Days and Dates on Clippings
In addition to keeping the dates on newspaper clippings, I always try to also keep the day of the week the newspaper was printed. Many articles, especially obituaries, will read something like “so-and-so died Tuesday….”, but give no date. If you know that the article appeared on Thursday and the date, you can figure out the actual date the event occurred.
Kathy Parker
Los Gatos, CA
Juliana’s Note: Good point, Kathy. And if you run across an item that has the date, but no day of the newspaper–only a reference to the day of the event, you can use a perpetual calendar to determine the date. An example of one is at TimeandDate.com.Â
Name Variants
In researching my Nagel family from Germany who settled in western New York State, I found out that some of them changed the spelling to Nagle. While this is not profound, I have found some places where the name was listed as “Nail.” Since Nagel or Nagle in German means nail, one should look at what the foreign name means and search for that as well.
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Richard A Rice
Organization Scheme
I have found that using manila folders and plastic colored tabs has helped me a lot. I pick a color and use that tab for all members of one family, another color for another family, etc. I also use the clear colored inserts to separate members of a family within each colored tab.
Rose
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Rose has a great idea, using colored tabs. I too use the folder system for filing information on Family Tree Entries and others researched.
Joyce
Kathy’s suggestion is great. I have started a chronological listing in a text document of each newspaper article I have found of my ancestors. Each entry contains the newspaper, day of week, date, page number and the text of article. Most of what I have found are from Illinois papers since there has been some great preservation in that state. Some of the amazing entries show the association of the community during the 1800’s. I have been able to pick up on, many before unknown, surnames from the many visitations noted from out of state.
Juliana I tried the “TimeandDate.com†site and I have book marked it for further use. I had been looking for just such a calendar, great.
Pat
Rose does indeed have a good idea. But I’ve discovered some of the colored tabs are harder to see through than others. Since my eyesight isn’t what it used to be, I now use colored hanging folders.
Tonya
On the subject of name variant, I believe my surname to be one of the most difficult to research. There are currently over 40 known variants and it is my personal belief that those beginning with an S are also part of this vast family.
LAMPHIER VARIANTS
Lanfear, Lanfier, Lanfire, Lanfere, Lamphire, Lanphier, Lamphier, Lanfiere, Langfield, Lamphere, Langfear, Lanfyre, Lanfeere, Langfere, Lanfer, Lanfeer, Lampher, Lanfeare, Landfield, Landfear, Lanfeir, Lamfear, Lanfair, Lampheir, Lamfier, Langfer, Lamphir, Lanfilde, Lanfeire, Lanifier, Landfer, Lamphear, Lampheare, Lamfire, Lamfer, Lamfeere, Langfire, Langfell, Landfere, Lanphere, Lanpher, Lanpheare, Langfielde, Lanfyer, Lanfield, Lanfeld, Lanfar, Landfire, Landfier, Landfar, Landfair, Lampyer, Lampier, Lamphyre, Lampfield, Lamper, Lamfeir, Lamfeare, Lansear, Lankfill, Langford, Langfild, Langfeld, Langfaire, Lanfior, Lanfild, Lanfiar, Lanfeur, Lanfaw, Lanfare, Lanefer.
There also is a distinct possibility than many of the above spellings utilizing the early 1700’s L that very much resembles a modern day S should be included in this group.
I used Ellis Islands name variants and copied it for family
folders. And surely enough,I found Grandpa’s brother under another
spelling in one of the Censuses.