Reprinting Tips from this site

Users of Genealogy Tip of the Day are welcome to reprint tips from the site. I just ask that:

• the author's name be listed (Michael John Neill), with a copyright notice.
• the website be listed http://genealogytipoftheday.blogspot.com
• the tip's date be listed

That's it! Questions can be directed to me at mjnrootdig@gmail.com.

Extra Early Discount on our 2010 Salt Lake Research Trip

We are offering a $25 discount on the complete price on our 2010 Salt Lake Research Trip for those who make their deposit by 30 June 2009. The complete registration price for those registering by this date will be $175. The balance of the fee is due in December, just the deposit is necessary by 30 June.

There is more information about the trip on our site at http://www.rootdig.com/slctrip.html

This discount won't be posted on those pages, email Michael at mjnrootdig@gmail.com for a registration brochure with the discounted price or questions.

Thanks!

Before You Buy that CD on Ebay

Just a little piece of advice. Before you buy a CD with a PDF or a scan of that out of print book, make certain it's not available on www.archive.org or the BYU website for free.

Then you could download it and search it for free and make your own CD.

Read a Blog or Newsletter

Keeping up with the genealogy news can be overwhelming at times. Two great ways to keep up can be to read Dick Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter or Leland Meitzler's Genealogyblog.
Of course, I'd be appreciative if readers signed up for the paid version of Eastman's as that includes my weekly "Casefile Clues" column.

Gmail Tips

I love to use Gmail for my genealogy mail. Those who use Gmail might want to check out the Gmail blog post about being a Gmail Ninja.

There are a lot of good tips there for making the most of gmail and saving time and hassle in the process.

Another Reason for Getting Everything

Variant names can create havoc for genealogists. This is another reason I like to obtain as many documents for my ancestors as possible. For ancestors with name variants, Anglicizations, and the like, deed, court, or land records may provide alternate names for your ancestor of which you were not aware. Often these documents will have to explain the name difference, thus providing you with proof of the connection.

Could it be years after?

Have you thought about how long after your ancestor's death he or she may be mentioned in a record?

My ancestor Peter Bieger died in 1855. He is mentioned by name in a 1906 deed when his grandchildren are signing a quitclaim deed for the property. Fifty-one years after he died.

Research the Families You "Know"

Researching "completely" a family you know may do one of several things for you or your research. You may learn something about research or something about the family you did not know before.

Recently I obtained deeds showing how a house and a farm were sold after the owner's died. In both cases, I knew all the vitals on the family. In both cases I understood the records better because I "knew" the family. That helps me understand records later when I don't know the family. Sometimes it is easier to learn about records when the family isn't as foreign to you as the records.

And in one case I learned a few things about the family that were new to me. Another reason to search for everything.

Filename make sense?

I wasted an hour today looking for a set of documents I scanned. I scanned and saved them when I was in a hurry and the file name was very helpful, "ufkes."

When a last name is your mother's maiden name, MANY files contain that word. I eventually searched the entire hard drive for files with "ufkes" in the title, but there were MANY that I had to go through. I renamed the file with a more descriptive name "john_ufkes_cancelled_homestead_file"

Are your file names helpful?

Learn About a New Record

Is there some record type of source you have never utilized because you thought it was too difficult to use, too difficult to understand, or was hard to access? Consider expanding your research horizons and make today (or this week) the time you use that new (to you) source.

You may make some wonderful discoveries.

Be Specific

When writing genealogy information for anyone to read, avoid using terms like "Grandma" or "Uncle" without fully identifying the person. Vague references will only confuse the reader.

The same is true when asking people questions in an interview. It took me forever to get my grandma Neill to understand that I was asking questions about HER Grandfather Trautvetter, not her dad (who was my dad's Grandpa Trautvetter).

Once you've had children, it does get a little confusing who you mean when you say "Grandma." Don't leave someone in a hundred years confused about who you meant. Be specific.

Filter Your Email Messages

I am on entirely too many email lists for genealogy. Finally at long last I sat down in my gmail (which I use for my genealogy email) and made a separate filter for each one. Messages to these mailing lists then never go to my main inbox and I don't see them unless I visit the folder individually.

Now my inbox is not overflowing with these messages and I my inbox can stay clear for the "important" ones. This is particularly helpful as I get my genealogy email on my blackberry and before the filter I was ALWAYS getting email on my phone. A little annoying.

Email lists are great for genealogy, but now I can read them when I want--not have them flying at me 24/7.

Naming Patterns are Not Aboslute

In some families and ethnic groups, there are tendencies to pass on certain names. Sometimes this is done in a certain fashion, perhaps the oldest son for the father's father, the oldest daughter for the father's mother, and then on down the line.

Remember that this practice was a tendency in some families and is not proof of anyone's name at all. Names can be used as clues, but they are "extremely circumstantial" ones at best. And if both grandfathers are named John and both grandmothers are named Anna, then you really have a mess!

Pension Records Can Show Migration Trails

An excellent place to learn your ancestor's unique (or not so unique) migration path across the country is from his or her pension record.

Nancy Rampley's pension record documents her parents' migration from Kentucky into Indiana into Illinois into Missouri. And it was her husband who was actually in the Civil War.

Revolutionary War era pensions for two of my wife's ancestors shows their migration across several states from the time of the Revolution until the 1830s.

Remember that a pension on a sibling or a cousin of an ancestor might provide clues about that ancestor's migrations as well.

A license doesn't mean they got married

Remember that just because your ancestor took out a marriage license does not necessarily mean that he got married. Make certain there is a return as well with the date of the ceremony given by the officiant. Most people who take out a license get married, but once in a while something happens between the courthouse and the ceremony.