.png)
Every genealogy quest starts with a question. Mine began with a simple one: who were the men who served alongside my Civil War ancestor, William Townsend, in Ohio’s 133rd Volunteer Infantry, Company K?
What started with a unit roster and pension index has now evolved into something much larger. I’m determined to tell William’s story in a way that honors not just his service, but the experiences of those who fought beside him. But to stay on track, I have to be careful not to fall into endless rabbit holes of research. Instead, I’m focused on understanding the key details that reveal who these men were.
This is the third post in my genealogy research quest, and today, I’ll take you through how I expanded my initial findings by consulting a variety of records beyond the basics.
With each new discovery, my research spreadsheet has grown, adapting to capture the new information. But the goal remains the same: to answer questions that will help me paint a clearer picture of these soldiers' lives—before, during, and after the war—so I can weave their stories into my ancestor’s narrative.
Beginning the Journey: From Roster to Research
In the previous post, I explained how I started with two critical sources: a unit roster and a collection of pension records. These documents gave me a basic framework, but I knew they only scratched the surface. To truly understand who these men were, I needed more. So, I expanded my search, targeting records that would shed light on their lives outside of military service.
The first resources I consulted were:
Death records and Find A Grave: These are often discovered from death dates in the pension indexes.
Marriage records, or clues from the 1900 Census: Spousal clues were often in pension index records.
Census records from 1860 or 1870: Using clues from the roster, pension index, death, and marriage records, I looked for the 1860 census, or the 1870 if the 1860 was hard to find.
Additional military-related sources: 1890 census, Soldiers' Home Records, GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) documents, and Ohio Soldier Grave Registrations.
Adjusting My Genealogy Research Approach
One thing I quickly realized was that FamilySearch profiles weren’t as helpful for this project as I’d hoped. Instead, I found Ancestry to be a much more effective platform for locating the records I needed. With each discovery, my spreadsheet evolved. I added new columns for key details, helping me track everything more efficiently.
Here are some of the columns I included:
Alternate names: Sometimes, the roster names didn’t match those in the pension files. For instance, Samuel Dump was also known as Samuel Brown, and Eli Whight was actually Elias White.
Birthplaces: I noted the birthplaces of foreign-born soldiers to better understand the diverse backgrounds of these men.
Spouses and marriage dates: The pension records often listed different wives than those the men had before the war. Tracking these details helped me avoid confusion about their family situations.
Family connections: As I delved into census records, I discovered that many of the soldiers were related. Brothers, fathers, and sons served side by side, and their connections became an important part of the story I was uncovering.
↪️ Are you looking for more genealogy resources?
Grab your copy of FREE Genealogy Research Guides:
When the Spreadsheet Becomes Overwhelming
After two weeks, I had a research file full of data. In theory, I could have started writing the historical context of these men’s lives. Sure, there were still some gaps, but I could’ve begun outlining the general narrative.
However, there was something crucial missing from my spreadsheet. As any genealogist can relate, it’s that nagging feeling that more research is needed before you can truly begin. I’ll talk more about this "genealogy guilt" in my next post and how it led me down an unexpected seven-month tangent.
Curious About the Spreadsheet?
Want to see how I’ve structured all this data? Watch the full video, where I share my genealogy spreadsheet layout and dive into the specific records I found. You’ll see how my spreadsheet continues to expand with every new discovery.
You’ll see how I worked through this ambitious project step by step. And if you haven’t already, subscribe to Family History Fanatics for more tips and strategies on making your family history research more fun and fulfilling.
Remember, if family history isn’t fun, you’re doing it wrong!
Join the Conversation
What do you think of my approach so far? Is there a record set you’d consult that I haven’t mentioned? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to check out the video for a deeper dive into the data!
