Why I like to follow Shaky Leaf Hints in FTM2014 (or FTM-3)

Here is an example of why I like to follow those Shaky Leaf Hints in FTM2014. I would not have found this record, if I hadn't followed this hint.

The record I found was a Census Record in 1880. The Transcription of the Surname was wrong. However, I will show you the reason that the transcription was probably correct.

Its the Dates, Places, AND, Relationships in my database that allowed be to quickly determine that this was My Record. In fact, it did clear up a couple of items on my To Do list but using this record.

The Search Engines at Ancestry.com was the first "set of eyes" to find this record. A previous researcher the second set of eyes. The ability to take a view of the Family / Household allowed be to quickly determine that I really wanted to merge this 1880 Census Record into my database.


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Copyright © 2016 by H R Worthington

FTM2014 - Shaky Leaf Follow Up

This is a follow up to my previous two blog posts on handling of Shaky Leaf hints. I am finding that using the Ancestry Member Tree as my "Hint Manager" is working, at least for me.




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Copyright © 2014 by H R Worthington

FTM2014 - Thought about Shaky Leaves - Follow up

 On Saturday, I made this blog post:

FTM2014 - Thought about Shaky Leaves

Where it had said "Of the 47 people in this AMT (FTM2014 file) 29 people have hints. 29 hints from other Ancestry Member Trees, 34 are for Records on Ancestry, for a total of 63 Hints."

Then I had one of my readers say:

Do you realize what happens when you click on that shaky leaf?  For me, it creates more leaves!!  And I find myself getting sidetracked on all the new info, which means I don't get much done on any one relative.  I did, however, manage to clear up about 25 of those shaky leaves -- only 106 more to go (not counting the ones that will get added).  But, thanks for the idea, Russ.  I was having trouble trying to get back to working on my tree and this did it.

 That is so true.

I thought I would post an update, as I have been working through those 34 Records.

What ??? From 47 people to 95 people? 34 Records to 59 Records? I thought those numbers were to go down. So, my reader was right.

BUT, how am I handling this growing number of leaves. It's worse then my front and back yard.

I had my list of hints, that I talked about in my previous posting, and created an Ancestor Chart of my Focus person. I am ONLY following those hints from people who appear on this 3 page chart. Here is the 2nd page of that chart.

Much of the information in that chart was not there when I did that first blog post. But John Westley Powell had 2 hints. One for the 1860 US Census and a Find-A-Grave hint from Ancestry.com.

My trick of only following those on this chart has kept me focused, but in doing so, I found out who J. W. Powell was and his parents and siblings. The Find-A-Grave hint, led me to the Find-A-Grave website with a photo of his daughter, which lead me to a Find-A-Grave page that had links to her parents, her children, and back to John Wesley Powell. Listed above is Raleigh Ross Powell, but it was his sister that has all of the links to help confirm what I have from the Census Record. The census record only have the first and middle initials, but the Find-A-Grave links gave their complete names with links to many new Find-A-Grave pages for that family.

There was one comment, on the Find-A-Grave page, which may be the only "record" of one person. It said "Hoyt Powell (only lived 2  days)" (1). AND there was a comment on the same page: "Also spelled Heatherington. Rest in peace sweet grandmother", dated Nov 4, 2011. Her married name was Hetherington. The Find-A-Grave page for her husband said "Also spelled Heatherington. Love to my grandfather".

Sticking to my Ancestor Tree has kept me focused, but has lead me to hints that I may not have found, had I not been following those Shaky Leaves.


(1) Angela Loflin, "Find-A-Grave", database, Find-A-Grave (www.findagrave.com) Mary Pemilla Powell Hetherington (1892 - 1951) - Find A Grave Memorial. www.findagrave.com.

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Copyright © 2013 by H R Worthington