Nebraska Sources



nebraska-homesteaders 1888The state of Nebraska was the territory area where many settlers from the eastern coast of the United States and from foreign lands came in the 1800s to start a new life. You may have had ancestors who were part of the wagon trains of adventurers headed for the territory in the late 1840s or came after it was officially a state in 1867. Homesteaders wanting their own land were still coming to Nebraska in the 1880s.

Even if you are not sure, thinking your ancestors were only in the neighboring states such as Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, Missouri, Wyoming or Colorado, you still should review the many databases on the free online USGenNet site for Nebraska. Many people may have started in Nebraska and later moved to other neighboring states.

nebraska - thomas and wife clarkThere are many topics covering the historical events and the people of Nebraska. Topics include the pioneers, schools, military, immigrants, cemeteries, churches, the poorhouses, obituaries, Native Americans, railroads, maps and the special orphan trains.

If you had ancestors who did spend a good deal of time in any location in Nebraska they just might be written up in the Compendium of History, Reminiscence and Biography of Nebraska. Here are many biographies on Nebraska’s pioneers and citizens over the decade. On that site, scroll down and surname letters for the different biographies is available. Remember to check various surname spellings. How much information does vary with each individual, but there just might some missing names or dates or locations you needed. Just below the list of surname letters is the link for photos and illustrations. Click on it and scroll down there are photos or drawing of some of Nebraska’s citizens, their businesses or farms.

nebraska-james Frey farmA good site to investigate any ancestors who may have lived, even briefly in Nebraska.

Photos: A farm family poses outside their sod house in eastern Custer County, Nebraska, ca. 1888; portraits of Thomas Clark and his wife; and the James Frey farm.

Related FamilyTree.com genealogy blogs:

Nebraska Newspapers

State Archives-Conn. to Nebraska

Land Maps-Homesteaders

 

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