Copyright © 2003-2023 James N. Jackson
For instance, to search for Orlando Willcox, click on 'W' and chose the proper range of names including "Willcox". For instance part of the page will be similar to the following:
Whitman, Martin I. - Wilbur, George
Wilbur, George W. - Williams, Barbara
Williams, Barbara J. - Williams, Wolcott B.
Click on the appropriate range of names and then scroll down to the person you are researching. This takes you to a page with information similar to the display below.
| NAME | SOURCE |
| Wilcox, O. B. | a6m17b:50; a6m24c:48; a6m42b:220; a6m44h:361; a6mbwf:71,144,174,260; a6mn01:5 |
| Wilcox, Orlando | a6m17b:64 |
| Wilcox, Orlando B. | a6m01b:1; a6mbmv:58; a6mbwf:175; a6mhsa:Port; a8mnt1:128; br__hj:59 |
| Willcox, O. B. | a2hwhh:211; a6m20b:6; a6m44h:361,500; a6mbmv:17,64,105; a6mhr1:89,111; a6mhr2:477-478,540; wydcne:27,122,126,143,169,276,284,297 |
| Willcox, Orlando | a6m44h:329; a6mhfa:37,41-42,50; a6mhfw:14; a8mcjk:32 |
| Willcox, Orlando B. | a6m01b:146; a6m24n:156; a6m44b:2; a6m44h:49,64,99,254,361,437,454,499,210F; a6mbmv:14,58-59,65,72; a6mhfa:29,20F,263,266; a6mhfw:14; a6mhr2:166; a6mhr3:966,987; a6mhrp:939; a6mxrm:114; a6mygm:9,21,31,93; a8mbgm:1; wydcne:5,147,311 |
| Willcox, Orlando B., Mrs. | wydcne:102 |
| Willcox, Orlando Bolivar | a6m44h:356; a6mhfa:21,37; a6mhjd:4 |
Note the various spellings for the same person, even in the same source. If this could occur for a well-known General and Medal of Honor recipient, think outside-the-box for searching for your own family. All entries are exactly as they appear in the source, so you may have to use your imagination to find the person you are looking for. This goes beyond other names they might have been known by e.g. Thomas vs. Stonewall Jackson but also consider the range of sources, diaries, official government documents, etc. used for this web site. For instance, plat maps usually do not list the complete name of the land owner, usually just the first initial of the first name, e.g. Lee, R., and sometimes due to restricted space, lists just L., R. Investigate all these possibilities throughout not just this website, but in your total research methodology.
These source codes may not make much sense, but to get a short title, just hover the mouse over the link for a tooltip type pop-up (go ahead, move your mouse over some source codes in the example above). If you click on a source code link, you will jump to the 'Source Material' page and see detailed information:
a2hwhm Western Historical Co. Memorial Record of the Northern Peninsula of Michigan 1895. Index by Alice Thompson, Lansing, Michigan Chapter, D.A.R., 1970. [6,504] 29 Apr 2005 OnLine PurchaseExplanatory notes are in green type. If a source was not indexed completely [Michigan ONLY], or a separate index produced by a third party was used, these notes would all be in green.
If there is an OnLine link, the source is available online for free. There are no sources available for viewing within this website, but these are authorized links, used by permission of the institute that digitized these public-domain originals. Click on the link (and remember the page number you have referenced).
If there is a Purchase link, this means the source is available for purchase, either in new or used condition. There are no sources for sale on this website (other than in my eStore link to the left), but these are links to authorized sellers on the web. (If there is no link, the source is either out-of-print, or possibly a one-of-a-kind manuscript that has never been published, but it still may be available through bookstores or online sites). Click on the link to purchase the book for your own collection or to donate to your local library. Keep in mind that there may be multiple publishers, and bindings, including Paperback, Hardcover and Kindle. I usually link to the Paperback, unless it is only available in Hardcover, or in those rare occasions when the Hardcover is cheaper than the Paperback. I included a few that are currently unavailable. These may become available, or not, but even these pages may provide additional information for your search, such as, ASIN/ISBN, number of pages, bookstore where it was last available, etc.
Also, you are making your purchase from a seller not in any way associated with this website, so do your research and chose the best option for your circumstances - these links should be a starting point so that you can get the best fit for your library. I should also add that some small genealogical societies may not have a secure website. This is due to having no members knowledgable in builiding websites. They are usually safe and you may have to print their order form and mail a check for your purchase, but just proceed with care. Secure sites will have https:// and a locked padlock symbol in front of the URL. An unsecured site will have http:// and a red line through the locked padlock.
The sources are followed by the number of entries in square brackets, e.g. [6,504]. The date in gray - 29 Apr 2005 - is when the source was added to this web site.
You may see multiple source listing for an individual. The method for tracking the original source is the same, however, you should be aware the reference may be for more than one individual, especially when looking up common names [See the FAQ page for more information].
Use this website as a search tool, but I would recommend using the index in the book once a source is located. This site does not include surnames only (Smith's farm, the Johnson creek, Anderson's horse), so don't overlook these citations that may be included in the back-of-the-book index.