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checklist-findingmissingfamilyclues-pt_-_copy.pdf
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Finding Family--Clues and Tips for Finding People Missing from YOUR Family Tree


​Clue #1: Deceased or No Dates
Clue #2: No Surname or Maiden Name for Women
Clue #3: Collect the Children
  • No children or only one child in a family
  • Spacing of Children—average is every two years
    • Long gap and then more children--? 2nd marriage
  • Naming Patterns
  • Check birthdates of children against parents’ death dates
  • Search using parents’ names only
  • Where were known children born?  Search in nearby locations.
Clue #4: Collect all Census Records available during their lifetime
  • See handouts in the Good To Know Basics Section
               www.preservingtime.org/census-records.html
  • Study Images, not just indexing
  • Use Images from different sources
  • Turn the Page (if family is at the bottom or top of the page)
  • Browse rest of page and nearby pages for other family members
  • Check Age of wife versus age of children (could she be their mother or is this a second marriage?)  Is it indicated if this is a first or second marriage?
  • Investigate all individuals in a household  (step-children, parents, other family, even “unrelated” individuals)
  • Watch for Neighbors and Associates that lived near your family in other census records
  • Check for State Census Records
  • READ CAREFULLY
  • 1790—1st US Census
  • 1850—1st Census that included names of household members
  • 1880 + --Lists relationship to the head of household
  • 1890—Census was burned; only limited special schedules remain
  • 1900—List month and year of birth; Mother of how many children and how many still living (check all women for this information)
  • 1910—Mother of how many children and how many still living
  • 1920—More complete citizenship information
  • 1930—Age at 1st marriage; (Own a radio set)
  • 1940—Last census available right now
Clue #5:  Find Records of Other Family Members
  • Most likely missed:  Children who die young or don’t marry; Couples with no children
  • Children’s birth, marriage and death records many times have information about their parents
  • Families lived and moved together in the past
  • Research often only done for a person’s direct line
  • Find all known records about known family members—Not just birth, marriage and death
  • Use “non-name & date” type records (ie. Journals, Diaries, Family Stories, Published Histories, Newspapers (don’t skip the society columns) etc. etc.)
Clue #6: Past Errors and Wrong Assumptions
  • Following the wrong family
  • Online family trees--Important Clues but, use as clues only
  • Desire to extend line vs. accuracy
  • Mixing families together
  • Work from you back to make sure you are actually working on your own family!
Clue #7:  Use Common Sense
  • Children were not born before their parents or many years after their death
  • Family Legends—use as clues and then verify
Clue #8:  Learn Best Practices for Online Searching
  • Change Search Parameters;
    • Extend range of dates searched
    • Analyze results and use that input to refine your search parameters
    • Use Search limiters
    • Use Wildcards
  • Just because it isn’t there today, doesn’t mean it won’t be there tomorrow
  • Save images and indexing—NOT links to information
Clue #9 (For LDS):  Don’t rely on the Temple Icon
  • Are all family members represented?  There won’t be a green temple icon for someone not represented in Family Tree.
  • Check for duplicate using Possible Duplicate AND FIND (under FamilyTree Tab)
Clue #10: Use Sources Other than Online Sources
  • Especially living individuals—either family members or those who understand family history
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  • Home
  • Handouts
    • Archiving and Preservation >
      • Preserving Family Treasures
      • SAVE THE BOX
      • What do I DO with the STUFF?
      • Personal History Debate/ Laying Out Page
      • Avoiding Digital Disasters
      • Clues to Identifying Photos
      • Gathering THE STUFF
      • Interviews
      • Photo Organization
      • Memory Jogger ?s for Writing Personal Histories
      • More on Archiving--The Good, The Bad and The Terrible
      • Scanning Photos and Documents
    • Journaling in a Jiffy
    • Secrets/ Not Overwhelmed by Family History
    • Beginning Research Checklist
    • Evaluating Information
    • Family History: 15 Minutes at a Time
    • Going Digital with your Genealogy
    • Limiting Internet Searches
    • Ordinances Ready as a Starting Point
    • Organize to Fit the Way YOU Think
    • Personal Research Toolbox
    • Family History Notetaking
  • Web-site Project
    • Top Favorites
    • General Sites
    • Cemeteries/ Death Records
    • Census
    • Immigration, Emigration and Migration Records
    • Land Records- United States
    • LDS Websites
    • Libraries
    • Location Specific >
      • United States
      • State Specific
      • Other Countries
    • Maps/ Address & Phone Numbers
    • Military Records
    • Newspapers
    • Other 'Web-Site Projects'
    • Search Engines
  • Toolbox
    • Good to Know Basics >
      • Good to Know-Basics
      • Finding YOUR Best Place to Work
      • Census Records
      • Clues--Finding Missing Family
      • Computer and Tech Basics
      • OCR & Online Searches
      • Ocupsyshun Census Taker
      • Relationship Chart
      • Research Checklist
    • FamilySearch.org >
      • Good To Know-FamilySearch
      • Tree Connect: Adding Sources from Outside FamilySearch
      • Browse Records-FamilySearch
      • Find/ Add People in FamilySearch
      • No Image? Maybe There Is One
      • RelativeFinder.org
    • Apps & Links >
      • BYU Family History Labs
    • Reference Article Links
    • SPECIAL EVENTS INFO: >
      • 2020 Handouts
      • 2019 Fair Handouts
      • 2018 Fair Handouts
    • Getting Started for True Beginners
    • Consultants >
      • Strengthen Teaching Skills
    • Teaching Tools
    • Save the Box
    • Scanning, VHS and Cassette Tapes
    • Handwriting Helps
  • Photos and Stories
    • Scanning Multiple Photos/ Same Time
    • Scanner Hints
  • Charts and Blank Forms
    • Relationship Chart
  • Articles, Tutorials & Classes