Genealogy Tip of the Day

Reading through every bill paid by your ancestor's executor or administrator might seem as fun as watching paint dry, but I learned: ...

There was a time when in many states, married women could not make wills. If a female ancestor makes a will that is later proven in a probat...

There are some points, in some places, some ancestors have been researched as far back as possible. If there are no earlier records it may j...

Ever wonder what the phrase "heirs and assigns forever" meant on an old deed? The intent of the phrase was to convey to the grante...

For those who were not aware, I have three daily blogs: Genealogy Tip of the Day Daily Genealogy Transcriber Search Tip of the Day --(n...

The great thing about re-reading material or records is that one realizes how easy it is to remember things incorrectly. Are you making a re...

In most US states, minors over the age of 14, could usually choose their guardian, subject to the approval of the court. If you see your anc...

Your great-great-grandparents may have decided to live separately without ever divorcing because "we don't believe in divorce, but ...

Don't forget that ads in newspapers, yearbooks, etc. can also be clues. They may provide information about your ancestor's residence...

I'm trying to track the movements of a relative who lived in both Chicago and upstate New York between 1900 and his death in about 1935....

Remember that in some jurisdictions there may be separate courts for different functions. There may be a criminal court, a probate court, an...

Once in a while, non-deeds may be discovered with the actual land records. An ancestor died in 1893 in Illinois--no will and no probate. The...

Sunday we're offering a year of my weekly newsletter  Casefile Clues for $12 . Samples can be downloaded as PDF files here: sample 1...

Remember that one document, a death certificate for example, may contain many statements. Those statements (about the birth, the parents, th...

There is more to "proving" a date of birth, a place of marriage, or a maiden name than finding it written on one piece of paper. A...

If the members of a household were not all the children of the same father, keep in mind that the census taker might have simply assumed eve...

Consider getting a separate email address for your genealogy research and correspondence. There are several places to get free email address...

As you use family sources, interviews with Grandma, and stories that were passed down in your family to begin your research, keep in mind th...

I was using a burial register from England in my research. I had to constantly remind myself that the dates listed in the register were date...

Depending on the time period, the location, the number of nearby relatives and your ancestor's financial status, your ancestor might nev...

In the 1900 census, Tom is listed as Bob's stepchild and Bob is married to Mary. Don't assume that Tom is Mary's child and that ...

Regular readers may remember that I'm working on a couple who likely got married in Canada--somewhere. The difficulty is that I do not k...

Remember that spouses aren't necessarily buried in the same cemetery--or even in the same state. One ancestor died in Indiana in 1861 wh...

This phrase typically refers to a married woman and one whose legal rights are controlled by her husband.

Get yourself out of your research rut and perhaps make a discovery in the process. I decided to spend a little time researching the man wh...

Peter Bieger immigrated to the States about 1847, probably settling in Cincinnati, Ohio. He married there in 1849 and by late 1850, he was i...

Before you spend time looking for someone in a census record, make certain they were living at the time. I realize that occasionally someone...

When working out any lineage, especially a new one, keep approximate years of birth in mind for the parents, children, grandparents, etc. an...

Sometimes you have to admit that you are spinning your wheels, the facility (or website) you are using does not have what you need, or that ...

Use unusual names for clues, but don't conclude that they have to be the same person. I was looking for the parents of a man, lets call ...

Is there just one site that you're using for your research? Remember that not one site has everything. Consider avoiding using that site...

Think about the age(s) at which your ancestor marries, buys or sells land, pays taxes, witnesses documents, etc. Are those typical ages fo...

Marriage records will not always indicate if one of the parties has been married before. Some marriage records may list the groom as "M...

A separation of property is a legal division of the assets of a husband and wife. Usually it allowed a female to act independently as a feme...

That packet of pension, estate, or other documents may be repetitive. Some series of records are, with essentially the same or similar mater...