Free is Good!!
We all look for that small edge that just might open a door or two into our family’s past. When there are databases free and open to everyone that is even better.
One to check out is Linkpendium. It is not a database by itself but rather links to other databases. It is divided up locations (U. S. states and territories) as well as locations in the United Kingdom. If you had ancestors living in Washington, D. C. (District of Columbia) check out that link. Each location will be different, with D. C. it is divided into four locations (Washington City, Georgetown, Brookland and Anacosta). If you are unsure which area an ancestor lived, do check all of them. Most of these links will have databases for vital records (births-marriages and deaths). Some could have city directories, cemeteries, newspapers, church records, deeds, Wills and even individuals willing to look up items in those locations.
Then there may be links just for surnames, always a good place to search with Linkpendium.
Using Genealogy.com, one of the interesting listing (or as they call it ‘forums’ is for surnames. Here you will see list after list of just about every spelling for a surname. Once you select a specific surname, there can be hundreds of ‘messages’ where an another researcher is looking for similar information a certain family name. Scan through what is requested – look for specific locations your ancestors lived besides any given names and dates. You could hit where a researcher has provided a long list of names and dates for a family tree. As always, never accept such data without checking it in many places yourself. But what is provided might just be enough to ‘kick-start’ your research.
Note on the Genealogy.com main page are other forums, including locations (other countries, and states), military, and immigration that you may need help with.
Related FamilyTree.com genealogy blogs:
Pennsylvania and Hartman Databases
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