Finding a Way Through: Overcoming Brick Walls in Your Family Tree Part 1

Photo Courtesy of @anniespratt

If you have been researching your family tree for any length of time, you've likely encountered a Brick Wall in one or more of your family lines.

Some families can go back 8 or 10 generations before hitting a dead end while other family lines seem to become shrouded in mystery after just 2 or 3 generations.

With persistence, you can find a way through many of the Brick Walls in your family tree.

Here is a list I always refer to when I hit a difficult and frustrating spot in my family tree:

1. Start Fresh by writing a clear statement of what you'd like to find out. You could phrase it as a question, for example, "When and where did Margaret Griffin died?"

2. Break it down into steps starting with what you know and work towards finding out one part of your bigger problem. "I know Margaret was living in Gadsden, Alabama, when her husband died in 1925. I'll start by looking for records of Margaret in Gadsden after 1925."

3. Back up a generation to create a timeline linking to your Brick Wall generation. "Margaret had four surviving children: James Griffin of New Orleans, Cora Griffin Jones of Texas, and Louie Griffin of Birmingham. Did she move in with one of her children in her later years?" Then research each of the children from 1925 to 1950 and see if any of their records mention Margaret's presence.

4. Use DNA to find distant cousins who might be able to tell you more or provide information through your shared DNA. Ancestry.com makes this so simple and I have connected with many fellow genealogists this way so we can share notes!

5. Broaden your search to include alternate names and places in the same geographic region, and don't forget to research your ancestor's siblings too! Leave no stone unturned when you attempt to overcome a Brick Wall.

6. Ask for Help in the  many Facebook groups which focus on genealogy in specific regions or for specific surnames. They often have access to special knowledge that can't be found in online databases.

7. Pay a professional when you've exhausted your resources, because an experienced genealogist has a perspective and tools to find a way through some of the Brick Walls in your family tree. The BIG names like Ancestry and Legacy are worth it if you can afford their price. If not, find a trained genealogists who will do smaller jobs for a lot less money to help you through!