Moving Beyond Published Abstracts
For years, genealogists have depended on published abstracts of records to gather data they would otherwise have difficulty accessing. As we get greater access to digitized original records, however, the weaknesses of abstracts are becoming more apparent. Take, for example, the first entry in Will Records of Montgomery County, Kentucky, 1796–1821:
Will Book A
Page 1 Will of Elias Lansom
My daughter, Mary Allison
My wife, Elizabeth and David Wilcox, Exe.
My grandson, Samuel Allison
Written: 6 October 1796
Witnesses: Thomas Almond and Robert Wood
Examining this abstract, we might extract several pieces of data that we can then use to further our research:
- Elias Lansom made a will
- that will was made 6 October 1796
- that will was probated 3 May 1797
- that will was made in Montgomery County, Kentucky
- Elias Lansom had a daughter Mary Lansom
- daughter Mary Lansom married —?— Allison
- Elias Lansom had a wife Elizabeth (—?—) Lansom
- Mary (Lansom) Allison had a son Samuel Allison
- Elias Lansom was associated with executor David Wilcox
- Elias Lansom was associated with witness Thomas Almond
- Elias Lansom was associated with witness Robert Wood
- Associates presumed to be of Montgomery County
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About Author
Aaron Goodwin
Aaron is a genealogist and house historian specializing in New York City research across all time periods, from the Dutch colonial era to the 20th century. His book, New York City Municipal Archives: An Authorized Guide for Family Historians, won the National Genealogical Society’s 2017 Award for Excellence: Genealogical Methods and Sources. He is also editor of NGS Monthly, former contributing editor of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, and former editor of the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine. In 2011, he received the American Society of Genealogists’ Scholar Award.