Also, check out the blog post for the supporting notes www.familyhistoryfanatics.com/genealogy-brick-wall-plans

Good luck!

First, I would research his merchant marine history. One problem you'll run into is that you're not a direct descendant and he's a fairly modern individual. Privacy laws could come into play. But, here is where I would start. www.archives.gov/news/articles/merchant-marine-records-document-maritime-service If you have the funds, you can hire a genealogy expert for military / merchant marine service. I believe Michael Strauss is the best there is for this type of research. If not, he will know who is: genealogyresearchnetwork.com/about/ As for remarriage, you would have to search online databases without a location but his name, age (use a range) and location of birth. Online searches are best since you're casting a wide net. Next, search his name and Merchant marine in newspapers. You might hit something big. Finally, since you now the son, I would just ask some 'neutral' questions about his father for genealogical purposes. You don't have to ask personal ones. Things like, do you have an obituary for the man? Do you know where he's buried? If I need assistance researching his merchant marine service, would you offer consent since you're his direct descendant? Always promise to share what you discover if he's willing to at least assist with being the direct descendant permission giver. That's a start. Let me know how things go.

@@FamilyHistoryFanatics Thank you for responding. I'll make a list and let you know if I find anything.

Sounds good.

Make sure you reach out to the President that you'd like that topic. I let the group decide, so make your voice heard. That's my maybe.

GREAT suggestion!!!

This is definitely worth doing however sometimes in families of this time even if the parents were still living their children may have gone to live with a relative to help them out, maybe even when the them as a servant. I think this situation was likely in large families, especially wherea family member had young children and needed help. It's definitely possible, and worth researching your suggestion though.

I nearly always create something in Google Slides for our video tutorials. I make my clue webs in Google Slides as well.

BTW... No silly questions ever come from you. Always ask follow-up questions. I LOVE them.

You said Philadelphia. One of the problems with PA is that they didn't keep birth, marriage, and death records on the county and state level until later than the time period you're researching. So, that means we have to dig into deeper records - church, land, probate, newspapers, and manuscripts in archives (to name a few). I have an ancestor from Lycoming, PA. I can't research him further until I can access that county's land record collection in person (as of this comment) or unless I hire a professional genealogist to do it for me. Even then, I might not be able to track them down because it's a difficult state to work it. I hope that's not discouraging. I just like to be aware of the obstacles (like I mentioned in the Challenges section of this video) and then see what I can to research around those challenges.

To add DNA information to FamilySearch, you would use either the Collaborate Tab and place details in notes. Or you could create a document that explains your DNA evidence and upload that to the Memories Galleries. A third option is to add a 'story' in the memories section that explains the DNA evidence. A fourth option is to use the Custom Fact field and create a DNA fact. Just don't put a date on it. Give one or all of these a try.

I did see it. I haven't been able to do something with it. Sorry.

@@FamilyHistoryFanatics Thank you. You have nothing to be sorry for. I was just making sure that it made it to you. Off and on my email decides to be glitchy and the emails don't go anywhere and don't come in either. No worries.

Nicely written conclusion. Star student here!!! ⭐⭐

Capture all the spelling variations. Then use the one the man signed himself (if possible) as the name in the pedigree chart. But always keep track of all the spellings for further research.

Thanks for being such a fine supporter. One of the problems you are facing is a migratory family, which means they likely didn't appear in many records. And if they did, you're tracking them down across multiple locations at a time when many civil registrations for birth, marriage, and death records weren't available. That falls into the SWOT analysis step. But, you asked about her death. Sometimes you can't find all of the facts for our family tree. In this case, you might only have a rough idea of when she died and that's fairly good. Since you know her parents, I would advise you to become an expert with Paynes in Mississippi. You said you know her parents. So you can research her siblings, her parents, and her grandparents (potentially). Just because Maude moved a lot, her parents might not have. So, land records are very important in Mississippi. And land transfers could be a clue to when Maude died. If one of her siblings named one of their offspring Maude, then you might have a clue to when Maude died as well. Does that help, at least some?

That could be a challenge to be sure. The problem with your research question is that you haven't a) said how you know about this John Wilson born about 1870 b) said where John Wilson might have been born.

@@FamilyHistoryFanatics This John Wilson only ever showed up on the 1910 census. What's weird is he claimed he was born in California. His children in other censuses claim thier father was born in other states. Have you had any experience as to people putting there stepfathers info on the censuses?

People can confuse their biological and step-father's information. In fact, my direct surname ancestor's daughter death certificate blends her step-father and biological father's information. On a census, mistakes can happen, especially in 1910/1920 when we're unaware of who the informant is. John Wilson likely didn't lie about where he was born. HOWEVER, he might have had reasons to hide. So, that can complicate things.

@@FamilyHistoryFanatics I've also heard from some genealogists that when the census enumerators went to people's houses they didn't always ask the questions in the way we read them on the transcribed returns, they might have asked where there are from not where they are born and so you can get ambitious answers. It can mean that you are sceptical that they are the same person you have in your tree so it can be difficult. If you have the names and ages of a partner and a number of children that match up this can help you be more confident, especially if the names aren't that common, but it's good to be sceptical until you have other evidence that this person is the ancestor you're looking for.

You have been very thorough. Sadly, I'm not sure what else to advise you to do, other than try manuscripts in the county where the people lived. That's the last stone to over turn.

Oh wait... Check out guardianship and/or court cases. I was about to scroll past when that idea struck.

@@FamilyHistoryFanatics Thank you. I'm crawling through everything that I can find. There is a genealogical society in Edgefield, South Carolina, where way back great-aunt Emeline lived and also where my 2nd great-grandpa was born, as well as my great-grandmother and her siblings. I am hoping to hear back from them. I haven't had much luck hearing back from any of the genealogical societies except for the one in Alabama, which verified for me that Gaston was indeed an existing town (Sumter County, Alabama). Gaston is where Maggie Robinson Williams' death certificate says she was born. I have a marriage record book for Edgefield County for the correct time frame, but have not found Oliphant and Maggie in it. I did find Oliphant's mother's two marriages. This, of course, makes me wonder if they were ever actually married. But, I know that absence of evidence is not evidence of absence (I think that's how it goes). Just because I can't find it doesn't mean one doesn't/didn't exist. I just have to keep looking and check everywhere from Edgefield County, South Carolina, to Sumter County, Alabama. I have a few other books, several Notable Families books, that mention my ancestors, but not this 2nd great-grandmother. One sort of, but not entirely, unexpected ethnicity, that only shows up on my Ancestry and 23andMe uploads to MyHeritage, may be a clue to her heritage and maybe to why I can't find any marriage records. 5.7% North African is the ethnicity that only shows up on those uploads to MyHeritage. Neither Ancestry nor 23andMe have it listed for me on their sites for me, and MyHeritage doesn't list it for me on the test that I took with them either. It's only on those two uploads. If I remember correctly, my mtDNA points to the area around Morocco, but that would be way longer ago than 1862/63, so may not mean anything. I don't know. I just know that this search is exhausting me in more ways than one. I appreciate all the help that you and Andy are giving me through your videos. I like that you use my family as examples and case studies in the videos. 😁

@@FamilyHistoryFanatics Thank you for this suggestion. I've been looking for those, too. No luck yet, but that is a search that I've only recently started, so maybe I will get lucky with it.

These points are excellent things to consider for the SWOT analysis step in planning around a brick wall. I very much appreciate the time you took to share. We can all learn from it. Thank you.

@@FamilyHistoryFanatics Thank you for your understanding and encouragement. There are many stories of how illegitimate children came from Europe, orphanages or other states to work in families as a form of "penance" for being born. There are also many stories about young girls being sent to work as servants who were taken advantage of by their much older employees. They were often integrated into the families or worse turned out in the street to starve. When this happened often there was no official record of birth registered to protect the child from the church and welfare organizations that would often separate children from their mothers. It's a very sad chapter in the history of the Western family. The next place one could look are the registry of poor houses and church associations that houses destitute families.

I am aware of all that you shared. I do appreciate what you contributed to this conversation.

Can you try testing cousins?

@@FamilyHistoryFanatics cousin prospects are in Maryland and unknown to me. If I’m correct about who my Edward Wright was I might be able to get a male in the town I think he came from to do a DNA sample (I have my brother’s big Y but don’t seem to be able to get it to take in Ancestry). Considering the number of unanswered queries from here in Ancestry, I suspect a request from a total stranger wouldn’t happen. Once I do get someone established in America, it’s hard to trace them back to that name in Britain. William, Edward, Roger, Wright. All depressingly common names.

You'd be surprised about the reactions some people. Andy had a question about his 2nd great-grandfather. He's the one that changed our surname from Garnett to Lee. When Andy approached the man via social media, he explained that he had a theory that our family was related to the man. We shared our theory and he said, I'll be happy to test to help solve the mystery. He took an autosomal DNA test that we paid for but he could keep control of the results. And viola, we had an answer. The worst thing someone in that position can do is say, I'm not interested. And that's okay. But if we never ask, we won't know if they're willing to say yes.