Food For Thought Tips

A gap in the years of birth of the children raises the question of either a deceased child, or perhaps a new spouse.

Too many children, whose births are bunched too closely together, suggest prior marriage.

Not uncommon for the census taker to list all the children by the surname of the current head of house.

Families and neighbors generally migrated together. Women rarely travelled alone.

Men usually married women fromt he neighborhood, however, if a "strange" woman turned up, check the man's former home.

A missing older parent may have "gone west" with a child.

A man born around 1840 likely served in the Civil War. Most War of 1812 soldiers were born circa 1790. Revolutionary War Soldiers often show births 1740-1765.

Children were often named for male and female grandparents.

Frequently, a middle name or even a first name was the maiden name of the mother or grandmother.

Most of your ancestors did not leave a will.