Tips

Here are some tips that we have sent out in our weekly tip email:
Tip for Mar 16: Dropping and Saving Bread Crumbs

I am in the middle of saving a digital copy of several original documents of my relatives. A few months ago I was looking at these documents and I was so excited to find new ancestors and record their information that I didn’t save a copy the first time. So now it is taking me more time to find the document again and save it. This week’s tip is to save yourself some time and not only document your sources but save a copy of the original source document all at the same time.

Tip for Mar 9: Ancestor Trading Cards

A great way to educate and interest younger children in their ancestors is to create ancestor trading cards. Put a picture and their name on one side and their birth, marriage and death information plus any interesting facts or quotes about them on the back. These can be laminated and trimmed so they can play fun games like “go fish” with them.

Tip for Mar 2: Genealogy Know-It-All

There is so much to know about genealogy research that it is impossible to know everything. But, you can learn about the majority of areas around the world where your ancestors lived. So don’t worry about what you haven’t learned because it is better to be a genealogy specialist rather than a genealogy know-it-all.

Tip for Feb 23: What is the Order

Records aren’t always filed in chronological order. They could be organized by location and then alphabetized. If you don’t find a record where you think it should be, check the filing system to be sure it isn’t listed somewhere else.

Tip for Feb 16: Double Check Yourself

We can all easily make mistakes. It pays to check your own research, especially numbers. Proofreading while you record the information can save yourself a lot of headache later.

Tip for Feb 9: Finding Photos

There are many photos that are available online and with relatives. Besides photos of ancestors, you might consider collecting photos of tombstones, churches, ancestral hometown or its landmarks, original documents like wills or military papers, ships or trains that they traveled on, and pictures of your ancestor’s tools of trade, such as blacksmith tools.

Tip for Feb 2: County Jurisdiction

The county is the most important jurisdiction to consider in locating marriage records, with the exception of towns in New England. Many counties and towns have marriage records beginning with their formation with some exceptions.

Tip for Jan 26: Oldest or Youngest?

In obtaining information from relatives, remember that sometimes the older children in the family may know more family details than the younger children. Be sure to ask all family members what they know, some members of your family may know more than the rest

Tip for Jan 19: Original verses Abstract

When writing for copies of records, always request a copy of the original record. Abstracts are not always created for genealogical purposes and may not include all the genealogically-relevant information.

Tip for Jan 12: Post a Query

A “query” is a message that tells other people which family lines you are researching. Online bulletin and message boards can be excellent places to post. In addition to posting your own query, you will want to check for queries that may have been posted by other people who are researching the same family line as you.

Tip for Jan 5: Source Double-Checking

When you are lucky enough to receive family history information that someone else has shared with you, it is a good idea to check the sources again. Occasionally mistakes are made and you don’t want to perpetuate them. It is worth the extra step to verify the information.

Tip forDec 29: Synonym Search

The tilde ~ can help you search not only for a particular keyword, but also for its synonyms. Put the (“~”) immediately in front of the keyword and it will look for that word and other words just like it.

Tip for Dec 22: Abbreviation Anxiety

Watch those abbreviations since search engines don’t convert them to the whole word. Instead it looks for pages which use that exact abbreviation. A common mistake is to use abbreviations for location names such as states.

Tip for Dec 15: Google Search Tip

If you are not sure of the year, but you have an approximate idea, do a number range search like the following: John Smith Pennsylvania 1901…1980 OR obituary 1920…1925

Tip for Dec 1: Church Records

Depending on the denomination, church records may prove helpful in searching for a birth, marriage and death date. In some cases the local church may have been the only one recording these milestones. The church may also have a cemetery associated with it where members were buried. Start looking for church records with the local congregation that your ancestor attended. Then check with regional church archives, church sponsored museums and universities.

Tip for Nov 24: Did They Reuse That Name?

In some areas, it was common to “re-use” names of children who had died. You may find a family with two children named Robert. If this is the case, most likely the first died before the birth of the second one.

Tip for Nov 17: Video Research Courses

Free Video Research Courses from familysearch.org. Learn the basic methods and key resources to start your family history. https://www.familysearch.org/learn/researchcourses

Tip for Nov 10: Web Searching Shortcut

Search thousands of genealogy web pages at once on Mocavo.com. Mocavo.com is now up and running. Try it out and see if you can find someone.

Tip for Nov 3: Fast Finding

As I have searched online genealogy databases or lists, I have found a faster way to look for my relatives. By pressing Control and the ‘F’ key at the same time, my browser will open up a find on page box. Then I can type in a name and go directly to every instance of that name on that page.

Tip for Oct 27: Nameless Obituaries

In years gone by there are a few obituaries for women that don’t include their name. It may be necessary to search for them by their husband’s names. Use both names in your searches through the obituaries so you won’t miss it.

Tip for Oct 20: Funeral Home Records

Funeral homes began providing services to families around the time of the end of the American Civil War. Funeral home records can have great information that includes the deceased’s birth date and place as well as death date and place and even other family members may be listed.

Tip for Oct 13: Check Each Level

We sometimes get locked into looking at just state records that we forget about national, city, and county records. Look for clues on each level of jurisdiction.

Tip for Oct 6: My “Now” Wife

In old wills occasionally you will see the phrase “my now wife.” It doesn’t mean he had to have been married twice. A man would use the phrase to make it clear that the bequest was going to the wife he had at his death just in case he remarried after making his will.

Tip for Sep 29: Why Was It Recorded

Keep in mind the reason that the record was made. Census records were to count people and birth records were to record a birth. Whoever made the record wasn’t worried about other information as much and it may not be correct. If you find a conflict in information, use the primary source record for that particular information

Tip for Sep 22: Genealogy Programs

Genealogy programs are an invaluable resource to keep all of your research data organized and retrievable. There are many different programs available that are very inexpensive or even free. Try some out and find one that you like. (For the Mac users, there are several new genealogy programs for you.)

Tip for Sep 15: Don’t Forget the Hard Stuff

Genealogy research has gotten so easy with all of the information that is available online that we sometimes forget that there are other records that are available. Even though I have been doing research for 40 years, I sometimes find myself thinking that if I can’t find an ancestor online then I stop looking. Don’t give up after an online search, check microfilm, order certificates, or search printed books. It isn’t as fast and as easy, but if it gets the job done then it is worth it.

Tip for Sep 8: More Than One Clue

It is very risky to assume that two people with the same name are the same person, even if it is an unusual name. Look for other clues to verify that they are the same person. If you can’t find any other clues, then make a note that it might not be correct and continue to research to see what you can find to prove or disprove it.

Tip for Sep 1: Check Sources

There are clues lying around all over the place, especially on-line. They are a gold mine, but be careful to check the original source before relying on it as the truth. It is worth the extra time to make sure it is right before you spend a lot of time climbing the wrong tree.

Tip for Aug 25: Get It Before It Is Too Late

Recently, one of my good friends told me his number one regret is that he didn’t sit down with his parents and get a record of their life stories. All he has of his father’s history is three paragraphs that he wrote many years ago. As you visit with relatives take the time to ask about and record their stories. I have been doing this with my Dad and recording it on a digital recorder. It was very easy and now I have some wonderful details that he didn’t have written down before. You won’t regret it.

Tip for Aug 18: Switch first and last names

If you can’t find your relative in a database, consider switching the first and last names. Occasionally the person indexing the database will mix up the first and last name.

Tip for Aug 11: Family Treasures

Check all your family members for family bibles, genealogies and histories, an excellent resource for family lineage. Sometimes the dates might not be exact but you can always correct them later after you obtain birth, death, marriage and baptism records. Ask around and see what you find.

Tip for Aug 4: File Folders Galore

To avoid piles of unorganized papers, you will need organizational tools. Here are some things that you can’t have too many of: file boxes with lids, colored hanging file folders, standard green hanging files, manila folders, pens, highlighters, labels for folders, dot or star stickers, lined paper, additional boxes to expand your storage, a carrying case to hold all of this in, and a wall size pedigree chart.

Tip for July 28: Keep Track

A Research Log is very important for organization and to use when you publish your work. It is a good idea to keep a log for each ancestor. When you obtain information, be sure to record specific source data so you won’t have to retrace your steps.

Tip for July 21: Have a Video Camera Handy

I just finished attending a family reunion on our Stevenson side. It was so wonderful to visit with everyone. There were a couple of events that I especially enjoyed it was where family stories and memories were shared. Fortunately I had my video camera and I recorded them so they can be preserved.

Tip for June 30: A Rose by Any Other Name

One of the hardest things to find is when someone changes their name. New immigrants sometimes changed names because the immigration official couldn’t hear the name pronunciation very well or it was hard to spell. Occasionally the name would be changed to and American version to make it easier to say.

Tip for June 23: Pension Pointer

If you are having trouble finding death information for an ancestor, check to see if they received a pension for their military service. A spouse may have received a pension after their death and it probably lists a death date. In the case of the Confederate states, Civil War pensions were given out by each individual state.

Tip for June 16: Dropping and Saving Bread Crumbs

I am in the middle of saving a digital copy of several original documents of my relatives. A few months ago I was looking at these documents and I was so excited to find new ancestors and record their information that I didn’t save a copy the first time. So now it is taking me more time to find the document again and save it. This week’s tip is to save yourself some time and not only document your sources but save a copy of the original source document all at the same time.

Tip for June 9th: Ancestor Trading Cards

A great way to educate and interest younger children in their ancestors is to create ancestor trading cards. Put a picture and their name on one side and their birth, marriage and death information plus any interesting facts or quotes about them on the back. These can be laminated and trimmed so they can play fun games like “go fish” with them.

Tip for June 2nd: Genealogy Know-It-All

There is so much to know about genealogy research that it is impossible to know everything. But, you can learn about the majority of areas around the world where your ancestors lived. So don’t worry about what you haven’t learned because it is better to be a genealogy specialist rather than a genealogy know-it-all.

Tip for May 26: What is the Order

Records aren’t always filed in chronological order. They could be organized by location and then alphabetized. If you don’t find a record where you think it should be, check the filing system to be sure it isn’t listed somewhere else.

Tip for May 19: Double Check Yourself

We can all easily make mistakes. It pays to check your own research, especially numbers. Proofreading while you record the information can save yourself a lot of headache later.

Tip for May 12: Finding Photos

There are many photos that are available online and with relatives. Besides photos of ancestors, you might consider collecting photos of tombstones, churches, ancestral hometown or its landmarks, original documents like wills or military papers, ships or trains that they traveled on, and pictures of your ancestor’s tools of trade, such as blacksmith tools.

Tip for May 5: County Jurisdiction

The county is the most important jurisdiction to consider in locating marriage records, with the exception of towns in New England. Many counties and towns have marriage records beginning with their formation with some exceptions.

Tip for April 28: Oldest or Youngest?

In obtaining information from relatives, remember that sometimes the older children in the family may know more family details than the younger children. Be sure to ask all family members what they know, some members of your family may know more than the rest.

Tip for April 21: Original verses Abstract

When writing for copies of records, always request a copy of the original record. Abstracts are not always created for genealogical purposes and may not include all the genealogically-relevant information.

Tip for April 14: Post a Query

A “query” is a message that tells other people which family lines you are researching. Online bulletin and message boards can be excellent places to post. In addition to posting your own query, you will want to check for queries that may have been posted by other people who are researching the same family line as you.

Tip for Mar 31: Source Double-Checking

When you are lucky enough to receive family history information that someone else has shared with you, it is a good idea to check the sources again. Occasionally mistakes are made and you don’t want to perpetuate them. It is worth the extra step to verify the information.

Tip for Mar 24: Synonym Search

The tilde ~ can help you search not only for a particular keyword, but also for its synonyms. Put the (“~”) immediately in front of the keyword and it will look for that word and other words just like it.

Tip for Mar 17: Abbreviation Anxiety

Watch those abbreviations since search engines don’t convert them to the whole word. Instead it looks for pages which use that exact abbreviation. A common mistake is to use abbreviations for location names such as states.

Tip for Mar 10: Google Search Tip

If you are not sure of the year, but you have an approximate idea, do a number range search like the following: John Smith Pennsylvania 1901…1980 OR obituary 1920…1925.

Tip for Mar 3: Church Records

Depending on the denomination, church records may prove helpful in searching for a birth, marriage and death dates. In some cases the local church may have been the only one recording these milestones. The church may also have a cemetery associated with it where members were buried. Start looking for church records with the local congregation that your ancestor attended. Then check with regional church archives, church sponsored museums and universities.

Tip for Feb 25: Did They Reuse That Name?

In some areas, it was common to “re-use” names of children who had died. You may find a family with two children named Robert. If this is the case, most likely the first died before the birth of the second one.

Tip for Feb 18: Who Was There?

On many records, such as marriage certificates, deeds, or land records, there are witnesses who signed them. Check to see if they are relatives. It wasn’t uncommon for someone in the bride’s family to be one of the witnesses for a marriage certificate. This can be the clue you need to verify that it is your ancestor.

Tip for Feb 11: Web Searching Shortcut

Search thousands of genealogy web pages at once on Mocavo.com. Mocavo.com is now up and running. Try it out and see if you can find someone.

Tip for Feb 4: Fast Finding

As I have searched online genealogy databases or lists, I have found a faster way to look for my relatives. By pressing Control and the ‘F’ key at the same time, my browser will open up a find on page box. Then I can type in a name and go directly to every instance of that name on that page.

Tip for Jan 28: Timelines – Life Maps

Using a timeline of your ancestor’s life is a visual method of organizing their whole life. Not only will you see patterns in families but you will also see gaps of missing data that you can search for and clues of where to look for it.

Tip for Jan 21: Witnesses can be Clues

Witnesses and other people listed on a certificate can give you additional clues about your ancestor. Sometimes they are close or distance relatives that will help you to connect families together now or in the future.

Tip for Jan 14: Official Census Date

Every census has an official census date when all the data is to be gathered by. That doesn’t mean that for your ancestor they were interviewed on that date. It probably happened a few days or weeks before. So don’t assume that if it lists a baby that is 3 months old that it was still exactly 3 months old by the official census date.

Tip for Jan 7: Widen Your Contacts

When you have hit a wall with an ancestor, visit with other genealogists that are searching in the same location. Pic their brains for what records are available in that locale. They may have found some records that you were unaware of and visa-versa.

Tip for Dec 31: Funeral Home Records

Funeral homes began providing services to families around the time of the end of the American Civil War. Funeral home records can have great information that includes the deceased’s birth date and place as well as death date and place and even other family members may be listed.

Tip for Dec 24: Check Each Level

We sometimes get locked into looking at just state records that we forget about national, city, and county records. Look for clues on each level of jurisdiction.

Tip for Dec 17: Piles of Pictures

While you are together for the holidays, ask all your family members to bring family picture albums. You never know what you might find on the back of an old photo. Or who might have something hiding in their attic, garage or basement that has long since been forgotten.

Tip for Dec 10: More Than One Clue

It is very risky to assume that two people with the same name are the same person, even if it is an unusual name. Look for other clues to verify that they are the same person. If you can’t find any other clues, then make a note that it might not be correct and continue to research to see what you can find to prove or disprove it.

Tip for Dec 3: Why Was It Recorded

Keep in mind the reason that the record was made. Census records were to count people and birth records were to record a birth. Whoever made the record wasn’t worried about other information as much and it may not be correct. If you find a conflict in information, use the primary source record for that particular information.

Tip for Nov 19: Family Treasures

Check all your family members for family bibles, genealogies and histories, an excellent resource for family lineage. Sometimes the dates might not be exact but you can always correct them later after you obtain birth, death, marriage and baptism records. Ask around and see what you find.

Tip for Nov 12: Don’t Forget the Hard Stuff

Genealogy research has gotten so easy with all of the information that is available online that we sometimes forget that there are other records that are available. Even though I have been doing research for 40 years, I sometimes find myself thinking that if I can’t find an ancestor online then I stop looking. Don’t give up after an online search, check microfilm, order certificates, or search printed books. It isn’t as fast and as easy, but if it gets the job done then it is worth it.

Tip for Nov 5: Check Sources

There are clues lying around all over the place, especially on-line. They are a gold mine, but be careful to check the original source before relying on it as the truth. It is worth the extra time to make sure it is right before you spend a lot of time climbing the wrong tree.

Tip for Oct 29: Switch first and last names

If you can’t find your relative in a database, consider switching the first and last names. Occasionally the person indexing the database will mix up the first and last name.

Tip for Oct 22: Family Treasures

Check all your family members for family bibles, genealogies and histories, an excellent resource for family lineage. Sometimes the dates might not be exact but you can always correct them later after you obtain birth, death, marriage and baptism records. Ask around and see what you find.

Tip for Oct 15: Extra Set of Eyes

Reading and understanding old documents is rarely easy. If you have a complicated document or record, ask someone else to examine it. Their opinion of what it says could unlock the truth and add valuable information to your genealogy.

Tip for Oct 8: Lost in Census

If you are not able to find someone on a census in a place where you think they should be, check their neighbors from prior census records and look up the neighbors. Then, when you locate the census page, search up and down for your person. Occasionally that will help you locate them

Tip for Oct 1: Tenacity

As you do genealogy research, sometimes information will fall right in your lap, while others may take years. This is very common and when you hit a brick wall, then set it aside and come back to it several months in the future. The clue you need might be available then. Be tenacious, but flexible.

Tip for Sep 24: Is It True?

There are several reasons why some of the information in records may not be true. For instance, a bride or groom saying they are older than they really are on their marriage documents. Or the person recording the name and date wasn’t careful and wrote it down wrong. Names were frequently spelled differently during the life of individuals that couldn’t read and write. It’s just something to be aware of when you have conflicting information

Tip for Sep 17: Name Variations

Sometimes the census taker would only list initials instead of first names. If you can’t find your ancestors in the census index by their first name, try looking under their initials. It just might be there.

Tip for Sep 10: Look For Banns

There are times when you can’t find a marriage certificate even though you are confident of where and when the marriage occurred. When this happens, try looking for the marriage intention notice (called “banns” in England) it would have been recorded a few weeks before the marriage. It just might give you the clues that you are looking for.

Tip for Sep 3: Genealogy Software

Genealogy programs are an important resource to keep your information organized. They make it very easy to track a great deal of information about your ancestors. There are many programs available for very little money and some are free. Make use of this valuable tool.

Tip for Aug 27: Name Variations

Sometimes the census taker would only list initials instead of first names. If you can’t find your ancestors in the census index by their first name, try looking under their initials. It just might be there.

Tip for Aug 20: Instantly Double Your Research Energy and Time

Two researchers are better than one! When you find researchers who share branches of your family tree, you can answer each other’s questions and fill in gaps in knowledge. A great way to find another relative is to post a query. A “query” is a message that tells other people which family lines you are researching. Electronic bulletin boards and message boards can be excellent places to post queries because they can reach a wide audience.

Tip for Aug 6:

A camera is a wonderful tool for genealogists. Many people will be more than happy to let you see their old pictures and documents but reluctant to let you have them to make copies. If you have a camera, you can take photos of them. If possible, lay them in full shade outside to get the best quality of picture.

Tip for July 30: Cemetery Calling Card

I got this tip from Michael Neill and thought it was a great idea. “If visiting a cemetery where your ancestor lived, consider leaving your name and address on an index card at the headstone you’ve been to visit. Put the card in a plastic baggie and use something (such as a rock, etc.) to keep it from blowing away. Don’t harm the stone in the process, but perhaps someone visiting the cemetery another day will find your baggie and contact you.”

Tip for July 23: What is the Order

Records aren’t always filed in chronological order. They could be organized by location and then alphabetized. If you don’t find a record where you think it should be, check the filing system to be sure it isn’t listed somewhere else.

Tip for July 16: Double Check Yourself

We can all easily make mistakes. It pays to check your own research, especially numbers. Proofreading while you record the information can save yourself a lot of headache latter.

Tip for July 9: Finding Photos

There are many photos that are available online and with relatives. Besides photos of ancestors, you might consider collecting photos of tombstones, churches, ancestral hometown or its landmarks, original documents like wills or military papers, ships or trains that they traveled on, and pictures of your ancestor’s tools of trade, such as blacksmith tools.

Tip for July 2: County Jurisdiction

The county is the most important jurisdiction to consider in locating marriage records, with the exception of towns in New England. Many counties and towns have marriage records beginning with their formation with some exceptions.

Tip for June 25: Oldest or Youngest?

In obtaining information from relatives, remember that sometimes the older children in the family may know more family details than the younger children. Be sure to ask all family members what they know, some members of your family may know more than the rest.

Tip for June 18: Original verses Abstract

When writing for copies of records, always request a copy of the original record. Abstracts are not always created for genealogical purposes and may not include all the genealogically-relevant information.

Tip for June 11: Post a Query

A “query” is a message that tells other people which family lines you are researching. Online bulletin and message boards can be excellent places to post. In addition to posting your own query, you will want to check for queries that may have been posted by other people who are researching the same family line as you.

Tip for June 4: Source Double-Checking

When you are lucky enough to receive family history information that someone else has shared with you, it is a good idea to check the sources again. Occasionally mistakes are made and you don’t want to perpetuate them. It is worth the extra step to verify the information.

Tip for May 28: Synonym Search

The tilde ~ can help you search not only for a particular keyword, but also for its synonyms. Put the (“~”) immediately in front of the keyword and it will look for that word and other words just like it.

Tip for May 21: Abbreviation Anxiety

Watch those abbreviations since search engines don’t convert them to the whole word. Instead it looks for pages which use that exact abbreviation. A common mistake is to use abbreviations for location names such as states.

Tip for May 14: Google Search Tip

If you are not sure of the year, but you have an approximate idea, do a number range search like the following: John Smith Pennsylvania 1901…1980 OR obituary 1920…1925.

Tip for May 7: Church Records

Depending on the denomination, church records may prove helpful in searching for a birth, marriage and death dates. In some cases the local church may have been the only one recording these milestones. The church may also have a cemetery associated with it where members were buried. Start looking for church records with the local congregation that your ancestor attended. Then check with regional church archives, church sponsored museums and universities.

Tip for April 30: Did They Reuse That Name?

In some areas, it was common to “re-use” names of children who had died. You may find a family with two children named Robert. If this is the case, most likely the first died before the birth of the second one.

Tip for April 23:

Free Video Research Courses from familysearch.org. Learn the basic methods and key resources to start your family history. https://www.familysearch.org/learn/researchcourses. Once you’ve collected family data, documents, and photos, it’s time to publish. Don’t wait until you’re “finished.” Although you may eventually want to write and publish a traditional book

Tip for Mar. 26: Web Searching Shortcut

Search thousands of genealogy web pages at once on Mocavo.com. Mocavo.com is now up and running. Try it out and see if you can find someone.

Tip for Mar. 19: Fast Finding

As I have searched online genealogy databases or lists, I have found a faster way to look for my relatives. By pressing Control and the ‘F’ key at the same time, my browser will open up a find on page box. Then I can type in a name and go directly to every instance of that name on that page.

Tip for Mar. 12: Nameless Obituaries

In years gone by there are a few obituaries for women that don’t include their name. It may be necessary to search for them by their husband’s names. Use both names in your searches through the obituaries so you won’t miss it.

Tip for Mar. 5: Funeral Home Records

Funeral homes began providing services to families around the time of the end of the American Civil War. Funeral home records can have great information that includes the deceased’s birth date and place as well as death date and place and even other family members may be listed.

Tip for Feb. 26: Check Each Level

We sometimes get locked into looking at just state records that we forget about national, city, and county records. Look for clues on each level of jurisdiction.

Tip for Feb. 19: Chronologies

(Here is a tip from Beverly Whitaker) Although most people think the purpose of a spreadsheet is to do mathematical calculations, I use them far more for indexing and to create my own research forms. I create chronologies for individual ancestors and for families, tracking their locations and events. I make columns of different width to accommodate these subjects: YEAR, EVENT, LOCATION, RELATIONSHIPS OR OTHER COMMENTS.

Tip for Feb 12: My “Now” Wife

In old wills occasionally you will see the phrase “my now wife.” It doesn’t mean he had to have been married twice. A man would use the phrase to make it clear that the bequest was going to the wife he had at his death just in case he remarried after making his will.

Tip for Feb 5: More Than One Clue

It is very risky to assume that two people with the same name are the same person, even if it is an unusual name. Look for other clues to verify that they are the same person. If you can’t find any other clues, then make a note that it might not be correct and continue to research to see what you can find to prove or disprove it.

Tip for Jan 29: Why Was It Recorded

Keep in mind the reason that the record was made. Census records were to count people and birth records were to record a birth. Whoever made the record wasn’t worried about other information as much and it may not be correct. If you find a conflict in information, use the primary source record for that particular information.

Tip for Jan 22: Genealogy Programs

Genealogy programs are an invaluable resource to keep all of your research data organized and retrievable. There are many different programs available that are very inexpensive or even free. Try some out and find one that you like. (For the Mac users, there are several new genealogy programs for you.)

Tip for Jan 15: Don’t Forget the Hard Stuff

Genealogy research has gotten so easy with all of the information that is available online that we sometimes forget that there are other records that are available. Even though I have been doing research for 40 years, I sometimes find myself thinking that if I can’t find an ancestor online then I stop looking. Don’t give up after an online search, check microfilm, order certificates, or search printed books. It isn’t as fast and as easy, but if it gets the job done then it is worth it.

Tip for Jan 8: Check Sources

There are clues lying around all over the place, especially on-line. They are a gold mine, but be careful to check the original source before relying on it as the truth. It is worth the extra time to make sure it is right before you spend a lot of time climbing the wrong tree.

Tip for Jan 1: Switch first and last names

If you can’t find your relative in a database, consider switching the first and last names. Occasionally the person indexing the database will mix up the first and last name.

Tip for Dec 18: Piles of Pictures

While you are together for the holidays, ask all your family members to bring family picture albums. You never know what you might find on the back of an old photo. Or who might have something hiding in their attic, garage or basement that has long since been forgotten.

Tip for Dec 11: Family Treasures

Check all your family members for family bibles, genealogies and histories, an excellent resource for family lineage. Sometimes the dates might not be exact but you can always correct them later after you obtain birth, death, marriage and baptism records. Ask around and see what you find.

Tip for Dec 4: File Folders Galore

To avoid piles of unorganized papers, you will need organizational tools. Here is a list that you can give Santa: file boxes with lids, colored hanging file folders, standard green hanging files, manila folders, pens, highlighters, labels for folders, dot or star stickers, lined paper, additional boxes to expand your storage, a carrying case to hold all of this in, and a wall size pedigree chart.

Tip for Nov 27: Keep Track

A Research Log is very important for organization and to use when you publish your work. It is a good idea to keep a log for each ancestor. When you obtain information, be sure to record specific source data so you won’t have to retrace your steps.

Tip for Nov 20: Get It Before It Is Too Late

Yesterday, one of my good friends told me his number one regret is that he didn’t sit down with his parents and get a record of their life stories. All he has of his father’s history is three paragraphs that he wrote many years ago. As you visit with relatives during this busy time of year, take the time to ask about and record their stories. You won’t regret it.

Tip for Nov 13: A Rose by Any Other Name

One of the hardest things to find is when someone changes their name. New immigrants sometimes changed names because the immigration official couldn’t hear the name pronunciation very well or it was hard to spell. Occasionally the name would be changed to and American version to make it easier to say.

Tip for Nov 6: Pension Pointer

If you are having trouble finding death information for an ancestor, check to see if they received a pension for their military service. A spouse may have received a pension after their death and it probably lists a death date. In the case of the Confederate states, Civil War pensions were given out by each individual state.

Tip for Oct 30: Timelines – Life Maps

Using a timeline of your ancestor’s life is a visual method of organizing their whole life. Not only will you see patterns in families but you will also see gaps of missing data that you can search for and clues of where to look for it.

Tip for Oct 23: Extra Set of Eyes

Reading and understanding old documents is rarely easy. If you have a complicated document or record, ask someone else to examine it. Their opinion of what it says could unlock the truth and add valuable information to your genealogy.

Tip for Oct 16: Dropping and Saving Bread Crumbs

I am in the middle of saving a digital copy of several original documents of my relatives. A few months ago I was looking at these documents and I was so excited to find new ancestors and record their information that I didn’t save a copy the first time. So now it is taking me more time to find the document again and save it. This week’s tip is to save yourself some time and not only document your sources but save a copy of the original source document all at the same time.

Tip for Oct 9th: Name Variations

Sometimes the census taker would only list initials instead of first names. If you can’t find your ancestors in the census index by their first name, try looking under their initials. It just might be there.

Tip for Oct 2nd: Ancestor Trading Cards

A great way to educate and interest younger children in their ancestors is to create ancestor trading cards. Put a picture and their name on one side and their birth, marriage and death information plus any interesting facts or quotes about them on the back. These can be laminated and trimmed so they can play fun games like “go fish” with them.

Tip for Sep 25th: Genealogy Know-It-All

There is so much to know about genealogy research that it is impossible to know everything. But, you can learn about the majority of areas around the world where your ancestors lived. So don’t worry about what you haven’t learned because it is better to be a genealogy specialist rather than a genealogy know-it-all.

Tip for Sep 18th: Look For Banns

There are times when you can’t find a marriage certificate even though you are confident of where and when the marriage occurred. When this happens, try looking for the marriage intention notice (called “banns” in England) it would have been recorded a few weeks before the marriage. It just might give you the clues that you are looking for.