Genealogy tip 22—Events create records in ancestry research.
Being a history researcher comes with the need to learn and understand how to research records, find the key information and develop a plan that will take you to all available information. Through the years, I have had the pleasure of conducting historical and genealogy research throughout the United States and Europe. Every time I conduct research in a new location, I feel like I have to learn/relearn how to conduct historical research. Why? I need to learn where the records are kept, what is available, develop a plan of how to research this location and so much more. I have written a series of Genealogy Tips to introduce you to what I consider to be the most foundational skills I use over and over. In this article, I want to share Genealogy Tip 22: Events Create Records.
Genealogy Tip Series
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Genealogy Tip 22: Events Create Records in Ancestry Research
The most important concept I learned about searching for records is to think of events, not records. Rather than searching only for birth or death certificates, ask yourself what other types of records the event would generate in the period that the event took place.
For example, in the case of my birth, there was an announcement in the paper, a baby shower, a baby book, a birth certificate, a record of my Church blessing, hospital records, and, later, a one-year-old picture in the local paper.
In the case of my mother’s death, there were cemetery and sexton records, a funeral book, funeral home records, hospital records, memorial cards, an obituary, a video of the funeral services, and her will.
The following important concept I learned was to search the records of siblings. Think about the families. When I have not been able to find any information in my family’s vital (birth, marriage, divorce, death) records, I have usually been able to find the information or clues needed in the vital records of the siblings of the ancestor I am researching.
Use multiple sources to correlate information
Never take anything at face value. Finding your ancestor’s name does not guarantee to find the correct ancestor. Remember that nothing is genuinely fact until you can back it up using more than one resource. When searching multiple sources, I found the records I needed in the same location or area where my ancestor lived. Always ask yourself, what records were created in this location when my ancestor lived here?
Learn what resources contain the needed data to further your research (or to document data) and where they are available such as in societies (genealogy and historical) and libraries (public, college, private, and governmental). Census, birth, marriage, divorce, death, probate, land, school, military, fraternal, and obituaries are all records that can contain similar data—names, dates, places, family structure, and names of family members. Some might be easily found and available, and others might require travel costs or other fees. Start with the closest and most economically available records.
Searching multiple resources often reveals family relationships and personal information that, when viewed collectively, provide a complete picture of the family and its members. For example, when I go to cemeteries, I always take a camera and a tape or digital recorder. I have often found places where there are graves of children who may have only lived a few days or months and were never listed in census records, or perhaps other family members did not know of or forgot about. Sometimes the child will be buried by parents but not listed in family records, and visiting the cemetery is the only way you would know of their existence.
Additional Articles on BeginMyStory.com
The following are other articles you may enjoy to help you find history and genealogy records.
- QuickStart Beginners Guide to Ancestry Research
- Introduction to Ancestry Research and Historical Records
- 7,500-plus Questions About Life to Ask People When Writing Narratives
- 1950 U.S. Census Research Guide for Beginners
- 4 Easy Steps to Google American Ancestry
- Preparing to Easily Google Ancestor Records
- Complete Guide for Conducting Oral History Interviews
- How to Get Great Google Search Results in Ancestry Research
- 9 Advanced Google Search Strategies to Trace Ancestors
- What It’s Like to Start Ancestry Research
- Search sites like FamilySearch.org, Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com
