If you cannot find an older relative in a census, make certain you have looked with all their children. They may be hiding there, perhaps with an incorrectly spelled last name that you have not thought search for before. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Don’t correct an original when making a transcription. Copy it as it is written. If you know spellings, etc. are wrong–comment on them separately and clearly indicate that the comments are yours. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
While you should always keep looking, keep in mind that there are times when no record exists for an event. The earlier in time you get, the more likely this is. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Have you been working for too long on one family or one problem? Let it sit for a while, perhaps a week or two and work on something else. A month away may allow you to come back with a different perspective and notice something you did not notice before. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
NARA M850–Pension Payment Cards are completely online at www.archive.org. Great free resource–I blogged about it here, with details on how to search them as there is no finding aid for them at www.archive.org http://rootdig.blogspot.com/2010/03/pension-payment-cards-on-archiveorg.html ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Keep in mind that you can never be one hundred percent certain that any one record is one hundred percent correct. There is always the chance of an error. Never “fix” what appears to be an obvious error either. Transcribe exactly as written and put your commentary elsewhere. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Anglicization is the process of translating a name into English. Many immigrant Anglicized their names after arrival–but rarely at Ellis Island. Remember that some non-English names could be translated. The Swedish Anders became Andrew, as did the Latin Andreas. For non-standard names or those that had no real translation, the ancestor might never have Anglicized or might have simply taken an English name that was “close.” Focke may have become Frank or Trientje might have become Tena. Trientje actually has a root similar to Katherine, but most of my Trientjes who Anglicized their name opted for Tena instead. Remember that your ancestor was not a linguist–so don’t over analyze that translation of his name. And problems with Anglicization is part of the thing that was the issue with […]
Did your ancestor live in a county in the first years after it was formed? Is it possible the boundaries were somewhat in flux in those early years? You still might want to check the records of the “old county” for a few years after the new one was formed, just in case. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Remember that a “one-letter” typo can make all the difference. An “a” at the end of Johann can make it Johanna, not only changing the name but also changing the gender. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
My wife has an ancestor who “disappeared” ca. 1918 shortly after he and his wife had marital problems. It is possible he changed his name. It is also possible he enlisted in the service during World War I and never returned to the area where he was from (either because he died or he simply chose to live somewhere else). Another ancestor of my wife’s died in his early 30s in the early 1860s. It is too early for a death certificate, but I do have his estate records. Now I am wondering if he died in the Civil War. Keep in mind the time frame. Was there some national event that could explain your ancestor’s absence or demise? ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the […]
Before you overly analyze that incorrect marital status in a census, before you get all “fussed up” over an incorrect place of birth, consider the possibility that what is wrong is simply an error. Sometimes our ancestors do lie. But sometimes people just make mistakes. We were not there when they gave the information and when it got written down. Sometimes a mistake is just a mistake. Something to think about before we go making up some grand reason behind the discrepancy. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Does your ancestor have a middle name that is also a last name? Is it possible that he cannot be located in a census or other record because the census taker left off his actual last name and used his middle name as a last name? It might explain when Henry Jacobs Fecht is enumerated in the 1870 census as Henry Jacobs. And if you don’t know that middle name it’s going to be even more difficult to find him. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Are you using a map when you search the census for your ancestor? If you don’t have appropriate, contemporary to your census problem year maps, you could easily be making mistakes or looking in places that are not quite right. With indexes, manual searches of the census are not always necessary (but sometimes they are). Maps though, are not optional. You need to know where locations are and how they fit together. Even if you think you know the location, get a map. In fact, making assumptions about locations can create a few brick walls. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
They are all over the internet. When using any document or record that refers to dates, particularly one that says last Thursday, two weeks ago, etc. use a perpetual calendar. A simple google search will locate them. It will make you determination of the date a little easier. I found one helpful when analyzing obituaries for a recent Casefile Clues column. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
Whenever you are writing or talking about a person be specific. First names are rarely specific enough, particularly in some families. First and last names are best, perhaps combined with a date of birth or date of death. My mother has three Aunt Ruths. It usually took more than just “Aunt Ruth” to know to whom someone was referring. Sometimes it was clear from context, but not always. Don’t create additional confusion in the records you leave behind. Be specific. ———————————— Check out GenealogyBank’s Offer for Tip of the Day Fans!
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