Advanced Genealogy Research Techniques by Morgan, George G. -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover About the Authors Title Page Copyright Page Contents Acknowledgments Introduction

When the Going Gets Tough… …the Tough Get Going The Brick Wall Metaphor (and Why It Matters) Eight Ideas for Getting Past the Brick Wall What You’ll Need Before You Set Out

Chapter 1. Examine the Brick Wall in Detail

Census Birth Certificate/Index Marriage License/Index Death Certificate/Index Obituary Tombstone/Cemetery Photograph

Now That You Have More Details… Organize What You Have in a Genealogy Database Program

Names Dates Places

Create an Ancestor Timeline

Gather All of the Evidence You Have Collected Organize Everything Sequentially Reread Everything Compile a Timeline

Incorporate Historical Newspaper Research Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Summary Sources Used in This Chapter

Chapter 2. Use Brute Force

Indexes Transcriptions Extracts Abstracts OCR in Detail Sources of Secondary Information Family Histories, Online Family Trees, and Personal Web Pages Application Forms to Societies and Other Organizations The “Reasonably Exhaustive Search” Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Summary Sources Used in This Chapter

Chapter 3. Go Around the Wall

The Broader Technique (and What to Call It) Spouses Parents and Children Other Relatives Beyond the “F” Another Important Use of the FAN Club Technique Other Names Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 Summary Sources Used in This Chapter

Chapter 4. Talk to a Friend

Why Share a Brick Wall Problem? With Whom Should You Share the Problem? How to Share a Brick Wall Problem Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Summary

Chapter 5. Use Crowdsourcing

Genealogy Societies Online Forums—An Overview

Electronic Mailing Lists Electronic Message Boards Facebook Groups, Google+ Communities, and GenealogyWise

Finding the Most Relevant Online Forum The Etiquette of Online Forums Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts

Blogs Wikis Podcasts

Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 Summary

Chapter 6. Apply Technological Solutions

DNA Testing: A Very Brief History Types of DNA Testing

mtDNA Testing Y-DNA Testing Autosomal DNA Testing

Deep Ancestry

Mutations Mitochondrial Eve Y-chromosomal Adam Haplogroups and SNPs Ethnic Mixtures

Companies That Perform DNA Testing Specialized Genealogical Software

GenSmarts Clooz Evidentia

Summary

Chapter 7. Hire a Demolition Expert

What Can a Professional Researcher Do for Me?

Professional Genealogist Accredited Genealogist Certified Genealogist Other Organizations Representing Professional Genealogists Geographic Specialization Specialty Areas

Contracting with a Professional Researcher If and When Things Go Wrong Summary

Chapter 8. Rest Up and Attack the Brick Wall Another Time

Learn

Books Articles Blogs Wikis Recorded Audio and Video Programs Live Webinars Face-to-Face Presentations

Practice Monitor Summary

Chapter 9. Put the Techniques to Work

Review the Evidence Develop a Research Strategy

Determine the Questions You Want to Answer Identify All Potential Resources Obtain Exact Copies of the Original Records Analyze Evidence and Develop Hypotheses

Keep a Research Log

A Paper Research Log Use a Spreadsheet A Blog as Research Log Use Your Genealogy Database Program Software Utility Programs

The Case of Mary Ann Reilly Smith Some Final Remarks

Index