helpful for us all... Jennifer Sherwood Braswell jensgen@iol10.com Subject: Using Common Books for Research : Ancestry Daily News : Brought to you by the publisher of : "The Source" and "Ancestry" Magazine http://www.ancestry.com13 August 1999 : : ======================================================= : GEORGE G. MORGAN: "ALONG THOSE LINES . . .""Using Common Books for : Research" : <<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>> : ======================================================= : Let's face it, books are expensive. Books that we use for our genealogical : research and reference are no exception. We certainly use the resources at : our local library, but there are some core materials that we want to have : on-hand at home. In "Along Those Lines . . ." this week, I want to talk : about some common reference materials you may have at home to use for your : research.YOUR BASIC HOME LIBRARY CONTAINS . . . : Your house probably has a number of books that you use for other purposes : but which can be called upon for excellent genealogical reference. These : include: : DICTIONARY - Your trusty Webster's, Random House or other dictionary may : seem pretty obvious, but consider the types of information you can find : there. I found the following under the letter C: : 1) Proper names - David (Davy) Crockett (1786-1836), U.S. frontiersman, : politician and folklore hero. (Not only do I now know that his real name : was David and the years of his life span, but I now am aware that he was a : politician. Further research, either at the library or on the Internet : reveals that he also served as a Congressman.) : 2) Profession definition - The dictionary defined for me the difference : between a courier and a currier. : 3) Currencies of the World - The dictionary I use includes a table of : countries of the world and their unit of currency. From there, I can refer : to entries on each monetary unit and perhaps do deeper research at the : library or on the Internet. : 4) Medical information - One of my ancestors was a physician in the late : 18th and early 19th centuries. Two references to him refer to his treating : patients for consumption (another name for tuberculosis) and to his refusal : to practice cupping (drawing blood to relieve congestion). : ROAD ATLAS OR MAPS - Maps are handy for the highway, of course, but you can : use current maps as a starting point in your search for records for your : ancestors. Remember, it is important to look in the right place for : records, and geopolitical boundaries and government jurisdictions change : over the years. I use the Rand-McNally Road Atlas, Deluxe Edition, as a : starting point to determine the location of a place and its current county. : From there, I determine the time period for the event in my ancestor's : life that I am researching, such as a marriage. At that point, I can : proceed to the library to check the county, state, province, country, etc., : that had jurisdiction over the site at the time in question. I then know : where to go or to write to obtain copies of records or other information : about my ancestor's event. You can also purchase more detailed maps of : areas in question. If you are a member of the American Automobile : Association (AAA), use your membership benefits and obtain some of their : excellent maps of the areas that you are researching. : ENCYCLOPEDIA - If you have an encyclopedia in your home, even an older one, : you can locate plenty of important historical information to help with your : research. Encyclopedia articles describing countries' histories or : subjects such as the Irish Potato Famine, the Huguenots, or the persecution : of Jews, can provide excellent background information to your understanding : of the circumstances under which your ancestors may have left Europe or : elsewhere. : OLD SCHOOL HISTORY BOOKS - Perhaps you have saved the state or national : history books you used or that your children used in school. These volumes : can also provide excellent reference resources as you are investigating : your ancestors' lives. I recently went looking for available histories of : North and South Carolina. I discovered that there are few new books : available for sale, and a trip to the library revealed that books used as : junior high and high school textbooks contained sufficient material to : answer the questions I had.TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES - The telephone : directories, both white and yellow pages, are an excellent reference : resource. Here you can locate people by : surname, business dealing in genealogical and office supplies, government : offices, courthouses, vital records offices, libraries, genealogical and : historical societies, chambers of commerce, funeral homes, cemeteries, : newspapers, and a wide variety of other topics that you might want to learn : about or obtain information from. Don't neglect to contact telephone : companies serving areas where you are researching. You can usually request : and receive directories for these places at little or no charge. : MULTIPURPOSE MATERIALS - These common books can become important reference : materials for your research. They can help you prepare for research in : these places before you leave home. This could save you many hours of time : you might have spent in the library doing quality research, or it might : help you schedule your research time in another city more effectively. Take : a look around your own home and see what materials you have that might : double as genealogical research and reference tools. Use your imagination : and "think outside the lines." You'll be surprised at what you'll discover : right under your nose.Happy hunting!George : <<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<>>> : Copyright 1999 George G. Morgan. All Rights Reserved. "Along Those Lines . : . ." is a weekly feature of the Genealogy Forum on America Online : (Keyword:ROOTS). The article originally appeared in the Genealogy Forum on : America Online. : : You may send e-mail to alonglines@aol.com. George Morgan would like to : hear from you but, because of the volume of e-mail, is unable to personally : respond to each letter individually. He also regrets that he cannot assist : you with your personal genealogical research. George is also the author of : "The Genealogy Forum on America Online," which : is available in the Ancestry Online Store at: : http://shop.ancestry.com/ancestry/genforonamon.html : ======================================================= : :