When you are looking at a record, ask yourself: was this record created all in one sitting? Or was this amended and updated over time? There are different types of records that were changed and updated over a longer period of time. In population registers, people who moved out or died were crossed out, and people who moved in or were born were added. In some types of tax or tithe records, owners of real estate would be updated if the property changed hands. In cadastral ledgers, plots that … [Read more...]
Quick Tip – Browse the Whole Book
13 March 2019 by Leave a Comment
When you're researching a family, indexes may help you to find the exact record you need. But it can be worthwhile to browse the whole book. Here are some things I learned from browsing the whole book: I've found records of my ancestors that I didn't find in the index, either because the name was spelled differently in the record, or because the indexer made a mistake. My ancestors were mentioned as the owners of neighboring property in many deeds that were only indexed by the buyer … [Read more...]
Quick Tip – Crossed Out Does Not Mean Incorrect
26 December 2018 by 1 Comment
Just because a record or part of a record is crossed out, does not mean it is incorrect. Often, records were struck through when they were no longer valid or needed. For example, a court record about a debt was struck through after the debt was paid, sometimes with a note in the margin about the payment. In population registers, a line was struck through if the person died or moved away. So don't ignore evidence you can find in these records just because the words have been crossed out. … [Read more...]
