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Archiver > AMREV-HESSIANS > 1999-01 > 0916696475


From: Ruth A Messick< >
Subject: From Ruth Ann - AIS explanation
Date: Mon, 18 Jan 1999 21:54:35 +0000


Hello

Am sending in a separate message a bit of information on using the AIS -
Accelerated Index System. It might help many of you locate people that
were somewhere in USA from 1850 and before.

If you know they were in USA by 1838, then they should show up in the
1840 and 1850 census somewhere. They may not still be in Franklin
County, NY where they filed their letter of intent. That is the first
document, usually filed about 5 years later by the actual naturalization
which could be where they were residing 5 years after migrating.

So go to the AIS file that is 1840 Census broken down by surname. This
will show you all people anywhere in the Federal Census in 1840 by the
name Steinbarge or similar spellings. You do need to check other
spellings as the census takers were hired for their ability to spell
phonetically. Think of someone with an accent pronouncing their name but
cannot spell it for the census taker. They spell it phonetically at that
point. This will show you a state, county, page number in that county's
census and some other info. If your person is living in someone else's
household and not head of the household, they will not be listed by name,
just as a male or female of an age. This is one reason you should always
keep the information on your siblings and allied families. If you find
the allied family or sibling living in Franklin Co., NY and they have
other adults of certain ages living in their household, then this may be
your ancestors. Few people ever think this thru when they cannot find
their ancestor by name. He could be a hired hand living in someone's
household who is not related at all. Many employers signed as witnesses
on Naturalizations.

Another possibility to consider is that there WERE ethnic clubs or
organizations and ethnic newspapers back then. It might not be published
in Franklin County, NY or Will County, Ill. But they did have them and
many families advertised in them trying to find a relative who went to
another area and they lost touch. So go for German Newspapers or the
Germanic organization records written in a local history. You never
know.

Check the other message with instructions for AIS

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