Are the Steps and Halfs Mixed Up?

Did that obituary confuse the half-siblings, step-siblings, and the full siblings? An estate settlement will be concerned about the accuracy of those relationships, an obituary, being a less formal document, may not be. Always consider the possibility that relationships in an obituary may not be entirely correct.

Do You Know the Definition?

The next time you are using a legal document, think about all the terminology in that document. Do you know what each word really means? When reading an estate inventory, do you know what each item listed actually is? Do you really know what the cause of death on the death certificate is?

Not knowing or thinking you know when you do not is one of the leading causes of supposed genealogical brick walls.

Names that Appear from Nowhere

Those middle or first names of family members that appear out of the blue could be from relatives you do not yet know about, famous people, locations, or someone's maiden name.

And it is always possible your ancestor simply pulled the name out of thin air.

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Named for a Dead Wife?

Names of children frequently come from family members. One additional place that people do not often think of is names of deceased spouses. While it might seem strange, your ancestor may have named his first daughter with wife number two after his deceased wife number one.

This usually doesn't happen if your ancestor was divorced from his first spouse.

Get Familiar With the Map

How familiar are you with the local geographical features (both natural and political) near where your ancestor used to live? It is not bad to refer to a map when doing your research, but if you aren't familiar with some of the basic features (adjacent counties, nearby towns, states, rivers, etc.) it may inadvertently hinder your research.

There Was No Jarvis

A relative insisted an ancestor had a son named Jarvis. There was only one document that provided any evidence that this Jarvis existed--there was no mention anywhere else. After locating the "Jarvis" document, it was determined that the researcher had misread "James" for "Jarvis."

It never hurts to take a look for yourself. That "extra child" may just be a transcription variation.

Did the Guardian Come Later?

If your relative died with small children and no estate, a guardian would not have to be appointed. But if the child was still a minor and a  grandparent with an estate subsequently died, the child may have had a guardian appointed. My uncle died in 1906, leaving a  no estate and a small child behind. No guardian was appointed until 1913, after the paternal grandfather died leaving an estate large enough to require probate.

August 2013 Webinar Schedule

We have just posted our listing of August 2013 webinars.

Topics include:

• Using Google Books
• Using Your FlipPal
• Library of Congress Online Newspapers
• Analyzing Land Records
• Federal Land Strategies
• Finding and Using City Directories

To view more details, time schedule, or to register, visit our announcement page:

http://www.casefileclues.com/webinars_neill.htm

Name Five Large Events

In a year when your research is "stuck" on an ancestor, can you name five regional or national events, political movements, economic stresses, etc. that were taking place? Any chance one of them impacted your ancestor?

Paper Neighbors?

Are you looking at the "paper neighbors" of your relatives? The first declaration of intention shown here is for the person of interest. The one immediately after his was done on the very same day by another person with allegiance to the same country. There were no other declarations made on that day. Odd that the two men coincidentally arrived on the same day. 

Turns out they were both connected to another family of Irish immigrants to the same area--and that was discovered by researching both men.

There may be clues in those "paper neighbors."

Thank Those Who Help

When the clerk or librarian helps you with your search, thank them and let them know that you appreciate their help. And be polite when asking others to help you with your search. You will have more success when you do so.

Is Your Memory the Problem?

Is your reliance on memory the problem? Recently in writing a blog post involving the 1910 census, I nearly stated the census date was 1 April 1910 and that my great-aunt, born on 8 April 1910 should not have been listed. In reviewing before the item was published, I was reminded that the census date in 1910 was 15 April, not 1 April. In this case, it was me who was wrong, not the census. Memories are not always perfect.

Does the Internet Feed Your Distractions?

Is a constant sense of "connection" disrupting your genealogical research? When you are trying to tackle that genealogical problem, try turning off the computer (or at least the internet), putting the cell phone on vibrate, and maybe even just using pencil and paper. The constant barrage of "messages" and the ability to immediately try a new search idea may be negatively impacting your ability to concentrate. 

Sometimes I make the most headway on research problems with pencil and paper copies (digital or paper) of various records--with no internet and no phone.

Do the In-Laws Have It?

When thinking about who might have pictures of family members, think about the various pictures in which that person may have appeared. Is it possible that your grandmother attended reunions of her husband's family? Does she appear in any pictures taken at those reunions?

Where Did YOU Get That?

If you are fortunate enough to obtain family photographs from a relative, indicate somewhere who gave that photograph to you. In going through pictures I have--even ones identified--there are quite a few that I simply cannot remember who gave them to me. And I'd like to know. It sounds a little strange to say "I know who this dead person is, but I can't remember who gave me the picture or how I got it."

Repeated Names?

While not a common practice today, in times when more children died as infants or as small children, parents would sometimes "reuse" names of deceased children when a later child of the same gender was born. It was not uncommon for some families to have two or three children with the same name. Do not assume that there is a mistake if a church records indicates your ancestor had a son William born in 1802 and another William born 1805. In that case, checking for a death record for a William between 1802 and 1805 may be in order.

Where They Got Their Social Security Number

When searching the Social Security Death Index, avoid searching based on where the person was living when they applied for their number. While these locations usually are not wrong, it requires you to know where the person resided at the time the number was requested. Many who applied for numbers may have moved somewhere temporarily for work, only to live there for a few years and return "home" or move to a residence that became their permanent home.

And if you insist they lived in Iowa when they applied for their number and they obtained it while living a few months in Oklahoma, you aren't going to find the person for whom you are looking.

Deaths Recorded Where They Died, Not Where They Lived

The civil record of your ancestor's death will be filed where he died, not necessarily where he lived or where he is buried. If your ancestor was travelling at the time of his death, had moved in her later years to live near a child, or was simply getting groceries in the nearest store across the county or state line, that is where the event will be recorded.

If you can't find a death record where they lived, are you certain that is the location where they died as well?

Publications Beyond The Newspaper

Have you gotten beyond newspapers as the only periodical that may mention your ancestor or relative? Trade, union, or occupational journals may mention your long-long relative. Church, religious, denominational, or fraternal publications may hold the key to your research. GoogleBooks includes some of these materials in digital format. Obituaries or even tombstones may give clues as to memberships your ancestor might have held in certain organizations.

Is Your Email Address Up To Date?

If your email address has changed since you posted to a message board, have you posted a followup with your new email address? If there's no way to "update" your email on those old postings, consider making creating a simple blog of your own at www.blogger.com or www.wordpress.com with your old queries as postings and your current email. 

And before you make any postings, consider getting a free web-based email to use for genealogy such as one at yahoo.com, hotmail, or gmail. 

Notations on Paper Copies

In some courthouses and records repositories, paper copies of records are still the norm. When making paper copies (or having them made), make note in pencil on the edge of the copy the name of the book, volume number and page number where the material was obtained.

You are not going to remember and at some point, you will want to know where the page was obtained. If you would rather not write on the front of the copy, then do it on the back.

But do it. You will be glad you did.

Have Grandma Read It

After you've talked with that relative about the family history, have them read your transcription of the interview and see if you interpreted things the way they intended.

They may even remember more upon reading what they had to say.

The Ins and the Outs

When working with landowning ancestors, make certain you can document how they acquired all the real estate they owned. When looking at a settlement deed for an ancestor's estate in 1913, I realized I could not account for how 40 acres had been obtained. The rest of the 320 acres I had deeds of acquisition for. Finding "how he got" that other 40 acres may answer some questions.

Great-Grandma's Worthless House

Everything needs to be viewed in context.

In the settlement of my great-grandfather's estate in 1948, there were two pieces of real estate he and his wife owned. There was a small mortgaged farm of less than 100 acres and there was a small house on a lot in the nearby village. The was not enough cash to pay the debt so something had to be sold, but in authorizing the sale, the judge deemed the home to be of no value.

The reason was simple: a worthless house did not need to be sold. The farm was sold to pay the debt on it, but the home remained the widow's residence.

What is Squeezed in the Edge?

Are you always looking on the edge of every page and in the crook of the binding of any book in which you find a record? One never knows what clue may be lurking in that crevice or along the border of a document.

What Have You Preserved Today?

We've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating for new and seasoned genealogists alike:

Do you have some photograph, original document, or other piece of family history ephemera that you have not somehow preserved or shared? What happens if that one copy is destroyed?

The 1870 census will be there to search next week. There may be items in your closet that for one reason or another may not.

Preserve today so that all may use it tomorrow.

Your Commentary Should Be Set Off

Often when transcribing documents or records, the researcher thinks of "explaining" that needs to be done. That's fine--but just make it perfectly crystal clear where the actual document ends and the explanation or comments begin. One way to do this is to use brackets [] and enclose your comments in those.

Example:

"I hereby leave until my son Johanna, my back forty acres after his mother dies [note: the document clearly says Johanna, but the reference is probably to son Johann.]"

You don't want people thinking your commentary is an actual part of the document, but you should always transcribe a document exactly as it is written--don't edit it while you type. That could lead to even more confusion.

Summer Class-Researching Female Ancestors

Summer Class-Researching Female Ancestors

Female ancestors present special challenges for the American researcher. Consider taking our homework-optional class! To keep this post short, we've linked to the more detailed post here. 

Draft Registration Cards are Not Just For Those Who Served

Remember that draft registrations were meant to include all men who were eligible to be drafted. These registrations do not include only men who were drafted, but all those who usually were within a specific range of ages at the time of the registration.In the United States there were the largest registrations during the Civil War and World Wars I and II.

Grantors May Not Be People

The grantor (seller) on a deed may not be a "person" but rather someone acting in an official legal or capacity. I could not find one ancestor's deed "selling" his farm because it was transferred on a deed executed by the local judge after a court action involving his estate. The judge was the grantor, not the ancestor and not his children. If your ancestor went through a a foreclosure or a sale of property for back taxes, the court or the local sheriff may have been the grantor on the deed transferring property from your relative's ownership.

If you cannot find a deed of sale, look for a court action involving your ancestor or his estate.

Church Records Are Not Just Vitals

There may be more to the records of the church your ancestor attended than records of baptisms, marriages, and funerals. Church membership rolls, confirmation records, communion records, and other materials may help put your ancestor in a location, provide evidence of an age, or attach him to others in his extended kin and social network.

Who Is That Woman Guardian?

If your relative died with minor children and a female is appointed the guardian of their estate, look carefully at her and determine who she is. If she has the same last name as the children, the likely scenario is that she is their mother. If the female guardian has a different last name than the children, she could still be the mother--except that she has married again.

It is unusual for females other than the mother to be appointed guardians of the children's estate if the father dies young. Possible, but likely.

Who Shared Borders?

If your ancestor owned a farm or any other piece of real estate, do you know the names of the adjacent property owners? They may or may not be relatives, but if you do not know their names there is no way to find out if they are or not.

Was It Always The Same House Number?

Your ancestor might have always lived in the house that is presently at 1234 North Apple Street, but 1234 North Apple Street might not always have been 1234 North Apple Street. It might have 345 North Apple Street or 1234 Broad Street. In some cities homes have been renumbered and street names have changed. Local libraries, courthouses or other organizations in the area may be able to assist you in determining if there have been changes over time. 

Because you need to have the contemporary address when using certain records.