Genealogists spend years getting to know their sources. We learn the ins and outs of archives and their collections of genealogical records, looking to get the maximum amount of information on our ancestors. In combing through the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper archives I noticed that they ran a regular feature called the “Birthday Bulletin,” starting... (Read More)
Every day we get interesting genealogy questions from our members via our Ask the Genealogist service. The following is a good example: a member asked for help finding information about a great-grandfather. Question: I am looking for more information on my great-grandfather, Edgar Rhue Harner. He was born in Berks Co., PA, in 1860.... (Read More)
The old Colonial newspapers let us look back and see our country’s news as it happened. We get to see the early American history as it unfolded in our ancestors’ day. Imagine the utter shock in 1799 upon hearing the grim news that General George Washington was dead—America’s military leader during the Revolutionary War... (Read More)
Georgia Family History Expo – Duluth, Georgia 2011 Over 400 genealogists gathered in Duluth, Georgia, for the annual Family History Expo held at the Gwinnett Center on Nov. 11-12, 2011. Now in its second year, this conference has the size and feel of a national conference. There were over 60 informative family history sessions... (Read More)
A genealogist asked me: “I am searching for my Junot family in Louisiana. With over 700 million records – what is the best way to effectively search GenealogyBank for my ancestors?” Example OneOne approach is to search for the surname and the state where the family is from.My friend began her search by typing:... (Read More)
Genealogy Boot Camp Here are a few tips that every genealogist should know.Using an online index Researchers using an online index sometimes try to tell the computer everything they know about their deceased ancestor.Assuming that the computer will sort through all of the facts and narrow down the hits to just their ancestor –... (Read More)
Thousands of city directories are going online. City directories are a basic tool for genealogists. City directories are like an annual census of the cities and towns across America. Now – thousands of them are being digitized and put online. Read about the history of city directories here: Williams, A.V. Growth and Development of... (Read More)
National Archives Celebrates 75th Anniversary on Friday, June 19th.Susan Logue (Voice of America) distributed this commentary on the 75th Anniversary of the National Archives. Before the National Archives was founded, many governmental records were kept in poor conditions. On June 19, 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the legislation creating the National Archives. “There... (Read More)
Signing Ceremony Permits 32 Million Alien Files to Become Permanent Records at the National Archives – A Genealogy Goldmine. Adrienne Thomas, Acting Archivist of the United States and Gregory Smith, Associate Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will hold a joint signing ceremony between the National Archives and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services... (Read More)
Get Helpful, Usable Tips for Your Genealogy Research.
Get Helpful, Usable Tips for Your Genealogy Research.