30 January 2012

Are They Around the Corner-Across the Alley or What?

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.