Creating a chronology of an ancestor’s life can serve many purposes. One is to see time periods when there is no information on the ancestor? Do you have a five year gap in records on an ancestor? Some gaps cause more concern than others–eight years between the 1860 census enumeration and a 1868 death is not probably a huge concern.<\/p>\n
Selling property in location A in 1851 and then first appearing in another location in 1859 should make you wonder where he was between 1851 and 1859.<\/p>\n
Unexplained gaps of time when one event indicates an ancestor might have been thinking about moving or might have just moved should get the research wheels turning in your head.<\/p>\n