21,758
edits
removed image
(Added bronze star) |
(removed image) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
This page lists strategies for making research progress on families who lived in a place where most of the records are lost. | |||
{| border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="75%" align="center" | {| border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="75%" align="center" | ||
| Line 80: | Line 80: | ||
Before starting on burned county research, be sure you have these five tools ready and working for you. | Before starting on burned county research, be sure you have these five tools ready and working for you. | ||
'''1. A positive "track 'em down" attitude is important.'''<ref>Elizabeth Shown Mills, "Genealogical Mindset &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Principles of Scholarship" (lecture in Course 4 Advanced Methodology &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Evidence, Institute for Genealogical and Historical Research at Samford University, Birmingham, Ala., 13 June 2005).</ref> Avoid discouragement or thinking that genealogical research in a "burned county" is hopeless. The first and most important step to finding ancestors who lived in a burned county is creating a relentless "track 'em down" mindset no matter how hard it is, and no matter how long it takes. | '''1. A positive "track 'em down" attitude is important.'''<ref>Elizabeth Shown Mills, "Genealogical Mindset &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Principles of Scholarship" (lecture in Course 4 Advanced Methodology &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Evidence, Institute for Genealogical and Historical Research at Samford University, Birmingham, Ala., 13 June 2005).</ref> Avoid discouragement or thinking that genealogical research in a "burned county" is hopeless. The first and most important step to finding ancestors who lived in a burned county is creating a relentless "track 'em down" mindset no matter how hard it is, and no matter how long it takes. | ||
'''2. [[Research Logs|Resarch logs]] are a must.''' Burned county research is not easy. The more difficult or complex a research problem becomes, the more valuable good research logs are. They are a cornerstone to good research and filing systems. Research logs show what has, and (just as importantly) has not worked. Also, use logs to explain in written comments your thinking about search strategies and what you are trying to accomplish—why you turned to that set of records.<ref>G. David Dilts, "Research Logs: The Most Important Tool for Organizing Your Family History," [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/2250993&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;referer=brief_results ''Genealogical Journal''] 30 (2002): 10-11. [FHL Book 973 D25gj v. 30 2002].</ref> | '''2. [[Research Logs|Resarch logs]] are a must.''' Burned county research is not easy. The more difficult or complex a research problem becomes, the more valuable good research logs are. They are a cornerstone to good research and filing systems. Research logs show what has, and (just as importantly) has not worked. Also, use logs to explain in written comments your thinking about search strategies and what you are trying to accomplish—why you turned to that set of records.<ref>G. David Dilts, "Research Logs: The Most Important Tool for Organizing Your Family History," [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/2250993&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;referer=brief_results ''Genealogical Journal''] 30 (2002): 10-11. [FHL Book 973 D25gj v. 30 2002].</ref> | ||
'''3. A well-documented [[Family group record: roadmap for researchers|family group record is your research road map]].''' Get ready to research a burned county family by preparing a family group record that has source footnotes for [[Adding a Custom Event to a PAF Family Group Record|EVERY event]]. Be sure to [[Cite Your Sources (Source Footnotes)|cite every known source]] that mentions a member of that family. If a '''''document''''' mentions more than one event in an ancestor’s life, source footnote each '''''event'''''. | '''3. A well-documented [[Family group record: roadmap for researchers|family group record is your research road map]].''' Get ready to research a burned county family by preparing a family group record that has source footnotes for [[Adding a Custom Event to a PAF Family Group Record|EVERY event]]. Be sure to [[Cite Your Sources (Source Footnotes)|cite every known source]] that mentions a member of that family. If a '''''document''''' mentions more than one event in an ancestor’s life, source footnote each '''''event'''''. | ||
| Line 88: | Line 88: | ||
Don't stop with just the birth, marriage, and death events for the family. [[Adding a Custom Event to a PAF Family Group Record|'''''Add ALL events''''']] like census, land purchases and sales, military service, witnessing another person's document, or when a will was probated. A well-documented family group bristles with clues hinting where to research for more. | Don't stop with just the birth, marriage, and death events for the family. [[Adding a Custom Event to a PAF Family Group Record|'''''Add ALL events''''']] like census, land purchases and sales, military service, witnessing another person's document, or when a will was probated. A well-documented family group bristles with clues hinting where to research for more. | ||
'''4. A commitment to [[Document AS YOU GO!|document AS YOU GO]]<nowiki>!</nowiki>'''<ref>Carol Harless, et. al., [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/82725149&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;referer=brief_results ''PAF Documentation Guidelines''] (N.p.: Silicon Valley PAF Users Group, 1993), 1 [FHL Book 005.3 H224].</ref> This means keeping your research logs and family group record up-to-date. Fill out the purpose (person and event you want) for each search, and the source data on the research log BEFORE you look at the source. Complete the research log by filling in the results and (if you find something) file number of the photocopy. Documenting AS YOU GO means if you find a new source you do these things before you lay your head on the pillow:<br> a. [[Copying Sources|Photocopy the new source document]].<br> b. [[Cite Your Sources (Source Footnotes)|Identify the source]] (footnote information) on the front of the photocopy.<br> c. Write your own document filing number on the back of each photocopy.<br> d. Log the document number, and summarize events-people you found on all appropriate [[Research Logs|logs]].<br> e. Transfer new family data from the source to appropriate family group records.<br> f. Enter new source footnotes [[Adding a Custom Event to a PAF Family Group Record|for '''''every''''' piece of data]] on a source, even if that event already has a footnote.<br> g. Add a preliminary assessment of the data and its reliability to each source footnote.<br> h. Print the updated family group record.<br> j. File the new family group and photocopy. | '''4. A commitment to [[Document AS YOU GO!|document AS YOU GO]]<nowiki>!</nowiki>'''<ref>Carol Harless, et. al., [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/82725149&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;referer=brief_results ''PAF Documentation Guidelines''] (N.p.: Silicon Valley PAF Users Group, 1993), 1 [FHL Book 005.3 H224].</ref> This means keeping your research logs and family group record up-to-date. Fill out the purpose (person and event you want) for each search, and the source data on the research log BEFORE you look at the source. Complete the research log by filling in the results and (if you find something) file number of the photocopy. Documenting AS YOU GO means if you find a new source you do these things before you lay your head on the pillow:<br> a. [[Copying Sources|Photocopy the new source document]].<br> b. [[Cite Your Sources (Source Footnotes)|Identify the source]] (footnote information) on the front of the photocopy.<br> c. Write your own document filing number on the back of each photocopy.<br> d. Log the document number, and summarize events-people you found on all appropriate [[Research Logs|logs]].<br> e. Transfer new family data from the source to appropriate family group records.<br> f. Enter new source footnotes [[Adding a Custom Event to a PAF Family Group Record|for '''''every''''' piece of data]] on a source, even if that event already has a footnote.<br> g. Add a preliminary assessment of the data and its reliability to each source footnote.<br> h. Print the updated family group record.<br> j. File the new family group and photocopy. | ||
'''5. Write out a thoughtful master research plan.'''<ref>Elizabeth Shown Mills, "Dissecting the Research Problem” (lecture in Course 4 Advanced Methodology &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Evidence, Institute for Genealogical and Historical Research at Samford University, Birmingham, Ala., 17 June 2005).</ref> Part of the overall goal should involve sharing your research on one or more families in a cluster. Within that goal work on one family at a time. Avoid skipping to a different family until work on this main family is nearly finished. | '''5. Write out a thoughtful master research plan.'''<ref>Elizabeth Shown Mills, "Dissecting the Research Problem” (lecture in Course 4 Advanced Methodology &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Evidence, Institute for Genealogical and Historical Research at Samford University, Birmingham, Ala., 17 June 2005).</ref> Part of the overall goal should involve sharing your research on one or more families in a cluster. Within that goal work on one family at a time. Avoid skipping to a different family until work on this main family is nearly finished. | ||
*'''''Plan to research substitutes''''' for the missing records—research substitute '''''record types''''', substitute '''''jurisdictions''''', and substitute '''''repositories'''''. Look for family members in previous and subsequent (hopefully unburned) places they settled using the family group record as a guide. If you still are not finding what you need, study the relatives, and associates to determine who were most closely associated with your ancestor. Be prepared to research those people as substitute '''''kin or associates''''' to find clues about your ancestor. | *'''''Plan to research substitutes''''' for the missing records—research substitute '''''record types''''', substitute '''''jurisdictions''''', and substitute '''''repositories'''''. Look for family members in previous and subsequent (hopefully unburned) places they settled using the family group record as a guide. If you still are not finding what you need, study the relatives, and associates to determine who were most closely associated with your ancestor. Be prepared to research those people as substitute '''''kin or associates''''' to find clues about your ancestor. | ||
| Line 131: | Line 131: | ||
If research on the main family members fails to produce results, try studying relatives and associates. Make a list of people who show up in records of the family and study how closely and frequently they were in contact with the family.<ref>Ibid.</ref> If necessary, track down the kin and associates to learn more about your family. | If research on the main family members fails to produce results, try studying relatives and associates. Make a list of people who show up in records of the family and study how closely and frequently they were in contact with the family.<ref>Ibid.</ref> If necessary, track down the kin and associates to learn more about your family. | ||
'''''[[Research a Family in Community Context|Study the family in community context]].'''''<ref>Mills, “Genealogical Mindset &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Principles of Scholarship.”</ref> Get to know the neighbors and relatives. This means you use the census and land records to: | '''''[[Research a Family in Community Context|Study the family in community context]].'''''<ref>Mills, “Genealogical Mindset &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Principles of Scholarship.”</ref> Get to know the neighbors and relatives. This means you use the census and land records to: | ||
*extract full information on people in the area with the same surname | *extract full information on people in the area with the same surname | ||