More than a name

In a recent class at the Mesa Regional Family History Center, I had aclass member ask about one of her ancestors. She indicated that they hadbeen searching for his parents for a number of years. The firstquestion I asked was the geographic location of where they were looking?She answered about a county in an Eastern state. I began a search forthe towns in the county as she continued to give me more information. Asthe search progressed, she mentioned more than once that they hadalways searched for the individual only by name. As we continued todiscuss the project, I found a comprehensive written history of thecounty through WorldCat.org.Then, I began looking for local newspapers. Time ran out before we gotmuch further, but she left with an expanded idea of where you might goto look for an individual.

Likewise, I have used the same technique to suggest that a certainindividual never lived in a location. I think we often overlook the factthat genealogy is location based. It is too easy for two individuals tohave the same name. I have even found people with my same name in aTanner family book. Think about how many people you know with the samelast name or the same first name and you will see the problem. I alwaysstart my search, when possible, looking for a location rather than aname. Is the place large or small or very small? Is it near a largercity or out in the country? Why would people move there? Have the samefamilies lived there for years or is a transient area with few, if any,older residents? All of these questions and many more can help toestablish a sense of place. In smaller towns, the local newspaper mayhave given the latest gossip and related who got married, who visitedand who died, as well as every party and family gathering and whoattended.

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More than a name

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