If you’ve found any of our websites/blogs helpful in your searches, please let your genealogy friends know about them. You can sign up for them in Google reader, get them in your email, or join the fan page on Facebook. Genealogy Tip of the Day http://genealogytipoftheday.blogspot.com–to read older ones or signup via email. one tip a day–geared towards experienced beginners, but we typically hit a wide range of levels. Fan Page on Facebook Daily Genealogy Transcriber http://genealogytranscriber.blogspot.com–to read older ones or sign up via email one handwriting image posted every day where readers can submit interpretations–answers usually posted within a few days. Fan Page on Facebook Search Tip of the Day http://genealogysearchtip.blogspot.com/–to read older ones or to sign up for emails one tip as I think of them–geared […]
One of my wife’s ancestral surnames is Schollmeyer. Not the most common last name in Davenport, Iowa. In the village in Germany where they were from, the parish register of births contained numerous entries for that last name. In fact, in some years 1/3 of the entries had the father with the last name of Schollmeyer or the mother with that maiden name. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Are there some “obvious” clues you are overlooking in a document, record, or artifact? If your ancestors had their picture taken on their 50th anniversary with all their children, then it means those children were living on that date. It might be a small clue or a big one depending up the situation. Survivors listed in an obituary can obviously be viewed the same way–just like people listed as attending a reunion in a newspaper notice. Are there “obivous” clues you have overlooked? ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Digital version of our latest webinar released–introductory rate.More Brick Walls from A to Z –(NEW!)–This presentation is a continuation on the popular “Brick Walls from A to Z” that was released earlier. The alphabet has been reused for additional ideas and quick suggestions for getting past those brick walls–aimed at all levels–with the intent of jumpstarting people’s research. Introductory recording price of $6 won’t last long. Includes recording and PDF of handout. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
If you are fortunate enough to find an ancestor on a ship manifest, read the entire thing–especially pay attention to families listed immediately before and after your ancestor, but you still never know. I’ve found the family of a niece and her husband listed right after my ancestor and I’ve also found “grandma” who immigrated with her child and grandchildren listed separately on the manifest. Sometimes names get overlooked and have to be inserted at the end of the list. The creator of the manifest could not “insert a row” in the list if he realized he’d overlooked someone. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Just because Grandma’s story sounds “off,” don’t conclude it is wrong. My grandmother told me that she could remember getting baptized with her younger sister. I never argued with her about it, but I doubted it–Lutherans were baptized as babies. Sure enough, for some reason (not the lack of a minister in case someone suggests it), Grandma was baptized at the age 5 or so, with her sister and baby brother. Turns out she was right after all. However, she was wrong about her brother’s middle name, but that’s another story–and another tip. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Remember that most census records that provide relationships do so only to the head of the household. The wife may not be the mother of all the sons and daughters that are listed. Step-children may not be indicated as step-children, they may just be listed as children. Keep an open mind when using relationship information provided in the census, particularly if there’s only one census year where you have the individuals listed with the relationship. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Never change the order of any names in a document. Children could (but not necessarily) be listed in order of age in a will. If an older child is listed last in a census enumeration it may mean that they weren’t really living there or had moved back home (or it could just be an “error” on the part of the census taker). Heirs may be listed in order of age on a quit claim deed (or they may not). The order may be a clue, but try and use other documentation to back up any conclusions you make about the order. And remember that order, sometimes like life, may be completely random and meaningless. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
There is a spot in the road near where I grew up called Breckenridge. Consequently that’s how old habits make me spell any location with that name. While searching for a family in Breckinridge County, Kentucky, I had to force myself to use the “i” and not the “e” for the second vowel. Make certain you are spelling locations and names the way they are written–not the way another place or family spells them or the way you think they should be spelled. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
25% off on all recorded genealogy webinars today! Code and webinar descriptions at http://rootdig.blogspot.com/2011/11/recorded-genealogy-webinars.html ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
If a document or record does not make any sense, brainstorm on all the possible things that could have been going on at the time. Make a list. Don’t worry about how likely or realistic they are. Then, when you are completely out of ideas, think about how: the ones that are too far-fetched or unrealistic the ones you could never prove the ones that are the most likely the ones that might have left other evidence Start with the situations that are most likely and might have left behind other evidence. Work to prove or disprove those conjectures. You may still not have the answer, but at least you will have documentable research. Brainstorming is good. Sometimes we need to think through totally crazy possibilities to get at […]
Just because a 19th century ancestor was married twice, do not assume that the first spouse either died or divorced your ancestor. It is very possible that your ancestral couple went separate ways and one of them married again. This was easier to do if the ancestor in question moved several counties away and “started over.” Civil War pension files are full of stories of deceased veterans who had more than one surviving widow. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Sometimes what appears to be a connection is not a connection. One of my wife’s Jones families in northern Missouri has another Jones family living nearby. The same last name appears to be a coincidence as one family is from Tennessee and the head of household in the other was born in Wales. Coincidences such as these are more common when the last name is common. But even with unusual last names, remember that there may be no connection between two individuals with the same last name. Look for a connection, but if you don’t see one, remember that sometimes a coincidence is just a coincidence. Of course, sometimes there is a connection, but try and prove is. Don’t use “it has to be” as a reason for […]
Do you have pictures, newspaper clippings, or other family history “paper” that you have not scanned or preserved? Is the only copy the one you have? Might be time to reproduce the image. If yours is lost, will that be the end of it? ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
If information is inconsistent, and even when it isn’t, ask yourself, “which records am I really certain are my ancestor?” Is there a deed that might not be his? Is there a census enumeration (especially before 1850) that might not be for the right person? Consider each source or record you think refers to your ancestor and contemplate what really makes you think that. You might realize that there is a record or two that might not really be for the person you are researching. And that may be causing your confusion. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Recent Comments