The beauty of being an experienced genealogist, comes from hindsight–knowing what research steps to take and in what order those steps bring the best results.\u00a0 So let’s examine these steps, as if you were a genealogy beginner:<\/p>\n
Since each pedigree begins with family sources–FAMILY KNOWNS–and extensions of your lineage build on family information documented and proven to be correct, your KNOWNS are identified and recorded first.\u00a0 For this reason, I recommend that you contact other persons who are searching for your family name. They may already know the information you lack and their help is all you need to jump-start your own work.<\/p>\n
The primary difficulty in drafting a family tree, and the place where error is most apt to occur is assigning children<\/strong> to the right set of parents.\u00a0 Second most difficult, is identifying correctly additional marriages<\/strong> for husband or wife (father or mother) and marriages for each child in the family.\u00a0 So these items require special scrutiny. A man with small children whose wife dies in child birth will remarry quickly.\u00a0 A mother left to rear her children alone, will usually remarry quickly.\u00a0 Identity is also difficult if the new spouse shares the same given name or the same surname.<\/strong><\/p>\n If you are working with the emigrant\/immigrant generation, ensuring that you have the same, exact<\/strong> person on both ends of the trail or both sides of the ocean will take extra effort.\u00a0 Seeking proof in documents that mention both ends or tie both sides together.<\/p>\n Stay tuned for some key examples of research pitfalls–pitfalls that you can avoid with careful preparation for your searches.\u00a0 Your favorite genealogist, Arlene Eakle\u00a0 http:\/\/arleneeakle.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n PS\u00a0 I’m speaking at the St George Family History Expo, 22-23 Feb 2013, at the Dixie Center, 1835 Convention Center Drive, St George UT.\u00a0 I have a two-part presentation on Virginia genealogy research–for advanced\/experienced attendees.\u00a0 And Why Revolutionary War Records are Important for your Genealogy.\u00a0 And I will be at my booth in the Exhibit\u00a0 Hall when I am not speaking–SO bring your lineage and family charts for expert help on your hardest-to-find ancestors.\u00a0 I’d love to help you break your losing streak!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The beauty of being an experienced genealogist, comes from hindsight–knowing what research steps to take and in what order those steps bring the best results.\u00a0 So let’s examine these steps, as if you were a genealogy beginner: Careful analysis of … Continue reading