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TOOLKIT by Stuart
Nixon
OK, so you've
been working on the family tree for several years or more, and you no
longer consider yourself a beginner. But that may just mean your
"beginner's luck" has run out and you are mostly hitting stonewalls right
now. Where do you go from here?
As popular as the
Internet is for doing genealogy, I am hearing more and more people confess
that the information they're getting off the Internet is not well
documented, and in any case, there are still numerous instances where the
trail runs cold, forcing the family historian to seek answers elsewhere.
If you have
encountered such a roadblock and would like a friendly suggestion at this
point in your search, let me recommend any of the following four books as
possible additions to your genealogical toolkit. These books all have one
thing in common: they are intended for people who have advanced beyond the
beginner's stage but would still appreciate a little instruction and
inspiration for the next phase of the journey. I picked these four not
because they are the only such books on the market but because they are a
good sample of what you might find in the category that I call "companion"
research guides (that is, they serve as companions to more basic books).
The four are:
1. Adventures in
Genealogy by Patrick G. Wardell, 195 pages, $20.50. Hearing how other
people solved their genealogical problems may or may not be helpful in
your own situation, depending on how relevant that person's problems are
to yours. In the case of Colonel Wardell (retired Army), who teaches adult
education courses on genealogy and has compiled a series of books on
Virginia families, reading about the lessons he learned and the techniques
he developed as he dug around in his family's past over a period of almost
30 years is definitely a worthwhile exercise. His book rambles from topic
to topic in a user-friendly style, detailing the frustrations he
encountered as he tried to run down the facts behind various family
stories (including the fate of a maternal line that followed the Oregon
Trail to the West Coast). Very early in the game, he discovered that his
father's memory in genealogical matters was a little fuzzy. For example,
Dear Old Dad remembered an ancestor who was a major in the Union Army
during the Civil War. Turns out that "Major" was not the ancestor's rank
but his first name! He was named after his mother, Elizabeth Major. As for
his military record, there wasn't any; he never fought in the Civil War.
Wardell shares a lot of tidbits like this as he describes the many sources
you too may want to investigate both close to home and on the road at this
stage of your journey.
2. Pitfalls in
Genealogical Research by Milton Rubincam, 74 pages, $7.95. The congenial
Milton Rubincam, now deceased, was a major figure in American genealogy
during the second half of the 20th century. This short collection of some
of his words of wisdom touches on such matters as family traditions,
similar or identical surnames, calendar changes, royal ancestry, and coats
of arms. The advice tendered here remains as valid today as the day
Rubincam first wrote it-a testament to the importance of not letting
modern technology distract us from tried-and-true methods of study.
3. This and That
Genealogy Tips by Shirley Hornbeck, 249 pages, $35.00. Prompted by the
author's experience creating a web page on genealogy, this book is loaded
with lists, definitions, explanations, Internet addresses, historical
background, and bits and pieces of advice on numerous aspects of the
research process. Unlike Pat Wardell's book, this one is entirely a
compilation of facts and commentary, with no discussion of the author's
personal history, although the information she provides here derives from
25 years spent developing a large database on the Hornbeck family. She has
organized the book alphabetically by topic so that you can go directly to
subjects of particular interest, such as cemetery research, diseases,
holidays, immigration, naming patterns, occupations, religion, Social
Security, and westward travel. The print is small, so you get a lot of
bang for your buck.
4. The Sleuth
Book for Genealogists by Emily A. Croom, 290 pages, $18.99. The latest in
a series of "how to" books by the energetic Ms. Croom, this is a book of
"strategies for more successful family history research." The format of
the book is strictly practical, laying out Ms. Croom's many ideas, tips,
reminders, warnings, and "brick wall busters" in a step-by-step plan. As a
fan of detective stories, she has sprinkled quotes from Sherlock Holmes,
Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and other famous sleuths throughout the book
to emphasize certain points about good investigative techniques. She also
includes case histories from her own family to show how such techniques
might be applied to your inqueries. One technique she explains at length
is "cluster genealogy," where you broaden the focus of your research to
look at relatives, neighbors, and associates of the person you are
tracking. This is a level of sophistication that most web crawlers will
never approach, but it is very much a strategy that any serious
genealogist needs to understand.
You can obtain
these books from their publishers, as follows:
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Adventures in
Genealogy Heritage Books 800-398-7709
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Pitfalls in
Genealogical Research Ancestry 800-262-3787
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This and That
Genealogy Tips Clearfield Company 800-296-6687
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The Sleuth Book
for Genealogists Betterway Books 800-289-0963
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