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Forms and Charts for Gathering New Information
- Abstract forms for deeds and wills:
- Any researcher familiar with
courthouses knows how easy it is to neglect information when searching old
county records. An abstract form walks you through the task of extracting vital
information from deeds and wills by prompting you to note the important
information found on these legal documents. An abstract form is worth its weight
in gold when you find yourself in a dusty, dimly-lit courthouse basement with a
huge deed book on your lap.
- Census extract forms:
- As easy as it is to miss information
while rooting around in the local courthouse's old deed books, it's just as easy to
miss information after you've worn out your eyes staring at census microfilm...hence
the creation of census extract forms. These forms (available for all census
years from 1790-1920) allow you to make notes of the important information and
show families and neighbors as they occur on the microfilm. Any notes or
comments you may wish to make can be entered on the back of the form. Census
extract forms for 1790-1920 are available at Family Tree Maker Online's
Genealogy
"How-To" Guide.
- Ancestor checklists:
- There may come a time when you think you've
looked at all available resources for an individual. If you need ideas of other
possible sources, an ancestor checklist may provide the nudge you need. You can
modify checklists by adding your own checklist items for the locality or
ethnicity. You can see a sample ancestor checklist at
Rory's Stories.
- Problem Worksheet:
- If you are having trouble successfully finding
information about an individual, you may need to organize your thoughts before
searching willy-nilly. A problem worksheet can be created for an individual or a
specific problem. If you need to find the birth and marriage records for a
person, you can create a worksheet outlining the two problems, and possible
avenues of research. A problem worksheet is your place to brainstorm--put down
any ideas you have where you might look for answers. Note the results, and be
sure to include the specifics in your research log.
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