GENTREK

Submitted by Host Gfs DarlaJo

 

GENTREK Topics for MAY 2001

Monday Nights in the Beginners Chat Room, 10pm - midnight ET

May 7 - Orphan Trains ~ HostGFSLee

May 14 - Colonial Records ~ HostGFSFelicia

May 21 - Nicknames ~ HostGFSMarie

May 28 - Holiday

June 4 - Railroad Records ~ Figgite1

Here is the first of seven talks given on "Where might you find a CLUE to the birth date of an ancestor" in GENTREK. GENTREK is on Mondays from 10pm -midnight in the Beginners Chat..

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GENTREK Question 1

Where might you find a clue to the birth date of an ancestor?

For ease in research, I find it helpful to think of the life of an ancestor in 3 segments:

birth / childhood, adulthood, death / estate

I have used this break-down for our talks on birth info.

We will present the information on Segment 1: Birth/Childhood this week and we will have discussion on those items after the talk.

Next week we will continue with Segment 2: Adulthood which may take a couple of weeks ;-) and Segment 3: Death / Estate will be covered in the following weeks. :-)

Let's get started with Segment 1: birth / childhood and look at our question for the night :-)

Where might you find a clue to the birth date of an ancestor?

As with any GENealogy TREK, always start with what you know and work toward the unknown.

Talk to all living relatives, neighbors and friends of the family ...

Even if you don't think they can provide any new information, they might verify a clue; provide insight into the way things were at that time in history; mention another person you hadn't considered to talk to; or even remember something long forgotten that is helpful! Be sure to ask if they have any "treasures" you can look at: birth announcements, funeral notices, wedding announcements, church bulletins, newspaper clippings, pictures, family bibles, scrap books, diaries, etc. (more on these a bit later) I have found that taking a photograph of these items can be a great way to get a "copy" when you are not allowed to take these items outside the home. A personal size copier or a hand-held scanner would also be handy, but I am not lucky enough to own one :(

Always take notes, and better yet - ask permission to also record the conversation either audio or video for future reference. I find it helpful to have family group sheets and a pedigree handy for reference, my memory is not always what I would like. ;-) Pictures can also be a great way to jog a memory. Be sure to keep all notes / information in a file for future review, dated and labeled of course. Sometimes a bit of information will have a whole new meaning when you review it at a later date.

Be sure to allow PLENTY of time for each visit to someone's home but don't stay too long! Some folks will get "on a roll" and you will wonder where the time has gone. Still others will tire out quickly and perhaps need a second visit to cover all the information completely. Always THANK the person for their time and information... and offer them a copy of your completed family group sheets! Be sure your name and contact information is on EACH PAGE.... ( footnotes are good for that). They might very well look them over and remember an additional tidbit of information down the road to share with you.

Birth Records ...

Check not only the birth records / certificates of the ancestor you are looking for, but of other family members as well. The birth info of a sibling might mention a clue to birth order, which is a clue for birth years. The birth info of children could hold a clue for the age of the parents. Don't forget the "delayed birth records"! For adults who did not have their birth recorded at the time of birth, and later wanted to draw Social Security benefits, proof of age / birth date was required. These records will show just "how" they proved it.

Birth records can be located in various places depending on the state / county / date. Be sure to check for "birth register books", as well as the more well-known "certificate". Sometimes a birth log was nothing more than a notebook kept by a traveling doctor who reported to the appropriate authorities a couple times a year. If you can't find birth info at the local level, be sure to check the county and state levels.

Christening / Baptism (church records) ...

Church records can be the key to unlocking your mysteries! Many churches kept more thorough and more accurate records than did the city / county / state offices. Don't overlook this valuable resource. Be sure to examine various churches' records in the area you are researching. Just because your family is a particular religion today, doesn't mean that a family member didn't attend a different church at some time. Pay close attention to Godparents and witnesses, as they could be family members too.

Doctor / Hospital Records ....

Doctors notes on deliveries at home seem to be few and far between. :-( Our local archives only has two records of Doctors' actual notes of the deliveries made. The notes are not in great detail, but do list the time / date of the birth and the parents names. Be sure to check the Genealogy Societies, and Historical Societies for possible records. Don't overlook the possibility of a Midwife being present at the birth of an ancestor. Many Midwife records & journals have been published. Be sure to check the local libraries and societies for info.

Hospital records could be available to help your GENealogy TREK. If you are lucky, you could find detailed information on the baby, and the parents! In the event of an adoption, you can hope for a "forgotten" black out of information.

More recent records are confidential, but you might get lucky and find some older records if you dig deep enough.

Adoptions / Orphanages ....

Children were put up for adoption for many different reasons. Death of a parent, lack of money, unwed mother, etc. While I have not researched adoption records personally, I understand that many people have had wonderful luck in their search. Be sure to check Orphan Train Information, hospital records, doctors' delivery records, newspapers, etc., for any clue on an adoption in your family.

Many states have a "potential reunion" policy. The birth parents and the adopted child can have a note added to the adoption file stating that they would like to meet the other person. If both parties add the note, the agency / center will contact both of them to set up a reunion.

Orphanages were run by various organizations / agencies; those included the government, public organizations, religious organizations and private individuals. Be sure to check state and local government records, historical societies, libraries, etc., for possible records. Orphan trains relocated approximately 200,000 orphans between 1853 and 1929.

The adoption / apprenticeship records should be held by the local county court. Be sure to check the libraries and archives for the records.

Note: Our local paper lists the adopting parents and the age of the child under "Births" even if the child is not an infant. This same paper also lists the births in all local hospitals within a day or so of the birth. MANY times the birth of an adopted child was "accidentally" listed with the birth mother, and easily matched to the adoption listing a couple days later.

Don't look at just the family Bible of the parents of this ancestor either. Be sure to check for family Bibles of aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, etc. .... many families recorded the birth of a new family member, no matter how far removed. If possible, track down the neighbors' family also; many close neighbors notated births of close friends.

Census Records as a child ...

Census records are a tremendous resource for all genealogists! The US Federal Census has been taken every 10 years since 1790 and we are lucky to have only lost the 1890 census in all these years. The earlier the census, the less info you will find for each household but a clue is still a clue!

Don't overlook STATE census records! Many states did a census at regular intervals and those can be a great clue to locating family information in the years in between the federal census. The state census information varies by state, be sure to check for available records with the State Historical Society or State Archives.

Along the lines of "census" are the often overlooked "local" listings of inhabitants. Some towns / counties periodically listed everyone residing in the area for various purposes. These lists were sometimes tax listings, voting lists, church listings, land ownership lists, etc. These records can usually be found at County Court Houses, State Archives, and State Historical Societies.

There will be more information on census records in Segment 2 of this Question next week. :-)

School / Education Records ...

School records can be a goldmine of information! If you are lucky, you can find whole families of kids in the same school: cousins, 2nd cousins, etc. While knowing what year a child was in a particular grade does not give the birth year, it can be a great clue. Knowing the grades of siblings helps to verify birth order which can also help narrow down a birth year.

School records can be a bit difficult to find. I suggest you begin with the State Archives, State Historical Society and State Genealogical Association. County Court House and local Genealogy groups can also be of help. If you are lucky enough to have the name of the school and it is still in existence, don't be afraid to contact them. Always call ahead to make your visit at a convenient time, and to make sure you know which building the old records are stored in. Our local school district keeps all records at the State Board of Education for public schools, the next county over had them stored in a retired teachers basement!

If you are looking for a religious school, contact the local church of that denomination for possible records. Consider higher education sources: technical schools, apprenticeships, junior colleges, 4 year colleges, "special" schools for art / music / drama, and even schools designed for children with disabilities. Don't forget Fraternities, Sororities, and other such clubs. Military schools and juvenile detention centers should also be researched.

Newspaper Articles ....

There are various reasons you might find your ancestor (as a child) listed in the local newspaper. Birth, sports, outstanding act in the community, good grades in school, trouble with the law, etc. Be sure to look for an index of names for the local newspaper. Even without an index, it might be worth your time to read a few reels of film around the birth date of your ancestor, just in case. :-) Newspapers might be found at your local library, Historical Societies, Genealogy Societies or the local newspaper office.

This concludes Segment 1: birth / childhood of the question:

Where might you find a clue to the birth date of an ancestor?

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