Introduction to Family Research

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Introduction to Family Research

• A beginning survey of genealogy
• Saturday,
• October 2nd, 2004
• By
• Al Barron

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Introduction to Family Research
Agenda

• Introductory remarks
• Elements of Research
• Sources
• Summation
• Upcoming Events/Topics

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Introduction to Family Research

• Book of John, 12
• 12 Abraham genuit Isaac Isaac autem genuit Iacob
  Iacob autem genuit Iudam et fratres eius 
• 12 Abraham begat Isaac and Isaac begat Jacob
  and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren

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Introduction to Family Research

• Why genealogy?
• To put a personal face on history
• To understand the unique issues we inherit
• from the past
• To know the past in relation to family history

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Introduction to Family Research

• Where do I Start?
• Start with yourself and work backwards
• MEMORIES more than just a songa starting
  point
• Record sources
• Relatives

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Introduction to Family Research
Where do I Start?
Start with yourself and work backwards
Every person, short of an adoptee, can go back at
least three generations. In the case of an
individual born in 1950, assuming that a
generation is 20 year, the grandparents are alive
circa 1910. This would put them in the 1910
Census with their parents, the great
grandparents.
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Introduction to Family Research
Where do I Start?
MEMORIES more than just a songa starting
point
While using records to fill in dates is an
important thing, it is often best to utilize the
memories of the oldest viable minds to records
anecdotes of those whove gone before. Besides,
interesting stories and mysteries are sometime
more fun than bland vital records and census
materials. Usually, one of the best tings to do
is to take and use a notebook to chronicle your
research in narrative form. While it can preserve
treasured memories, it can give perspective to
your work at a later date.
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Introduction to Family Research
Where do I Start?
Record sources
Sources for records can range from the usual and
mundane to the interesting and obscure.
Typically, most researchers use census records or
other mainstream source to locate an ancestor.
The most obscure source used recently has been a
Record of Educable Children for the State of
Mississippi for the year 1907.
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Introduction to Family Research
Where do I Start?
Relatives
Many relatives are often the best starting point
for information. While memories are frail, they
may be able to recall events from the life of a
family that prove interesting to note. A
researcher in New Orleans recently uncovered a
contract for the sale of property from Bernard
Marigny that was notarized by a man named
Almonester
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Introduction to Family Research

• Preservation and Organization of Research
• Recording Information
• Census Extracts
• Family Documentation
• Source Documentation/Citation
• Correspondence

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Introduction to Family Research
Preservation and Organization of Research
Recording Information
Census Extracts
The Census provides a marking point to trace a
family through a given point in time. It is a
primary record that shows beyond doubt that a
family IS is a particular place at a given time.
We will discuss the Census in more detail.
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Introduction to Family Research
Preservation and Organization of Research
Family Documentation
Ancestor Chart -
A thumbnail sketch on many generations in a family
Family Group Sheet -
Isolates a particular family from an ancestral
chart
Extracts a type of record, other than Census
for a given family or person
Record Extract -
This is the heart of paper research. There Are
many ways to reference the chart, sheets and
extracts
Cross Referencing -
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Introduction to Family Research
Preservation and Organization of Research
Source Documentation/Citation

• Use the research extract sheets to summarize
  information which cannot be photocopied
• For which there is no document in your
  possession
• For things such as deeds which may be
  time-consuming or difficult to reread quickly
  when you need information from the copy you have.

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Introduction to Family Research
Preservation and Organization of Research
Correspondence
In paper research, a correspondence record can
help to keep track of all of the non-internet
based individuals you have kept in contact with.
While it might seem Arcane for the armchair
researcher, keeping track may well pay dividends
when you need either help someone else with a
contact or need to revisit the topic at another
time.
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Introduction to Family Research
Preservation and Organization of Research
Methodologies
Use the easiest source first, in many cases
Ancestry.com or familysearch.org
Learn how to manipulate sources by their
complexity, from indices to name genealogies.
When you master a source, decide which way works
best for you and document each source that you
use (The Red Book Problem)
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Introduction to Family Research

• Where do I look?
• Local Sources State Sources
• St. Tammany Parish Library
  Louisiana State Archives
• 310 West 21st Avenue
  3851 Essen lane
• Covington, LA 70433
  Baton Rouge, LA 70809
• 985-893-3280
  225-922-1000
• St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court
  Federal Sources
• 701 North Columbia Street
  NARA Branches
• Covington, LA 70433
  Bureau of Indian
  Affairs
• 985-809-7500
  Various Military Departments

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Introduction to Family Research

• What does each source tell me?
• Census
• Military Records
• Land grants
• Tax Records
• Passenger Ship and Naturalization Records
• Bible/Sacramental Records

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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
1790 Census
The 1790 Census only lists the head of household
and the ages of the other family members. The
179s quality will vary with the handwriting of
the enumerator The 1790 is indexed either by a
print index or by computer file such as
Ancestry
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
1800 Census
the 1800 census is much like the 1790. Only
Heads of household are by name, while other
members are listed as tick m arks As with the
1790, you are often at the mercy of the
enumerator. Another consideration is the quality
of the image. The 1800 is indexed either by a
print index or by computer file such as Ancestry
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
1810 Census
With the 1810 Census, you have the same
information as with the earlier years. The 1810
is indexed either by a print index or by computer
file such as Ancestry
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
1820 Census
With the 1820 Census, the same information is
given as the earlier years. The 1820 is indexed
either by a print index or by computer file such
as Ancestry
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
1830 Census
With the 1830 Census, you have the same
information as with the earlier years. The 1830
is indexed either by a print index or by computer
file such as Ancestry
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
1840 Census
With the 1840 Census, you have the same
information as with the earlier years. This was
the last census to exclude family members by
name. The 1840 is indexed either by a print
index or by computer file such as Ancestry
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
1850 Census
The 1850 will list other members of the
household. It will also show vocational
information and asset value. The 1850 is
indexed either by a print index or by computer
file such as Ancestry
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
1860 Census
The 1860 will list other members of the
household. It will also show vocational
information and asset value, place of nativity
and marital status. The 1860 is indexed either
by a print index or by computer file such as
Ancestry
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
1870 Census
The 1870 will list other members of the
household. It will also show vocational
information and asset value, place of nativity
and marital status. 1870 also added question of
literacy and race. The 1870 is indexed either
by a print index or by computer file such as
Ancestry
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
1880 Census
The 1880 will list other members of the
household. It will also show vocational
information and asset value, place of nativity
and marital status. 1880 also added question of
literacy and race. The 1880 also added more
information on nativity and relationships. The
1880 is indexed Soundex or by computer file such
as Ancestry.
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Introduction to Family Research

• What does each source tell me?

Soundex is a phonetic contraction of the
enumerated persons last name. Essentially, the
last name is equated to a series of numbers
preceded by a letter to alphabetically and
numerically order a number of individuals.
Example Barron, coded for Soundex would be
B650 Keep the first letter of the last name (B),
get rid of the vowels (a,o) and any the 2nd
letter of any double consonants (r) and then use
a chart to substitute for the remaining letters.
Fill in any space less than 3 to the right of the
letter. Soundex cards will give you a thumbnail
sketch of the census. They will also get you indo
the main census. Unlike earlier enumerations,
everyone should be indexed, ,but Soundex is not
used for all states.
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
1890 Census
Almost al of the 1890 Census was destroyed by
fire in the 1920s. What does exist of it is only
enough to enumerate the Union Veterans and widows
of the Civil War. Ancestry has a substitute for
the 1890 and most city directories can substitute
for the census by giving the occupation, trade
and address of an individual.
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
1900 Census
The 1900 includes al of the 1880 plus a few extra
columns the nativity of the enumerated persons
parent and date of immigration. It is indexed by
Soundex and is also done by databases and
volunteers.
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
1910 Census
The 1910 includes much more information that does
any previous census. It includes information on
the nature of employment and the ownership of
property. Again, it is indexed by the
Soundex. In Louisiana, Caddo and Orleans Parishes
use MIRACODE.
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
1920 Census
The 1920 Census gives roughly the same
information as the 191, but has fewer columns.
Again, Soundex would be used to get the County,
Enumeration District and page number for the
individual.
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
1930 Census
The 1930 Census, like the 1920 and 1910, has
essentially the same information and is indexed
by Soundex.
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Introduction to Family Research

• What does each source tell me?
• Mortality Schedules
• For the Census enumerations after 1850, there are
  a few special
• schedules that cover individuals who have died
  since the previous
• taking.

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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
Military Records
In American History, there has always been a need
to document the services perform end by our
troops. From the Colonial period to the present
days veterans were paid for their tenure
personnel records contain information on muster
dates, awards and the type of service rendered.
Some examples of the records would include
Booths Louisiana Soldiers in confederate
commands and World War One Civilian Draft
Registration Cards. More recent examples would be
the 201 files of veterans serving since World War
Two. These records are held by the National
Archives, the National Personnel Records Center
and state governments for the National Guard.
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
Land grants
Land Grants were made to individuals based on
claims made before Congress or a similar claim
made for military service. Also, lands were
granted to settlers in the latter half of the
1800s. For information on land grant, see the
American State Papers, or Grassroots of
America
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
Tax Records
Tax rolls exist for every level of government,
from city to the federal government. Typical tax
records at the local level might be the Chimney
Tax of 1798 from New Orleans to property taxes
levied on farms and houses. Federal Income Taxes,
while a burden, may prove to be a great resource
for genealogists at some point
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
Passenger Ship and naturalization Records
There are a number of sources to help find
immigrants coming into the country. Some include
Glazier and Filbys Germans to America and the
actual manifests and indices available from the
National Archives. Typically, in the manifests,
information on an immigrant will include their
point of embarkation, gender and age.
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?
Bible/Sacramental Records
The sacramental records and bible records of
individual families are the vital records of
their time. Prior to the early 1900s, the
federal government did not require the
collection of vital statistics. This job was done
by churches or by individuals with their own
bibles. An excellent example of sacramental
records are Fr. Donald Heberts South Louisiana
Records and the Sacramental Records of the
Archdiocese of New Orleans. Typically, each
major event in the life of a parishoner, from
Confirmation to Mass of Christian Burial are
covered.
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Introduction to Family Research
What does each source tell me?

• Other Types of Public Records

• Voter Registration Rolls

• Will/Probate Documents

• Lawsuits and Court Minutes

• Sales Contracts or other Notarized and
  Recorded Documents

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Introduction to Family Research

• Considerations
• Always consider the AUTHORITY of a source
• Remember that a lot of what is on the internet
  does not have the clout of a government or
  church source
• Other Considerations
• Some sources (even federal) have wrong
  information people may be mistaken or may
  not have given correct information
• Always try to use sources that you can verify by
  at least one other source such as a Census
  backed up by a city directory.

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Introduction to Family Research

• What happens if I dont find anything?
• This is the painful part look again and keep
  looking!!!
• If you cant find it one way, try another
• Example if you cant find someone in the census,
  try a city directory. If you cant find an
  obituary, try a cemetery list, etc.

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Introduction to Family Research

• Who do I talk to about research?
• There are always groups that will help
• You can always email, call or write a letter to a
  fellow genealogist, librarian or member of a
  genealogy society to help you

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Introduction to Family Research
Local Sources to Consider
Library in the County/Parish Clerk of
Court College Library Church or Church
Library Local Genealogy Society Various Print
Sources in a Library (County Court House
Handbook, Vital Records Handbook, etc.)
Most organizations respond quickly to email, a
mail-in request might take time. Also, remember
to include a SASE when requesting information.
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Introduction to Family Research

• In Summation
• Start with yourself and work backwards
• Fill-in where necessary with outside sources
• Use the internet and print sources to find what
  you need
• Always seek outside validation or help when
  needed
• Always ask.

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Introduction to Family Research

• Upcoming Events/Topics

Saturday, October 9th, Electronic Genealogy
Saturday, October 16th, Ethnic Genealogy
Saturday, October 23rd, Military Heritage Research