Jun 25
Here is an idea of an often overlooked location to find information on an ancestor. Many hometowns since the 1920s, especially if they had some special attractions such as seashore resorts, fishing villages, hiking trails, nature parks, lake terrains, grand mountains, former mining towns, historical landmarks, etc. have produced over the years loca...
Jun 25
When we think of the unibrow, the image of artist Frida Kahlo might come to mind. Or, you might think of a Muppet named Bert that is a character on “Sesame Street”. You might have family members who have a unibrow (or have your own unibrow). A study set out to discover the genetics behind the unibrow. The study was titled “A genome-wide...
Jun 24
Old newspapers might be seen as trash by many people. But, to genealogists, they are a treasure! There are things you might be able to find in an old newspaper that simply aren't available anywhere else. You might find an ancestor's obituary, or an article about a baking contest she won. It is easy to see why MyHeritage decided to add 11 million pa...
Jun 23
Bruce Springsteen is best known for his “Born in the USA” album. He was born in in Long Branch, New Jersey, in 1949. It is obvious that “The Boss” really was born in the United States. What you may not know is that he has Irish heritage. Irish Central reports that Bruce Springsteen's family tree can be traced to County Kildare, Ireland. ...
Jun 23
If you had ancestors living in the United Kingdom from approximately 1900 to 1930, they may have served in the British military because the 'Great War' - World War One was fought then. Of course, you might think only of the army for an ancestor’s service, but many were part of the Royal Navy. Available now online, free to use are the records, ab...
Jun 22
Tuberculosis is a serious disease. Today, it can be partly prevented by vaccine. Those who catch the disease can be treated by a medical professional (who will most likely prescribe antibiotics that will kill the bacterial disease.) It may sound strange, but tuberculosis actually shaped Victorian fashion. Tuberculosis used to be called "consumpt...
Jun 21
An obituary is usually a good source of information for genealogists. It typically contains the full name of the deceased (including her “maiden name”). You can easily find birth dates and death dates on an obituary, as well as a list of people who are closely related to the deceased. Once in a while, an obituary becomes a unique form of poli...
Jun 21
It can be fascinating to research especially using census records, obituaries, and city directories, the occupations of our ancestors. As you do the one ancestors working during the 1800s (19th century) it can actually be a challenge figuring out what type of job they were doing. There were regular necessary occupations that are no longer done by a...
Jun 20
Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000 active duty service members, veterans, and their families. Until recently, the cemetery excluded the female pilots who served during WWII. In May of 2016, that changed. Arlington National Military Cemeteries consists of Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virgin...
Jun 20
The use of US Federal and state census records are invaluable for anyone doing family history research. Unfortunately, you might not be looking at all the details and information each census record offers. Starting with the left side look at and record any information and number relating to where the family house is located. Not every year had th...
Jun 19
You have decided this summer is the time to start your family tree. You want to explore more about your ancestors, get to know who they were and discover their story. So how do you begin, well here are the basics to get started. START with YOURSELF - yes, this is the easy part. Who know you better than YOU? Write your full name, birth date / loc...
Jun 18
You might be aware that President Barack Obama has Irish ancestry. It turns out that Vice President Joe Biden does as well. In March of 2013, Joe Biden was inducted into the Irish America Hall of Fame. Megan Smolenyak is the well known genealogist who not only traced Barack Obama's Irish roots, but also Joe Biden's Irish ancestry (when he was ...
Jun 17
The St. Patrick's cemetery that is located in Arroyo Grande, California, was in need of restoration. It is a small cemetery that has been neglected over the years. It was unclear who would be able to restore it. A Facebook page was created to encourage the church to save St. Patrick's cemetery. Restoration efforts have recently begun. The ...
Jun 17
One of the family history items you spend a good deal of time is the family name (surname). It is surprising how many people over the decades have the same surname, even those unusual ones. Many of those people may be direct lineage, others extended family branches and a few not related at all. One of our family names was 'Musselman' and the famil...
Jun 16
A cemetery in Flat Rock, Michigan, was vandalized shortly before Memorial Day weekend. It is always sad when someone vandalizes tombstones because the information on them is so important to the descendants of the deceased. The Vreeland Cemetery is located in Flat Rock, Michigan. It is a small cemetery that is maintained by volunteers. The sign a...