GenealogyGenealogyOctober 20, 2005

More than Who and WhenInclude Where and Whyy

Tell a story

Rules of the Game

Play detectiveSearch for cluesEvaluate 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

Evaluating InformationEvaluating InformationOriginal vs. Derivative Sources

Original Source: one that contributes written, oral, or visual information not derived from a prior written record or oralinformation not derived from a prior written record or oral communication.

Derivative Source: one that contributes information which was i d ib d b d i d d fcopied, transcribed, abstracted, summarized, or repeated from

information in a previously existing source.

Examples ofExamples of Original vs. Derivative Sources

Original Sources: Derivative Sources:Original willMicrofilm census record

Clerk’s transcription of willIndexed list of censusrecord

Birth certificate original document

Indexed list of census entriesRegistrar’s certified transcription of birth certificate

Evaluating InformationEvaluating 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.

Examples of Primary vs SecondaryPrimary vs. Secondary

Information

Primary Information: Secondary Information:Original birth certificateOfficial marriage

Family bibleCompiled family historyObit iOfficial marriage

licenseDeath certificate on file

ObituariesOn-line genealogical forums

at county recorderOriginal willO i i l t d dOriginal property deed

Evaluating InformationEvaluating 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 pbe reached. Indirect evidence:

May be correct or incorrect.

Evaluating InformationEvaluating InformationExample

Frank Wolf birth certificatePrimary information

Isidor Wolf – Maria Lowi marriagePrimary information

Original sourceDirect evidenceBut is all the information

marriagePrimary informationOriginal sourceDirect evidenceBut – is all the information

correct?Direct evidence

Evaluating InformationEvaluating InformationExample - continued

Wolf/Lowi wedding Frank Wolf birth

Date of event 8/25/1895 6/27/1905

Izidor Wolf’s age 26 32

Maria Lowi’s age 28 31

Documentationocu e tat oThe hardest part of genealogy

Citations – identify the source of the informationForms – used for recording informationReports – used for presenting information

CitationsCitationsWhere did you find this?

The standard for documentation:Eli b h Sh Mill E id ! Ci i d A l iElizabeth Shown Mills, Evidence! Citation and Analysis for the Family Historian (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1997)g )Books – Author, title, publisher, date publishedMicrofilm – film or fiche number & location of filmVerbal – person, location, dateFor ALL: repository where information was found

Document as you goDocument as you go

Remember: undocumented genealogy is mythology.g gy y gy

Forms

Pedigree Chart – represents the blood line of an individualN b iNumbering:

• The individual is #1, • The father is double the number of the child, the mother is one

higher than the fatherA typical chart has room for 4 generations – 15 peopleA chart includes vital events: births, marriages, deathsg

More Forms

Family Group Sheet – each sheet represents one f il i f h h ll hildfamily unit: father, mother, all children

Lists vital information for all individuals (BMD)1 h t/f il it h i d hild h hi /h1 sheet/family unit – each married child has his/her own family group sheetPortable – take to library or FHCy

Still More Forms

Research Log – don’t repeat the same search over dand overA separate log for each individual or surnameD t lt d l ti ltDate, source consulted, location, resultsInclude negative results

Reports

Descendant Tree – Outline Formd h di i l f ilDescendant Tree – the traditional family tree

Ancestor Tree – similar to a pedigree chartGenealogy ReportGenealogy Report

The Starting PointYouYour immediate familyy

ParentsSiblingsChildrenGrandchildren

Work backwards in time and sidewaysAunts & unclesC i d th i f iliCousins and their families

Only a genealogist regards a step backwards as progress.

Genealogy goes on . . .and on . . .and on . . .and on . . .

and on . . .and on . . .

Sources of Information

Census dataImmigration dataWills & probatesProperty & land deedsTax records

Additional Sources

Birth CertificateMarriage CertificateChild’s Birth CertificateSSDIDeath CertificateObituary

US Census Information

1790 - PresentPrior to 1850Prior to 1850

Name of head of household onlyNumber of free, white males/females – grouped by age ranges

l h h h ld bTotal other household members1850 – 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)p g g ( y )

Old genealogists never die; they just lose their census

Evaluate Census Information

Primary informationd i iti b ffi i l h d b l ith timade in writing by an official charged by law with creating an

accurate record of the matter

Part original source, part derivative sourceMicrofilm of document is original sourceIndex is derivative – created by organization providing the document to simplify searchesp y

Indirect evidenceNeeds additional information to be conclusive

Example

1920 Census 1930 CensusMax Eisen – age 32

• Parents born in Austria

Wife Gertie age 27

Martin Eisen – age 40• Parents born in Austria

Wife Frieda age 33Wife – Gertie – age 27• Parents born in Sweden

Children:

Wife – Frieda – age 33• Parents born in Russia

Children:• Harry – age 4• Dorothy – age 2• Raymond – age 1

• Roslyn – age 14• Florence – age 10• Howard – age 1Raymond age 1 Howard age 1

Doing Research

In the fieldOn the Internet

Research in the Field

Library of Congress – Washington DCwww.loc.gov

Mormon Family History Library – Salt Lake Citywww.familysearch.com

All C t Lib Ft W INAllen County Library – Ft. Wayne, INNARA – Nat’l Archives & Records Admin. –34 facilities: census records military records passenger34 facilities: census records, military records, passenger lists, naturalization petitions, land grants, etc.Cemeteries

G l i h l h bbGenealogy is the only hobby where dead people can really excite you

Local Research

LDS Family History Centers: Oakland, Concord, DanvilleA A SNARA – San Bruno

CA Genealogical Society Library – OaklandSutro Library (CA State Library) San FranciscoSutro Library (CA State Library) – San Francisco Heritage Rm @ Pleasant Hill Library – Pleasant Hill

County Records

Births, marriages, deathsProbated willsProbated willsReal estate records – land grants, homesteads, etc.Tax recordsContractsLawsuitsNaturalization & citizenshipNaturalization & citizenshipName changesetc

The ProblemThe Problem

Finding The Right County

AniMap County Boundary Historical AtlasEvery county boundary change in US since 1634Every county boundary change in US since 1634Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County BoundariesGeorge B. Everton, Sr., The Handy Book for GenealogistsRonald V. Jackson, Encyclopedia of Local History and Genealogy: U.S. CountiesJoseph Nathan Kane The American Counties: Origins ofJoseph Nathan Kane, The American Counties: Origins of Names, Dates of Creation and Organization Data, and Published Sources

Internet ResearchInternet Research

Internet Research

Cyndi’s List (www.cyndislist.com) - genealogy hsearches

Professional sites (fee-based)ancestry.comgenealogy.comgodfrey org Godfrey Memorial Librarygodfrey.org – Godfrey Memorial Libraryheritagequest.commytrees.commytrees.com

More Internet Research

Free Genealogy Web Sites:LDS F il S h f il hLDS 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-Social Security Death Index ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgibin/ssdi.cgiSteven Morse one-step searches – stevemorse.org

Additional Web Sites

State Archives: from the Ancestry.com web sitewww.ancestry.com/learn/library - click on daily news desk – the Oct 3, 2005 article has links to all states

ObituariesObituariesLibrary web sites

All About DatesJulian Calendar

Established by Julius Caesar in 45 BCY 365 d & 6 h l ( l 4 )Year was 365 days & 6 hours long (a leap year every 4 years)Year began on March 25Problem – calendar did not match nature – 11 minutes too long, gaining 1 day every 128 years

Gregorian CalendarPope Gregory XII created Gregorian Calendar adopted by CatholicPope Gregory XII created Gregorian Calendar adopted by Catholic countries in 1582Year began on January 1Added 10 days to compensate for error in length of year in theAdded 10 days to compensate for error in length of year in the Julian calendar: October 4 followed by October 15

More About Dates

England & The ColoniesAd t d th G i C l d 170 l t (i 1752)Adopted the Gregorian Calendar 170 years later (in 1752)By now discrepancy was 11 daysBy decree of English Govt. Sep. 2 was followed by Sep. 14

George Washington: born Feb. 22, 1732Sweden adopted it in 1753Russia remained on Julian Calendar until 1917Greece and Eastern Orthodox Churches changed in 1923

Genealogy Programs

The Master Genealogist 6.01 ($59) – powerful il 0 ($20 $30 i h b k)Legacy Family Tree 5.0 ($20 or $30 with book)

Family Tree Maker 10.0 ($ 29.95) – popularRootsMagic v2 ($29 95) easy to useRootsMagic v2 ($29.95) – easy to useBrother’s Keeper - sharewarePersonal Ancestral File 5.2.18 (LDS program) – freePersonal Ancestral File 5.2.18 (LDS program) free download

NOTE: all programs SHOULD be able to export files in the GEDCOM (GE l i l D COM i i ) fGEDCOM (GEnealogical Data COMmunication) format.

Example of Genealogy Program

Beware the Genealogy BugIt’s bite can be addictive