Lyceum - Basic Genealogy - Research Basics
- Much Like Solving a Crime or Locating a Missing Person
- Rarely are Problems Solved in the Same Way
- Begin with Clues in Hand, Let That Guide Research
- Locate and Evaluate Sources
- Listed in Increasing Order of Reliability or Accuracy
- Heresay evidence. Or research of others without cited
sources.
- Published material.
Eg. Typical Family Genealogy
Local Histories. Material usually current, may
contain
heresay information or personal accounts. Not always
complete or clearly presented.
- Published material with source citations.
Family Genealogy by Serious Researcher
Abstracts, indices produced by competant compiler - In this case, best to get copy of original
- Source material. Eg. Vital records, census records.
Birth certificate
Marriage Licence, Marriage Return
(License given at courthouse, registered at
courthouse. Return, filed by person who performed the
ceremony, and added to courthouse record.)
Death certificate.
Facts about death usually accurate. Statements
by informant (such as names of parents of deceased) open
to question.
Land records. Though deeds not always filed in a
timely fashion after purchase.
Court records. Wills, probate material.
These records are timely - ie. more or less concurrent
with event. Consequently more reliable.
- Obviously, the more different records confirm each other or are
consistent, the better. However, multiple heresay or secondary
accounts with identical information are no better than a single
heresay account. Remember that copying from one searcher to
another
is endemic.
- "Typical" Search - Collection of Information from Variety of Sources
- Gather facts
- Use new facts to search for others
- Organize facts - note consistencies, inconsistencies
- Use organized facts to guide search
Follow every lead.
- Get more facts
- Interpret - cull - organize
- Continue at Step 1.)
© Prepared by Jay
January 6, 2006