| The first time you really find your ancestor’s neighborhood
it may come as a shock at how many people have the same name. At
this time in when civil records may not exist, and church records
may be destroyed (in whatever country we are talking about), learn
from these genealogists:
Julian G. Hofmann and B. Ransom McBride: "For the genealogist,
mapping a parcel of land later subdivided and sold by heirs can
often be the only way to assure proper identification of the heirs..."
"Mapping," North Carolina Research, p. 106
Ge Lee Cortey Hendrix: "Land records can be the building blocks
needed to reconstruct identities, the stones to pave migration trails.
But success requires a methodical use of this resource to re-create
ancestral circumstances, neighborhoods, and associated patterns."
"John Bond vs. John Bond: Sorting Identities via Neighborhood
Reconstruction," NGS Quarterly, Vol. 79, pgs. 268-282.
This means you must use as many of the records that tie the name
to the place as possible. In the United States they might be called
by the following terms. It will be up to you to determine these
terms in the country you are now studying.
• Surveys
• Plats
• Deeds
• Patents
You will need to supplement the above records with the following
according to the customs and traditions of the people in those countries.
• Census records
• Tax lists
• Cemetery records
• Church records
• Wills and probate
• County histories
• Family histories
• Immigration records
In other words, you will need to find “other words”
to describe the record types used by your immigrant ancestors. But
this will be fascinating work very much aided by a knowledge of
the language and culture of the people. |
