It was supposed to take five minutes to conduct a search of the 1860 census at on  Ancestry.com for a few Trautvetter relatives in Kentucky. I had my list of alternate spellings and renderings. Frautvetter is a reasonable transcription variation and it was on my search list. Then I got confused. Frautvetter and Frautfetter (with the Soundex […]

I need to start keeping a list. I wasted fifteen minutes trying to search the 1870 census at FamilySearch by counties and towns until I remembered: the 1870 census at FamilySearch does not include in the searchable databaseany geographic information smaller than the state That precludes me from searching by counties, townships, etc.  That inflates my search […]

I’ve used FindAGrave memorials for hundreds of relatives throughout my research (generally only for tombstone image). I don’t contact every submitter for every photograph or every memorial creator. There simply isn’t time. While I do appreciate the work of those who have taken pictures (and I’ve taken some myself), it does not seem like a […]

Images of genealogical records can be obtained from a variety of sources. It’s important to know how something was located. Knowing where “you really got something” isn’t just so that you can source it later–although that is important. It’s not just so you can analyze it later–although that is important as well. It’s also so […]

It’s always advised to look at the original. The entry for Charles Gropp in FamilySearch‘s “Ohio, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1977” is an excellent reason why. The index entry indicates that the 49-year old had a “naturalization” in 1868 in Coshocton, County, Ohio.  That’s not quite what Charles Gropp did on 27 November 1868. What he did […]

It’s nearly impossible to get past through the entry page at at  AncestryDNA without seeing their banner to make your “Ancestry Player” card. I went ahead and made my little card, although where they pulled this ancient picture of me from is anyone’s guess. My “ethnic background” was pulled for my “stats” on the card: 57% Great […]

I may not be unusual, but I have a fair number of “double cousins.” These relationships are in my database, most of the relatively recent ones are “in my head”  and I can easily use my database to confirm what they are, but I’m starting to think that I need to keep a list of […]

I’ve mentioned it before, but it bears repeating: Work to preserve your genealogical information while you are alive–do not expect your descendants to do it for you. You can tell them what to do with it when you are dead. But when you are dead, dead is what you are and they will do as […]

Orville Merton Kile said in 1958 what many genealogists would love to say today when he explained why his book lacked an index: “Those who use the book as a part of the research for ancestors can well afford the relatively few hours necessary to read the entire book and gain a general picture of […]

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