What Type of Index?

If you do not know what type of index you are using, you cannot use it effectively. A defendants' index to court records typically only indexes the name of one defendant per court case. The same is usually true for a plaintiffs' index. Grantors indexes to deeds usually indexes the name of just one grantor. All of these records contain the names of other people in a variety of capacities. Most of the indexes to local records are not everyname indexes.

If you do not know what you are using, then how do you know how to use it?

Seeing What You Expect

When eating out recently with my parents, my dad thought he recognized a cousin of his and so he asked the lady if she was so-and-so and introduced himself. She acknowledged who she was and then, much to my surprise, said to him "I thought you looked like a Neill." I have never thought of my Dad as bearing much resemblance to his father's family as he bears a much stronger resemblance to his mother's family. Part of that for me is that my Dad's father passed away before I was old enough to even remember him.

The point of this tip is that it is easy to see in a document, a family relationship, or a research problem that which we are familiar or that which we expect to see. If my grandfather had lived as long as my grandmother, I might see him more in my father than I do and that reminds me that I always need to remember that there may be sometimes be clues in records that I'm not seeing because I am too busy looking for what I know to be there.

Frame Numbers

When using microfilmed copies of loose papers or un-numbered bound pages, look beyond the actual image and determine if frame numbers were inserted apart from the image. These frame numbers can serve as a "page" number so that the specific item can be referred to when creating a citation. Digital images made from microfilm may also include these frame numbers--assuming the original microfilming process included them in the first place.

Of course, if the documents have page numbers then use those in creating your citation.

Old Enough or Maybe Not

Don't assume your ancestor did not have military service because he was too young or too old. Young men lied about their age to enlist and some older men volunteered. And there's always the chance that the year of birth you have for your ancestor is incorrect.

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It May Be Common There

That last name that appears to be so uncommon in rural Iowa where your family settled may be extremely common in the little German village where the family originated.It may be common enough that one-third of the baptismal entries on every page contains a reference to that surname--either as the father's last name or the mother's maiden name.

What is rare in one place may be extremely common in another.

At What Stage?

When working on your "brick wall" ancestor, have you given serious thought to what stage of life they were in when they become your "brick wall?" Were they young and striking out on their own with no responsibilities? Had all their children grown up and left home moving several states away? Or did all their adult children live nearby? Were they a newlywed? Were they the only child living near aging parents?

Your relative did not live in a vacuum and, while people do occasionally "run off and never come back," most people behave relatively reasonably. Your disappearing ancestor may simply have left no records behind of certain periods in his life.

Help Someone

A coworker stopped me the other day and asked for suggestions on her early 19th century German immigrant ancestor. I began listing suggestions and asking her questions about what she knew. As soon as I got back to my office, I had three ideas for my own "brick wall" person I had put aside some time ago.

Sometimes just talking to someone else about their research problem or giving them some help gets you to thinking about your own problem. And, you've helped someone else with their research along the way as well.

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Write It!

As one of our tips aimed as "preserving your information" past you, we start with suggesting that you write up your research notes and conclusion on an ancestor or family and consider submitting that written "report" to the local historical or genealogical society where your ancestor lived. Some societies will consider publishing such items in their newsletter or quarterly publication or add them to their files. And always include citations for your sources.

Full or Half?

Many records make no distinctions between full and half-siblings. Is it possible that siblings you think are full siblings are half-siblings and someone was married before or had a previous relationship?

And there's always the chance that people referred to as siblings are actually step-siblings.

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Buyers at That Sale

If you are fortunate enough to have a list of people who purchased property at your ancestor's estate sale, consider locating those people in the decennial census before and after the sale. Where they were from or where they moved to may help you on your ancestor.

Purchasers at estate sales were usually neighbors or relatives of the deceased.

Have You Looked at a Map Recently?

For every location where you are researching, when was the last time you looked at a contemporary map?  Are you making assumptions based upon what you think is true about the local geography and political lines or what you know is true about the local geography and political lines.

Sometimes there is a difference between what you think and what is the reality of the situation.

New Area Means New Rules--Sometimes

When your research migrates to a new geographic area, remember that laws and cultural practices may be different even if the language is the same. As I begin working on my New England ancestry, I realize a little more each day that there are differences that, while minor, are significant enough that I need to learn more about the records of the region to avoid making incorrect interpretations.

Print

Is your handwriting a scribble that even you cannot read a few days or hours later? If so, then print when identifying pictures, taking research notes, writing down your conclusions and reasoning, etc. Why waste time trying to decipher your own handwriting when their original records you could be transcribing?

Not to mention that if you can't read your own writing, you may never realize what that brilliant idea was that you scribbled down!

What Other Records?

Whenever reviewing any document, think about what other records or materials that document might have caused to be created. A death certificate may mean a burial permit, a tombstone, an obituary, or a cemetery record. A court case involving an inheritance may be mentioned in the newspaper or have caused a deed to be recorded when the case was finalized.

Rarely is one document recorded in complete isolation.  

Don't Rely On Your Will

Occasionally I hear genealogists say "my will indicates that my papers are to go to..." and think that they've solved the problem of preservation.

There is a chance they haven't. Libraries and historical societies are not necessarily fond of boxes of unorganized papers and even organized materials that are unwanted and unsolicited may not be utilized or preserved in the way the donor intended. Even if they are wanted, the facility may not have the ability to store and maintain them. And probate judges, executors, and estate administrators are probably more concerned about paying bills, dealing with finances, and settling up property titles.

Consider ways to preserve your materials while you are still alive. We will be mentioning some ways in future tips, but don't think you've done your duty simply because you had a clause about "your genealogy papers" inserted in your will. That might not be enough.

Brand Records

Back in the days when livestock roamed free and ear tags were not in style for livestock, farmers would often register their brands (or ear notch) at the local courthouse. Frequently these brands would be recorded in the recorder's office, but it is possible that another office maintained the records. Each farmer would have a unique brand (or ear notch) which would be drawn in the book along with the ancestor's name. This was a way to identify the animal.

This would at least allow you to locate a person in a certain place at a certain point in time--if the records are still extant.

Hanging With the Group

The story was that Maryland native James Rampley and family moved to western Illinois in 1847 from Ohio and were the "only ones in their family to move west." Turns out that was woefully incorrect. James' aunt and his sister settled two counties over. Three of his first cousins settled within ten miles of him, he purchased his first Illinois property from another first cousin, and his grandchild married the grandchild of another first cousin. And his wife's nephew settled within a few miles of James' family.

If you're stuck look at those neighbors, there may be relatives "openly hiding" right next door.

Every Item in the Estate Inventory

Do you have an estate inventory for an ancestor with items you "have no clue" what they are? There may be clues to your ancestor's occupation or social status in those clues. And if there are not, you'll at least get an interesting history lesson in the process.

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Do You Quit Too Soon?

The entry at the top of this index page is for Thomas J. Rampley's estate settlement from Coshocton County, Ohio probate records from the 1820s-1830s. Thomas was the person of interest and I thought when I found him I was done with the index. There weren't supposed to be any other Rampley entries in the file as no one else died there.

At the bottom of the "R" section was an entry for James Rampley--son of Thomas. James had not died, but nearly ten years after his father Thomas died he was appointed guardian for two of his siblings. The entry was indexed in his name.

If I had quit looking at the entries after I found what I wanted, I would have missed this entry.

Know What the Index Covers

Before using any online, microfilmed, printed, digitized or handwritten index, determine what records were used to create the index and how complete that index is. If you don't know or cannot find out, ask.

Indexes are great and they do contain errors since they were compiled by humans, but if you don't know what records it includes, or more importantly, what records it does not include, how can you use it effectively?

Is there an index you use regularly but have never questioned? Might be a good idea.

Churches Where They Were Not Members

My great-grandmother was a sponsor of her aunt's baby in 1905. The baptism took place in a church where my great-grandmother was not a member and in a town where she never lived. Had I not been working on the "entire family," I would not have located the reference. Was it crucial to my search? No. But someone's name appearing in a record means that they are alive on a certain date and there are times where that is a big clue all by itself.

Don't Force the Household

In pre-1880 United States census records, the relationship of household members to the head of household is not given. The individuals living in a household may be husband, wife, and their children. Or it may be husband, wife, some of his children, some of her children, and some of theirs. Or it one of the youngsters in the household may be a nephew or niece.

Or it may be something else. Just do not always make the assumption that every pre-1880 household is a husband, wife, and their children. It may not be.

What Burials Are in the Same Spot?

Years ago, I called a cemetery to ask about the burial of my wife's aunt. After the lady who answered the phone gave me the information, she asked me if I wanted the details on the 5 other burials in the family plot. The others were all children or children-in-law of the aunt. I thanked her profusely for helping me.

Try and avoid asking about just one person when you contact the cemetery. Those buried in the same plot or set of lots frequently are relatives.

Church Records Are More than Baptized, Married, and Buried

Some churches keep records besides the "big three." There may be communion rosters, confirmation lists, registers that summarize information on families that attend the church, lists of members received into the church, lists of members removed from the church, etc. The amount of detail varies among denominations, but make certain you have seen as much as you can.

There may be a situation where the appearance of a name on a roster is just a big of a clue as what is in the church's marriage register.

Was There a Court Battle After the Death?

Even if you find a probate file in the records of the probate court for your ancestor, a search of other court records should still be conducted for any other court action involving the estate. It is possible that even if there was a probate case, heirs had a disagreement that was handled in a civil court or court of equity outside of the probate court. That case could contain an entirely separate series of records.

Did They Leave One Behind?

If your ancestors moved or immigrated with their children, is it possible that an older child stayed behind without making the journey with his or her parents? The oldest child in a family may have been married or gainfully employed when his or her parents decided to move. Sometimes these children would eventually settle where their parents did, but often they did not.

One relative and his three youngest children moved from upstate New York to Chicago in the very early 1900s. His two oldest daughters remained in New York. Don't assume the entire family moved together.

Libraries In Your Area

When was the last time you asked to see what sources your local library may have that could assist you with your research? Do they have subscriptions to any genealogical or academic databases that you have not used? Is there a public university or community college nearby that may subscribe to "academic journals" that  may provide background information for your research?

Libraries near you may be able to help even if all your ancestors lived hundreds of miles away.

Not In the Newspaper?

If you are relying on a search of newspapers to find a marriage announcement, be careful. Even if it appears that "every" marriage from the county was published in the county seat newspaper, not all were. It is not unheard of to see "do not publish" written on an entry in the marriage register, an apparent indication that news of the ceremony was not to be put in print.

Did They Need Permission?

A bride or groom who was under the age of consent would need the permission of their parent or guardian to get married, particularly if they married where everyone knew their approximate age. A notation of parental consent will indicate the person was under age. That consent may take the form of a letter or simply a notation "mother's consent." Notations may make no mention as to the name of the parent giving consent. The clerk is concerned that the parent gave consent and was not necessarily concerned with leaving a record of their name for posterity.

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It's Not Just the Words That Are In a Foreign Language

Remember when reading documents in a foreign language that the words are not the only thing that may be "foreign." The script may be as well. Interpreting and reading foreign language documents requires a knowledge of the language and the handwriting. It can be done, but there is a learning curve.