movq/claude-plugins
2
0
Fork 0
Code Issues Pull Requests Actions Releases Activity

Initial genealogy skill

Browse Source
This commit is contained in:
movq
2026-03-26 07:21:34 -05:00
parent 5d073ffefc
commit 804e13ba52
37 changed files with 1065 additions and 8706 deletions
Download Patch File Download Diff File Expand all files Collapse all files

9
genealogy/.claude-plugin/plugin.json Normal file
View File

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
{
"name": "genealogy",
"version": "1.0.0",
"description": "Genealogy research methodology plugin. GPS-based evidence evaluation, FAN research workflows, research journal conventions, claim promotion, and Council of Experts escalation criteria.",
"author": {
"name": "Adam Knight"
},
"keywords": ["genealogy", "research", "methodology", "GPS", "FAN", "evidence"]
}

186
genealogy/commands/transcribe.md Normal file
View File

@@ -0,0 +1,186 @@
---
name: transcribe
argument: path
---
# Transcription Prompt for Historical Document Images
You are transcribing historical document images into a structured markdown sidecar file for an Obsidian vault. Your goal is to produce a faithful, readable transcription that clearly distinguishes certainty from uncertainty and keeps editorial commentary out of the transcription body.
If a filename has been provided, process only that filename. Otherwise, process each image in the current directory ONE AT A TIME. Do not batch.
Consider each document carefully according to the following instructions.
## Output Structure
The sidecar file has five parts: YAML frontmatter, a heading, Description, Transcription, and Transcription Notes.
### YAML Frontmatter
Use Obsidian-compatible YAML frontmatter (`---` delimited) at the top of the file. Include `source` (the image filename) and `type` (the document type), then add any applicable annotations from the list below. Omit fields that cannot be determined. Do not invent new field names — if none of the suggested fields fit, describe it in the Description section instead.
**Required fields (always include):**
- `source` — the image filename
- `type` — the document type (e.g., deed, will, death certificate, marriage record, pension record, bible record, gravestone, letter, court order)
- `date` — document date (ISO 8601 format: YYYY-MM-DD, or YYYY-MM or YYYY if day/month unknown)
- `state` — state where the document was created or filed
- `county` — county where the document was created or filed
**Suggested annotations (include when applicable):**
- `collection` — the archive, repository, or record group
- `book_volume` — book or volume identifier
- `page` — page number(s)
- `file_number` — official file or certificate number
- `grantor` — seller or conveyor (deeds)
- `grantee` — buyer or recipient (deeds)
- `testator` — person making a will
- `executor` — person appointed to execute a will
- `deceased` — the deceased person (death certificates, probate)
- `applicant` — person applying (pensions, bounty land)
- `soldier` — the servicemember (military records)
- `bride` — bride's name (marriage records)
- `groom` — groom's name (marriage records)
- `acreage` — land area as stated
- `consideration` — price or payment
- `witnesses` — list of witnesses
- `clerk` — recording clerk
- `justice` — justice of the peace or presiding judge
Example frontmatter for a deed:
```yaml
---
source: "Leto Atreides deed to Duncan Idaho.jpg"
type: deed
date: 1829-08-01
state: Caladan
county: Habbanya
book_volume: "Deed Book 21"
page: 177
grantor: Leto Atreides and wife Jessica
grantee: Duncan Idaho
acreage: "50 acres"
consideration: "$250"
---
```
### Heading
A single `#` heading derived from the document title / filename.
### Description
A brief, plain-language summary of the physical document and its contents. Include:
- What type of record it is and where it comes from (book, page, archive)
- General condition and legibility observations
- Notable features (e.g., multiple hands, later annotations, damage)
Keep this to 2-4 sentences.
### Transcription
An exact transcription of the text as it appears on the page. This section contains **only** what is on the page: the words, their order, and visual descriptions of non-textual elements. No summaries, no interpretive commentary, no editorial notes.
Use footnote markers `[fn1]`, `[fn2]`, etc. to flag anything that needs discussion, and place the commentary in the Transcription Notes section.
#### Conventions
**Layout and formatting:**
- Preserve paragraph breaks where they appear in the original
- Do not attempt to reproduce exact line breaks within a paragraph
- Use `---` to indicate a visual separation or change of section on the page (e.g., between the deed body and the acknowledgment)
- Use blank lines between distinct blocks (signatures, recording notations, etc.)
**Page errata:**
- Include page numbers, headers, footers, and any other marginal notations exactly where they appear relative to the body text
- Place page headers/numbers at the top of the transcription, before the body text
- Place footers at the bottom, after the body text
- Marginal notes should be indicated with `[margin: text]` at the nearest point in the body text
**Abbreviations:**
- Preserve abbreviations as written
- Expand on first occurrence only: `Wm [William]`
- Do not expand common/obvious abbreviations after first use
**Annotations for uncertain or missing text:**
| Annotation | Use |
|---|---|
| `[illegible]` | One illegible word |
| `[word?]` | Best guess at one word |
| `[word or word?]` | Multiple guesses for one word |
| `[illegible, ~N words]` | Short illegible run, approximate word count |
| `[illegible passage]` | Long illegible run; describe in Transcription Notes |
**Annotations for physical features:**
| Annotation | Use |
|---|---|
| `[his mark]` or `[her mark]` | A mark made in lieu of a signature |
| `{seal: text}` | Text or content within a seal or containing mark |
| `{seal}` | A seal with no legible content |
| `[inserted above: text]` | Interlineation (text added above the line) |
| `[struck: text]` | Visible struck-through or crossed-out text |
| `[damaged: description]` | Physical damage (torn, stained, faded) preventing reading |
| `[description of non-text element]` | Any other visual, non-textual element on the page |
**What does NOT go in the transcription:**
- Summaries or restatements of content
- Interpretations of legal meaning
- Commentary on handwriting quality (save for Description or Notes)
- Historical context
- Corrections to spelling or grammar
### Transcription Notes
All editorial commentary goes here. This includes:
- Footnotes referenced in the transcription (`fn1.`, `fn2.`, etc.)
- Discussion of difficult readings and why a particular guess was chosen
- Identification of hands (if multiple scribes)
- Observations about unusual spellings, legal formulae, or period conventions
- Cross-references to other documents or records
- Anything else that aids understanding but is not part of the original text
## Example Output
```markdown
---
source: "Leto Atreides deed to Duncan Idaho.jpg"
type: deed
date: 1829-08-01
state: Caladan
county: Habbanya
book_volume: "Deed Book 21"
page: 177
grantor: Leto Atreides and wife Jessica
grantee: Duncan Idaho
acreage: "50 acres"
consideration: "$250"
---
# Leto Atreides and wife Jessica deed land to Duncan Idaho, 1829
## Description
Deed record from Habbanya County, Caladan, Deed Book 21, Page 177. The document is an indenture conveying 50 acres from Leto Atreides and wife Jessica to Duncan Idaho. The text is in a single clerk's hand with generally fair legibility; the lower portion containing the acknowledgment and recording notation is more difficult to read.
## Transcription
[margin: Halleck & wife to Duncan Idaho]
177
This Indenture made this 1st day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty nine between Leto Atreides and Jessica his wife of the County of Habbanya and State of Caladan of the one part and Duncan Idaho of the County of [Carthag?] [fn1] and State of Caladan of the other part ...
## Transcription Notes
fn1. The county name for Duncan Idaho is difficult to read. "Carthag" is the best reading based on letter shapes and the fact that Carthag County borders Habbanya to the east.
```
## Processing Instructions
- IMPORTANT: Process each image one at a time
- The sidecar file should have the same filename as the image but with a `.md` extension
- Use the image filename to inform the frontmatter and heading, but always verify against the actual document content
- When in doubt about a reading, prefer `[word?]` over silently guessing
- Err on the side of more annotations rather than fewer

263
genealogy/skills/genealogy-methodology/SKILL.md Normal file
View File

@@ -0,0 +1,263 @@
---
name: genealogy-methodology
description: Genealogy research methodology — GPS-based evidence evaluation, FAN research workflows with target lists, research journal conventions, claim promotion, and Council of Experts escalation criteria. Integrates with Librarian notebook and Gramps tree.
---
# Genealogy Research Methodology
## Purpose
This skill defines the research methodology, workflows, and standards for genealogy work in this project. It governs how research is planned, executed, documented, and validated.
This skill does NOT gate research behind planning steps. Research is autonomous. This skill ensures that autonomous research is *methodical* — that it extracts maximum value from every document, tracks what was searched, logs what was and wasn't found, and knows when to stop grinding and reassess.
## Core Principles
### Fact-Centric Research
- **Facts require sources.** Every `[fact]` must cite the source it came from.
- **Claims are not facts.** Unverified data — Ancestry hints, member trees, secondary accounts — is logged as `[question]` or `[claim]` until confirmed against a primary source image.
- **No interpretation during research.** If a person appears in County A then County B, record both appearances. Do not conclude they moved. Interpretation comes when all facts and gaps are known.
- **Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.** A missing record means the record is missing, not that the event didn't happen.
### Source Hierarchy
1. **Original source images** — courthouse records, original certificates, church registers
2. **Derivative sources** — microfilm, published abstracts, database transcriptions
3. **Authored works** — compiled genealogies, county histories, message board posts
Ancestry hints, member trees, and indexed records are *leads*, not sources. They point you to images. The image is the source.
### Extract Everything Valuable in One Pass
When examining a document (census page, deed book, tax roll, will), do not extract only the target person. Extract every person relevant to the tree or the FAN cluster. You may not come back to this document, and re-finding it costs time.
## Workflows
### FAN Research Workflow
A FAN (Family, Associates, Neighbors) research workflow is a structured investigation with a defined goal and finish line.
#### Structure
1. **Goal Statement** — A specific, measurable research question. Not "research Paulus Atreides" but "Determine the father of Leto Paulus Atreides using Arrakeen Province records 10150-10175."
2. **Target List** — People to watch for while examining documents:
- The primary subject
- Known family members (from tree or prior research)
- Associates (witnesses, executors, bondsmen, business partners)
- Neighbors (adjacent land, same census page, same church)
- Anyone else in the tree who appears in the same time and place
The target list grows during research. When a will names executors or a deed has witnesses, add them. When a census page shows a familiar surname, note it.
3. **Strategy** — The concrete plan to reach the goal:
- Which record sets to search (census, tax rolls, deeds, wills, church records)
- Which repositories hold them (FamilySearch, Ancestry, courthouse, state archives)
- What order to search them (usually chronological or by expected yield)
- Known coverage gaps or access restrictions
4. **Execution Log** — As each step is completed, record:
- What was searched (collection, date range, pages covered)
- What was found (with citations)
- What was NOT found (negative evidence)
- New targets or leads discovered
- Coverage notes (see Collection Coverage below)
5. **Finish Line** — The goal is met when:
- The research question is answered with sufficient evidence, OR
- All identified record sets have been searched and the question remains open (document the gap), OR
- The Council of Experts has reviewed the dead end and confirmed no further avenues exist
Use the FAN Research Plan template (`templates/fan-plan.md`) to structure these.
### Claim Promotion (GPS Checklist)
A claim becomes a fact when it satisfies the Genealogical Proof Standard. This is a deliberate, reviewable process.
#### The Five GPS Elements
1. **Reasonably exhaustive research** — Have you searched the record sets that could confirm or deny this claim? Not every record ever created, but the ones a competent researcher would check.
2. **Complete and accurate citations** — Every supporting source is cited with enough detail to find the original.
3. **Analysis and correlation** — Sources have been compared. Agreements and disagreements are documented.
4. **Resolution of conflicting evidence** — If sources disagree, the conflict is explained (not ignored).
5. **Soundly reasoned conclusion** — The logic connecting evidence to conclusion is explicit and defensible.
#### Promotion Process
1. Assemble all sources supporting the claim on the person's note, each with inline citation.
2. Check each GPS element. Document which sources satisfy each element.
3. If all five are met, draft a brief proof statement on the person's note explaining the reasoning.
4. Submit to the Council of Experts for review (use the `council` skill).
5. Collect approved promotions and present them to the user in a batch — list each claim, the supporting sources, and the proof statement. The user will call out any they disagree with.
6. Promote approved claims: change the tag from `[claim]` to `[fact]` and note the date of promotion.
If GPS cannot be fully satisfied, assign a confidence level:
- **Probable** — Preponderance of evidence supports it; minor gaps remain
- **Possible** — Some evidence supports it; significant gaps exist
- **Unproven** — Insufficient evidence to assess
- **Disproven** — Evidence contradicts the claim
### Council of Experts Escalation
The Council of Experts provides fresh perspectives when research stalls. Use it deliberately — not after every failed search, but when patterns suggest you're stuck.
#### When to Escalate
**Escalate when:**
- Multiple record sets across different collections yield nothing (e.g., two census years across three counties with no appearance)
- Conflicting sources cannot be resolved by evidence weight alone
- You've exhausted the obvious strategy and need new angles
- A FAN workflow has hit its finish line without answering the question
- You suspect identity confusion (two people conflated, or one person split)
**Do NOT escalate when:**
- You're partway through a large collection (30 images in a tax reel is normal)
- A single census or record set didn't have the person (they get missed)
- You haven't yet tried the obvious sources
- The search is progressing but slowly
**Rule of thumb:** If you've searched the same type of record across two independent dimensions (two time periods, two jurisdictions, two collection types) and found nothing in either, stop and think. One miss is normal. Two independent misses is a pattern worth examining.
### Collection Coverage Tracking
When working through a record collection (tax rolls, deed books, census reels), track coverage on the **source note** for that collection.
#### What to Record
- Collection identifier (FamilySearch film number, Ancestry collection ID, book/volume)
- Date range covered in this pass
- Pages or image numbers examined
- What was extracted (people found, documents noted)
- What was NOT found (negative evidence for target list members)
#### Before Re-Searching a Collection
Always check the source note for previous coverage. If pages 12-48 of Arrakeen PPT 10150-10160 were already covered, start at page 49 or move to a different year range.
## Research Journal
The Research Journal (formerly "Worklog") is the running record of all research activity. It lives as a Librarian note and serves two purposes: session continuity and institutional memory.
### Structure
Each entry uses this format:
```
## YYYY-MM-DD
### HH:MM — [Short Title]
**Goal:** [What you set out to do]
**Searched:**
- [Collection/source searched] — [pages/range covered] — [result: found X / nothing relevant]
- [Collection/source searched] — [pages/range covered] — [result]
**Found:**
- [Key finding with inline citation]
- [Key finding with inline citation]
**Not Found (Negative Evidence):**
- [What you expected to find but didn't, and where you looked]
**New Leads:**
- [Anything discovered that warrants follow-up]
**Target List Updates:**
- [New people added to the FAN target list and why]
**Notes:**
[Unstructured observations, theories, hunches, anything that doesn't fit above but shouldn't be lost. This is the place for "I noticed that..." and "I wonder if..." — things that aren't facts but might matter later.]
**Open Questions:**
- [question] [Specific unanswered question arising from this session]
**Tasks:**
- [todo] [Specific next action arising from this session]
**Session Close:**
- Unfinished: [What was in progress when the session ended]
- Next: [What the next session should start with]
- Blocking: [Anything preventing progress — access issues, missing records, need user input]
```
### Conventions
- Use `[question]` and `[todo]` tags so they're searchable across the notebook
- The **Notes** section is deliberately unstructured — don't skip it. Hunches recorded here have led to breakthroughs.
- **Session Close** is mandatory. It's the handoff to the next session (which may be a different Claude instance with no memory of this one).
- Append entries within a day using `### HH:MM` subsections. Create a new `## YYYY-MM-DD` section for each day.
## Evidence Classification Reference
When evaluating a source, classify along three axes:
### Source Classification (What you consulted)
| Type | Description | Example |
|------|-------------|---------|
| Original | First recording in original form | Courthouse deed book, original certificate |
| Derivative | Copy, transcription, or extract | Published abstracts, database entries, microfilm |
| Authored | Compiled or analyzed work | Published genealogy, county history |
### Information Classification (When recorded relative to event)
| Type | Description | Example |
|------|-------------|---------|
| Primary | Recorded at/near time of event by knowledgeable person | Birth date on birth certificate |
| Secondary | Recorded well after event, from memory or hearsay | Birth date on death certificate |
| Undetermined | Cannot determine timing or informant | Undated family Bible entry |
### Evidence Classification (What it tells you)
| Type | Description | Example |
|------|-------------|---------|
| Direct | Explicitly states the needed fact | Marriage record naming bride and groom |
| Indirect | Implies fact when combined with other evidence | Age on census implying birth year |
| Negative | Expected information that is absent | Person missing from tax roll they should appear on |
**Critical distinction:** An original source can contain secondary information. A death certificate (original source) recording a birth date 80 years prior (secondary information) is weaker evidence for birth date than a birth certificate (original source, primary information) — even though both are "original records."
Load `references/evidence-evaluation.md` for detailed frameworks on conflict resolution and source weighting.
## Source Document Rules
Source notes in the Librarian notebook contain **only source material**:
- Citation (full reference)
- Transcription or abstract
- Persons table (who appears in the document)
- Factual discrepancy notes (e.g., name spelled two ways in the same document)
- Collection coverage (what was searched, what range)
Source notes do NOT contain:
- Analysis or commentary
- `[insight]` or `[question]` tags
- Theory or supposition
- Connections to other sources
Analysis, insights, questions, and theories belong in **person notes** (with citations back to the source) or in the **Research Journal**.
## Note Section Rules
**Templates define the allowed sections for each note type.** When a template includes "Open Questions" and "Tasks" sections, those sections belong on that note type. When a template does not include them (e.g., the source template), do not add them — put those items on the relevant person note instead.
### Standard Tags
| Tag | Meaning | Where Used |
|-----|---------|------------|
| `[fact]` | Verified with GPS-level evidence | Person notes |
| `[claim]` | Unverified assertion with a source | Person notes |
| `[question]` | Open research question | Person notes, location notes, journal entries |
| `[todo]` | Specific pending action | Person notes, location notes, journal entries |
| `[insight]` | Observation or pattern (with optional source) | Person notes |
Source notes use **no tags**. FAN plans use their own structure (execution log, target list).
## Templates
Output templates for structured documents:
- `templates/fan-plan.md` — FAN research plan with goal, target list, strategy, and execution log
- `templates/source.md` — Source document note (transcription + persons + coverage)
- `templates/person.md` — Person note (identity, claims, evidence, relations)
- `templates/location.md` — Location note (jurisdiction history, available records, coverage)
- `templates/journal-entry.md` — Single research journal entry
## References
Detailed reference material loaded as needed:
- `references/evidence-evaluation.md` — Conflict resolution frameworks, source weighting, GPS deep dive
- `references/fan-strategies.md` — FAN principle application, cluster genealogy, community reconstruction
- `references/council-escalation.md` — Detailed escalation criteria and examples

85
genealogy/skills/genealogy-methodology/references/council-escalation.md Normal file
View File

@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
# Council of Experts Escalation Guide
When to convene the Council, what to bring, and what to expect.
## Purpose
The Council of Experts provides independent perspectives on research problems. It is most valuable when you've been grinding in one direction and need fresh eyes to see what you're missing. It is NOT a substitute for doing the research.
## Escalation Criteria
### Escalate: Pattern of Independent Failures
The key signal is **independent** failures — the same negative result across unrelated dimensions.
**Two independent misses = stop and think:**
- Searched two census years (different decades) across the expected county — person absent from both
- Searched tax rolls AND deed books for the same period — no appearance in either
- Searched two adjacent counties for the same period — nothing in either
- Searched the expected record type in two different repositories — nothing in either
**Single misses are normal:**
- One census year with no hit (people get missed, enumerators skip households)
- One tax reel with no appearance (might be in the other district)
- One deed book with no transactions (not everyone bought/sold land every decade)
- Thirty images deep in a large collection with nothing yet (keep going)
### Escalate: Unresolvable Source Conflicts
When you have:
- Two or more sources of roughly equal reliability that disagree
- No clear explanation for the disagreement
- No additional source that could break the tie
- The conflict matters for the research question
### Escalate: Identity Confusion
When you suspect:
- Two different people are being conflated into one (common with Sr./Jr. or same-name cousins)
- One person has been split into two (different name spellings treated as different people)
- Records attributed to your ancestor may belong to someone else
### Escalate: Dead End After Systematic Search
When:
- The FAN research plan has been executed through its strategy
- All identified record sets have been searched
- The question remains unanswered
- You need new avenues to explore
### Do NOT Escalate
- You're partway through a planned search (finish first)
- You've only tried one obvious source (try more first)
- The search is progressing, just slowly
- You want confirmation of something you're already confident about (just log it)
- You haven't yet searched the primary record sets identified in the strategy
## What to Bring to the Council
When invoking the Council skill, provide:
1. **The research question** — Specific, measurable, as defined in the FAN plan
2. **What was searched** — Record sets, repositories, date ranges, pages covered
3. **What was found** — Key findings, even if they didn't answer the question
4. **What was NOT found** — Specific negative evidence
5. **Current hypothesis** — What you think is going on (even if uncertain)
6. **Why you're stuck** — What specifically is blocking progress
The Council works best with concrete data, not vague summaries. Give them the details.
## What to Expect
The Council will typically:
- Challenge assumptions you may not realize you're making
- Suggest record types or repositories you haven't considered
- Offer alternative interpretations of evidence you've found
- Identify patterns you may have missed (naming patterns, migration patterns, community connections)
- Recommend whether to continue the current strategy, pivot, or accept the dead end
## After the Council
1. Log the Council's recommendations in the Research Journal
2. Update the FAN research plan if new avenues are identified
3. Continue research along the recommended path
4. If the Council confirms a dead end, document it clearly on the person's note so future sessions don't re-search the same ground

121
genealogy/skills/genealogy-methodology/references/evidence-evaluation.md Normal file
View File

@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
# Evidence Evaluation and Conflict Resolution
Detailed frameworks for analyzing genealogical evidence, resolving conflicts between sources, and building proof arguments.
## Source Weighting
Not all sources are equal. When sources conflict, weight them — don't count them.
### Weighting Factors (in priority order)
1. **Proximity to event** — Was the informant present? Was the record created at the time of the event?
2. **Informant knowledge** — Did the informant have direct knowledge, or are they reporting hearsay?
3. **Purpose of the record** — Was the information central to the record's purpose (bride's name on a marriage license) or incidental (birthplace on a census)?
4. **Original vs. derivative** — Are you looking at the original, or a transcription/abstract that may contain copying errors?
5. **Internal consistency** — Does the source contradict itself?
6. **Corroboration** — Do independent sources agree? (Derivative copies of the same original are NOT independent corroboration.)
### Common Weighting Mistakes
- **Counting sources instead of weighing them.** Three Ancestry member trees copying the same wrong date don't outweigh one original record.
- **Treating indexes as sources.** An index points to a record. The record is the source. Index errors are common.
- **Assuming original = accurate.** A death certificate is an original source but contains secondary information about birth (reported decades later by someone who may not have been present).
- **Ignoring negative evidence.** A person's absence from a record they should appear in is evidence. It doesn't prove anything alone, but it contributes to the picture.
## Conflict Resolution Framework
When sources disagree about a fact:
### Step 1: Define the Conflict Precisely
State exactly what each source says. "The birth year is unclear" is not precise. "The 1850 census says age 35 (born ~1815), the 1860 census says age 50 (born ~1810), and the death certificate says born 1812" is precise.
### Step 2: Classify Each Source
For each conflicting source, document:
- Source type (original / derivative / authored)
- Information type (primary / secondary / undetermined)
- Evidence type (direct / indirect / negative)
- Informant (who provided the information, if known)
- Informant's relationship to the fact (direct knowledge / hearsay / unknown)
### Step 3: Identify Explanations
Before choosing a winner, consider why the sources disagree:
- **Transcription error** — The original says one thing, the copy says another
- **Informant error** — The person reporting didn't know or misremembered
- **Different informants** — Each source had a different informant with different knowledge
- **Rounding or estimation** — Census ages are often rounded; "about 35" could mean 33-37
- **Identity confusion** — The sources may be about different people with the same name
- **Both partially correct** — The truth may be between the sources (e.g., moved mid-year)
### Step 4: Apply Evidence Weight
Rank the sources from most to least reliable for THIS SPECIFIC FACT. A source can be highly reliable for one fact and unreliable for another within the same document.
### Step 5: State the Conclusion
- If one source clearly outweighs others: state the conclusion and explain why
- If sources are roughly equal: acknowledge the conflict is unresolvable with current evidence and note what additional records might resolve it
- If a pattern emerges (e.g., ages consistently decrease on later censuses): note the pattern as it may explain the discrepancy
## GPS Deep Dive
### Element 1: Reasonably Exhaustive Research
"Reasonably exhaustive" does not mean "every record ever created." It means:
- You searched the record types that could confirm or deny the claim
- You searched the repositories where those records are likely held
- You searched for the subject AND relevant FAN members
- You documented what you searched, including negative results
- You did not stop at the first confirming source
**Test:** Could a competent researcher point to an obvious, accessible record set you didn't check?
### Element 2: Complete and Accurate Citations
Every source must be cited with enough detail that another researcher can:
- Find the exact same record
- Evaluate the source's reliability
- Distinguish between the original record and the access method (e.g., "digital image of original" vs. "database entry")
### Element 3: Analysis and Correlation
Sources must be compared to each other:
- What do they agree on?
- What do they disagree on?
- Do they corroborate independently, or are they derivative of each other?
- What does each source contribute to the overall picture?
### Element 4: Resolution of Conflicting Evidence
Conflicts cannot be ignored. For each conflict:
- Acknowledge it explicitly
- Explain possible causes
- Apply evidence weight
- State whether the conflict is resolved or remains open
- If unresolved, explain what additional evidence might resolve it
### Element 5: Soundly Reasoned Conclusion
The conclusion must:
- Follow logically from the evidence presented
- Not overstate what the evidence supports
- Acknowledge limitations and remaining uncertainties
- Be written clearly enough that another researcher can follow the reasoning and evaluate it independently
## Proof Levels
| Level | Meaning | GPS Status |
|-------|---------|------------|
| Proven | Beyond reasonable doubt | All 5 elements fully satisfied |
| Probable | Preponderance supports it | Most elements satisfied; minor gaps |
| Possible | Some evidence supports it | Significant gaps in research or evidence |
| Unproven | Insufficient evidence | Cannot assess; more research needed |
| Disproven | Evidence contradicts it | Evidence actively refutes the claim |
## Common Genealogical Evidence Patterns
### Census Age Discrepancies
Census ages are notoriously unreliable. The informant may not have known exact ages, may have rounded, or the enumerator may have estimated. A 2-3 year spread across censuses is normal and does not constitute a meaningful conflict.
### Name Spelling Variations
Before standardized spelling, names were recorded phonetically by the recorder. Atreides/Atreidies, Halleck/Hallek/Hallak, Leto/Leeto are the same name. Treat spelling as fluid, not as evidence of different people.
### "Same Name, Same Place" Trap
Two people with the same name in the same county are NOT necessarily the same person. Use age, associates, property, and family context to distinguish. The existence of "Sr." and "Jr." designations in records may indicate father/son, but may also just mean "older" and "younger" among unrelated men.

101
genealogy/skills/genealogy-methodology/references/fan-strategies.md Normal file
View File

@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
# FAN Strategies and Community Reconstruction
Detailed guidance on applying the FAN (Family, Associates, Neighbors) principle and reconstructing historical communities.
## The FAN Principle
Your ancestor did not live in isolation. They existed within a web of family, business, legal, and social relationships. When direct records for your ancestor are scarce, the people around them often left records that mention, imply, or contextualize your ancestor.
### Family
- Parents, siblings, children, spouses
- In-laws (often co-located, often witnesses)
- Step-relations and guardians
- Aunts, uncles, cousins (especially in migration — families moved together)
- Godparents (in church records — often indicate close relationships)
### Associates
- **Legal:** Witnesses to deeds, wills, and bonds. Executors and administrators. Bondsmen. Attorneys-in-fact.
- **Business:** Partners, co-signers, buyers and sellers of land. People who appear in the same merchant ledgers.
- **Military:** Men in the same company or regiment. Officers who signed documents.
- **Church:** Fellow members, elders, deacons. People who witnessed baptisms or marriages.
- **Government:** Fellow jurors, road overseers, tax commissioners. People appointed together.
### Neighbors
- Adjacent landowners (from deeds and plats)
- Same census enumeration district (census takers walked in order)
- Same tax district
- Same church congregation
- People who migrated together (appearing in both the origin and destination)
## Building a Target List
A target list starts with the people you know and grows as you research.
### Starting a Target List
1. Gather what is already known about the subject from the tree and existing research notes
2. Check for an existing FAN cluster in the notebook
3. Add anyone from the tree who lived in the same time and place
4. Add names from any known documents (witnesses, neighbors from census, etc.)
### Growing the Target List During Research
Every document you examine may reveal new targets:
- **Wills:** Executors, witnesses, beneficiaries, people mentioned by name
- **Deeds:** Buyers, sellers, witnesses, adjacent landowners named in bounds
- **Census:** Everyone on the same page or enumeration district
- **Tax rolls:** People listed near the subject (often geographic neighbors)
- **Court records:** Plaintiffs, defendants, witnesses, jurors, judges
- **Church records:** Other families in the register near the same dates
When you see a name you recognize from the tree or from prior research, note it even if it's not directly relevant to the current goal. Record it in the journal under "Target List Updates."
### Managing the Target List
The target list is part of the FAN research plan. Keep it updated:
- Add new names with a note on where they appeared
- Mark names that turn out to be irrelevant (but don't delete — they may matter later)
- Note relationships as they become clear ("Thufir Hawat — witness to Paulus Atreides's will; appears adjacent in 10156 census")
## Community Reconstruction
Community reconstruction is the practice of mapping the social, economic, and geographic relationships in a locality rather than researching a single family in isolation.
### Why It Matters
- Records are community records. A deed book contains everyone's deeds. A census page contains everyone's household. Researching one family means you're already looking at the community.
- Migration was social. Families moved with neighbors. Finding where the neighbors went often reveals where your ancestor went.
- Naming patterns are community patterns. If three families in the same sietch all name sons "Gurney," it might be a local tradition, not a family connection.
- Witnesses and bondsmen reveal trust networks. The people your ancestor chose for legal documents were people they trusted — often family.
### How to Do It
1. **Start with a document, not a person.** When you're reading a deed book or tax roll, note everyone — not just your target.
2. **Map repeated names.** Who appears across multiple record types? Who witnesses for whom? Who buys land from whom?
3. **Track geographic proximity.** Adjacent landowners in deeds, nearby households in census, same district in tax rolls.
4. **Note migration clusters.** If three families from County A all appear in County B within a few years, that's a cluster migration worth documenting.
5. **Record it in the FAN cluster notes** in Librarian (fan/[person-place]/ structure).
### What to Extract from Documents (Full-Page Reading)
When examining a document page, extract for anyone on the target list:
- Full names (with spelling variants)
- Ages, dates, locations
- Relationships stated or implied
- Property descriptions and values
- Occupations or status markers
- Marks vs. signatures (literacy indicator)
- Witnesses and their roles
For people NOT on the target list but in the same document:
- Note surnames that appear frequently (potential community members)
- Note anyone with the same surname as a target list member
- Note unusual details that might connect to the research question
## FAN in Practice: Working a Will
A will is one of the richest FAN documents. Here's how to extract maximum value:
1. **Identify everyone named:** Beneficiaries, executors, witnesses
2. **Note relationships stated:** "my son," "my beloved wife," "my friend"
3. **Note property details:** Land descriptions (neighbors named in bounds), enslaved persons (named, may appear in other records), specific bequests
4. **Check the probate file:** The will is often just the beginning. Estate inventories, accounts of sale, guardian appointments, and distribution records follow.
5. **Research the witnesses:** Who were they? Were they family? Neighbors? Did they witness other documents for the same family?
6. **Research the executors:** Why were they chosen? Family connection? Business partner?
7. **Cross-reference the beneficiaries:** Do they appear in census, tax, or land records nearby?
8. **Note who is NOT in the will:** If a known child is absent, that's potentially significant (predeceased? already received inheritance? estranged?).

73
genealogy/skills/genealogy-methodology/templates/fan-plan.md Normal file
View File

@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
# FAN Research Plan Template
Use this template when creating a new FAN research workflow in the Librarian notebook.
---
## [Goal Statement]
**Research Question:** [Specific, measurable question — e.g., "Determine the parents of Leto Paulus Atreides using Arrakeen Province records 10150-10175"]
**Subject:** [Primary person being researched]
**Time Period:** [Date range for research]
**Location:** [County, state, or broader area]
**Finish Line:** [What constitutes completion — e.g., "Question answered with GPS-level evidence" or "All identified record sets searched and question documented as open"]
## Target List
| Name | Relationship to Subject | How Identified | Notes |
|------|------------------------|----------------|-------|
| [Subject] | Self | — | |
| [Name] | [wife/son/neighbor/etc.] | [Source where identified] | |
*Update this list as research progresses. New names from documents go here with source of identification.*
## Strategy
### Record Sets to Search
| Priority | Record Set | Repository | Date Range | Status |
|----------|-----------|------------|------------|--------|
| 1 | [e.g., Personal property tax lists] | [e.g., FamilySearch Film 2024561] | [1780-1800] | [Not started / In progress / Complete] |
| 2 | | | | |
| 3 | | | | |
### Known Access Restrictions
- [e.g., FamilySearch images restricted — need affiliate library or in-person access]
### Search Order Rationale
[Brief note on why this order — chronological? Expected yield? Availability?]
## Execution Log
### [Date] — [Record Set / Action]
**Searched:** [Collection, pages/images, date range covered]
**Found:**
- [Finding with citation]
**Not Found:**
- [Expected record/person not present — negative evidence]
**New Targets Added:**
- [Name — reason for addition]
**Coverage Note:** [Record what was covered so future sessions don't re-search]
---
*Copy the "Execution Log" section for each research step.*
## Status
**Current Status:** [Active / Paused / Complete / Dead End]
**Last Updated:** [Date]
**GPS Assessment:** [If question answered — which GPS elements are satisfied?]
**Council Review:** [If escalated — date and outcome]

57
genealogy/skills/genealogy-methodology/templates/journal-entry.md Normal file
View File

@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
# Research Journal Entry Template
Append this structure to the Research Journal note in Librarian. Each day gets a `## YYYY-MM-DD` heading. Each session within a day gets a `### HH:MM` subheading.
---
```
## YYYY-MM-DD
### HH:MM — [Short Descriptive Title]
**Goal:** [What you set out to do this session]
**Searched:**
- [Collection/source] — [pages/range covered] — [found X / nothing relevant]
- [Collection/source] — [pages/range covered] — [result]
**Found:**
- [Key finding] — [[Source Note Title]]
- [Key finding] — [[Source Note Title]]
**Not Found (Negative Evidence):**
- [Expected to find X in Y but did not] — [[Source Note Title]]
**New Leads:**
- [Lead discovered that warrants follow-up]
**Target List Updates:**
- Added [Name] — [reason, source where identified]
- Added [Name] — [reason]
**Notes:**
[Unstructured space. Hunches, observations, patterns noticed, things that don't fit
elsewhere but shouldn't be lost. "I noticed that..." and "I wonder if..." belong here.
Theory and supposition live here, not on source or person notes.]
**Open Questions:**
- [question] [Specific unanswered question from this session]
**Tasks:**
- [todo] [Specific next action from this session]
**Session Close:**
- Unfinished: [What was in progress when session ended]
- Next: [What the next session should start with]
- Blocking: [Access issues, missing records, need user input, or "None"]
```
---
## Conventions
- **[question]** and **[todo]** tags are searchable across the notebook. Use them consistently.
- **Notes** section is deliberately unstructured. Don't skip it. Hunches recorded here have led to breakthroughs in this project.
- **Session Close** is mandatory. It's the handoff to the next session, which may be a different Claude instance with no memory of this one.
- **Negative evidence** is research data. "Searched and didn't find" is as important as "searched and found." Always record it.
- Append entries within a day using `### HH:MM` subsections. New day = new `## YYYY-MM-DD`.

67
genealogy/skills/genealogy-methodology/templates/location.md Normal file
View File

@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
# Location Note Template
Use this template when creating a new location note in the Librarian notebook. Location notes document jurisdiction history and available records for a research area.
---
## Jurisdiction
- **Current Name:** [Current county/city/state name]
- **Formed:** [Date formed and parent county/jurisdiction]
- **Parent Jurisdiction:** [What it was carved from]
- **Child Jurisdictions:** [Counties later formed from this one, with dates]
## Jurisdiction Timeline
| Period | Jurisdiction | Notes |
|--------|-------------|-------|
| [e.g., Before 10150] | [e.g., Carthag Province, Arrakis] | [e.g., Arrakeen carved from Carthag 10150] |
| [10150-present] | [Arrakeen Province, Arrakis] | |
*This matters because records before the formation date are in the parent county.*
## Available Records
### Vital Records
- [What exists, date range, where held]
### Census
- [Federal census years available, state census if applicable]
### Tax Records
- [Personal property, land tax — date ranges, repositories, film numbers]
### Land Records
- [Deed books, grants — date ranges, repositories]
### Probate Records
- [Will books, estate files — date ranges, repositories]
### Court Records
- [Order books, minute books — date ranges, repositories]
### Church Records
- [Known congregations, record types, repositories]
### Military Records
- [Militia, pension, service records relevant to this area]
## Repositories
| Repository | Record Types | Access | Notes |
|-----------|-------------|--------|-------|
| [e.g., FamilySearch] | [e.g., PPT, deed books] | [e.g., Free / Restricted / In-person only] | [e.g., Film 2024561-2024562] |
| [e.g., Archives of Caladan] | | | |
| [e.g., County courthouse] | | | |
## Research Notes
[Observations about this location relevant to research — e.g., courthouse fires, known record gaps, local naming conventions, migration patterns in/out of this area.]
## Open Questions
- [question] [e.g., "Does the Arrakeen deed book for 10153 survive, or was it destroyed?"]
## Tasks
- [todo] [e.g., "Check Archives of Caladan catalog for surviving records"]

51
genealogy/skills/genealogy-methodology/templates/person.md Normal file
View File

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
# Person Note Template
Use this template when creating a new person note in the Librarian notebook. Person notes are the primary location for claims, analysis, and evidence evaluation.
---
## Identity
- **Name:** [Full name as most commonly recorded]
- **Name Variants:** [Alternate spellings found in records]
- **Born:** [Date and place — tag as [fact] or [claim]]
- **Died:** [Date and place — tag as [fact] or [claim]]
- **Buried:** [Location — tag as [fact] or [claim]]
## Relations
- **Father:** [[link-to-person-note]] — [fact/claim]
- **Mother:** [[link-to-person-note]] — [fact/claim]
- **Spouse(s):** [[link-to-person-note]] — married [date/place] — [fact/claim]
- **Children:** [[link-to-person-note]], [[link-to-person-note]]
## Claims
[Each claim is a statement with an inline citation and a tag. Claims are candidates for promotion to fact via GPS review.]
- [claim] [Statement about this person] — [[Source Note Title]]
- [fact] [Verified statement with GPS-level evidence] — [[Source Note Title]] — promoted [date]
- [claim] [Another unverified statement] — [[Source Note Title]]
## Open Questions
- [question] [Specific unanswered question about this person]
- [question] [Another question]
## Tasks
- [todo] [Specific research action related to this person]
## Evidence
[Analysis of sources relating to this person. This is where conflicts are examined, sources are weighed, and reasoning is documented.]
### [Topic — e.g., "Parentage" or "Birth Year"]
[Discussion of evidence for and against. Cite sources inline. If GPS review has been done, include the proof statement here.]
## Notes
[Unstructured observations, theories, naming pattern analysis, community connections. Anything that might matter but isn't a formal claim or question. Tag speculation clearly.]
- [insight] [Observation with optional source] — [[Source Note Title]]

45
genealogy/skills/genealogy-methodology/templates/source.md Normal file
View File

@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
# Source Note Template
Use this template when creating a new source note in the Librarian notebook. Source notes contain ONLY source material — no analysis, no theory, no commentary.
---
## Citation
**Full Citation:** [Evidence Explained format — specific-to-general: item, source, repository]
**Access Method:** [Original / Digital image of original / Microfilm / Database transcription / Published abstract]
**Repository:** [Where the source is held — archive, website, courthouse]
**URL:** [If online — include access date]
**Collection ID:** [FamilySearch film number, Ancestry collection ID, book/volume, etc.]
## Persons
| Name | Role/Relationship | Details |
|------|------------------|---------|
| [Name as written] | [Testator/witness/grantee/head of household/etc.] | [Age, occupation, mark vs. signature, other details from document] |
## Transcription
[Full or partial transcription of the document. Preserve original spelling, punctuation, and line breaks where practical. Use [sic] sparingly — only where ambiguity exists. Use [illegible] or [torn] for unreadable portions.]
## Discrepancies
[Note ONLY factual discrepancies within the document itself — e.g., name spelled two different ways, date inconsistency between heading and body. Do NOT include analysis of how this document relates to other sources.]
## Coverage
**Date Range Covered:** [For collections — what range was examined in this pass]
**Pages/Images Examined:** [e.g., Images 12-48, Pages 100-150]
**Previous Coverage:** [Link to prior examination if this collection was searched before]
---
**This note has no Open Questions or Tasks sections.** Questions and tasks arising from this source belong on the relevant person notes, not here.
**No tags on source notes.** Do not use `[fact]`, `[claim]`, `[question]`, `[todo]`, or `[insight]` tags. Source notes contain only source material. Analysis, insights, questions, and theories belong on person notes (with citations back to this source). Both come back in searches, so nothing is lost.