The Missing Father and the Six-Week Deadline
You are hired by a client to identify the biological father of her grandfather, Thomas Reed, born 14 March 1921 in a rural Ohio county. Thomas was raised by his mother, Lillian Reed, and a man he called 'Uncle Will.' No birth record has been found; Ohio birth registration was uneven in that period, and the county health department has no entry. The client's budget is 15 hours, and she wants an answer for a family reunion in six weeks. Available materials include the 1930 census, Lillian's 1918 marriage record to a man who deserted her, WWI draft cards for the county, and an autosomal DNA test with a 212 cM match to a predicted second-to-third cousin.
1. State the research question and explain how you would distinguish it from adjacent questions the client may actually be asking. What does a well-formed question include here?
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Research question
The question is: 'Who was the biological father of Thomas Reed, born 14 March 1921 in [county], Ohio?' That is narrower than 'Who was Uncle Will?' and different from 'Who raised Thomas?' A well-formed question names the person, event, date, and place, and sets an evidence standard.
Why the distinction matters
The client may really want a name for a reunion, but the genealogical question is an identity question. I would clarify whether she will accept a probable father supported by DNA and indirect evidence or requires a civil record, which may not exist. I would also define scope: only Thomas's father, not his entire paternal line, because 15 hours cannot support a broader project. If she actually wants the story of Thomas's childhood, that is a different project and should be scoped separately.
2. Draft a prioritized research plan for the 15 hours. Justify the order and identify what you would drop if hours run short.
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Priorities
- DNA first (5–6 hours). Build a quick tree for the 212 cM match using public obituaries and census records, then look for a man in the right county in 1920–21. The match can generate candidate surnames independent of incomplete civil records.
- Household and marriage records (3–4 hours). Search the 1930 census and Lillian's 1918 marriage record for household composition and clues to 'Uncle Will.'
- Targeted county records (3–4 hours). Check draft cards and tax lists for men named Will, but only after a candidate surname emerges.
What to drop
If hours run short, drop the county-wide draft-card sweep. It is expensive in time and low yield without a candidate. Spend the time on DNA-tree building and one targeted record request instead. At 10 hours, deliver an interim memo so the client can decide whether to extend.
3. What will you tell the client at intake about the likely outcome, uncertainty, and the six-week deadline?
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At intake I would say: 'I can probably identify a candidate father or paternal family, but I cannot promise a named individual, and I cannot promise it in six weeks.' DNA at 212 cM is strong but is not a paternity test; it narrows relationships. Documentary records may be missing. I would set a 10-hour checkpoint, explain that a negative result is still a result, and ask whether she wants a private report or one suitable for distribution. I would also note that living people's privacy limits what goes in a reunion handout.