Genealogical Proof Standard #1: How Much Research Is Enough?

If you missed my last post, Searching Isn't Researching, I talked about why finding records and doing genealogical research aren't quite the same thing. Searching finds records. Research begins with a question and uses those records to seek an answer..

But, how much research is enough?

The first component of the Genealogical Proof Standard calls for reasonably exhaustive research. Notice the word reasonably. We aren't expected to search every record ever created. But we also shouldn't stop with the first record that seems to answer our question.

Reasonably exhaustive research means looking beyond the obvious sources and considering what other records might provide relevant evidence. That means identifying the sources most likely to address our research question—whether census records, probate files, deeds, tax lists, church registers, newspapers, military records, court records, or records involving an ancestor's friends, associates, and neighbors (FAN).

Sometimes, however, the record we really want simply can't be found.

When the Record You Need Isn't There

One of my own research problems illustrates this perfectly.

For years, I couldn’t find the first marriage record for my second great‑grandmother, Melvina. I knew her first husband’s surname was Gaylor, and that missing record might have revealed the maiden name I’d been searching for.

But it simply wasn’t there.

So I asked myself: What other records might contain her maiden name?

Melvina died sometime between 1920 and 1930 in Texas, but despite searching, I haven’t located a death certificate—one that might have named her parents. Texas required death registration during this period, but that didn’t guarantee that every death was actually recorded or that the record survived.

I turned to the death certificates of four of Melvina's children. Some of her other children died very young, before the state required death certificates.

My great-grandfather and his sister both identified their mother's maiden name as Melvina Mitchell. A third sibling's death certificate listed her maiden name as unknown. But the fourth identified her as Melvina Nicholas¹.

Two records said Mitchell. One said Nicholas. One didn't know.

Because her first husband was a Gaylor, Nicholas couldn't be explained as a married name. I had conflicting information that I couldn't just dismiss.

It would have been easy to choose Mitchell because two of the four records agreed. Melvina also lived with my great-grandfather for more than a decade before her death, which gave me additional reason to think he might have known his mother's maiden name.

But I didn't want to stop there.

Family information provided two additional clues: Melvina had a half-sister named Elizabeth Scott, who later married George Hedrick, and a brother named Tully.

These clues provided me with names and relationships to search for.

I began looking for a Melvina Mitchell using the information I already had: she was born about 1842 in Missouri. In the 1860 census of Taney County, Missouri, I found the household of John Mitchell. Living in that household were Melvina Mitchell, age 18, and Tully Mitchell, age 11.²

That caught my attention. I now had a Melvina of the right age and birthplace living with a brother named Tully.

But Elizabeth Scott wasn't in the household.

So I looked back to 1850. In Taney County, I found the household headed by J. Mitchell. There I found M. Mitchell, female, age 9; T. S. Mitchell, male, age 1; and E. A. Scott, female, age 11³.

Next, I followed Elizabeth forward. In 1860, just a few pages from the Mitchell household, I found George Hedrick with Elizabeth, age 21—the right age for the E. A. Scott I had found ten years earlier⁴.

Now I had much more than two death certificates reporting the name Mitchell. I had:

• a Melvina of the right age and birthplace
• living with Tully, the brother named in family information
• appearing ten years earlier with Tully and Elizabeth Scott
• Elizabeth later living near the Mitchells with the man she was said to have married.

Family information hadn't proved these relationships, but it did tell me who to look for and where to keep searching.

Had I stopped with the first death certificate, I might have arrived at the correct answer. But I wouldn't have had nearly as much reason to trust it.

Looking Beyond the Easy Answer

Reasonably exhaustive research also means recognizing that our ancestors didn't always make themselves easy to find. Names were misspelled. People used nicknames or middle names. Indexes contain errors. County boundaries changed. Families moved. Some records were never created; others were lost or destroyed.

Sometimes we need to try multiple spellings, search neighboring counties, or go page by page through the original images. Sometimes we need to stop searching only for our ancestor and begin researching the people around them.

We also need to remember that not everything is online. A reasonably exhaustive effort may take us beyond the large genealogy websites to a courthouse, archive, library, historical society, cemetery, church, or another repository.

Even searches that don't produce a record can be important. Tracking where we've looked—and what we didn't find—keeps us from repeating the same work and helps us decide where we should look next.

The goal is to search broadly and thoughtfully enough that we aren't overlooking evidence that could change the answer to our research question.

My search for Melvina's maiden name didn't end when I found a record that said Mitchell. Staying anchored to my research question gave me a roadmap and helped me identify the sources most likely to provide an answer—including records created by or about members of the FAN club.

Confidence comes from knowing you didn't stop with the easy answer, but followed the evidence wherever it led.

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^1.“Texas, U.S., Death Certificates, 1903–1982,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 March 2010), state file no. 3641, entry for R. F. Wickliffe, died 22 January 1946; citing Texas Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Austin. Also, “Texas, U.S., Death Certificates, 1903–1982,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 March 2010), state file no. 53972, entry for Florence Addielene Moffitt, died 23 November 1950; citing Texas Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Austin. Also, “Texas, U.S., Death Certificates, 1903–1982,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 March 2010), registrar no. 70225, entry for John Benton Wycliff, died 22 January 1941; citing Texas Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Austin. Also, “Arkansas, Death Certificates, 1914-1969,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 March 2010), state file no. 00402, entry for Clint N. Wickliffe, died 7 February 1962; citing Arkansas State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Little Rock. ↩

^2.1860 U.S. census, Taney County, Missouri, population schedule, Newton, p.7 (penned), p.861 (penned), dwelling 41, family 42, John Mitchell household; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 07 January 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication M653, roll 658.↩

^3.1850 U.S. census, Taney County, Missouri, population schedule, Swan, p. 346 (stamped), p. 689 (penned), dwelling 88, family 88, J. Mitchell household; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 08 January 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 420. ↩

^4.1860 U.S. census, Taney County, Missouri, population schedule, Newton, p.1 (penned), p. 855 (penned), dwelling 4, family 4, George Hedrick household; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 08 January 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication M653, roll 658.↩

The Gift of Time

When you spend years in a structured career, you become an expert at squeezing every ounce of productivity out of twenty-four hours. You schedule, you streamline, and you keep things moving forward.

But lately, I’ve been thinking about the difference between making time and receiving it. The greatest gift of this new chapter isn't just the flexibility; it’s the quiet permission to linger. In genealogy, you can’t rush the process. An old census record doesn't yield its secrets to someone in a hurry. It requires patience, presence, and unhurried focus.

Reclaiming my hours to spend them on what I love has shown me that the true value of time isn't measured by how much we accomplish, but by how deeply we connect to the moments we are given. This transition has given me the freedom to wander through history, and in doing so, I’ve found a much sweeter, slower rhythm of life. If you find yourself rushing through your days, I hope you can carve out even just a few minutes this week to simply pause and breathe. 

Honoring the Ancestors Who Never Reached 65

Today marks a milestone in my life—I turn 65.

Family

My family and I celebrated over the weekend by taking a sunset sail around Lake Ray Hubbard. It was the perfect evening filled with family, food, and fun—plus a nice breeze to help with this August heat! I even got to steer the boat, which made the whole night feel extra special!

Making memories aboard the Seawolf

 

The Gift of Growing Older

The older I get, the more I realize what a gift that is. As I've researched my family history, I've discovered that many members of my mother's family never had the opportunity to celebrate birthdays in their sixties. That knowledge has made me appreciate each passing year a little more.

Steering the Seawolf

Another Reason Today Feels Special

I was born on my paternal grandfather's birthday. Although we share the same birth date, I never had the chance to know him. He passed away 15 years before I was born—at only 50 years old. Yet through genealogy, I've come to know him in a different way—through records, photographs, and the stories left behind by those who remembered him.

Genealogy has a way of reminding us that while we can't change the past, we can honor it. Every document we uncover helps us understand the lives that made our own possible.

So today, as I celebrate another birthday, I'm also thinking of the generations who came before me—and feeling especially grateful to be part of their story.

Have you discovered a special connection to an ancestor through your own genealogy research? I would love to hear your story in the comments below!

Forgotten Faces Friday: Mystery Photo #2

The 1910s Chicago Studio Portrait

Every face in a vintage photograph has a name, a story, and a place in our history--even it has been forgotten. 

Welcome to Forgotten Faces Friday where we are dedicated to solving the mysteries hiding in our family archives. 

 The Historical Clues

• The Location: The printed text on the back of the photo notes 831 South State St., Chicago, Ill. During the early 20th century, small budget friendly photography studios were set up in busy areas where working-class families, visitors, and commuters could get inexpensive "while-you-wait" photos.
• The Photo Mailer: The top of the sleeve includes printed instructions: "Don't seal this envelope. Stick flap to pictures only." This confirms the couple had their portrait taken in the city and immediately used a specialized souvenir mailing sleeve to protect the prints while sending them to family members out of town.
• The Style and Attire: The woman's long, tailored Edwardian "walking suit" and the couple's distinct styling narrow down the estimated creation timeline to the early 1910s (roughly 1910–1914).

The Faded Handwriting & Potential Family Links

The very faded handwriting offers few direct clues, but a closer look reveals a potential path forward:

• The Address: Old paper tape covers up the name of the person this photo package was originally addressed to in Dallas.
• The Letters: Looking closely beneath the tape, I believe I can make out a "Mr." or "Mrs." followed by part of a capital letter "A", and a capital "R" on the line below it.
• The Holman Connection: My mother-in-law's parents were Arthur Holman and Rosetta Stephens Pulley Holman. Given the fragmented letters "A" and "R" matching Arthur and Rosetta, and the mailing destination of Dallas, it is highly possible this anonymous couple belongs to the extended Holman family branch.
• Further writing: Looking at the writing in the bottom left (see photo below), it is possible it notes [Blue Eyes] and beneath it [Dark/Black Hair] just above the bottom paper tape.
  

Can You Help Solve the Mystery?

Look closely at the features of the young couple in the original portrait:

• Do you recognize a striking family resemblance to the Holman family or any related branches?
• Do you have records of family members living in or traveling through Chicago or Dallas in the early 1910s?

If you have a theory, recognize a face, or can decipher any of the surrounding faded blue script on the back, please leave a comment below!

Searching Isn't Researching: Laying the Foundation for the Genealogical Proof Standard

One of the greatest lessons I learned during my 21 years in the classroom has served me just as well in genealogy.

As a teacher, I never walked into a classroom wondering, What am I going to teach today? Every lesson began with a learning objective. I knew exactly what I wanted my students to understand before I chose the activities, worksheets, or assessments. The tools supported the lesson—they didn't determine it.

Genealogy works the same way.

Too often, we sit down at the computer, type an ancestor's name into a search box, and begin collecting whatever records appear. We save a census record, download a death certificate, maybe find a marriage record, and call it a productive day.

That's searching.

Searching is necessary—but searching alone rarely solves genealogical problems. Without a purpose, it's easy to collect records instead of finding answers.

That's where research comes in. The first part of research begins with a question.

Instead of asking, What can I find on Benjamin Ball? try asking:

• Who were Benjamin Ball's parents?
• Where was he living during the 1850 and 1860 censuses?
• Why did he disappear from one county and appear in another?
• Did he serve in the Civil War, or was there another man with the same name?

Once you know what you're trying to learn, you can develop a research plan and identify the records most likely to answer your question. A census may establish residence. A deed might reveal family relationships. Probate records, tax lists, church registers, newspapers, military records, or the records of friends, associates, and neighbors (the FAN Club) may each provide another piece of the puzzle.

Now your searching has purpose.

This distinction isn't just my opinion—it's reflected in the evolution of genealogical standards themselves.

When the Board for Certification of Genealogists first published Genealogy Standards in 2000, the first element of the Genealogical Proof Standard called for a reasonably exhaustive search. In the 2014 edition, that wording changed to reasonably exhaustive research.

That may seem like a small change, but it reflects a significant shift in thinking.

Searching is the act of locating records.

Research begins with a question, follows a plan, and searches for records with purpose.

That single word change reflects a shift in mindset. Modern genealogy isn't measured by how many records we collect, but by how thoughtfully we answer a research question.

Looking back, I realize this was one of the most important lessons I learned while studying the Genealogical Proof Standard. At first, I thought the challenge was learning the five standards. Instead, the real challenge was changing the way I approached genealogy.

Once I stopped asking, What records can I find? and started asking, What question am I trying to answer?, everything else began to fall into place.

That simple shift in mindset is the foundation of the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS)—and the focus of this series.

Over the next several articles, we'll build on this foundation by exploring each element of the Genealogical Proof Standard and how they work together to produce reliable genealogical conclusions.

• Reasonably Exhaustive Research
• Complete and Accurate Source Citations
• Analysis and Correlation of Evidence
• Resolving Conflicting Evidence
• Writing a Soundly Reasoned, Coherently Written Conclusion

Join me in this journey, and you will see that the Genealogical Proof Standard is not five separate requirements, but one connected process for answering family history questions with confidence.

Forgotten Faces Friday: Mystery Photo #1

The 1940s Car Bumper Portrait

Every face in a vintage photograph has a name, a story, and a place in our history--even it has been forgotten. 

Welcome to Forgotten Faces Friday, a new weekly photo identification series dedicated to solving the genealogy mysteries hiding in our family archives. Today, I am sharing a vintage family photograph that looks incredibly familiar, yet remains completely anonymous as we work to identify these ancestors.

Family sitting on the grill of a 1939/1940 Ford DeLuxe   

With no names, locations, or dates written on the back of this photograph, we have to rely entirely on the visual clues left behind to piece together its history. Here is what the photo itself tells us about when this moment took place:

The Historical Clues

• The Vehicle: Based on its pointed vertical grille and teardrop headlights, the car appears to be a 1939 or 1940 Ford DeLuxe. While not conclusive, this identification may help narrow the date of the photograph.
• The Clothing: 
• The woman is wearing a structured skirt suit possibly with padded shoulders, a classic WWII-era "Victory Suit."
• The man's conservative suit and tie were typical fashions of the period.
• The boy's overalls, and the girl's simple dress and shoes also fit the era. 
• The Hair: The woman has her hair styled in a rolled updo, a popular 1940s "victory roll" variation.
• The Estimated Era: Early-to-mid 1940s (roughly 1940–1946).

Can You Help Solve the Mystery?

Look closely at the features of the couple and the two young children:

• Do you recognize a striking family resemblance to your branch of the family?
• Do you remember hearing stories about an ancestor who owned a late model 30s or 40s Ford?

If you have a theory or recognize a face, please leave a comment below!