How generous are you with your help?

Question

Over the past few months I've hit a few dead ends.  When I do I ask a question here and WikiTree people have jumped in to offer suggestions and do research. It usually answers the question at hand.

I feel a bit torn now. I hit a couple dead ends today, one with not enough data, another with too much and weird data. I also want to do as much as I can on my own. I don't want to toss little problems to you I should be able to handle myself. But I've gone through my ancestor tree and have about 40 names at the ends of the tree eight or fewer generations back. There could be a lot of questions for you.

I'm feeling a bit frustrated now, both with a couple dead ends and with with my mother, who did a huge amount of research -- and left behind none of her sources (Mom, is Dover a misreading of Devon?).

Comments

Hi Paul, I just added a few kids to Cyrus Kinne  https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Kinne-162 

I got these records from the Daughters of the American Revolution.  http://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search/?Tab_ID=1

There are many other members of this family listed on the DAR record for Cyrus.  If you click on the little D, for descendants, next to each child's name, it will display the information about that particular descendant line.  This should help you with learning about how to use the DAR database.

The correct == Source == citation for the DAR is:

{{DAR-grs| A065262 | Cyrus Kinney | June 23, 2018}}

That citation format means:  

{{DAR-grs|Ancestor number | Ancestor Name | Date the record was accessed}}

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 21.0px; font: 14.0px Helvetica; background-color: #dddddd} span.s1 {font-kerning: none}

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Whooo-Whooo!  I found Berthold Kistner's birth record:

"Deutschland, Baden, Erzbistum Freiburg, katholische Kirchenbücher, 1678-1930," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP38-1VMX : 14 May 2018), Berthold Kistner, ; citing Baptism, Waldprechtsweier, Rastatt, Baden, Deutschland, 22, Erzbischöfliches Archiv Freiburg (Archbishop's Archives), Germany.

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I'm delighted you found Berthold! Thank you for that extra effort.

I'm also pleased to see descendants of Cyrus. I'm descended from his brother Ira. My mother's data says Cyrus and Ira have lots of siblings, though I haven't taken time yet to find sources for them.

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Working on your Stocks just now.

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I'm delighted, yet a bit surprised with your interest and willingness to help so much you're creating the profiles.

I have a big question about Caroline Grant (Nellie) Leeak -- Where did the Caroline Grant come from? My mother (this is her grandmother we're talking about) knew her as Nellie and, as Find a Grave shows, the marker itself says Nellie. Even the census says Nellie.

A second cousin, very much into genealogy, also insists the official name is Caroline. But where did that come from?

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I don't know.  I got it from FindAGrave.

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As for Louise Stock, it is a lot more complicated than what you show. I'm sure you'll designate me as a profile manager.

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On 1880 census, she is Nellie Grant Leeak.  I am going to orphan all these profiles now so that you can pick them up is you want.

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Ok, so it is Devon, or Devonshire, per census for Roger Greenslade.  https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Greenslade-355

I am done for tonight!  Best of luck!  Kitty

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Devonshire is an archaic form. For dates as recent as the nineteenth century it should definitely be Devon.

Answer 1

Good research takes time. Everyone hit roadblocks from time to time, and some are never solved. But sometimes, a fresh set of eyes, a new cousin connection, can really knock down a brick wall. But it doesn't happen overnight. Take your time. Be patient. Ask your questions. Hopefully you'll find your answers quickly.

Answer 2

Personally, I'm not opposed to asking as many questions as I need to. A lot of the time I end up asking the questions for genealogy that isn't even my own. Or I'll end up doing out the family tree for someone as far as I can get it as a pay-it-forward sort of thing. I try and give help just as much as I receive it. And honestly, I wouldn't be shy about asking the questions. Sometimes they go unanswered, and that's fine. Sometimes, it just takes that one final person to check over your work, look for new leads, and use their own resources to make something click. Genealogy isn't just for one person - it's for everyone, and we should be treating it like that instead of feeling selfish. If people didn't want to help, they wouldn't. The important part IS paying it forward, though, or else the system doesn't work.

Answer 3

I have to agree with Dennis. Everybody, everybody hits road blocks in genealogy. I’ve posted here, too, and haven’t in etime broken through on the ancestors for whom I sought information. But.... there have been several good leads given to me that I hang onto, just in case, and some good advice on how to present information on the profiles I manage, like suppositions of descent, lack of sources.

Brother, I know your frustration!!!  I haven’t posted all of my brickwalls here (yet), but I don’t think you need to hold back. Post one every week or so, throw out the proverbial hook, and see if you get a hit. I’ve seen others get amazing break-throughs here. You may or may not, but you won’t get any of you don’t let us know who they are and what you have on them.

“Don’t give up the ship!” We’re all on your side, even in your frustrations.

Answer 4

I documented my brick walls.   I used the correct Brick Wall category for the place/name.  I was complete as possible in my notes, even including legends and lore to add any clues I had.  I explained or pointed out conflicting information and missing information.  That is the best I think you can do until something new breaks loose.

I have found three close cousins from uploading my Ancestry DNA to My Heritage, but we are still no closer to figuring out this person's parentage.

Example:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Siebert-426

Comments

Great job on this profile. Love how you covered the stories, and loved the stories as well!!! 

• 1890
• 1900
• 1920 are blank because they are census years, correct?

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yep, they are missing ;)