Where Was Ohio’s First Capital?

Chillicothe, Ohio, was the state’s first capital—from 1803-1810—and then it became Ohio’s third capital from1812-1816. GenealogyBank has that early period of “The Buckeye State’s” history covered with four Chillicothe newspapers from 1801 to 1839. Wait— Chillicothe was Ohio’s first and third capital? Why did the capital of Ohio change so much? In the 1800s... (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)

So, this couple just had a baby ….

I met a couple with a new baby boy. They decided to name him for his mother’s brother –   They call him: Uncle.   Smitty – a rimshot.   Not only does GenealogyBank.com have over 130 million obituaries and death records it has tens of millions of birth announcements as well.   (Columbus... (Read More)

Passenger Lists to America

Newspapers routinely published the list of passengers on board ships bound to and from America. Here are just a few examples of the thousands of passenger lists published in newspapers that can be found in GenealogyBank. Newspapers published not just lists of immigrants coming to America but also regularly published passenger lists of American’s... (Read More)

It’s Wild Bill Hickok’s Day ….

Wild Bill Hickok – James Butler Hickok – was born on May 27, 1837 in Troy Grove, Illinois. Famous in movies, films and hundreds of newspaper articles – he is central to the legends of the Old West. Newspapers serialized his story and pictured him fighting bears, outlaws and Confederate agents. Images by Van... (Read More)

Tracking down Family Bibles ….

Family Bibles have been treasured by families for generations, but finding them today can be difficult.   It was common for families to have a family Bible – a large bound book that was prominently displayed in the family parlor – “…a large octavo volume, with a more or less ornate binding, with blank... (Read More)