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  • Resources from Western Maryland

    Feb 21

    The state of Maryland has a long history, going back to 1634 as a colony and then admitted as the 7th state in 1788.   It is not a large state in land size, but based on its early and then later settlement, it has portions known as an eastern and western region.  Some of the western counties include Washington, Allegany and Garrett as well as Fre...

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  • Create Your Own Family Website

    Feb 19

    A new year and now half-way through the second month of this year, so how about trying something really different?  If you do not have your own family Internet site created by you already, begin your own family web site this month. The California based company called Weebly has made it so simple for anyone to design, set up and get their own web ...

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  • Recording Those Family Tall Tales

    Feb 17

    Everyone at some time in their lives has heard stories told by family members of ancestors who either met a famous person, accomplished some great feat, was a war hero, invented a time saving device or somehow brought honor and glory to the family name. There may also have been a few tales of the “black sheep” of the family who even had a shady...

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  • WDYTYA – Next Episode is Feb. 24th

    Feb 16

    No episode this Friday, February 17th, the next one is the following Friday, February 24th with the actor Blair Underwood on NBC at 8 pm Eastern Standard Time.  There were many surprises in store for Underwood as he journeyed to his original roots in the continent of Africa and then to his southern roots in America. There is always something new ...

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  • New York City Tenement Life

    Feb 15

    If you had to name the one location in America where many of our emigrant ancestors may have lived for years, it would have to be New York City.  It being a very large city, there were certain neighborhoods where different ethnic groups congregated. Those early immigrants usually had to live in small apartments on crowded streets with all types of...

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  • Celebrate Valentine’s Day the Genealogical Way

    Feb 13

    Besides seeing the unusual aspect of the name ‘Valentine’ as a given or surname in genealogy, this February holiday is also a great opportunity to learn a little bit more about any family ancestors or relatives who were born or married on or near Valentine’s Day.  If you see a couple who married around that date, it was more than likely rela...

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  • Valentine’s Day and Surnames

    Feb 11

    There are surnames such as Valentine, Love, Heart and Cupid. The family name of Valentine is English and comes from the Latin term ‘valens’ which means something very strong and healthy. Additional spellings for Valentine include Vallentine and Vallantine. Some notable individuals with the surname include Robert John Valentine who was a profess...

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  • Tonight – WDYTYA – Marisa Tomei

    Feb 10

    Marisa Tomei was born in 1964 in Brooklyn, New York.  Her family heritage is that of Italian-American. Her career as an actress on television, movies and the stage has won her many awards since 1983 with her biggest break in her performance in My Cousin Vinny in 1992. On the NBC prime time WDYTYA series with Marisa’s family journey of discovery...

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  • First Movie Entertainment Enjoyed By Our Ancestors

    Feb 9

    Traditional entertainment centered on the local singer, musician or theater play in a town. Once vocal recordings were created on early records and made available in the home the door was wide open for other forms of entertainment. Nothing captured the imagination of people everywhere like the movies shown in a theater on a large screen.  These f...

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  • Articles Collected by Cyndi’s List

    Feb 7

    One of the standards for amassing all the available genealogical resources and making it accessible to everyone for years has been Cyndi Ingle Howells with her ‘Cyndi’s List’. Her next step was to assemble the many family history / genealogical articles, stories and blogs that are created everyday.  She has put them in one place online with ...

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  • Ancestors in the ‘Big Easy’

    Feb 5

    After the massive destruction the city of New Orleans, Louisiana (the Big Easy) suffered in 2005 due to a hurricane, it is encouraging to see the New Orleans Public Library has an excellent biography and obituary index available on their web site. It has death notices and obituaries from various newspapers covering from 1804 to 1972. It alphabetica...

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  • Each U. S. State Archivist

    Feb 3

    There is the National Archives in Washington, D. C. which holds and preserves many of the nation’s most precious historical documents, images and recordings for future generations. In every U. S. state there is also a state archivist department in charge of saving that individual state’s history. To help oversee and cooperate such a massive job...

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  • Reminder – WDYTYA

    Feb 2

    Friday evening - Feb. 3rd, at 8 pm Eastern Standard Time on NBC prime-time network the third season of WDYTYA - 'Who Do You Think You Are?'  begins.  The hour -long program will be each Friday night. The first show will have actor, Martin Sheen.  His family background comprises Irish and Spanish heritage.  He was born in Ohio in 1940 and named ...

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  • Using Search Engines

    Feb 1

    One of the best resources for any family history researcher is the ability to find clues and even snippets of information at their fingertips. With the use of the world-wide web (Internet access) and a search engine, almost any topic, name, place can be located. When one thinks of search engines the first to come to mind is Google.  It has risen ...

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  • Google Alerts and Reader

    Jan 30

    With so much digital information available these days we have to stay organized or we could miss out on some new and worthwhile information. The Google search engine offers Google Alerts, an efficient method of being reminded when a topic, a surname, an article, a keyword of interest becomes available on the Internet. Instead of you taking time onc...

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  • Finding Headstones Far Away

    Jan 28

    The number of cemeteries across the United States is enormous; even for such a young nation. When you add in world-wide the cemeteries still in existence, there are millions of graves everywhere, all which represent our ancestors. There are many volunteers who have taken the time to visit cemeteries in their locality, photograph the headstones or ...

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  • Celebrities on ‘WDYTYA’ and ‘Finding Your Roots’

    Jan 26

    There is nothing better than watching professional genealogists in action to not only inspire you, but also provide that extra incentive for you to continue on your own family tree research. Starting on February 3rd, a Friday night at 8 p.m. Eastern and 7 p.m. Central, the Who Do You Think You Are? celebrity originated genealogical NBC network show...

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  • A Close-up Look at Records of London, England

    Jan 24

    The largest city in England, that of London, has been a major factor in millions of English citizens lives for centuries.  Even if you had an ancestor from another portion of England they were affected by what was done in London. The online site, London Lives, is so intriguing, rich in tens of thousands of manuscripts and fifteen databases to pro...

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  • Put It In PDF

    Jan 22

    Put it what and where? PDF stands for Portable Document Format. It has been around since 1993 and is a wonderful method to capture, store and share any type of document on anyone’s computer around the globe. Once photos, text, graphs, maps, drawings, etc. are in a PDF application they retain the original appearance. Many of the genealogical soft...

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  • Finding the Changing Boundaries of Counties

    Jan 20

    When attempting to narrow down hometowns for our ancestors you will quickly see that some towns no longer exist, were incorporated into another town, had a name change or is now part of a different county.  When looking about the name and location of a county, it is boundaries that have changed the most over the decades within the United States. ...

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  • The Eradication of an Ancestor’s Cemetery

    Jan 18

    That sounds pretty harsh, not only the closing to any further burials, but then the eradication and total destruction of a cemetery where one’s ancestors have been at peace and rest for decades.  The very thought does not even sound possible, but it is true and it has happened, even in more recent times. It might be imaginable that a tiny priva...

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  • Alberta, Canada – Proliferate Details

    Jan 16

    From the University of Alberta in Canada, is a very significance online site titled Peel’s Prairie Provinces which should help any family researcher learn more about the western Canadian province of Alberta.  There are several categories including images, newspapers, books, postcards, city directories, Illustrated War News of 1885, railways and ...

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  • Dayton, Ohio in Focus

    Jan 14

    Photos can ‘speak’ volumes about our ancestors and their lives long before we knew them. You might not have a family collection of images but those with relatives from Dayton, Ohio can find a nice collection of photos online at the Dayton History at the Archive Center.  Of course there won’t be photos from the area taken in 1810, but in gene...

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  • Indiana Wants Me

    Jan 12

    If you have ancestors from Indiana, you are in luck. The Indiana State Digital Archives has an expanded online site with many collections available to researchers. Right on the Home Page is an easy search box where you can select from some 2.8 million records in the categories of the Indiana Death Records, the Institution Records, Military Records,...

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  • Baby Names – Popular Ones Over the Ages

    Jan 10

    There will be several new babies born the first part of January - New Year Babies - and it is always interesting to see what a child will be named.  We all have ancestors with some very unusual given names that make us stop to think --- what were their parents thinking? I have a set of great grandaunts in one family where the females all had rhym...

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  • The Return of WDYTYA

    Jan 9

    In four weeks the third season of Who Do You Think You Are? (WDYTYA) returns to the American prime time television network of NBC.  It is set for Friday evenings at 8 p.m. Eastern and 7 p.m. Central starting on February 3, 2012. This show, which originated in the United Kingdom, has a celebrity embark on a journey of self-discovery as they attemp...

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  • Polish-American Ancestors in World War One

    Jan 8

    There can be numerous unknown events our ancestors were part of that can only be learned with a little additional research. One fact is that many Americans wanted to fight in Europe beginning in 1914 during the Great War (World War One) because that was their native homeland.  Only problem was that the United States did not enter the war until Apr...

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  • The Overlooked Female Ancestors

    Jan 6

    It is always great to see new and interesting databases and Internet sites established that assist the researcher in learning more about their ancestors, especially our female ancestors.  This site titled Women Working 1800 - 1930 is done by the Harvard University Library - Open Collections Program. Women’s History is presented on the site in a...

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  • Images of the United Kingdom

    Jan 4

    Just like the United States National Archives has a wonderful collection of online images spanning many decades, so does the National Archives of the U.K.  If a researcher has any family ancestors originally from England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland this image library of the National Archives of the U. K. is well worth viewing. The image ...

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  • Preservation of Newspapers, Scrapbooks and Photos

    Jan 2

    Sometimes it can be amazing now long certain heirlooms we possess have lasted over the years. Yet, the question arises, how many have faded, been torn or even crumbled and lost to the ages?  So that is why it is so important to make every effort to preserve those documents, photos and paper items now. Newspapers were never meant to last. They wer...

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  • Ideas for the New Year 2012

    Dec 31

    A fresh start, a new year and a great opportunity to achieve some genealogical goals relating to your family history. First, have a positive attitude. Researching our ancestors is extremely rewarding, but does require patience and continuing to be persistent in your quest.  If you believe you can collect, organize, save and share all the family hi...

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  • America’s Joyous Music

    Dec 30

    The Library of Congress has such a vast storehouse of all things relating to America’s people, events and history. Not to be forgotten is the collection of music that our ancestors played, danced, listened or sang to over the decades. At the online site for the Library of Congress is the National Jukebox with some 10,000 of the recordings anyone ...

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  • A Potpourri of Genealogical Data

    Dec 29

    It is nice to come across an online site that has a large selection of sources and information for the family researcher.  Since 2006 there has been such a site titled Genealogy Trails which has compiled genealogical information from numerous sources. What makes this so amazing is that the collection of transcribed names, families, dates, facts, t...

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  • New Year’s Resolutions – the Beginnings

    Dec 28

    The time honored New Year’s resolutions go back to 2000 B.C. when the ancient Babylonians of the Middle East held their spring and fall equinoxes festivals.  A new year was  the New Moon, the first visible crescent after the Vernal Equinox, the first day of spring. Back then, people marked the beginning of a New Year by returning borrowed items...

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  • Native Americans

    Dec 26

    The Native American Indians can be a difficult research for family lineage.  Today, numerous people claim to be ‘part-Indian’; however there were many years when it was not acceptable to say you had any Native Indian blood relations. People hid the fact they may have had a full-blood grandmother who was Cherokee or any other Indian tribe. Name...

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  • Christmas Traditions from Around the World – Part 2

    Dec 24

    The singing of Christmas carols began in England in the early 1400s. They were mostly ‘tall tales’ of the first Christmas in Bethlehem. During the Puritan reign in England of the 1600s the celebration of Christmas was stopped including the singing of carols. By the early 1800s the singing of carols began again with singers known as ’Waits’,...

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  • Christmas Traditions from Around the World – Part 1

    Dec 23

    In doing your family history research it is an opportunity to see how much your life style, briefs and traditions are influenced by the ethnic and cultural practices from other countries. What better opportunity than with the family favorite Christmas traditions. Here are some examples of customs at Christmas and where they originated. From Mexico...

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  • Your Ancestor — The Inventor

    Dec 22

    A great expanded updated search engine site done by Google is titled ‘Google Patents’ and it allows you to research for any and all patents submitted by any person in the United States from the 1790s to the present time.  This is far more complete than earlier databases for patent searches. Its sources are the official United States Patent and...

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  • Zero in on an Ancestor

    Dec 20

    OK, you have worked on your family tree and have the pedigree chart in good shape with numerous names, dates and locations. The next step is to zero in on just one ancestor.  That person could be a grandmother, a great uncle, your father or a great-great-great grandmother; any one relative who intrigues you the most can be selected. Start by keep...

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  • FamilySearch & YouTube

    Dec 18

    With the newer technology it has become so simple and convenience to view on your home computer or on a mobile device short videos.  The FamilySearch site (connected with the Family History Centers --- Latter-Day Saints Church of Salt Lake City) have now begun producing some interesting instructional short videos which are viewed through the YouTu...

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  • Add Some Ethnic Christmas Customs – Part 2

    Dec 16

    To embrace your family’s ethnic background try to incorporate a few traditional ethnic Christmas customs. Here are some additional customs. For the ‘land down under’ - Australia, Christmas comes in the middle of their summer weather. Having family picnics is a popular method to celebrate Christmas. A favorite decoration is the native red-flo...

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  • Add Some Ethnic Christmas Customs

    Dec 15

    You have learned some of your family’s ethic and cultural background, why not add a touch of your family’s ethnic traditional customs in celebrating Christmas with the family this year?  Traditional customs can vary tremulously and have also been modified over the decades.  This is where you can enhance this Christmas season with some special...

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  • Pandemics and Your Ancestors-Part 2 – 20th Century

    Dec 14

    By the early 1900s there was a sharp decline in diphtheria and influenza.  With use of vaccination, smallpox was much less a threat. Areas were being cleaned up. The medicine sciences were learning the causes and treatments for some diseases. Yet, there would still be some major pandemics.  In Hawaii and then San Francisco the citizens suffered a...

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  • Pandemics and Your Ancestors – Part I

    Dec 12

    When an epidemic of an infectious disease kills thousands of humans across vast regions it is referred to as a ‘pandemic’.  It is far less common in the world in the 21st century, however throughout history in every location in the world our ancestors could find themselves in the midst of a pandemic. By understanding some of these regional and...

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  • Finished Researching Your Family?

    Dec 10

    You have spent months or maybe even years researching and gathering anything and everything you can on your family ancestors.  Most of the photos you have gathered are labeled; the documents are sorted and placed in organized files for easy reference. You have managed to keep an accurate and up-to-date pedigree chart with names and information on ...

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  • Blending Family History with the Holiday Gifts

    Dec 8

    Here are some suggested ideas to blend family history with some holiday gifts and cards: Rather than placing a written name tag on gifts instead us an old photo of that person, especially as a child to identify who is getting the gift.  It might just keep everyone guessing. Place on cardstock and print the images out.  It serves as a special kee...

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  • Databases – Attack on Pearl Harbor

    Dec 7

    Even if you had no ancestors stationed in Hawaii during the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, your parents, grandparents, great grandparents were deeply affected by this sudden bombing of U. S. Naval ships and facilities. In remembering on this 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, it is of benefit to examine some of the resources about the pe...

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  • VMI – Databases With Possible Ancestors

    Dec 6

    The most fascinating aspect of looking for information on your ancestors is that you never know where the next great resource will come from.  One very nice online site; VMI - Virginia Military Institute, has a great archive about the VMI alumni.  It is very possible you may have never considered the possibility that an ancestor attended the Virg...

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  • Italian Club Offers Assistance

    Dec 4

    It is essential to learn your family ethnic background when doing your family tree.  There are numerous organizations and clubs who solely focus and assist individuals of a particulate ethnic group. One of the major organizations in the United States is ‘POINT’ which stands for ‘Pursuing Our Italian Names Together.’  Their goal is to help...

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  • Your Ancestor’s Daily Paper

    Dec 2

    Today with so many current print items (newspapers and magazines) no longer actually printed, but rather in digital format, it can be a great advantage that our ancestors did have the traditional print newspaper, that they were saved and now can be in a digital form to be viewed anywhere, anytime.  The newspapers of yesteryear were filled with eve...

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  • Understanding the Julian to Gregorian Calendar

    Nov 30

    Numerous times you will see where an ancestor’s birth, marriage or death date are written May 11, 1712/1713 and you are not sure which year the event actually occurred.  This is due to a change in the type of calendars used and when they were adopted. First, an explanation of each calendar. The Julian calendar was created by Julius Caesar back ...

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  • Seasonal Gifts for the Family History Researcher – Including You

    Nov 28

    Time for Christmas or Hanukkah shopping is with us and trying to come up with the perfect gift can be difficult.  If you have a friend or relative who does the family research there are many cool selections to aid any researcher - novice or advanced.  This includes you, if you do the research - here are some ideas to add to your ‘want list.’ ...

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  • Scenes of Old New York City

    Nov 26

    Finding any old photographs is of great assistance to historians and those researching their family background. With so many people having lived at one time or another in the many boroughs of New York, the online collection of vintage photos offers a wonderful treasure chest to explore. The site, Photographic Views of New York City, 1870s - 1970s,...

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  • A ‘Blacksheep’ Pilgrim – Continued

    Nov 25

    The continued story of Pilgrim - John Billington. John Billington and his family were on the Mayflower and came to Plymouth in 1620. They all survived the first harsh winter of 1620-1621.  They celebrated their first harvest with a feast which would eventually be known as ‘Thanksgiving.’ By 1622, John Billington expressed his dissatisfacti...

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  • A ‘Blacksheep’ Pilgrim or the First American Individualist?

    Nov 24

    People generally have the notion that the Pilgrims of the Plymouth Colony in the 1620s were a very docile, proper group of people, just seeking a new homeland to worship as they saw fit.  Yet, that original group of 102 passengers on the tiny Mayflower ship of 1620 was quite diverse. The following is about one family who stood out from the rest at...

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  • How to Search for Pilgrim Ancestors

    Nov 22

    You would think the place to start researching for any ancestral Pilgrims would be with each of the surviving Pilgrims and work toward the present time.  Only that is the very hard way since there can be so many descendants. If a Pilgrim couple had nine children and each of those children had five or more children the numbers very quickly add up. ...

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  • You Might Be a Descendant of the Original Pilgrims

    Nov 20

    This time of year near Thanksgiving one reflects on those brave souls on the Mayflower ship who came to a new land on November 11, 1620. Generally, everyone refers to all those individuals as ‘Pilgrims’ but in truth only 41 were Pilgrims.  Many others were indentured servants, paid servants and hired workers to assist the Pilgrims set and run ...

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  • A Source for Family History Books

    Nov 18

    You are working hard to gather facts, stories and information on your ancestors.  You hope you might eventually put the photos, information and documents you have located into a book about your family over the decades. However, did you think maybe someone, another one or generations before you, may have already done that very process? That is why...

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  • The ‘Forgotten’ Ancestors in Hospitals and Asylums

    Nov 16

    Today there are so many organizations and medical faculties to help treat and care for individuals with special needs; such as those afflicted with mental disorders, dementia or handicaps. However, that was not the case for most of America’s history. Families generally kept a relative in their home, rarely going outside, keeping them isolated fro...

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  • History and Your Ancestors from Tennessee

    Nov 14

    An amazing online site titled; ‘Tennessee Virtual Archive’   has a superb series of collections which span the 19th and 20th century history, people, events and culture of Tennessee. This region dates back to the 18th century when it was part of North Carolina and even the short-lived State of Franklin which would ultimately become part of th...

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  • “The Descendants” – the Movie

    Nov 13

    At first glance you might think such a movie title is just perfect for anyone interested in family history.  Even though it is set in contemporary times it does offer some similar complex events faced by many of our ancestors or ourselves in parallel situations. True, this is a Hollywood movie starring George Clooney, but it is a family story of ...

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  • ‘Characters in a Drama’

    Nov 12

    In a recent article and book written by Mark Whitaker, CNN’s managing editor, he covers about his own search for his family’s history.  He compared his family members, like all other individuals from anyone’s family, as  ‘characters in a drama.’  Learning there is truly a distinctive element in every family story; Mark stated that all ...

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  • Documents on Military Veterans

    Nov 10

    With the National Veterans Day celebrations annually on November 11th, it is time to may sure that you have identified any military veterans on your family tree.  First, become knowledgeable of when the United States was engaged in any war. There is a good timeline and explanation of military operations online with wikipedia.  This includes the y...

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  • Need Some Help – Use a Video Tutor

    Nov 8

    Everyone needs some instruction when either learning a new skill, activity or trying to advance their knowledge.  In doing your own family history; learning how and what are the best methods is also very important.  There are numerous books, online sites and classes where genealogical skills can be perfected.  Most of the local genealogical soci...

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  • An Archive of Historic Photos of California

    Nov 6

    If you have any ancestors who lived along the central California coast from the mid-1800s to the end of the 20th century, you will want to check out a massive collection of photos placed online by California Views.  Most of the images in their archives are from the central coastal region, especially in the Monterey district.  However, they have a...

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  • Panorama of Cincinnati in 1848

    Nov 4

    The mighty Ohio River flows alongside the city of Cincinnati, Ohio.  This city which looks south into Kentucky was first settled in 1788 and formally became a city in 1819.  With the advent of steam navigation on the Ohio River in 1811 and the building of the Miami and Erie Canal, the city witnessed a tremendous growth. It developed quickly, with...

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  • A Family’s Unknown Tale from a Document

    Nov 2

    Never think there is by no means nothing new that can be learned about our ancestors, they can literally be full of surprises. Bits and pieces about events can spring toward in the most unusual places.  With the 21st century Internet technology, finding some of those previously unknown occurrences can become easier. A recent example was an 8 ½ i...

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  • Additional Civil War Records from FamilySearch

    Oct 31

    So many family researchers have ancestors who were part of the American Civil War (1861-1865) that we are always looking for new and additional resources to help confirm or provide new information about those soldiers who served.  The FamilySearch web site had just added recently many new records, free to the public. There are now millions of new ...

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  • Transcripts of Letters & Photos from Canadians

    Oct 29

    Wouldn’t it be great to come across a letter written by a great grandfather that no one in the family had any idea existed? That is a possibility with the online site titled Canadian Letters and Images Project. Through the donation of family members, researchers and even strangers who have come across orphan letters and photos, the project leade...

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  • Any Famous Welsh Ancestors?

    Oct 27

    The western-central portion of the Great Britain is known as Wales and many people have ancestors who originated from this region. Wales has actually been joined to England politically for over 475 years, so the English and Welsh relationship is very close.  This mostly mountainous landscape has approximately three million people today. In resear...

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  • U. S. Military Soldiers Buried Overseas

    Oct 25

    The United States Military branches have tried over the decades to fulfill a commitment to bring every single American soldier back home, even those killed in battle. Yet, over the 20th century with the many wars, it was not always possible.  So special cemeteries, considered American property, were constructed on foreign soil for those fallen sol...

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  • The Closing Down of RAOGK

    Oct 24

    One of the most useful genealogical resources for over a decade has been the many volunteers from across the United States in all locations associated with the online site “Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness” (RAOGK). These local volunteers took email requests from people across the country needing assistance obtaining documents from an ances...

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  • Saline County, KS – Coroner’s Records

    Oct 23

    For anyone having ancestors from and around Saline County in Kansas there is an enthralling database in PDF format online. In transcript form are written out in alphabetical order the surname and given name for each person who died in Saline County for which a coroner was requested to help explain why the person died. Saline County, founded in 1858...

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  • Grandfather at Age 17 – School Yearbook

    Oct 21

    Yes, that would be a great find, locating a school yearbook photo or even a write-up about an ancestor from their school days. Not all yearbooks have photos -- that additional aspect mainly came during the early 20th century. However, yearbooks and similar school memory books, journals, class rosters or alumni lists have been available  since the ...

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  • Finding North Dakota Death Records Back to 1881

    Oct 19

    The state government of North Dakota has made investigating about any possible death record on an ancestor in that state much easier. On the site North Dakota Public Death Index there is a simple search box.  Just two items have to be included. One is the surname of the individual you are looking for and a death date range. On the surname you may...

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  • Locating the Ancestral Lineage of an African-American Slave Family and their Owner’s Family

    Oct 18

    A major economic and social component in America’s history was the ownership of American slaves, a practice that not only helped build a region, but would eventually cause its downfall. Yet, slavery was far more than a financial aspect, it was a major social and cultural element in the fabric of all Americans during the 18th and 19th centuries. I...

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  • Why Keep Old Family Stuff (Oh, I Mean Heirlooms)?

    Oct 17

    Some families are very fortunate that many personal items from their grandparents or earlier ancestors have remained in the family lineage and passed down over the decades. In some cases there is so much that has been saved, that some people feel overwhelmed keeping so much of someone else’s property or stuff. However, there are solutions to kee...

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  • Any Michigan Ancestors?

    Oct 15

    In an early August FamlyTree Genealogy Blog the online site ‘Seeking Michigan’ and its death records from 1897 to 1920 were explained. This same site has even more to offer a researcher with ancestors from the state of Michigan. Their large Michigan Collection is divided into other aspects of her people and history that makes up Michigan. Ther...

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  • The Photo Faces of America

    Oct 13

    The United States Library of Congress has joined with the online photo site ‘Flickr’ to help bring the massive collection of photo images to the homes of researchers. Inspecting this homepage offers up such a variety of topics. Known as the Library of Congress’ Photostream, there are seventeen major set of photos.  They range from images d...

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  • Maps From the United States, Europe, South America and Beyond

    Oct 11

    It is wonderful that maps were made decades and centuries ago which now offer up a window into places across the United States and other continents. The land has always been there, but names of regions, villages, towns, states have changed over the years. An interesting online site, titled David Rumsey Historical Map Collection helps to provide th...

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  • Old U. K. Directories and What They Offer

    Oct 10

    Many family researchers find English ancestors in their lineage. Some immigrates were coming to America in the 1600s and others in the 1900s. My own father, his immediate and extended family came from Manchester, England arriving at different periods between 1893 and 1914. By tracing these family branches, using the U.K. censuses and vital records ...

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  • A Blend of History and Genealogy on Television

    Oct 9

    The television show “Who Do You Think You Are?” originated in the United Kingdom about nine years ago and is hugely popular each season there. They also love their historical programs.  So the history channel in Britain, called ‘Yesterday’ is joining forces with web site findmypast.co.uk to bring to the British viewing public a mixture of ...

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  • Discovering Any Wyoming Roots

    Oct 7

    Not all our ancestors remained in Northern or Southern regions of the United States, or along the Pacific coast. Many people ventured out to the wide-open ranchland and mountainous locations of this nation.  The state of Wyoming is an excellent example of an area with open high plains, foothills of the Rocky Mountains as well as full mountainous r...

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  • Getting the Most from the U. S. 1880 Federal Census

    Oct 5

    The 1880 U.S. Federal Census, under U.S. President was Rutherford B. Hayes, was the tenth enumeration of the United States population and represented more than a 30% growth in the country compared to the 1870 census. Many of our ancestors came from Europe, Canada, South America or Asia during the 1860s and 1870s, so it is understandable the nation...

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  • Family History Month Across the U. S.

    Oct 4

    All across America during the month of October is celebrated National Family History Month. This concept started off small with different genealogical societies in several states back in the 1990s.  Within a few years the idea caught on and was eventually recognized by the Federal Legislature and Executive branches, so proclaiming a National Famil...

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  • Your Ancestral German Towns and Cities

    Oct 3

    So many of us within the United States, England, Australia and Canada have ancestors who originated in Germany. Just looking at the many German-based surnames such as Schroeder, Bixler, Groff, Smythe, Braun, Neumann, Schwarz, Kaiser, Klein and Hahn to name a few; nearly everyone has some German heritage. In doing your family history research you m...

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  • Your Ancestors As Inspiration at Halloween

    Oct 2

    With only about 29 days remaining before Halloween, you may be giving serious thought to what fantastic costume you’ll be wearing to that big Halloween party or event. With the popularity of the television show “Who Do You Think You Are?” and the enormous following the genealogical hobby has, you just might have the answer on your family pedi...

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  • Hawaiian Marriages-Divorces and Deaths

    Oct 1

    The islands of Hawaii had been a territory of the United States for a long before it became the 50th state on August 21, 1959. The main islands are Hawaii, Lanai, Oahu, Maui, Kahoolawe, Molokai, Kauai, and Niihau. Before it was a U.S. territory the islands were an independent kingdom from 1810 to 1893 and then an independent republic from 1894 to 1...

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  • Free Search of the Mortality Schedules Database

    Sep 30

    Besides the U. S. Federal Census records which are done every ten years starting in 1790, the United States also had included during certain years a mortality schedule to record those American individuals who had died the previous year. These additions were done during the 1850 through the 1880 Federal census years. When the census taker asked if a...

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  • WDYTYA – Celebrities Uncover The Truth About Their Ancestors

    Sep 29

    The British hit television series "Who Do You Think You Are?" (WDYTYA) started in October 2004, showcasing about six U. K. celebrities as they go on a journey to discover their family history. The show is still going strong with its Series 8 airing August through October 2011. The American version with the same name as this British show began Marc...

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  • Newspapers, Photos and Postcards of New York

    Sep 27

    Some of most creativity Internet sites for genealogical information are put together by original citizens, not just governmental agencies. So those fellow researchers who have taken the extra step to display their collection of information for others to share are highly applauded. There is a great such site titled Fulton History but this is not ...

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  • Finding an Image of Your Ancestral Ship

    Sep 25

    Since most Americans and their ancestors were immigrates, the majority arrived to these shores on ship. The greatest influx of people coming across the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans was from the 1870s to the 1930s. If you have some ancestors who made that journey, a must-have for your family history collection is an image of that ship. The free onlin...

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  • Create a Historical TimeLine on Your Ancestors

    Sep 23

    There is always something new out on the Internet to add sparkle and interest to your family research. The site titled OurTimeLines has a charming and super simple method to put together a timeline of historical events that any particular ancestor may have experienced or lived through. Once you see and then study further some of the local, national...

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  • Images of the New England Region

    Sep 21

    So many people have roots in the six New England states;  Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine; that it essential you explored as much as possible about the region, especially if you do not live near that section of the country.  Using the online site; Historic New England, it offers a variety of interesting ...

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  • The Other Half of Our Ancestry

    Sep 19

    It is very unfortunate that many of our female ancestors do not get the full recognition that the male lineage obtains by family history researchers.  Check your family pedigree chart and you will have numerous locations along a female line that just the first name is filled in and no maiden name.  Those lines are at a stopping point until more c...

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  • Delaware County, PA – Index of Vital Records

    Sep 17

    As you are compiling some family research, sometimes all you need is a small clue, a hint of an ancestor’s birth date or location to put you on the right track.  When different counties within a state make available their records more conveniently online, even if they are just an index (a listing), it can be a great assistance.  Once you know a...

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  • Vital Records for Dutch Ancestors

    Sep 15

    The nation of The Netherlands in Western Europe has been keeping records of births, marriages and deaths since 1811, which is 200 years. Online is an excellent database in digital form of transcribed records. The site is titled: Genlias. They continue to add new information to the site, including records from the various Dutch colonies; like the...

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  • New York Italian Heritage Resource & Others

    Sep 13

    Many cultural and ethnic groups make up the United States and none is stronger than those with ancestors originally from Italy.  Besides the numerous regional, state and local Italian societies and clubs across the country there is an organization called the Italian Genealogical Group whose purpose is to promote the Italian heritage and genealogy....

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  • A Lesson from 9/11—Share and Help Where You Can

    Sep 11

    The following is an extra long blog for this 10th anniversary of Sept. 11th, but relates how genealogy can help heal even the deepest wounds. Above is a photo of Ralph Kershaw. Disbelief, just utter and total disbelief, was our reaction at what we were watching on the television that fateful September 11th morning.  The national news was rep...

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  • California News

    Sep 9

    There is a wonderful free collection from the CDNC - California Digital Newspaper Collection which is online. This source can be extremely useful for researchers with any ancestors from the California area. There are a variety of newspapers from several regions in the state.  Everything from the California Star & California, the Daily Alta Cal...

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  • The Benefits in U. S. City Directories

    Sep 7

    Previously unknown information on our ancestors can be discovered using city directories. These printed booklets, also known as registers or gazettes,  are like windows opening up into a certain time period featuring the industries, stores, occupations, churches, organizations and citizens of a given area. Even some of the smallest towns across th...

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  • What Does That Given Name Mean?

    Sep 5

    While searching for our ancestors one can become quite intrigued at some of the given names of a grandfather, uncle, cousin or great grandmother that are located.  All given names in any country go in cycles of which are popular at that moment in time. Some names remain popular for more than a hundred years and others for less than a decade. To a...

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  • Locate Some Old Photos

    Sep 3

    The heart of any collection of genealogy records are the vintage family photos, drawings, paintings or illustrations that can be gathered.  Yes, you have checked with your grandparents, your aunts or cousins and thought that you had assembled all the photos or images available. Numerous times undiscovered images can be found in the most unlikely p...

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  • Finding Refugees Who Fled into Switzerland

    Sep 1

    During the Second World War in Western Europe, beginning in the late 1930s, many individuals and families fled from other European nations to find safety in neutral Switzerland. Some were natives of other countries, but many who came back to Switzerland were also Swiss citizens. The Swiss Archives have put together a database of some 25,604 indivi...

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  • Unseen Views of Crime and Poverty in London – 1680-1820

    Aug 30

    It is amazing some of the documents that have survived over the centuries. England does have a long tradition of keeping records for all types of events, from the grand to the common and ordinary. Since many people have some English background in their ancestry, there is an extremely interesting online site that should be investigated, even if you ...

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  • Discovering Family Secrets – A Real Case

    Aug 28

    Parents don’t necessarily discuss with their children every aspect of their life, figuring the youngsters might not comprehend some adult issues.  However, once those children are adults, in charge of their own lives would seem to be the perfect time to discuss earlier events covering the parent’s life.  When that is not done, the parent’s ...

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  • Gold Mine Found With Family Histories

    Aug 26

    Libraries, museums and genealogical societies across the country are the keepers for many family histories that have been written over the decades. Copies can be held by numerous families members, but many times those family histories written years ago also are in estate sales and lost to the family. Fortunately, many such family history books hav...

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  • Appreciate Our Ancestors’ Early Historical Events

    Aug 24

    So you were not paying attention during high school American history class and now you are not sure of the events during the American Revolutionary War or the Pilgrims of the New England colonies. Yet, these are the great and more important elements that directed affected not only America as a young nation, but most assuredly our ancestors. For an...

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  • Start with a Good General Search Site

    Aug 22

    If you are just beginning or have been doing family history research for awhile, it is always beneficial to check out some of the basic online genealogical sites.  A good overall general site is Access Genealogy. It has been and remains a free resource online for genealogical data. The original backbone to the site over ten years ago was informat...

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  • Views of Pittsburgh, PA

    Aug 20

    In recent years there are new and exciting additions coming online for researchers.  One that is especially fabulous are the collections of photographs of the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during the 20th century. True, this will have a limited audience of researchers with ancestors from that city, but if you did have any relatives from that we...

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  • Marriages in Westmoreland County, PA

    Aug 18

    Being that Pennsylvania is one of the original 13 states and long has been established, many of our ancestors could have originally lived in Pennsylvania or in a neighboring state. The county of Westmoreland was founded on February 26, 1773 and was recognized as the first county in the colony of Pennsylvania which was located west of the Allegheny ...

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  • Newest Query Site – GenQueries

    Aug 16

    It is a bit exciting to be in the early stages of a new project, one that is just getting started.  When you investigate the fairly recent online free database GenQueries for genealogy queries you will see the potential of another source of information and reaching other researchers. This service was developed by the well-known Eastman’s Online ...

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  • Floods, Tornadoes, Earthquakes, Etc. Part of Your Ancestral History?

    Aug 14

    All regions across the United States and other countries around the world have experienced numerous natural disasters over the years.  It is not a nation’s government affected as it is the individuals - the families who must then struggle to put their homes and lives back together after any disaster. A unique online site known as GenDisasters a...

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  • Details About St. Louis Neighborhoods

    Aug 12

    The major mid-west city of St. Louis, Missouri along the mighty Mississippi River has long been an important community in the development of America.  It has served as the home to countless native citizens and new immigrants to the country over the decades. It has the nickname of ‘Mound City’ and ‘The Gateway to the West’. The famous ‘Ga...

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  • Try a Search Engine Designed for Family History

    Aug 10

    The use of the general Internet search engines is invaluable, especially Google. There seems to be nothing it can not locate, if it is on the World Wide Web.  Google Books is a wonderful addition, quickly locating a certain name, place or historical event in a digital book copy within moments and on the exact page. Of course using a search eng...

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  • Database Resources for a Few Canadian Relatives

    Aug 8

    With the United States bordering Canada it is only natural that many U. S. ancestors may have lived in provinces of Canada over the centuries. Many ancestors also first came to North America from Europe or Asia to settle in Canada.  So it is worth reviewing any databases with Canadian information. In the web site That’s My Family there are ...

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  • Scenes of Old Richmond, Virginia

    Aug 6

    The fine city of Richmond, Virginia dates back to the early 1700s. A region known in those early years for coal mining and its fine agriculture had the city of Richmond developed by Colonel William Byrd II in 1737. He selected the city’s name of Richmond for the area of Richmond, England where the Thames River flows through it just as the James ...

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  • Finding Answers On A Tiny Piece of Paper

    Aug 4

    As you research your family, always check and investigate everything piece of information you come across, for you never know what interesting bit about the family can be discovered.  The following illustrates just such an example that happened in my research. Wedged deep in between the pages of the family Musselman Bible was the tiniest sliver o...

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  • Online Michigan Death Records 1897 – 1920

    Aug 2

    The state of Michigan has made available online actual images of Michigan death certificates for the family history researcher. The site known as Seeking Michigan which is a take-off the state motto; “If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.” With Michigan’s long history and fairly large population over the years, there are many rese...

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  • The Northern Irish Ancestor

    Jul 31

    There are two Irish regions, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland which is part of the  United Kingdom. Over the decades many Irish families, especially those from the northern region of the emerald isle, have resettled in England, Scotland or Wales.  So to help locate some additional vital records on any ancestors from the Northern Irela...

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  • The Soldiers of New Jersey 1861 to 1865

    Jul 29

    Learning of any ancestors who served during the American Civil War is essential. For those researchers with family ties to New Jersey there is an online database which makes the search much easier.  The Records of Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Civil War, 1861 to 1865 is part of the N. J. State Library Information Center. The digital databa...

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  • Why Bother Finding Your Ancestors?

    Jul 27

    Boy, that question may have been asked of you more than once. You may have even now questioned yourself why you are putting in the time and effort to research about your ancestors. You should re-examine your motives from time to time, especially during those times when you hit nothing but road blocks in your research.  Well, hopefully the followi...

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  • A New Organizational Family Site

    Jul 25

    It is great to discover any new method for organizing one’s family information, images and stories.  One such new software site is titled Tpstry, which allows a family researcher to simply put together online general information about family members, and include stories, images, timelines and events in a family’s history. What is created is ...

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  • Searching Atlanta, Georgia Newspapers

    Jul 23

    Everyone might assume the City of Atlanta has been around as long as the United States has existed, but not so. Not until the southern train terminus was established in 1837, did any type of community exist in the area.  It was originally just named ‘Terminus’, then in 1843 renamed Marthasville and by 1845 finally named Atlanta. The first news...

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  • An Online Backup Program – Save Your Research

    Jul 21

    Using software programs on a computer such as Family Tree Maker, Legacy or  RootsMagic are great methods to organize the collection of ancestral names, dates, location and detailed information.  You put a good deal of time into researching and organizing the data on the software programs, you certainly do not want anything to happen to that hard ...

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  • Some Serious and Wacky Genealogical Sayings

    Jul 19

    You have worked for hours, weeks and months on the family tree.  The pedigree chart is slowly taking shape, but there are still many blanks, with no clues to learn further.  Patience is the most important aspect of family history research.  That is one reason it can take a very long period of time before you feel you have made a dent in unraveli...

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  • American Battlefields of Our Ancestors

    Jul 17

    With the Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War, many researchers are learning more about their relatives who served either for the Confederacy or the Union during this war on home territory.  Because the fighting spread from Pennsylvania, to Florida, to Kentucky and out west to Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas; there are numerous locations of small...

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  • Create a Family Newsletter

    Jul 15

    A fun way to share family history is by creating a family newsletter.  This need not be a complicated and elaborate undertaking. A newsletter is simply a way to keep family members up-to-date with genealogical research that has been done and what is still being searched. It also provides a platform to keep family members knowledgeable of current f...

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  • ‘Peopling of America Center’ on Ellis Island

    Jul 13

    Since 2008, the National Park Service and the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation has been working on a state-of-the-art $20 million project to honor those millions of immigrants to America. Since all Americans are either an immigrant or descended from one, this touches everyone. This special project is named Peopling of America Center.  It...

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  • Posting Questions on A Social Message Board

    Jul 11

    With so many online messages boards available: Rootsweb, GenForum, WikiTree, Facebook, Twitter, Surname Societies, local genealogical societies or historical societies; you have some excellent opportunities to locate new information, photos, charts, documents, records, journals or artifacts you had no idea existed. However, you have to make any req...

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  • Searching for Immigrant Ancestors at the Boston Port

    Jul 9

    Researchers too often just think of their immigrant ancestors landing in Ellis Island in New York.  Yet, this major port for new arrivals did not open until January 1, 1892.  From that point until 1954, millions of immigrants were handled at Ellis Island, the first Federal government processing center. Before 1892, millions of earlier immigrants...

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  • The Symbols on Headstones

    Jul 7

    Once you have viewed, photographed and made a rubbing of an ancestor’s headstone, you need to study very carefully the symbols and designs placed by the family to represent that person’s life. Dates and words tell the family researcher a good deal, but those symbols can open new prospects of understanding one’s ancestor. The engraving of...

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  • Copying the Details Found on Headstones

    Jul 5

    All family history researchers check for vital records, but one source many times overlooked is the headstone of an ancestor. Locating the cemetery and then the headstone of an ancestor just might produce some answers to a few long sought questions. A popular practice when visiting a family plot at a cemetery is to make some rubbings of the hea...

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  • Any Ancestors during the American Revolution?

    Jul 3

    This is the time of the year many family history researchers reflex on the possibly that they may have some ancestors who lived during or even served during the War for American Independence.  Before beginning, one must have verified that they had ancestors who lived between 1776 and 1783, the war years. Many people immediately figure if they anc...

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  • Searching for Living Relatives

    Jul 1

    A family researcher spends a great deal of time looking for primary vital documents to learn about those relatives who have passed away.  However, one of the aspects of looking for those who have died, are also finding living relatives. By learning of a cousin or an aunt, previously unknown to the researcher and who could still be alive is just as...

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  • LowCountry Africana

    Jun 29

    The key period of time for many African Americans searching for their Southern ancestors is with the 1870 U. S. federal Census.  This census was the first to name individual blacks by name.  Anything before then was by a listing of the enslaved people with Wills, estate sales or slave schedules. One region of the South known as the Low Coun...

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  • Finding Birth-Marriage-Death Records in Cook Co., Illinois

    Jun 27

    Locating vital records (birth, marriage and death) are essential for all family researchers.  These are the primary sources to determine who, what and where an ancestor’s life existed. With more local and state governmental agencies realizing the importance of making these records available on the Internet, the Cook County Clerk’s Bureau of Vi...

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  • Using CyndisList to Search for Anything

    Jun 25

    Since 1996, Cyndi Howells has single handily amassed a mammoth collection of genealogical links and is available online for use by anyone, anywhere, with no fee or subscription.  It is called CyndisList with nearly 300,000 categorized links to every conceivable topic any researcher would be interested in, the site continues to  provide an essenti...

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  • Finding Death Records for Ancestors from San Francisco, California

    Jun 23

    During the 19th century thousands of people were attracted to the growing city of San Francisco on the west coast of California. Many came from the eastern  half of the United States, from European or Asian countries. The area became a true melting pot of individuals. Even after the great earthquake of April 1906, there were vast numbers of people...

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  • Search and Learn about the Louisiana Slave Trade

    Jun 21

    Those having African-American ties in Louisiana would want to review an online site titled Afro-Louisiana History and Genealogy 1718 - 1820.  Not only those who had slaves as ancestors, but also those who held slaves in Louisiana and surrounding regions would be interested in this database. Though the efforts of Dr. Gwendolyn Hall, a New Orleans w...

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  • Maps — More Than Just for Locations

    Jun 19

    You need maps for many purposes besides finding your way from point A to point B.  They provide information of the land and water sources of a given area.  The population centers and concentration of communities can be featured on a map.  Areas for vegetation, cattle, forests, hills, lakes, etc. can be illustrated using a map. With these and oth...

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  • Viewing Birth and Death Certificates from Arizona

    Jun 17

    More states in the United States are adding digital copies of actual state vital records online. Since all states keep their own birth-marriage and death certificates, it is necessary to know where an ancestor was born.  If uncertain, the researcher might have to check several states to find the correct relative. For the state of Arizona they...

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  • Canadian Roots

    Jun 15

    Those searching any Canadian ancestors will need to review the online database called “Our Roots”.  Because of the United States being bordered with Canada for thousands of miles, over the centuries many Canadians and U. S. citizens have lived for different periods of time in the neighboring country.  Using Our Roots offers online access to s...

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  • Your Ancestors Did What for a Living??

    Jun 13

    That can be the immediate response when someone learns your great grandfather was an ‘amanuensis’ or a ‘colporteur.’  There are numerous occupations our ancestors did that had some strange and unusual names.  Many of those jobs do not even exist anymore. The ‘amanuensis’ is what a secretary was referred to as a profession.  The term...

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  • Viewing Pennsylvanian Newspapers from the 1850s to the 1870s

    Jun 11

    Besides recognizing the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War over the next few years, this is a time to reflect not just on those ancestors who may have served during the war, but also on the type of life-style such a major conflict had on the home front.  If you had ancestors living between 1861 and 1865, anywhere in the United States or i...

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  • Digital Newspapers from New Zealand

    Jun 9

    If you happen to have relatives from New Zealand, the nation southeast of Australia, you are in luck.  There are more than one million pages of digitized New Zealand newspapers and periodicals in a collection covers the years 1839 to 1945 from 63 publications from all regions of New Zealand. There are additional newspapers covering further years p...

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  • Life Histories Preserved

    Jun 7

    During the American Depression of the 1930s, the Federal government, under the Works Projects Administration, helped employ many people, especially those with specific skills.  One of those type were writers, those individuals who could interview a person in depth and write their life story. This government funded program not only gave jobs t...

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  • Confederate Soldiers – Compiled Service Records and Others

    Jun 5

    The opposing side in the American Civil War, 1861 - 1865, was the Confederate States of America.  If you have determined you had an ancestor who might have joined the Confederate side, you will want to investigate the Compiled Service Records files done in 1903 by the Record and Pension Office of the War Department. The original Confede...

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  • Using the Civil War Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records & Others

    Jun 3

    Recognizing the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the American Civil War (1861 to 1865) is a wonderful opportunity to investigate any ancestors who participated on either side (Union or Confederate) during that war. However, you might be unsure if any of your ancestors did military service. First, if you have the approximate birth and death da...

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  • Free Databases Offered by Ancestry.com & World Archives Project

    Jun 1

    Anything free is good, so it is always worth checking out the newest databases added by the huge collector of databases, Ancestry.com to their web site. The majority of their information is on a subscription-based fee, either at a monthly, quarterly or annual rate. However, Ancestry.com has always made available any public or free sources of gene...

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  • Putting those Half-Siblings on a Family Tree

    May 30

    The term "half-sibling" is used to represent the family relationship of two or more children who share only one biological parent. One parent due to a divorce or widowhood, may remarry and a child or children are born to this new union. The original or oldest child and any new additions are considered half-siblings; a half-brother or half-sister. ...

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  • Is There A Civil War Veteran in Your Tree?

    May 28

    The American Civil War, 1861 to 1865, was one of America’s most bloodiest conflict with brother against brother in many cases. For genealogical researchers it also today one of the most fascinating aspect of looking for ancestors; to see who served on which side and what happened. In beginning any such journey, first list those known ancestor...

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  • The Many Forms of Smith

    May 26

    Just about every family history researcher has at least one ancestral branch with the surname of Smith or one of the variations of spellings for the name. Yet the most surprising information to a researcher is that Smith branch may not have had that surname but for a couple generations. This English-based name is not only very common in the En...

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  • Assistance in Locating an Ancestor’s Obituary

    May 24

    One of the main type of documents a family history researcher looks for is the newspaper obituary on an ancestor. It really only became a common practice to place an obituary on a deceased relative in the late 1800s in America. The late 1800s into the early 20th century was the Victorian and Edwardian eras when things were to be done in a prop...

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  • Ancestor Attended Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

    May 22

    Working on one’s family history, even for decades, can still yield some thrilling and revealing new information. Yet, the key to such a new discovery can lie in reviewing documents one has had in hand for years. I recently had such an exciting find which I just happened to stumble on. A fellow researcher had requested some direct quotes from...

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  • How To Ask the Right Questions

    May 20

    An important and serious approach to learning more about your family history is by doing an interview with a relative. It could be with your parents, an aunt, grandparents, cousin, even a godparent. Generally you need to question a relative who is of a different generation, one that is older and can provide some insight to people and events you m...

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  • Music Enjoyed by Our Colonial Ancestors

    May 18

    Everyone today has some collection of their favorite music whether it is on CDs, vinyl records, IPod, MP3 player or even the vintage 45 rpm records, to listen and get pleasure from anytime. For our ancestors they also enjoyed music to listen, sing or dance to, but they did not have the technology of the last one hundred years to listen to pieces o...

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  • Native Indian Ancestors

    May 16

    Any Native American Indian princess in your family tree? It seems everyone in genealogy wants to claim at least some Indian blood. That was not always the case in most of America’s history. It was something not spoken about if a grandfather had an Indian wife or an uncle lived with an Indian tribe. Sometimes looking at a few old photos can giv...

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  • The Forgotten Veterans of the War of 1812 – Part 2

    May 14

    You may well have ancestors who participated in America’s War of 1812, especially those who lived in the mid-western states. The war covered from 1812 to 1815. The following are a few states with online databases about their veterans. Indiana the territory Those with ancestors from the Indiana region will check the Indiana territory roste...

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  • The Forgotten Veterans of the War of 1812

    May 12

    You may well have ancestors who participated in America’s War of 1812, that time when Great Britain figured they might have a shot of regaining the American colonies they lost in 1776. It was more that the new United States got tired of the treatment they were getting from the British and it was the U. S. who declared war finally on Great Britai...

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  • English Ancestors in Workhouses

    May 10

    The Poor Law Union of Great Britain referred to special laws enacted about the 1530s for England and Wales to care for the citizens too poor to care of themselves. This system of assistance remained in England and Wales until 1948. Prior to 19th century the aid for the poor was provided by each parish in the form of local workhouses. There were ...

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  • Family Treasures on eBay

    May 8

    Since the late 1990s, an online auction site called eBay has become the premier place for individuals to buy and sell collectibles, new merchandise, or just about anything. What many people don’t realize they just might be able to locate a long lost family heirloom by using eBay. Up for auction is not just old collectible toys, electronics, ...

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  • Stories of American Veterans

    May 6

    The United States Library of Congress in Washington, D. C. helps preserve much of the written and spoken words by Americans over the decades. It is an ongoing process and that was the reason the U. S. Congress authorized the creation of the Veterans History Project, which is part of the American Folklore Center at the Library of Congress. The a...

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  • Any Black Sheep?

    May 4

    What does ‘Black Sheep’ mean? It is basically an expression used to describe a person who is a bit odd, naughty, scandalous, within a family. Just like in a herd of white sheep, that one black or off-color sheep stands out from the herd. So really a person classified as a ‘black sheep’ in the family does not have to mean they were evil ...

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  • Historical Photos – The Times of Your Ancestors

    May 2

    The essence of photos is that they help capture a moment in time. That piece of an event, a person, a location is forever 'frozen' in time with just a photograph. Before the wide-spread use of photos in the 1860s, there were some daguerreotypes, but for the most part those historical moments were expressed by illustrations, artwork and drawings. ...

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  • Remember Your Maine Ancestors

    Apr 30

    If you find you have ancestors from the New England region; Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut or Rhode Island, it is beneficial to examine any neighboring states within the New England area. This is especially true if there were any Canadian ancestors. Many over the years left Canada and resettled in Maine, Vermont or New H...

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  • Learning about Welsh Ancestors

    Apr 28

    Anyone who has ancestors from the United Kingdom just may have an ancestor from Wales. This country is part of the United Kingdom and on the island of Great Britain. Bordering Wales is England, the Irish Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. With a present population of approximately three million, its ethnic make-up is Celtic with its own distinctive c...

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  • Message Boards at Rootsweb

    Apr 26

    Due to the wide-spread use of the Internet and the access people around the globe have to computers the use of 'Message Boards' like that are found on Rootsweb are marvelous references for locating data, records and hints to other sources previously unknown. Not just for certain ancestors is the message board useful, but for surnames and other cat...

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  • Vital Records of Shelby, Tennessee

    Apr 24

    In Shelby County, Tennessee there are cities of Memphis, Germantown, Collerville, Lakeland, Arlington, Bartlett and Millington and many others in-between. All the locations have had families reside within the county for decades. The county has placed online many of its vital records. They include birth records 1874 to 1906, marriage records (i...

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  • Akron, Ohio – Relatives from 1859 to 1969

    Apr 22

    [gallery]One of the very best primary sources of information on an ancestor can be located in a city directory of the ancestor's hometown. Many public libraries carry the local city directories, some of which date back to the 1800s. Historical societies in communities might have microfilmed copies of old city directories or even in digital format...

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  • Any Ancestors Who Were Prisoners? Part Two

    Apr 20

    To assist in finding an elusive ancestor the following is a listing of some states with the prisoner information online. Checking out some names just might answer some questions. Michigan The prisoners in the state prisons in Michigan from 1847 to 1885 who were sentenced to life. Their name and the county where the crime was committed is pro...

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  • Any Ancestors Who Were Prisoners?

    Apr 18

    You may have some trouble locating a certain ancestors. You have located their siblings, maybe even their wife and children. One possibility for this elusive relative is that they might be serving prison time. The crime could have been house breaking, stealing a horse, robbery or murder. Some of the states have online a listing of their state...

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  • Photos and Prints at the Library of Congress

    Apr 16

    The main element that every family historian looks to have in the family genealogy project is photos of ancestors. Next would be images of the family home or farm and then a family business and next the hometown. Each image allows the researcher to step back in time to better understand and appreciate their ancestor's life and the historical event...

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  • Was Your Ancestor in the Poorhouse?

    Apr 14

    As the family historian you have attempted to follow the course of numerous ancestors' lives using census, birth, marriage and death records. You have when and where a certain person was born and may even be able to track them for years. Then a major roadblock, you do not find them in the family home or town, it is as if they disappeared. No rec...

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  • Acts of Kindness to Help in Research

    Apr 12

    Everyone could use a little help from some friends and that is the basis of Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness (RAOGK). This site is networking of fellow family history researchers in locations not only across the United States and Canada, but in numerous other places around the globe. When investigating about our ancestors, they may have li...

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  • Finding Births-Marriages-Deaths in West Virginia

    Apr 10

    The state of West Virginia was once part of the state of Virginia. It broke away from the Confederate State of Virginia and was admitted as a new federal state in June 1863. The West Virginia Division of Culture and History has placed online some of their vital records. The Archives of West Virginia have made accessible information concerning bir...

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  • Colonial American and 19th Century Terms

    Apr 8

    The very best sources for a family historian are the primary vital documents; such things as Wills, deeds, journals, letters, certificates and ledgers. Where a problem could arise is in transcribing and interpreting such writings that date back to the 19th century or even into the period of Colonial America. The English language written and s...

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  • Looking for Canadian Ancestors

    Apr 6

    For those researchers doing family history it is very possible there are some relatives who lived in Canada at some time. This is especially true of ancestors with an English, Irish, Welsh or Scottish background. Many Americans have crossed the northern U. S. border to settle for a few years or permanently in Canada. During the two World Wars th...

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  • What was the Money Valued for Your Ancestors?

    Apr 4

    One of the interesting aspects of searching one's family history are learning those small details, those things that made relatives from a hundred years ago more real to life. Nothing speaks to the reality of living than money. It has been a very necessary element in our ancestors' lives just as it is today. So as you gather information on your...

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  • Military Aviation Accidents

    Apr 2

    Since the invention and then the utilization of airplanes by the military, there have been fatal plane crashes involving service personnel. The military does complete a report of each crash to see if there was a problem with the plane or pilot which contributed to the crash. From such knowledge it is hoped future occurrences will be minimized. ...

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  • The Elusive Ancestor on the Census

    Mar 31

    The use of the U. S. Federal Census or any of the state censuses conducted in-between the each decade of the federal population count are a wonderful source of data about our ancestors. It is a way to gauge who was living with their parents, ages, occupations, property values and birth places. Following each decade that an ancestor lived is a min...

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  • Memorabilia in a Shadowbox

    Mar 29

    Working on family history is not just names, dates, locations and family stories. Various family members can have heirloom pieces which can be displayed in a shadowbox rather than tucked away in a closet. A shadowbox is an enclosed case where specialize memorabilia is sheathed for display. Encasing the objects does protect them from light on...

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  • Your Family Name As A Geographical Location

    Mar 27

    There are some interesting services offered by the United States Federal government for those interested in their family history. One branch is the U. S. Geographic Services with their Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). With 2.1 million geographic names in their database, nearly the full spectrum across the United States and US territori...

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  • African-American Research Site

    Mar 25

    There all types of ethnic and racial groups and many different web sites to assist individuals interested in a specific group. The site AfriGeneas made it their mission to provide as many resources to people searching their African-American ancestry. The assistance they offer features a searchable database of surnames. This easy engine search ...

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  • Someone Else found Your Family Photo

    Mar 23

    A family historian is always on the outlook for treasured family photos. There are long lost cousins who just might have photos of your great grandmother you had never seen. However, there are other people, not related in any form who also looking for old photos. They think of themselves as collections of antique family photos. They also look fo...

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  • Our Ancestors Communication – By Writing

    Mar 21

    Everyone has wished they could speak to a certain ancestor to learn more about them. Since that is not possible in most cases, the best way is through what our ancestors wrote. Not all, but most of our relatives from decades ago communicated by writing. Either by penning their thoughts in a diary, letter or journal more can be learned about that...

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  • Just Beginning, Try a Collective Listing of Sources

    Mar 19

    You may have been given by a relative a partial family tree with a few names and dates and you would really like to make that tree grow. You just might need one general search site to help you weed through the countless web sites available. At 'Live Roots' they have created a specialized search engine to all online sites with an easy click to acce...

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  • Newspaper Articles from Australia

    Mar 17

    For those researching ancestors from Australia, the National Library of Australia has placed online in digital form newspapers from 1803 to 1954. This wonderful collection has newspapers from New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. Not every year with every newspaper is available...

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  • World Statistics By the Minute

    Mar 15

    Family historians are always looking into the past to learn more of their ancestors, yet examining and being aware of what is happening in the world today can be just as important. There is an online site, 'Worldometers' which cooperates with the 'Real Time Statistics Project' to provide statistics of all types of events in real time. The site is...

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  • Bird’s-Eye View Using Panoramic Maps

    Mar 13

    One of the overlooked collections held at the U. S. Library of Congress with their American Memory section are hundreds of panoramic maps of towns and cities across the United States and four Canadian provinces. They range from 1847 to 1929. Some of the maps are artworks drawn showing the streets and buildings of a town. Key landmarks and buildi...

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  • Family Tree Builder Launched by MyHeritage

    Mar 11

    The genealogy website called MyHeritage has just launched some brand new software called Family Tree Builder 5.0. It's free, and easy to use. This software offers you new ways to organize, document, and showcase your family history, and has features that the previous versions did not have. You can download it directly from their website. When ...

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  • Searching for Norwegian Ancestors

    Mar 9

    Researching for information about one's ancestors within the United States can be a challenging task, however you will reach the point where you are ready to search in an ancestor's native homeland. The National Archives of Norway have established an online site with many of their documents in digitalized format. The site is in the Norwegian lang...

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  • What Was There – Photos and Maps Linking Past and Present

    Mar 7

    Do you have an old photo of a home, building or structure and ever wonder what is there now? The online site 'What Was There' helps you find an answer to that question. There is a long list of locations, most within the United States, but some from Scotland, England, The Netherlands and France to select from. Once a place is selected, click on ...

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  • Port of Entry – Castle Garden

    Mar 5

    There were many possible ports of entry into the United States that our ancestors may have gone through in the 19th century. Most people first think of Ellis Island, however that did not serve as a New York entrance port until 1892. Prior to that date it was Castle Garden, also known as Castle Clinton, at the tip of Manhattan, New York City where...

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  • Where Your Surname or Given Name Might Be Located?

    Mar 3

    You have a long list of family surnames and given names you have collected over the years. One thing that can add an interesting note to that research is where in the world your family name is used in the naming of a town, river, county, province, a hill, a valley, an island, canal, city, mine, creek, mountain, etc. This can be answered with the ...

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  • Scottish Heritage Uncovered

    Mar 1

    For the thousands of family history researchers with even a trace of Scottish heritage, the WorldGenWeb Project has the Scottish version which is an absolutely essential for anyone looking for their Scottish roots. The free resource and reference information on Scotland and its people was developed in 1997 and called ScotlandGenWeb Project. Som...

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  • Online Sharing of Family History

    Feb 27

    Working on one's family tree is fascinating for the researcher never knows what they may uncover next in their quest. Just like networking in the business world is helpful, so is sharing and exchanging information with fellow researchers. So much can be learned when you share your own family tree branches. With the Internet and online genealo...

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  • Sharing Your Family Data on ‘TribalPages’

    Feb 25

    There are numerous genealogy sites for researchers to create, maintain and share their family tree online with others. One of the Internet sites is 'TribalPages' where the family historian can set up their family tree and also have privacy in reference to the information submitted. TribalPages have approximately 300,000 members with some 80 millio...

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  • Searching through Bible Records

    Feb 23

    When researching the family history, using primary and secondary sources is essential. It has been a traditional practice for families to make a written recording of major family events such as births, marriages and deaths in the large family bible. Most Bibles even had special blanks pages within the Bible for such recordings. The closer to the ...

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  • Seeing into Asia – China, Korea, Japan from 1917 to 1932

    Feb 21

    Whether you are the family historian or a lover of erotic places, there is an online database of some 5,000 photos that capture scenes of China, Korea, Japan and and Russia between the years of 1917 to 1932. At the Duke University Internet site, in their digital collection, the photos taken by Sidney D. Gamble covering four separate trips to Asia ...

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  • Censuses for Ireland 1901 and 1911

    Feb 19

    The National Archives of Ireland has made available free online in digital format the Irish censuses for 1901 and 1911. The search page is easy to use. You can select which census year; 1901 or 1911 and place just a surname if desired. If it is a common Irish name, more details, such as a given name, male or female or approximate age in the cens...

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  • Finding an Ancestor in the Dakota Territory in 1885

    Feb 17

    Many people at the end of the American Civil War decided to start fresh in a new land. The Dakota Territory, 1861 to 1889, which would later makeup North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana and Wyoming became the new home of many people who once lived east of the Mississippi River. There were new settlers from the Union Northern states as well...

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  • Any Celebrities in the Family Tree?

    Feb 15

    Part of the fun of genealogy is the possibility, remote as it may be, to locate a celebrity, a well-known person, a historical figure or even royalty in one's family tree. It is not until one does a descent search can hope to locate an famous ancestor. There are several online sources to begin such a search. In the Genealogy.com site, they h...

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  • We Relate

    Feb 13

    An online collection of submitted family names, photos, documents, dates, locations, etc. is presented on the site 'We Relate'. This is a free Wiki sharing genealogy site, with nearly 2 million names in the database. It is maintained by the Foundation for On-Line Genealogy and Allen County Public Library of Indiana. The basic formula is to ha...

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  • Those Who Served During World War II

    Feb 11

    During World War II, everyone in the United States was affected between 1941 and 1945. The most notable were the men and women who served in one of the United States military branches. The online fee-based site of Ancestry.com, has its Young American Patriots Collection which is based on those service personnel from certain states. Those stat...

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  • 1895 Maps of Ancestral Hometowns

    Feb 9

    During the course of your family history research you noted the numerous hometowns where your ancestors lived. They may have resided in a small community, a modest-sized town or large city. You may have the name of the town, but not know which county it was situated in. How about any neighboring communities, are you familiar with those places? ...

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  • Western States Marriage Record Index

    Feb 8

    The BYU of Idaho educational department has gathered an index of marriages from the western region of the United States. This collection of over 699,938 marriage records are gathered from several sources. The online database has a good search engine. The states included in the index are Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, California, Nevada, New M...

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  • Your Family Tree – Where to Begin

    Feb 7

    Starting your family tree is a deceptively simple sounding task. If you are new to genealogy, you might be unaware of where to find the data that you need in order to fill out even the least complex versions of a family tree template. It is easy to become overwhelmed by the amount of work that may be ahead of you. Before you get discouraged, you...

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  • YouTube Video Reunites Long Lost Daughter and Mother

    Feb 6

    The internet is an excellent tool for people who are trying to get in touch with long lost family members. Usually, we hear stories about people who have used the social networking website Facebook to locate and reconnect with the relatives that they have lost contact with. It seems that the YouTube website is useful for that purpose as well. A ...

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  • The BYU Family History Library is Filled With Resources

    Feb 5

    The BYU Family History Library has a lot of resources that would interest genealogists. It's located in Utah, and is connected with the popular FamilySearch website. It also seems to be connected with the Harold B Lee Library. You can visit the physical libraries themselves if you want to. I would suggest checking the website before you go, bec...

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  • Get A Personalized Family Memory Game From MyHeritage

    Feb 4

    Looking for a fun way to introduce your kids to genealogy? The website MyHeritage, a very popular genealogy website, has partnered with AncestryGames.com to bring you a personalized game featuring your ancestors. This game would be a lot of fun at family gatherings, and is simple enough for all ages to play it. According to Daniel Horowitz, Ch...

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  • Newsreels 1942-1946

    Feb 3

    Photos of people and events are wonderful, but with the use of film, such scenes can come to life for the viewer. Newsreels shown in local movie theaters during the 1930s through the 1950s were the main source for learning of national and world events for the general public. One of America's and our ancestors' greatest event was the involvemen...

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  • Finding Any Ancestral Patents & Trademarks

    Feb 2

    Since 1790 the United States has been officially registering the thousands of innovations and inventions created by Americans. By a person registering their unique idea or product, this protected the individual from someone copying their exact idea and making a profit from it. The federal organization handling the registration is the United States...

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  • Discovery of Family Treasure in a Safe Deposit Box Part Four and Conclusion

    Feb 1

    A message from the State Treasury of the State of Maryland stated I was the rightful heir to the contents of my grandparent’s safe deposit box which had be unknown to anyone in the family for decades. I couldn’t believe it! I had to replay that phone message a couple of times to make sure of what I was hearing. It was only later in the eveni...

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  • Discovery of Family Treasure in a Safe Deposit Box Part Three

    Jan 31

    While waiting to collect all the proper documentation to lay claim to the contents of my grandparents’ 1940s safe deposit box, I even tried contacting the Nations Bank which was now named Bank of America in Frederick. I was hoping to gain further insight about this safe deposit box and why it had been left untouched for decades. The various c...

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  • Discovery of Family Treasure in a Safe Deposit Box Part Two

    Jan 30

    Having just found on the NAUPA web site that my grandparents, who had passed away in the early 1940s, had some property held in 1999 by the state of Maryland Treasury became this great adventure for me. The very next morning after my discovery, I telephoned the Maryland Treasury and told them what I had found on their database. They solicited som...

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  • Discovery of Family Treasure in a Safe Deposit Box Part One

    Jan 29

    Using the Internet has opened all kinds of new sources of information for my genealogy hobby. One day in 1999, on one of the national morning television shows there was a segment on locating forgotten refunds, deposits, bank saving accounts, etc. through individual state databases on the Internet. The site was NAUPA (National Association of Uncla...

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  • Twin Sisters Reunite After Eleven Years Apart

    Jan 28

    Eleven years ago, a couple from the UK, John and Anne Ley-Morgan, decided to adopt a child. They went through all the confusion, frustrations, and red tape that is involved when trying to adopt a child from outside of their own country. This year, their adopted daughter, Ellie, who was from Vietnam, was reunited with her twin sister, Huyen, who r...

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  • The Family Search Website Has Been Improved

    Jan 27

    There have been some new changes to the FamilySearch.org website. FamilySearch, as you may know is the genealogy search website run by the LDS Church. These changes were done both as an effort to keep up with new technology, as well as to add new functionality to the website. Right now, they are doing a “soft launch”, to get things started, ...

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  • Newspapers – Chronicling America

    Jan 26

    The U. S. Library of Congress online has a section titled 'Chronicling America – Searching Newspaper Pages'. Any family history researcher is aware how invaluable hometown newspapers are when researching their ancestors. Details of events, trips, incidents, visitors, achievements, etc. which may have been long forgotten over the decades still c...

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  • Photosynth – Enhancing Your Family Images

    Jan 25

    It is great to experiment and try some of the newest digital technology available. One such is called 'Photosynth' available online and produced by Microsoft Live Labs and the University of Washington. This program generates a 3-dimensional model of a collection of photos. The software became available to the general public in mid-2008. Usi...

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  • Looking at the 1911 UK Census

    Jan 24

    It was a Sunday evening on April 2, 1911 that the official census was done throughout England, Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands within the United Kingdom. Normally the records are not released for 100 years. The UK National Archives choose to release the 1911 censuses early, by 2009. Now having the information as of April 1911 on some...

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  • ‘Across the Pond’ Research Site

    Jan 23

    An useful and free online site for those researching ancestors from the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Channel Islands, Isle of Man & Northern Ireland) and the country of Ireland should investigate what 'GENUKI' has to offer. One of the major items is the searchable detailed information on most locations throughout England, Wales and t...

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  • Get Season One of “Who Do You Think You Are?” on DVD

    Jan 22

    If you happen to be a big fan of the American version of the NBC television series called “Who Do You Think You Are?”, then you are going to love this news! Season one of the series is about to be released on DVD. There is just something special about this unique television series that attracts both genealogy buffs and the fans of certain...

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  • Family Photo Shows Ghost of Grandmother

    Jan 21

    Family photos are precious. One glance at them brings back memories of family gatherings from years ago, and of relatives who have passed away. Many people who are grieving for a family member who has died will look at photos that show that person in a happy moment. Just seeing that person's face again can be an emotional experience. Naturally,...

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  • Genetic Testing For Melanoma In Children Favored By Parents

    Jan 20

    Genetic testing of children is a somewhat controversial subject. On the one hand, if there is a clear benefit to the child then genetic testing might be recommended. It could be a valuable tool that would indicate the proper preventative measures needed to treat a particular disease. The other side of the argument is that testing a child for a g...

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  • PRONI Photo Archives Now Viewable On Flickr

    Jan 19

    PRONI is the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. It is the official archive of Northern Ireland, and the official place to deposit public records in Northern Ireland. It is located in Belfast, and is open to anyone who wants to come in and search through the archives. It is free of charge, and you don't have to make an appointment. Th...

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  • Discover Your Genetics With deCODEme

    Jan 18

    Interesting in learning more about your genetics? The deCODEme product analyzes a sample of your DNA for you. You can learn more about your health, as well as your ancestry by using this product. Just purchase a collector kit, use it, and send it off to their CLIA certified lab. Soon, you will be able to view specified information about your he...

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  • Looking for Lost Photos

    Jan 17

    As your work on the family ancestral tree you long for some photographs or images of those relatives. You have checked all your storage boxes and that of your aunts, cousins and siblings, but there are very few if any photos of certain relatives. Strange as it may seem there maybe a genealogy site which could have an old photo of your great grand...

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  • California Online Resources

    Jan 16

    Not everyone has ancestors who have lived in California, but many others do have relatives from this 'Golden State' of the West. A fabulous online site, the Online Archive of California (OAC), is truly worth a visit since it has many resources to select from for the genealogical or historical researcher. It is set-up to allow a search by a c...

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  • Catholic Archives Excellent Resource For Genealogists

    Jan 15

    The Boston Archdiocese Archives is located in Braintree, MA. If your family is Catholic, or your genealogy research has revealed that there are some Catholic ancestors in your family tree, you might want to search through this vast archive. It is going to be especially useful to genealogists whose Catholic ancestors came from the Boston area, and...

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  • Nobel Prize Winner Discovers His Sister Was His Mother

    Jan 14

    Nobel Prize winner Sir Paul Nurse always wondered why he was so different from the other members of his family. He became interested in science at a young age, despite coming from parents who did not share that interest. It wasn't until he became an adult that he accidentally discovered an interesting truth about his family. The person whom he g...

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  • New Predictive Test for Heredity Pancreatic Cancer Launched

    Jan 13

    A brand new predictive medicine product has been launched by Myriad Genetics, Inc. It is called PANEXIA, and it is designed to help doctors to assess genes that would reveal a person's risk of developing pancreatic cancer, as well as some other related heredity cancers. This is excellent news for people who have ancestors or living family members...

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  • Fun with Words Designs

    Jan 12

    It is fun to be imaginative with some of the genealogical research you have gathered over the years, especially for any presentation. If you are making a scrapbook, a display, a booklet, etc. on your collection of ancestors an interesting program exists online to make your assemblage more fascinating. Online there is a free site called 'Wordle...

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  • Newest Source for Locating Immigrate Ancestors

    Jan 11

    Under the U. S. Federal Department of Homeland Security, the agency of U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has a new Genealogy Program to assist researchers in locating information on their immigrate ancestors. Over the decades there have been millions of immigrates arrive at American shores from Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa ...

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  • Visit A Virtual Town From A Century Ago

    Jan 10

    Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go back in time, and take a look at what life was like for your ancestors? If you have discovered ancestors who were alive around a hundred years ago you might be able to do just that. Visit a virtual Valparaiso, Indiana, from a century ago. Even if your ancestors didn't happen to live in Valparais...

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  • Create Your Medical Family Tree

    Jan 9

    One of the most important things you can do for your health is to take the time to create a Medical Family Tree. Many diseases and disorders run in families, and the more you know about what could be lurking in your genes, the better chance you have of making choices that could affect your health in a very positive way. A great time to start ...

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  • Diseases You Can Learn About From Genetic Testing

    Jan 8

    It's kind of amazing what science can come up with. Today, you can order a kit off the internet, provide a sample of blood, cheek cells, or even just some spit, send it off to a lab, and discover important health information that is revealed by your genes. There has been some debate about how accurate some of these tests may actually be. In any ...

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  • State Archives Online — Georgia to South Carolina

    Jan 7

    Georgia – Georgia's Virtual Vault is the online site for Georgia's Archives. With this online site the researcher has access to photographs, maps, government records and manuscripts held by the archives. Some of the varied topics and dates online for Georgia include Death Certificates 1919 to 1927 (note – with some covering 1914 to 1918), Pre...

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  • State Archives Online – Wisconsin to Wyoming

    Jan 6

    Wisconsin – The Wisconsin State Archives are tied to the Wisconsin Historical Society. To assist in research of ancestors in Wisconsin they have set up the Wisconsin Genealogy Index. The search engine allows the researcher to place a name, a county and a date. They have birth, marriage and death information from the mid-1800s. The information ...

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  • State Archives Online – Delaware to North Carolina

    Jan 5

    Delaware – The Delaware Archives have a separate section titled 'Digital Archives'. The numerous sections include photographic collection with Delaware towns, churches, schools, maps, documents from the 17th century, the Civil War and Petitions for Naturalization. They have added the 'Hometown Delaware' collection of photos. So far New Castle,...

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  • State Archives Online – Connecticut to Nebraska

    Jan 4

    Connecticut – The Connecticut State Archives have very little online. The archives are tied to the Connecticut State Library which hold town vial records, probate, church, land records, along with abstracts from newspaper notices of marriages and deaths. The Connecticut State Library does have a digital collection which include aerial photos, ...

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  • State Archives Online – Hawaii to Virginia

    Jan 3

    Hawaii – The Hawaii States Archives Digital Collections has begun to digitize many of the records and indexes and place them online. The following are those areas completed: A Name Index from 1790 to 1950 with personal and business names (only the letter A's are completed to date), Photographic Collection, Marriage Indexes from 1826 to 1929,...

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  • Blood Sample From Mom Reveals Genome of Baby

    Jan 2

    Researchers from The Chinese University of Hong Kong have found a way to map the entire genome of a fetus based on the genetic material from a blood sample that is taken from the mother. This new discovery might lead to a non-invasive way to do prenatal screening for genetically heritable disorders. A report about their research was published in ...

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  • State Archives Online – Texas to Utah

    Jan 1

    Texas – The Texas State Library and Archives Commission has their search labeled 'Trail' and it searches through 180 state agencies for information on Texas records and documents. Some of the topics include Military and Ranger Service records from 1836 to 1935 (with a few items covering Confederate Soldiers of Texas, Texas State Police, Spanish-...

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  • State Archives Online – New Jersey to Pennsylvania

    Dec 31

    New Jersey --The New Jersey Division of Archives and Records Management has a major section on the site titled 'Searchable Databases'. The topics in the database include death records from 1878 to 1885, Index of marriages for 1848 to 1878, Supreme Court Files from 1704 to 1844, Marriage records from 1665 to 1799, Atlantic City & Passaic County 188...

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  • Using Google to Fill In Your Family Tree

    Dec 30

    So far, my attempts at using the internet to get started working on my family tree have been unsuccessful. Maybe I am using the search engines on the genealogy websites incorrectly. Perhaps my living relatives and ancestors are just incredibly difficult to find. In any case, I haven't been able to find anything of significant value so far. It...

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  • Review of The Advanced Genealogy Search Engine – Day Five

    Dec 29

    Today, I had the chance to try out the information I learned when I read the Guide To Preforming Genealogy Searches that I found on the Advanced Genealogy Search Engine page. My hope is that by following the suggestions in the guide, I will get better results from the search engine. This time, I put my first name and my unmarried surname into ...

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  • State Archives – Maryland to New Hampshire

    Dec 28

    Maryland - The Archives of Maryland Online have a search box to assist the researching in locating documents and information. The type of information will assist in family genealogy and in general history research. The Maryland State Archives of Government Records include Probate records, photographic collections, birth-marriage-death records lat...

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  • States Archives – Florida to Kansas

    Dec 27

    Florida - The Florida Memory Archives maintained by the State of Florida uses their massive archive collection and library. A highlight is the Photography Collection with more than 160,000 images. There is also film and video clips, images of historical documents ranging from the Spanish colonial period to the Civil War to the 20th century. With...

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  • Review of The Advanced Genealogy Search Engine – Day Four

    Dec 26

    Today, I had the time to take a look at the Guide to Performing Genealogy Searches that I found on The Advanced Genealogy Search Engine website. My hope was that this advice would make the results of the searches that I'd been attempting to get the search engine to do for me to be a whole lot more relevant than what I'd managed to get so far. ...

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  • Untapped Resource – Online State Archives

    Dec 25

    Most family history researchers are familiar with the National Archives along with the Library of Congress in Washington, D. C. and their web sites which provide some very useful resources to learn more about our ancestors and their hometowns. However, one major resource overlooked by individuals are the repositories within numerous states across...

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  • Review of The Advanced Genealogy Search Engine – Day Three

    Dec 24

    Today, I learned that I really cannot do much to change the way The Advanced Genealogy Search Engine performs it's search. I noticed that when I ask it to search for my first name, Jennifer, and my unmarried surname, Dahlberg, that some of the results don't match. The search engine locates one of these two names, but doesn't seem to be able to we...

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  • Review of The Advanced Genealogy Search Engine – Day Two

    Dec 23

    Today, I have the time to look over the list of results that The Advanced Genealogy Search Engine gave me. Again, I am using this genealogy search engine to find information about myself, and am using my first name and my maiden surname. I have heard that starting with yourself is a great way to begin, and this is the same search that I used on t...

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  • Naturalization – Before or After 1906

    Dec 22

    You know a branch of your ancestors arrived in America about 1887. To learn if they ever became naturalized American citizens you would want to look for a petition to become a citizen and the completed naturalization papers. Count yourself lucky if that ancestor did not apply for citizenship until after 1906. Your ancestor was not required to ...

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  • Storage Devices and Their Longevity

    Dec 21

    Paper has the longest history of longevity, with documents dating back for centuries. For the family historian, they need to be aware of the numerous devices available to keep their precious research safe and how long they might expect them to last. Typically, it has always been the paper pedigree family charts, along with information and notes ...

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  • Facebook and Family History

    Dec 20

    One of the best known social networking sites is Facebook (www.facebook.com). It can be a wonderful way to connect with other family historians anywhere in the world. This type of networking can provide some great assistance, especially if you have hit a brickwall in some of your research. You can also share your ancestral information and jus...

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  • Review of the Advanced Genealogy Search Engine – Day One

    Dec 19

    I've been interested in checking out the brand new search engine created by the Genealogy In Time online magazine. Their Advanced Genealogy Search Engine is free for anyone who wants to use it. It has been said that it is very easy to use, and it allows you to search over 1.2 billion historic records. Let's see how well this works for me! The...

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  • Gene That Acts As Switch May Explain Intersex Conditions

    Dec 18

    A team of scientists have located a gene mutation that appears to be the link to what causes intersex conditions. The researchers who discovered this have reported their finding in the American Journal of Human Genetics this month. The genetic mutation seems to act as an on/off switch. About one in 1,000 people are born with an intersex condi...

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  • Your Ancestor’s Personal Shopper – The Sears Catalog

    Dec 17

    Recently added to the many databases on the Ancestry.com site are the images of the 'Historic Catalogs of Sears Roebuck and Company 1896-1993'. What an opportunity to view on your computer screen page after page of thousands of everyday products used by our ancestors. Nearly every home from the late 19th century and all through the 20th century ha...

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  • Great Anticipation – 1940 U. S. Federal Census

    Dec 16

    The United States was a young nation on April 1, 1940 with some 132 million residents in 33 million households with 7 million of those being farms scattered across the country. That was the date of the official U. S. Census count when over 120,000 enumerators (census takers) crisscrossed the nation to count the population. Those census records hav...

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  • Your Cheating Heart is In Your Genes

    Dec 15

    What causes a person to be unfaithful to his or her spouse, or significant other? Why do some people have “one night stands”, while other people never decide to do so? A new study reveals that the tendency for a person to engage in these kinds of risky behaviors has something to do with their own specific genetic make up. In a revolution...

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  • Little Known Source – Public Domain Books

    Dec 14

    The Internet has grown by leaps and bounds over the last 15 years as well as the interest in family history research. By digitizing many documents and records they are now available on the Internet through various providers such as FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com. One source which likewise has been digitized are the many printed books that ar...

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  • Put These On A Genealogist’s Holiday Wish List

    Dec 13

    Oh, where does a family genealogist begin when asked what they would like as a gift for the holidays? Whether a family historian is a novice or experienced pro, there are always some special items that can help the researcher. The first idea, especially if the researcher has a computer, would be one of the software programs for compiling, sorti...

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  • Don’t Snooze – Back Up Your Computer Family Data

    Dec 12

    Hopefully you have a separate file on your personal computer with the notes, charts, photos, census information and data you have amassed on your ancestors. You could well have it organized into one of the many family history computer software programs; such as Family Tree Maker, Legacy, The Master Genealogist, RootsMagic, Reunion 9 and Family His...

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  • Don’t Overlook Variations in Surname Spellings

    Dec 11

    Many vital records including birth, marriage, census, military and death have countless errors. Especially true when it comes to a person's given name and surname. The clerk filling out the birth record, marriage license, deed, etc. may have had only an 8th grade education. The clerk may not have understood the individual when information was pr...

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  • Family Tree Builder Launched by MyHeritage

    Dec 10

    The genealogy website called MyHeritage has just launched some brand new software called Family Tree Builder 5.0. It's free, and easy to use. This software offers you new ways to organize, document, and showcase your family history, and has features that the previous versions did not have. You can download it directly from their website. Wh...

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  • Mom Reunites With Long Lost Daughter – Through Facebook

    Dec 9

    Facebook is more than a place to post statuses about your opinion of the restaurant where you ate your lunch today. It's more than where you go to play simple online games, and to look up the people who were in your class in high school. It seems that Facebook is also the place to go if you are trying to get in touch with a long lost family membe...

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  • Ahnentafel Charts Make Things Clear

    Dec 8

    There are different formats that a Family Tree might take. Depending on the style of the chart that you are using, it might show five, six, seven, or even more generations. Some family tree charts get so full of information that it can be difficult to understand exactly how one ancestor relates to another one, or how either of them relate to you....

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  • What Happened on Your Ancestor’s Wedding Day?

    Dec 7

    As a family historian, one is interested in gathering the names, places and dates of our numerous relatives. However, there is more to learning about one’s ancestors than just a series of dates. Each of those dates represents an important event or a life-changing moment that well could have changed future generations also. True, it is very h...

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  • Play a Game, Help Genetic Research!

    Dec 6

    Are you tired of playing Farmville? Try Phylo instead! It's not yet on Facebook, but there are plans in the future to try and integrate Phylo into a Facebook application in the future. Instead of spending your break time farming virtual crops, spend it helping genetic researchers decode a disease! Phylo was created by a team of bioinformatic...

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  • Your Family Tree Reveals Important Health Information

    Dec 5

    The information that is in your family tree reveals much more than who you are related to, and how you are related to them. It is also a research tool that can be used to reveal important health information! There are many conditions, diseases, and disorders that can be genetically passed down from ancestors to their descendants. The more you kn...

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  • Who Do You Think You Are?

    Dec 4

    Have you seen this show yet? “Who Do You Think You Are” is an American reality television program that airs on NBC. If you are interested in genealogy, you really should check out this show. It is relatively new, and premiered on NBC in March of 2010. This show is an adaptation of the British television series that has the exact same name. ...

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  • Researchers Find Genetic Links to Early Puberty

    Dec 3

    I think most women were told a variety of information about when they could expect to get their first period. There is the idea that a girl can expect to start menstruating when she becomes the same age that her mother was, when her mother got her first period. Some have said that the amount of body fat a girl has plays a part in when she will st...

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  • Learn More From Your DNA

    Dec 2

    Want to learn more from your DNA? There is a company called 23andMe that can help you do that! It's very easy to get started. You send them a sample of your saliva, and they use the DNA in it to find out more about your health, and your ancestral origins. They will keep you updated when new information is found. This is a great way to enhance ...

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  • Former Circus Worker Reunited With Long Lost Son

    Dec 1

    A woman who used to work at a circus has been reunited with her long lost son, after being separated from him for thirty-three years. Richard Lornac, from Kansas, knew that he was adopted. As an adult, he suffered from back problems. This is what prompted him to try and learn more about his biological family. What he learned was rather surprisi...

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  • What I Learned – Day Eleven

    Nov 30

    Not expecting to find anything useful, but still curious about what the rest of the list holds for me, I return to the MyHeritage website. So far, I am unimpressed with the list of matches that MyHeritage found for me. I have two potential websites left on the list. The next website on the list is Ancestor Search (Easy Google Genealogy Searc...

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  • What I Learned – Day Ten

    Nov 29

    Today, I return to the MyHeritage website to hopefully complete my search through the list of websites it found for me. I am still searching for myself, using my first name and my unmarried surname. I am getting close to the bottom of the list, and I have found exactly zero useful pieces of information so far. MyHeritage has yet to locate me any...

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  • What I Learned – Day Nine

    Nov 28

    Today, I am determined to finish sorting through the list that the MyHeritage website gave me. I am still working from my original search, where I told it to look for my first name and my maiden surname. I have yet to find anything of use, and am getting discouraged. The next website on the list is USGenNet. I have heard that this website is ...

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  • What I Learned – Day Eight

    Nov 27

    Today, I had the time to continue looking at the results of the search I did at MyHeritage. I learned that having to wait around for the MyHeritage website to load up the exact same search I have been trying to find information on since Day One is frustrating! It is really cutting into the limited amount of time that I have available to do my gen...

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  • What I Learned – Day Seven

    Nov 26

    Once again, I go to the MyHeritage website, to try again. As always, I enter my own first name, and my unmarried last name, into the search engine. As always, I must wait for MyHeritage to pull up the same exact search that I have been working on since I started using this website. This gives me time to go into my kitchen, and get a glass of ice...

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  • What I Learned – Day Six

    Nov 25

    Undaunted by my lack of good results so far, I continue browsing through the list of websites that my search at My Heritage found for me. The first two results did not find me what I was looking for. I am not ready to give up yet. The third website on the big list is NewsLibrary.com. There are no icons being used to describe this website. I...

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  • What I Learned- Day Five

    Nov 24

    I learned that underneath the list of potential websites that the My Heritage search engine collected for me sits more information. There is a legend that describes what the icons mean. A red star means that this website has had information added to it in the last 30 days. A yellow star means the website has a highly popular genealogy database. ...

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  • What I Learned- Day 4

    Nov 23

    Today, I had the opportunity to look at the list of potential links that the My Heritage website found for me. I began my genealogy research by typing my own first name, and my maiden name into the search engine. My hope is that one of the links that it listed for me would provide me with the records I am seeking. I start by logging in. This...

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  • A Rescued Legacy

    Nov 22

    Wesley Wagoner was from Hanover, Pennsylvania and enlisted in the 76th Union Pennsylvania Infantry in October 1862 during the American Civil War. He was a faithful son in writing letters home while stationed in South Carolina. He wrote of the conditions the troops were living under, their military activities, but mostly of his love for his famil...

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  • Previously Married

    Nov 21

    Parents don’t necessarily discuss with their children every aspect of their life, figuring the youngsters might not comprehend some adult issues. However, once those children are adults, leading their own lives would seem to be the perfect time to discuss earlier events covering the parent’s life. When that is not done, the parent’s early y...

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  • Sibling Jealousy

    Nov 20

    There can be a handful of family stories told by just one individual, possibly to hurt or for revenge on that person. One story such tale communicated to other relatives was by a younger sister about her older, more popular sister. Sibling rivalry has existed since Cain and Abel with each trying to prove they were better than the other. This c...

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  • The Maiden Name

    Nov 19

    Misinformation, especially concerning an individual’s vital dates and names, can be carried on for generations especially when placed on death certificates. After all, it is a living relative or even friend providing the specifics for the death certificate. So unknowingly an Indiana great grandmother’s maiden name was always written and told ...

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  • Military Aide to General George Washington

    Nov 18

    No one can claim to be a direct descendant of General George Washington, since he had no children of his own. Instead, in one family was the tale for generations that an ancestor had been the personal aide and confident to General George Washington throughout the American Revolutionary War. That ancestor's name was Sgt. Lawrence Everhart from Mar...

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  • What I Learned – Day Three

    Nov 17

    Today, I tried, once again, to access the MyHeritage website. I learned that somehow, the MyHeritage website has figured out that I was trying to become a member, because it allows me to log in. A small, stable, box appears, which I find very easy to log into. Finally, I am now able to access the very same search engine that I was originally att...

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  • What I Learned – Day Two

    Nov 16

    Today, I decided to see if the problem that I was having with the MyHeritage website was because I was using a Mac computer. To test this problem, I fired up my laptop computer, which is a PC. I prefer to use the Safari browser, even on my PC. I manually typed the URL for the MyHeritage webpage that I was attempting to use yesterday into the add...

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  • What I Learned – Day One

    Nov 15

    I've decided to jump in and make a serious attempt to begin working on my family tree. As a person who has dabbled in genealogy, but is still rather new to the subject, I know that there is a lot for me to learn. I'm excited to discover more about my ancestors, and, at the same time, I am a bit anxious about the research aspect of genealogy. ...

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  • Do You Qualify For a Genealogical Grant?

    Nov 13

    Need some extra cash in order to continue, or start, your genealogy project? Are you someone who represents a genealogical organization? Perhaps you are the creator, writer, editor, and distributor of a family newsletter. Maybe you have an idea for an amazing new piece of technology, that will revolutionize the way genealogists do their research...

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  • Autism and Schizophrenia Linked to Genetic Mutation

    Nov 12

    There have been a lot of stories in the news that talk about autism. Many of these stories start out by mentioning that they have found the cause for autism. Later, as the story unfolds, it often turns out that there really wasn't as much of a link between autism and whatever the cause was said to be. But, the headlines always sound as though th...

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  • Adopted Man Finds Long Lost Family

    Nov 11

    Bobby Walker is 26 years old. Earlier this year, he asked his adoptive mother, Marilyn Walker, for some information about who his birth mother is. There wasn't a lot of information to give him. He learned that his birth mother was only 13 years old when he was born. He was given a photograph of his birth mother, that was taken in 1995. The wom...

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  • World’s Largest Family Tree Templates Available For Free

    Nov 10

    Do you come from an extremely large family? I do! The very idea of trying to fit all of my relatives, and all of my ancestors, onto one family tree template seemed impossible to me. In fact, the very idea was so intimidating that I really haven't put much effort into attempting it. However, now that there are giant family tree charts that can b...

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  • His Ancestor is a Saint

    Nov 9

    It can be comforting when your genealogy research reveals that your ancestors were good people. It must be extremely exciting to learn that one of your ancestors was, in fact, a saint! Strangely enough, this is precisely what genealogy research revealed for one man. Which means that many of his relatives will also have the blood of a saint runni...

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  • Gene Mutation Links Dyslexia and Handedness

    Nov 8

    Recent studies reveal that there is a link between reading ability, brain asymmetry, and the hand a person prefers to write with. Researchers found this after studying the genomes of 192 children who had difficulty with reading. This means there is a genetic reason why some children are dyslexic. It also reveals interesting things about what han...

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  • Harry Potter Stars Came From Neighboring Villages

    Nov 7

    Sometimes, the world seems like a very small place. According to Dr. Nick Barratt, who is involved in the television series called “Who Do You Think You Are?”, two of the stars of the Harry Potter series of movies had ancestors who lived in neighboring villages. Now, around 200 years later, their descendants are movie stars. News about the a...

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  • Family Tree Maker for Mac

    Nov 6

    Something exciting has come to members of the Ancestry.com website! It's called Family Tree Maker for Mac. This is the Mac version of the Family Tree Maker that was already available to members who were using PC computers. Finally, people who have Mac computers can take full advantage their Ancestry.com membership. What does the Family Tree M...

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  • Photos of my Grandfather

    Nov 5

    Earlier this week, my uncle sent me a very interesting email through Facebook. He said that he has been connecting with some long lost family members, (whom I never new existed). One of these newly found family members put some really old family photos onto his Facebook page. My uncle said that some of the photos were of his father, who was my g...

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  • Adoptee Finds Birth Mother and Biological Son

    Nov 4

    A woman named Jo Galloway was adopted when she was a child. Years later, she gave birth to a son, whom she had to give up for adoption. Now, years later, she has become reunited with both her birth mother and her long lost son. Considering how difficult it can be to locate biological family after an adoption has taken place, this story is rather...

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  • Genetic Studies Provide Possibilities In Cancer Treatment

    Nov 3

    Pancreatic cancer is an especially serious and frightening form of cancer. It is often completely undetected until it has reached an advanced stage. It tends to reject many forms of treatment. Around 43,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year. Less than one out of five cases are caught early enough to be s...

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  • Gene Variant May Protect Against Alcoholism

    Nov 2

    Alcoholism is a complex disease. It appears to run in families, yet it doesn't cause every member of a particular family to become an alcoholic. Not much is understood about exactly why a person decides to start drinking, or what factors cause that person to continue to drink despite negative repercussions. Ultimately, the result of having a...

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  • Your Great Grandparents Were People, Too

    Nov 2

    It can be easy to give in to the impulse to idealize your ancestors. Everyone wants to think that their grandparents, great grandparents, or great great grandparents were perfectly sweet and decent people. This is especially true when you see a photo of your great grandmother doing something like working in her flower garden, or a photo of your g...

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  • Studies Show Link Between Depression And Genetic Pathway

    Nov 2

    Depression is a mental health issue that tends to run in families. Around 7% of the population of the United States of America will be affected by depression in one year. While the percentage number may not sound very big, it doesn't reflect how debilitating it can be if you are the person who is experiencing depression. It also doesn't describe...

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  • Newspaper Article Connects Long Lost Family

    Nov 2

    It started with a newspaper article. Christina Bellars-Strait, who lives in America, read an online news article about a man named Malcolm Carter, who lives in the UK. The article was on the Cambs Times website, and it told the story of a last minute salvage of Malcolm Carter's business. The article involved Malcolm Carter as well as his grandso...

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  • Genealogist Searches For Girl Behind the Ghost

    Nov 2

    One genealogist is searching for the truth behind the ghost of a little girl. Genealogy research is a great way to learn more about the actual people that are the inspiration for local ghost stories. While this research is not going to be a definitive way to confirm, or dispute, the existence of a ghost, it can be a way to discover more about the...

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  • Breast Cancer Gene Can Be Passed Paternally

    Nov 2

    Most of the time, when a genetic screening is done of family members who may carry the genes that increase the risk of breast cancer, it is only the women of the family who are tested. However, it is also very important that the men in the family have the same genetic screening done as well. It turns out that the genes that increase the risk of a...

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  • Family Tree Templates Make Things Easier

    Nov 2

    Working on your family tree can be a lot like putting together pieces of a puzzle. Your genealogy research reveals little clues, which you collect up, and put into place. Perhaps you started with yourself, and then connected to your parents and siblings. Maybe you decided to work on just one side of your family for now, with intent to focus on t...

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  • Are Your Grandparents on Facebook?

    Nov 2

    Facebook is more than a place to go when you want to play Farmville. It is also an quick and easy way to keep in touch with living family members. The simple interface of this social networking website makes it easy for even the least computer savvy person in your family to use. All that you need to do is remember one password, and you can conne...

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  • Professional Genealogists to the Rescue!

    Nov 2

    There is a phrase genealogists tend to use when they have done absolutely all the research from each and every source they could find, only to come up with nothing. It's called “hitting a brick wall”. This colorful phrase evokes the frustration one feels when you give something your very best effort and do not get the result you hoped for. I...

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  • Does the Liberal Gene Run In Your Family?

    Nov 2

    Politics, and political leanings, are a big subject, especially as America prepares itself for an upcoming election. It isn't unheard of for an entire family line to decide to vote a certain way, or to be strongly supportive of either the Democratic or the Republican candidates. Did you ever wonder why that is so?Researchers have found that while...

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  • Do Your Research Online

    Nov 2

    Doing genealogy research can be time consuming. If you don't happen to be a professional genealogist, then at least some of your day is taken up by your job. Another large portion of your day is going to be spent taking care of your children, eating meals with your family, and doing the general day to day cleaning and chores that everyone has to ...

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  • Ozzy Osbourne’s Genome

    Nov 2

    Ozzy Osbourne, the former frontman of Black Sabbath, the “Prince of Darkness” himself, has had his full genome sequenced and analyzed. In July, he allowed a sample of his DNA to be taken from his blood. His DNA was sequenced by a company from Saint Louis, MO, called Cofactor Genomics. Another company, Knome Inc., helped to raise funds for th...

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  • I Found My Long Lost Cousin At School

    Nov 2

    Many families have a story about finding long lost relatives. Frequently, this involves a lot of genealogy research that has revealed a connection to an ancestor that the genealogist was previously unaware of. Sometimes, it means that you received a letter from a stranger in a far away country who asks you the burning question: “Are we related ...

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  • Your Surname May Reveal Your Heritage

    Nov 2

    What's in a name? Quite a lot, actually! Your last name, or surname, holds a lot of information you may not be aware of. Each surname has it's own meaning, and may provide clues about your heritage. It can be fascinating to go through all the last names of your relatives, and discover the meanings behind them all. The study of surnames is ...

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  • Traveling To Visit Long Lost Relatives

    Nov 2

    Sometimes, the discovery of long lost relatives provides the perfect reason to plan a vacation. It can be exciting to travel to parts of the world that you have never been to before, and have the opportunity to get to know new family members at the same time. Alex Bellos, a writer for The Guardian, was able to visit his long lost relatives in Arg...

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  • Long Lost Relatives from Across the Aisle

    Oct 28

    There has been a lot of rather surprising news lately about politicians. No, I am not referring to political scandals, to who is planning on running for office in the next election, or to what an individual's personal political views happen to be. If you are interested in genealogy, the biggest news about politicians lately is their relation to ...

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  • Some Tips For Storing Your Research

    Oct 28

    Working on genealogy means collecting up piles of papers that contain details about your ancestors. It means gathering up books and newspapers that are useful resources. It means keeping a collection of family photographs and stories. It might mean filling notebooks with notes, sketches of family trees, and names of websites. Often, it means co...

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  • Genealogy Groups are Helpful

    Oct 28

    If you haven't already done so, you might consider joining a local genealogy group. It can be fun to meet a bunch of people who are just as interested in genealogy as you are. It is a good way to take a hobby that can be somewhat isolating and turn it into a social event. Perhaps the best part of joining a genealogy group is that you can learn a...

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  • Woman Finds Ancestors From Salem Witch Trials

    Oct 28

    Interesting things can be discovered when you have your DNA tested in order to find out who your ancestors were. Amanda Gilbert, from Southern California, got quite a surprise when she became a customer of the GeneTree website. It turned out that she is a descendant of not one, but two, of the important figures who were involved in the Salem Witc...

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  • GenealogyBank.com Celebrates Fourth Anniversary

    Oct 28

    GenealogyBank.com, a website with a wealth of resources for genealogists, is celebrating it's fourth anniversary. Four years is a very long time for any website to be continually active. To celebrate, they had a sale that gave genealogists who subscribed to this website in October of 2010 a discount on an annual membership. It's nice when a webs...

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  • Your Living Relatives are a Resource

    Oct 27

    Every genealogist has access to a resource that is filled with information, easy to find, and fun to use. Unfortunately, many genealogists overlook this wonderful resource, or do not recognize it for the treasure that it is. What is it? It is the genealogist's very own family! If you are looking for family stories, the best place to start is...

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  • Old Letters Lead to Long Lost Relatives

    Oct 27

    It is always exciting to hear a story in the news about a genealogist who has managed to track down their long lost relatives. Imagine, working on your family tree, and having your research lead to living relatives who never knew you existed! It can be infinitely more satisfying to be able to visit with these “new” family members in person th...

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  • Genealogy News (DNA research)

    Oct 27

    A recent study has revealed that ADHD is actually a genetic condition. This discovery was made by researchers from the Medical Research Council Centre in Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Department of Psychological Medicine and Neurology at Cardiff University in Wales, in the UK. Genealogists who have been working on the genetic genealo...

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  • Genealogy.com

    Oct 26

    Genealogy.com has an extremely easy to remember name! This website has a section called First Steps that you should review if you are have not visited this website before. When I clicked on the link that says: About Us, it re-directed me to the Ancestry.com corporate website. I found this to be confusing. The Genealogy.com website is a place wh...

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  • The National Archives

    Oct 26

    The National Archives is very helpful to genealogists because it has records that come from every branch of the Federal government. I learned that they have access to census records, military records, immigration records, naturalization records, and land records. I also learned that The National Archives has a subscription to Ancestry.com and to ...

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  • FamilyLink.com

    Oct 26

    FamilyLink.com is a genealogy website where you can search for your ancestors. There are 3.6 billion names that you can search through from this website. You can start by using the search engine on their page. It says: I am looking for, and there are boxes for you to type in your relative's first name and last name. Use the drop down box to sel...

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  • RootsWeb

    Oct 26

    RootsWeb is an Ancestry.com community website. It is connect with the Ancestry.com website. The search engine on the front page is split, with half allowing you to search through RootsWeb, and the other half allowing you to search through Ancestry.com. There is a section called: Getting Started which is helpful to people who have not used this w...

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  • U.S. GenWeb Project

    Oct 26

    The USGenWeb Project is a website that is run by a team of volunteers. Together, they are working on providing free genealogy websites that are relevant to every county and state in the United States of America. I learned that the USGenWeb Project also sponsors special projects, in addition to this website. Some of their many projects include th...

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  • FamilySearch.org

    Oct 26

    FamilySearch.org is a genealogy website that is a service provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. You can find an immense amount of records and archives on this website, and more information is added frequently. People who are new to genealogy can find information that advises you how to get started. Just follow the links on...

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  • Ancestry.com

    Oct 26

    Ancestry.com is one of the most popular websites for genealogy. They are the world's largest online resource for family trees, and documents that genealogists need for their family history research. What kinds of resources can you find here? In addition to birth, marriage, and death records from the United States and around the world, you c...

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