The release of several new databases online reminded me of the importance of knowing what is contained in the database being searched. Some online databases do not include every “sub-location” (ie. not every county within a state), do not contain as much information on one sub-location as they do another (ie. some counties have more records included than others), or do not include the same range of years. Check out what it contains before you enter items in those search boxes. This tip was based on a longer post about the new “probate” database at Ancestry.com.
Due to requests from several attendees, we’ve added one last request to our schedule. The “Probate Records on Ancestry.com” presentation (Saturday–5 September 2015 at 11:00 a.m.). The presentation on the new probate records database on Ancestry.com will include: determining what is in the database search techniques and strategies limitations of the records limitations of the search interface interacting with images Learn how to make effective use of this large database. Michael has thirty years of research experience using probate records. Order the presentation and handout (download immediate) for only $8.
If your ancestor was a member of a mainline church, does their national (or regional) office have an archives that could assist you in your search? Church archivists may have records of disbanded congregations, information on former preachers, and details of when congregations were formed and ceased to exist.
I’ve been reviewing my Irish immigrants in hopes of making a discovery. In doing so, I realize that I never established an approximate timeline for the migration of the two brothers from Canada to Illinois. In this case, I’ll be using places of birth for their children to help with that as I’m not going to find a record of their border crossing in the 1860s. Have you created as many timelines for your ancestor as possible?
For those with immigrant ancestors, it’s tempting to start researching in the home country as soon as they learn the country from which their ancestor came. However often that is not the best approach. Completely researching the immigrant in the area of settlement may give additional clues as to the specific point of origin or the names of relatives and associates in the new country who also lived near the immigrant in the old country.
In reviewing research on my Irish immigrants, I realized that somewhere along the line, I made an incorrect conclusion. I “got it in my head” that the bondsman on the 1865 marriage of my ancestors appeared as the bondsman on numerous bonds and probably was not a relative for that reason. When I went back and reviewed the records, the bondsman was a bondsman on only one bond: the one for my ancestors. All of which means that I need to research the bondsman more fully to determine if he had any relationship to my ancestors. Lessons: review your research check your assumptions every so often, clean out the mental dust bunnies in your ancestral closet
I’m putting on what will be the last of my new webinars for a while as I’m getting back to research and writing. Our topics on Friday/Saturday of this week are: Charts, Charts, and More Charts Pre-1850 Research Genealogical Terms and Definitions Preserving Past You Anyone registered will receive a complimentary copy of the download after the presentations have been recorded. Even if you can’t attend live, register and get the recorded copy a few days after the session. There are more details here.
Offer ends 31 August. Genealogy Tip of the Day is proudly sponsored by GenealogyBank. Their August offer to our readers is an annual subscription that equates to $5 a month. Subscribers who join during August also get their free “Obituary Resource Guide.” Offer ends 31 August–don’t wait!
Part of the work on a relative in upstate New York centered on searching for him in land records. In establishing a time frame in which he could appear in those records, it’s good for me to remember that he would not be purchasing real property before his twenty-first birthday. I don’t need to look for him in land records before he was of legal age. Minors who obtain property through an inheritance usually can’t perform legal transactions on that property in their own name. If the property needs to be sold, a guardian typically is appointed to handle the transaction.
I’m “stuck” on my Thomas Chaney who died in 1856 in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. In reviewing my material on him, I realized that I have several of his children who I have not tracked down. Of his nearly ten children who grew to adulthood, I have significant information on the descendants of one and a scattering of information on descendants of one other. Maybe it’s time to research his children more fully than I have in hopes of locating more on him.
Sometimes getting away from your research for a few minutes and thinking about something else can be the best “brick wall” breaker there is.
If a child is “born” before a couple married, consider several possibilities: the date of marriage is incorrect the date of birth for the child is incorrect the wife/husband had a child out of wedlock the “child” was adopted etc. Your first conclusion about the scenario may be correct. Or it may not be. Research the family as completely as possible, then see if a conclusion can be reached.
If your ancestor was divorced, do you know if there were any restrictions on when they could marry again? In some locations in some time periods, a divorced person may have had to wait a certain amount of time before they could marry again.
Thanks to those who purchased webinars during my closeout sale. To let people complete missed downloads, etc. the hosting service is still up and if you missed the chance to order you can still do so. Please note: if you ordered presentations and had download issues, please let me know at mjnrootdig@gmail.com so that this can be corrected before the end of the month if you’d still like to order, we can take orders through the end of the month. Just make certain you download the file as soon as the download link comes through. You don’t have to view immediately.
A small “u” can easily be written in such a way that is is read as one of the following: ee, a, o, n, ie, ei, ll, or w. And of course…there are even more possible renderings.
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