Michael John Neill's Genealogy Website
[from 22 August 2013] The word “negative” can be confusing when applied to evidence. Negative evidence is “evidence” because it is something we expected to find and did not. The word “negative” is used in the sense of “not finding evidence” that we expect to find. “Negative evidence” does not mean evidence that indicates something […]
After a hiatus, we are ready to resume distribution of Casefile Clues. You can get free copies following the directions below 2 free copies of Casefile Clues can be yours: Visit this link–hit “check out with PayPal” (you won’t be charged nor asked for a credit card) and enter your email address on the next page. It’s that […]
On 1 February 1868, William S. Newman assigned his interest in the estate of Belinda Newman to Jesse G. and Joseph O. Newman. The assignment doesn’t specifically indicate the relationship among the men, but they are all sons of Belinda Newman, who had recently died in Linn County, Iowa. The statement William S. Newman is witnessed by a […]
From: 27 July 2013. After my first onsite Flip-Pal scanning experience, here are a few suggestions: Have plenty of batteries. Have twice what you think you will need (and maybe more). Scan the backs of pictures if names are written on them. It’s faster than taking notes, gets information accurately, and gives you time for something else. […]
Current genealogical theory indicates that an exhaustive search should always be performed as a part of the research process. I say…look at everything. As mentioned earlier, Focke Goldenstein–an Adams County, Illinois, resident in 1880 and 1881 and who probably settled in Adams County, Illinois upon his immigration in 1873–naturalized in Knox County, Illinois. The question […]
The post on the “wrong” Bernard Dirks who naturalized in Woodford County, Illinois, in November of 1876, led to a discussion of how close the date of this Bernard’s registration was to the election date in 1876. In fact, the naturalization took place on 6 November 1876–the day before the election. Wouldn’t Bernard have to […]
We continue our discussion of the 1921 Kansas City death of Henry Goldenstein with the second and last mention of his death in his local newspaper: the Golden [Illinois] New Era. The newspaper account indicated that the Adams County, Illinois, doctors determined that Henry’s body showed no evidence of a gunshot wound but there apparently was […]
This is the fourth in a series of image from the 1807 estate sale list from Stephen Gibson of Stow, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. We’ll be posting the entire accounting (which is relatively short) and then a transcription of each image. We’ll post a transcription after we’ve run through the entire inventory. There are only two actual […]
Before I wrote this post, I had a preconceived notion about Focke Goldenstein never having actually having been a resident of Knox County, Illinois. As I wrote the post, I realized that given what I know about him between 1873 and 1880, he very well could have lived in Knox County during a significant part […]
When you’ve dreamed up a genealogical conclusion, you need to cite that dream. Here are some suggestions for citing dreams, visions, and conjurings. These can be modified to include interactions with zombies, tarot card readings, and leaves in the bottom of that cup of tea you had in the archives gift shop. We’ve decided to […]
