Online family trees can provide valuable clues, but they often contain errors, assumptions, or incomplete information. Evaluating the reliability of a tree before accepting its conclusions is essential for accurate research. Source and Evidence Questions Consistency and Accuracy Research Depth Red Flags Research Approach Download the Quicksheet PDF To obtain the Quicksheet PDF of this […]
Author: Kenneth R Marks
Kenneth R Marks was born and educated in the San Francisco Bay Area, receiving a BS in Mathematics in 1968. His career was in Information Technology; with the last 20 Years as a software executive with Boeing, Pearson, and NASA. His genealogy career began in 2004. He is an expert in newspaper research for genealogy, as well as additional genealogy topics. He regularly conducts webinars on the subject and has authored three genealogy books. See the About page for more details.
The Ancestor Hunt, founded in 2008, is focused on helping genealogy and family history researchers of all skill levels to achieve their goals, by providing links to free online genealogy collections, and search tips and techniques, largely via easy-to-understand Quick Reference Guides.
Indexes and transcriptions are valuable tools for locating historical records, but they are not perfect representations of original documents. Understanding their limitations helps researchers avoid errors and locate more accurate information. What Indexes Provide Indexes are finding aids that point researchers to original records. What Transcriptions Represent Transcriptions are written copies of original records. Common […]
Land patents and homestead records document the transfer of land from the government to private individuals. These records are especially important in public land states and often contain terminology related to land acquisition, settlement requirements, and property description. Term Definition Acre Unit of land measurement equal to 43,560 square feet. Affidavit Sworn statement supporting a […]
MyHeritage continues to add or update its record collections at a fast pace for us to search. For March 1-15, 2026, there are 8 new and 10 updated collections. The new and updated collections are: I hope that some of these are what you have been waiting for! Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
Ancestry.com continues to add or update its record collections at a fast pace for us to search. For the period of March 1-15, 2026, the new and updated collections are: I hope that some of these are what you have been waiting for! Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
Background Historical Occupation Profiles explain what ancestors actually did for a living and how those occupations shaped the records genealogists rely on today. Occupation Overview Sharecroppers were agricultural workers who farmed land owned by others in exchange for a portion of the crops produced. This system became especially widespread in the United States after the […]
Not all immigrants completed the naturalization process. Many remained non-citizens for a variety of legal, personal, and practical reasons. Understanding these possibilities helps explain why naturalization records may not exist. Legal and Eligibility Factors Personal Choice Practical Barriers Interrupted Process Legal and Social Circumstances Record Loss or Misidentification Download the Quicksheet PDF To obtain the […]
Genealogical research often involves working with both original records and abstracts. Understanding the difference between these two types of sources is essential for accurate interpretation and analysis. Original Records Original records are documents created at the time of an event. Abstracts Abstracts are summaries of original records. Differences in Content Abstracts do not always include […]
Alien registration records document non-citizens residing within a country. In the United States, large-scale alien registrations occurred during periods such as World War I and World War II. These records often contain detailed personal information and specialized terminology related to immigration status and legal identification. Term Definition Alien Person who is not a citizen of […]
Genealogists frequently encounter records that appear to describe two different individuals but may actually refer to the same person. Identifying these situations helps resolve apparent contradictions and reconstruct accurate family histories. Matching Personal Details Consistent Occupation Stable Residence Patterns Family and Associate Clues Name Variations Chronological Consistency Download the Quicksheet PDF To obtain the Quicksheet […]