immigrants
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Map and Chart Tools
Apr 21
There are types of specialty maps and charts today to help better understand how our ancestors lived. The University of Oregon's Mapping Project has a wealth of historical time periods and events in digital maps to see the progress and changes over the decades. It starts off with North America and where were the early English, French and Spanish s...
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Ethnic Origins in America
Nov 12
We sometimes think of all of us as Americans, which we are. However, doing your family tree you also think in terms of your family's homeland - its ethnic origin. It interesting to review the make-up and sheer numbers of of the different ethnic groups in the United States. The largest in numbers are those Americans of German background. With the...
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Castle Garden
Oct 20
What is Castle Garden? It may well be the point of entry for your ancestors. Some 100 million Americans can trace their family tree to relatives who arrived at Castle Garden in New York. Between 1820 and 1892 some 11 million immigrants entered the United States in this location. The well-known facility of Ellis Island did not open until January 1,...
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Physical Characteristics of an Ancestor. 6 Steps to Discovery:
Aug 15
Oh, how you wish sometimes you had some photo of an ancestor. You have gathered information about their life, but have no idea what they look like. Did they have a round face, were they tall, have blue eyes and is it possible you look like them? There are a few sources to turn to that might help provide some general physical cha...
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Historical Event that Changed Your Ancestor’s Life & Yours
Jul 10
So much unknown and yet there is a great deal a family historian can piece together about their ancestors. After gathering vital records, documents, journals; a researcher really needs to take some time to see if any patterns of behavior emerge and if such actions can be directly traced to a historical event. Examples of how historical events c...
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Philly – What a City !
Mar 4
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, known as Philly has a long history dating back to the colonial period. So there well can be many of your ancestors who lived and worked in and around the city of Philadelphia. It was also a major entrance for immigrates first arriving in America. The Philadelphia City Archive has one of the country's largest municipal...
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Italian Surnames
Feb 14
If there is: Fabris, Panetta, Gardella, Zavaglia, Campioni, Matteri, Tarullo, or a thousand other various Italian surnames somewhere on your family tree, you will want to review the Italian Surnames Database. Here in alphabetical order are thousands of Italian family names from various provinces and regions across Italy. What is even better are t...
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Statue of Liberty Dedicated Oct. 28, 1886
Oct 28
Not all immigrates to the shores of America passed by the famed Statue of Liberty in New York, mostly because it did not even exist in the harbor until it was officially dedicated on Thursday, October 28, 1886 when the last rivet was fitted by U. S. President Grover Cleveland during a special ceremony. This 151-foot statue of lady liberty with her ...
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Japanese Immigration
Sep 30
Many immigrates from countless nations have come to the American shores to start a new life over the centuries. Usually people think of the immigrants coming from Europe, but Asian nations have many of their former citizens coming to the United States for a fresh start. One such group are the Japanese who starting arriving to America in the 1880s....
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Marking a Major Ancestral Anniversary
Sep 29
I'm remembering and marking the 100th anniversary of when by paternal great grandparents came to the shores of America. In spite of being married they actually came at two different dates. My gr grandfather, George William Kershaw, arrived to the Port of Boston on August 14, 1912. He had lived his whole life, born in Hulme, Chorlton, Manchester, L...