How Do You Solve a Problem Like Smith?

The following post looks more like a rough draft than a finished piece; however, I am leaving it as-is in the hope that it emphasizes the importance of being cautious with transcriptions! If there is an image available, look at it! I wasted time researching three irrelevant people for this post because, in my haste, I trusted a transcription.

I’d wager that it’s inevitable. Sooner or later in our genealogical research, we will come across the dreaded surname “Smith.” I have stumbled upon one of the offenders, myself—Samuel Smith…of Connecticut, just to narrow it down. With 20 years of genealogy experience under my belt, this should be no problem, right? 👀

Lessons Learned: Alternative Possibilities

In my last post, I discussed the importance of stepping away from your research when you encounter a brick wall, as well the importance of changing your perspective once you have decided to revisit the problem. Perhaps this post is pretty much just a reiteration of the latter statement, but its significance bears repeating. When you become absolutely fixated on the details of your problem, you are not seeing the whole picture. Viewing your issue through such a limited scope also means you become blind to alternative possibilities.

Lessons Learned: Search the Periphery

Sooner or later in our genealogical research, each of us will find ourselves up against the dreaded brick wall. That is unfortunately the nature of our hobby. And the further back we go, those brick walls will eventually become insurmountable. However, don’t throw in the towel too easily. Oftentimes, the stumbling block is us. We become so focused on our problem that we can’t see the forest for the trees. That’s when it’s time to step back for a while. When we return, it is best if we shift our perspective a bit.

Lessons Learned: DNA Testing Companies

I am not the best person to go to for information about genetic genealogy. In fact, I skirted through 17 years of schooling without ever having taken a formal biology course because I was afraid of having to dissect some poor critter. Because of this, this blog post will be relatively short. I did, however, want to touch on it because DNA testing is a great way to connect with distant cousins who may be researching some of the same ancestors, and maybe even break through a brick wall.

Lessons Learned: Miscellaneous Websites

I’ve already written a blog about the best free website for genealogical research. Today I’m going to list some other free websites that I love to use (or some that others love to use). I hope you will find them just as useful.

[Update: I have decided to update this post as I discover new websites, so check back once in a while!]

Lessons Learned: More (Mostly) Free Resources

Libraries

One of the best genealogical resources may be right in your own backyard: your public library. Your local library is a great place to check out a book on how to get started on your family history; however, public libraries offer so much more than books and other media. They often host community workshops on various subjects (including genealogy), children’s programs, and many are now offering a library of things. They also are a genealogist’s friend. At your local library you may find:

Lessons Learned: FamilySearch

Last time I talked about subscription-based genealogy sites, so now let’s turn our attention to the free resources that are available. And there are a lot of them. Today I’m going to focus on FamilySearch, which is offered for free by the Mormon church. 

Think what you will of Mormons and their baptisms of the dead, but their investment in family history is also a win for the rest of us. This site is an incredible, absolutely free resource. You only need to sign up for an account. Did I mention it’s completely free?

I’m going to focus on my three favorite features of FamilySearch, and they can all be accessed under “Search” at the top of the page: Records, Books & Catalog, and Research Wiki.

Lessons Learned: Free Trials

There are plenty of free resources out there for genealogical research, but if you’re just starting out with genealogy, and want to try one of the subscription-based sites, do it for free. That way you can see if you even like the site before you shell out any cash. Just about every site I can think of offers a 7- or 14-day trial. One caveat: be sure to cancel in time! 

Lessons Learned: Sources

Before we go any further, we need to discuss the most important aspect of good genealogy: sources. A source is “any thing or place from which something comes, arises, or is obtained; origin.” My source for that? Dictionary.com. The source from which you obtain your information matters. Three hundred years from now, which of the following would you be more apt to trust to get your date of birth correct: your birth certificate or Billie Jean’s family tree that she copied from Cindy Lou’s family tree on sketchygenealogy.com?

Lessons Learned: Family Members

Indigenous Oral History
An Indigenous elder shares a story with others.
Photo Credit: William E. Weiss, Buffalo Bill Historical Center/The Art Archive.

Most Native American cultures did not communicate through written language. In its place there was a long history of oral tradition. While the stories and the manner in which they’re told may differ from group to group, the purpose is the same: oral tradition is how indigenous peoples have passed on knowledge, cultural and social values, history, and collective memory for thousands of years.