Courtesy in family history research

Just a couple of quick notes:

• Acknowledge receipt of anything, information, photos, anything anybody sends you.  They took the time to get it to you; let them know you got it.
• Send a simple thank you when you acknowledge receipt.
• Ask if there is anything, information, photos, anything, you might have they can use.
• Don't ask for anything ever again unless and until you've done the above.

The Problem of Joseph Odell (the 'first')

I have no birth or death information for Joseph Odell.  I have no parentage for Joseph Odell.  I have no burial information for Joseph Odell.

These problems are very common and very annoying.  I want a complete chronology for, at least, each individual in my direct lineage, maternal and paternal.

It's also helpful to have a complete chronology for each related individual because information about related individuals can reveal more information about direct line individuals.  But, that's another blog.

In the case of Joseph Odell (the 'first'), I've clearly identified him from the 1840 US Census, in Windham, Greene County, NY, age 30-40 - to the 1870 US Census in Morsston/Rockland, Sullivan County, NY, age 60.

He doesn't appear anywhere on the 1875 NYS Census and on the 1880 US Census, his wife, Catherine (Katie), age, 71, is widowed and living with their son, Reuben.  Therefore, I have to assume that Joseph died between 1870 and 1880, if not between 1870 and 1875.  However, I have found no death certificate in the area, no newspaper obits, so far.  No cemetery record, so far.

Calculating Joseph's birth year from the various censuses, he would have been born between 1810 and 1811.

Birth place?  According to the various censuses:  1870 - NYS; 1860 - NYS; 1855 - Delaware (county or state?); 1850 - PA.

Assuming that the simplest and most direct answer is usually correct, I want to think that Joseph was born 1810-1811 in NYS and died between 1870 and 1880 in Rockland or, at least, Sullivan County.

The censuses from 1840 backward have only the names of heads of households and the numbers of male and female residents and their rough ages.  Did I find any Odells in Greene County in 1830?  No.  So, Joseph came from a different county.  In 1830, Joseph would have been between the ages of 19-29, assuming the information on the various censuses and my calculation of his birth year is correct.  One would think he would have married and, maybe, had children at that age but I have not seen a Joseph Odell on any 1830 census in NY, as head of household, so maybe he was still single.  The task now is to search every 1830 census for an Odell family that includes a man between those ages.  From there, I'll have to do the same for the 1820 census, looking for a male family member age 9-19.  It's a daunting task but that's the process.

Family history etiquette

Someone recently emailed me very apologetically saying they weren't sure how to begin their request.  Also recently, someone requested information which I sent with a request to reciprocate which hasn't happened.

Our modern world has lost a lot of etiquette.  On the other hand, there have been time and, certainly, individuals that carry their personal sense of etiquette too far.  So, I thought I'd write a little about my sense of etiquette in family history.

For me, etiquette is both selfish and generous in its bases.  

You know the old saying:  "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." Well, if you want something from someone; in this case, family information, and if you assume that person may continue to be a source of information, then you want to treat them with respect and appreciation for what they can provide you. So, you ask politely, "please", and give them the "thank you"; as most of us were taught.

If you have information that others may want, you understand the value of what others may be able to give to you and you value that and give to them, "thank you", what you would want to be given to you.  The golden rule.

If you fail to understand the value of what others give to you, whatever it might be, at some point you will find yourself ignored and I'm not talking just about me.

It's really just a matter of common courtesy that all children used to be taught at a very young age:  Hello, Goodbye, Please, Thank you, Excuse me.  Nothing difficult.  

There's no reason not to ask but remember that no is a possible response, so yes merits a thank you.  There's no right way to ask, just ask.

Visit the Beismer page (see top menu) to see a little nugget that I found.