Mastering Genealogy: An In-Depth Guide to Researching Family History

1. GenealogyOctober 20, 2005 More than Who and When Include Where and Why Tell a story

2. Rules of the Game • Play detective • Search for clues • Evaluate the meaning of the clues • Are they telling you the truth or leading you down a false trail and wrong conclusions • Document what you learn

3. Evaluating InformationOriginal vs. Derivative Sources • Original Source: one that contributes written, oral, or visual information not derived from a prior written record or oral communication. • Derivative Source: one that contributes information which was copied, transcribed, abstracted, summarized, or repeated from information in a previously existing source.

4. Original Sources: Original will Microfilm census record Birth certificate original document Derivative Sources: Clerk’s transcription of will Indexed list of census entries Registrar’s certified transcription of birth certificate Examples of Original vs. Derivative Sources

5. Evaluating InformationPrimary vs. Secondary Information • Primary:A statement about an event or situation that is (a) made orally or in writing by a knowledgeable participant or eyewitness; or (b) made in writing by an official charged by law, canon, or bylaws with creating an accurate record of the matter. • Secondary: A statement made orally or in writing by someone who was not/is not (a) a knowledgeable participant in or eyewitness to the matter; or (b) was not/is not an officially appointed recorder of the information.

6. Primary Information: Original birth certificate Official marriage license Death certificate on file at county recorder Original will Original property deed Secondary Information: Family bible Compiled family history Obituaries On-line genealogical forums Examples of Primary vs. Secondary Information

7. Evaluating InformationDirect vs. Indirect Evidence • Direct Evidence:A statement, when taken as a whole, includes essentially all details needed to reach a conclusion – it does not require additional information to explain its meaning. Direct evidence: • Specifically establishes a certain fact. • Can be incorrect. • Indirect Evidence: Derived from information statements that are incomplete; additional information is needed before a conclusion can be reached. Indirect evidence: • May be correct or incorrect.

8. Frank Wolf birth certificate Primary information Original source Direct evidence But – is all the information correct? Isidor Wolf – Maria Lowi marriage Primary information Original source Direct evidence Evaluating InformationExample

9. Evaluating InformationExample - continued

11. DocumentationThe hardest part of genealogy • Citations – identify the source of the information • Forms – used for recording information • Reports – used for presenting information

12. CitationsWhere did you find this? • The standard for documentation:Elizabeth Shown Mills, Evidence! Citation and Analysis for the Family Historian (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1997) • Books – Author, title, publisher, date published • Microfilm – film or fiche number & location of film • Verbal – person, location, date • For ALL: repository where information was found

13. Document as you go Remember: undocumented genealogy is mythology.

14. Pedigree Chart – represents the blood line of an individual Numbering: The individual is #1, The father is double the number of the child, the mother is one higher than the father A typical chart has room for 4 generations – 15 people A chart includes vital events: births, marriages, deaths Forms

16. More Forms • Family Group Sheet – each sheet represents one family unit: father, mother, all children • Lists vital information for all individuals (BMD) • 1 sheet/family unit – each married child has his/her own family group sheet • Portable – take to library or FHC

18. Still More Forms • Research Log – don’t repeat the same search over and over • A separate log for each individual or surname • Date, source consulted, location, results • Include negative results

19. Reports • Descendant Tree – Outline Form • Descendant Tree – the traditional family tree • Ancestor Tree – similar to a pedigree chart • Genealogy Report

20. You Your immediate family Parents Siblings Children Grandchildren Work backwards in time and sideways Aunts & uncles Cousins and their families The Starting Point

21. Only a genealogist regards a step backwards as progress.

22. Genealogy goes on . . . • and on . . . • and on . . . • and on . . . • and on . . . • and on . . .

23. Sources of Information • Census data • Immigration data • Wills & probates • Property & land deeds • Tax records

24. Additional Sources • Birth Certificate • Marriage Certificate • Child’s Birth Certificate • SSDI • Death Certificate • Obituary

25. US Census Information • 1790 - Present • Prior to 1850 • Name of head of household only • Number of free, white males/females – grouped by age ranges • Total other household members • 1850 – 1930 • All individuals listed by name • Relation to head of house (starting in 1880) • Sex, age, birthplace, occupation • Birthplace & language of father/mother (some years)

26. Old genealogists never die; they just lose their census

27. Evaluate Census Information • Primary information • made in writing by an official charged by law with creating an accurate record of the matter • Part original source, part derivative source • Microfilm of document is original source • Index is derivative – created by organization providing the document to simplify searches • Indirect evidence • Needs additional information to be conclusive

28. 1920 Census Max Eisen – age 32 Parents born in Austria Wife – Gertie – age 27 Parents born in Sweden Children: Harry – age 4 Dorothy – age 2 Raymond – age 1 1930 Census Martin Eisen – age 40 Parents born in Austria Wife – Frieda – age 33 Parents born in Russia Children: Roslyn – age 14 Florence – age 10 Howard – age 1 Example

30. Doing Research • In the field • On the Internet

31. Research in the Field • Library of Congress – Washington DC www.loc.gov • Mormon Family History Library – Salt Lake City www.familysearch.com • Allen County Library – Ft. Wayne, IN • NARA – Nat’l Archives & Records Admin. – 34 facilities: census records, military records, passenger lists, naturalization petitions, land grants, etc. • Cemeteries

32. Genealogy is the only hobby where dead people can really excite you

33. Local Research • LDS Family History Centers: Oakland, Concord, Danville • NARA – San Bruno • CA Genealogical Society Library – Oakland • Sutro Library (CA State Library) – San Francisco • Heritage Rm @ Pleasant Hill Library – Pleasant Hill

34. County Records • Births, marriages, deaths • Probated wills • Real estate records – land grants, homesteads, etc. • Tax records • Contracts • Lawsuits • Naturalization & citizenship • Name changes • etc

35. The Problem

36. Finding The Right County • AniMap County Boundary Historical AtlasEvery county boundary change in US since 1634 • Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries • George B. Everton, Sr., The Handy Book for Genealogists • Ronald V. Jackson, Encyclopedia of Local History and Genealogy: U.S. Counties • Joseph Nathan Kane, The American Counties: Origins of Names, Dates of Creation and Organization Data, and Published Sources

37. Internet Research

38. Internet Research • Cyndi’s List (www.cyndislist.com) - genealogy searches • Professional sites (fee-based) • ancestry.com • genealogy.com • godfrey.org – Godfrey Memorial Library • heritagequest.com • mytrees.com

39. More Internet Research • Free Genealogy Web Sites: • LDS Family Search – familysearch.org • CA State Sutro Library – lib.state.ca.us • CA Genealogical Society – calgensoc.org • New England Historic Genealogical Society – nehgs.org • Ellis Island – ellisislandrecords.org • Social Security Death Index – ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi • Steven Morse one-step searches – stevemorse.org

40. Additional Web Sites • State Archives: from the Ancestry.com web site • www.ancestry.com/learn/library - click on daily news desk – the Oct 3, 2005 article has links to all states • Obituaries • Library web sites

41. All About Dates • Julian Calendar • Established by Julius Caesar in 45 BC • Year was 365 days & 6 hours long (a leap year every 4 years) • Year began on March 25 • Problem – calendar did not match nature – 11 minutes too long, gaining 1 day every 128 years • Gregorian Calendar • Pope Gregory XII created Gregorian Calendar adopted by Catholic countries in 1582 • Year began on January 1 • Added 10 days to compensate for error in length of year in the Julian calendar: October 4 followed by October 15

42. More About Dates • England & The Colonies • Adopted the Gregorian Calendar 170 years later (in 1752) • By now discrepancy was 11 days • By decree of English Govt. Sep. 2 was followed by Sep. 14 • George Washington: born Feb. 22, 1732 • Sweden adopted it in 1753 • Russia remained on Julian Calendar until 1917 • Greece and Eastern Orthodox Churches changed in 1923

43. Genealogy Programs • The Master Genealogist 6.01 ($59) – powerful • Legacy Family Tree 5.0 ($20 or $30 with book) • Family Tree Maker 10.0 ($ 29.95) – popular • RootsMagic v2 ($29.95) – easy to use • Brother’s Keeper - shareware • Personal Ancestral File 5.2.18 (LDS program) – free download NOTE: all programs SHOULD be able to export files in the GEDCOM (GEnealogical Data COMmunication) format.

44. Example of Genealogy Program

45. Beware the Genealogy Bug It’s bite can be addictive