Genealogy Expert Shares Tips on How to Conduct Family Research

Posted November 23rd, 2011
Written by RPD Staff

The Missouri State Genealogical Association sponsored the 30^th Genealogy Conference which attracted 170 family-history enthusiasts. Chairwoman Nancy Thomas clarified the goals of the conference by saying that it helps attendees to navigate genealogical records and the pitfalls involved. The lineup was composed of a variety of courses covering many topics including newspaper research, how to separate fact from fiction, accessing military records and online databases. Participants of the conference also had the chance to speak to experts via the conference’s new program “Ancestry Roadshow”.

Hank Jones, the genealogy expert featured on “Unsolved Mysteries” was the keynote speaker for the conference. Jones spoke about the common misconceptions and hurdles one has to overcome when researching family history.

Jones warned conference attendees not to put all of their effort into one document since sources can be deceiving. Even though he has had multiple success stories, he outlined some common errors in his presentation, When Sources Are Wrong. “I wish I didn’t have to give this talk, but it happens all the time,” he said. “Erroneous sources are part of the territory.”

Jones offered some other helpful pointers. He advised people to imagine they lived in the time period they are researching. At certain times in history, survival was not always assured. For example, parents named their children with identical names so the family name would be passed down in case some siblings did not survive. Unfortunately, this naming system creates more levels of confusion during a family history investigation.

Other sources of confusion involve the modern vernacular used which differs from the past. The word “cousin” once referred to “kin”. Additionally, the terms “brother” and “sister” were often used interchangeably when talking about siblings or religious affiliations. When immigrants came to America, the spelling of names was restricted to the wits of the person writing down the name. Because some people escaped the process, census indexes are not always a reliable source of accurate information.

Jones proceeded to share with the audience why he continues to overcome the barriers to genealogical research. His great-aunt was on her way to New York via steamboat to draft her will. She died in a tragic accident on the Hudson River after giving up her life for another. Hillman was given a lifeboat, but when she heard the screams of an 18-year-old girl, she gave up her only means to safety so the girl could be saved. “Hillman gave her life for another person, Jones told the crowd. “And I’m the only one who remembers this woman.”

“We’re here to remember our ancestors,” he said. “They need to be remembered, and it’s our job.”