Methodology Monday with online databases

Joan Young has a well-balanced article on this vexed and vexing subject in Rootsweb Review's June issue. Much good advice here, IMHO, including this paragraph:

"Pay no attention to who submitted the data, but rather to the evidence itself. Even respected genealogists make errors occasionally and may not have access to all the information you possess."

Online Military Records

Who knew Joe Beine has an Online Military Indexes and Records site to go with his vital records sites? Not me! Fortunately I see that it's been updated. The free sites dealing with individual states include:

Illinois data from Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican War, Civil War, and World War I.

Indiana data from Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican War, World War I, and World War II.

Ohio data from Revolutionary War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II.

Michigan data from Civil War, Spanish-American War, and World War I.

Wisconsin data from Civil War.

Missing from this site, however, is the relatively recent Michigan bonanza of Civil War resources (blogged here March 5) just as you would find them if you visited the archives in person -- i.e., largely unindexed.

U of I treasures on line

The University of Illinois library in Urbana-Champaign was my introduction to serious libraries back in the day. Now I can visit it without making the drive! The library has a growing treasure trove of digitized books (actual images) at Illinois Harvest (digitization by the Open Content Alliance).

Unlike the University of Michigan's collection of county histories, there's no overall index function. But you're still better off staying home, because each individual book is viewable and searchable in PDF, TEXT, DjVu, and FlipBook formats.

Those with a broad conception of genealogy will bring in the most bushels of facts per electron. Illinois Harvest offers 39 themes for browsing, including genealogy with 56 titles. But that's only the start, since in addition they have digitized 114 county and local histories! And of course very many of the 395 items under "Chicago" are genealogically relevant too.

Also be aware that books may be filed inconsistently into the themes. If you browse "Genealogy Resources" you will find a ~1918 The Farmers' review farm directory of Coles and Douglas Counties, Illinois ; but you will miss the same year's Prairie farmer's directory of Montgomery County, Illinois, which shows up only among the 24 titles under the theme "Rural Life and Agriculture."

More on this great resource later. Now please pardon me while I wipe the drool off my keyboard.

Online records update at Genealogy Roots

There's no substitute for Denver-based Joe Beine's Genealogy Roots Blog, which makes up in quality for what it lacks in frequency. His 14 Jan post, for instance, includes word of three online marriage indices for Indiana (statewide, Marion County, and Whitley County), and one for Michigan (Kent County).