GENEALOGY'S LITTLE SURPRISES - I

After doing genealogical research for more than 25 years I've learned a few tricks. I shared them in the Corona Genealogical Society's "show and tell" program and I think they are important enough to share with you all.

PHRASING QUESTIONS
Older folks usually know more than they think they do. When you ask “Do you know when…..” they will often say “No” or “I don’t remember.” If they do, then rephrase your question to “Do you know about when….” More often than not they’ll peg the time or the place to something that they DO remember and you’ll have a ballpark idea of how and where to dig up the answer.

ORDER VITAL RECORD DOCUMENTS NOW
It is better to order a birth or death certificate now than to wait until later. Costs will never go down, only up. Furthermore, with the new identity laws going into effect down the road you even may never be able to get one. Even if you think you don’t want it, get it now anyway. Better safe than very sorry!

BE CREATIVE IN LOOKING FOR SURNAMES
I have actual documents with Corel family members spelled thusly: Corel, Correll, Corell, Carroll, Carol, Corl, Curl, Carll, Care, Carles, Carl and Coral. The Kansas Corels pronounce it CORAL and the Virginia Corels pronounce it CURL. Never discount a name because it is spelled or sounds different from what you think it should.

OLDEST PERSON IN FAMILY
If you think you know the oldest person in your mother’s or father’s family, tactfully ask that person if there are others older that you might not know about. Do not assume you know who that person is. I asked my Dad’s oldest sister if she was the oldest Dobbins still living and to my surprise she said no, that Cousin Percy Dobbins was still alive and well. I had never known of Cousin Percy. When I contacted him, he gave me pictures of three of our Dobbins ancestors, going back to one born in 1773. Cousin Percy died two years later at 95. I almost missed this because I wrongly thought I knew who the oldest living Dobbins relative was.

CORONER'S FILES
Go after coroner’s reports for people who died suddenly, or alone, or in an accident. Most Counties kept Coroner’s reports and many are in county archives. Find out where they are kept and check the index for your relatives. There may be very interesting information in them. Death certificates may tell you if the coroner was involved. You don’t need an autopsy report, just any information contained in the file.

(More to come)