The Dreaded COMMON SURNAME!

Common surnames can be difficult to research. I understand that all too well, with my maiden name being JOHNSON, and MASONs, TANNERs, YOUNGs, and WILLIAMs heavily populating my family tree. And yes, I have a SMITH line also.

Image courtesy Behind the Surname

So how do you ferret out your William JOHNSON or John MASON from all the others that are contenders for being your ancestor? Organization and Persistence.

STRATEGIES 

1. Always, ALWAYS start with yourself and carefully work backward into the past, one generation at a time. Don't skip any information. Document all information that you think you know. Don't leave any resource unchecked.
2. Create a profile of your farthest back ancestor that details every bit of information that you know about him, or her, so that you can pick him out in a crowd of like named people. Know where he died and is buried, know all the places he lived in his life. Know his wife, siblings and children. His occupation. Where his land was. EVERYTHING.
3. Research his community, often called his FAN club - his Family, Associates, and Neighbors. People tend to move and act along with others. Look at their wills, land records marriages and births.These "others" could provide clues to your ancestor's life.
4. Focus on the location where you know your ancestor lived. This narrows your focus considerably.
5. Research everyone with the same surname in a locality. You might find a link to your family.

   

   I have not identified the parents of my 3X great grand father, John Williams.
   From later accounts, John Williams, born 1796,  moved to Gallia County Ohio, 
   with his parents, at an "early age"  and prior to his marriage there in 1818. 
   His the third listing down from this abstract from the 1820 Census 
   for Gallia County, from Ancestry Library Edition. All eight of  the other names are
    candidates to be his father and need to be researched.

6. Identify someone in the family with a unique first name. This will help distinguish your ancestor from others of the same name. America MASON helped me trace my William MASON.
7. Create spreadsheets and charts to track all the people with the same name in the same area. This helps you keep them separate. I used an Excel spreadsheet to tease out which of the 3 Thomas Barry's in Noble County Ohio was my ancestor.
8. Land Records - tracing the passing of land from one generation to the next helps prove  ancestry. This method was used to prove that my William P. Williams, husband of Rebecca (TAGG) Williams was the son and heir of John Williams of Gallia County, Ohio and supported my entry into First Families of Ohio.
9. Tweaking your searches. When possible, use Boolean search techniques to refine your search. This works when using Google and some databases:
• If the surname is the same as a place, color, thing, occupation, use the "-" limiter to narrow your results. Berry -Straw will eliminate the fruit. Mason -stone will eliminate the occupation, etc.
• Use the Exclude Words and Include Words fields to eliminate common phrases. Not all databases offer this search field
• Quotation marks to create a phrase "William H. MASON" to search for an individual. Not all databases search boxes allow special characters like quotation marks and periods.
• Add a location or time period.
• Use the "and", "not", and "or" Boolean operators. Ex. "Baker NOT Bread"
• Search using the common abbreviations for first names. Ex. "Jno" for John, "Geo" for George, "Wm" for William and "Jas" for James. 
• Search using nicknames. Ex. "Billy", "Betty" and "Johnny" (My Dad's friends at work called him Johnny even though his first name was Lawson. "Johnny" came from his last name - Johnson.)
10. DNA testing. You could use DNA testing to connect with others researching the same line.
11. Be persistent and don't give up the search. You may have to let it rest for awhile, but always come back to the common name ancestor.

SOURCES:

• "Any Tips for Tracing an Ancestor With a Common Name?", The Root, Henry Louis Gates Jr. Web. 22 May 2015. 13 Feb. 2019. 
• "Common Surnames in the United States." Behind the Surname, Mike Campbell. Web. 13 Feb. 2019.
• "First Families of Ohio (FFO)", Ohio Genealogical Society.Web. 13 Feb. 2019. 
• "Genealogy Case Study; Researching Common Surnames Online", Family Tree Magazine. Nancy Hendrickson. Web. 11 Feb. 2014. 14 Feb 2019.
• "How to Research Your Common Surname Ancestors", Are You My Cousin? Lisa Lisson. 13 Feb 2019. 
• "List of most common surnames in North America." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia,  1 Feb. 2019. Web. 13 Feb. 2019.
• "Refining Google Surname Searches", Family Tree Magazine, Nov. 2010, pp. 70-71. Web. 13 Feb 2019.
• "Tips to Find Ancestors with Frustratigly common Surnames", Ancestral Findings. Web. 14 Feb. 2019.

THE LEGAL GENEALOGIST - My Favorite Blog

Image courtesy of ccPix.com

Ever since Pat Morgan of the Medina County Genealogical Society recommended it to me, I have been a huge fan of The Legal Genealogist blog.

 Its stated purpose is to  "help folks understand the often arcane and even impenetrable legal concepts and terminology that are so very important to those of us studying family history." It does that and so much more, EVERY DAY!

The Legal Genealogist is the creative achievement of Judy Russell. Judy's training and background are quite impressive. (Check out the list of her qualifications at the bottom of this blog.) She describes herself as a "genealogist with a law degree." I love that she puts being a genealogist first!

Judy Russell, aka The Legal Genealogist
Photo courtesy Judy Russell.

BUT...

She cannot answer legal questions. SHE CANNOT AND WILL NOT ANSWER LEGAL QUESTIONS. She is not your lawyer.

Once you understand that, here are some of the reasons that her blog is #1:

1. It is delivered to my email in-box every day.  Let me repeat that - EVERY DAY. I don't have to go looking for it. It appears like magic. Occasionally I will delete the posting without reading it, but that is rare.
2. She explains legal terminology and concepts in a way that I can understand. This is an area of weakness for me, but she makes it comprehensible.  Here is an example: https://www.legalgenealogist.com/2019/01/31/the-thing-and-the-rights/
3. DNA on Sundays - every Sunday, the blog is about DNA testing. Again, Judy makes these very complex concepts intelligible to me.
4. Poignant sketches of her family. Genealogists have weak spots for touching family stories. I am no exception. Neither is Judy. 
5. Methodology - the "how-to's" of genealogy. There is always more to learn.
6. Access to records - Judy is an advocate for open access to records. And she raises the awareness of others (like me) to threats to that access and recommends a course of action to advocate to keep records open.
7. She revisits concepts like "terms of use",  privacy in genealogy, and copyright law regularly. 
8. She is a dynamic speaker. The Ohio Genealogical Society has hosted Judy at their annual conferences several times. Hers is one of the "don't-miss" sessions, no matter what the topic.
9. Whenever Judy is really busy, her blog will feature the ABC's of legal terms. Judy is often quite busy, but I never feel cheated when her blog is a definition. Because Judy always makes it interesting, and...
10. She is funny.

Check out the blog at: The Legal Genealogist Blog - https://www.legalgenealogist.com/

Subscribe to her blog for daily emails at: Daily Legal Genealogist Email

Oh, and what is your favorite genealogy blog??

JUDY'S BACKGROUND

Judy has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and a law degree from Rutgers School of Law-Newark.
As a genealogist she is a Colorado native with:

• Deep southern roots on my mother’s side 
• First generation German on my father’s side. 

Employment history:

• Newspaper reporter 
• Trade association writer 
• Legal investigator 
• Defense attorney 
• Federal prosecutor 
• Law editor 
• Adjunct member of the faculty at Rutgers Law School, for more than 20 years 
• “Retiree” as of 2014 
• Lecturer at genealogy conferences across the country. 

Genealogical Education:

• Two decades learning the trade as a genealogist, (see below) 
• Has attended the National Institute on Genealogical Research at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., and completed courses in: 
• Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis 
• Writing and Publishing for Genealogists 
• African American Research 
• DNA analysis and more 
• Credentials as a: 
• Certified Genealogist® 
• Certified Genealogical LecturerSM from the Board for Certification of Genealogists® 
• A member of: 
• The National Genealogical Society 
• The Association of Professional Genealogists 
• The state genealogical societies of New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas and Illinois, among others. 
• She now to serves on: 
• The faculty at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR)
• The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG)
• The Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP)
• The Midwest African American Genealogy Institute (MAAGI) 
• The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed)
• A member of the Board of Trustees Board for Certification of Genealogists®  

Publications:

• National Genealogical Society Quarterly (see Judy G. Russell, “`Don’t Stop There!’ Connecting Josias Baker to His Burke County, North Carolina, Parents,” National Genealogical Society Quarterly 99 (March 2011): 25-41. 
• The award-winning “George Washington Cottrell of Texas: One Man or Two?,” National Genealogical Society Quarterly 105 (September 2017): 165-179. 
• The National Genealogical Society Magazine (see Judy G. Russell, “Autosomal DNA testing,” National Genealogical Society Magazine, October-December 2011, 38-43.
• “Fifty years of credentialing,” National Genealogical Society Magazine, January-March 2014, 15-19. 
• “Shootout at the Rhododendron Lodge: Reconstructing Life-Changing Events,” National Genealogical Society Magazine, January-March 2015, 28-35. 
• BCG’s OnBoard newsletter, among others. 

SOURCE: The Legal Genealogist Blog: https://www.legalgenealogist.com/

AFRICAN AMERICAN GENEALOGY

In honor of Black History Month and in keeping with our 2019 theme of family history education, I am offering this brief tutorial on African American Genealogy.

First, please understand that I AM NOT AN EXPERT in this field.

Understood? Good!

Start your research the same way as any other genealogy research, with yourself. Work back through each generation using vital records, census records, oral family histories and newspapers. Those techniques are being highlighted once a month in this blog, but are also available in many, many places, both online and in books.

While not impossible, as Henry Louis Gates Jr. has proved time and again on his popular television shows, Faces of America and Finding Your Roots, African American genealogy presents unique challenges. Such as:

• The brick wall of slavery. Prior to emancipation, slaves were not given surnames and not listed by name in typical records, such as census and vital records (births, deaths & marriages).
• The use of nicknames. So will the record be under a nickname or given name? You will need to check under both.
• Surname changes, particularly after the Civil War when the newly freed people had to pick a surname for the first time. Often, they chose the name of a previous slave owner, or someone they really admired like Lincoln or Washington. Later, people would change their surname to reflect major changes in their life. Like when Cassius Clay became Muhammad Ali to reflect his religious conviction.
• Reticence to talk about bad times. While not unique to the Black community, it is more prevalent. Painful memories can deter relatives from talking about their ancestors.
• For various reasons, African Americans have been under-documented in official records. That means that even when there should be a record, sometimes there isn't one.
• Many southern states didn't start requiring registration of vital records until after 1900.
• Enslaved people were not listed by name in pre-emancipation census records.

An unidentified African American Civil War soldier poses with his family
in this ambrotype from the Library of Congress.

The following are special records that can aid in researching African American ancestry:

• Freedman's Bureau was set up after the Civil War to help the recently freed people with food, housing and education as the acclimated to their new status as free people. These papers are available on the Library database Heritage Quest Online.
• Southern Claims Commison whose purpose was to reimburse southern Loyalists whose property was confiscated by the Union Army. Neighbors of all classes were questioned in these claims. Some can be accessed on Ancestry, the Family History Centers and Fold3.
• American Slave Narratives - besides the personal accounts written by or about people who had been slaves, the Federal Government commissioned out of work writers to interview ex-slaves during the depression. They are available on the Library of Congress web site.
• Property and probate records of slave owners - available in local court records.
• African American newspapers - for example the Cleveland Public Library has a database that covers the Cleveland paper, The Call and Post for members with a card from the Cleveland Library. Also, after emancipation people would put notices in local newspapers trying to locate missing family members. Check the area newspapers for the time period.
• Cohabitation Records –  Records found in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, were created to legalize marriages and legitimize children for people who had been enslaved. Found in local courthouses, state libraries, state archives, or county historical societies. 
• Free Negro Registries – Prior to Emancipation, free African Americans were required to register proof of their free status in  many states, such as Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia/West Virginia. These records are sometimes found in a separate book called “Registry of Free Negroes and Mulattoes” or in the county Minutes Books (court records). Some registers are published by the county and available for sale or found in libraries. Most are available by microfilm at state libraries or archives. Some county registers are also available online. 
• Alabama 1866 State Census – The first count of all inhabitants of a state after the Civil War. Everyone in neighboring households may not necessarily be related, despite sharing the same surname. Available on Ancestry Library Edition 
• African American Heritage database allows you to search records, books, serials, and other historical records specific to African Americans to trace your genealogy or to do research. Available from the Library's list of databases.

The Medina Library has these books to help your search:

• A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your African-American Ancestors : How to Find and Record Your Unique Heritage - 929.1089 SMI by Franklin Carter Smith. 
• Finding Oprah's Roots Finding Your Own - 929.1071 GAT by Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Lastly, these web sites should be helpful:

• Access Genealogy 
• African American Genealogy from the New England Historic and Genealogical Society
• African American links on Cyndi's List
• African American Research from the National Archives
• Afrigeneas Slave Data
• Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society 
• Center for African American Genealogical Research
• Guide to Finding African American Ancestors
• The Genealogy Page from BlackPast.org
• Where Do I Begin African American Research from FamilySearch.org

As always, good luck in your research!

Organizing Your Genealogy Research

It's my turn to do a genealogy lesson! This is the second in a series of lessons on genealogy research.
-Lisa Rienerth - Guest Blogger - Kathy's co-worker

Does This Look Familiar?

Then it's time to organize your research! 

You might be asking.."Why should I organize my research? I know where everything is!"

However, if you organize your research, it will improve your chances of successfully finding those elusive ancestors and help you break through those pesky brick walls!

AND.....

 It is going to save you time! You won't be searching through piles of papers looking for that specific relative or old record you knew you put somewhere! You will be able to see what information you have and what you still need and where to find it, in just a glance! Names and places of repositories will be easily found and will come in handy if you need to search for records at a place you have already visited or communicated with.

It will save you money!  If your records are organized, you will be less likely to order a record you already have. It will also help keep you from driving to a far off repository you already visited, but are unable to locate the information you found there.

It will keep your research focused! If you have your families sorted and all of your sources sorted by family surname, it will make it easier to not only record the information, but also to see what is missing. It helps you focus on one surname at a time, so you don't end up jumping from one person to the next and never really finding anything in particular for anyone.







Now that I have convinced you that it is a good idea to organize your research (at least I hope I have), let me show you some easy steps to start your organizing....and no...I won't tell you to hold it up and see if it gives you a spark of joy!

First, If you are a beginner, or you have only been doing your research for a few years, you will need some 2" binders. You want a binder for each SURNAME to keep all of the information that pertains to that family. Put the surname on the spine of the binder, that way when you have them shelved, you can see the name at a glance.

 Use page dividers to keep the information organized within the binder. 

When you have so much information that it will no longer fit in the 2" binder or there isn't any room for one more binder on your shelves, it is time to move up to either a file cabinet or file box.

You will then divide the surnames up into separate hanging files, using file folders to separate the information.  Depending on how much information you have collected on a certain family, you may have to use multiple hanging folders for one surname.  Some researchers color code their files or use color coded file labels to keep the names and information organized.

Keeping separate binders/files for each family and their records is just the beginning of your organizing.

The next step is using certain forms to keep your research recorded and organized. Kathy showed you how to use and how important Ancestral charts and Family Group sheets are. These are just two of the forms you need to keep in your surname binder or file. 

Another important form is the Research Journal. The journal tracks the research you are planning to do and research you have completed. The Research Journal below is one I made in Microsoft Word with the Table tab.

This Research Calendar is from Ancestry.com

You can use any research form as long as it records who and what you are looking for, your plan to get the source, the date you completed your research along with the results. These types of forms help you keep organized in a few ways.

1. It keeps you focused on one person so you don't get distracted and forget who and what you are looking for.

2. It prevents you from repeating research you have already accomplished.

3. It retains information that you may need for future research. For example, ways to contact court houses or archives or how much you paid for a record.



TECHNOLOGY - Another Way To Organize!
                                                       

Please remember....DO NOT throw away any of your hard copies! Technology does not replace what you have, it is in addition to what you have. Things can go wrong with technology and you could lose too much research because of it. However, you can't keep your hard copy safe from a catastrophe either. I am a believer of storing your research in as many places as possible. 

A laptop or a tablet is a good place to save your research. You can scan your photographs and records and save them to files on your device. 

From your device you can save your research to a flash drive. This is a handy device which you can take when you travel to research facilities.  You will have all your information at your fingertips and  most places you can download information to your flashdrive as you find it. Just remember the flash drive is only good for about 8-10 years and will need to be replaced so you don't lose your research. 

External Hardrives are a great place to store your research and scanned photographs and documents. This way if your laptop's hard drive crashes or your USB gets lost you will still have your research.






Software is a wonderful tool to use to  keep your research organized.  Find a software program you feel comfortable with. The website, Top Ten Reviews, is a good place to start. It is a type of online consumer report and will have a list of the different software, a list of average prices and how well they do with certain options. 

Please disregard the prices. This is an outdated image.

Websites are another place you can download your information to. However, please read all the fine print to learn about their privacy settings and if there are any fees. A few websites which you might want to check out are: Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org or MyHeritage.com. There are many more, but please be cautious with which one you use. 

The Mysterious CLOUD!

There really isn't anything mysterious.They work like your email accounts. The information you upload to the Cloud is kept on the company's server and you can access this information from the company's website on any device. 

Just like the websites and software, do your homework. Search for what is available and talk to others who use this as a way of storing their information. A few providers are: Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft Onedrive, and Apple iCloud. Just like the websites, there are many Cloud providers out there, just be sure you know all of the privacy settings and fees.  Most of them give you free storage up to a certain amount and then they start to charge a fee to increase the storage. 

Oh...and just so you know...I am not being compensated in any way by mentioning the different websites and providers in this blog. They were used for example purposes only. 

I hope this helps you begin organizing your research! It may take you some time to put everything in order, but don't give up! Remember all the benefits it will provide you!