RESEARCH TIPS Birth Frequency Births generally occurred at two year intervals. Frequently the first child was born within one year of the marriage. As a woman aged, the interval between births grew slightly. Child bearing generally ended around age 45. If you notice an increase in births as the wife approaches her 40th year, it could be a new wife, the former having died in the birth of her last child. 1920 Census Warning The National Archives in the 1920 Census Catalog has some errors. For example, rolls are misnumbered and not all items are in alphabetical order. Check carefully and read the soundex rolls for the areas both prior to and after the name in which you are interested City Directories As Genealogical Sources The use of city, county, farm and business directories is a much overlooked genealogical source. Many of the older ones will list a death date for a person who had been listed in the previous directory. These have proven valuable for those mysterious relatives whose deaths were never recorded elsewhere. A person's disappearance can also be explained by a listing of a spouse such as: Jones, Marie (widow of John). Sometimes you may be fortunate to find a listing like this: Jones, John, moved to Seattle. Occupations are generally listed or the place of employment. By searching through all listings for a certain surname, you may find others living at the address of your ancestor or nearby. Addresses found in old directories are useful in finding your ancestors on unindexed censuses. At the front of the directories you will find such things as schools, churches, cemeteries, hospitals, and fraternal organizations that were in existence at the time of the printing. Businesses are listed by categories: laundries, lawyers, saloons, etc. Many businesses had large display ads which would add a nice touch to your family history. Farm directories sometimes will list a land description. If you haven't used these sources, you will be surprised at the wealth of information. Disappearing Ancestors If you have an ancestor who appears to have disappeared in the 1850's, try checking the 1850 and 1860 US Census for California. Over 50,000 people traveled overland to the gold fields while more went by ship. The 1852 State Census of California is especially valuable, as it asked for the person's residence. Most answered with the name of the state from which they came. By 1854, 23,000 of these people had moved on or returned to their former homes. Faded Writing It is reported that a 75 watt black light, in any light that casts light directly on a document may do wonders in bringing out faded writing. Generations There are approximately three generations per century. Who Owns That Abandoned Graveyard If you want to find out who owns an abandoned country graveyard: first get the best fix on the location that you can. You will need the approximate distance and direction of the graveyard from the nearest road,, name of the road, and the name and distance from the nearest intersecting road. Be certain of the town the property is in. Armed with this information visit the local deeds office and review their maps. This will give you the exact property description which you can then take to tax office or land records office and from the available books determine the current owner. In large towns, this may require visiting a number of offices but in small towns, where ownership is generally less obvious, you probably will have to deal with only one person. Importance of Land Records In rural, early, America all adult males can be found in land records. Land records exist, uninterrupted, from early settlement to the present time. Older land records contain more genealogical data and clues than modern records do. Land records are among the most accurate and reliable records available to genealogists. Land records have almost always been indexed, which makes them an easy resource to use. Clue to Maiden Names In the lower left hand corner of most deeds you will find the signatories of two to four witnesses. The first one is almost always from the husband's side the next is almost always from the wife's side. This was done to protect her one-third dower right under the law. Marriage Age The average age for men to marry was 20 - 25. They rarely married before 20. The average age for women to marry was 20 - 22 . They rarely married before 16. This does not rule out child bearing before age 16. First marriages were usually between couples near the same age. Women generally outlived their husbands, but old widowers did, frequently, marry much younger women who had never been married. Migration Families and neighbors generally migrated together from their old homes. Women rarely traveled alone. Military Service Clue If you have a male born circa 1840, strongly consider Civil War service with it concomitant records and the possibility of relocation at the end of the war. This applies, as well, to the Revolutionary War with males born circa 1760, although relocation is less likely and service was not as universal. Naming Patterns Children are often named for grandparents, both male and female. Frequently a middle name or even a first name was the mother's or grandmother's maiden name, especially if the name was repeated through several related families. New York Foundling Home The home that sent children on the orphan train in the late 1850's has opened its records to adult adoptees. Contact New York Foundling Hospital. Records Information Office, 1173 3rd Ave. New York, NY 10021 or Orphan Train Society of America, Rt 4 Box 565, Springdale AR. 72764 "The Records got burned back in...." Don't let this stop you. First determine the status of the courthouse, clerks office or whatever and determine what if any records remain. It is unusual for "everything" to be destroyed. Locate everything in print about the town and/or county. The W.P.A. prepared inventories of county courthouses during the 1930' and 1940's, providing evidence of what survived earlier fires. The local library should have a copy of the records. Don't ignore records traditionally considered of little genealogical value; surveys, marks and brands, books, etc. also state archives often have duplicate copies of lost county-level tax rolls. Travel Tip We sometimes ignore the obvious. Before setting out on your research trip, contact the facilities you intend to visit and be certain of the hours of record availability. It is best to request literature, if any, from the places you intend to visit, also, the local Chamber of Commerce can probably provide the information or directions on obtaining it. Remember many town offices and genealogical libraries are staffed part time and by volunteers. Confirmation of hours on the day of your trip may be wise for volunteer situation. Vermont or New York? Anyone living in Gloucester or Cumberland County New York in the 1770' was actually living in Vermont. Check Washington County New York for the records. Not in the Will? If your ancestor is not listed in their parent's will(s) don't despair. Many times the children were given land and/or property at the time of their marriage,, or received their inheritance before their parent's death. Check the Deed of Gifts Books or the Deed Books. Also in some families the grand-children received the inheritance which also shows family connections. The End of the Line? If you find the notation "OSP", Orbin Sine Prole or "DSP" Decessit Sine Prole, on a death record or tombstone of one of your ancestors, if could be a real problem: It is Latin for "died without issue". .. Carol P. Martoccia .. 903 East Fifth Street .. Greenville, NC 27858 .. Pridgen Home Page: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/6297 .. Pridgen Archives: http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl