[Genealogy] Relatively Precise, A Widow Acknowledges, and More
Michael John Neill
mjnrootdig at gmail.com
Sun Sep 6 05:32:58 CDT 2026
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Genealogy Blog Update
6 September 2026
** Relatively Precise Certainty
** Full Text Search 5-week class
** A Widow Acknowledges in 1867
** Webinars
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Relatively Precise Certainty
-------------------------------
Summarizing too much can lead to incorrect statements.
I reviewed the information on my ancestor table and looked at several of
the entries, some of which I summarized in order to save space. If we are
not careful a summarization may say something that we do not actually mean
to say. My 3rd great-grandmother’s entry is a good example:
*Marie Gerdes Wilken Bruns* (1831 Wiesens, Ostfriesland – before 1877
Hancock County, Illinois).
Actually the date of death for Marie should be “before 29 August 1877” as
that is the date her husband, Hinrich Jacobs Fecht, married his subsequent
wife. Saying “before 1877” is not technically accurate as Marie could have
died in the early part of 1877. Of course it is possible that Hinrich and
Marie divorced, but since there is no local divorce record for them it has
been concluded that she simply pre-deceased Hinrich.
The date of death for Marie should indicate that “based upon her husband,
Hinrich’s marriage in Carthage, Illinois, on 29 August 1877 to Mrs. Antje
Habben, it is surmised that Marie was dead by that date.” It is possible
that Marie moved away and divorced Hinrich, but not too probable. This
statement about Marie’s date of death clearly states how that date was
arrived at without getting too bogged down in the citation. It is not
necessary to go into laborious detail, but dates for events that include
“before” or “after” as part of the date should give some indication of how
that approximate date was determined.
It could be buried in a footnote. But not everyone reads footnotes and
sometimes footnotes end up not being included with the actual text.
One problem with using “before” or “after” as a qualifier to dates is that
people strip the qualifier and end up saying the person died on the date
instead of before or after it.
-------------------------------
5-Week Class on Using Full-Text Search--Don't Miss It!
-------------------------------
*discussions recorded if you cannot attend live!*
*5-week class on Using FamilySearch’s Full-Text Search*
With Michael John Neill
Are you getting the most from FamilySearch’s Full-Text Search? Our five
session class on FamilySearch’s full-text search will help you to get the
very most from this truly paradigm-shift way of searching. Presentation and
discussion is practical and down-to-earth. Students will receive practical
and easy-to-implement search strategies and will be encouraged to share
successes and failures with other class members via an online group and
discussion sessions.
Week 1
Overview of FamilySearch full-text search.
This session will provide an overview of full-text search methodology,
discuss how full-text search is different from typical searches, discuss
workarounds for transcription errors, searching specific sets of images,
and search organization.
Week 2
Sourcing and Determining what has been found with FamilySearch full-text
search.
This session will discuss determining what has actually been located,
downloading all information and images for a complete source citation, and
creating a completion citation.
Week 3
Common Name Searching at FamilySearch full-text search.
This session will discuss some specific strategies for searching for common
names in full-text search.
Week 4
Problem-Solving with FamilySearch full-text search.
This session will discuss search formulation, tracking, and problem-solving
when specific items have not been located.
Week 5
Wrap up
Structure
Lectures will be available for downloading the week before the discussion
session. Students will view presentation and do optional homework the week
before the discussion. Each week’s discussion will review the lecture,
discuss homework assignment, and have time for student questions and group
discussion. Homework is optional, but will help students to understand
concepts and get more from discussion sessions.
Discussion sessions (*recorded if you cannot attend live) *will be held:
15, 22, 29 September and 6 and 13 October at 7:30 pm central time.
Class meetings will be via Zoom. Class communication will be via a Google
group. Registration for class is $70
<https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=BKU7EFP9P55C4>.
Purchasers of one of Michael’s previous FamilySearch’s full-text webinars
can order the class for $20 less–contact Michael to request special
discount registration link.
Registration is limited and can be processed here
<https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=BKU7EFP9P55C4>.
Confirmation of registration will be made within 24 hours of receipt.
Contact Michael at mjnrootdig at gmail.com <mjnrootdig at gmail.comm> with
questions.
-------------------------
A Widow Acknowledges in 1867
-------------------------
In July of 1867, Catherine Belless of Fulton County, Illinois, signing her
mark and only referenced by her initials, acknowledged her receipt of
property from the estate of her husband. It was her right to receive
personal property from her husband’s estate.
Illinois State Statute allowed widows an allotment from their deceased
husband’s estate to support themselves. That allotment could be in specific
property (within certain limits) or in cash if those items were not a part
of the deceased husband’s estate.
That “widow’s award” is what she is acknowledging the receipt of in this
document.
Recd of Joseph Belless adm of the Estate of Peter Belless Decd Three
Hundred & Eighty five Dollars + forty cents In Property at appraised value
July 26th 1867
her
C J [or L or I] Belless
mark
[note–formatting issues forced me to put the signature on the left
side–normally this would be placed approximately where it appeared in the
original document]
While it may be frustrating that she is referred to by her initials, it is
important to remember that everyone at the time knew who she was and what
her name was. It might not have been deemed necessary to spell her full
name out–although the middle initial could have been written a little more
clearly.
Fortunately her name is spelled out in other documents involved in the
settlement of Peter’s estate.
But it is always advised to try and understand the legal purpose of
documents being utilized in genealogy research.
Webinars
Ready-to-Go Webinars from Michael–download immediate:
-
Creating Children’s Stories from Genealogy Events
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/creating-childrens-stories-from-genealogy-information/>
-
Creating Families from pre-1850 Census Records
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/creating-families-from-pre-1850-census-records/>
-
DeedMapper webinars
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/deedmapper-intro-and-more-deedmapper-webinars/>
-
FamilySearch Catalog
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/02/19/using-the-familysearch-catalog-webinar/>
-
Farming Ancestor webinars–landowner and non-landowner versions
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/rooting-around-for-farmers-and-tenants-and-laborers/>
-
Full-Text Search at FamilySearch
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/08/05/updated-familysearch-full-text-search-webinar/>
-
Full-Text Search at FamilySearch with Common Names
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2025/11/04/common-names-at-familysearch-full-text-webinar/>
-
How Errors Get in Records
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/how-errors-get-in-records-webinar/>
-
Illinois Genealogy Research
<https://genealogytipoftheday.com/index.php/2026/03/10/genealogy-research-in-illinois-webinar/>
-----------------------
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Michael John Neill
Genealogy Tip of the Day
PO Box 17
Henderson, IL 61439
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