Learn To Think Outside The Box.

Many times when researching we find a pieces of information here and a piece there, then we try to put it all together, and a lot of times important information is left out. This is mostly because the ever day researcher, is made up of daughters, sons or grand-children looking into their family. The enemy for these researchers is time, most work or go to school during the day, and in the evenings,there are other family activities that cut down on their research time. As their time is short, they usually start with a surname, as we all do. But after finding little they are not to sure were to go from there.

They have yet learn how to think out side the “Box”, lets say for example his names is John Willis, and you found very little, where to you go from there, well try; John Willis Civil War, or any other wars he was in or any battles he may had been in. Try the registry of Deeds, Probate court, County genealogy societies, County Libraries, States Historical and County Historical societies, and the list goes on. You just have to learn to think out side the “Box.” And always remember to record where you found the information so you can back your information as fact, and if you can get a copy of the real document the better.

I know there are some that are saying, “But I can’t go to all those places.” That’s true many of us can’t but this is the computer age, and all the places can be found on the internet. Now that’s not to say you won’t have to send a few letters or pay a few fee’s but that goes with researching. Now to be fair I have been doing this for eight years and spend about sixteen hours a day on the computer, so I have learn to think out side the “Box,” Does this mean I learn it all?, far from it, I learn something new every day.

Below you will find two examples on Samuel Duffield, the first example well be the original information. The second example well be mine, now it’s true there is not a lot of information here. However with the added information I was able to add I make the document more important and interesting to read. Now too be fair to the original researcher, this may have been all the research they had, or they may have done some research but found nothing. That’s why it’s so important to learn to think out side the “Box.” By knowing were to look and by thinking outside the “Box,” I was able to find this added information in less then ten minutes.
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Example-1.

Samuel Duffield.

Birth: Unknown.
Death: Aug. 10, 1899.
Burial: Geuda Springs Cemetery, Geuda Springs, Sumner County
Kansas,

Civil War, Corpl, 1st Missouri, Company F. State Militia Cavalry.
Aged 62 years 10 months 18 days.
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Example-2.

Samuel Duffield.

Birth: 22 Sep 1836, Braxton Co., W. Va.
Death: 10 Aug 1899, Gueda Springs, Ks.
Burial: Geuda Springs Cemetery, Geuda Springs, Sumner County
Kansas.
Aged 62 years 10 months 18 days.
Father: George Duffield
Mother: Mary Givens

Samuel Duffield, enlisted in the 1st., Missouri State militia, cavalry, on March 24, 1862, at Gallatin Missouri, he was mustered in on April 8, 1862, at Gallatin Missouri. He was a private of company K., his age was 25. He mustered out from company F., on March 11, 1865. On his discharge from company F., he held the rank of Corporal.
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Important note. Some of you may whish to use this information and that’s ok, however some errors may have been made, so do some more research before stating this information as fact.