Lessons Learned: Research Methodology

Genealogy is my passion, and I love discussing genealogy. My Dad was a genealogy buff for over fifty years, but I didn't get the bug until several years ago. The truth is that I learn as much or more from those with whom I correspond as they learn from me.

At one time, I too was a new researcher. And, I learned a lot from some wonderfully generous people with whom I shared a common topic of research. Please allow me to share a little of what I have learned:

a. Start with what you know. Family traditions and oral histories contain more truth than not.

b. To find an ancestor another generation back, look at everyone within reason, eliminating those where possible. Scientists call this inductive reasoning. Once you have a short list of possibilities, research each person in detail. Scientists call this deductive reasoning. You cannot prove someone is your relative by researching up your family tree. You can only prove a relationship by researching down the tree. And when you eliminate everyone on your list, start over.

c. When you reach another "brick wall," research the families your family married into. Genealogists call these "allied families." There is a myth that Colonial and Revolutionary American immigrants traveled alone ie. the Rugged Individualist. BS, they traveled in extended family groups. You will occasionally read about groups of hunters or explorers migrating over the mountains, but even the famous Long Hunters--Knox, Chew, Walden, Boone--traveled in groups of ten or twelve. And, usually their companions were cousins or in-laws.

Col. James Knox and 40 Long Hunters camped between Caney Fork and Skin House Branch for two years, collecting 2,600 deer skins and numerous bear and beaver pelts. In 1771 Knox built a stockade and Camp Knox became Green County's first permanent settlement.
    "The Long Hunters," Greensburg Co KY GenWeb Page <http://www.greensburgky.com/long.htm> 6 August 2005.

After Daniel Boone's first trip into Kentucky, he returned to North Carolina to pick up more cousins and a few sons for the next trip to Kentucky.

d. Find, read, and transcribe original/primary documents. People make mistakes. A whole lot of my Campbell cousins were looking for an ancestor (John Campbell) in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi in the 1850 Census. Everyone knew his family was in Covington Co AL, but not John. Just recently I went back and transcribed the original 1850 Covington Co AL Census. Lo and behold, there was John stuck in the middle of his 18 brothers and sisters. The original transcriber simply missed him.

e. The best advice I ever received was, "Trust your own research." Just because a bunch of experts and even the Mormon Church list a particular genealogy, this doesn't mean they have the only answer. Many times there are multiple spouses: the wife might be listed by her first married name and not her maiden name. Fathers and sons and mothers and daughters with the same names cause generations to be confused.

f. And lastly, maintain a healthy sense of skepticism and your sense of humor. When you have your stuff together and bravely put your information out to the public, the first person who writes will be someone who absolutely disputes your findings. Hopefully, they wont call you some of the names I've been called. The caveat at the bottom of every page on this website states "This site is provided for reference only. Except where specifically cited, information contained is conjecture and should not be considered as fact." That's legalese for, "If you don't like what I wrote, tough. My guess is as good as yours."

Charles E. Lewis
Davenport IA 52802