Ever had an unsuccessful research trip where you spent time and money traveling to a facility, only to leave feeling frustrated and empty-handed? This is the first full post in our Onsite Research series (introduced here), where we’re diving into how to prepare for an onsite research trip and the essential research planning that should be done in advance. The good news is that with proper preparation, you can avoid those disappointing experiences and make every research trip productive.

Many of these steps follow the same Research Like a Pro process you’re already familiar with: research objective, timeline and analysis of starting point information, locality research, and research planning. Throughout this post, I’ll be sharing examples from two contrasting research trips of my own—a successful trip to Love County, Oklahoma for my Kinship Determination Project (KDP), and a less successful trip to Kentucky that wasn’t part of my BCG certification portfolio but continued research from my KDP to extend the Harris family line back another generation.

AI helped write some of the sentences in this blog post.

The Critical Importance of Research Planning for Onsite Visits

While onsite research can unlock records unavailable anywhere else, it also presents unique challenges that make thorough preparation essential. Unlike online research where you can explore collections at your own pace, onsite facilities often have limited hours, restricted access procedures, and unique organizational systems that can quickly derail an unprepared researcher. The difference between a successful research trip and a frustrating waste of time and money often comes down to the quality of your advance planning.

When you have limited time at a facility—perhaps just a day or two—every hour counts. Thorough research planning ensures you arrive with clear objectives, precise timelines, and detailed knowledge of available records, allowing you to work efficiently and maximize your discoveries. As my own contrasting experiences demonstrate, the researcher who invests time in comprehensive preparation will accomplish far more than one who arrives hoping to figure things out on the spot.

Steps to Prepare for Onsite Research

1. Create a Research Objective

The first step in preparing for an onsite research trip is creating a clear research objective. This follows the beginning steps of the Research Like a Pro process and is crucial for focused, productive research.

The experiences I am sharing today arose from two different scenarios that might lead you to onsite research: working on an existing project where you realize you need records only available at a specific facility, or planning to be near a research facility and wanting to make the most of your visit by developing a relevant research objective.

Scenario One: Project-Driven Research

As I worked on my KDP for certification, I discovered that one of the localities crucial to two generations in my three-generation family narrative had virtually no digitized records at FamilySearch: Love County, Oklahoma. The overarching objective for the KDP was to prove kinship between three generations of a family and identify each individual uniquely in his or her historical and geographic time and place. My three generations were James B. Harris (1819-1899), his son John C. Harris (1846-1918), and his son Dock H. Harris (1886-1957).

The specific research objective that spurred me to take a research trip was to assess the financial and property status of John C. Harris, born in 1846 in Missouri, during his residence in Love County, Oklahoma between 1895 and 1918, and to further identify him as the father of Dock H. Harris. John C. Harris was the middle generation in my three-generation study – and I knew his financial records could be valuable for historical context as well as linking him to his father and son. I found a notice in the newspaper about a 1914 deed where John was the grantee. Love County’s deeds and tax weren’t available online, so I knew a trip to the courthouse would be helpful.

Scenario Two: Opportunity-Based Research

One year after my successful Love County research, I was attending the NGS conference in Louisville and had the opportunity to do a research trip at the Kentucky Department for Library and Archives. The Kentucky Department of Library and Archives visit was organized as part of the National Genealogical Society Conference held in Louisville, Kentucky in May 2025. NGS offered an optional Frankfurt research trip where attendees could register for a bus excursion to Frankfurt, home to the Kentucky Department for Library and Archives and Historical Society. The trip was marketed in the NGS conference catalog as a research trip, leading participants to expect full research access to original materials. This was exciting as I have been trying to incorporate more on-site research into my research experience.

I had already turned in my kinship determination project in December, but I wanted to continue research on James B. Harris’s origins. Originally, James B. Harris was the first generation (oldest) in my KDP, but in December I ran out of time to add all his children with birth, marriage, and death information to the project. So, I restructured it to make John C. Harris the top generation, Dock H. Harris the middle, and his daughter Ettie Belle Harris (my great grandmother) the third generation. Although I didn’t include James B. Harris’s early life in the KDP, I knew that he was born in Kentucky, based on his census enumerations in Texas.

For this Kentucky research opportunity, I created a research objective to investigate the origins of James B. Harris, born 1819 in Kentucky, and determine if he was born in Hardin County, Kentucky as suggested by online family trees, and to research his early life and family connections in Kentucky from approximately 1815-1840. I had a guess that his father was John Harris who resided nearby in 185o in Milam County, Texas, but I didn’t know which Kentucky county they came from. This objective was more exploratory in nature, investigating a hypothesis about birthplace without original records in a particular locality within Kentucky to guide the research.

The key difference between these two objectives illustrates an important point: the Love County objective was much more targeted and specific, with clear dates, location, and purpose, which contributed to its success. The Kentucky trip was more exploratory, which made the research more challenging due to less specific preparation.

Having a clear research objective helps you know exactly where to go and what to look for, but the more focused and specific your objective, the more productive your onsite research will be.

2. Develop a Timeline of Known Information

Creating a timeline of known information is essential because you need to understand when your person lived in each location. Without this foundation, you’ll waste valuable time looking through irrelevant record collections and books. Take the time to nail down exactly when they arrived, when they left, and gather any other pertinent timeline information.

The difference between a thorough timeline and a hastily-prepared one can make or break your onsite research trip. Let me share examples from both of my research trips.

Love County Timeline – Thoroughly Prepared

For my Love County trip, I realized I needed to know exactly when the Harris family arrived in Love County, Oklahoma. I knew that they arrived before statehood in 1907, since they were present in the 1900 census of Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory. I conducted an extended family analysis of John C. Harris and his daughters’ families because they had gotten married in the 1890s. Some of the children born to those daughters were born before 1895 in Texas, but about 1896 was the first birth of a Harris grandson in Indian Territory. I entered all my sources into Airtable and then created a timeline. I even entered some “maybe” records, one of which turned out to belong to a different “J.C. Harris” who arrived in Indian Territory earlier.

This analysis established a precise timeline:

• Before 1896: Harris grandchildren born in Texas – for example, Alfred B. Bone was born to Margaret Cinderella (Harris) Bone in Texas in January 1895[1]
• January 1896: First Harris grandson born in Indian Territory – Peter Homer Moore born to Martha Rosetta (Harris) Moore.[2]
• 1900: John C. Harris lived in Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory[3]
• 1913: John C. Harris purchased land from Allen B. Collins and Eva Collins (from newspaper article)[4]
• 1918: John C. Harris died on 23 August 1918 in Love County[5]

 

Establishing a precise timeline for the Harrises’ arrival was essential. With the year 1896 identified, I was then able to efficiently locate relevant records and avoid conducting unnecessary searches prior to that date. Also, knowing that the newspaper mentioned John C. Harris purchasing land gave me confidence that research in deeds at the courthouse would be useful.

Kentucky Timeline – Hastily Prepared

For my Kentucky trip, I quickly developed a migration path for James B. Harris’ hypothesized father, John Harris (1801-1860), using the 1850 census. This migration path indicated the estimated birthplaces of John’s hypothesized children. Two of the inferred sons lived with John in 1850, while three potential children lived in their own  households nearby.

• 1805: John Harris b. 1805 in Kentucky[6]
• 1819: Potential son James B. Harris b. 1819 in Kentucky[7]
• 1820: Census includes twenty-eight men named John Harris in Kentucky[8]
• 1822: Potential daughter Sarah Ann Rolston b. 1822 in Kentucky[9]
• 1825: Potential daughter Rachel crow b. 1825 in Kentucky[10]
• 1829: Inferred son William Harris b. 1829 in Missouri[11]
• 1830: Census of Chariton County, Missouri has a John Harris[12]
• 1833: Inferred son Benjamin Harris b. 1833 in Missouri[13]
• 1840: Census of Chariton County, Missouri has a James Harris[14]
• 1850: John Harris on census of Milam and Williamson County, Texas, with inferred wife Elizabeth and inferred sons William and Benjamin[15]

 

Based on this analysis, it appeared that they lived in Kentucky from 1819 to 1825, then in Missouri from around 1829 until 1833. The exact time of departure is uncertain, but records show they settled in Texas by 1850. While the date ranges are approximate, some details could be established.

Sadly, my sources didn’t provide an exact place within Kentucky to research. This led me to review online trees. Several trees stated Hardin County, Kentucky as the birthplace of James B. Harris, so I chose that as the county to focus on during my research trip. This hypothesis was pretty vague, but I needed something to work with.

Looking at these two timelines, the difference is striking. The thorough Love County timeline allowed me to focus my limited courthouse time on the most promising records and time periods. I knew exactly where to look and when to look there. In contrast, the hastily prepared Kentucky timeline left me with broad date ranges and uncertainty about key migration details, making my onsite research less targeted.

3. Conduct Thorough Locality Research

Once you’ve identified the localities where your ancestor lived, create a comprehensive locality guide for those pertinent locations. This guide should help you understand everything necessary for effective research, including:

• Locality formation dates: Understanding when counties, towns, or jurisdictions were established
• Previous jurisdictions: Knowing which earlier jurisdictions governed the area
• Extant records: Discovering which records are still available and where they are held

 

This research is particularly important because you don’t want to search in the wrong jurisdiction. If the place your ancestor lived was previously part of another jurisdiction, the records you need might be housed elsewhere. You’ll also need to identify extant record collections and the repositories that hold them. This is perhaps the most crucial information: determining which records are available online versus which records still exist but remain undigitized, and identifying which repositories house these offline collections. While this research can be challenging, you can often find this information by exploring the repository’s website thoroughly. Again, the contrast between my two research trips illustrates the importance of thorough locality research.

Love County, Oklahoma Locality Research – Comprehensive Approach

For Love County, I conducted thorough jurisdictional research and discovered important historical context. One of my sources was the NGS guide to research in Oklahoma. I utilized the FamilySearch Wiki, which provided specific repository information.

Historical and Geographic Context:

• Love County was created in 1907 when Oklahoma became a state
• Previously part of Chickasaw Nation in Indian Territory
• Before statehood, the area was part of Pickens County within Chickasaw Nation
• Love County was much smaller than Pickens County
• County Clerk held land records from 1904 onwards[16]
• Court Clerk held marriage, divorce, probate, and court records[17]

 

This jurisdictional research was crucial because it helped me understand that records from before 1907 might be found in Indian Territory collections under Chickasaw Nation, and that land records from 1904 forward were held by the County Clerk’s office of Love County. It seems that some of the land records from 1904-1907 are now held by Love County even though it wasn’t created until 1907. This was reflected in some of the deeds I saw – they were created in 1904, 1905, 1906, etc., but not recorded until after 1907.

As I learned about Love County, I found that the FamilySearch Wiki indicated the county clerk has the land records from 1904, which should include the 1914 land deed that I saw announced in the newspaper. I emailed the county clerk to see if they could find it for me but they didn’t respond.

Also, the court clerk had probate records. Emailing the court clerk was successful and they conducted a probate search for me before the trip. They didn’t find any will or probate records in their index for John C. Harris in or after 1918. I emailed them again to ask for his widow, Arza Harris, which also came up empty.

Courthouses don’t usually have an online catalog, since their main focus is present day business rather than archiving records of the past. However, counties usually have a website which may contain limited information. The Love County website was well-organized, divided into separate office sections including commissioner, sheriff, assessor, county clerk, treasurer, court clerk, and others. Each office had its own dedicated webpage with specific information.

The County Clerk page provided detailed information about the clerk’s responsibilities, including serving as registrar of deeds and custodian of records, maintaining the judgment docket for district court orders on real property, and keeping a list of fees for copying documents. The page noted that the office undergoes annual state auditor checks and provided an email address, though this proved unresponsive to multiple inquiries.

Most exciting was the “Search Land Records” link on the website, which initially looked promising. However, I discovered the online search only contained index data and images from 1982 forward. While they noted they were adding more historical records, the historical records from 1904-1918 that I needed remained unavailable online, confirming the necessity of an onsite visit.

While my preparation for the Love County visit was adequate, I could have been more prepared by thinking about which office might hold the tax records I sought. I guessed they would also be at the county clerk, which was incorrect. The treasurer’s office had them, and though I hadn’t called ahead, I was fortunate to access their storage room (in the old jail behind the courthouse) when I arrived. A lesson I learned through the courthouse visit was to call each office and find out what records types they had; as well as ask about where their records might be stored.  If, perhaps, I would have done that I could have accessed the storage room for the court clerk where I think I spied some old volumes on my way to the treasurer’s storage room to see the tax volumes.

Hardin County, Kentucky Locality Research – A Rushed Approach

For my Kentucky trip, I conducted locality research quickly and last minute. The preparation wasn’t thorough, but I managed to get something done the night before.

My approach to county identification was initially fragmented and reliant on limited data. The Ralston family, who were close associates and had intermarried with the Harris family, resided in Todd County, Kentucky—an area that appeared promising for further research. Although I considered exploring this county, there were no John Harrises living there in 1820. Online family trees pointed to Hardin County as a potential birthplace of James B. Harris, and a John Harris did appear on the 1820 census there. I did some preliminary searches in FamilySearch Full-Text Search in Hardin County and discovered records pertaining to a John Harris there, which led me to prioritize research in that area. Full-Text search showed the following Hardin County records were digitized:

• Tax records
• Court Orders
• Marriage bonds
• Deeds

 

Next, I moved on to reviewing the website and online catalog of the Kentucky Department of Library and Archives (KDLA). The “Visiting the Archives” page on the KY.gov website had helpful information about what you could and could not bring into the research room – always an important thing to discover. At KDLA, you can bring pencils, loose sheets of paper, laptops, cameras, phones, sweaters, and small wallets that fit inside a pocket. You cannot bring food, beverages, binders, pens, USB flash drives, coats, or any containers (such as backpacks or purses).

I was excited to view the KDLA catalog online. However, it presented significant research planning challenges. Catalog entries were very broad with large date ranges (such as 1786-1899) and physical descriptions given in cubic feet (like “0.4 cubic feet” or “22 cubic feet”). This made it difficult to determine what specific materials were within large collections. Twenty-two cubic feet represents an enormous amount of material, and it was unclear how to identify which specific books or documents to request. The catalog simply didn’t provide enough detail for precise research planning. Had I understood the collections better, I would have known to start with the index volumes. This is something I’m familiar with when using FamilySearch’s digitized volumes, but less familiar with when visiting a repository in person. At FamilySearch’s catalog, often the deed and court indexes are grouped together with the deed volumes and court minutes volumes.

For example I was interested in the Estate Settlements, 1800-1902 by the Hardin County Clerk. The notes for this catalog entry said, “These are recorded in Will Books A – C, and in Inventory, Appraisement, and Settlement Books D – Z and 1 – 7.” Another example is County Court Papers, 1786-1899, by Hardin County, Kentucky, Circuit Court, pictured below.

 

The note said, “These papers include information on the building or repair of public buildings (1797 – 1831), orders, petitions, deeds, slavery records, physicians’ bills for the poorhouse practice, birth returns (1875), claims for Revolutionary War service, and other materials.” These details seemed so high level, I wasn’t sure how to get more specific information.

As I looked through the Hardin County records in the KDLA catalog, I attempted to check the records against what was already digitized and online at FamilySearch so I wouldn’t be researching for records that were readily available online. This step was really important to me. When researching at onsite research facilities, I want to prioritize the records that aren’t available online.

Reviewing the website and catalog were helpful, but I should have spent more time doing locality research and learning about records at KDLA. I later discovered additional resources that would have been helpful, including a YouTube video titled “Researching at KDLA: Overview of the Kentucky State Archives” and KDLA Research Guides including more detailed information about accessing original court records and so forth. I learned that circuit court records formed the bulk of their holdings and that digital name indexes were available only onsite, not accessible remotely.

This experience taught me that effective planning for a large unfamiliar repository requires more planning. Reviewing the catalog the night before simply wasn’t enough. I needed more time to prepare and learn about how the system at KDLA worked.

4. Create Your Research Plan

Once you’ve completed your objective, timeline, and locality guide, you’re ready to create a detailed research plan. At this point, you should have a clear understanding of where extant record collections are housed and be ready to prioritize which records will be the most useful in answering your research question.

Your research plan should note:

• Which record types are available online
• Which records are only accessible at onsite facilities (courthouses, libraries, or archives)
• Specific repositories you’ll need to visit

 

Love County Research Plan Strategy Example

My Love County research plan demonstrated how all the previous preparation steps come together into a focused strategy.

My primary priority was deed records, starting with a specific 1914 newspaper article that mentioned John C. Harris as grantee. This gave me a key lead: a deed from Alan B. Collins and Eva Collins to John C. Harris for “part six of seven South one East” (which I later discovered was actually “seven South one West”). Having specific grantor and grantee names along with the property location from the newspaper article provided a significant strategic advantage.

The research timeline I had established through extended family analysis became crucial for focusing my search. I had determined that the Harris family arrived in Love County around 1895, which allowed me to focus my search period from 1895 to 1918 when John C. Harris died. I had used the birth locations of his daughters’ children to pinpoint this migration timing—children born before 1895 were born in Texas, while the first Harris grandson was born in 1896 in Indian Territory.

My secondary goal was to find tax records, hoping these would help assess John C. Harris’s financial and property status during his time in Love County.

This research plan worked because it was built on solid preparation—a clear objective, precise timeline, and thorough locality research. I knew exactly what I was looking for, had specific names and property descriptions, and had established the exact time period to search.

Hardin County, Kentucky Research Plan for KDLA

My research plan for KDLA based on what I found in their catalog that wasn’t digitized at FamilySearch included:

• Logan, Todd, and Christian County Turnpike Road Company – Minute Book, 1838-1847. 1 volume
• Hardin County Court Papers 1786-1899 – 0.4 cubic feet
• Inventories, Appraisements, and Sale Bills, 1793-1899. Hardin County,  Probate records. 6 cubic feet
• Estate Settlements, 1800-1902. 22.8 cubic feet

 

Looking at the plan now, I realize how broad the last two items were. For the estate settlements – 22 cubic feet is 22 boxes! To make this plan better, knowing what I know now, and having toured KDLA, I would add a preliminary step for reviewing index volumes at KDLA for the probate and estate records first so I would know which files to order. Below are images of our tour of the KDLA archives room on the third floor. This room is not open to the public so it was a special experience to see the boxes and volumes there. The gray boxes are not 1 cubic foot, those are smaller for holding file folders.

 

5. Call the Facility

The final—and often most important—step in research planning for onsite facilities is calling ahead. As I’ve learned through experience, this is my number one tip for successful onsite research. Even when you’ve done online preparation, talking to a real person at the facility can reveal critical information that you overlooked or didn’t understand; or that their website simply doesn’t provide.

Why Calling Ahead is Your Most Important Research Tool

My experiences in Love County, Oklahoma and Kentucky demonstrate exactly why this step is crucial. In Love County, I discovered that while emails to the county clerk went unanswered, calling the office directly got immediate responses and helpful information about hours and procedures. This taught me that phone communication is often more effective than email, depending on the office.

Verify Hours, Closures, and Special Circumstances

My Kentucky research trip perfectly illustrates why you can’t rely on standard posted hours. The Kentucky Department for Library and Archives is normally closed on Fridays, but they opened specially for our NGS conference group. Had I called ahead, I would have learned that this special arrangement came with significant limitations—no vault access, no record ordering, and only tours and index searching allowed. A simple phone call would have revealed that to actually examine original documents, I needed to plan a separate visit during regular operating hours when full services were available. Since my trip was over Memorial Day weekend from Thursday-Tuesday, the next time after our tour on Friday that I could order records would be Tuesday, the day I was flying home.

Always ask about any special circumstances that might affect your visit and confirm exactly what services will be available during your planned research time. This is important to do before planning the exact days you will arrive and leave (especially if booking flights). If I had known about the limitations of my research visit at KDLA, I could have come earlier or stayed an extra day.

Ask About Physical Workspace and Equipment Needs

The Love County experience taught me how important it is to ask practical questions about the research environment. In the county clerk’s office, there were no chairs in the research room—just a table and shelves. In the treasurer’s storage room (the old jail), I had to kneel on the floor and use a plastic bin as a table due to the lack of proper workspace. Talking with the treasurer’s office beforehand could have helped me understand the conditions of the storage room so I could bring a kneeling pad and wear close toed shoes.

I even suggest asking about ladder access after learning that some Las Animas County, Colorado tax records were stored too high for anyone to reach, even with the available ladder. Don’t be embarrassed to ask about basic logistics—facility staff appreciate researchers who come prepared.

Understand Photography and Documentation Policies

Love County’s restrictions on photographing index pages caught me off guard partway through my first day. I didn’t notice the sign that photographing indexes wasn’t allowed. Luckily I was still able to photograph the actual deeds. A quick call could have clarified that while photographing actual documents was allowed, index pages were off-limits due to privacy concerns about modern property records. Understanding these policies in advance helps you plan alternative note-taking strategies and bring appropriate materials.

Always ask if photographing records is allowed, or if they require you to pay for photocopies intsead. You can also ask about what you can and cannot photograph, and whether there are different policies for different types of records.

Learn About Record Organization and Access Procedures

The Kentucky archives example shows how calling ahead could have revealed the facility’s unique procedures. I learned too late that their circuit court records—the bulk of their holdings—require using on-site digital indexes first, then submitting requests for specific documents. For facilities like this with complex retrieval systems, a phone conversation could have explained the process and helped me prepare more targeted research questions.

Don’t hesitate to ask detailed questions about how records are organized and accessed. Questions like “How do I request specific documents?” and “Are there finding aids I should know about?” can save hours of confusion during your visit.

Prevent Disappointment and Maximize Research Time

Both research trips demonstrate how calling ahead prevents the frustration of spending valuable research time learning procedures that could have been understood in advance. In Love County, not knowing about the complex township-based index system cost precious hours. In Kentucky, the entire group visit was limited to orientation activities rather than actual research.

A simple phone call asking, “What exactly will we be able to accomplish during our visit?” could have set proper expectations and allowed for additional planning if needed. My follow-up success in Love County—where I able to return and continue searching for deeds on the second and third days of my trip—allowed me to have more success despite not knowing the deed index organization beforehand.

Calling ahead of time is crucial because even after thorough preparation, you can often only discover certain challenges or access procedures by speaking directly with facility staff. They can provide insights that aren’t available on websites and help ensure your visit is as productive as possible.

Conclusion

Proper planning transforms onsite research from a potentially overwhelming experience into a focused, productive endeavor. By following these steps—creating a clear research objective, developing a timeline, conducting locality research, crafting a detailed research plan, and calling ahead—you’ll maximize your chances of finding the records you need to answer your research questions.

Thorough preparation is essential for effective onsite research, enabling you to maximize efficiency and make the best use of your time at the facility.

Sources

[1] 1900 U.S. census, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory, population schedule, Township 7, ED 177, p. 10, dwelling 151, family 154, Alford B. Bone in Marion F. Bone household; database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/75001482:7602 : accessed 18 July 2025).

[2] 1900 U.S. census, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory, pop. sch., Township 7, ED 177, p. 15, dwelling 247, family 254, Peter H. Moore in B.H. Moore household; database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/75002051:7602 : 18 July 2025).

[3] 1900 U.S. census, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory, population schedule, Township 7, ED 177, p. 10, dwelling 146, family 149, John C Harris; database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/75001457:7602 : accessed 18 July 2025).

[4] Jesse L. Jordan & Co., “Love County Real Estate Changes,” The Daily Ardmoreite [Ardmore, Oklahoma], 15 January 1914, p. 7, col. 5; image, NewspaperArchive (https://newspaperarchive.com : accessed 2 May 2024).

[5] “Death of J.C. Harris,” The Marietta [Oklahoma] Monitor, 30 August 1918, p. 1, col. 5; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-marietta-monitor-death-of-jc-harri/144076889/ : accessed 28 March 2024).

[6] 1850 U.S. census, Williamson County, Texas, population schedule, Milam and Williamson, p. 336b, dwelling 93, family 103, John Harris household; database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1091119:8054 : accessed 18 July 2025).

[7] 1850 U.S. census, Williamson County, Texas, population schedule, Milam and Williamson, p. 335b, dwelling 78, family 87, James Harriss household; database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1091019:8054 : accessed 18 July 2025).

[8] “1820 United States Federal Census,” John Harris residing in Kentucky, 28 search results, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7734/?name=john_harris&count=50&residence=_kentucky&residence_x=_1-0 : accessed 18 July 2025).

[9] 1850 U.S. census, Williamson County, Texas, population schedule, Milam and Williamson, p. 335b, dwelling 79, family 88, Sarah A Ralston in Mathew Ralston household; database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1091028:8054 : accessed 18 July 2025).

[10] 1850 U.S. census, Williamson County, Texas, population schedule, Milam and Williamson, p. 336b, dwelling 92, family 102, Rachel J Crow in James Crow household; database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1091116:8054 : accessed 18 July 2025).

[11] 1850 U.S. census, Williamson County, Texas, population schedule, Milam and Williamson, p. 336b, dwelling 93, family 103, William Harris in John Harris household; database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1091121:8054 : accessed 18 July 2025).

[12] 1830 U.S. census, Chariton County, Missouri, population schedule, p. 59, John Harris; database with images, Ancestry ( https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8058/records/2022732 : accessed 18 July 2025).

[13] 1850 U.S. census, Williamson County, Texas, population schedule, Milam and Williamson, p. 336b, dwelling 93, family 103, Benjamin Harris in John Harris household; database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1091122:8054 : accessed 18 July 2025.

[14] 1840 U.S. census, Chariton County, Missouri, population schedule, p. 309, James Warris; database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/3249360:8057 : accessed 18 July 2025).

[15] 1850 U.S. census, Williamson County, Texas, population schedule, Milam and Williamson, p. 336b, dwelling 93, family 103, John Harris household; database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1091119:8054 : accessed 18 July 2025).

[16] “Love County, Oklahoma Genealogy,” FamilySearch Wiki (https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Love_County,_Oklahoma_Genealogy : last edited 3 July 2025, at 16:32).

[17] Ibid.