TAX & ESTATE RECORDS ~ What I learned at a seminar featuring Michael Lacopo

San Diego Genealogical Society

Guest Speaker: Michael Lacopo, D.V.M.

Session 1: More than the Census-Our Families did exist within those ten-year intervals

Session 2: Using Tax Records for Genealogical Problem Solving

Session 3:  Estate Files: Are you getting the most out of them?

Session 4: The German Immigrant experience in the 18^th Century

It’s always fun to attend classes, seminars and conferences.  In a dozen plus years, I’ve never attended one and walked away without more knowledge than I started with.  In addition to learning how to do research by actually doing it, and watching various webinars, I cannot say enough about attending seminars and conferences.

I wrote a blog post about this subject in 2014 and what I said still holds true today.

You can read it here SEMINARS, WEBINARS, SOCIETIES–WILL THEY HELP YOUR RESEARCH?

The San Diego Genealogical Society will be celebrating it’s 72nd year next month.  It’s still very active and up to date. Please visit our web page here San Diego Genealogical Society.

Our speaker yesterday was Michael Lacopo.  He has an impressive resume and once you attend one of his classes, you’ll want to hear him speak again. When I attended a class back in 2016 at Jamboree, I couldn’t wait for another opportunity to hear him lecture.  He’s knowledgeable, easy to understand and has a great sense of humor.

Here are some of the highlights from the seminar:

Session 1 – make sure you are paying attention to where your ancestors went during those 10 year intervals between U.S. censuses.  Michael pointed out, using real examples, the surprising movements that could occur during those intervals.  We all know that, contrary to what me might have been told, our ancestors didn’t always stay put.  There are many resources you can use to obtain information between censuses: tax records, land records, probate records, church records, voter and poll records and newspapers are just a few. 

Session 2 – Tax Records – I learned a lot during this session.  I’ve used tax records before, but not often.  And, I never understood the real value of them until Michael explained it.  I can’t possibly cover, nor do I want to duplicate, what Michael told us.  It is after all his presentation.  Here’s what I realized though – from tax records you can determine what kind of property your ancestor owned and where.  This could lead to you finding probate and land records.  Who was taxed in the same location as your ancestor?  Are they related?  Did your ancestor’s property increase or decrease between taxations?  Take a look, you won’t regret it.  I’m doing just that today and I’ve already located quite a lot of information.

Session 3 – Estate Files – I expect that most of you have looked at estate files, probate records, wills etc.  BUT, are you like me and just look for the actual will among those papers?  I always kind of skipped over the administration papers, bond papers and something called a Vendue List (an auction list of the value of items). Who bought items at the auction?  Michael shared that if a buyer came from a county over or some other long distance, they were probably related.  Why was there still activity going on for a probate 15 years after someone died?  It could have been the executors weren’t doing their jobs.  If there was more than one auction of items, check those names.  Did the same name show up again and again?  Probably a relative.  I now realize I may have missed some extremely important clues to family connections.  I have vowed, as of today, to change my ways.  Michael recommended and so do I, that you use Cyndi’s List as a place to find more links to estate files.  I have a lot of work to do now that I know better what to be looking for.

Session 4 – German Immigrant Experience – This was a case study for one of Michael’s ancestors who came to America from Germany.  But, the things we learned can apply to any immigrant experience.  Learning more about what our ancestors went through, just to get here, makes us appreciate all the more, their sacrifices.

I’ve been busy today revisiting tax & estate records for my own ancestors and my approach is completely different.  Thank you Michael.

YOU MAY FIND THESE POSTS HELPFUL

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS ON LOCATING A PROBATE RECORD ON FAMILY SEARCH

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2018   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

SEMINARS, WEBINARS, SOCIETIES–WILL THEY HELP YOUR RESEARCH?

Yesterday I attended a genealogy seminar here in San Diego County.  This was not my first seminar, nor will it be my last.  This seminar was put on by the San Diego Genealogical Society, of which I am a member.  Our society has two seminars each year, one in January and one in September.

Our speaker yesterday was Lisa Louise Cooke who is the owner of Genealogy Gems, a genealogy and family history multi-media company.  She is the author of several books, hosts a genealogy podcast which is seen in countries around the world and is a recognized speaker.  She is engaging, energetic, funny and incredibly knowledgeable.  Instead of me telling you all about her, please go to her webpage and read all about her and her products.  http://lisalouisecooke.com/bio/ 

http://lisalouisecooke.com/lisa-louise-cookes-store/?slug=product_info.php&products_id=33

http://lisalouisecooke.com/lisa-louise-cookes-store/?slug=product_info.php&products_id=29

             

I am fortunate to live near a city with a large genealogical society and several other  good size societies in neighboring cities.  The advantage to that being the ability of the larger societies to host annual or bi-annual seminars with speakers who are very well known in the genealogical community.

This is not to say that smaller societies are in any way not as helpful or important.  They are very important.  In fact I encourage each of you to join your local genealogy society and societies in areas you are researching.  This not only shows support for the organizations, it also lets law makers and others get an idea of our numbers across the country and the world.  This gives us a bigger voice as laws change or are being changed.

Yesterdays seminar was very rewarding because I learned about many things I either didn’t know about or did not know “enough” about.

Here are a list of the four sessions Lisa shared with us.

1.  Get the scoop on Your Ancestors with Newspapers
2.  Google Search Strategies for Common Surnames
3.  Inspiring Ways to Captivate the Non-Genealogists in Your Life, including how to create a virtual tour using Google Earth.  

http://lisalouisecooke.com/lisa-louise-cookes-store/?slug=product_info.php&products_id=32

4.  What You Must Know to Save Your Research from Destruction

In each of these sessions I learned something I didn’t know before.  I learned about new ways to search, new websites to visit, great ways to share our work without getting “the look” from our family & friends and how to be sure all our work is not destroyed after we are gone.  

WHY I ATTEND SEMINARS, WEBINARS & MEETINGS

• To increase my knowledge and be a better researcher.
• To interact with other genealogists who can be valuable resources.
• To support the organizations that sponsor and put on the seminars
• To support the speakers who sometimes come from a long distance to share with us.
• Because I enjoy a day hanging out with other researchers. 

TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, WILL THEY HELP YOUR RESEARCH?  YES! 

• Learn new research strategies
• Learn new websites to use - we can't possibly keep up with all the new sites coming online all the time
• Learn how other researchers knock down their brick walls
• Meet cousins you didn't know about
• Learn the history of the area you are researching
• And so many more...................

Can you think of societies, either genealogical or historical that you can support in your area?

Are there any seminars held in areas near you?

HEY!  How about a webinar?  That’s just a seminar held online.   Very helpful if you can’t get to a seminar in person.  

Need to see a list of webinars & online courses?  Cyndi’s List is a good source.
http://www.cyndislist.com/education/online-courses-and-webinars/

I’ve been doing genealogy research for over 10 years and one thing I know for sure is that there is always more to learn.  Whether you read a book, go to a society meeting or seminar, attend an online webinar, read a blog or meet with other genealogists, you WILL become a better researcher.

I do practice what I preach as I attend two seminars each year, go to monthly meetings, watch webinars, have read many books and belong to several organizations.
In fact, here is a list of the organizations I belong to.  I live in San Diego County, CA., but most of my research involves other areas.

• San Diego Genealogical Society
• Ohio Genealogical Society
• North San Diego County Genealogical Society
• Lawrence County Ohio Genealogical Society
• Aberdeen & North-East Scotland Family History Society
• Daughters of the American Revolution

I have, in the past, had membership in the Detroit Genealogical Society and the New England Historical Genealogical Society. 
Most organizations have newsletters or monthly or quarterly magazines, which can be very useful.

So, go out and mingle, join, attend, listen and LEARN.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

DISCLAIMER - I do not work for, nor am I affiliated with Lisa Louise Cooke.  I am receiving no remuneration for any items mentioned here.  I have included links so that you have easy access to some of the items I learned about yesterday.  I make no claim as to the any successes you may have or the quality of the items.  

Copyright ©  2014   Diane Gould Hall