How many people like history? I do! How many people want to find out more about their family and
where they came from? I do! How many
people like to spend hours or days on end searching on the internet and sifting
through archives? *Crickets chirping*
I am sure that even my sister who has a Master’s in Library Science and is a
research specialist for the government wouldn't say yes to the last question.
Why is that? Well, in today’s age of technology everything
is at our finger tips and just a few seconds away. Research has shown that many
people only go 3 pages into a Google search when looking for something. Instant
gratification is not something easily attained when researching. But, I am
going to give you some of my secrets.
I became a member of a paranormal investigation group, Antietam Paranormal Society.
My main role in the group was research, I was given this position before they
had ever seen any of my work and, I am going to toot my own horn here, I ROCK!
I have an unrealistic NEED to know, which gives me passion for research. I have
never fully completed any research project because there is always something
else out there waiting to be discovered!
I am going to give examples in my paranormal site research
in this blog, but this can easily be used for any type of research.
First, what are you looking for? This is actually one of the
hardest steps. It sounds easy, so most won’t put that much thought into it. But
there is so much information out there that you have to know what you are
looking for. I personally believe that everything is an answer. But, you do
have to break it down so you don’t get overwhelmed. Make a list! A list is the
best way to accomplish anything. Do you remember elementary school current
events… Who, What, When, Where, Why & How. Yes, it is really that easy.
WHO died, was
born, got married, got divorced, had an accident, had an illness, was murdered,
murdered, committed a crime, was the arresting officer, were they friends with?
The list goes on and on.
WHAT happened,
land was sold, was the business, war took place, natural landmarks are near,
bodies of water, mountain ranges, mineral deposits (rock formations nearby)?
WHEN did all the
above happen? Make sure to check as far back as you and as close to today as
you can, everything is a clue.
WHERE did all the
above happen? This will lead you to new places more often than not. You have to know the surrounding area because
a century ago people did not often travel too far from home, the answer you are
looking for might be right down the street.
WHY did the above
stuff happen? Sometimes there is no answer to this question, but you still have
to look.
HOW did the above
stuff happen? You may have already answered this question, just make sure it’s
covered.
Now that you know what you are looking for, you have to find
it. My first stop is always Google. A
trick that I learned is so simple that I can’t believe I overlooked it. When
you start typing in the search box, it gives suggestions, read them. After
every letter you put in look at the suggestions, it may be that what you need
is going to pop up like magic! Also, ask Google questions, seriously type in “What
wars took place near Burkittsville?”
The bad part about searching on the internet is that you
will go through many pages and hours of time before you strike gold. What is
this gold that I speak of? It is when you find something so astonishing that it
propels you further into the world of research than you ever thought possible. You
get information fever and work harder than ever searching for your next nugget
of knowledge. It is amazing when this happens and you want to share your
discovery with the world. I know it sounds dramatic but when you strike gold
you will understand what I am talking about.
There are many places where you can strike gold. Honestly
though, I always start with Google because it leads almost everywhere. You will
get links to The National Register of Historic
Places, various newspapers, Ancestry.com,
and websites dedicated to specific things. If you can find a forum on your subject,
that is a way to get an incredible amount of information fast. There is a forum
for almost every subject out there, and the people who frequent these sites are
doing the same thing you are and love to help others and swap information.
Google
Images is awesome! You would not believe the information out there in the
form of a picture. It is amazing! I always take snippets
or screen shots when I find my
nuggets, because I need them for proof. Google
Books is beyond amazing. It has left me speechless more than a few times (which
is really doing something). I have found books printed in the early 1900’s
about towns in my area. These books are sometimes hundreds of pages, and are often
free to download.
At some point you are going to have to go to the library. I
know, I know… no one likes to go and wander through the stacks hoping that you
can find what you are looking for. Well, let me tell you a little secret. You
pay for that library, and the people who work they are there to serve you, period.
Ask for help, that is their job. Here in Maryland all of our larger libraries
have what is called a Maryland Room.
This is where you are going all the historical stuff about Maryland in one place.
Call your local branch and see if they have something similar.
One of the things that I utilize the Maryland Room for is
the Sanborn maps. These are fire insurance maps that
were drawn up many moons ago and show who owned what slice of land. It is very
helpful in figuring out your Who’s and When’s. Yes, you can go to the Sanborn
website and subscribe, but that was a cost that I am just not willing to shell out,
mainly because a lot of the time I have found the same map on Google
Images. Another thing you can do at the
library is search through new paper archives. They hold a wealth of
information, almost too much at times. Back in the early 1900’s it was still
common to see announcements like, “Mr. Smith went traveled 20 miles to have
lunch with his cousin Mr. Black in Washington DC.” That might be what you are
looking for, perhaps Mr. Smith never made it home and this is the break you
needed. Now you know you have to start looking at DC. There are paid newspaper
archives online and if you are doing a lot of research it might be worth your
while to pay for the subscription. That is a decision for you to make on your
own. I do actually subscribe to NewsPaperArchive.com,
it is an annual fee and has been the source of much of my gold.
Talking to people is a big part of research, but make sure
to take everything they say with a grain of salt. I use personal stories as a
starting point and have to prove that it is fact. If I can’t find documentation
then it won’t even go into my presentation. Back to elementary school once
again, do you remember the telephone game? The teacher would say, “There is a
white butterfly in the field” and you would have to whisper it into each
other’s ears around the room. By the time it got to the last person it had
changed to “there was brown bear in the woods.” I was taught something in
nursing school, if you don’t document it, it didn't happen. That is how I do my
research; I have to have visual proof. Along with that, just because it’s in
writing doesn't mean it’s true. NEWS FLASH!!! Not everything on the internet is
true. GASP! Know your sources, back it up with other sources and when in doubt,
throw it out. One thing that I live by for research is that if I can find one
thing that is contradictory, then that piece of evidence is no longer valid. I
am not one to report possible truths; it has to be fact before it becomes part
of my report. I will make a part of my report for claims, interviews, and items
that I had to exclude. This is so that everyone can see what I found, and
perhaps they will be able to fill in the blanks.
When researching people, the first place I always start is
Facebook. I will then follow up with a Google search both in Webpages and
images. Sometimes you will find a person’s profile on various social networking
sites through Google Images because it show’s their profile picture. One of the
most important sites that I use in my State is Maryland Judiciary
Case Search. All you need is a name and you can find anyone’s court
information as this is all public record. All of the information that I find is
always public information. Obviously if we are talking about someone from
before the 1990’s these steps won’t work.
You are going to run into dead ends. There are going to be
times when there is no information to be had. It sucks, but don’t let it
discourage you. I find it much better to research with someone else. You feed
off each other and when one of you strikes gold, it encourages the other one. My
teammates Shannon and Becky are fantastic research partners and when we get on
a roll, watch out. We take each other’s nuggets and transform them into a
masterpiece. It’s the most amazing thing to start with nothing more than an
address and walk away with decades and sometimes centuries of inhabitants.
Recently I asked Shannon to help me with personal research project, she was
able to find in a matter of hours what I had spent days searching for. Once she
told me where she found it, I was then able to reproduce the results. In
Maryland deeds are researching utilizing Maryland
Land Records; it is a free site that you have to register for. It took me forever
to realize why I could find anything on here. Once you log in and are on the
first page, there will be a list of all the counties in the state. This is
where you begin your search, not the search boxes. Once I figured this out, I
can now find the information that I am looking for and some that I didn't know
was there. Shannon will always be the deed master, but I can call myself her
apprentice. Work as a team and the results will astound you.
I made a comment on a friend’s status one day, “With a name and an address I can tell you the name of your first born child.” Someone commented, “That’s a little scary Sara.” The truth is; I don’t even need a name… just give me an address.
