Never assume that once you’ve figured out one relationship between two individuals that there could not be another. A man named Rolf married the sister of my ancestor and that was the first relationship I learned about. Later I discovered that years before he married the ancestor’s sister, he had been married to the ancestor’s aunt. Sometimes there is more than one connection.
Viewing the original record whenever possible is always a good idea. A 1922 baptismal record includes the parents’ marriage date and information on the father that was not included in the transcription of the record obtained when research began. Sometimes there is more information written in the “comments” than there is in the actual record.
A look at my chart of ancestral places of birth makes it appear that my parents and grandparents lived in Iowa, at least for a short time. That’s not true. Charts can sometimes be misleading. The reason my parents were born in Iowa is because that’s where the nearest hospital was located when they were born. No one ever lived in Iowa. But that is where they were born and that is where their birth certificates are recorded. When using or creating any chart, be aware that it can have limitations.
When analyzing a record or source, do you thoughtfully consider how much information in that source comes from someone’s memory and was probably included in the record without question? The record may not give the name of the informant, but it’s probable that quite a bit of the detail it provides were simply obtained from what someone remembered.
Legal documents frequently contain the abbreviation “ss” after the court location. There is a reason the abbreviation is used in that part of the document. The letters are said to be a contraction for scilicet which is frequently translated as “in particular” or “to wit” and is usually used to state the venue of the court.
You may be better able to answer your genealogical questions and improve your research skills by getting outside of your “genealogical comfort zone.” This can be done by: Using a source you have never used before–or have refused to use. Learning about a new source. Helping someone research a family in an area different from yours. Researching one of your ancestral neighbors–just to work on a different family and perhaps gain insight into your own family. It can be easy to get stuck in a rut if we only use the same sources and our family is pretty homogeneous. Sometimes it helps to broaden our perspective.
Typing names in search boxes willy-nilly works if you find people relatively quickly. When you don’t, it’s time to stop. Think about what you know about the person, how his name could be spelled, how he could have answered the questions, etc. Make a chart of all the ways that you could search for that person in whatever database it is. Don’t rely on your memory. You will forget. The chart will keep you organized and if you can’t find the person, it will make it easier to trouble shoot. —————————– For more about organizing your online research, check out my webinar on this very topic.
Grantor and grantee indexes to land records typically only include the name of the first grantor in and the first grantee. Deeds involving inheritances, estate disputes, and partnerships may list multiple grantors or grantees. Searching for all members of your ancestor’s extended family (relatives by blood, relatives by marriage, etc.) may locate references not found if you only look for that “one person of interest.” And if your ancestors were farmers and you’ve never looked for a deed…you could be missing out.
Is the “alternate” spelling of your ancestor’s name a clue to how it was pronounced? Sometimes wrong spellings are simply wrong. Other times an incorrect spelling can be a clue to how the name was pronounced by your ancestor. The flip side of this is that if you know how your ancestor likely said his name, you can think of additional alternate spellings. There may be a reason DeMoss was spelled Demoise. Or was it Demorse? Either are clues.
Sometimes it is necessary to enter in an approximate year of an event for an ancestor. Always include in your notes your reason for that approximate year. If there is a source which you used to make the approximation, that should be indicated. Frequently a source will suggest an approximate year for some other event. Don’t just enter in an approximate year or a guess without indicating how you got it. And if you don’t have any reason at all for the approximate year of the event, reconsider entering it in your database in the first place. —————- Genealogy Tip of the Day is proudly sponsored by GenealogyBank. Check out their March offer for our readers.
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If you are fortunate enough to find a biography of an ancestor in an old county history or other published reference, consider making a chronology of just the information contained in the biography. This can a good way to notice gaps, inconsistencies, and other potential errors that can hinder your research. It is often a good way to organize the information in the biography as many do not list events in strict chronological order.
Citations are always important in genealogical research, but they can be problematic with ledgers and bound courthouse materials. Courthouse record books are usually not considered “published” and titles can sometimes be difficult to obtain after one has left. One good way to get that “title” is to take a picture of the spine or the cover of the book as that’s often where the title is written. If I’m making copies from several books, I always take a picture of the spine and cover first, then make copies of specific pages. That way the time stamp on the images helps me know what came from what. But ask before taking pictures from record books as some courthouses do not allow it.
Legal descriptions of property in state land states frequently mention the names of neighboring landowners in the metes and bounds descriptions of the property. This confirms the adjoining property owner relationship, something that can always be determined from census and other records. This 1796 deed to James Rampley in Harford County, Maryland, mentioned neighboring landowner John DeMoss. A few years later, one of Rampley’s sons would marry one of DeMoss’ daughters. Even you don’t pay attention to the angles and measurements in these property descriptions, at least look for the names of neighboring land owners. Unfortunately in federal land states descriptions do not usually contain this information.
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