Do you have photographs from the early days of color photography? Have you scanned them and preserved them? The colors do fade–so don’t wait if there are images you have not made from these photographs. Digitize them (scan or take pictures) even if you do not know who is in the picture. These items deteriorate relatively quickly and your copy may be the only one. I hesitate to call this an “old” picture simply because I am in it <grin>.
The grantor‘s index to local land records usually only contains the name of the first grantor on a deed–not matter how many names are listed as grantors (sellers). These indexes were created by the records office as the deeds were recorded and items were not necessarily recorded in the order in which they were executed. Indexes are not always exactly alphabetical either. They usually group grantors by the first letter of their last name. The first name may or may not be indexed. Always look the index over before using it and concluding that you have “search the whole thing.” Different counties may keep their indexes in slightly different ways.
If you are fortunate enough for a DNA match to have a family tree associated with it, there are several reasons why there are no name “matches” between your trees, including the following: one of you does not have the tree back far enough to see the match one (or both of you) has a mistake in your tree that is only compounded as the lineage is extended there was an adoption in your lineage that no one told anyone about the stated father of a child was not the biological father Sifting through these possibilities takes time and may require more extensive research.
The variant spellings for your ancestral surnames should not only be in your head. Keeping track of them is a must. That way when searching databases and indexes all spellings can be searched. It is easy to overlook a variant if the only way you keep track is in your head.
Researchers in need of former street names in the United States may wish to look at fire insurance maps. This 1893 map of the courthouse square in Carthage, Illinois, indicated that all four streets surrounding the courthouse were named “Main Street” (with a direction as a part of the name). Today the former “North Main Street” is Main Street. The others have been renamed. More information on the maps: Library of Congress Sanborn Maps for Pennsylvania search Google for “sanborn fire insurance maps” yourstate to find others.
Only a very small fragment of the 1890 US census is available. The vast majority of the schedules were burned and destroyed. 6,160 names remain. They were microfilmed and can be searched at FamilySearch. More information on the 1890 census can be found in Spring 1996 issue of Prologue. Genealogy Tip of the Day is proudly sponsored by GenealogyBank.
It is possible that the place you can’t find is no longer known by that name? Sometimes the names of places are changed–for a variety of reasons. And it’s possible that the “place name” you were given is a nickname of sorts that was only used by a few locals. I know where the Habben corner is in Hancock County, Illinois, but hardly anyone refers to it by that name today. It’s not on any maps, but may be mentioned in an old newspaper or other published account. Genealogy Tip of the Day is proudly sponsored by GenealogyBank.
Don’t take “the courthouse burned” to mean that every record before that point in time was destroyed. It might be that in reality, records from some offices survived, some offices’ records were not completely destroyed, etc. In some cases, records might have been “re-recorded” after the fire. There may also be state or federal records that provide similar information. Ask around. Genealogy Tip of the Day is proudly sponsored by GenealogyBank.
If all records indicate the wife of your ancestor is “Mary,” keep yourself open to the possibility that the ancestor could have been married twice to women with the same first name. If other details about the Marys are very inconsistent, it could be that there were two Marys instead of one. Genealogy Tip of the Day is proudly sponsored by GenealogyBank.
Put all your ancestor’s residences on the same map. Compare it to your chronology. Is there a chance they might have stopped somewhere “in between” two places and left records of some type? If the locations are urban with street addresses, make certain you have maps that are contemporary to your problem. Genealogy Tip of the Day is proudly sponsored by GenealogyBank.
We’ve added two webinars this August: AncestryDNA From Their Mouth to Your Computer Screen More details are on our announcement page.
If you are fortunate enough to have a list of people who purchased property at your ancestor’s estate sale, consider locating those people in the decennial census before and after the sale. Where they were from or where they moved to may help you on your ancestor. Purchasers at estate sales were usually neighbors or relatives of the deceased. Genealogy Tip of the Day is proudly sponsored by GenealogyBank.
When making photocopies or digital images of books for personal use, make certain to include the book’s list of abbreviations–if there is one. Some abbreviations are obvious and some are not. When you no longer have the book it may be a task to determine what the abbreviations reference. Capture the information while you have the chance.
Your immigrant ancestor might not have even bothered to become an American citizen–particularly before the naturalization reform of 1906. Voting was the main benefit that came from citizenship. Unnaturalized aliens could usually own property, bequeath property, etc. without becoming American citizens (check contemporary state statute to be certain). If you are unable to locate a naturalization for your 19th century American immigrant and you have looked diligently for it, it may that your relative never bothered to naturalize. Genealogy Tip of the Day is proudly sponsored by GenealogyBank.
If you come across an “estray book” at a courthouse, it is a book where residents could register lost property they had located, usually animals. Before the Civil War, slaves may also be listed. There will not be an overly large amount of detail in these books, but a reference to your ancestor in an “estray book” can indicate residence in a certain place at a certain point in time. Genealogy Tip of the Day is proudly sponsored by GenealogyBank.
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