documents
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The FBI is Digitizing Records
Oct 14
You may have heard that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has been making an effort in converting their paper files into digital ones. At first glance, this may sound like excellent news for genealogists. Unfortunately, these records will not be made available to genealogists. Even so, the story about the records is quite fascinating. The Fede...
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Advertisements & Ancestors
Oct 9
Using vintage newspapers is great for locating an obituary on an ancestors, a good deal can be learned. However, generally the information from an obit was supplied by someone else - spouse, relative or friend. An another idea is to research in those family hometown or county vintage newspapers are advertisements. These were put in by the indivi...
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Get Back on Track
Oct 7
Yes, it happens you have been away from actively doing your family tree and now you want to kick start the research. Or you have been working on the family history and are running into road blocks. Here are a few suggestions to 'get back on track' and have success. If you haven't already, go to the closest Family History Center (Church of the La...
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Transcribe Handwritten Manuscripts, Letters, Journals, Books, Documents
Sep 23
For just over a year, there has been a great program at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC (plus its branches), to turn the reams of archival material into digitally searchable files that anyone can view on their own home or public library computer. The Transcription Center allows any interested person to sift through scanned, handwrit...
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Family Secrets – What to Do?
Sep 19
As you proceed through your family history research, you will already have heard about or even come across what can be called 'Family Secrets'. They were generally the forbidden family subjects, not to be spoken or written about for generations. However, as you work on your family tree, each person should count and not just as a name and date, b...
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Severe Mistakes in doing Genealogical Research
Sep 13
There might be severe mistakes unbeknownst to you as far as working on your family tree. The following is a list of just a few. Check and correct, if necessary, any such errors. First, see that you place a source for all your research. It can save you from redoing the same search a couple years later and you will have a listing to back up where ...
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Family Church – Religion
Sep 9
Often overlooked are the numerous resources connected or relating to a family's church or religion. It not just the fact if a family was Presbyterian, Baptist, Catholic, etc, but more what valuable bits of information can be contained by checking the family's church. First is to see if there was a family Bible, here is where the generations' of ...
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To Use or Not to Use
Aug 21
You found on the Internet or in a book; photos, written material, a family tree, illustrations, etc. that fit with your family lineage. The question arises, are you free to use that material? It is all covered by copyright laws. From the U.S. Copyright Office: "The term of copyright for a particular work depends on several factors, including wh...
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Sources of Death Records
Aug 2
It can be difficult to get an accurate death date, location and burial site on an ancestor. The following are a few suggestions of sources for death records. First, check any family documents, journals, diaries, vital records or collection of newspaper obituaries saved. It can be easily overlooked to even go though those boxes of family photos. Ri...
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What else can you Learn? Genealogy Ongoing
Jul 26
As is said many times ... you never 'finish' your family tree. There is always another branch or an ancestor with more details needed to help add greater substance to your family history. So that means to continually educate yourself on the newest and most efficient methods of research. Also don't overlook improving your writing skills as you put ...