FOSTORIA LINEAGE RESEARCH SOCIETY

a. . . .for about. abbrev. . .abbreviation or ted. acc. . .according to.

acco. . . account accu. . . accurate adj. . .adjoining adm. . .admission or admitted

admin. . administration or tor. aft. . .after alleg. . .allegance ano. . .another

approx. . .approximately ar. co .. .artillery company ascert. . .ascertain or ained

b. . .born or birth bapt. . .baptized or sm. bec. . .because or became bef. . .before

bot. . .bought or bottom br. . .brother bur. . .buried capt. . .captain, captured or ivity

catal. . .catalogue ch. . .for child, children, or church clk. . .clerk Co. . .County

Col. . .Colony or Colonel Coll. . .College or Collections comp. . .company

confer. . .conferred conject. . .conjecture cont. . .continued contr. . .contract

corp. . .corporal couns. . .counsellor cous. . .cousin coven. . .convenant

ct. . .court d. . .died, death or daughter Dart. . .Dartmouth College deac. . .deacon

decis. . .decision degr. . .degree devis. . .devised discip. . .discipline

div. . .division or divided docum. . .document easi. . .for easily educ. . .deducation or ted

Eng. . .England eno. . .enough ens. . .ensign ensu. . .ensuing est. . .estate

establ. . .establishment exc. . .except f . . .father fam. . .family

fidel. . .fidelity foll. . .following or ed. freem. . .freeman or en. giv. . .given or giving

gr. . .grand, great, grant or graduate G.f.. . .grandfather gr.mo. . .grandmother

gr.s. . grandson Hist. . .History hist. . .historian hon. . .honorable honor. . .honorary

honora. . .honorable ign. . .ignorant Ind. . .Indians inf. . .infant or informed

inhab. . .inhabitant inq. . .inquiry ins. . .insert inv. . .inventroy

judic. . .judicial or judicious k. . .killed or king kn. . .known Id. . .land

lieut. . .lieutenant liv. . .lived or ing. m. . .married or age maj. . .major mak. . .making

ment. . .mentioned milit. . .military min. . .minister nam. . .for named

N.E. . . New England not. . .noted o. . .oath O.E. . . Old England

offic. . .official oft. . .often ord. . .ordained orig. . .origin peo. . .people

petitn. . .petition preced. . .preceding pro. . .probate or proved prob. . .probable or ly

prop. . .property propound. . .propounded propr. . .proprietors or proprietor

provis. . .provision pub. . .public rat. . .rated rec. . .record rep. . report or representative

repud. . .repudiated respectiv. . .respectively s. . .son or sons scatt. . .for scattering or ed

sec. . .second serb. . .sergeant sett. . .settlers or settler serv. . .service or servant

sh. . .share or ship sis. . .sister spell. . .spelling or ed. surg. . .surgeon

sw. . .swear or swore syl. . .syllable tak. . .taken tho. . .though thot. . .thought

thro. . .through transcr. . .transcribed unit. . .uniting or ed unm. . .unmarried

var. . .various or variation w. . .wife wh. . .who or which wks. . .weeks wid. . .widow

yr. . .year

Initials after your ancestor's names may provide useful information that you would not expect. The following list includes initials you may come across when reading old wills or other documents.

a.a.s. Died in the year of his/her age (anno aetitis suae)

d.s.p. Died without issue (decessit sine prole legitima)

d.s.p.l. Died without legitimate issue (decessit sine prole mascula supersita)

d.s.p.m.s. Died without surviving male issue (decessit sine prole supersita)

d.s.p.s. Died without surviving issue (decessit sine prole supersita)

d.unm Died unmarried

d.v.p. Died in the lifetime of his father (decessit vita patris)

d.v.m. Died in the lifetime of his mother (decessit vita matris)

Et al And others (et alia)

Inst Present month (instans)

Liber Book or volume

Nepos Grandson

Nunc Nuncupative will, an oral will, written by a witness

Ob He/she died (obit)

Relict Widow or widower (relicta/relistus)

Sic So or thus, exact copy as written

Testes Witnesses

Ult Late (ultimo)

Ux or Vs Wife (uxor)

Viz Namely (videlicet)

2 Parents

4 Grandparents

8 Great Grandparents

16 GG Grandparents

32 GGG Grandparents

64 GGGG Grandparents

128 GGGGG Grandparents

256 GGGGGG Grandparents

512 GGGGGGG Grandparents

1,024 GGGGGGGG Grandparents

2,048 GGGGGGGGG Grandparents

4,096 GGGGGGGGGG Grandparents

8,192 GGGGGGGGGGG Grandparents

16,184 GGGGGGGGGGGG Grandparents

32,768 GGGGGGGGGGGGG Grandparents

65,036 GGGGGGGGGGGGGG Grandparents

131,072 GGGGGGGGGGGGGGG Grandparents

262,144 GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG Grandparents

524,288 GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG Grandparents

1,444,576 GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG Grandparents

2,097,152 GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG Grandparents

Is it any wonder that we spend so much time on genealogy?

From Pathways, Butler County, Chapter OGS Volume XVII, No. 4 - 1999

I Investigate index system peculiar to each book or record. Read the explanatory note, which precedes the listing. Study the overall appearance.

N Never give up! If the name isn't in the index and it should be, take the time to leaf through the book. No index is perfect.

D Decipher with in the alphabet - some indexes are only partially indexed.

E Explore all possible spelling variants and name changes.

X Cross check for every common surnames on pages where less common names appear.

E Examine for omissions. If the book is thick and the index short, only the most important names may be indexed.

S See if there is only one index. Often there are two (grantors and grantees, brides and grooms) one more (church roster and cemeteries).

_____ 1 2 3 4 5 6_________

1 Common Son or Grandson Gr Grandson 2^nd Gr Grandson 3^rd Gr Grandson

Ancestor Daughter or Daughter or Daughter or Daughter or Daughter

______________________________________________________________________________________________

2 Son or Siblings Nephew Grand Nephew Gr. Grand 2^nd Gr. Grand

Daughter Brother or or Niece or Niece Nephew or Nephew or

Sister Niece Niece

______________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Grandson Nephew First First Cousin First Cousin First Cousin

or Daughter or Niece Cousin Once Removed Twice Removed Three Times Removed

______________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Great Grand First Cousin Second Second Cousin Second Cousin

Grandson Nephew Once Cousin Once Twice

or Daughter Or Niece Removed Removed Removed

______________________________________________________________________________________________

2^nd Great Great Grand First Cousin Second Third Third Cousin

5. Grandson or Nephew or Twice Cousin Once Cousin Once

Granddaughter Niece Removed Removed Removed

______________________________________________________________________________________________

3^rd Great 2^nd Great First Cousin Third Fourth Fourth Cousin

6. Grandson or Grand Nephew Three Times Cousin Once Cousin Once

Granddaughter Or Niece Removed Removed Removed

______________________________________________________________________________________________

1790-1980: includes supplemental schedules open to the public; excludes questions asked on a sample basis only

1790: Name of family head; free white males of 16 years and up, free white males under 16; free white females; salves; other persons.

1800: Name of family head; if white, age and sex; race; slaves

1810: Name of family head; if white, age and sex; race; slaves

1820: Name of family head; age; sex; race; foreigners not naturalized; slaves; industry (agriculture, commerce, and manufactures)

1830: Name of family head; age; sex; race; slaves; deaf and dumb; blind; foreigners not naturalized

1840: Name of family head; age; sex; race; slaves; number of deaf and dumb; number of blind; number of insane and idiotic and whether in public or private charge; number of persons in each family employed in each of six classes of industry and one of occupation; literacy; pensioners for Revolutionary or military service.

1850: Name; age; sex; race; whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic; value of real estate; occupation; birthplace; whether married within the year; school attendance; literacy; whether a pauper or convict.

Supplemental schedules for slaves; public paupers and criminals; person who died during the year.

1860: Name; age; sex; race; value of real estate; value of personal estate; occupation; birthplace; whether married within the year; school attendance; literacy; whether deaf and dumb; blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict; number of slave houses.

Supplemental schedules for slaves; public paupers and criminals; persons who died during the year.

1870: Name; age; race; occupation; value of real estate; value of personal estate; birthplace; whether parents were foreign born; month of birth if born within the year; month of marriage if married within the year; school attendance; literacy; whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic; male citizens 21 and over, and number of such persons denied the right to vote for other than rebellion.

Supplemental schedules for persons who died during the year; paupers; prisoners.

1880: Address; name; relationship to family head; sex; race; age; marital status; month of birth if born within the census year; occupation; months unemployed during the year; sickness or temporary disability; whether blind, deaf and dumb, idiotic, insane, maimed, crippled, bedridden, or otherwise disabled; school attendance; literacy; birthplace of person and parents.

Supplemental schedules for the Indian population; for parents who died during the year; insane, idiots; deaf-mutes; blind; homeless children; prisoners; paupers and indigent person.

1890: General schedules - destroyed. Supplemental schedules for Union veterans of the Civil War and their widows.

1900: Address; name; relationship to family head; sex; race; age; marital status; number of years married; for women, number of children born and number now living; birthplace of person and parents; if foreign born, year of immigration and whether naturalized; occupation; months not employed; school attendance; literacy; ability to speak English; whether on a farm; home owned or rented and if owned, whether mortgaged.

1910: Address; name; relationship to family head; sex; race; age; marital status; number of years of present marriage; for women, number of children born and number now biving; birthplace and mother tongue of persons and parents; if foreign born, year of immigration, whether naturalized, and whether able to speak English, or if not, language spoken; occupation, industry, and class of worker; if an employee, whether out of work during year; literacy; school attendance; home owned or rented; if owned, whether mortgaged; whether farm or house; whether a survivor of Union or Confederate Army or Navy; whether blind or deaf and dumb.

1920: Address; name; relationship to family head; sex; race; age; marital status; if foreign born; year of immigration to the U.S, whether naturalized, and year of naturalization; school attendance; literacy; birthplace of person and parents; mother tongue of foreign born; ability to speak English; occupation, industry; and class of worker; home owned or rented; if owned, whether free or mortgaged.

1930: Address; name; relationship to family head; home owned or rented; value or monthly rental; radio set; whether on a farm; sex; race; age; marital status; age at first marriage; school attendance; literacy; birthplace of person and parents; if foreign born, language spoken in home before coming to U.S., year of immigration, whether naturalized, and ability to speak English; occupation, industry, and class of worker; whether at work previous day (or last regular working day); veteran status; for Indians, whether of full or mixed blood, and tribal affiliation.

1940: Address; home owned or rented; value or monthly rental; whether on a farm; name; relationship to household head; sex, race; age; marital status; school attendance; educational attainment; birthplace; citizenship of foreign born; location of residence 5 years ago and whether on a farm; employment status; if at work, whether in private or non-emergency government work, or in public emergency work (WPA, CCC, NYA, etc.); if in private or non-emergency government work, hours worked in week; if seeking work or on public emergency work, duration of unemployment; occupation, industry, and class of worker; weeks worked last year; income last year.

1950: Address; whether house is on farm; name; relationship to household head; race; sex; age; marital status; birthplace; if foreign born, whether naturalized; employment status; hours worked in week; occupation, industry, and class of worker.

1960 and 1970: Address; name; relationship to household head; sex; race; age; marital status.

1980: Address; name; household relationship; sex; race; age; marital status; Spanish/Hispanic origin or descent.

Patent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Grant of land by the State to an individual(s)

Patentee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . One who receives the patent

Warrant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Authorization for a survey

Grantor or Warrantor . . . . . . Person conveying or selling property

Survey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Drawing of a tract of land

Deed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Document transferring land from one person to another

Quit Claim Deed . . . . . . . . . .Transfer of rights to property

Quiet Claim Estate . . . . . . . . Action to clear title to real estate

Articles of Agreement. . . . . . Contract between parties

(Information from Ancestors Winter 1998 & MCC-OGS Volume 20-6 page 215)

DID YOUR ANCESTOR IMMIGRATE, EMIGRATE OR MIGRATE?

Three terms - "immigrate" "emigrate" and "migrate" are similar and easily confused. They all come the same Latin root word "migro" meaning "to move".

IMMIGRATE: to come TO a country or region, especially from a native land, for the purpose of settlement.

EMIGRATE: to go FROM a country or section of a country to settle in another.

Emigrant trails led from the East to the unsettled regions of the West.

MIGRATE: to change one's dwelling place, usually with the idea of repeated change, or periodical return; it applies to wandering tribes of men, and to many birds and animals. It also applies to large communal groups who left one area to go to another, such as church groups who went en masse to found a new settlement.

"EMIGRATE" and "IMMIGRATE" carry the idea of permanent change of residence to some other country or some distant region; the two words are used distinctly of human beings, and apply to the same person and the same act, according to the side from which the action is viewed.

A person "EMIGRATES" from the land he leaves and "MIGRATES" to the land where he takes up his abode.

Your ancestor EMIGRATES from Europe and IMMIGRATED to the USA. The processes of emigration and immigration created records that are valuable to the genealogist. In general, the number of records and the information in them usually increases as the emigration/immigration period becomes more recent.

Between 1876 and 1889, Ernest G. RAVENSTEIN, a native of GER, formulated and published the following "laws" regarding immigration, although he referred to them as "migration."

These theories still ring true and include many ideas, which will aid genealogists today.

• The majority of migrants go only a short distance.
• Migration proceeds step by step.
• Each current migration produces a counter current.
• Females are more migratory within the country of their birth.
• Most migrants are adults
• Migrants going long distances generally prefer large centers of commerce and industry.
• People of towns are less migratory than those of rural areas.
• Migration increases as industries and commerce develop and transportation improves.
• Large towns grow more by migration than by birth rates.
• The major direction of migration is from agricultural to industrial or commercial centers.
• The major cause of migration is economic.