Paying Attention to Handwritten Notes in Published Genealogies

When I began my genealogy journey 28 years ago, I was exceedingly fortunate to have a photocopy of The Larimer Family, 1740-1959 by Work and Work. This privately published booklet was the product of decades of research and dedication, including outreach to dozens of living cousins. Later, my husband inherited the original booklet--complete with handwritten changes made by his mother and grandfather.

Today, the Larimer booklet is digitized and available to view or download from FamilySearch.org, donated by someone else in the large family tree. But back in 1958-1959, when my husband's family provided information for the project and received the booklet, the little book and then later photocopies were the only way to access these nuggets of family history. A really great start that allowed me to build out the family tree beyond immediate relatives! But of course not all the info was accurate, let alone complete.

I especially treasure the original my hubby inherited because of the changes made in ink and pencil. At top, one example: the entry for Margaret Jane Larimer who married William Madison McClure. These were hubby's great-grandparents. The death date for Margaret was corrected in blue ink in the booklet handed down in the Wood family. I confirmed the death year, but learned that the birth year was off (actual birth was in 1859). At least the handwritten death year was a better clue than what was printed, 1917.

Similarly, the pencil change shown above was a good clue because I would never have guessed Enoch's middle name was Beery and, more important, there is a pencil notation of the death date and place of this distant cousin. At the time the Larimer booklet was compiled and published, Enoch was still alive. I confirmed both birth and death dates, and other details. This entry is typical and provides lots of clues to follow up.

Best of all, I know who made these changes because I've seen their handwriting on many other documents. That adds to the credibility of the Larimer printed genealogy that I will be handing down to my heirs in the future.

The handwritten notations are a great reminder that living relatives provided this info to the people who compiled the family history. From then on, it was up to those who received the printed booklets to mark corrections and updates. Handwritten notes are a heads-up that someone cared enough to make the updates and therefore I should pay particular attention.

"Changed my thinking" is this week's #52Ancestors genealogy prompt from Amy Johnson Crow.