While it was unusual, some women who divorced in the 1800s did revert to a previous married name. This should be stated in the divorce decree and it was not common, but it did happen. However, it is more typical for the divorced female to use the last name of her most recent husband. And divorce in the 1800s was not as common as in the twentieth century, but it did happen. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Do you know what until the early 20th century in the US if a native born female married an un-naturalized man that she lost her citizenship status? Wasn’t always a real big problem—until women got the right to vote. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
If the wife survived when the husband dies, be certain to look through all the estate and probate records for clues about subsequent marriages by the widow. In some cases, she may be listed as “Barbara, late wife of Henry Smith, deceased.” In other cases, her new marital status may not be stated so clearly. The widow could be listed on virtually any document in the estate papers simply with a new last name, with no mention of the husband. And if the wife appears in initial papers settling her deceased husband’s estate and a man, whose not a known blood relative of the widow or deceased husband, suddenly “appears” in the records–check him out. There’s a chance he is the new husband, just with the relationship not […]
The correct link for my series of October genealogy webinars is: http://www.casefileclues.com/webinars_neill.htm An email contained the incorrect link. My apologies for the confusion. Topics in October are: Seeing Patterns Court Records Land Records–Federal Land States Barbara’s Beaus and Gesche’s Girls Determining Your Own Migration Trail Now back to the tips! Thanks… ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Be cautious of a researcher who guarantees to find your family for you. Genealogists can search records to which they have access and that they can guarantee. However, no one can guarantee that they will find your great-grandparents–unless they already have done it and located the information before you ever contacted them. If a search has not already been done, there is no way someone can “guarantee” they will find your family for you. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Information on your ancestor’s records may be inconsistent for several reasons. One to keep in the back of your mind is that maybe they “got something in their head wrong” and used that wrong information every time they answered the question. There are times where there’s no real “reason” for incorrect information and “wrong” details are not given with the intent to deceive. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Check with your local library and determine if they have access to subscription databases that may be helpful in your research. There are obvious ones like Ancestry.com, Fold3, HeritageQuest, but also academic databases, periodicals, etc. may be useful in your research. Academic journals may contain historical articles related to the area where your ancestor lived and while they may not mention your ancestor specifically, the history may be helpful. And these articles often contain references that may provide additional information. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
In some cities, streets have been renamed and renumbered. If your family lived in the same house from 1880 through 1930, make certain the address didn’t change during that time period. Chicago had major changes to addresses in 1909, and other cities did as well. Before you type that 1890 address into Google Maps or another modern map site, make certain the address hasn’t changed. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
I was working with tax lists while at the Family History Library in May. In my excitement over finding relatives in a 1831 tax list, I almost neglected to copy the headings for the tax lists. The headings were on the first page, not the page I copied. Fortunately I copied the page with the headings as well. If had just copied the page with the names I wanted, I would have been out of luck. The page with the names I need is posted here (without headings) Always make certain the headings are on the page you have or get them if they are on a previous page. It may be a cliche, but haste can make waste. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the […]
If you have lost a female relative, have you considered whether or not they are really lost at all? They may simply be “hiding” under a new last name due to a marriage. If the time frame is after the 1850 US census, or any census that names all household members, look at the wives in nearby households. Is there one that has a female with the name of the “missing” person who has the age to be the missing person. It may be that what you are missing is simply the marriage record. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Have you gone through your computer and paper files and organized them lately? Do you have multiple copies of the same things? Do you have stacks of papers or files on your computer you have not organized and completed data entry on? A good task would be to organize information in that “pile,” before you forget why you saved or copied it and before something happens to it. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
If you are not certain how to spell the name of a location, do not know where it is actually located, and have never seen the place on a map, look them up. Knowing the actual spelling, knowing the actual location (township, county, etc.) and seeing it on a map can cut down on “brick walls.” ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
When you find a deed for an ancestor in a record book, be certain that you look a few pages before and after the located record. People could not easily get to town to have legal documents recorded and materials might have been recorded in batches. There could be several of your ancestor’s documents filed and recorded together. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
If you have found what looks like a deed where heirs are settling up real estate after a death, try and access other records if at all possible. Deeds are notorious for not clearly delineating relationships–after all, the people in the deed know the relationship and the purpose of the deed is not to leave a complete and accurate genealogy. Sellers on a settlement deed may be children and grandchildren, or nieces and nephews/great-nieces and great-grandnephews, or all cousins of varying degrees of relationships. Try and access court and probate records along with other materials to refine relationships that are hinted at in what appears to be a deed settling up an estate. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Sometimes it pays to get that document or record when you “think you know everything.” One reason is that you might be incorrect in what you “think” you know. The other is that the record may contain an uncommon notation or comment providing information you never even thought about it providing. Sometimes the greatest discoveries are in those records where we think we “don’t need that record” because we already know what’s on it. You may be surprised. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
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