Writing Genealogy: Use the Kitchen Sink

So you have some data – maybe a lot – where your research has turned out to belong to an unrelated person or event. Delete it? Perish the thought!  Time is money, or at least, usable tidbit.

If you just want a family tree, a list of names, dates and occupations, this is not for you.  If you want to build some substance around the research effort, then tidbits can be found at your fingertips. After all, you generated them, while engaging in a wrong path.

My genealogical effort on my grandfather was armchair since he was from across the pond. Now, that was a silly statement; I should have taken another trip, dedicated to this purpose.

The very first tactic was to amateurishly plug his name, birthdate and place to Google search. Or, “James Dickson” “1882” “Crossford”. Go ahead, and laugh. By chance, the topline output was a name sake, who was connected with Clydesdale horses, in the exact place and timeframe of interest. “That must be his father”, squealed I, to myself! He was subjected to stubborn research, before I could  admit that no discernible relationship existed. Collosal waste of time, I thought.
Clydesdale as an industry, developed and peaked within my story’s timeline.¹ They helped illustrate changing times, in ways that related to my family.  Then of course, there were kind people in Scotland, who allowed the use of their data.

Any kitchen sinks out there?

1. ^{CLYDESDALE STUD BOOK Volume 17 p 125 Glasgow: Printed by Robert Maclehose & Co at the University Press 153 West Nile St. 1895 Entered at Stationers’ Hall. See: http://www.clydesdalehorsesociety.com}

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