Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about how to find tax records. We discuss our go-to places to search, starting with the FamilySearch Wiki. Diana shares how she found the Maryland tax records transcribed and indexed at the Maryland Archives website through a link in the Wiki. We also discuss using the FamilySearch catalog to tap into all the digitized microfilm available online at FamilySearch that is typically unindexed, browse only microfilm. This is probably the most common way we have accessed tax records. There are also online indexed collections of tax records at both Ancestry.com and FamilSearch....
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about U.S. tax records and the various types you might encounter. Each state decided how to tax their citizens a little differently. Colonial Virginia had tithables and quitrents. Later, these were replaced with poll taxes. Most tax records fall into three categories, which we discuss – poll, real property, and personal property. Nicole shares how poll taxes in North Carolina help determine the ages of John Johnson’s sons and separate him from other men of the same name. We also discuss a combined tax record on a preprinted tax form in Cass...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about using tax records to solve genealogy research questions. This is the first of a three part series about tax records. Our examples are from U.S. research, but most countries tax their citizens, and the same general principles apply to researching there as well. In this part of the series, we tell you about three steps for extracting information from tax records, putting the data in a research log, correlating the data in a table, and then writing a summary of your conclusions. Diana solved a case about three generations of the...
How can you find tax records for your ancestors? That’s what I want to share today in the third post in our back to basics with tax records series. The other parts are here: Back to the Basics with Tax Records: Part 1 – what tax records contain and how they can help you prove identity and relationships Back to the Basics with Tax Records: Part 2 – what types of tax records exist So you are convinced by the first two articles that you want to find some tax records for you ancestors? Okay, here’s a process to get started!...
What kind of tax records exist? That’s what I want to share today in the second post in our back to basics with tax records series. The first post, by Diana, gave you a taste of what tax records may contain and how you can use them in your research to determine identity and relationships. Hopefully now you’re convinced of their usefulness. Tax records might be especially helpful when you’re facing a tough problem like a burned county or when you are performing reasonably exhaustive research. Let’s discuss what types of tax records exist. Part 3 (coming out next week)...
Have you used tax records in your genealogy research before? What are these records, how do you find them, and what good are they? I recently used tax records to establish three generations of a family in early Maryland and today I’m going to show you how I did it. If you’re stuck in your research, perhaps a study of the tax records is just what you need. Why Search Tax Records As genealogists, we rely on the census records to track our families every ten years. But what about the interim years? So much can happen in between the...
Have you heard the term “negative evidence” and wondered what that meant in your genealogy research? Is this the same as negative results when searching a database? This question comes up often with those working through the Research Like a Pro process, so let’s take a look at those two negatives and figure out what the difference is and how to effectively use them in our genealogy. Negative Searches It’s inevitable. We’re going to do a search in an online database, microfilm, or book and not find our person of interest. What do we do next? Do we jump to...
Would you like to try a research tool that has the ability to clarify your findings and make connections? Creating a table might be just the key to wrapping your brain around a difficult research problem. I use tables in every research project. Evidence analysis, census enumerations, and other records take shape when put into a table. Organizing the data by individual, date, and place can make all of the difference in understanding the information. I’ve been researching George W. Dillard, born 1781 in Virginia and died 1854 in Alabama. He is the prime suspect for the father of...
