Weekly Genealogy how tos with Michael John Neill
Send an email to samples@casefileclues.com to request a sample copySubscribe annually or quarterly by credit card or by mail
Sunday, September 20, 2009
We've Already Had 8 Issues!
It is difficult to believe that I have already sent out eight issues since Casefile Clues became an independent genealogy newsletter. For the first time in several years, I am really excited about writing and about research--and I'm hoping to share that excitement with readers.
What has been in Casefile Clues so far?
So far, Casefile Clues has included articles on the following:
Lessons from the Estate of Mimke Habben
This article discusses an 1870 era probate file in Illinois, focusing on how I organized and used the digital images I made of these records from the Family History Library microfilm. One has to be careful when scanning that sources and citations are tracked adequately and that your organization of your scans does not confuse you even more. There is also some discussion on various terms in the records and the probate process in general.
Framing a Passport Application
This article discusses an 1920 era passport application. The document itself is analyzed for clues and then the discussion continues with a follow up on Google Books where information about the informants on the application is located. The article also includes some tips for effectively using Google Books as well.
The Preemption Land Claim of John Lake
John Lake filed a pre-emption land claim in Chariton County, Missouri, in the 1850s. This article discusses typical material located in a pre-emption land claim, how to access the records, and how information in this claim was analyzed to allow the researcher to work on additional records.
A Chicago Birth in 1913
This article discusses a relative who was born in Chicago in 1913. It is a story of conflicting dates, multiple parents and records that were not clear. Excellent case study when what the family gives you does not make sense and the parents of the person you are "stuck" on decide to get married several times and confuse the issue entirely.
Finding a Chicago Christening
This is a follow up to the previous article in which the birth certificate was never located. Through solid research, sound methodology and just a little luck, the church record of the christening of the person studied in the "A Chicago Birth in 1913" was located. She wasn't christened when she "should have been," which only made finding the record more difficult. Clever use of Family History Library microfilm was necessary in this case.
Civil War Pension file of Riley Rampley
It took some organizing to analyze a 207 page Civil War pension file. This article discusses why certain documents were in this pension and how they suggested additional resource sources, as if 207 pages of paper were not enough.
Finding A Sister: Looking for Ira's Lucretia
Ira Sargent, born ca. 1843 is my brick wall. In this article, I discuss how his potential family was found and my search for one of his potential sisters. She was tracked through several states and eventually located. This research is ongoing and will be updated in future Casefile Clues columns.
Platting out Thomas Sledd's Heirs
This article analyzes a 1831 Kentucky land record that partitions out the estate of a man who died 15 year earlier. The article discusses the likely reasons why and how those theories could potentially be proven. Also included is a discussion on platting out the property using the metes and bounds description. This part is included in a way that those who are not interested in platting can easily bypass that portion of the article and not miss anything.
Each issue is easily 1500 words. These are not short little quick stories. There is enough detail to follow the methodology and understand what is going on, but not information about the family that isn't essential to the research.
Join us by subscribing today! Learn more about Michael's research and help expand your own family tree! Subscriptions can be done annually for $15 or quarterly for $6 every three months. Subscribe now and the back issues will be sent to you for free. This offer expires 22 September 2009.
More exciting topics are on the way, including material from the pre-1850 era. ¶ 8:41 PM
What has been in Casefile Clues so far?
So far, Casefile Clues has included articles on the following:
Lessons from the Estate of Mimke Habben
This article discusses an 1870 era probate file in Illinois, focusing on how I organized and used the digital images I made of these records from the Family History Library microfilm. One has to be careful when scanning that sources and citations are tracked adequately and that your organization of your scans does not confuse you even more. There is also some discussion on various terms in the records and the probate process in general.
Framing a Passport Application
This article discusses an 1920 era passport application. The document itself is analyzed for clues and then the discussion continues with a follow up on Google Books where information about the informants on the application is located. The article also includes some tips for effectively using Google Books as well.
The Preemption Land Claim of John Lake
John Lake filed a pre-emption land claim in Chariton County, Missouri, in the 1850s. This article discusses typical material located in a pre-emption land claim, how to access the records, and how information in this claim was analyzed to allow the researcher to work on additional records.
A Chicago Birth in 1913
This article discusses a relative who was born in Chicago in 1913. It is a story of conflicting dates, multiple parents and records that were not clear. Excellent case study when what the family gives you does not make sense and the parents of the person you are "stuck" on decide to get married several times and confuse the issue entirely.
Finding a Chicago Christening
This is a follow up to the previous article in which the birth certificate was never located. Through solid research, sound methodology and just a little luck, the church record of the christening of the person studied in the "A Chicago Birth in 1913" was located. She wasn't christened when she "should have been," which only made finding the record more difficult. Clever use of Family History Library microfilm was necessary in this case.
Civil War Pension file of Riley Rampley
It took some organizing to analyze a 207 page Civil War pension file. This article discusses why certain documents were in this pension and how they suggested additional resource sources, as if 207 pages of paper were not enough.
Finding A Sister: Looking for Ira's Lucretia
Ira Sargent, born ca. 1843 is my brick wall. In this article, I discuss how his potential family was found and my search for one of his potential sisters. She was tracked through several states and eventually located. This research is ongoing and will be updated in future Casefile Clues columns.
Platting out Thomas Sledd's Heirs
This article analyzes a 1831 Kentucky land record that partitions out the estate of a man who died 15 year earlier. The article discusses the likely reasons why and how those theories could potentially be proven. Also included is a discussion on platting out the property using the metes and bounds description. This part is included in a way that those who are not interested in platting can easily bypass that portion of the article and not miss anything.
Each issue is easily 1500 words. These are not short little quick stories. There is enough detail to follow the methodology and understand what is going on, but not information about the family that isn't essential to the research.
Join us by subscribing today! Learn more about Michael's research and help expand your own family tree! Subscriptions can be done annually for $15 or quarterly for $6 every three months. Subscribe now and the back issues will be sent to you for free. This offer expires 22 September 2009.
More exciting topics are on the way, including material from the pre-1850 era. ¶ 8:41 PM
Post a Comment