If you’ve looked for help from a professional genealogist with your lineage society application in a professional directory or genealogist listing, you may have noticed that you have a lot of options. Lineage society research is often used as an entry point for genealogists just getting started in the field. In other words, it’s sometimes treated as “easier”. Should it be?
How did this idea develop?
The idea of lineage society application research being somewhat easier developed from two trends, one historic and one very much present today. In today’s Genealogy, the portfolio is often treated as the ideal form of genealogical output. In other words, the work products used to test for certification (https://www.bcgcertification.org/) and accreditation (https://icapgen.org/) are given more weight than other types of work. However, that viewpoint forgets that those work products were largely designed for an academic setting or in a genealogy journal. Other fields, such as Forensic Genealogy, have adapted their work products to meet the needs of their specific setting. Lineage society applications have done the same, but the field is struggling with the recognition that it is an adaptation rather than a lessening of standards. That’s partially due to the historic realities. While lineage society research standards have gradually moved closer to those of academic genealogy, historically they were quite a bit lower. It’s not uncommon to see applications from the late 1990s rely heavily on unsourced family genealogies. (There are still some societies using these past standards.) The combination of these two factors tends to underpin Genealogy’s conception of lineage society work.
What makes lineage society research different from academic research?
Realistically, goal and time constraints. Lineage societies base their membership on descent from a specific ancestor. The means the applicant is trying to demonstrate a lineal connection between themselves and that ancestor, possibly up to 15 generations apart. An academic project is typically much smaller, such as parentage of a single generation. Also, once received at the society, lineage society work has a review clock. Sometimes of six hours; sometimes of less. Academic research has no such clock. In other words, lineage society work has a bigger overarching goal, but, because of time constraints, allows for the use of fewer documents to achieve that goal.
That tends to lead to two things. First, a societies typically prioritize records believed “more reliable”. In many societies, vital records (civil registration) are required for a certain number of generations or where they might exist. Second, societies tend to rely on direct evidence. In other words, they want a document that states a date or a relationship. It can make things interesting when a vital record is wrong or that direct evidence doesn’t exist!
Is lineage research easier?
Nearly 15 years in, I would argue absolutely not. Because lineage society work can require tracing a family across the county, a genealogist needs to have a solid knowledge of records in numerous regions. They also need to have familiarity with the guidelines of the various societies; how to meet their proof standards; and how to address “complicated” situations.
What does that mean when you hire?
Ask questions! It’s that simple. Your researcher should be able to realistically explain their skills set, their strengths, their weaknesses, what societies they have not worked with, where they might need help, and more. If you feel unable to ask questions or aren’t getting enough clarity, that person probably isn’t a good fit.