The information provided on a city directory will vary. Some provide more or
less than others. A basic city directory will contain the name of the head of
household, their address, and the yellow pages. Usually a directory will also
include the place of employment, name of the wife, and at times the number of
people living in a household. Even a basic directory can be very helpful to
your search.
There are many to uses for a city directory that is beneficial to the
genealogist. One use is when there is not an index available for a particular
census. At times, especially in larger cities, there are cross indexes to a
census by street name. Using a city directory will provide you with the
family's address so that it can be easily located on a census. Even in this
use, a researcher may have to check the surrounding years, as your family may
have moved.
Another use is locating an approximate time of death. Checking for
the family on many city directories, you will locate when approximately a
person has died. Perhaps, it will also state the widow's name. On the other
hand, you may wish to know when a family moved to or from an area. This will
also provide you with an approximate year by checking several directories you
will learn when your family first shows up or is missing in an area.
Many researchers check only for the head of household; however, there are many
clues that can be missed. Always scan the surname for others living at the
same address. One can usually find other children who have become an adult. If
it is an uncommon surname, you can find information about other relatives as
well. When researching in this century, city directories are very helpful when
used in this manner, since the last census available at this time is the 1920.
The commercial section of a city directory has many uses as well. It will
provide you with information on schools, churches, funeral homes, cemeteries,
and other businesses. For example, you do not know what cemeteries were in
existence when your relative died. A researcher can search the city
directories and provide names and address for the cemeteries that existed at
that time.
Old City Directories
Tips
Do you have a difficult time locating the birth date when only the date of
death and age is known? Try this proven method called the 8870 Formula.
Example: The person died on March 10, 1873 and was 52 years, 4 months, and 19
days old.
18730310 (Year of death, month, and day)
subtract 520419 (Age at death years, months, and days)
total 18209891
subtract 8870 (Formula number)
18201021 (Date of birth)
This person was born on October 21, 1820.
When there are more than 30 days in the day section, subtract 30 from the days
and add 1 to the months. If you have over 12 in the months, subtract 12 and
add 1 to the years column.
Queries
Looking for info Alexander Basmajian born in Armenia 1881. He was a grocer and
restaurant owner here in Halifax, Nova Scotia , Canada. He md & had several
children. When or how he came to Canada we do not know. murron@sprint.ca
Seeking info on John BARBER, b 28 September 1820, d 19 January 1893 Cleveland
Co., NC; m (1) Sarah Ann Fergueson 29 February 1844; m (2) Mary Ann Goforth 27
September 1860. Parents? Siblings? Motaatom@aol.com
Looking for information on Native American inhabitants of Rocky Springs, Md.
in the early 1800's. Would like to know the tribes and perhaps surnames -
THOMAS CALE SALMONS MILLER DOYLE FOGLE LONG DAVIS SHOOK HAGARMAN
emopam@earthlink.net
Researching YAKE in Penn., Toronto, Ontario, Canada and Michigan. and VAN
ZAN(D)T in New York and Toronto,Ontario, Canada. jwatt@ica.net
Seeking Penn familes: Daup/LancCo:BRINE/BRIEN, HAMMA ,HAUTSCH, LEHMAN PETERS,
RUDY, SWARTZ, TR(A)(O)V)INGER, WOR(T)(K)MAN N'land Co:DUNKERT, MCCLOUD,
UnionCo:CULP/KOLB YorkCo:GIPE/GEIB), HAMM, HENSEL, RAYMOND/REIMON
SchuylCo:GOODMAN/GUTEMAN/GUTHMAN fitnesspro@juno.com
Looking for surnames -- from Fastov, UKR: BERZONER, COHEN from Ostrowiec,
Radom, Pol: COOPER,FLEISHMAN,POSNER (POIZNER) From Anywhere: PRITIKIN
dcooper@techie.com
Searching for a connection to Anastasia ENGLISH b approx 1870 in NYC. Married
Dennis O'NEIL bef 1898 in NYC. Three known children, John b 1898,Francis (a
priest) & Anastasia. davendeb@gte.net
Seeking information about a DELIGHT BELLE PHELPS, b. Vermont1825 ?,migrated to
Sheboygan Falls, Wi., 1850's, Quincy, Ill., 1860's, Chicago, Ill. 1870's.
Death ? debft@rpa.net
Looking for info on Benjamin Bates Rochester,NY. Sons Birney b.-1848-1849,
William b.-1850 He was a lawyer.sge42@yahoo.com
Info needed on John Sedrix Eves b.-1855 and Mary Ethel Robertson b.-1860 Lived
in Cedar Creek, Texas in 1890. John was a blacksmith. sge42@yahoo.com
Seek info JAMES DRUMMOND b=07Jul-1832 bn/lived in Perthshire, Scotland.
Brother DANIEL born/lived in Perthshire Sct. Both immigrated to Canada/lived
Pontiac Reg(Western Quebec). dblack@cyberus.ca
Looking for info on Blackely family from Ireland who also immigrated to
Canada/lived Pontiac Reg(Western Quebec). dblack@cyberus.ca
I am researching the surname of Dinwiddie, Dunwoody, Dunwoodie or of other
spellings. If anyone has any information please contact me at
dgripple@worldnet.att.com
Seeking "Billy ?", a.k.a. "Tarzan" -- in 1976, he was member of "Heaven's
Own", a motorcycle gang in Atlanta, GA. I don't have his last name, but this
is my biological father. Any info on him or the gang would be appreciated!
4christ@bellsouth.net
Looking for info on Henry Jefferson Dawson, b. 1835, GA. Mother b. in GA.
Father b. in TN. H J moved w/family to N. AL abt 1840. Henry Jefferson Dawson
left N. AL in 1853. Next, he m. Mary Jane Peppers in Uvalde, TX 1857. In Bee
Co. TX 1860. Mysaxsjan@aol.com
Looking for parents of Silas Ada Crumley (Crumbley) bn 06/07/1884 Wilkinson
Co., GA-----died 11/19/1955 in Laurens Co., GA. One sister Mary who md Taylor.
Ada as he was called md Lizzie Wommack, they had one son Mack Darwin.
dwarnock@planttel.net
Seeking info Heinrich Jacob POPPE & wife Johanna BRENNEKE-had three children
Will County, IL. bet 1862-1869. By 1870 they settled Marshall County, Kansas.
Their daughter Maria md my gr-grandfather, Wilhelm DISSMEYER.
PattyWhack@aol.com
All I know is that Robert GRANT was marrried on the 7 Jan 1717 to Joan(ne)
FARRANT in Ottery St Mary in Devon. I would like to trace Robert Grant and his
parents. How can I do this? peggy.grant@optinet.be
My husband comes from Durkay, Freeman and Speed and I come from Montemayor,
and Lara and Neco, or Neko EKOCLAN@aol.com
Additional Articles:
