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Archiver > NYC-ROOTS > 2002-04 > 1017698827


From: "NLColeman" <>
Subject: Re: [NYC] general genealogy question
Date: Mon, 1 Apr 2002 17:12:34 -0500
References: <027e01c1d9b7$9a169ba0$3720a78e@f4w5y0>


Dear Julia:
Wow. Not too many people ask about this. That is a really good question
and it addresses a very important issue in doing what I call "whole family"
genealogy in general. You have to keep your eyes open for such
relationships, both in the directories and in the censuses. Sometimes the
close proximity of families of the same surname may mean some relationship.
The more uncommon the name, the more likely (IMHO). But, even with more
common surnames, you should always at least jot down the information (or
make a photocopy of the page) for future reference.

With ethnic studies (Irish, Italian, German, etc.), especially in big
cities, it can be critical that you pay attention to the "neighborhood," to
the community around your ancestors. Keep your eyes peeled for relatives of
your female ancestors as well (the maiden names)! And, keep in mind that
the extended family may not just be the straight-line child, parent,
grandparent relationship. It could include uncles, great aunts, cousins,
in-laws, etc.

If you have a hunch that this is the case, carefully go back another ten
years and run the same sort of search for all of those same people. Do the
directory work for the intervening years between censuses. If again you
find them in close proximity to one another (or even if you don't) you may
want to take it back another ten years. And so forth. For instance,
eventually you may find all of those adult males (found in 1920 let's say)
of the same surname, in a household together as brothers in 1910 or 1900 (if
the surname is not too common a search of others of the same name may reveal
this). You then have quite a lot of information to work with to gather
other records that will confirm your (hunch) work (wills, vital records,
etc.).

You can't automatically assume that this may be the case when you first see
it, but it very often may be the strongest clue you come across as to what
the entire older family group make up is. It does take some patient work
though. Take your time and cite or copy everything meticulously so that you
don't have to go finding it over and over again.

But, YES. Definitely pay attention to such things! In the worse case
scenario you can rule those folks out as related. In the best case, you
make an important connection and you may get back another generation;
learning about all of the female members of the family at the same time
(sisters) or of others in the extended family. Either way, you really
haven't wasted your time. If they are in close proximity, copying an extra
page of two doesn't take that much time.

Good instincts, good question, and good luck!
Best regards. Nancy.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Julia" <>
To: <>
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2002 2:58 PM
Subject: [NYC] general genealogy question


> Could someone please offer some words of wisdom to me from their
experience with genealogical research and tell me whether it would have made
sense, particularly back in the 1920's-1930's-1940's for families to have
homes near other family members?
>
> For instance, if I find a family member in a city directory at 12 ABC
Avenue, and then I find a person with the same surname at 20 ABC Avenue, and
another with the same surname at 15 ABC Avenue, would there have been fair
likelihood that these folks might have been related somehow?
>
> Thank you very much, list friends.
>
> Julia
>
>
> ==== NYC-ROOTS Mailing List ====
> NYC-ROOTS list website -
> http://www2.netdoor.com/~cch/lists/NYC-ROOTS.htm
>

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