Dropped Lines on Working Papers

About as soon as Work Papers are begun the problem of what to do with incomplete blanks presents itself. In the examination of a town history it will be found that a family in line is carried to the history of the father and mother and the names and dates of the births of the children, but there the history ends the family. The incomplete history of these children creates what is termed Dropped Lines. It is also often found that only certain children of a family are carried along with their individual families while other members are dropped with no information as to what became of them; whether they married and had families or died without families. All of these incomplete histories must be given at­tention and some method must be provided for Dropped Lines.

It will be seen that Clara L. Studley, the first child of this union, is not carried forward in the Hanover History. She was born in 1844 and may, or may not, have had a family of her own. She must be dropped here so far as this source of information goes, but more information is wanted of her. If this sheet is kept out of the files for continuation it is lost for reference, not only as regards Clara L., but the whole family of her father. This must not be allowed. Files must not be broken up. It would soon be discovered that the continua­tion sheet exceeded those in the files which were complete, and the file would be utterly useless. All the work that has been done must quickly be available for comparison and con­sultation. To overcome this difficulty a plain sheet should be used for continuation. It should be on thin tough paper and should be cut three and three quarters by six and three quar­ters inches and punched to fit the stock ring binder that it may be carried in a binder when in use. There is no need for printing on these sheets. The continuation sheet should be typed and a carbon copy taken, the use of which will be ex­plained later. The subject matter on the sheet should be:

Studley                                      2874
Abington, Mass.
Hanover History 389
*Clara L. Studley 1844-
of Alvin and Mercy B. (Josselyn)
Studley.

The remainder of the sheet is left blank, on which can be made notes and references as found relating to Clara L. This heading will furnish the name to be used in further search, the name of the town where examination is to be made, the name of the source of information, and where she was dropped, Hanover History p. 389; in fact, all the infor­mation which has been secured about her. Her father's Work Sheet can now be filed for reference as it may be needed.

4 CHILDREN
(1) NAME
Clara L. Studley
BORN AT	ON
East Abington, Mass.	5/25/1844
DIED AT	ON
MARRIED AT	ON
TO
(2) NAME
George E. Studley
BORN AT	ON
(1347)	6/30/1846
DIED AT	ON
MARRIED AT	ON
TO
(3) NAME
Chas J. Studley
BORN AT	ON
East Abington, Mass.	5/25/1848
DIED AT	ON
(3048)
MARRIED AT	ON
TO
(4) NAME
John M. Jacobs
BORN AT	ON
East Abington, Mass.	5/18/1850
DIED AT	ON
(3049)
MARRIED AT	ON
TO

The original of this continuation sheet is now filed in an envelope which is marked "For Investigation." All contin­uation sheets where the surname begins with S. can be filed together, or if there are enough sheets to warrant it, there may be an envelope for Studley alone. This filing may be made as elastic as the needs require.

By using thin sheets for continuation many of them can be carried in a ring binder for use in libraries or wherever the geneologist is working.

When further information is found relating to Clara L. Studley her name is transferred to a Work Sheet and she is given a Progressive Number; her father's Work Sheet, No. 2874, is taken from the files and in her blank at the top of the page containing the names of his children, is inserted her Progressive Number, and on her Work Sheet in the Refer­ence line is marked 2874, ner father's Work Sheet number, thereby tying the record of the parent in line to that of the child.

In the case of daughters who married and were dropped after marriage, the continuation sheet should be filed under the letter of the husband's surname. If Clara L. had married Robert Jones and her history had ended there in Hanover p. 389, the continuation sheet would have been made thus:

Jones                                         2874
Abington, Mass.
Hanover p. 389
*Clara L. Studley 1844-
of *Alvin and Mercy B. (Josselyn)
Studley
m. Robert Jones.

It would be filed under J. or Jones in its proper envelope. It is not advisable to file over twenty-five sheets in an envelope. Many sheets out of an envelope at one time lead to confusion of papers liability of loss, and waste of time in sorting and arranging again in proper order.

Town and State File

The carbon copy of the above sheet now serves as a Town and State file. It is noted in the illustration that Alvin Studley and his daughter, Clara L., were both born in East Abington, Massachusetts, and that more information is wanted regarding them. East Abington, which is a section of the town of Abington, must be kept in mind in relation to this particular family.

This carbon copy should be filed in an envelope marked Abington, Mass, and placed in a Town and State list in its proper alphabetical place under Massachusetts. As the work progresses there will be wanted information from the same town relative to other persons, and the Abington envelope will be gradually filled with continuation sheets where more information is needed. The Abington envelope will contain continuation sheets for every person in the entire project where it is believed information can be found in that town. If this list is not made the geneologist will find himself some­day in Abington and ready for work that he knows must be done there, realizing that there are many things in his in­vestigations that he needs to look up there, but with no re­membrance what they were or where in his multitude of papers they are to be found. The actual work of making this Town and State file is nil as it is only a carbon copy of the continuation sheet which is cross filed by town instead of by surname.

Correspondence Index

In geneology research, the Work Sheet should be looked over once more before it is filed away, to see if there are addresses of any one who, by the laws of natural life, should be living at the present time. If any one is found in this way it is a source of further infor­mation. It is suggested that these names and addresses be indexed and filed by States and Towns as possible family contacts. If subsequent correspondence proves the supposi­tion that the person is alive, his name should be underscored in blue, and if it later develops that he is a correspondent who can be relied upon to help with the work by furnishing data and information, the name should be underscored again in red. Thus is gradually built up a correspondence list of hundreds of names that are points of contact for help, which is of inestimable value.

The geneologist may lose a family from the records, the last known of them being that they were living in San Diego, California in 1890. By consulting his correspondence index he finds that he has a correspondent in San Diego who has expressed a willingness to be of assistance. A letter to this correspondent, with a Work Sheet to complete, may very probably bring the desired information and add an entire family to the geneology with the expenditure of two postage stamps. No way could be easier or cheaper.

It must be borne in mind also that while these hundreds of people are helping in this small way with the compilation of the geneology, they are developing an interest which will very probably lead to the purchase of the published work, and a sale is necessary to provide funds for the printing of genealogies.

Filing the Work Sheets

The geneologist is now ready to file the Work Sheet. These sheets should be filed in numerical order as indicated by the Progressive Numbers, in stiff manila envelopes, commonly called by the trade "Number Ten." There should not be over fifty, and preferably not over twenty-five, sheets in an envelope as there will be additions from time to time as Field Work Sheets come in bearing duplicate numbers.

In geneology research, the same size envelope should be used for filing continua­tion sheets, both by surname and by town and state. The envelope will stand constant use and wear well and it fits the regular stock document filing case, also the regular size docu­ment tin can which, if the compiler is using an automobile for his field work, is an excellent method for carrying papers for outside investigation. Two of these cans will carry five thousand Work Sheets or Continuation Sheets in their en­velopes, instantly available as needed. There can be carried the continuation sheets for a whole state in a handbag, all readily accessible and safe from confusion. The file is not disturbed; it is merely carried with the worker wherever his work leads him, and when he returns to his own office is ready for reference in connection with his indexes as quickly as though it had not been removed from its accustomed place in the office.

Continuation sheets should be thrown away as soon as information regarding the person to whom they refer has been secured. They have then served their purpose and are of no more use.

By following through this working plan it will be found that a maximum amount of work can be accomplished with a minimum amount of duplication, and thereby time and labor can be conserved.

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