Just for a matter of levity, but seriously folks this describes some of my
feelings toward my records of ancestors.
I kiddingly think my ancestors were a bunch of arsonists burning every court
house in every place they lived in!!
I particularly love the fourth and fifth one.
Enjoy
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
As genealogists, we are notorious for poking fun at ourselves. We joke about
our obsession with family history, our computer addiction, and about the
ploys our ancestors may have used to avoid our searches. But sometimes there
is a grain of truth hidden in these jokes, and if we really think about
them, we may discover a way around these truths.
1.My ancestors . . .
(A) Must have swum across because I can't find them in any immigration
records.
(B) Were deposited here by aliens.
(C) Were abducted by aliens.
So many times when we feel we have searched every record type, we may
believe there is a grain of truth in this joke, but it might just be that we
are looking in the wrong location.
For instance, if you have an ancestor who you have found record of in New
York City, you might be tempted to assume that he came into the country
through the Port of New York or Ellis Island. But your searches of New York
City or Ellis Island immigration records may be in vain. Knowing the history
of the area can help. Historically speaking, in some cases, it was cheaper
and more convenient to enter the United States via Canada and the St.
Lawrence; in fact, around 1850 it was actually encouraged.
2**The page of microfilm where your ancestor's name appears is unreadable
and appears to have been filmed after a five-martini lunch.
While it may be that the original filming of the document is the reason it
is unreadable, many microform copies are made from other microfilms and they
may be several generations removed from the original. For this reason, a
copy in one repository may be of better or worse quality than a copy in
another repository. Make a note of the film and page number, and when you
have the opportunity to visit another repository that has that film, you
might want to do a quick check to see if you have better luck there.
3.**The documentation you seek was . . .
(A) Onboard the Titanic.
(B) Burned in a courthouse fire.
(C) Eaten by a dog.
This is unfortunately often the truth. Records are often destroyed in fires,
floods, or natural disasters.
After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, most of the city's records were lost.
Many people had to reconstruct records in order to get their lives back in
order. Millions of records had to be re-recorded to prove land ownership,
citizenship status, or other life events. For this reason, a search of court
records in later years can often yield substantial results.
4.**The courthouse clerk who holds your grandfather's naturalization papers
has just been insulted by another genealogist.
This can all too often be the truth, and for this reason it is very
important for us to always be polite to the keepers of the records we seek,
no matter how frustrated we become. But sometimes we can change bad
impressions with a smile, a kind word, or a simple act of kindness. We will
catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
5.**You work for years to find the missing link in your family history. When
you finally find it and tell your family, Uncle George says, "Oh, I knew
that!"
This underlines the importance of interviewing all living family members
(I've tried interviewing the dead ones, but they don't always respond!).
Even if you had interviewed Uncle George, though, did you ask the right
questions? Many times those not familiar with genealogy may not realize the
significance of these tidbits. Let him know what exactly what information
will help you.
Did you let him know what information you have? Sometimes by showing him a
chart or a brief summary of what you know, he may be able to help you fill
in the blanks.
Have you kept him up to date with new information you have found? Sometimes
new information will help to jog his memory and bring to light new
information.
6.**You have finally located the marriage record for the John Smith in your
family, and you find that his wife's maiden name is Smith too.
7.**You know you are a genealogy addict when your dining room table has been
transformed into an office and the table has been pushed into a corner to
make more room for your files.
Hey, who's been peeking in my window?!
Debbie Jennings
debj(a)comsys.net
"Following the footprints through time"