County recorder’s offices in the United States make official record copies of a variety of documents, most have to do with real and personal property. In some locations other agreements between individuals, powers-of-attorney, or other documents may be recorded in what is often termed a “miscellaneous record.” Don’t overlook it. There can be a variety of material in this record–including marriage contracts, personal property liens, contracts and more.
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This database on FamilySearch, United States Public Records, 1970-2009, is purported to contain over 800 million entries compiled from a variety of public records. While it can be difficult to tell what original record was used to create a specific entry, this database may help you narrow down where the person lived. Addresses and dates of birth are included. Keep in mind this information may have been obtained from a variety of sources, may be inaccurate, and in some cases may result from different individuals’ files being merged together.
A newspaper may contain the only reference to a court case that was dismissed. This packet of divorce papers cannot be found, likely because the case with withdrawn. Initial newspaper references to the divorce provide additional details, including year place of marriage. Newspapers can easily supplement what is in an actual court records–but what’s in the newspaper may be incorrect, so take care using this information.
It’s not actually true, but it’s worth remembering when searching for names in various records that vowels (a, e, i, o, u) can easily be interchanged, depending upon how the name is pronounced by the speaker and heard by the person writing the name in the record. Extra vowels can be added as well, so Dirks becomes Dierks and Smith become Smithe. Spellings can vary–very easily.
Every record fits in a larger chain of events and records. When you locate a document always ask yourself: was this document created as the result of some life event that might have created other records? were other documents created that might have caused this document to have been created? would this document have caused other records to have been created? what would have happened to my relative for this record to have been created? No record was created in a vacuum. Don’t analyze it in one either.
The General Land Office Bureau of Land Records website has digital images of federal land patents granted in the United States. The index generally includes the names of patentees and warrantees for these initial transfers of land from the federal government to private ownership. Users unfamiliar with these records are encouraged to read the pages in the reference center of the website.
When you upload a picture to a social media or other site, does that site create their own name for the file? Is that long name you created which contained information about the picture now a random string of numbers and characters? That’s why it’s even more important to include some identification or citation information on the image itself. The image in the illustration had a long name I had created for it that included the name of the person involved, the county where the estate inventory was located, and a packet number. When I went to Facebook to download the file to another device, I was reminded that Facebook created their own name for the file as shown in the illustration from the “file save” menu.
In response to some questions, we’re posting this newsletter clarification. There are two fee-based newsletters: Casefile Clues—This is my how-to newsletter discussing and analyzing sources, research process, problem-solving, etc. I’ve published over 156 issues of this newsletter which is sent as a PDF file to subscribers. A complete list of back issues is on our website as well as samples. Old issues are archived. Casefile Clues is now distributed approximately once a week. Subscriptions are for 52 issues. Weekly Blog Update–This was created for those who did not want to subscribe to the daily blog updates individually on each blog (which are free). This has been published since the summer of 2015, but they are not archived. This contains a summary of blog posts in the last week, along with […]
There’s a difference between being a descendant and being an heir. Descendants of someone are their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc. Heirs are typically those legally entitled to inherit real or personal property from someone. If a person has never had children, then their heirs could be their siblings or children of their siblings. Their heirs could be their first cousins if the deceased person had no siblings. If Riley had two children that survived him, Alberta and Barbara, and a child Charles who had died before Riley, then Albert, Barbara, and Charles’ children would be Riley’s heirs. Alberta and Barbara’s children would not be Riley’s heirs because their parents were still living. Alberta and Barbara’s children would still be Riley’s descendants.
Our subscription rate for 52 issues of my how-to newsletter Casefile Clues will go up on 23 September to $23. Since we’ve gotten back on distribution, we’ve had to reevaluate our pricing structure. Learn more about Casefile Clues on our blog. We’re still a great bargain for clear, organized, practical and down-to-earth research advice. Process your subscription here.
I maintain the following genealogy blogs: Rootdig.com—Michael’s thoughts, research problems, suggestions, and whatever else crosses his desk. Daily posts are free. Casefile Clues Blog–this is the blog with updates on my how-to newsletter, articles and people I’m working on, a few genealogy methodology comments, etc. The blog is free to subscribe to. The PDF newsletter is by subscription only. Genealogy Tip of the Day—one genealogy research tip every day–short and to the point. Daily posts are free. Genealogy Search Tip—websites I’ve discovered and the occasional online research tip–short and to the point. Daily posts are free. Genealogy Transcriber—can you read the handwriting? Daily posts are free. The fee-based newsletters are Casefile Clues and the weekly blog update.
FamilySearch has a digital version of the 1850 United States Mortality Census (United States Census (Mortality Schedule), 1850)-for those who died in the 12 calendar months preceding the date of the census (June 1849-May 1850).
The suit to partition the estate of a Bernard Dirks in Adams County, Illinois, was not initiated until 1924–after his wife died. A “quick reading” of the papers located a list of heirs as of 1924. Bernard died in 1913. A careful re-reading of the court papers found a reference to grandson who survived Bernard, but who died without descendants of his own when Bernard’s wife, Heipke, died in 1924. This grandson had no descendants of his own and did not have to be listed in the 1924 final list of heirs. But buried in the court filings was a list of Bernard’s heirs as of 1913–there was the grandson, along with a notation that he died before his grandmother in 1924 leaving no descendants of his own.
This Albemarle County, Virginia, deed appears to have had a “correction” written in the deed book after the deed was transcribed and before the microfilming was done. It would be less consequential if it were not the name of the grantor. The “correction” appears to have been written in a different hand by a different writing utensil. My transcription of this document should indicate that: “…Between [illegible word with the word “Peter” written over it in an apparently different handwriting] Rucker (Son…”
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