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How to Recognize your United States Ancestor (view source)
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= Introduction = | = Introduction = | ||
Imagine you have searched a record and found a person who is a possible match for your ancestor. Recognizing a person as your ancestor is one of the true joys of genealogical research. | Imagine you have searched a record and found a person who is a possible match for your ancestor. Recognizing a person as your ancestor is one of the true joys of genealogical research. | ||
However, there are pitfalls along the way. Sometimes researchers want so much to find | However, there are pitfalls along the way. Sometimes researchers want so much to find their ancestor that they ignore these pitfalls and end up on the wrong family line. Correct connections come from building the identity of your ancestor and comparing that with what you learn about each possible match. | ||
This guide will help you ask the questions which will help you decide if a person is, in fact, your ancestor. | This guide will help you ask the questions which will help you decide if a person is, in fact, your ancestor. | ||
As you compare what you already know about your ancestor against the new information you found in a record, you can decide whether you can feel reasonably sure that you have located your ancestor. <br> | As you compare what you already know about your ancestor against the new information you found in a record, you can decide whether you can feel reasonably sure that you have located your ancestor. <br> | ||
= Steps = | = Steps = | ||
Once you have found a person in a record who may be your ancestor, the following | Once you have found a person in a record who may be your ancestor, the following steps will help you determine if you have, in fact, found your ancestor. | ||
=== | === Step 1. Build an identity for your ancestor === | ||
As you research, your goal is to build on the identity of your ancestor. You need to know enough to be able to recognize him or her in the records you search. Your ancestor's identity also helps you | As you research, your goal is to build on the identity of your ancestor. You need to know enough to be able to recognize him or her in the records you search. Your ancestor's identity also helps you to not be sidetracked when you find other people with the same name—a possible match. | ||
These will help you identify your ancestor clearly: | |||
*Make a time line with dates and places of events in your ancestor's life. Include everything—when they bought or sold land, children, military service, and of course births, marriages, and deaths. Consider mentioning what was happening in their community and how those event may have affected your ancestor. | |||
:On your time line, include other persons associated with your ancestor. | |||
:Briefly give the source of your information. | |||
*Use an analysis chart to identify and evaluate what you know. | |||
*Consider what your findings may suggest. | |||
<br> | <br> | ||
=== | === Step 2. Learn about the person who is a possible match === | ||
Do the following to identify this person clearly: | Do the following to identify this person clearly: | ||
| Line 38: | Line 40: | ||
*Evaluate what that information may suggest. | *Evaluate what that information may suggest. | ||
To print a working copy of a time line for a specific record, click here. | |||
For helps in making a time line, see Tip 1. | For helps in making a time line, see Tip 1. | ||
Use an Analysis Chart to help you identify what you know about the possible match person and evaluate what that information may suggest. The following | Use an Analysis Chart to help you identify what you know about the possible match person and evaluate what that information may suggest. The following is a sample of an analysis chart: | ||
POSSIBLE MATCH Analysis Chart for a Single Record: Samuel Richman and others (name of person) Woodstown Methodist Church Records, Salem Co., NJ (name of record) <br> | POSSIBLE MATCH Analysis Chart for a Single Record: Samuel Richman and others (name of person) Woodstown Methodist Church Records, Salem Co., NJ (name of record) <br> | ||
| Line 50: | Line 50: | ||
What Do I Know About the Possible Match? <br>Analysis and Conclusions<br><br>1. This Samuel Richman and family members were Methodist.<br>1. Confirms what I suspected from the Methodist hymnal in our family artifacts.<br><br>2. This Samuel Richman "removed" from the Methodist Church in Woodstown, Salem Co., NJ in April, 1842.<br>2. Samuel Richman moved somewhere else. Where?<br><br>3. Samuel Richman, Sybilla Richman, Isaac Richman and Jonathan Richman were all attending the Woodstown Methodist Church between April, 1839 and April, 1842. <br>3. I know from our family Bible record that Sybilla Richman was the mother of Samuel Richman, and Isaac Richman was the father of Jonathan Richman. Also, I know from the 1850 census that Samuel Richmond and Jonathan Richmond were living together in Salem, Salem Co., NJ. Finding these people together in this church record points to these people being a family.<br><br>4. Samuel and Jonathan Richman both left the Woodstown Methodist Church in 1841 and 1842.<br>4. It is very possible that the Samuel Richmond, shoemaker, and Jonathan Richmond, shoemaker, in the 1850 census in Salem, Salem Co., NJ were these same two people and were brothers.<br> | What Do I Know About the Possible Match? <br>Analysis and Conclusions<br><br>1. This Samuel Richman and family members were Methodist.<br>1. Confirms what I suspected from the Methodist hymnal in our family artifacts.<br><br>2. This Samuel Richman "removed" from the Methodist Church in Woodstown, Salem Co., NJ in April, 1842.<br>2. Samuel Richman moved somewhere else. Where?<br><br>3. Samuel Richman, Sybilla Richman, Isaac Richman and Jonathan Richman were all attending the Woodstown Methodist Church between April, 1839 and April, 1842. <br>3. I know from our family Bible record that Sybilla Richman was the mother of Samuel Richman, and Isaac Richman was the father of Jonathan Richman. Also, I know from the 1850 census that Samuel Richmond and Jonathan Richmond were living together in Salem, Salem Co., NJ. Finding these people together in this church record points to these people being a family.<br><br>4. Samuel and Jonathan Richman both left the Woodstown Methodist Church in 1841 and 1842.<br>4. It is very possible that the Samuel Richmond, shoemaker, and Jonathan Richmond, shoemaker, in the 1850 census in Salem, Salem Co., NJ were these same two people and were brothers.<br> | ||
To print a working copy of an analysis chart for a specific record to be used with a possible match, click here. | |||
<br> | <br> | ||
=== | === Step 3. Analyze and compare your ancestor with the possible match === | ||
Ask yourself: | |||
*Is the possible match person living in the right place to be my ancestor? | |||
*Is this event in the right time to be within the lifetime of my ancestor? | |||
*Is the possible match person too young or too old to have been my ancestor? | |||
*Are names of children of the possible match consistent with what I know about the children of my ancestor? | |||
*Do the ages of the children seem logical? Are they too young or too old to belong to my ancestor? | |||
<br> | <br> | ||
=== | === Step 4. Make a decision about the possible match. === | ||
To decide about the possible match person, do one of the following: | To decide about the possible match person, do one of the following: | ||
*Confirm the person as your ancestor. | |||
*Suspect that the person may be a relative with the same name. | |||
*Eliminate that person as your possible ancestor. | |||
*Decide that there is not enough information yet to confirm or eliminate this person as your ancestor. In that case, see Tip 3. | |||
<br> | <br> | ||
| Line 70: | Line 79: | ||
=== Step 5. Write a brief summary of your research findings. === | === Step 5. Write a brief summary of your research findings. === | ||
If you After your research, write a brief summary or report about your ancestor. Either you can explain what records proved your ancestor's life events and can document his or her life history, or you can explain what records did not lead you to a definite conclusion. Either way, you will have made a valuable contribution to your family's genealogical research efforts. | |||
Be sure to include in your paragraph the title, author, and call number of the book or film of all records you have searched. | Be sure to include in your paragraph the title, author, and call number of the book or film of all records you have searched. | ||
| Line 82: | Line 91: | ||
To help you single out your ancestor, include on a time line: | To help you single out your ancestor, include on a time line: | ||
*Events in date order (the same order they happened in your ancestor's life | |||
*Birth, marriage, and death information for each family member | |||
*Dates of other events, such as buying or selling land | |||
*Other persons associated with these events, such as neighbors on a census or witnesses on a deed or will | |||
*Happenings in the community that may have affected your ancestor | |||
*Events that are not yet proven but may help identify your ancestor. (Be sure to clearly mark these as unproven.) | |||
A word processor is a useful tool when making a time line, because you can easily insert new dates as needed. | |||
To print a working copy of a time line, click here. | To print a working copy of a time line, click here. | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
=== Tip 2. Is this my ancestor? === | === Tip 2. Is this my ancestor? === | ||
==== <br>3. Is this the right spouse? ==== | ==== <br>3. Is this the right spouse? ==== | ||