1. Navigating Research
with the GPS
Mark Tucker
www.ThinkGenealogy.com

2. Introductions
Me: You:
• Professional, CG, AG
• Employees
• FamilySearch
• Genealogy Software/Service
• ThinkGenealogy readers
• GPS Steps
• Own Evidence! Or Evidence
Explained
• Want to do professional quality
research

3. Agenda
• 5 Steps of the Genealogical Proof Standard
• Worth Tucker Case Study
• Genealogy Research Process Map

4. Brief Timeline
Genealogy as Pastime and Profession
Donald Lines Jacobus
1930 1940 1950
American Society of
Genealogists founded
(FASG)

5. Genealogical Evidence Noel C. Stevenson
The Genealogical Helper citation article,
Gary B. & Elizabeth Shown Mills
BCG founded
(CG, CGL) POE
1960 1970 1980
Cite Your Sources Richard S. Lackey

6. Evidence Explained Mills
Evidence! Mills
POE Genealogical Proof Standard
1990 1997 2000 2007
The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual BCG
Professional Genealogy ed. Mills

7. Where do I start?

8. What should I research?
North Carolina?
Parents? Marriage?
1870?
Birth? Military Service?
Yadkin County? 1869?
Death?
Land Ownership?
Ashe County?

9. Lost?

10. 1

12. • Create before research begins
• Identify:
Principal Person
Objective
 Known information
 Research Strategy
• “Game plan”

13. • Keeps us focused on our goal
• Tracks the sources searched
• Records information found & not found
• Our long-term “memory”

14. Research Plan
Research Log

15. Research Plan
Principal Person: Worth Tucker
Objective: What is Worth Tucker’s
birth date and place?

16. Known Information

17. Known Information:
Informant /
Source Information Relationship
Pedigree Chart Worth - son of Moses Kirtley E. Tucker – son
Tucker and Mary Jane of Worth Tucker &
Dollar. Florence Abby
AND Born: 30 Nov 1870 in Pulsipher
Ashe Co. N. Carolina
Family Group Sheet – Married: Florence
Worth Tucker & Abby Pulsipher on 22
Florence Abby May 1895
Pulsipher Died: 5 Nov 1927 at
Livingston, Montana

18. Known Information … cont.
Informant /
Source Information Relationship
Family Group Sheet – Worth - son of Moses Andrew Mason
Moses Tucker & Mary Tucker and Mary Jane Tucker – son of
Jane Dollar Dollar Moses Tucker and
Born: 30 Nov 1870 in Emeline Dollar.
Ashe Co. N. C.
Married: Florence Half brother of Worth
Abby Pulsipher on 22 (20 years younger)
May 1894
Died: 5 Nov 1927

19. Research Strategy Help
• FamilySearch.org
– Research Guidance by location
– Research Outlines
• Genealogy Software
• Personal Experience
• Visit a Family History Center
• Join a Genealogy Society
• Hire a Professional

20. Research Guidance: www.FamilySearch.org

21. Family History Library Catalog: Place Search

22. Research Strategy
1. Previous Research: Some Tucker History,
Ancestral File, IGI, Pedigree Resource File
2. Census Population Schedules: North
Carolina - 1870, 1880; Utah - 1900, 1910,
1920
3. Tombstone and Sexton Records: Grave
Marker
…
15. Death Record: Death certificate
16. Birth Record: Birth certificate

23. Research Log
Date Location Record/Source Results Doc
7/4/2008 At home Some Tucker History: Born: 30 Nov 1870 in Ashe 1
Pedigree Chart Co. N. Carolina
7/4/2008 At home Some Tucker History: Born: 30 Nov 1870 in 2
Family Group Sheet – Ashe Co. N. C.
Moses Tucker & Mary
Jane Dollar
7/4/2008 At home Some Tucker History: Born: 30 Nov 1870 in 3
Family Group Sheet – Ashe Co. North Carolina
Worth Tucker &
Florence Abby
Pulsipher

24. Work the Plan
1 Follow Update 3
Research Plan Log Research Log
Plan
Find
Source
2

25. 1 Research Plan
1. Previous Research: Some Tucker History,
Ancestral File, IGI, Pedigree Resource File
2

26. 3 Research Log
Date Location Record/Source Results Doc
7/5/2008 www.family Ancestral File v4.19 Born: 30 Nov 1870 Yadkin 4
search.org Co., Nc
Worth Tucker
Individual Record

27. 1 Research Plan
1. Previous Research: Some Tucker History,
Ancestral File, IGI, Pedigree Resource File
2

28. 3 Research Log
Date Location Record/Source Results Doc
7/5/2008 www.family IGI v5.0 Born: 1870, Ashe, 5
search.org No source information North Carolina
7/5/2008 www.family IGI v5.0 Born: 30 Nov 1870, 6
search.org Film Number: 457622 Ashe, North Carolina
7/5/2008 www.family IGI v5.0 Born: 30 Nov 1870, 7
search.org Source Call No.: 035126 Creston, Ashe, North
Record of members … Carolina
7/5/2008 www.family IGI v5.0 Born: 30 Nov 1870, Of, , 8
search.org Film Number: 1239624 Ashe, North Carolina
7/5/2008 www.family IGI v5.0 Born: 30 Nov 1870, 9
search.org Film Number: 170485 Ashe, North Carolina
7/5/2008 www.family IGI v5.0 Born: 30 Nov 1870, 10
search.org Film Number: 170490 Ashe, North Carolina

29. 1 Research Plan
1. Previous Research: Some Tucker History,
Ancestral File, IGI, Pedigree Resource File
2

30. 3 Research Log
Date Location Source Results Doc
7/5/2008 www.familysearch.org Pedigree Resource File Born: 1870, North Carolina 11
Disc #89…
7/5/2008 www.familysearch.org Pedigree Resource File Born: 30 Nov 1870, Yadkin, 12
Disc #129… North Carolina
7/5/2008 www.familysearch.org Pedigree Resource File Born: 30 Nov 1870, Ashe, 13
Disc #117… North Carolina
7/5/2008 www.familysearch.org Pedigree Resource File Born: 30 Nov 1870, Ashe, NC 14
Disc #13…
7/5/2008 www.familysearch.org Pedigree Resource File Born: 1870, NC 15
Disc #130…
7/5/2008 www.familysearch.org Pedigree Resource File Born: 1870, NC 16
Disc #101…
7/5/2008 www.familysearch.org Pedigree Resource File Born: 1870, NC 17
Disc #127…
7/5/2008 www.familysearch.org Pedigree Resource File Born: 30 Nov 1870, North 18
Disc #134… Fork, Ashe, North Carolina
7/5/2008 www.familysearch.org Pedigree Resource File 30 Nov 1870, Yadkin Co., NC 19
Disc #135…

31. Research Plan
1. Previous Research: Some Tucker History,
Ancestral File, IGI, Pedigree Resource File
2. Census Population Schedules: North
Carolina - 1870, 1880 ; Utah - 1900, 1910, 1920
…

32. Do I really need
to search any
more?

33. 2

34. “We conduct a reasonably exhaustive
search in reliable sources for all
information that is or may be pertinent
to the identity, relationship, event, or
situation in question.”

35. From that already
First oral or written form
written or spoken

36. Tracking of each representation of a
source back to the original.
Original ← D1 ← D2 ← D3
D? → … → Original

37. Why Source Provenance?
Independent Origin
Better
O O O
D D D
D D
D D D D D

38. Provenance Example
Original Derivative 1 Derivative 2 Derivative 3
Microfilm Digital
Census Printout
Copy Copy
Enumerator Genealogist

39. Research
Analysis
Research
Plan Research Log

40. Identify: Original or Derivative
Research Analysis
Source Analysis:
Source Type Doc
Pedigree Chart Derivative 1
Family Group Sheet Derivative 2,3
Ancestral File Derivative 4
IGI Derivative 5-10
Pedigree Resource File Derivative 11-19

41. Do I need to
keep track of
more than the
information that
I find?

42. 3

43. “We collect and include in our
compilation a complete, accurate
citation to the source or sources of
each item of information we use.”

44. • Credibility to our research
• Confidence in other’s research
• Aids during analysis

45. Source Citation Guides:
• Evidence! Citation
& Analysis for the
Family Historian
• Evidence Explained:
Citing History
Sources from
Artifacts to By Elizabeth Shown Mills
CG, CGL, FASG
Cyberspace
Published by Genealogical Publishing
Company, Inc.

46. Why special
citation
guidelines?

47. Citation Model
Derivatives: Church Records Database, Online
Source: Evidence Explained, pg 320
(also 346-350)

48. Source Citations
Source Doc
Kirtley E. Tucker, Kirtley Elwood Tucker Pedigree Chart, Some Tucker 1
History; supplied by Kirtley E. Tucker, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,]
Kaysville, Utah, abt. 1977.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "International 7
Genealogical Index," database, FamilySearch
(http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 5 Jul 2008), Worth Tucker
Individual Record.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Pedigree Resource 11
File," database, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org :
accessed 5 Jul 2008), Worth Tucker Individual Record.

49. Should there be
one standard
set of citation
guidelines?

50. Online Source Citation Confusion
FamilySearch
Ancestry
Evidence Explained

51. How do I
analyze all this
information?

52. 4

53. “We analyze and correlate the
collected information to assess its
quality as evidence.”

54. Transcript
Duplicate Image
Original Record Copy Extract
(Counterparts)
Copy
(Clerk’s copy)
Abstract

55. Firsthand Secondhand
•Participant •Non-Participant
•Eyewitness

56. Partially Absence of
Completely
answers information
answers goal

57. 3 Common Derivatives
1 2
Transcript Extract
3
Abstract

58. Image Copy
Source
Original or
Derivative

59. Record Copy (Clerk’s copy)
Legal copy made by an official
Original
Register
Clerk
Informant

60. Duplicate Originals
1 2
Fed Copy Grantor Grantee
Deed
3
Enumerator
Local Copy
Census
Counterpart

61. Derivatives used as Originals
Duplicate Image Image Image
Original Copy Copy Copy
Census Microfilm Digital
Printout
Fed Copy Copy Copy
Search
Census Extract
Index
Original Similar to an Abstract
Original or treat as original
Enumerator Derivative

62. Who can
provide primary
information of
Worth’s birth?

63. Information & Evidence Analysis
Information & Evidence Analysis:
Doc Information Informant
1 Born: 30 Nov Kirtley E. Tucker – son of …
1870 in Ashe Worth Tucker & Florence
Co. N. Carolina Abby Pulsipher

64. Information & Evidence Analysis:
Information Evidence
(Primary, Secondary) (Direct, Indirect, Negative)
… Secondary Direct

65. From Research Plan
• International Genealogical Index (IGI)
• US Federal Census: Population Schedules
– North Carolina: 1870, 1880
– Utah: 1900, 1910, 1920
• Grave Marker
• Death Certificate
• Marriage License
• Birth Certificate

66. IGI Sources
1. Sealings of children to parents, 1893-
1942; heir indexes, 1893-1942. Salt
Lake Temple. 30 Nov 1870, of Ashe,
North Carolina
2. Sealings for the dead: couples and
children, 1943-1970; heir indexes
1943-1965. Salt Lake Temple. 30 Nov
1870, Ashe, North Carolina

67. IGI Sources… cont.
3. Record of members, 1886-1912. Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Díaz Ward
(Chihuahua, Mexico) 30 Nov 1870,
Creston, Ashe, North Carolina
4. Endowments of the living, 1888-1956.
Manti Temple. 30 Nov 1870, Ashe, North
Carolina
5. Sealings of living couples, 1888-1956.
Manti Temple. 30 Nov 1870, Ashe, North
Carolina

68. US Federal Census: FHL microfilm
1900 1910
Nov 1869, age 30 calc. 1870, age 39

69. Grave Marker: www.findagrave.com
Nov 30, 1870

70. Death Certificate
Primary vs.
Secondary
Information
November
12th. 1872
North Carolina

71. Marriage License
Age 24 on
15 May 1895
Born:
calc. 1870

72. Birth Certificate
County Date Formed Birth
Parent Marriage
County/ies Death
Ashe 1799 1913
Wilkes 1828
1913

73. Research Completed
• 15 Sources
– 8 Originals (image copies), 6 Derivatives,
1 not found
– 3 databases, 16 records
• Information
– 0 Primary, 27 Secondary
• Evidence
– 15 Direct, 11 Indirect, 1 Negative
• 4 Conflicts

74. What do I do
about conflicts?

75. 5

76. “We resolve any conflicts caused by
items of evidence that contradict each
other or are contrary to a proposed
(hypothetical) solution to the
question.”

77. Compare weights
Usually:
• Sources: Original > Derivatives
• Information: Primary > Secondary
• Evidence: Indirect >= Direct

78. All conflicts must be resolved.
Even primary information from an
original source can be wrong.

79. Resolve Conflicts
Conflicting Evidence:
Conflict Resolution
12 Nov 1872 Grieving son was informant.
1869 or 1870 Calculated dates either 1869 or 1870. Worth
not in June 1870 Census. Unknown informant
for 1900 Census which stated 1869.
Ashe or Yadkin Family in Ashe Co. in 1870 & 1880. IGI lists
Ashe. Yadkin 50 miles away.
Creston, North Family in Laurel in 1870 & 1880. Each place
Fork, or Laurel within 5 miles of each other.

80. Am I done yet?

81. 6

82. “We arrive at a soundly reasoned,
coherently written conclusion.”

83. Includes:
• Problem/Goal
• Known sources with citations
• Evidence and analysis
• Conflicting evidence
• Main points
• Conclusion

84. There is no such thing as a final
conclusion.
New information can support, question,
or disprove your current conclusion.

85. Written Conclusion (Proof Argument)
Conclusion:
Worth Tucker was born Nov 1870 (possibly on
the 30th) in Ashe County, North Carolina. The
exact location is likely Laurel Township where his
parents (Moses Tucker and Mary Jane Dollar)
were living in 1870 & 1880. Other locations
within a 5 mile area that are also mentioned are
Creston and North Fork.

86. Next Steps
• Search church records in NC
• Search local newspapers in NC
• Review microfilm for IGI records
• Read Worth’s journal (1903-1907)
Why?
Conclusions are never final.

87. SOURCES provide INFORMATION
from which we select EVIDENCE for
ANALYSIS. A sound CONCLUSION
may then be considered “PROOF.”
- Elizabeth Shown Mills

88. Desktop References

89. Genealogy Research Process Map
www.thinkgenealogy.com/map

90. Questions?
Mail:
mail@ThinkGenealogy.com
Blog:
www.ThinkGenealogy.com
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/marktucker
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/marktucker1