Records of siblings may include valuable references to the ancestor you are researching. Sometimes when you hit a "dead end" it is helpful to locate records of your ancestor's brother or sister, and follow their paper trail until you locate common ancestors. A sibling's obituary, for instance, may contain details or clues to place of birth, parents' names, and even to other unknown siblings. By following these leads, you may find a path past your dead end to parents and grandparents. From there, you may be able to work downward to confirm or prove relationship to your otherwise "dead end" ancestor.

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