Ideas for Effective Searching
Do you need help with your own personal research? Have you hit that proverbial
brick wall and are stalled in your research? Below you will find a
list of ideas to help you break down that brick wall. When you hit a dead end
there are ways to go beyond that dead end.
Do you know your state and
county formation data? Thorndale and Dollarhide; Ancestry's Red Book; Google the State Name
and county formation maps-
Do you know what to expect to find in
each census? State census records? Read the wording in each column at the top of
the census.
When you can not find them in the census how do you find
them?
When searching databases on Ancestry or familysearch.org you need
to think outside the box.
Many of the databases are not indexed and many are
indexed poorly. Search on surname, first name only or year or the place of
birth.
How do you keep track of what you have done? It is advisable to
make research notes. Include inquiries you have sent with date, name of person
and phone number – note response and if second inquiry was sent and that
response. When there is no response, periodically I note the current date and
still no response. Review your notes and send subsequent inquiries if no
response. Notepad works well for this.
When a wife disappears from the
local census records and you can not find a local obituary or
cemetery record
for her — where is she? They had no children who survived.
Look at husband’s
obituary — did he belong to a benevolent society? Sometimes those benevolent
societies have homes for orphans and the elderly.
Have you been to a
courthouse, archive or library to do research?
Have you taken an old book
at a courthouse and looked at the index for a surname and then at each page
numbered in the index? If the surname is not in the index, do you page through
the book to the time frame in which they died? Browsing is an Effective Search
method.
Documentation — the most important thing we do — date, place.
When you make a copy of a page in a book, on the back of the page write the
date, place and title of the book.
Make a list of items you need to
search for and note when they are found:
I use Notepad for this and update
the list as I am doing research. Then I email the list to myself before I leave
to do research.
Research in Boonville
Research at Willard
Explore the ideas below on how to advance your research and watch those brick
walls crumble.
Things to do:
1. Pick up
the phone and call the funeral home or cemetery across the country and request a
lookup in
their old records?
2. Call, email
or write a letter to the author of a book on the family?
3. Call the
library and asked if they have microfilm of the local newspaper for a given
year? Do they
have an obituary index?
4. Research each ancestor from
birth to death: Variant spellings
5. Birth record -- baptismal record --
delayed birth records
6. First year they appear on the census - each year
they appear on the federal census all the way
through life - read column headings
7. State census records --
non-population schedules -- agriculture, DDD Defective, Dependent,
Delinquent
8. Marriage records -- when did parent information begin for
that area?
9. Tax records
10. Orphan Home's record -- bound out as
pauper children
11. Articles of Apprenticeship -- indentures -- bound to
someone to learn a skill
12. Military records -- Rev War, War of 1812,
CW, WWI, WWII - pension records
Did you know parents
could apply? Children until age 16
Order pension
records from NARA -- online process
13. Ship's passenger lists -- census
lists year of arrival and if naturalized
Look at all
the pages of the ship's list -- other family members may be on the same ship.
14. Naturalization records
15. Death record -- will or probate --
deed - Widow's dower.
If a book was recopied do a
search for the old book and compare the two records - they may differ.
U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims
Index, 1936-2007
16. Newspapers -- input year range and surname - died –
death - community
17. Obituary -- where did the children live, are they listed by
husband's surname - Mrs. John Doe
18. Cemetery records -- The off ice of
your local cemetery or any cemetery across the country.
19. Findagrave -- search whole cemetery on surname only –
sometimes listed by military rank or infant
20. When a wife disappears
from the local census records and you can not find a local obituary or
cemetery record for her -- where is she? They had no children who survived. Look
at husbands
obituary -- did he belong
to a benevolent society? Some of these societies had homes for orphans and
the elderly - this could be in a neighboring
state.
21. Contact and interview elderly relatives -
distant relatives - descendants of collateral lines
What Census Should Show
What you
can expect to find:
The 1790 census instructed the marshals to identify,
by age brackets, free white males sixteen years of age or older and those under
sixteen. It was designed to determine the country's industrial and military
capabilities. Additionally, the first census was to count the number of free
white females; all other free persons regardless of race or gender; and slaves.
A twenty-dollar fine, to be split between the marshals' assistants and the
government, would be levied against anyone who refused to answer the
enumerator's questions.
The 1800 census asked the name of family head;
number of free white males and females in age categories: 0 to 10, 10 to 16, 16
to 26, 26 to 45, 45 and older; number of other free persons except Indians not
taxed; number of slaves; and town or district and county of residence.
The 1810 census asked the name of family head; number of free white males and
females in age categories: 0 to 10, 10 to 16, 16 to 26, 26 to 45, 45 and older;
number of other free persons except Indians not taxed; number of slaves; and
town or district and county of residence.
The 1820 census asked the name
of family head; number of free white males and females in age categories 0 to
10, 10 to 16, 16 to 18, 16 to 26, 26 to 45, 45 and older; number of other free
persons except Indians not taxed; number of slaves; and town or district and
county of residence. Additionally, the 1820 census for the first time asked the
number of free white males 16 to 18; number of persons not naturalized; number
engaged in agriculture, commercial, or manufacture; number of ““colored””
persons (sometimes in age categories); and number of other persons except
Indians.
The 1830 census was the first for which the government
provided uniform, printed forms to enumerators for the purpose of recording
answers to census questions.
The 1830 census asked the name of head of
household; number of free white males and females in age categories 0 to 5, 5 to
10, 10 to 15, 15 to 20, 20 to 30, 30 to 40, 40 to 50, 50 to 60, 60 to 70, 70 to
80, 80 to 90, 90 to 100, over 100; number of slaves and free ““colored”” persons
in age categories; categories for deaf, dumb, and blind persons and aliens; town
or district; and county of residence.
The 1840 census asked the name of
head of household; number of free white males and females in age categories 0 to
5, 5 to 10, 10 to 15, 15 to 20, 20 to 30, 30 to 40, 40 to 50, 50 to 60, 60 to
70, 70 to 80, 80 to 90, 90 to 100, over 100; number of slaves and free
““colored”” persons in age categories; categories for deaf, dumb, and blind
persons and aliens; town or district; and county of residence.
Note:
Additionally, the 1840 census, asked for the first time, the ages of
revolutionary war pensioners and the number of individuals engaged in mining,
agriculture, commerce, manufacturing and trade, navigation of the ocean,
navigation of canals, lakes and rivers, learned professions and engineers;
number in school, number in family over age twenty-one who could not read and
write, and the number of insane.
The 1850 census asked the name; age;
sex; color; territory or country of birth; whether the person attended school or
was married within the year; whether the person could read or write if over age
twenty; whether the person was deaf-mute, blind, insane, or ““idiotic””; whether
or not a fugitive from the state; and real estate value. The census also asked
the occupation of males over age fifteen.
Note:
Separate slave
schedules for 1850 asked the name of each slave owner, the number of slaves
owned, and the number of slaves manumitted (released from slavery). While the
schedules, unfortunately, do not name individual slaves, they asked the age,
color, sex, and whether or not slaves were deaf-mute, blind, insane, or idiotic;
and whether or not a fugitive from the state.
The 1860 census asked for
all free persons: name; age; sex; color; occupation of persons over age fifteen;
value of real estate; value of personal estate; name of state, territory, or
country of birth; whether the person was married during the year; and whether
the person was deaf-mute, blind, insane, an ““idiot,”” a pauper, or a convict.
Note:
The information in the slave schedules is the same as those for
1850.
The 1870 census form called for dwelling houses to be numbered in
the order of visitation; families numbered in order of visitation; and the name
of every person whose place of abode on the first day of June 1870 was with the
family. The census further asked the age of each individual at the last
birthday. If a child was under one year of age, months of age were to be stated
in fractions, such as 1/12. Additionally, the census asked the sex, color,
profession, and occupation or trade of every male and female. There were also
columns for disclosure of value of real estate and personal property. The 1870
census asked for the place of birth, specifically in which state or territory of
the United States, or in which country if foreign born (including the province
if born in Germany). The schedule provided space to indicate whether or not the
father and the mother of the individual was foreign born, and if an individual
was born or married within the year, the month in which the event occurred was
to be entered.
The census also asked for those who had attended school
within the year; those who could not read; those who could not write; and the
deaf and dumb, blind, insane and the ““idiotic”” to be identified. Finally, the
schedules had space to identify any male citizen of the United States of age
twenty-one and older, and any male citizen of the United States age twenty-one
and older whose right to vote was denied or abridged on grounds other than
rebellion or other crime.
Note:
The 1870 census may identify survivors of
the Civil War, thus suggesting that military records may be found. Conversely,
if an individual does not appear in the 1870 census as expected, it may be a
clue that the person was a casualty of the war. In the absence of so many other
records from the South for this era, information from the 1870 census can be
especially important. A caveat, however, is found in Map Guide to the U.S.
Federal Censuses 1790––1920, in which it is stated that ““The 1870 census in the
Southern States omits a great many persons.””
The 1870 census is the
first census in which parents of foreign birth are indicated——a real boon in
identifying immigrant ancestors. Immigrants who were naturalized and eligible to
vote are identified, suggesting follow-up in court and naturalization sources.
Indications of a person’s color that were intended to be more precise——white
(W), black (B), Chinese (C), Indian (I), mulatto (M)——may be helpful in
determining individuals' origins.
The 1880 census asked for each person
in every household, the census asked name; whether white, black, mulatto,
Indian, or Chinese; sex; age; month of birth if born within the year;
relationship to the head of the household; whether single, married, widowed, or
divorced; whether married within the year; occupation and months unemployed;
name of state, territory, or country of birth; parents' birthplaces; school
attendance within the year; whether unable to read if age ten or older; and
whether sick or temporarily disabled on the day of enumeration and the reason
therefore. Those who were blind, deaf-mute, ““idiotic,”” insane, or permanently
disabled were also indicated as such.
Note:
In addition to identifying
the state, county, and other subdivisions, the 1880 census was the first to
provide the name of the street and house number for urban households. The 1880
census was also the first to identify relationship to the head of household;
illness or disability at the time the census was taken; marital status; number
of months unemployed during the year; and the state or country of birth of every
individual’s father and mother. Individuals who were born or died after 1 June
1880 were not to be included in the 1880 census, even though the enumerator may
not have questioned them until well after that date. Indians not taxed are not
in regular population schedules. Some may appear in special Indian schedules.
The 1900 population schedules provide the name of each person in the
household; address; relationship to the head of the household; color or race;
sex; month and year of birth; age at last birthday; marital status; the number
of years married; the total number of children born of the mother; the number of
those children living; places of birth of each individual and the parents of
each individual; if the individual was foreign born, the year of immigration and
the number of years in the United States; the citizenship status of foreign-born
individuals over age twenty-one; occupation; whether the person could read,
write, and speak English; whether the home was owned or rented; whether the home
was on a farm; and whether the home was mortgaged.
Note:
The 1900 census
is the only available census that provides columns for including the exact month
and year of birth of every person enumerated. Previous censuses, and even the
1910 and 1920 censuses, include only the ages. The 1900 census is also the only
census to include space to record the number of years couples were married, the
number of children born to the mother, and how many were still living. This
census was also the first to indicate how long an immigrant had been in the
country and whether naturalized; whether a home or farm was owned or rented and
whether the owned property was free of mortgage.
The 1910 census
schedules record each person’s name and relationship to the head of household;
sex; color or race; age at last birthday; marital status; length of present
marriage; if a mother, number of children and number of living children;
birthplace and parents' birthplaces; if foreign born, year of immigration and
citizenship status; language spoken; occupation; type of industry employed in;
whether employer, employee, or self-employed; number of weeks unemployed in 1909
if applicable; ability to read and write; if attended daytime school since 1
September 1909; if home was rented or owned; if owned, whether free or
mortgaged; if home was a house or a farm; if a veteran of the Union or
Confederate army or navy; if blind in both eyes, and if deaf and dumb. The
Indian schedule also recorded the tribe and/or band.
Note:
The quality of
the microfilming of the 1910 census seems especially poor when compared to other
census schedules. Overexposure in microfilming schedules for Mississippi, for
example, rendered hundreds of pages illegible. Additionally, the omission rate
in the 1910 Miracode/Soundex appears to be greater than in most other indexes.
In many cases, individuals not indexed are indeed present in the census
schedules, so it is especially advisable for researchers to continue a search in
the actual schedules even though a name fails to show up in an index.
The 1910 census, while not providing as much precise information as the 1900
census (such as exact birth month, years married, and number of children born to
the mother), is still a good tool for determining approximate dates and places
to search for marriage records, birth and death records of children, and the
marriages of children not listed. The 1910 census sometimes makes it possible to
verify family traditions, identify unknown family members, and link what is
known to other sources, such as earlier censuses, naturalization records
(especially declarations of intent to become citizens), school attendance rolls,
property holdings, and employment and occupational records. These records will
also verify Civil War service, trace and document ethnic origins, and locate
military and naval personnel in hospitals, ships, and stations and those
stationed in the Philippines, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
The 1920
census asked: name of street, avenue road, etc.; house number or farm; number of
dwelling in order of visitation; number of family in order of visitation; name
of each person whose place of abode was with the family; relationship of person
enumerated to the head of the family; whether home owned or rented; if owned,
whether free or mortgaged; sex; color or race; age at last birthday; whether
single, married, widowed, or divorced; year of immigration to United States;
whether naturalized or alien; if naturalized, year of naturalization; whether
attended school any time since 1 September 1919; whether able to read; whether
able to write; person's place of birth; mother tongue; father's place of birth;
father's mother tongue; mother's place of birth; mother's mother tongue; whether
able to speak English; trade, profession, or particular kind of work done;
industry, business, or establishment in which at work; whether employer, salary
or wage worker, or working on own account; number of farm schedule.
Note:
The date of the enumeration appears on the heading of each page of the census
schedule. All responses were to reflect the individual's status as of 1 January
1920, even if the status had changed between 1 January and the day of
enumeration. Children born between 1 January and the day of enumeration were not
to be listed, while individuals alive on 1 January but deceased when the
enumerator arrived were to be counted.
The 1930 census began on 2 April 1930
for the general population of the United States. (The enumeration in Alaska
began on 1 October 1929.) Regardless of when an individual was contacted, all
responses were to reflect the status of the individual as of 1 April 1930.
Enumerators (census takers) collected the following information for each
household:
Address (name of the street, avenue, or road; house number)
Occupant (name of each person and their relationship to head of family)
Residence (whether home is owned or rented; value of home; whether home is farm
residence; whether home has a radio)
Personal (sex, race, age, marital
status, college attendance, ability to read and write, birthplace, and
birthplace of parents)
Citizenship (language spoken before coming to the
United States; year of immigration; whether naturalized or alien; ability to
speak English)
Occupation (trade or profession; industry or business working
in; class of worker; whether worked the previous day; line number of
unemployment schedule)
Military (whether veteran or not; war or expedition
participated in)
Note: Individuals in Alaska, and Indians were asked
slightly different questions. For example, Indians were not asked about their
mother’s country of origin, but which tribe she belonged to.
Unique
Features
Servicemen were not recorded with their families in the 1930
census; they were treated as residents of their duty posts. If you’re looking
for someone in the military, you should not assume they will be listed in their
home town.
Children that were born between the official start date of the
census and the actual day of enumeration were not included. Individuals that
were alive on the official start date of the census but deceased by the actual
day of enumeration were included.
Indians were included in the enumeration of
the general population, though they were asked different questions than the
general population.
The 1940 census was split into enumeration
districts—geographic areas designed to allow a census taker (enumerator) to
visit every house in the district within a two-week period (in rural areas, the
time allowed was one month). When the census enumerators came to the door, they
counted anyone “whose usual place of residence on April 1, 1940, was in this
household.” "Ab" was the abbreviation written after names of people who belonged
to the household but were absent on April 1. Because the official cutoff for the
census was 12:01 a.m. on April 1, babies who were born later that day should not
have been included.
What You May Find in the Records
Questions on the following topics were included in the 1940 census:
address
number of
household in order of visitation
home owned or rented
value of home
whether household lives on a farm
name of each person whose usual place of
residence on 1 April 1940 would be in the household ("Ab" written
after
names of people absent)
relationship to head of household
sex
color or
race
age at last birthday
marital status
education
place of birth
citizenship
residence on 1 April 1935
employment status for those 14 and
older (several
questions)
occupation, industry, class of worker, number
of weeks
worked full-time in 1939
income in 1939The 1950 U.S.
Census saw the use of many modern innovations, creating a more accurate and
detailed report than ever before. This was quite a feat, considering the census
began on April 1, 1950 and lasted just four weeks. This census was the first to
include Americans living abroad and special studies were included to record
information on infants, Native Americans, agriculture, and housing. In 1951, the
Census Bureau received the UNIVAC I computer, the first commercial non-military
computer, and used it to tabulate the census.
Extra efforts were made to
ensure every American was counted. Census takers received additional training,
including visiting hotels to catch people not at home, "missed person" forms
were printed in local newspapers, and sample locations were recounted and
compared to the original tabulation. While the 1950 U.S. Census saw great
advances in collection techniques, it is estimated that 4.1% of the population
was missed.
Using this collection, you can find out a lot about someone
in 1950.
While not everyone was asked the supplemental questions, details
about your family may include the following:
Age
Gender
Race
Marital
status
Occupation
Nationality
Citizenship
Veteran status
Family
members
Residence
Enumeration district
Highest grade level they
completed
How much they earned
The census is organized alphabetically
by state, county, and enumeration district, which is the area covered by a
census taker. City enumeration districts tend to be small and dense, while rural
districts are usually bigger with sparser populations. Once you find someone in
the census, you can explore their enumeration district, city directories, and
telephone books to learn more about their community and how they lived.
Specific collection details
The 1950 U.S. Census includes
never-before-seen genealogical information, including enumeration district maps,
population schedules, Indian reservation schedules, and more.
Most
enumeration districts could be recorded in less than 70 pages, but standard
procedure dictated that pages were numbered 1 through 70. It wasn't unusual for
an enumeration district to end before page 70, leaving blank pages, and then
pick up again on page 71 if there were supplementary records.
Census
information generally wasn't retained for military personnel living abroad.
However, there are records for servicemembers who were stationed in the American
territories of Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Panama Canal Zone, Puerto
Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the military bases of Canton [Kanton],
Johnston, Midway, and Wake Island. There are also records for servicemembers who
lived in barracks on U.S. soil; they were counted as living separately from
their families.
College students who lived on campus weren't listed with
their families because they were enumerated in their dorms.
Native
Americans living on reservations were listed on additional forms known as Indian
reservation schedules. Native Americans living off-reservation, or on
reservations in Alaska and Oklahoma, were listed on standard population
schedules.
While infants born before April 1, 1950 will appear on
population schedules, there was initially more information about them on "Infant
Cards," but those were later removed and no longer exist.
Housing
schedules detailing information about residents' physical homes were recorded on
the reverse sides of population schedule forms, but they weren't microfilmed and
no longer exist.
Date of Census Enumeration:
The 1790 census was begun on 2 August 1790. The marshals were expected to finish the
census within nine months of the Census Day——by 1 May 1791. Although most of the
returns were in long before the deadline, Congress had to extend the count until
1 March 1792. By that time some people probably were counted who had not been
born or present in 1790.
The 1800 census was begun on 4 August 1800. The
count was to be completed within nine months.
The 1810 census was begun
on 6 August 1810. The count was due within nine months, but the due date was
extended by law to ten months.
The 1820 census was begun on 7 August
1820. The count was due within six months but was extended by law to allow
completion within thirteen months.
The 1830 census was begun on 1 June
1830. The enumeration was to be completed within six months but was extended to
allow completion within twelve months.
The 1840 census was begun on 1
June 1840. The enumeration was to be completed within nine months but was
extended to eighteen months.
The 1850 census was begun on 1 June 1850.
The enumeration was to be completed within five months.
The 1860 census
was begun on 1 June 1860. The enumeration was to be completed within five
months.
The 1870 census was begun on 1 June 1870. The enumeration was to
be completed within five months.
The 1880 census was begun on 1 June
1880. The enumeration was to be completed within thirty days, or two weeks for
communities with populations of 10,000 or more.
The 1900 census was
begun on 1 June 1900. The enumeration was to be completed within thirty days, or
two weeks for communities with populations of more than ten thousand.
The
1910 census was begun on 15 April 1910. The enumeration was to be completed
within thirty days, or two weeks for communities with populations of more than
five thousand
The 1920 census was begun on 1 January 1920. The
enumeration was to be completed within thirty days, or two weeks for communities
with populations of more than 2,500.
The 1930 census began on 2 April
1930 for the general population of the United States. (The enumeration in Alaska
began on 1 October 1929.) Regardless of when an individual was contacted, all
responses were to reflect the status of the individual as of 1 April 1930.
The 1940 census was taken in April 1940 (official date April 1, though
entries were recorded throughout early April).
The 1950 census began on April 1, 1950 and lasted just four weeks.
Some Extras:
If you send me an email, I will send you by email the two items below. I developed the Family Group Sheet
to help with information gathering on each family. It contains instructions for use.
See The Tie That Binds for my email address.
Family Group Sheet
4 Generation Pedigree Chart
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