Brick Wall Tips From the Virtual Conference

August 28th, 2011 | Author: chatsol

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It was a busy Family Tree University Virtual Conference weekend for us and for our Virtual
Conference instructors, Supermoderators Thomas MacEntee and Nancy Hendrickson,
and the conference attendees. Thanks to all participants for a great event!

If you missed it, you can order
the Virtual Conference video classes for on-demand viewing at ShopFamilyTree.com.

One of my favorite parts of the conference was the live chats, which buzzed with research
tips, questions and inspiration. For example, Thomas’ Saturday evening chat, Pick
Thomas’ Brain: Ideas on Creative Approaches to Genealogy, was chock full of advice.

I’ve pulled some comments from the chat to share here (I made some edits and added
topic headings so the Q&A is easier to follow).

On brick walls:

Thomas: First, very often I think what we call a brick wall isn’t really a brick wall
. . .
Joan: What do you mean by a brick wall not being a brick wall?

Thomas: To me it is a matter of perhaps not having all the right tools at one’s disposal.
Or it could be a matter of going back and rechecking spelling, surname variations,
etc.

Allison FTU: A true brick wall is when you have exhausted every possible avenue for
research and there is no more information

In many cases, what we refer to as a brick wall is really just an exhaustion of ideas

Patricia: A Brick Wall to me is having a timeline just end with no leads. Just solved
2 of my brick walls by reviewing current finds in detail as if I was looking at the
finds for the first time.

On ancestral adoptions:

Terri: My brick wall is my grandmother, born and adopted in 1900. I thought her SS
application might help, but she apparently fibbed on the application! Gave her adopted
info as official
Kerry: I’ve used church records to find babies who were baptized prior to their adoption.
Not all were adopted at birth.
Allison FTU: If you know what area she was born in, you might try guardianship records.
Terri: Are guardianship records civil records, private institutions, what?
Allison FTU: Guardianships are typically court records. So you do need to know which
county to look in.

On going beyond well-known resources:

Carol: I have a line that went to Nebraska. FamilySearch and Ancestry seem to have
nothing and GenealogyBank only later years. Any links for Nebraska?

Thomas: What time period? Were they Homesteaders?

Carol P: Late 1800s to early 1900s

Thomas: Last night I did a GeneaBloggers
Radio episode mostly on Nebraska.

Allison-FTU: Also take a look at Nebraska State
Historical Society, one of FTM’s “best state websites”

On ordering ancestors’ vital records:

Mary Ann: When I look for birth, marriage, and death certificates in the US, I am
taken to sites where it is free for 7 days and then you pay. Is there a good site
to find these certificates?

Thomas: I personally don’t recommend those sites. In most cases, if you know how to
order them directly from the state or county, it is better and cheaper. What do others
think?

Mary Ann: Yet, the states’ [vital records office websites] are sending me to those
sites.

Kerry: I totally agree; I’d much rather order directly from the source.

Terri: I have seen some states that use a private online payment service for their
records, but there’s generally an option to pay the vital records office directly.

Thomas: I want to share an odd tool from the Centers for Disease Control of all places—Where
to Write for Vital Records!

Allison FTU: It’s also available to download
as a PDF

Kerry: Some states (Minnesota, for instance) house records at the state historical
society, and you can order (and in some cases, view) them online.

Thomas: Did you know that some societies have a vital records service where they will,
for a much cheaper fee, pull the records? Illinois
State Genealogical Society does this for Illinois Death Certificates.

Mary Kay: Or borrowing microfilm from your local FHC.

On hard-to-trace immigrants and F.A.N. clubs:

Christine: Ancestor arrived in 1750 from Rotterdam, based on PA baptism records which
are German Lutheran—don’t have a clue where to start across the pond. Strategy much
appreciated….

how to get from point of departure (Rotterdam) in 1750 to where he might have lived…

Thomas: Have you tried the F.A.N. club approach? Friends, Associates, Neighbors?

Elizabeth Shown Mills uses that F.A.N. club term all the time.

Last night on
my radio show, Gail Blankenau from Omaha who specializes in German Parish Records
used the term “10 up and 10 down” meaning always go up 10 lines from what you’ve found
and down 10 lines as well.