Notes on Genealogy Research
Genealogy research traces a family’s ancestry using historical records such as vital records (birth, death, and marriage certificates, etc.), census records, city directories, probate records (wills, estate records, etc.), military records, immigration records, and newspaper articles.
However, individual historical documents can contain inaccuracies, due to either clerk or census-taker error, or to knowledge gaps on the part of the loved ones reporting the information. Up until the mid 1900s, many individuals did not know their exact age, birth date, or maiden name of their mother, and they were even less likely to know this for their loved ones. Moreover, the exact spelling of names often varied across documents. Most people were illiterate, and county clerks and census takers were often only nominally literate.
Thus, genealogy research relies on the triangulation and cross-referencing of available sources to reach reasonable conclusions about family history. Genealogists use terms such as “likely” or “may have been” to indicate how confident they are about a given conclusion.
To remain true to their sources, genealogists report the details on records exactly as they were documented, even when names were misspelled or errors were made.
The “1870 Brick Wall” refers to the difficulty of tracing the lineage of formerly enslaved families beyond the 1870 Census, the first formal record in which most formerly enslaved persons were documented by name. Generally, the only historical records available on enslaved persons are the enslaver estate records in which they were bequeathed, inherited, or sold. However, the availability of such records depends on happenstances such as whether enslaved persons were individually named in these records. Furthermore, the probate records of many counties were destroyed by fire, war, or neglect.
As in other fields of research, genealogists expect that subsequent research(ers) will continue to hone and extend their findings. All genealogies are assembled incrementally over time.
Our elders’ memories of family history are essential. They provide us with a guide and starting point for our research. However, the records often do not agree completely with memories.