Hunterdon Residents Sign Affidavit

These two residents of Hunterdon County, New Jersey, signed an affidavit in favor of one of their neighbors in the 1830s.

A Texan Registers for the World War 2 Draft

This 48 year old farmer registered for the World War II Draft in Parker County, Texas in the 1940s.

What is Underlined in Red

This comes from an 1870s era poor farm register in Illinois. I'm trying to read the name above the red line as that's the person in whose care a relative was left.

Debts and Potatoes Not Worth Digging

This is part of the inventory of items in the inventory of Paul Freund estate in Scott County, Iowa, in July of 1863. The question for this post is who are the three individuals that had notes due to Paul Freund. The first one was for $300 and the second two were for $100. Those amounts were not included in this post so that the image could be enlarged.

Another inventory of the account listed these same debts and that image is included here as well.

Items From an Iowa Estate

These items appear in a guardian's accounting in Davenport, Iowa in the 1870s. I was going to include just one, but thought it unrealistic to select just one difficult to read item so have included several items. 

Appraising the Minors' Share

These three men appraised the children's share of the estate of Anton Cawiezell in Scott County, Iowa, in the 1870s.

Two of My Boys are My Heirs

These are two children of a deceased Harford County, Maryland, resident mentioned in an 1815 era estate settlement.

End of Casefile Clues Beginners $7.50 Rate

Effective 8 June 2011, we'll be ending the $7.50 6 month rate for Casefile Clues Beginners. To facilitate bookkeeping, we'll be accepting year-long subscriptions for $17.00.

If you'd like to try Casefile Clues Beginners, subscribe before the change goes into effect.

Thanks!

Going to the Poor Farm

These two individuals were admitted to an Illinois poor farm in the 1870s. I didn't completely crop the name on the top so as not to ruin the image of the names I was really after.

Join Michael at the Allen County Public Library in Ft Wayne

There is still time and room to join me on my annual research trip to the Allen County Public Library in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. We have a great time and work on problem-solving and research while the library is open. 

For more information visit our original blog post at http://blog.casefileclues.com/2010/06/ft-wayne-library-research-trip-11-15.html

Deeding to the Children

This name comes from a 1706/1707 deed in Virginia. For purposes of the challenge, we're only including the name.

My Mother Is Who She Says She Is

This individual witnessed an affidavit her mother made in Clarke County, Iowa, in the 1910s.

What Item Is That?

This comes from a list of chattel property a mother sold to her son in Harford County, Maryland, in the 1790s shortly before her death. What's the item that's been underlined?

This one's probably too easy.

I Know Who You Are

This notary typed and notarized a statement in Hancock County, Illinois in 1915.

Signing My Final Husband's Name

This widow signed her application for a widow's Civil War pension based upon her last husband's military service.

Signing for Our Mother's Pension

A daughter and son-in-law signed an affidavit in her mother's Civil War pension application from Washington State in the 1910s.

Witnessing a Deed in Harford County

This witness name comes from a late 18th century deed in Harford County, Maryland

Vouching for the Veteran

This resident of Tewksbury, New Jersey signed an affidavit for a neighbor in 1832.

Casefile Clues Memorial Day Offer

Over the Memorial Day Holiday, you can take advantage of our Casefile Clues subscription offer--$25.50 for the first 35 issues of Year 2--plus another year of issues. A list of topics from year 2 can be viewed here.

Orders can be processed here with a credit card (PayPal account not necessary although PayPal processes our payments).

Subscribe now before you forget--this post will be pulled when the offer is over.

You can request samples by emailing samples@casefileclues.com.

He was in the War

This New Jersey resident signed an affidavit regarding his neighbor for the neighbor's Revolutionary War pension.

Getting My Pension in New Jersey

This Revolutionary War veteran applied for a pension in New Jersey in the 1830s

Registering in New Jersey

This 59 year old native of Belgium registered for the "Old Men's World War Two" draft in New Jersey in 1942.

Getting Hitched in our 30s

This couple got married in their late thirties in 1911. The groom indicates on the license he was born in Germany. The bride (my aunt--which pretty much gives that last name away) was born in Illinois.

Signing to Help Daughter Settle Up Dead Husband

This German native signed estate papers to assist in settling his son-in-law's estate in Iowa in the 1850s.

My 2012 Group Trip to the Salt Lake Family History Library

We've set the dates for my 2012 group trip to Salt Lake.

Never too early to get started. There are more details here on our post:  http://rootdig.blogspot.com/2011/05/2012-family-history-library-trip.html

Signing to Settle Brother's Affairs

The widow and her brother-in-law (both German natives) signed papers to settle up the estate of her deceased husband in Iowa in the 1850s.

Setting It For the Children

This Swiss native  born in the 1820s signed a paper in her children's guardianship case in Iowa in the 1880s.

Casefile Clues for Beginners

For those who missed it, we're starting a "lite" version of Casefile Clues in June--Casefile Clues for Beginners. It will be less in-depth than Casefile Clues and geared to those who have not been researching a long time or feel they've missed the basics. I'll be writing some of the content, but will be including writing from others as well.


We'll talk about the basics of sources and we'll also look at ways to carefully interact with compiled information others have submitted. Hopefully we can help you to avoid some of those brick walls that we all face--it's impossible to avoid every brick wall. We won't tell you to avoid the online trees altogether--that's unrealistic. But we will tell you how not to confuse yourself even more with them.


Casefile Clues for Beginners will be distributed twice a month--in PDF format. For more information see our blog post. 

My Will Is Recorded

The will of this testator was recorded in the 1820s in Maryland.

Whose Will Is This?

Know all men by these presents, that I --- --- of Harford County & State of Maryland being in a very...

Whose will is it?

Marriage from Nebraska 1864

We posted an image of a marriage from 1864 in Nebraska that has a few challenging names on it as well. These I'm not certain of what they are. View the post here.

Getting Hitched in 1868

The signatures of the bride and groom on an 1868 marriage in County Cumberland, England.

Dad's Buying the Neighbor Place

This gentleman witnessed a land purchase where his father purchased land around 1810. This man was also in the War of 1812, but that really has nothing to do with the land purchase.

No Index Finger on My Left Hand

This burner operator at an aluminum plant in Arkansas was missing an index finger when he registered with Selective Service in 1948. Born in 1922, this registrant had seen service in World War 2, which is indicated on his card.

Not Working at the Mill in 1958

This Arkansas native was born in 1940 and registered for Selective Service in Saline County, Arkansas in 1958. He was an unemployed sawmill worker at the time.

Getting My Passport in A Golden Place

The notary public and the applicant were living in Golden, Illinois, when the applicant applied for a passport in 1891. Both were German natives.

The Doctor Leaves South Dakota

This German native was a doctor in South Dakota when he applied for a passport in 1910.