Unless we have sources, genealogical research is reduced to unconfirmed stories and myths. Our memories are wonderful and faulty. People change “facts” to fit their worldview or some idealized perception of the past. Why sources are important Stories are great, as long as you situate the story in context by citing the source. There’s no …
I usually assume that if a man and a woman are memorialized on the same grave marker that they were married. More recently, the same conclusion could also apply with same-sex couples. There’s a saying about the danger of “assume”… (it does not always impugn the other person!) The question arose because of a few …
While most instances of “instant” may be easy to discern the meaning from the context, my encounter with this unfamiliar usage was quite befuddling to me. It was from a 19 October 1904 wedding announcement: Miss Bessie Cleghorn and Mr. Forrest Additon of Flowery Branch, were married by ‘Squire Walter W. Cooper 4th. instant. The …
There are many companies who offer DNA analysis for purposes of discovering family members. Deciding on getting tested is a complex decision. Let me help you decide. As you might infer from the image above, I feel DNA testing is over-rated for genealogical research. There is a place for it, as long as you do …
Paper degrades, photos fade and all physical records are subject to damage from fire or flood. With inexpensive scanners available, it is possible to digitize all old paper records. While it can be time-consuming, it isn’t insurmountable (I teach people how!). Almost everyone now carries a high-quality digital camera with them in their smart phone. …
How long ago was 10 generations? I’ve created a quick-glance reference chart of generations with the numbers of ancestors and rough time frames and year ranges at each generation, for my own use when traversing family trees. Note that the ranges get larger as we go back further – most families will fall near the …
{compiled from several sources with added entries and updates} altar tomb – A solid, rectangular, raised tomb or grave marker resembling ceremonial altars of classical antiquity and Judeo-Christian ritual. ashes – the cremated remains of a body after cremation, mostly dry calcium phosphates with some various minor minerals such as salts of sodium and potassium, …
On Thomas Jefferson’s grave marker, his birth date is shown as “BORN APRIL 2, 1743 O.S.”
What is this “O.S.”?
When doing genealogical research, it is not uncommon to come across information that is protected under copyright law. While government documents and very old information that is no longer covered by copyright make up a large part of genealogical research, there is much that we have access to that may be protected by copyright law. …
