~ Have You Searched For Other Family Members?
Looking for a specific person can occasionally be difficult for a variety of reasons. Focusing only on that person may make the search needlessly more difficult than necessary. If you know the names of other household members, consider searching for them as well. For one of a myriad of reasons, they may be easier to find than the person for whom you are actually "looking."

~ Are the Names Reversed?
It can happen with English language names--John Thomas, where Thomas is the last name, may be enumerated as Thomas John. With non-English names the confusion can be even more frequent. Panagiotis Verikios is enumerated as Verikios Panagiotis in the 1930 Chicago census. Apparently the census taker confused the first name and the last name--easy to do when you do not know the language.

~ Are You Entering Too Many Search Parameters?
Ancestry.com affords users the ability to create customized searches using a variety of database fields. However, just because the search interface has all those boxes does not mean that all those boxes have to be filled in. If you're doing an exact search, the more boxes completed before searching, the more restrictive the search. If you typically fill in more than four boxes, consider omitting one from your search. Requiring too much match information may be why you are finding nothing.

~ Is the Last Name Mangled in the Census?
The 1920 census index includes the name Sabelouis Ferihotge. The Clayton Township, Adams County, Illinois, enumeration is admittedly very difficult to read. The name is actually Sartorius Trientje (again the first and last names have been switched). How do I know who this person is? The age, residence, and birth place are consistent with my ancestor, Trientje Sartorius. Her son Claude Sartorius is also enumerated with her, with information consistent with what I already knew about him.

~ Is the "Wrong" Occupation Really Correct?
Do not assume that your ancestor's occupation never changed and that your farmer ancestor in 1860 cannot be listed as a lawyer ten years later. Occupations may change, what typically does not alter drastically is social or economic status. A day laborer in 1850 most likely is not a land baron in 1860. However, a day laborer in 1850 could easily be working a different type of job in 1860. A miller may become a baker, but likely not a banker. There are always exceptions, but keep in mind the reasonableness and likelihood of any changes in occupation or social status.

~ Are Soundex Options Catching All the Variants You Need?
Soundex options, where names that sound like the desired surname, give the researcher flexibility. However, the Soundex will not catch all variants. A Soundex search for the last name Trautvetter will return Troutfetter, Trautfetter, and Troutvetter. However, it will not return Trantvetter. This last variant results from a "u" that has been misread as an "n." Since a consonant has replaced a vowel, the Soundex-based search did not bring back the last alternate spelling. Soundex usually does not catch variants where a vowel has been replaced with a consonant or vice versa. It may be that a wildcard search meets your needs or that multiple searches for several variants are necessary.

Generally Speaking
It is always possible that the census taker missed your ancestor. And if you cannot find your ancestor in a specific census a good general approach is to question everything you think you know about your ancestor in that specific year. If one fact is incorrect in the census, it may cause you to fly right past his name in an attempt to find him.

Michael John Neill is on the faculty of Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg, Illinois. Michael is currently a member of the board of the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS). He conducts seminars and lectures nationally on a wide variety of genealogical and computer topics and contributes to several genealogical publications, including Ancestry Magazine. You can e-mail him at mjnrootdig@gmail.com or visit his website at www.rootdig.com, but he regrets that he is unable to assist with personal research.

Upcoming Appearances by Michael John Neill 

• 03 November 2007, San Antonio, Texas
  San Antonio Genealogical Society
  (Visit Michael's website for more information.)

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by George G. Morgan

There are lots of skills associated with genealogical research. Some of these include locating evidence, analyzing it, translating language, reading old handwriting, understanding archaic words, and most of all reading between the lines to locate informational sources that can further your research.

There are three exercises that I use for honing my research skills, and they have nothing to do with my personal genealogical research. However, they contribute to my skills, make me look outside the confines of my own family research, and cause me to sharpen my knowledge of different record types, ethnic and religious origins, and much more. Let me share these with you.

Dissecting Obituaries
I present a popular seminar titled "Bits about Obits: Reading Between the Lines." I usually read the obituaries in the local newspapers on a regular basis. No, I'm not morbid; I simply want to see what information is included. I'll usually pick two or three at random; the names and sizes of the obituaries don't matter. You may recall in school having to diagram sentences. For some of us, it was enlightening and greatly enjoyable; and for others it was torture. What I do is similar--I "dissect" the obituary.

First, I read the obituary in full. Next, I use a pencil to underscore individual pieces of information in the obituary that point to some resource that may or will be of genealogical value. The obvious items are name, gender, age, residence, life events, place where a funeral or memorial service is scheduled, names of officiating clergy, place of interment, and names of any survivors. Other information may include occupation, name of spouse(s), sibling(s), place of birth, life events, military service, church affiliation, occupation, and more.

I prepare a list that includes each and every one of these underlined clues. Underneath each one, I notate 1) what information that clue can provide; 2) what records might exist of the fact or clue; and 3) where the record(s) would be held. A typical short obituary usually has at least a dozen such clues to records. I then use telephone and city directories, the Internet, and other resources to determine the location that I would contact for more information. The exercise takes about thirty minutes or less for each obituary. However, it hones my skills for working objectively with my own family and ancestral obituaries.

Mailing List and Message Board Queries
I actively read a number of mailing lists and message boards. When I see a posting that relates to an area where my ancestors lived or to a surname I am researching, I read it and print it. I almost immediately get into my genealogical database and check for any information I have on individuals. If I read a posting related to a geographical area, a church, a school, or other institution or organization, and I have a reference book or documents relating to the subject, I will craft a private response to the person.

This exercise allows me to re-read and re-focus on content that I perhaps have not examined in some time. It also forces me to look at my own knowledge and determine if I have more information to apply to my own research. In the meantime, if I can help someone else with their research--and even connect with a cousin--this is another great benefit.

The Tombstone Game
I spend lots of time in cemeteries, as do most genealogists. Occasionally I will simply select one tombstone, copy the name and dates down, and take it home. Later, I will start checking Ancestry.com and other databases to see what I can learn about the person. Can I locate the person in a census? Is there an electronic version of an obituary? Are there military records? Are there other vital records? In other words, I try to practice my research skills in electronic databases to see what I can learn. This often forces me to look at different records and/or different locations. This makes me a better researcher and helps be stay abreast of new materials online. Sometimes the facts are sparse, and other times there is a vast amount of information to be discovered about an otherwise forgotten, once-famous, or notable person.

These three little exercises take a comparatively small amount of time. While I maintain a very busy schedule, I make the time to do these exercises. They are the equivalent of crossword or Sudoku puzzles for the genealogist. I hope you'll try one or all of these exercises. They are educational, interesting, and fun.

Happy Hunting!
George

George G. Morgan is the best-selling author of The Official Guide to Ancestry.com and How to Do Everything with Your Genealogy, both of which are available in the Ancestry Store. George and Drew Smith produce The Genealogy Guys Podcast each week. George is also now teaching online genealogical workshops for Pharos Tutors and for the Continuing Education Division of the University of South Florida in Tampa. Visit his company's website at AhaSeminars.com to view his schedule of upcoming conference events.

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Juliana was on vacation last week getting the house and yard ready for winter. There were no posts this past week. You can check out past posts and look for this week's news at 24/7 Family History Circle.

This Halloween, check out these "spook-tacular" selections from the Ancestry Store!

Etched in Stone: Enduring Words from Our Nation's Monument
by Ryan Coonerty

The Graveyard Shift: A Family Historian's Guide to NYC Cemeteries
by Carolee Inskeep

Psychic Roots
by Henry Z. Jones, Jr.

More Psychic Roots
by Henry Z. Jones, Jr.

Memorials of the Dead in Boston (CD)

Balkan Ghosts: A Journey through History
by Robert Kaplan

Pearl Harbor Ghosts: The Legacy of December 7, 1941
by Thurston Clarke

And don't miss today's product specials:

Your Guide to Cemetery Research, by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack
Normally this book retails for $19.99, but for one week, you can buy it in the Ancestry Store for $16.99.

A Collection of Curious and Interesting Epitaphs, Compendium Set, Cansick (on CD)
Normally this CD retails for $38.95, but for one week, you can buy it in the Ancestry Store for $33.10.

Apologies!
My apologies to everyone for the mix-up on last week's photos, particularly to the submitters to Photo Corner. Before I took time off for vacation last week, I had to prepare two newsletters, and I inadvertently inserted the photographs for the 29th in the newsletter of the 22nd. So, the image at the top, and both Photo Corner images were mislabeled (although the correct Photo Corner images appeared on the blog). The image that was at the top of last week's newsletter was:

Garinish Island, Parknasilla Co. Kerry, Ireland, ca. 1890-1900
(Detroit, Mich.: Detroit Photographic Company, 1905.)

Today's image (in the upper, right-hand corner of this newsletter) is from the Library of Congress Photo Collection, 1840-2000 at Ancestry.

Orton Plantation, Wilmington, North Carolina. Exterior III

from D.G. Fulford

If somewhere in your heart you think writing about yourself is braggadocio and puffery, self importance and sinful pride--all the Me, Myself and I of it–-try writing in the third person.

For example: He quit college to work and help out his family. He fell in love, got married, and went off to war. She was a dance instructor who always took jobs at the schools where her children would get the best education. From elementary school through college, they were able to drop their books in her office and visit during the day.

Or, pretend you're writing a blurb for "TV Guide" describing this week's episode. "Marcia falls in love with an island while on vacation and figures out a way to stay."

It feels funny to put down a version of your life in an "as told by" fashion. But it's another way of looking. New eyes.

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Treasures from Goodwill
Goodwill Industries has an interesting website (www.shopgoodwill.com); it is an online auction of a wide array of antiques/collectibles from Goodwill's inventory of donated goods. When I looked at the website, there were some vintage photo albums and some great historical photos (which genealogical societies may be interested in purchasing for their archives). Also up for auction are some interesting and old cookie jars and china that may remind you of an ancestor or your own childhood. I came across this website when I was looking online for a list of the second hand/thrift stores in the state of Washington.

Denise Daubert
Ardrossan, Alberta, Canada

Search for Everyone
I highly recommend searching for every member of a family in every census when using online sources. Several times I have found only one child of the family whose name is "linked" into the index. On one occasion, there were eight people in the household, who were all related to one infant, but trying all the ways and means possible, I could not get them to show up in the index. I assume it is some kind of technical problem that is preventing them from showing up.

Regards,
Janice B.
Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, UK

Do It Now
We all think, "Oh, I have time to find out information from the family," but sometimes times sneaks up on us and they are gone. Ask your older family members the names of their relatives, dates they may remember, places they lived, children they had, etc., and be sure to write it all down.

I recently found my deceased paternal grandmother's very old family Bible. It is gorgeous, but she didn't write a single thing on the family information pages. I was heartbroken. I am now researching the family and when I get all the information together I'd like to know if you think it would be proper of me to fill the in pages? Maybe I should leave it be and just insert my own records?

Thank you for your help.
Faith Heidel
Pennsylvania

Click here to leave your thoughts on this question in the
comments section of the blog.

If you have a suggestion you would like to share with other researchers, send it to: Juliana@Ancestry.com. Thanks to all of this week's contributors!

Quick Tips may be reprinted, with credit to the submitter, in other Ancestry publications, so if you do not want your tip included in a publication other than the Ancestry Weekly Journal please state so clearly in your message.

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The year was 1879 and in Hungary, it brought disaster, particularly in Szeged. Melting snows and rain had filled the Tisza and the Maros rivers beyond capacity and a little after midnight, 12 March 1879, a dyke burst and the city of Szeged was washed away in the deluge. 5,458 houses were destroyed leaving only 265, and the flood claimed 151 lives. Europe responded with benefits and other fundraisers to help rebuild the lost city.

In Africa, the Anglo-Zulu War began as the British tried to unite their colonies, the Boer republics, and other independent groups in Africa. Seeking to retain their independence, the Zulu kingdom, led by Cetshwayo kaMpande, was a threat to that goal and by late 1878 tensions were already rising. The war officially began 11 January 1878 and would last into July of 1879, ending with the Zulu defeat at Ulundi.

In America, recently freed African Americans living in the South were facing violence following the withdrawal of federal troops. Oppression and poverty eventually spurred a spontaneous mass migration of African Americans to Kansas. Known as "Exodusters," some remained in Kansas, while others moved on further west. Although poverty remained a problem, for the most part they were better off than those who had remained in the South.

Back in New Jersey, Thomas Edison was working on plans to perfect the light bulb. Electric lights had been pioneered by several inventors, but in 1879 Edison hit on a combination that would stay lit for forty hours. He demonstrated that bulb on 31 December in Menlo Park, New Jersey.

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If you'd like to see your ancestor's photograph in the Ancestry Weekly Journal, send it to Juliana@Ancestry.com.

Contributed by Donna Tougas, Warwick, Rhode Island This is Charles Aolph Thomas, 1849-1936 (photo ca. 1879-85). He lived in South Carolina and fought in the Civil War when he was about thirteen years old.	Contributed by Karen Schultze, Toms River, New Jersey This is a photo of my great-grandmother, Evelyn Gail Merriman (July 31, 1876 to Nov. 11, 1951). She was born in Yonkers, New York and lived most of her life there.

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Has Ancestry helped you make a significant breakthrough with your family history research? If you have an Ancestry success story you'd like to share, please send it to us. We'd love to hear about it! Click here to share your story.

Your Guide to Cemetery Research
by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack

Your Guide to Cemetery Research is a comprehensive, in-depth resource that's perfect for genealogists, researchers, and historians. It covers everything from cemetery and death-related terminology to clues offered by headstone art, and cemeteries' roles in our culture and history. This guide also examines the funeral customs of various ethnic groups and includes a social history of death that reveals both the usual and unusual ways in which readers' ancestors coped with and celebrated death.

Normally this book retails for $19.99, but for one week you can buy it in the Ancestry Store for $16.99.

A Collection of Curious and Interesting Epitaphs, Compendium Set - Cansick (on CD)

Buy all three of Cansick's 'Collections to Curious and Interesting Epitaphs', and get them all on the one CD. One covering Highgate Cemetery, another covering St Pancras, and also the one covering Middlesex. Buy all three together and SAVE!! Each are superb collections of monumental inscriptions, biographical notices and descriptions of armorial bearings for the relavant areas. The one covering Middlesex includes churches and churchyard from Hornsey, Tottenham, Edmonton, Enfield, Friern Barnet and Hadley.

High quality scanned images of the whole of the original books, these CDs can be viewed by any computer using Adobe Acrobat Reader (version 4 or later recommended). The data on these CDs are completely self-contained, and requires no installation.

Normally this CD retails for $38.95, but for one week you can buy it in the Ancestry Store for $33.10.