Indexes Are Usually Finding Aids

Indexes are generally only used to get the researcher to the record that was used to create the index. A recent posting to Rootdig.com makes it clear why indexes should not be used as records when the originals are easily available. 

There is always the chance that the indexer made a mistake or that there is more on the record than is in the index. If the originals are gone as sometimes is the case, then the index is all we have. And occasionally an indexer will add information to the index that's not in the original record. 

But no matter the situation, you should at least ask yourself:

how do I find the record that this index indexes?

Failing to ask that question could be your problem.

Is There Another Digital Scan?

Genealogists use digital scans of out of copyright books all the time. If the scan you have located online has pages or areas that are difficult to read, consider that another site may have scanned a different copy or the book or used a different scanning process.

It may also be necessary to see if a library can make a photocopy of that "bad page."

Webinars: FamilySearch, Court Records, Blogging and ELCA Records

We've put four webinars on our upcoming schedule:

• Using the ELCA records at Ancestry.com
• FamilySearch search techniques
• Court Records
• Genealogy Blogging

Check out our schedule here. 

Charting Out the Children

This is a bare-bones chart I have made in my attempt to learn as much as I can about my Benjamin Butler who was born about 1819 in New York State and who lived in Michigan in 1860, Iowa in 1870, and Missouri in 1880. It lists his "children" from the 1850, 1870, and 1880 census records. Sources are not included (other than census years) to make the chart less cluttered. I do have sources.

Name	Approximate year of birth (source)	Location (source)	1850	1870	1880	Know death location?
Alfred	1842 (1850)	Canada (1850)	yes-with Benjamin			St. Joseph Co. Michigan
Landen	1844 (1850)	Canada (1850)	yes-with Benjamin
Mary	1846 (1850)	Michigan (1850)	yes-with Benjamin
George	1848 (1850)	Michigan (1850)	yes-with Benjamin			Wapello County, Iowa
Ellen	1854 (1870)	Iowa (1870) Missouri (1880)	Na	Yes-with Benjamin	Yes (with her own family)
Harriet	1856 (1870)	Michigan (1870)	Na	Yes-with Benjamin
Charles	1861 (1870)	Kansas (1870)	Na	Yes-with Benjamin
Benjamin F.	1865 (1870) 1864 (1880)	Illinois (1870, 1880)	Na	Yes-with Benjamin	Yes-with Benjamin
Alice	1868 (1870)	Michigan (1880)	Na	Yes-with Benjamin
Sarah	1872 (1880)	Iowa (1880)	Na	Na	Yes-with Benjamin
Lecta	1875 (1880)	Iowa (1880)	Na	Na	Yes-with Benjamin	Kansas
Lila	1879 (1880)	Nebraska (1880)	Na	Na	Yes-with Benjamin
Rebecca	1882 (1900)	Missouri	Na	Na	Na	Nodaway County, Missouri

Here's my suggestions to myself:

• Add columns for census after 1880
• Add a column for death date and place
• Try and locate children in as many census records as possible
• Try and locate death information for as many children as possible

Establish Parameters

Hasty research increases the chance that incorrect conclusions are made and that we include records for our "person of interest" who is not really our person of interest.

To reduce the chance mistakes are made, take the records that you "know" are for your person of interest and estimate whichever items you do not have specifically:

• a time frame for when they were born
• an approximate location for where they were born
• a time frame for their marriage
• an approximate location for their marriage
• a time frame for their death
• an approximate location for their death

For all of these approximations, include your reason why you think the time frames and locations are reasonable--you should have at least one source document. These reasons combined with the records are key.

Then look at the "new" records you think are for your ancestor. How closely do they match your expectations? Is the difference reasonable? Is it possible your conjectures were wrong? 

It may also cause you to question whether the records that you were "sure" were for your ancestor are really your ancestor at all.

We've simplified the analysis process here--but this general framework, armed with analysis and contemplation, is a good start.

Do Your Digital Photos Include Analysis?

click on photo to see larger image

Do you include some of your analysis as a part of the digital image you make from pictures? We've mentioned provenance before, but sometimes other clues may be used to date or identify the picture. While these things can be put in the "metadata" in some graphics programs, the reality is that some people don't save the file and the metadata, they just "screenshot" the image as it appears online.

One can't stop people from only using the image and not your analysis, but it makes it easier for those inclined to use it to use it.

Free Download of Brick Walls From A to Z--the Final One

For the next 24 hours, I'm giving away my "Final" Brick Wall from A to Z webinar for free--just hit "check out with PayPal." You don't need an account or a credit card, just your email to send you the download link.http://bit.ly/1PFLsMZ

This was the 4th in my "Brick Wall" series.

Does A License Mean They Married?

Not all couples who took out a marriage license were actually married? Make certain the marriage license was returned or that there is some notation or certification that the marriage actually took place. Most couples who took out licenses married, but sometimes couples changed their mind at the last minute.

Blog Updates and Event Email List

Periodically I send out updates on old blog posts, upcoming genealogical events, and a summary of what's been going on with my other blogs. If you'd like to get on that list--which is separate from this one--visit this page. Emails are not shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

When In Doubt...

check it out.

I almost had an image ready to go on a blog post when I realized that I am always mixing up the name of the county and county seat where my Troutfetter relatives lived in rural Kansas.

Years ago, I apparently got it in my head that Thomas, Kansas is in Colby County. It is not. Colby, Kansas is in Thomas County.

Thomas is the county. Colby is the town.

When in doubt, check it out. It can be easy to get confused and create additional confusion in the process.

My Other Blogs

Tip of the Day is meant to be fairly short and to the point. My Rootdig blog contains longer, more detailed posts and it can be viewed here--where you can sign up as well.  My roughly weekly genealogy blog and event update email subscription page has been moved here.

Unfinished Stones

When encountering stones with incomplete inscriptions, don't automatically assume that the person with the incomplete inscription is actually buried there. It could be that they were buried somewhere else after the stone was set. They may even have remarried. Or they could be buried underneath the incomplete tombstone and the inscription was simply never completed.

Died Where They Were Buried?

Never assume that someone died in the city or county where they are buried. It's always possible that the person died in another city, county, or perhaps even another state.

And sometimes they are not even buried with their tombstone. Sometimes.

Can Daniel Turn Into Saul?

A Personal FindAGrave Suggestion--From Rootdig.com

We don't often share posts from other blogs here, but this one from Rootdig about FindAGrave may be helpful to some Tip of the Day readers.

August 2015 Allen County Library Research Trip

Those with an interest in a group trip in August of 2015 to the Allen County Public Library may wish to check out our announcement. Join me in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, for three days of research.

Don't Err When There is an Heir in the Air

In the United States, heirs are usually defined by state statute. The following scenario is usually true, but readers are referred to contemporary effective state statute for specific problems.

If Henry dies with three living children, Abraham, Barbara, and Charlotte, then they are his heirs. However, if Abraham had died before Henry and if Abraham had children of his own (Yolanda and Zebulon), then Henry's daughters Barbara and Charlotte and Henry's grandchildren Yolanda and Zebulon would be Henry's heirs.

Barbara and Charlotte's children are not heirs of Henry at this point in time as Barbara and Charlotte are still living.

Let's say that Henry only had one sibling, George, who never married and never had children.

George dies the day after Henry. Barbara, Charlotte, Yolanda, and Zebulon are Henry's George's heirs as well. And they are not George's children.

Heirs do not have to be children. They could be nephews, nieces, cousins, parents, etc.

Of course, Henry or George could write a will leaving their property to someone else entirely. That person would be their beneficiary or legatee--not their heir. Heirs can be disinherited, but they are usually referred to as heirs or heirs-at-law.

Don't assume heirs are children or descendants. What heirs are depends upon the family structure.

Greeting Cards as Clues

When my parents were married in 1967, they received a congratulatory card from Ola Howes. The name did not ring a bell to me and I concluded it was a former neighbor or a fellow teacher of my mother.

Upon asking Mom who Ola Howes was, I was told that "I don't know."

Years later in my research, I discovered that my paternal great-grandfather had a first cousin Ola (Baker) Howes (their mothers were half-sisters). She had apparently seen my parents' announcement in the paper and sent a card.

Are there genealogical clues hiding in old greeting cards?

Your Ancestor May Have Been Unaware...

Your ancestor may have had no idea of the "right" way to spell his last name. Correct spellings are a somewhat recent affectation for a variety of modern reasons. Even your literate ancestor may have been inconsistent in spelling his name--if the name "sounded" like his name it was his.

As a relative of mine once said (paraphrasing) "If doesn't matter if my wife calls me Janssen or Johnson. When it's time for supper ,I'll come in to eat no matter which name she uses."

Did the Cousins Change the Spelling?

For whatever reason, one branch of your family may choose to change the spelling of their name. Sometimes changes were done to hide ethnic background, to distinguish from connections with "unsavory" family members, or simply to avoid confusion.

One of my families immigrated to the United States in the 1850s and eventually used three different spellings in different branches of the family: Trautvetter, Troutvetter, and Troutfetter.

Do Communion Records Hold Clues for You?

Researchers often utilize records of baptisms, marriages, and funerals when accessing church records. Some churches may keep records of which members took communion. Appearing on that list can tell you dates when a person was alive and attending church-even if sporadically.

Your relative may even appear on a list of sick individuals who received communion, giving you another clue as well.

An Associate List

When interviewing a relative, consider asking them for names of people they remember and how they knew those people--neighbors, relatives, coworkers, people from church, etc.

Asking a person who they remember from work may help to jog their memory about other things and keeping a list (or a chart) of people your relative knew and "how they knew them" may come in handy later.

When interviewing, don't be too concerned about precisely how two people are related if the interviewee can't remember. You don't want to frustrate them and armed with a name you may be able to determine the relationship later.

Did Any Relative Apply for a Passport?

American passports in the early twentieth century provide significant genealogical detail, including in many cases information about the father of the applicant. Did your relative of interest have a sibling, aunt/uncle, or first cousin who applied for a passport? If so, there could be valuable clues hiding in their passport application.

There's More than War of 1812 Pensions

Fold3.com has added to their War of 1812 pension files--which can be searched for free on their site and which include images. But many servicemen did not live long enough to qualify for a War of 1812 pension. Researchers should also check if the servicemen have a completed bounty land claim application at the BLM site (by searching for warrants that were issued in the serviceman's name).

The BLM site does not contain images of the application--only the patent. The National Archives holds copies of the applications.

Organizing Genealogical Information Class-May 2015 Session

We've brought back this popular class for May 2015. Details are available here.

Why Can't It Be Found?

Many troubleshooting approaches to database usage focuses on the spelling of the relative's name and other details about the relative in the database.

Another approach is to look at the database itself--browse the images if possible. Does the database actually include the time period you need? Do certain dates or records appear to be missing? Does the "Frequently Asked Questions" page or "More About" page discuss how complete the records used to create the database actually are?  Is the database incomplete or "in progress." These are all reasons why the person of interest may not be located in the database no matter how many ways you spell the name.

Are you using search parameters correctly? Do you know how to use wildcard operators for the site?

Do You Know One Pitfall?

Every database, index, finding aid, etc. has one "pitfall." There may be a small portion of records that are missing. There may be a location whose name is spelled wrong in the database. The search screen may not work quite like other search screens you use. Every name listed on every record may not be in the index.

Being aware of pitfalls does not mean you are focusing on the negative. It means you are aware of the limitations of the finding aid.

And that makes you better able to use it appropriately.

Consider the Travel

A relative died in Illinois in February of 1888 and a newspaper account indicated that relatives from out of town attended the funeral a few days later. My search for those relatives started in relatively close proximity to where the relative died and was buried. After all, in February of 1888, those relatives from out of town probably didn't travel all that far if they were able to travel relatively easily to the funeral.

What Does It Index?

When using any "index" or finding aid, determine exactly what it indexes and what it does not. Ancestry.com recently released an index of records of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The index includes records of vital events. The actual digital images for some churches include confirmation records, communion records, family records and more.

Only using the index in this case is limiting.

If You Have...

We'll be starting my Mother's funeral as this blog post runs live. The timing is intentional. We all have relatives of whom we neglected to ask questions or otherwise probe for family genealogical information. 

If you have relatives who have pictures you've not identified, try and identify them now.

If you have relatives who have pictures or other ephemera you've not digitized, do that now. 

If you have relatives to whom you've not talked about the past, do that now.

If you have relatives who would consent to DNA testing, do that now.

That should be enough of a laundry list and probably is actually more than one tip. 

Recorded Late?

Documents are not necessarily recorded immediately after they are created. Deeds may be recorded decades after they were signed when it was realized they had not been recorded. Births may be filed in a series of "delayed" records. Wills are admitted to probate after the testator dies, not after the will is signed.

From Our Sponsor: GenealogyBank Offer

Special Offer Ends on 30 April!

Genealogy Tip of the Day is proudly sponsored by GenealogyBank. Explore what newspapers they have here. Or explore their obituary collection here!

Recorded Where it Happened

Vital records are recorded in the location where the event took place, not where the person was living. If the nearest hospital was in an adjacent county or state, that's where the birth will be recorded. If a parent was visiting a child out of state and passed away while travelling, that location is where the death certificate will be recorded. 

If you can't find a certificate for an even where the person was living at the time, consider that the event might have taken place elsewhere-at a hospital, nursing home, care facility, etc. 

Have You Tapped the Nursing Home

When my Mom was in the nursing home, my father met a 93-year old man whose memory was excellent. He knew details about just about everyone in the southern part of the county where I grew up.

If you can't find relatives to tell you stories or provide you with some information on your relatives, have you considered other older individuals--former neighbors, etc. who may know something that could help you?

Are Your Assumptions Coincidences?

I know two brothers who will buried next to each other--with their wives on the "outside." One may be tempted to conclude that the brothers purchased their cemetery plots the same day, but they did not. Be careful not to infer information that is not stated in the records. Adjacent burials mean that the burials are adjacent. The brothers could have purchased their plots the same day or one different ones.

The dates in this example aren't really key to any research conclusions, but sometimes we assume facts that are not in evidence. And sometimes assuming those facts hinders further research efforts--in addition to being plain wrong.