The individuals that may help you track your ancestor may not always be direct ones. In trying to research on relative who moved from Canada to Michigan in the 1840s, the easiest person in the group to track (because of his name) was the father-in-law of the ancestor’s brother who also moved with the brothers. The best way sometimes to extend your direct line is to get away from your direct line. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
When you are including information about yourself in your genealogical information, consider including a list of things for which you are thankful. Remember that one day, you too will be a deceased relative, and leaving behind something about yourself is just as important as leaving behind information about other dead people. Someone in a hundred years may treasure your list of things that mattered most to you. Think about it. And then think about a way to preserve it beyond your lifetime. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Here is wishing a “Happy Thanksgiving” to our readers regardless of their location. Don’t neglect your living relatives while searching for the deceased ones. When you need a break from your holiday activities, check out some of the blogs and posts: Michael’s Mayflower ancestors Michael’s recorded webinars Genealogy Tip of the Day Blog Rootdig Blog Genealogy Search Tip Blog Preliminary Chart on Rufus Stephens ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Have you considered contacting the funeral home who handled your ancestor’s funeral to see if they have information that could aid you in your search? Remember that these records are private business records with the funeral home does not have to share with you–be extra polite and considerate. There may be additional information that was not in the obituary, details about who paid the funeral bill, who else was buried in the set of graves as your ancestor, etc. Or there may be no records at all. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
If you know the siblings of your ancestor, have you looked at who performed the marriages for all of those siblings? There may be clues in those names to the church affiliation or denomination of your ancestor. Unless they were all married by a justice of the peace. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
One never knows when a date may crucial to your research. In analyzing a claim for a personal horse that was requisitioned by the United States military in the War of 1812, I noticed that the date of the requisition was the same date on which the commanding officer of the unit was dismissed and the day after the unit was involved in a controversial burning of a village. Coincidence? Maybe or maybe not. But if I had never researched the unit and looked carefully at the dates, I never would have noticed. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
The United States took federal census records other than those counting the population. These non-population census schedules that mention individual names include the following schedules for the following years: Agricultural: 1850-1880 Defective,Dependent, and Delinquent: 1880 Industrial: 1850-1870 Manufactures: 1820, 1850-1880 Mortality: 1850-1880 Most were not retained by the federal government and were given to state agencies willing to maintain them. Some have been microfilmed, some are available online, and some are only available in their original paper format. Your search should begin with the state archives for the state where the person of interest lived. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
If you have an 1856 marriage record for an ancestor, have you searched for everyone listed on the document in the 1850 and 1860 census, including the minister, any witnesses, etc.? Learning a little more about those individuals could help you with the actual ancestor. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
When you create charts and forms for your own personal use, do you use color as a means to organize the information? In their informal notes or reports, some people color their assumptions, references to a certain ancestor, or other key details. Use of color helps to make certain things stand out. And noticing things is what information analysis is all about. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
We’re a little bit ahead this year to get you ahead in your genealogy research. We’re going to be doing other things over the next few weeks, so our “Black Friday” specials are coming early. Purchase any one(1) of the following starred (*) items by 6 p.m. Central Time on 16 November and we’ll give you a free code to download two of our genealogy webinars. *124 Issues of Casefile Clues for $30 Grow your genealogy research skills over the holiday season. Not only do we include complete, accurate citations we also discuss ideas of where to go next. We also focus on setting goals and keeping on task. You can download samples following the link on this page:http://blog.casefileclues.com/2011/11/new-samples-of-casefile-clues.html A complete list of all topics (and order links) can be found here:http://blog.casefileclues.com/p/order-back-issues.html *Subscribe […]
Do you always read the outside and inside of those “packet wrappers” used to enclose loose court papers, estate papers, etc.? Sometimes there may be a phrase or annotation on the wrapper itself that is a clue. And of course, whether it is an important clue, depends on the situation. But, have you looked? ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Sometimes we tend to favor the most recent set of transcriptions of a set of documents, tombstones, etc. Be aware that an earlier transcription of original records could have been done when the documents were easier to read or by someone more familiar with the local names and families. A transcription of tombstones done in the 1930s might have included stones that today are totally gone. Those “old” transcriptions may be just what you need. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
In looking at print material, do you make certain there is not some sort of addendum stuck at the end of the book? A book of marriage bond transcriptions I recently used had two pages of “missed” entries that were added after the book was typed. These pages were not included in the index either. And microfilmed church and other records may have extraneous material filmed after the book or actual records were filmed. And sometimes the pastor might insert something extra at the end just because he felt like it. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
If your missing ancestor went to or attended college are there clues about their life hiding in college alumni newsletters? Alumni offices, university archives, or other facilities may have these periodicals which may provide clues about your relative after they left the college or university. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Off and on for the past year, we’ve offered free downloads of the first and second installments in my “Brick Walls from A to Z” series. We’re turning those coupons off as of 9:00 AM on 12 November. You don’t have to play them immediately, but the download does need to take place by that time. So if you’ve been waiting or have missed the offer before–now is your chance! The first “Brick Wall From A to Z” webinar–order for free here. The second “Brick Wall From A to Z” webinar–order for free here. Enjoy! ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Recent Comments