The records left behind by an individual when he or she dies often speak volumes. My great-grandfather Holder died intestate in 1914. Her detailed inventory of his estate is an integral part of his probate packet. In it, she details that he had been president of the Rome Mercantile Company until six months prior to his death, at which time he became an agent of the State Mutual Life Insurance Co., handling its realty. She also indicated that Mr. Holder had been heavily involved in real estate investments in the area in and surrounding Rome, Georgia.
Obituaries are some of the most important sources for biographical details of our ancestors.
Don't neglect these valuable clues to your ancestral resumes. Once you have the records of your ancestor's occupation, you may be puzzled by their names. A pettifogger and a ripper are, in turn, a shyster lawyer and a fish seller. Well, don't be, because there are all sorts of sources for translation of these occupations into terms with which we are familiar. There are a number of excellent websites for determining the occupations of your ancestors.