I didn't want to go back to school! (Dear old golden-rule-days)...
And many other topics are coming into play as I search land grants, dates that counties were organized and what surrounding counties might have come into play, and geographical/economic conditions that might have something to do with why my ancestor migrated to another part of the country...At the age of 72, I've lost a lot of "book smarts"! Fortunately, there is some help for us "slow bloomers": the Internet!
Preparing for the upcoming Givens Reunion 2019, I find myself sorely disorganized with stuff I worked on twenty to thirty years ago scattered all over the place...or lost! So, I am spending precious time reviewing my Givens relatives, my Givens research, one step at a time, one piece at a time.
The good news is that many folks have been posting at Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com, and at FamilySearch.org. I don't weigh these "hints" and "clues" carefully, to see what sources have been utilized to enter these family trees online.
Here is an example of one exercise that I put myself through, just trying to reacquaint myself with the Givens family research. And I've added some comments/suggestions for myself as well as for others.
_______________________________________________________
A
Brief Look at one Givens Family:
What
other sources can you locate online (for free) that describe the
Who,
What, Where, and When of the family dynamics?
Create
a Timeline for Individuals
John
David GIVENS
"Johnny"
or "Johnnie"?
Born:
about 1867 in Alabama?
Residence:
- 1880 Census: He is shown as living in "Lowells", Baldwin County, Alabama (Lowells Bridge is an historical site; it is located in the 36576 Zip Code); "Lowells" is not the name of a town or city. Nearby towns/cities can be found at https://alabama.hometownlocator.com)
- 1910 Census: Shown as living at Walnut Hill, Escambia County, Florida. (Walnut Hill is an unincorporated community in Escambia County, Florida; It is slightly northwest of Pensacola and about 50 minutes/42 miles. See https://www.distance-cities.com/distance-walnut-hill-fl-to-pensacola-fl).
- 1920 Census: Residence is Holmans, Baldwin County?, Alabama; (Is this an unincorporated community)? Is it located just above Atmore? Or, is it referring to Holman's Crossroads in Coosa County?
- 1935 Florida State Census; residence is Florida.
- 1940 Census: Residence is Precinct 12, Baldwin County, Alabama. (Is this near Stockton, Alabama)? See Baldwin County Voting Precincts: http://baldwincountyal.gov/docs/default-source/voting-precinct-changes/voting-precincts-and-voting-places-in-baldwin-county-al-(public)---revised-2018-01-16.pdf?sfvrsn=67ad960c_8
Married:
- To Sarah Jane Elizabeth THOMLEY (18 May 1888)
Children:
Joseph Osmond GIVENS (Ossie or Ozzie) AND
James
E. GIVENS
- To Ellen E. PARKER (28 August 1894)
Children:
John
R. GIVENS
Charles
C. GIVENS
Mary
Caroline GIVENS
Annie
Olive GIVENS
Rosa
Lee GIVENS
Summary
1.
It takes many hands to create a family history. The more input, the
better. Have you interviewed living relatives/descendants? Have you
checked online to find evidence or "proof" for vital
statistic facts?
2.
Consult and Investigate Local Resources (Libraries, Museums, Local
Genealogical Societies and Historical Organizations).
3.
How to create a timeline for an individual/family:
https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/timelines-plot-ancestors-life/;
https://www.familytreemagazine.com/articles/genealogy_records/maps/how-i-created-a-genealogy-timeline-to-show-my-grandfathers-life/;
https://www.familysearch.org/en/
builds a simple timeline as you input the information on your family
member.
4.
A word about genealogical standards: Sometimes, it is difficult to
find "real proof" or solid evidence of "FACTS".
However, you have to try and establish those facts which surround a
vital event of your ancestor. You may have to evaluate conflicting
information from a document or from someone's personal testimony.
DON'T try to get by this important step. "Jumping"
foreward or backward in time from one generation to another without
evidence will get you results that cannot be proven. You cannot
assume that your ancestor was born in North Carolina or that they
came from Ireland. You have to go step by step from the most recent
evidence (usually a death certificate or some other proof of death),
and go back one generation at a time, gathering the facts and
weighing the clues, carefully.
5.
The further you go back, the harder it is to find the facts for your
ancestor. Consider what kind of records are available for that
period of time in which your ancestor lived. You will have to
consult published documents and land records. The internet can help
you find those sources. Land records will come into play. Court
records are invaluable! Knowing the history and the geography of
your ancestors' lives will have to be a part of your search, also.
