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HeritageQuest & Ancestry Library Edition

HeritageQuest & Ancestry Library Edition. John LaMont, Genealogy Librarian The Seattle Public Library. Limitations. Recognizing Limitations. Incorrect data in original document Age, birthplace, name, etc. Incorrect transcription Age, birthplace, name, etc. Illegible handwriting

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HeritageQuest & Ancestry Library Edition

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  1. HeritageQuest &Ancestry Library Edition John LaMont, Genealogy Librarian The Seattle Public Library

  2. Limitations

  3. Recognizing Limitations • Incorrect data in original document • Age, birthplace, name, etc. • Incorrect transcription • Age, birthplace, name, etc. • Illegible handwriting • Incomplete records or Indexing • Missing years, counties, etc. • Abbreviations, nicknames, typos, & spaces

  4. Examples – Incorrect Data • William Eydler – enumerated as Idlet • Wife listed separately under maiden name (incorrectly spelled) • Living with wife’s mother & her second husband • Child is not listed ~ Larry Naukam, GENEALIB, 23 June 2006

  5. Examples – Incorrect Transcription • 1850 U.S. Census • Ellen Backus, Washington Co., NY. Indexed on Ancestry as age 111. Actual age from census is 11. • 1910 U.S. Census • Charles Steward, Jefferson Co., AR: Indexed on HQ as age 149. He is living with his 12 year old son Willie Steward. Actual age from census is likely 49. • 1930 U.S. Census • William Rusk (b. Indiana), Ingham Co., MI. Indexed on Ancestry as William Purk (b. Ireland).

  6. Enumerator Anise Hidding Millie Edna Fisk Lola French Busma Mouat Bly Van Hernebruck Index Annie Hedding Mallie Edwa Fick Lala Funch Burma Monat Bley Van Hemelryck Examples – Incorrect Transcription ~ Connie Bradbury, “An index is an index. . . Or is it?” NGS News Magazine, Jan/Feb/March 2005.

  7. L & S T & F I & J K & R O & Q P & R N & R U & W B & P Y & G U & A j & g u, w, v, n, r, & s a, e, i, o, & u Examples – Incorrect Transcription ~ Juliana Smith. “Overcoming obstacles (and avoiding headaches) in database research. Ancestry Daily News, 12/11/2000.

  8. Born in Kenya? Or Kentucky?

  9. CAN (22,421) IRE (3,414) ENG (1,887) AUS (1,449) JAP (31) VA (74,368) MASS + MA (68,641) TENN + TN (43,245) Penna + PA (62,846) IND +IN (19,885) Found IN The Woods (1) An Island IN Ger Belonging To Eng (2) Miss + MS (15,890) Birthplace Abbreviations (1880)

  10. Abm. Chas. Eliz. Geo. Jas. Jno. Thos. Wm. Art Beth, Liz, Lizzie Hank Polly Sam, Sammy Tom, Tommy Val Will, Willie, Bill, Billie Name Abbreviations & Nicknames

  11. Mayr = Mary Davdi = David Thomsa = Thomas Jonh = John Van Alstine – Vanalstine – Alstine La Mont – LaMont - Mont Laporte – La Porte – Porte Typos & Spaces

  12. Differences

  13. Library access Broad scope Soundex & wildcards Stories Keyword searching Census Everyname indexing; all years indexed Remote access Narrow scope Exact searching+ Books Boolean searching Census Head of household indexing; selected years only HeritageQuest vs. Ancestry

  14. Tips & Tricks

  15. Start broad Less is more Vary search criteria Add & subtract Search by First name Last name Middle name Initials Age Location Birthplace Search for Entire family Neighbors Friends Consider Variant spellings Nicknames Use provided tools Soundex, wildcards, Boolean, stemming, age range, descriptions, advanced search, keywords Tips & Tricks

  16. Tips & Tricks • Wildcards (Ancestry) • * = 0 to 6 characters • ? = 1 character • Soundex (Primarily Ancestry) • “Sounds like” • Sorting results (HQ) • Boolean book searches (HQ)

  17. Tips & Tricks • Age (Ancestry) • +/- 2 years • +/- 5 years • Age (HQ) • 21-30 • 31-40

  18. HeritageQuest

  19. HeritageQuest - Overview

  20. HeritageQuest - Census • Images for 1790 – 1930 • Head of household index • No index for 1830-1850 • Partial index for 1880 & 1930 • Hierarchical results • Year, state, county • Sortable results • No Soundex or wildcards

  21. HeritageQuest - Books • 20,000 + books • Family & local histories • City directories • Boolean search • Stemming • Advanced / publications search • Alternative to interlibrary loan

  22. HeritageQuest - Books

  23. HeritageQuest - Books • EXACT - Placing 'exact' before a search term will match that term exactly. 'Exact' only works on single words. • NEAR - matches two terms within 10 words of each other. near:4 • FBY - first term followed by your second term within 10 words. fby:4. • AND - Using 'and' retrieves results that include two or more terms that you have entered in the search field. • AND NOT - Using 'and not' indicates that you want to retrieve results that include your first entered term but not the second. • OR - 'Or' will retrieve results that include either your first entered search term or your second.

  24. HeritageQuest – PERSITM • Index to historical and genealogical periodicals • Indexed by subject, title, & author • Article titles are edited • Citations only; not full text! • Ability to search by record type and location • Find publications in your catalog or request articles using interlibrary loan • Recently updated with 2006 & 2007 citations

  25. HeritageQuest – Revolutionary War • Gold mine of information • Search by name, state & service • Sort by first or last name • M805 = records of “genealogical value” • Not the complete file (M804)

  26. HeritageQuest – Freedman’s Bank • Established after Civil War • Allows Soundex searching • Indexes all names on card • Not just the applicant • Parents, siblings, spouse, children, former master

  27. Ancestry Library Edition

  28. Ancestry - Overview • Wide variety of records • Birth, marriage, death, census, military, immigration, land, probate, etc. • Search across multiple or individual databases • Browse by geographic location or by record type • Search card catalog

  29. Ancestry - Interface • Content-specific search tabs • Historical records • Stories & publications • Photos & maps • Search tab • Browse by location • Browse by record type • Advanced search link • Card catalog link

  30. Ranked Enter as much information as possible Target specific databases Advanced search Exact Enter select information and vary search criteria depending on results Use wildcards & Soundex Ranked vs. Exact Searching

  31. Ancestry – Advanced Search

  32. Ancestry – Database Descriptions • Source data • Overview of content • Scope • Time span • Years included • Counties

  33. Bibliography • Ancestry Daily News. “Advanced Searching on Ancestry.com.” 12/31/2006. http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=11590 • Bradbury, Connie, “An index is an index. . . Or is it?” NGS News Magazine, Jan/Feb/March 2005. • Neill, Michael John, “Michael's Search Tips.” Ancestry Daily News. 12/19/2000. http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=3079 • Smith, Juliana. Overcoming Obstacles (and Avoiding Headaches) in Database Research. Ancestry Daily News. 12/11/2000 http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=3032

  34. Additional Examples • Sheets / Sheek (HQ) • 1920. John W. Sheets. Whatcom Co., WA • 1910. John Sheek. Whatcom Co., WA • Minor /Minion / Minior (Ancestry) • 1930. Joseph, Katie, & Sophie Minion. Providence, RI. • 1920. Joseph, Katherine, & Sophia Minor/Minior. Providence, RI. • Willet / Wllitt (Ancestry) • 1880. Andrew J. Willett. Beemantown, Clinton Co., NY. • 1870. Andrew J. Willett, Lorain, Beckwith. Chazy, Clinton Co., NY. • 1860. A. J. Wllitt, Ledin, Bckwth. Chazy, Clinton Co., NY.

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