Proximity doesn't prove anything other than proximity but nonetheless genealogists use residential clues intheir research. The 1900 city directory for Chicago indicates that Thomas Frame is living as a painter at 2543 117th Place in Chicago. It is important to look at city directories for others with the same last name at the same address. There is a Ralph Frame at the 2543 117th Place address. There is even an Edward listed as a printer living at 2543 118th Street.
Joseph Watson, his likely brother-in-law, is shown here living at 2539 117th Street.
What next?
I need to convert these address to modern ones as there was a change in the numbering of Chicago addresses between the time of these directories and today.
I need to find these people in the 1900 census.
I can use the locations to potentially look for church records--assuming the family went to church.
I should search in directories before and after this one to locate additional references to the family and see when they appear/disappear, etc.
A more detailed discussion of these families will appear in an upcoming issue of Casefile Clues, but one location in a directory is a beginning--not an end.
