If this has not happened in your research yet, it will! I came across a name in a half-brother's obituary: Upton McBee. I'd been avoiding looking at this half-brother because the father is unknown, and I thought the research would be messy . But I waded in anyway because Hamiltons keep popping into my McBee families, and here was another.  Part of the obituary wouldn't fit in the screenshot. Here is the entire text:  GEORGE W. HAMILTON, one of our oldest and most highly respected citizens, died at the home of his son, George, Saturday morning January 21, 1928, after a comparatively short illness. He was born in Pleasanton, Iowa, January 9, 1853, and was 75 years and 12 days old at the time of his passing.  On December 31, 1874, he was united in marriage to Miss Lilly Jane Henderson. To this union nine children were born, of whom two sons and one daughter prceded the father to the Great Beyond. The faithful wife preceded him in death some 15 years ago.  He was converted in

Review and Improve the Index of the 1950 United States Census https://www.familysearch.org/en/info/1950-census-community-project This is going to be fun, and we want to be part of it. South King County Genealogical Society has applied to be part of the 1950 US Census Community Project. We hope as many of you as possible register to be part of the fun as well.  Not just fun, but also important It is important because states will be released as they are marked 100% complete, and we would love Washington to be one of the first! Which is why we're hoping that all the other Washington state genealogy societies get involved as well. And, we hope to show up as one of the most active, effective and involved societies in the state.  It is important because this is the first census to be completely indexed. Complete , meaning that every field is being indexed! Can you imagine how powerful search will be, when we can narrow the search by field?  It is important because the 1950 is also the fi

  Which family would you rather see on your tree?  This? Ethelyn Stephens Jones & her parents Or this. Ethelyn, parents, husband, sisters and their husbands I wanted the whole family. But a fter extensive searching in Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com, FamilySearch.org and elsewhere, I had almost given up on having anything more than names and estimated dates for Ethelyn's parents, no records beyond her death certificate connecting them, or any other birth family. In other words, settling for the first image. Then FamilySearch found the death certificate, which gave her exact date and place of birth along with the full names of her parents. Of course immediately I added the parent names and other information on both trees, Ancestry and FamilySearch Family Tree (FSFT). Birth and family information on death certificates is secondary information, and not always reliable. Still, names are clues, and the birthplace in the death certificate was close to what she stated in her marriage lic