Next meeting: Monday, June 16th, 10 AM, Wesley Commons Library, 1110 Marshall Rd

  • Home
  • RESEARCH TIPS
  • Websites & Tree Software
  • More
    • Home
    • RESEARCH TIPS
    • Websites & Tree Software

  • Home
  • RESEARCH TIPS
  • Websites & Tree Software

helpful links and info

OLDTIME MEDICAL AILMENTS

OLDTIME MEDICAL AILMENTS

OLDTIME MEDICAL AILMENTS

  

Genealogists often encounter archaic or less common medical terms on historical death certificates. Understanding what these conditions would be called today can shed light on the lives and health of your ancestors. Here's a list of some common conditions and their modern equivalents, along with important context:


Consumption/Phthisis: Tuberculosis (TB). This was a widespread and devastating disease affecting the lungs. 


CLICK THIS LINK TO

SEE MORE MEDICAL DEFINITIONS

ODDS AND ENDS

OLDTIME MEDICAL AILMENTS

OLDTIME MEDICAL AILMENTS

FAMILYSEARCH RESEARCH: 

https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Main_Page


A great place to start your search. The interactive map lets you dive in to your location. The subsequent pages tell you what resources might be available in your specific town or region.


SOUTH CAROLINA archives available on line: https://www.archivesindex.sc.gov/

 Search by Persons, Places, Topics (e.g. "slavery" or "railroad), Dates, or Document types  .  


FREE VIDEOS FROM ROOTSTECH:

https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/library

SOURCE CITATIONS

OLDTIME MEDICAL AILMENTS

Deciphering Old Handwriting

Recording information about the sources of your genealogical conclusions is beneficial for several reasons:

a. It’ll keep you from scratching your head, trying to remember why your tree says Great-great-grandpa was born in 1852. 

b. It saves you time in trying to find a source again. Say, for example, you discover a different record that says your great-great-grandfather was born in 1855. You’ll need to re-check your sources for his birth to determine whether to go with 1852 or 1855.

c. It helps you evaluate the reliability of information you’ve gathered. A county history written long after the events it describes, for instance, is less likely to be accurate than a newspaper account written at the time of those events. 

d. Take a look at Family Search's "Cite Your Sources" : 

g. https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Cite_Your_Sources_(Source_Footnotes)

Deciphering Old Handwriting

Deciphering Old Handwriting

Deciphering Old Handwriting

Do a google search for "genealogy, old handwriting, alphabet cards german" or use whatever language you are searching for.

For example, the above search brought up this alphabet card:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/110549365841833765/


Source Citations

Deciphering Old Handwriting

1900-1930 Censuses

 

You need citations to prove your research is thorough and complete  and you didn't make things up. It adds credibility, allows someone to  retrace your steps, and will enable you to move your research from  format to format without losing track or where it came from.   

   Any information that was provided by a source that wasn't you, AKA  anything you had to look up or ask about, should by cited.   

  Genealogy typically uses some form Chicago style  citations, but this is your work so you use what works for you. The key  is to be consistent. To check your work you can have a friend use just a  citation to try and locate to source and information you're  referencing.   

  

  Take a look at Family Search's "Cite Your Sources" https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Cite_Your_Sources_(Source_Footnotes) 


1900-1930 Censuses

Deciphering Old Handwriting

1900-1930 Censuses

  

"The 1900 census (column 18), the 1910 census (column 16), and 1920 census (column 14), and 1930 census (column 23) indicate the person's naturalization status. The answers are "Al" for alien, "Pa" for "first papers," and "Na" for naturalized.“

" From 1790 through most of the 20th century, naturalization was a two-step process for most adult men. After residing in the United States for two years, an alien could file a “declaration of intention” (“first papers”) to become a citizen."  


"The 1900 census (column 18), the 1910 census (column 16), and 1920 census (column 14), and 1930 census (column 23) indicate the person's naturalization status. The answers are "Al" for alien, "Pa" for "first papers," and "Na" for naturalized.“

" From 1790 through most of the 20th century, naturalization was a two-step process for most adult men. After residing in the United States for two years, an alien could file a “declaration of intention” (“first papers”) to become a citizen."


Uncovering Your Ancestry

Genealogy Research

Create and Manage Your Family Tree

Create and Manage Your Family Tree

Our volunteer genealogists will help you uncover your family history, trace your ancestors, and create a detailed family tree. With access to vast genealogical resources, we use the latest research techniques to reveal your family's unique story. 

Create and Manage Your Family Tree

Create and Manage Your Family Tree

Create and Manage Your Family Tree

We can recommend software that will help you create and manage your family tree. 

Library Resources

Create and Manage Your Family Tree

Library Resources

 The Lawrence Genealogy and Local History  Room at the Greenwood County Library in Uptown Greenwood has a large inventory of books, records, family histories and other genealogical resources.

RESEARCH TIPS

Click on "ALL POSTS" to see older posts

Copyright © 2025 Greenwood SC Genealogy - All Rights Reserved.


Powered by

This website uses cookies.

We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.

Accept