Friday, April 4, 2014

PASSPORT APPLICATIONS–SO MUCH INFORMATION!


passport-us

We all love to find records that are rich in genealogical information.  Dates & names & places are what we hunt for all the time. 

Today I was doing a bit of research on my FRAMPTON line.  This is a surname on my maternal side.  I was working on the children of my 4th Great Granduncle, Rev. Elijah Frampton, Sr. and his wife, Lucinda Trowbridge.  They had 4 children that I know of.

FRAMPTON_Mendal G_photo from Passport Application_1922
PASSPORT PHOTO FOR MENDAL G. FRAMPTON


 From that research I was led to a grandson of Elijah & Lucinda Frampton, named Mendal G. Frampton.   I entered him on my tree in Ancestry (after entering him in my Legacy database).  Then what do I see.  Shaky leaves. You know.  Those tempting hints at the top of your Ancestry page.  

It’s not my practice to look at each one of those shaky leaves, every day.  However, when I have entered new people and that leaf begins shaking right away, I can’t help but wonder what might be there.  



What I found were several records for Mendal G. Frampton.  One of those records was a United States Passport Application.  

US passport page from ancestry
ANCESTRY PAGE FOR ENTERING YOUR SEARCH CRITERIA

I have only run across a couple of these in all my research.  Apparently my family didn’t go overseas much.  OR, I just haven’t researched the right members of the family yet. 


FRAMPTON_Mendall_Passport application_27 May 1922_page 1
PAGE 1 OF APPLICATION FOR MENDAL G. FRAMPTON
FRAMPTON_Mendall_Passport application_27 May 1922_page 2
PAGE 2 OF APPLICATION FOR MENDAL G. FRAMPTON INCLUDING A NOTE SIGNED BY HIS MOTHER


 
PAGE 3 OF APPLICATION INCLUDING A PHOTO OF HIS WIFE


WHAT A RICH SOURCE OF INFORMATION!

WHAT MIGHT YOU FIND ON AN APPLICATION?
  • Name
  • Exact DOB
  • Place of birth
  • Father’s name
  • Current residence
  • Occupation
  • Complete physical description of the applicant
  • Signature of the applicant
  • Photograph of the applicant
  • Letter or statements from family members
  • Where & when they were traveling
If that isn’t a genealogist’s dream, I don’t know what is. 

WHAT WILL I DO NEXT?

I will enter all the information from the application into my Legacy database and cite my source.  Then I will begin looking for other documentation that will bring additional evidence of the facts stated on the passport application.  Since applicant’s have to have a notary verify their identity, it’s highly likely that the information is correct.  Do people try to lie and use false information?  Of course, some do.  But, that’s exactly why you look for additional sources for the data you found.

What I did find from this application was the name of Mendal’s wife.  I then searched the Ancestry database for her passport application and found it.  

That’s all for today.  I just wanted to share this with you, in case you haven’t played around with this particular set of records yet.

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST
SHAKY LEAVES ON ANCESTRY
FOLLOWING LEADS ON ANCESTRY
HOW I FOLLOW A TRAIL OF RECORDS - PART 1 
HOW I FOLLOW A TRAIL OF RECORDS - PART 2 
HOW I FOLLOW A TRAIL OF RECORDS - PART 3
 
Back I go to look for more passport applications.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2014   Diane Gould Hall
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

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I look forward to reading your comments. If you have any connection to the people mentioned in this blog, please let me know. I write about mine and my husband's ancestors and would welcome new information or meeting a new cousin or two. Thanks for visiting and come back soon.