Genealogy Tip of the Day

Any record that is an extract or a transcript of the original can easily contain errors. Extract can have omissions. A reader reminded me th...

If you are fortunate enough to find a biography of an ancestor, consider creating a chronology from the events and dates it contains. This c...

Have you utilized records from the National Archives in your genealogical search? Federal records of military service and benefits, homestea...

Do not assume that only one person wrote on a document or record you are using in your research. Carefully look at the handwriting to determ...

It's easy to "jump to assumed conclusions." One way to avoid doing this is to constantly ask yourself "why?" Why...

We've had requests from quite a few people to offer our "organizing genealogy information class" with discussions on Sunday in...

Don't just assume that the first "hit" is your person of interest when searching a record or a database--make certain other no...

We've finally crossed the 28,000 fan threshold at Genealogy Tip of the Day  on Facebook . In celebration, we're offering a 2 8% off ...

Some military veterans and their widows submitted original family documents to back up their pension claims. These items could vary and in...

Do you read documents in their entirety or do you skim them over? Do you read the "important parts," skipping over what appears to...

Bible records are a great genealogical source. But researchers should remember that in some cases, the dates of birth, marriage, and death m...

Don't assume that your ancestor was always a member of a specific denomination and ignore nearby churches of that "wrong"denom...

By popular demand, we're bringing this class back in January of 2015. Registration is limited for "Organizing Genealogical Informat...

If that packet of court papers is not in the "right" file box, try the box before and the box after and remember that files in any...

Land records generally record the acquisition and disposition of land. Property tax records may indicate that the owner is deceased or that ...

The following are links to my blogs and newsletters: Genealogy Tip of the Day --one short daily genealogy-related research tip. This usual...

Regular readers know that I'm a big fan of the tract books from the Bureau of Land Management. These books are supposed to notate all cl...

In old style English script what was meant to be a double "s" looks like an "f." The end result is that frequently a nam...

It is rare for the ages of an individual to be completely consistent across all the records in which they are listed. Generally speaking, ag...

In some locations in some time periods, there was more than one court that could hear cases. Counties may have had a probate court (that dea...

In response to yesterday's tip,  a reader reminded me of the importance of going back and asking the same person the same questions that...

When collecting family stories, try and get memories from as many family members as possible, not just one. Different family members may rem...

By popular demand, we're bringing this class back in January of 2015. Registration is limited for "Organizing Genealogical Informat...

An ancestral couple in their mid-50s left Ohio for Illinois in the 1840s. Most of their children came with them. One or two apparently never...

Published genealogical abstracts and records transcriptions often have a preface. The preface can include information about the condition of...

Genealogy Tip of the Day  is sponsored by GenealogyBank . We appreciate their help in bringing to those of you in genealogyland. Ok, that...

Even if your local library does not have a genealogical collection relevant to your actual research, do they offer services that could assis...

We've mentioned it before, but it does not hurt to repeat it. Write down everything. Do not hesitate and do not wait. I was reviewing ...

Court files are often kept in bundles. That outer wrapping will have key elements of the case and other filing information. It's also po...

Bible records, family diaries, and other unpublished family records can end up in unexpected locations. Don't limit your search for thes...

That one record you've found, a deed, a death certificate, a will, an estate settlement, probably was created because something else hap...

A friend and I were joking around on Facebook about using tire tracks in the snow as permanent evidence of something and it got me to thinki...

If you can't find where your relative died, is it possible that she died in a state hospital several counties away? During the late 19th...

Some married couples never see their former spouse after a divorce. Many times that is because one partner leaves and never returns. There a...

If you know the address where your relative lived, have you obtained a picture of the home? Make certain you have the correct current addres...