Fun Starts Where Scientific Ways End
John Kitzmiller came from Salt Lake City in April at the invitation of Bruce Austin, Eastern Washington Genealogical Society’s treasurer, to give area genealogists a daylong look at research in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Those attending had a fun learning day.
Before getting into the real meat of his topics, Kitzmiller suggested that most genealogists do research by applying two principles:
No. 1: Correct methodology: using the science of genealogy and paying attention to things that go bump in the night - and the day.
No. 2: or, resorting to unscientific genealogy.
In applying scientific methods, one would take notice of events that were happening around the ancestor in his town, county and state, and what was occurring around the guy that would create records.
Check all these records first, Kitzmiller advised. And, if your questions aren’t answered, what then?
That’s when the fun part of genealogical research begins, he said. Here are some considerations Kitzmiller suggested:
Consider Heredity. Are you musical? Were your ancestors involved with music, perhaps owning a music store or maybe he/she was a church organist.
Consider Coincidence. The chances are scary high, Kitzmiller said, that you’ll walk into a genealogy seminar and find a cousin in the crowd. Chance and luck play a big part in research, and the odds are always on your side.
Consider Intuition. This is a catch-all phrase for anything you cannot explain - a hunch. Intuition is walking into a library, and at random pulling just the right book off the shelf - the exact one you need. Intuition doesn’t make sense in the scientific method, but it works, Kitzmiller said with a smile.
Consider Ancestor Visits. “This is definitely not science, but it has happened to me,” he said. Think of the dreams or visions you’ve had, the feeling you get that your ancestor is looking over your shoulder. (I think this happens to most every genealogist.)
Consider Ancestor Affinity. Do you feel drawn, irresistibly, to a certain ancestor, or to research a certain line or area? You can’t explain the feeling; all you know is that you have to learn more about that particular ancestor.
Consider Family Resemblance. Have you ever gone to a family reunion and found second cousins that look very much like you? Or, maybe in a crowd, you meet strangers who look like you or your uncle? How do you explain that, he asked.
Consider Geographic Deja vu. Have you gone someplace for the first time but felt you’ve been there before, or that you have somehow seen that place before? How do you explain that?
Kitzmiller wrapped up this idea by saying some or all of these phenomena have probably happened to you. It’s these things that keep genealogists going, keep us working on those dead-end ancestor lines.
The speaker donated a copy of his books to EWGS. “In Search of the Forlorn Hope,” a two-volume set, is a comprehensive guide to locating British regiments and their records from 1640 to World War I. The title comes from the military term for a selected contingent of soldiers sent out as advance scouts, many of whom were killed, wounded or captured.
This book is a guide for those having a difficult time tracing their ancestors in the British army.