Today, I’m searching the Ancestry.com database for World War I Draft Registration cards, 1917-1918. I’m looking for a lot of names, and I’ll use different search strategies for different names.
For example, when I search for the surname BUNTYN, I usually search three ways:
1. I search for the exact name
2. I truncate the name as BUNTY*
3. I use a wildcard for the Y and look for BUNT*N.
Depending on the results that I find with wildcard and truncated searches, I might also limit the search to a specific state.
Using this strategy, I searched for BUNTYN (all states), and this resulted in 30 hits. A search for BUNTY* resulted in 43 hits, while BUNT*N resulted in 765 hits. When I limit BUNT*N to Georgia, it resulted in 15 hits, as opposed to 4 hits for BUNTYN/Georgia.
I do these wildcard and truncated searches because the BUNTYN name has many variations, but usually Buntyn variations in the same vicinity are related.
Here are citation examples using the card of Price Williams Buntyn, my 2nd cousin 3 times removed and also my 3rd cousin 3 times removed.
Citations:
Source List Entry
“World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.” Database and images. Ancestry.com. http://www.ancestry.com : 2005.
First Reference Note
1. “World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 04 September 2007), Price Williams Buntyn, serial no. 3973, order no. 1708, Draft Board, Fulton County, Georgia; citing World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, NARA microfilm publication M1509; no specific roll cited.
Subsequent Note
10. World War I draft registration card for Price Williams Buntyn, serial no. 3973, order no. 1708, Draft Board, Fulton County, Georgia.
TMG:
Bibliography
“[TITLE].” Database and images. [ITAL:][SITE NAME][:ITAL]. [URL] : 2005.
Full Footnote
“[TITLE],” [RECORD TYPE], [ITAL:][SITE NAME][:ITAL] ([URL] : accessed [CD2]), [CD3], serial no. [CD4], order no. [CD5], Draft Board [CD6]; citing [ITAL:]World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918[:ITAL], NARA microfilm publication M1509; no specific roll cited<; ([CD7])>.
CD7 contains the specific citation details, for example: name shown as Price Williams Buntyn
Short Footnote
World War I draft registration card for [CD3], serial no. [CD4], order no. [CD5], Draft Board [CD6]<; ([CD7])>.
