Distance can help distinguish between individuals with the same name & age

[@mdaly724]

Be sure to use a map at the time of the records since counties formed over time. Montgomery County, PA, for example, was formed in 1784 from the original Philadelphia County. I spent time talking to a person for several days before realizing she was looking at a modern map instead of the period map I was looking at. I had sent her the older map but she didn't realize how counties were formed so she kept looking at her modern map... because those were the counties she knew. Only figured it out when she mentioned a county that didn't exist at the time of the records.

[@sailing171]

Excellent idea. I have been struggling with Nelsons in Kentucky.. I did not think of using a map to help me figure it out!

[@five-minutegenealogy1119]

I've actually been struggling with this approach in late 1700s/ early 1800s Kentucky. Part of it is the lack of records, but I also wonder if different farming practices resulted in people moving around more. Backcountry settlers of English and Scottish ancestry apparently would work a parcel of land for a few years until it was no longer productive then migrate elsewhere. Ethnic Germans, on the other hand, would leave 1/3rd of their fields fallow and stay in the same place for years. I really only see this on the frontier/backcountry: once an area became settled and that boundary pushed further west, farmers of all cultural backgrounds seemed to be more stable. Anyway, something to think about if you're looking at Kentucky in its early days.

[@karlayork877]

@@five-minutegenealogy1119 I had not thought of this as an explanation of frequent relocations. This needs its own video! Thanks.

[@five-minutegenealogy1119]

@@karlayork877 hey, thanks for the idea! I'll research that, go from the vagueness I've got above to something concrete. Fun!

[@karlayork877]

@@five-minutegenealogy1119 Thank *you* for the great videos. I just discovered you yesterday, and I'm looking forward to more on this.

[@five-minutegenealogy1119]

@@karlayork877 ​here you go: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZ6UXnaChtmEeLs

[@joannathesinger770]

It always boggles my mind that people mistakenly think that there would only be one...in my case, George Byrd...in one state or area. I have found at least three, and yet, because of sheer laziness, others have lumped the family--including siblings--into such an impossibly large family as to not be realistic. It gives me a headache thinking about it. Sometime when I can set up a storyboard wall--I'm a very visual person--I'm going to start teasing the facts apart and straighten this mess apart...but I have to "headache-proof" myself from the beginning...and end up with incontrovertible evidence to prevent it from happening again.

[@karlayork877]

This should be required watching before anyone is allowed to put a tree on the internet!