Take a cue from today’s quote. Look at one of the most vexing problems in your family history research. Review it and then walk away. Grab a glass of lemonade or whatever you like and sit someplace cool and comfortable. Relax and ponder. Repeat as necessary.
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This is excellent advice. I have done this many times and it really works. Last week I was trying read a CD and thought I had followed instructions, but nothing worked. I was to install a program first and thought I had done this (several times and much coffee). I finally went on to other tasks. The next day I reread instructiions,followed them (again) and Lo and Behold, it WORKED. Haven’t a clue what I was doing wrong the first day. Very glad I walked away from the problem until a later date.
When you are doing research on a family and it seems as if there is no possible family connection, do not necessarily despair. Just this past weekend a mystery was solved on which I had ‘dead-ended’on last May and simply posted a query on Ancestry. So, I just forgot about the matter. The year was 1783 and the state area was Princeville, Peoria Illinois. Then in my email last Thursday csme a note that there was someone in California who might have some information. She gave me so little information; it was basically just a connection from Ilinois to California. Immediately after tying in the information the screen asked ” Is this person, this person?” YES I answered. Then the screen asked again “Is this person, this person?” YES
The screen went through a commotion and I was back to the 1100’s. WOW The researcher in California and I in Michigan were both basically stuck in the same spot of NON-knowledge. But by combining these little bits, Ancestry.com had performed a miracle.
MORAL:JUST POST AND FORGET ABOUT IT!
So right!
Yes, it is hard to walk away from it. Because then you have to decide well who were her parents and is this authenticated.
— Thalia