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Archiver > NEWGEN > 2004-08 > 1091807824


From: "S&R Ash" <>
Subject: Re: [NEWGEN] musings and questions
Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2004 11:57:04 -0400
References: <1DE903E5-E7B8-11D8-A1D0-000A95CA04EC@dianaslegacy.net>


This is one of the problems we all face with the "new"
field of computer online research. Thankfully there are
increasingly more volunteers and more data coming
online all the time. But I too see what you are talking
about, in some states its still very limited. Checking
back often is the best thing to do for online data.

Now what to do next? What I did in New York was
to hire a local paid researcher, to look for me up to
an agreed amount of hours and dollars. I asked him
to check cemeteries, tax records, probate, land deeds,
marriage and death records, state census, and local
historical society for any thing that would mention
my family. I sent a typed report of what little I had
on the family.
I had Federal census, military records, and what had
happened to my family after New York. In a brief I
sent that information in case it tied to any others on
migrations of families leaving the county.

He found ONLY what I had already, but sent me other
wills and probates, cemetery records of people with the
surname as there were not too many there. Now it did
not help me find my Benjamin P. Parks, parents or his
first wife burial and information on her, but it helped
to know what had been searched and where the folks
with this surname had come from before they settled
in Madison county. I was disappointed yet satisfied that
he had done a complete search of these records for me.
He also went out of his way to look for other things
and talk to other historians in the county. He was a
highly recommended researcher.

In Indiana I also hired a private researcher to check a few
things for me but I knew more on the family there and
could ask for certain things I needed. Mostly newspaper
articles. Again I agreed on hours and dollar amount I
could spend before we began and sent her the typed
report of what I had and what I needed her to find.
She found each and every thing I needed.

I know its hard to think of paying for someone to
look for you but it would have cost me twice what
I paid to have traveled there, gasoline, rented motel,
food and such and not knowing the area, would not
have been able to search all the data bases they could
do in a short time for me.

I hope this helps you in thinking of what you can do
next. Its hard when you arent sure of an area and have
to begin looking county by county.

Sue Ellen
..............................................................................................................
..
>>> As a researcher who is limited to doing research online, this can be
really frustrating. >>>

>>>Has anyone else experienced this? And when all your
trails appear to be dried up, what do you do next? When you don't have
enough clues to pinpoint an area for research, then what?

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!
Wendy (Boughner) Whipple>>>

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