What's transforming my #genealogy research these days is Full-Text Search on FamilySearch. I'm finding original records I've never found in 45 years of research. Wow.
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If you get a good 'hit' on a record where the name of interest is highlighted, see if that name is elsewhere on the page but not highlighted, and see how Full-Text Search read that name. Then use THAT spelling (whatever it is) in a new search. Handwriting recognition isn't perfect, yet awesome.
Yes, I found 1866 Chancery Court records in Chattanooga, Tennessee that name both my Hannays: "Respondent does not admit that Complainant paid out to Hannay to pay for press and material $4500 or that that amount of money or anything like was appropriated to such purpose." Misappropriated more like!
Same here. I thought that my ancestor's probate was lost in 1906 SF earthquake and lost to me. But, thanks to full text search, I found his probate survived because it was filed in the next county over, San Mateo. This opened up a whole bunch of new research avenues for me.
Me too! I thought my 5th great grandmother must have died before her husband remarried. With full-text search I find court records from 1839 with her divorcing him. Her and her father say the husband was going to run off and the husband and witnesses said she was jealous for no reason.
I just found the will for the sister of one of my ancestors - she disappeared from the records after immigrating to NYC in the 1850s. Her brother was listed in her will, which I found using Full Text Search. And the will has lots of great family info! Full text search for the win! 🏆
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