vital records

  • Finding North Dakota Death Records Back to 1881

    Oct 19

    The state government of North Dakota has made investigating about any possible death record on an ancestor in that state much easier. On the site North Dakota Public Death Index there is a simple search box.  Just two items have to be included. One is the surname of the individual you are looking for and a death date range. On the surname you m...

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  • Free Search of the Mortality Schedules Database

    Sep 30

    Besides the U. S. Federal Census records which are done every ten years starting in 1790, the United States also had included during certain years a mortality schedule to record those American individuals who had died the previous year. These additions were done during the 1850 through the 1880 Federal census years. When the census taker asked if a...

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  • The Other Half of Our Ancestry

    Sep 19

    It is very unfortunate that many of our female ancestors do not get the full recognition that the male lineage obtains by family history researchers.  Check your family pedigree chart and you will have numerous locations along a female line that just the first name is filled in and no maiden name.  Those lines are at a stopping point until more c...

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  • Delaware County, PA – Index of Vital Records

    Sep 17

    As you are compiling some family research, sometimes all you need is a small clue, a hint of an ancestor’s birth date or location to put you on the right track.  When different counties within a state make available their records more conveniently online, even if they are just an index (a listing), it can be a great assistance.  Once you know a...

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  • Vital Records for Dutch Ancestors

    Sep 15

    The nation of The Netherlands in Western Europe has been keeping records of births, marriages and deaths since 1811, which is 200 years. Online is an excellent database in digital form of transcribed records. The site is titled: Genlias. They continue to add new information to the site, including records from the various Dutch colonies; like the...

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  • A Lesson from 9/11—Share and Help Where You Can

    Sep 11

    The following is an extra long blog for this 10th anniversary of Sept. 11th, but relates how genealogy can help heal even the deepest wounds. Above is a photo of Ralph Kershaw. Disbelief, just utter and total disbelief, was our reaction at what we were watching on the television that fateful September 11th morning.  The national news was repor...

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  • Discovering Family Secrets – A Real Case

    Aug 28

    Parents don’t necessarily discuss with their children every aspect of their life, figuring the youngsters might not comprehend some adult issues.  However, once those children are adults, in charge of their own lives would seem to be the perfect time to discuss earlier events covering the parent’s life.  When that is not done, the parent’s ...

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  • Start with a Good General Search Site

    Aug 22

    If you are just beginning or have been doing family history research for awhile, it is always beneficial to check out some of the basic online genealogical sites.  A good overall general site is Access Genealogy. It has been and remains a free resource online for genealogical data. The original backbone to the site over ten years ago was inform...

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  • Marriages in Westmoreland County, PA

    Aug 18

    Being that Pennsylvania is one of the original 13 states and long has been established, many of our ancestors could have originally lived in Pennsylvania or in a neighboring state. The county of Westmoreland was founded on February 26, 1773 and was recognized as the first county in the colony of Pennsylvania which was located west of the Allegheny ...

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  • Try a Search Engine Designed for Family History. Mocavo.

    Aug 10

    The use of the general Internet search engines is invaluable, especially Google. There seems to be nothing it can not locate, if it is on the World Wide Web.  Google Books is a wonderful addition, quickly locating a certain name, place or historical event in a digital book copy within moments and on the exact page. Of course using a search engi...

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