Genealogical research requires knowledge of the times and places inhabited
by our families. A good example of the importance of this knowledge was cited
in the introductory pages of the original edition of The Source:
. . . one census might have John Smith born in Mississippi in 1813, while
another might say Alabama. In this case, you would need to know that Alabama
was created from Mississippi Territory in 1817. A death certificate might
list a nonexistent Yellow Bush, Mississippi, but a check of Mississippi
place-names might produce Yalobusha County. The problem of shifting political
boundaries should be obvious: a householder can appear in various counties or
New England towns without ever having moved. The solution in such cases is to
find a guide to those changing political boundaries; those containing maps
are especially helpful.
