Sep 1
Have you thought about the concept that you -- a descendant -- may be very much like an ancestor - one you never meet or knew?? As you do the research on the family tree including the branches, such as great aunts and uncles, you just might strike a cord or a 'Kindred Spirit' with one or two of those ancestors. You might find so much in common, bet...
Aug 29
Some of the best resources are the state archives and this is true for the state of New York. This former British colony and then one of the original 13 states, it has a very long history with a variety of people calling New York home. A large part of the archives collection is in digital format and can be viewed online for free. The is a search b...
Aug 27
Everyone has at least a little Irish in their lineage, so you will want to review on free online site that covers all of Ireland (including Northern Ireland) with information from Catholic church parishes, especially of the 1700s into the 1800s. The source is the National Library of Ireland. It has registers containing records of baptisms and marr...
Aug 25
Oh yes, it can happen, there can be one or more ancestors of your direct lineage of your family tree where you can not locate any document or vital records (a paper trail) to support or learn more about that ancestor. Very frustrating for sure!! Here are some ideas of how to gather some information on that ancestor. First check and do the researc...
Aug 19
The official census records are available for 1790 to 1940. It will be April 2022 before the Federal Census records for 1950 are available. There must be so many relatives you want to look up in those censuses. Well, remember some states did their own mid-decade censuses for their state residents. Florida for example did 1935 and 1945 censuses. In...
Aug 1
You do not want to loose family records, documents, letters, photos, records, journals, etc that have been handed down over the decades. So what is the best method to preserve them? Of course keeping them in a fire-proof, water-proof location is a start. Never expose them to heat, sunshine, cold weather, etc. Keep insects and mold away from your ...
Jul 21
The taking of the U. S. Federal Census of 1860 occurred June 1, 1860 until October 1860. The Civil War officially started in April 1861. So you can get as close a picture of your family ancestors who lived across the 33 states of the eastern coast at that time. Some of the information now placed on this census of 1860, that had not been in previou...
Jul 7
In this digital age, the sending of microfilm to the Family History Centers of the Church of the Latter-Day Saints for individuals to view ends on September 1, 2017. The last date to order a microfilm to be sent is August 31, 2017. How many have used this service of ordering a specific microfilm to continue your research at the Family History Cente...
Jun 27
You may know for sure your father and / or grandfather served in the United States military at some point. You may have photos of them in uniform or their discharge papers or the medal they were awarded. As you go further back in time and generations if does get harder to know if a relative did serve in the military. Here are a few clues to look f...
Jun 15
On Sunday, June 18th, 2017 will be Father's Day. A great idea is make your father and / or grandfather your genealogical focus that day and hopefully future days. First, make the plans to spend time with him, and set aside time to interview him. Bring a tape recorder and a notebook to take notes. The interview and series of questions don't have to...