Research Strategies for Difficult Cases

Summary: Practical research strategies for SAR applicants who have exhausted obvious sources, including FamilySearch Catalog navigation, city directories, fraternal records, census search tips, and guidance on when to hire a local researcher.

Sources: raw/difficultcases.md (edited by Genealogist General Jim Faulkinbury, 30 March 2020)

Last updated: 2026-04-20

The Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City has digitized the bulk of its microfilm holdings. The best access method is:

Go to FamilySearch.org → Search → Catalog (not Search → Records)
Enter the county or city of interest — most records are organized at the county level
Select the appropriate location from the results
Browse available record types: most useful are Probate Records, Vital Records, Land and Property, and Court Records. Also available: Church Records, Cemeteries, Voter Records.

Icon guide for each record listed:

Icon	Meaning
Camera	Digital images — viewable at home
Camera + key	Digital images — viewable at a branch or main FHL library only (copyright restriction)
Text/document page	Abstract only — no images available
Camera + magnifying glass	Digital images with search capability
Microfilm reel	Not yet digitized — currently unavailable remotely

Census Search Tips

Because census enumerators often spelled names phonetically, and volunteer indexers sometimes misread handwriting, indexes are imperfect. Strategies when the expected name doesn't appear:

Consider alternate spellings and phonetic equivalents
If the first letter of a surname seems wrong, try searching by an unusual given name and approximate age in the locality
If a family appears in one census, look for their neighbors in adjacent censuses — neighbors often migrated together
If an approximate address is known, identify the census ward and search image by image in house-by-house order (streets are sometimes noted on the census forms themselves)

Mortality Schedules

For the census years 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880, separate mortality schedules recorded persons who died in the preceding year. These may appear where census records do not — for example, someone who died between censuses. Contents include: name, age, sex, race, marital status, occupation, birthplace, parents' birthplace, length of residence in county, month of death, cause of death, and name of attending physician. Schedules do not exist for all jurisdictions.

City Directories

City directories, similar to historical phone books, list residents by name and address. Useful as: - Circumstantial proof of life at a given address during a given year - Approximate death date evidence: a dropped listing or change in listing (e.g., widow's entry) can suggest a death date

City directories are not standalone proof of any relationship — they corroborate other evidence. Note the bibliographical source on the copy when submitting.

Fraternal, Military, and Academic Records

Fraternal organization records (e.g., Masons, Odd Fellows, Elks, Knights of Columbus, B'nai B'rith, Hibernians, Red Men) may contain birth date and place, parents' names, and leads to other records. Names and addresses of organizations are listed in standard genealogy reference books.

Military records and academic records similarly may document birth, parentage, or prior residences. These are often overlooked sources for 19th-century ancestors.

County biographical histories (popular in the late 19th century) frequently contain extended family biographies and may list everyone in a township. Available at county/state history libraries, genealogical libraries, and local college libraries.

Genealogy Reference Books

Several guides identify what records exist, when they begin, and where to find them for every county and state. Useful for avoiding dead ends:

Bremer, R. A. (1998). Compendium of Historical Sources: The How and Where of American Genealogy. Clearfield Company.
Eichholz, A. (2004). Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources (3rd ed.). Ancestry Publishing.
Everton Publishers. (1999). The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America (9th ed.). Everton Publishers.
Kemp, T. J. (2013). International Vital Records Handbook (6th ed.). Genealogical Publishing Company.
Szucs, L. D. & Luebking, S. H. (2006). The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy (3rd ed.). Ancestry Publishing.

When to Hire a Local Researcher

If leads are exhausted and the next step requires travel to another state or region, local genealogical researchers are an efficient alternative. They are familiar with local records and repositories. Contact is often possible by email. Many genealogical magazines list local researchers.

SAR Genealogical Research Library

Located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. Has access to Ancestry.com, Fold3.com, FamilySearch.org, and thousands of family histories and genealogical records. Contact the library directly for research assistance.

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