription to the actual Casefile Clues newsletter (emailed as a PDF file) is on a fee basis–only $20 for 52 issues. Subscription to the weekly blog update is only $5 a year.
When an item in a file or set of records has no date, indicate that in any images you make from the document–whether for your own personal use, posting to the web, sharing with colleagues, etc. Saying something is “undated” makes it clear to you later that there was no date on the item. Otherwise you may be wondering if there was a date and you simply forgot to include it. That’s a waste of time. Learn more about research, methods, and sources in Casefile Clues.
The adjacent (and not so adjacent) names on a manifest could be relatives. Families with children may bring along an unmarried aunt or uncle. Single immigrants may arrive with a sibling, cousin, or family friend. Search for all names in indexes and finding aids as it may be easier to find one person over another, depending up the handwriting and the indexing. The manifest does not often give the relationship. This is particularly true in pre-20th century manifests and often the case in later ones as well.
New subscribers to Casefile Clues will have their subscriptions start with issue 16 and get issues 4-1 through 4-15 for free. Improve your genealogy research skills, your knowledge of sources, and your analytical abilities with our easy to follow, easy to understand, and clearly written newsletter. We transcribe and interpret documents, discuss methods, and include strategies in every issue.
A record may indicate your relative is a farmer, but is there a little more detail that the word “farmer?” Is he a: farm laborer–working from one job to another whenever he can (a day laborer)? farm renter? farmer who owns his own property? a farm owner who rents out his property and lives off the rental income? a hired man who regularly works for the same family? a farmer who also worked an off-farm job? etc. These distinctions are important in understanding your relative’s records and life. Some renters move from farm to farm–others stay on the same property for decades. Some owner/operators move regularly as well. One word may not really describe your relative’s occupation. Learn more about research, methods, and sources in Casefile Clues.
A witness is just that: a witness. Sometimes witnesses are individuals who have known for years the person for whom they are witnessing a document. Sometimes witnesses are relatives of the person for whom they are witnessing the document. And sometimes they are warm bodies of legal age who know the identity of the person, that the person appears to be of legal age themselves, and that the person appears to be of sound mind. That’s the essential legal requirement. Don’t assume witnesses are relatives. They could be. But they don’t have to be. Research them to find out who they are, but don’t force a deeper connection where none may exist.
When digital scanners are used to create indexes (which Ancestry.com does with some materials that were originally typed), words that are not names can be “read” as part of the name. For this reason, avoid exact searches, interchange the first and last name, and (generally speaking) be creative. Indexes created by digital scanning allow us to have indexes to materials that might otherwise be unindexed, but there are limitations. Most digital newspapers are “read” and “indexed” this way a well.
When research in the United States gets back beyond a certain point, records are fewer and less likely to make direct statements. It is important to remember that any conclusion reached when the records are not clear may need to be revised if new information comes to light. Keep your mind open to the chance that you may be incorrect or may have not looked at all the records. Never assume that your initial “hunch” is Gospel Truth. Genealogy Tip of the Day book is here and it’s not written to help you research your “famous ancestors.” It’s written to help with all of them. Learn more about it and get your own copy.
A few reminders for the end of the month: Don’t forget to digitize photos and papers that only you have. Identify people you can in pictures–include “how” you know who they are. Back up your data. Back up your data–because that’s really important. Genealogy Tip of the Day book is here. Learn more about it.
The edges of a document can often contain clues just as significant as those in the main body of a document. Clerks may squeeze in additional text for legal reasons, pastors may squeeze in parenthetical comments about a parishioner, etc. Sometimes the edges themselves can be a clue. Many times when documents are digitized or microfilmed, it may not be crystal clear which “front” goes with which “back.” That determination can be difficult when the documents are a variety of sizes, blank sides aren’t digitized, etc. And there are times when knowing which “front” goes with which “back” is essential to completely analyzing and interpreting the document. This relinquishment from a homestead application in Nebraska was one of those documents. Comparing the edges made it clear that I […]
A few reminders: tips are short–and not meant to be extensive, academic discussions of a topic tips are reminders–all of us forget things from time to time tips may send you looking–for more details on that topic tips may not apply in all areas and time periods–check and see if that concept applies to your research situation tips are sometimes basic–we’ve got people at a variety of levels who participate and we were all beginners at one point in time And thanks to all who participate in Genealogy Tip of the Day! It is appreciated.
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