Searching and Writing Your Family History as You Go on Ancestry.com - Anne Mitchell
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Searching and Writing Your Family History as You Go on Ancestry.com
Anne Mitchell
1
If you would like a copy of this presentation: http://www.ancestry-reference-desk.com Presentation will be available on Monday Morning 2
What is our end goal? •Not a pile of papers •Not a nice organized notebook of records, images and family group sheets •We want to tell our family story 3
How do I tell my family story
Method 1:
– Do a lot of research
– Sit down in front of Word
– Wait for divine inspiration
4
The Story 5
The Story 6
How do I tell my family story Method 2: 1. Assemble a list of resources 2. Do not always search in the same way 3. Build the foundation. 4. Analyze what you find; write up random thoughts and ideas as you go 5. Ask yourself what should I do next? 7
1. Assemble a list of resources (Don’t trust your memory) 8
Search Tool #1: Place Pages Go to http://search.ancestry.com/search Down at the bottom, you’ll find the map. Each state has a listing of collections specific to that state. 9
Search Tool #2: Card Catalog A complete listing of all of the data collections at Ancestry.com 10
Search Tool #2: Card Catalog 11
Search Tool #3: Finding Local Histories
In the Card Catalog, filter down to Stories, Memories and Histories:
Then in Keywords type in the location you are looking for
12Search Tool #4: Finding Surname Histories
In the Card Catalog, filter down to Stories, Memories and Histories:
Then in Keywords type in the name you are looking for
13Search Tool #5: City Directories
http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2469
14Search Tool #6: Message Boards 15
Search Tool #7: All Hints Page 16
2. There is not one perfect
way to search
Vary your methods
17Search Tool #8: First and Last name filters 18
Search Tool #9: Location filters
Use the location filter, by selecting the type ahead
ahead.and then selecting
adjacent counties and working your way out geographically to expand
your search.
Then selecting adjacent counties
and working your way out
geographically to expand your
search.
19Search Tool #10: Wildcards Try wildcards with exact on names to find unusual spellings of names. Sm?th* matches Smith, Smyth, and Smythe. You must have at least 3 characters to use a wildcard. 20
Search Tool #11: Limit your scope At the bottom of the advanced search, you can see the types of records you will see 21
Search Tool #12: Do a Category Search 22
Search Tool #13: Use facets 23
Search Tool #14: Look for Family Member
If you can’t find who you are looking for, look for :
• Siblings
• Parents
• Cousins
• Grandparents
• Neighbors
Use Elizabeth Shown Mill’s FAN approach:
• Friends
• Acquaintances
• Neighbors
24Search Tool #15: First or Last Name Only Searches 25
3. Build a framework 26
Build a Framework: Time to look in the Census Records Find all the census records and start to pull everything out of them. • The United States Census Records are taken every 10 years. • Their purpose is to enumerate the people who are residents in the country. The population in specific states defines the number of congress representatives and electoral votes. • Depending on what was happening in the country at that time, different questions would be asked. 27
Time to look in the Census Records The first US Census was taken in 1790. From 1790 through 1840 only heads of households were named. Other family members were represented by count. 28
Time to look in the Census Records The census records from 1850 to 1870 enumerated each person by name. Family relationships were not stated, but the clues are there. 29
Time to look in the Census Records The census from 1880 list each person by name AND the relationship to the head of household. Very few 1890 US Census Records exist. 30
Through the Eyes of the Census: 1940 Roy(?) Gillespie No Occupation born c. 1865, Virginia His spouse and children Wife Laura M, b. c. 1877, VA Daughter Minnie L, b. c. 1898, VA Daughter Evelyn P, b. c. 1907, VA Daughter Helen A, b. c. 1919, VA
Through the Eyes of the Census: 1930 Wyatt P Gillespie Carpenter born c. 1865, Virginia Married c. 1893 His spouse and children Wife Laura C, b. c. 1877, VA Daughter Minnie M, b. c. 1898, VA Daughter Eva D, b. c. 1902, VA Daughter Louise D, b.c. 1907, VA Son Fred D, b.c. 1911, VA Son Gilbert, b.c. 1914, VA Daughter Helen A, b. c. 1919, VA
Through the Eyes of the Census: 1920 Wyatt P Gillespie Carpenter born c. 1865, Virginia Married c. 1893 His spouse and children Wife Laura C, b. c. 1877, VA Daughter Minnie M, b. c. 1898, VA Son Ashby P, b.c. 1900, VA Daughter Eva D, b. c. 1902, VA Son Clinton C, b.c. 1907, VA Daughter Louise G, b.c. 1908, VA Parents and Siblings Son Fred D, b.c. 1911, VA Son Gilbert, b.c. 1914, VA Sister Harriett A, b. 1851, VA Daughter Helen A, b. c. 1919, VA
Through the Eyes of the Census: 1910 Wyatt P Gillespie Carpenter born c. 1865, Virginia Married c. 1894 His spouse and children Wife Laura C, b. c. 1877, VA Daughter Minnie M, b. c. 1898, VA Son Ashby P, b.c. 1900, VA Daughter Eva D, b. c. 1902, VA Son Clinton C, b.c. 1907, VA Daughter Louise G, b.c. 1908, VA Parents and Siblings Son Fred D, b.c. 1911, VA Son Gilbert, b.c. 1914, VA Sister Harriett A, b. 1851, VA Daughter Helen A, b. c. 1919, VA
Through the Eyes of the Census: 1900 Wyatt P Gillespie Carpenter born July 1865, Virginia Married c. 1894 His spouse and children Wife Laura C, b. Feb 1877, VA Daughter Minnie M, b. Jan 1897, VA Son Ashby P, b. Jun 1898, VA Daughter Eva D, b. c. 1902, VA Son Clinton C, b.c. 1907, VA Daughter Louise G, b.c. 1908, VA Parents and Siblings Son Fred D, b.c. 1911, VA Son Gilbert, b.c. 1914, VA Sister Harriett A, b. 1851, VA Daughter Helen A, b. c. 1919, VA
Through the Eyes of the Census: 1880 Wyatt P Gillespie Carpenter born July 1865, Virginia Married c. 1894 His spouse and children Wife Laura C, b. Feb 1877, VA Daughter Minnie M, b. Jan 1897, VA Parents and Siblings Son Ashby P, b. Jun 1898, VA Father Jere (Jese?), b.c. 1820, VA Daughter Eva D, b. c. 1902, VA Mother Mary (?), b.c. 1840, VA Son Clinton C, b.c. 1907, VA Daughter Louise G, b.c. 1908, VA Sister Harriett A, b. c. 1849, VA Son Fred D, b.c. 1911, VA Brother George, b. c. 1856, VA Son Gilbert, b.c. 1914, VA Daughter Helen A, b. c. 1919, VA
Through the Eyes of the Census: 1870 Wyatt Paul Gillespie Carpenter born July 1865, Virginia Married c. 1894 His spouse and children Wife Laura C, b. Feb 1877, VA Daughter Minnie M, b. Jan 1897, VA Parents and Siblings Son Ashby P, b. Jun 1898, VA Father Jere (Jese?), b.c. 1826, VA Daughter Eva D, b. c. 1902, VA Mother Mary (?), b.c. 1840, VA or Ann b.c. 1827, VA Son Clinton C, b.c. 1907, VA Daughter Louise G, b.c. 1908, VA Sister Harriett A, b. c. 1847, VA Son Fred D, b.c. 1911, VA Brother James, b. c. 1851, VA Son Gilbert, b.c. 1914, VA Brother William, b. c. 1855, VA Daughter Helen A, b. c. 1919, VA Brother George, b. c. 1856, VA
Start a Timeline with the Census
Start a Timeline with the Census
Timeline Tips
• Add other censuses
• Layer on historical events
– e.g., The U.S. entered World War I in 1917.Add in Historical Events
Timeline Tips
• Add other censuses
• Layer on historical events
– e.g., The U.S. entered World War I in 1917.
• Create a to-do list based on what you
find.Timeline Tips
• Add other censuses
• Layer on historical events
– e.g., The U.S. entered World War I in 1917.
• Create a to-do list based on what you
find
• Cite sources on your list so you’re
prepared for any conflicts.
– Create a template for censuses to make it
easy.4. Analyze what you find; write up random thoughts and ideas as you go 44
Write down and analyze what you see
Look at Ann Irene Feazell
• There is a Annie I Feazell, aged 3.
• She is living in Marion, Smyth, Virginia.
• Her parents are A Frank and Clara E.
• Now it is time to explore the image.
45The 1920 Census
• A Frank Feazell, born 1887; was the head of the household; he was born in Virginia as were his
parents.
• Clara Feazell, born 1891, was Frank's wife; she was born in Virginia as were her parents.
• Ann (listed as Anna O) was born in 1917 in Virginia.
• She has an older sister named Josephine S born in 1915 in Virginia.
• She has a younger brother named Carl V born in 1920 who is listed as 7 months old.
• There are no immigration years listed for anyone, which makes sense since they are all from
Virginia.
• Frank is listed as a farmer who rented a farm. Frank and Clara can both read and write, the
children cannot.
• Next door on one side is a family made of Mollie Snavely, Edna Wilmore, and Ferdinand S Snavely.
• On the other side is John and Fairy Crow.
• Also, listed on the page is a John D Feazell and Josephine Feazell.
• There are 11 Feazell's living in Smyth County, Virginia in 1920.There are 22,132 people living in
Smyth County, Virginia in 1920.
46The 1920 Census
• A Frank Feazell, born 1887; was the head of the household; he was born in Virginia as were his
parents.
• Clara Feazell, born 1891, was Frank's wife; she was born in Virginia as were her parents.
• Ann (listed as Anna O) was born in 1917 in Virginia.
• She has an older sister named Josephine S born in 1915 in Virginia.
• She has a younger brother named Carl V born in 1920 who is listed as 7 months old.
• There are no immigration years listed for anyone, which makes sense since they are all from
Virginia.
• Frank is listed as a farmer who rented a farm. Frank and Clara can both read and write, the
children cannot.
• Next door on one side is a family made of Mollie Snavely, Edna Wilmore, and Ferdinand S Snavely.
• On the other side is John and Fairy Crow.
• Also, listed on the page is a John D Feazell and Josephine Feazell.
• There are 11 Feazell's living in Smyth County, Virginia in 1920.There are 22,132
people living in Smyth County, Virginia in 1920.
47How did I know the number of people?
Where did this come from?
How do I calculate the number of People in
the county?
48How did I know the number of people?
Start on the
homepage
and choose
the year of
interest
49How did I know the number of people?
Make sure
you are on
the advanced
version of the
form
50How did I know the number of people?
Choose the
county you
are looking at
from the
“place
picker”
51How did I know the number of people?
Click on “Use
default
settings”
Choose
“Restrict to
this place
exactly”
52How did I know the number of people?
Look at the Result Number
53How did I know the number of people?
Click edit
Type in the
last name
Click “Use
default
settings”
54How did I know the number of people?
Choose
Phonetic and
Names with
similar
meanings
Click search
55How did I know the number of people?
Look at the result count
56Start the Timeline with the Census Add information into a timeline S 57
Create the Timeline with the Census Add in events you know from the Census 58
Add in the 1920 Census Add in the info from 1920 59
Update the timeline 60
1790 – 1840: Build a Skeleton Family 61
1790 – 1840: Build a Skeleton Family 62
Immigration: When and where did they come from?
1. Begin with records created by the families in the
US
1. 1930, 1920 censuses, military registration,
obituaries
2. Find the immigrant in the immigration and travel
collection at Ancestry.com
3. Use Name, Birth Details and Place Information to
Locate Your Ancestor in International Records
63Immigration: When and where did they come from? 64
65
How do I tell my family story Method 2: 1. Assemble a list of resources 2. Do not always search in the same way 3. Build the foundation. 4. Analyze what you find; write up random thoughts and ideas as you go 5. Ask yourself what should I do next? 66
Where do you tell your family story? 67
Where do you tell your family story?
http://geneabloggers.com/about/
68Where do you tell your family story?
http://youtu.be/MfRmJKn8ciA (You Tube search ancestry.com cousin bait)
69You can also read
