Family Search Uncovers Circus Elephant Story

Introduction: Scott Phillips is a genealogical historian and owner of Onward To Our Past® genealogy services. In this guest blog post, Scott speaks of his love of genealogy, and shares some of the family history discoveries he’s made—including the tale of an ancestor, a zookeeper, who was nearly trampled to death by Minnie, the... (Read More)

Got Genealogy Questions?

Do you have a genealogy question? Have you hit a brick wall in your genealogy research? Need help? Write our free “Ask the Genealogist” service and let’s see what we can find out for you about your family history. And, hey—would you help us out and “Like” us on Facebook, and ask your friends... (Read More)

Family Prison Reunion—Study Uncovers Jukes’ Crime History

With Mother’s Day just past and Father’s Day approaching, genealogists would love to have a complete family history—to find and document all the members of their family. And—as the following family story illustrates–so would the police! Richard Dugdale (1841-1883) was studying prisoners for the Prison Association of New York. In reviewing the prison inmates... (Read More)

How to Find Your Grandfather’s Birth Records Online

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Who is my grandfather?” If so, you are not alone. Every day we receive hundreds of questions from our members regarding their family history searches. Many of these inquiries are just looking to find any references that can give them a glimpse of their grandparents past. At GenealogyBank,... (Read More)

Amazing True Story of Shipwreck Survival

Last week I spotted the unusual story of a man saved from dying in a shipwreck in the middle of the night when he spotted a floating box—it turned out to be his wife’s coffin that he was bringing home for burial! The newspaper article containing this incredible survival story was printed by the... (Read More)