While practices can vary, real estate property leases are typically not recorded in the United States. Copies of the lease are kept by all parties involved. If there was an issue with the lease itself or a need to legally enforce the terms of the lease, the records of the resulting court case may include a copy of the lease or mention its terms. If one of the parties involved died while the lease was still in effect, the lease may be recorded in their probate case file. One ancestor was renting property when he died in Illinois in 1877 and that agreement was included as evidence in his estate settlement. In another case there was a disagreement over the terms and the lease was recorded as evidence. […]
The early-19th century will of John Tinsley in Amherst County, Virginia, clearly indicated which child was to receive which piece of property. This was located early in my research when I did not know too much about records. For years I only used the will in my research. Later I discovered there was an accounting of all the receipts and disbursements that provided more information on a few of the children and better glimpse into the family’s financial state.
If possible, interview as many family members as you can about a specific event or their entire family history. Individuals who are significantly older than their siblings may remember relatives that younger ones do not. Even siblings close in age may recall different details of events or, for one reason or another, have a different perspective. Those who lived with or near their parents or extended family their entire lives may have more stories than those who moved away after growing up.
I am always a little hesitant to write about grammar, because it’s not really my thing. But we will give it a go here because these words are often used in genealogical materials and legal items. Their use is much less frequent today, especially in a non-academic setting. Old newspapers and obituaries often contain the abbreviation viz. Some genealogists wonder exactly what viz means, so in this tip we will look at three abbreviations that often are confused. Our discussion of them is not in regards to modern usage because we are generally talking about materials written or published before 1900. The reality: James Jones was born in Harford County, Maryland and his wife was born in Smith County, Ohio. They were married in Smith County, Ohio, in 1830. James […]
When using land records, always note the consideration listed on the document in addition to the real property being transferred. The “consideration” was what was given in exchange for real property. Token amounts ($1, a few shillings, or some similar value) may suggest a relationship between the parties. “Love and affection” or some phrasing indicating a personal connection between the seller and the buyer may also be stated. Small consideration amounts compared to other deeds for similar properties may also suggest a connection between the parties involved.
Generally speaking, a “reasonably exhaustive” search is one that searches for every record that a genealogist, familiar with and experienced with records in the time and place of the problem, would search in an attempt to answer the question at hand. It does not always mean to look for every scrap of paper ever created that could mention the ancestor. For the most part (with exceptions), I’ve usually done this–sometimes using a more extreme approach I call “brute force” genealogy which means look for EVERYTHING that could possilby mention the ancestor’s name. Of course not all records are created equally—some are more credible than others. It’s up to the researcher to decide which records to give credence to, which ones to take with a grain of salt, and […]
To learn more about your ancestor’s employer as given in a city directory, search the rest of the city directory as it may include advertisements placed by the employer or list them in a list of area businesses. Either type of reference could provide additional information about the employer, where it was located, when it was in operation, etc. Consider performing a Google search for the name of the business and search local and regional histories as well, many of which have been digitized at Google Books (http://books.google.com) or Archive.org (http://www.archive.org). Newspapers from the area may also have included more information about the employer.
There were several migration trails across the United States beginning with the earliest days of settlement. Those trails are important and researchers need to be aware of them. However some people don’t exactly follow the trails. And some people are part of a group of migrants connected by ethnicity, religion, or other shared social bonds who move together over decades. These longer, smaller, and more personal migrations are often referred to as migration chains. There are a variety of records that can provide clues as to such migration chains, including: Such records have given me evidence of migration chains, including: Genealogy Tip of the Day book is here. Learn more about it.
There is no date listed for the estate sale of Thomas J. Rampley in Coshocton County, Ohio. However, a review of other materials recorded with that estate sale suggested the date of the sale was August or September of 1823. The precise date was not crucial to my personal research, but if it had contained the last reference to Christianna Rampley, Thomas’ wife, then it would have been. Because I inferred the date of the sale from other records, I need to include that reasoning somewhere when I use it. That’s what was done on the image that is a part of this post. My citation is not perfect (it’s missing the date I downloaded the image), but other key elements are there even if the format and […]
I was chatting on Facebook with a fellow genealogist about one of our common families. Our discussion got me to thinking about a relative I’ve not researched in a while and I decided to start searching passenger lists for this person using what I could remember about the deceased ancestor off the top of my head. Mistake. Big mistake. Changing gears and working on a person or a family you have not researched in a while is a great way to make headway–a fresh start works wonders. But go back and review the information that has been located already. Don’t research based on details you remember “off the top of your head.” Chances are there are details that are remembered incorrectly and searching based on those details can waste […]
Broadly speaking, genealogists can put sources in one of three categories: This classification scheme is not perfect. No scheme is perfect. This classification scheme does not comment on the accuracy of the record. That’s the job of the researcher as some original sources are virtually worthless and some derivative sources are excellent. Thinking about what type of source you have in your possession helps you to think about how accurate it could be and the limitations that it might have. For more about record classification and analysis, consult Evidence Explained.
This presentation will cover an overview of research in Illinois, including: state resources, local resources and records (including an overview of typical courthouse records created in Illinois—land, court, probate, and vital), and records access. Additionally statewide research facilities and an overview of their collections and materials will be discussed. Also included will be a brief discussion of searching the FamilySearch catalog and accessing and using various websites of state agencies and organizations. A general methodology for accessing records in Illinois will also be included. The presentation will be approximately 90 minutes in length. Handout with links to various websites discussed will be included. Michael John Neill is an Illinois native and the eighth generation in one family line to have lived in Illinois. He has actively researched […]
For years I operated on the belief that the maiden name of an ancestor was Dunaway. I had never seen it written on an actual record. The first reference to the name I remember seeing was on a family group chart someone compiled years ago with no indication of a source listed. I obtained the chart very early in my research long before I knew the importance of source citing and evidence analysis. The name had simply been copied and copied over and over as the maiden name for my 4th great-grandmother. That meant it had to be correct, didn’t it? That repetition had to mean something. It does mean something. It means it has been repeated. The first time I saw it written down on an actual […]
This presentation will be example-based only and it will be assumed you have a working knowledge of how to use the full-text search at FamilySearch (order that presentation for $30—download immediate). We will look at examples (ones not discussed in the original presentation) and follow a consistent process and methodology to maximize the chance that we find what’s available for the individuals in question. It’s important to leverage all you know about an ancestor combined with the power of full-text search—we will focus on: family members, migrations, and known events and relationships. Our approach is systematic—we avoid the rabbit hole approach that can make full-text searches inefficient. Released. Pre-orders have been sent. Regular price $28.
While DNA passes from parent to child, each child only gets half of each of their individual parent’s DNA. Consequently, as a lineage is worked back in time, there will be ancestors in your genealogical tree with whom you might not share any DNA. It doesn’t mean that the ancestor is not your ancestor. It simply means that their DNA did not makes it’s way all the way down to you. While DNA is microscopically small, there’s only so much your body needs. Some suggest (for example, Blaine Bettinger in his The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy) that once a lineage is traced back to the 4th great-grandparents that there are paper genealogy tree ancestors with whom you do not share DNA. That’s why you […]
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