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 ...

Auburn, Washington  February 2019 Not that anyone wants to be reminded of what is outside your window this weekend, but disasters of one kind or another have impact on our family life.  Thomas MacEntee has graciously shared his   10 Ways to Document Disasters in Genealogy Research How did our ancestors persevere and survive in the face of disaster - natural, manmade and financial - so that we could be here today to tell their stories? Learn how to not only locate your ancestors amidst the rubble but give voice to their stories. 1.  Research historical newspapers. Not every disaster was headline news; read small town “gossip” or “goings on” columns to find more information. And certain misfortunes might not be mentioned so as to not embarrass a family or other reasons. Read between the lines and connect the dots. 2.  Conduct cluster and collateral searches. Using census and other records, look for a spike in deaths in certain locations or on certain dates....

The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy. By Val D. Greenwood. Published by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.; 3600 Clipper Mill Road; Suite 229; Baltimore, MD 21211;  http://www.genealogical.com/ ; 2017. ISBN 978-0-8063-2066-3. Paperback, $59.95. “Read Greenwood from cover to cover—several times or until you feel you have well learned its content” - Elizabeth Shown Mills Elizabeth Shown Mills' advice is for genealogists making the transition from genealogy as a hobby  to genealogy as a profession.  However, I believe it is good advice for all genealogists – beginning as well as seasoned professionals.   The Researcher’s Guide is both a textbook and a reference manual. The topics range from planning research to detailed explanations of various records; how to find them and how to use them.  It was first published in 1973, and Greenwood has updated and kept it current over the ensuing forty years.  At first glance, its 738 pag...